Category: cycling

OVER the Handle Bars … 🚲

On By Rick McIn cycling, health & fitness, product complaintsLeave a comment

My Trek Checkpoint bike is still like new.

Today I flipped over the handlebars. First time ever, I believe.

I was wearing my helmet. But — happily — the Gymnastics training kicked in and I pulled off a shoulder safety roll with perfect technique. No damage. Helmet never hit the dirt.

What happened?

I was on level ground. Easy riding. INSTANT stop.

My fender somehow came loose and wedged behind the tire.

Weird. I’d never heard of this happening before.

It’s still on warranty so I’ll have the dealer fix it.

My bike dropper post with 🧐SUSPENSION

On By Rick McIn cyclingLeave a comment
  • USD $199.00 Dropper Post (including shipping from California)
  • CAD $128.00 Wolf Tooth handlebar lever
  • CAD $102.90 Installation including cables

The only thing that worried me about my new Trek Checkpoint ALR 4 backpacking rig is lack of suspension. It’s supposed to have some suspension in the carbon fork — but I still find it a lot stiffer than my old hard tail Ghost.

One way to add suspension is with a special saddle. Makes sense.

When I first heard about this unique product — the PNW Coast Suspension Ext Dropper Post — I started research in earnest.

Dropper posts allow riders to quickly lift and lower their saddle without the need to dismount and loosen the quick-release seat clamp.

The PNW Coast Suspension External Dropper Post is the first suspension dropper post, combining ride smoothing suspension and the benefits of a dropper into one seatpost.

The post comes with 100mm or 120mm of drop travel. It is perfect for XC mountain biking, gravel riding, bikepacking, commuting, and much more.

So far I’m LOVING the ability to quickly and easily raise and lower the saddle, even while riding. I now have 3 different handbag placements and multiple seat positions.

But I still don’t have as much suspension as I’d like.

Click PLAY or see how it works on YouTube.

Click PLAY or see a review on YouTube.

Here’s a review from someone who rides in my own style. Gravel. Bikepacking.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

DJI Mini SE Drone Test #1

On By Rick McIn cycling, hiking, photos, travel, video4 Comments

I tried and failed to fly a DJI Spark drone when it was released 2017. Did not once get it off the ground. It was a dead weight on my Patagonia trip that year.

In 2021 the (Mavic) Mini SE is their entry level model. CAD $349. … How long before I break it? 😀

I’ve either gotten a lot smarter — or their drones are much easier to operate now.

Click PLAY or watch the 1st flight on YouTube.

My Bike Helmet Mirror

On By Rick McIn cycling, product endorsementsLeave a comment

I’d always been a skeptic of helmet mirrors: Easily breakable. And WHY would I be riding in traffic?

BUT so far I’m quite happy with the EVT Safe Zone Bicycle Helmet Mirror:

  • quickly removable
  • looks very durable
  • adjustable with one hand
  • more relaxed with assurance about what’s coming up behind
  • easier to decide when to cross the road
  • 100% made in the USA

The largish mirror makes it easier to see what’s coming. But it’s nowhere near as good as a car mirror.

AND it’s quite expensive. About CAD $90.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Lisbon, Portugal in November

On By Rick McIn cycling, hiking, photos, travel1 Comment

I arrived Lisbon Nov. 2nd, 2021 — my birthday. During a pandemic.

My excuse was ESSENTIAL TRAVEL 😶 to get a dental implant done. Expen$ive — but excellent. And finished within 2 weeks. A dental holiday.

Click PLAY or watch highlights on YouTube. (3min)

I avoided museums and restaurant because PLAGUE — but ordered out from famed Time Out Market at least 6 times.

Tourists love Lisbon.

Fantastic street art for pretentious influencers. 😀

I stayed at Sunset Destination. Not the best hostel in town, but definitely the best located. On top of a train station transportation hub. AND they have a great rooftop patio.

I walked more than on a typical hiking day. There’s much to see. Many viewpoints to visit.

Belém Tower
Monument to the Discoveries
Praça do Comércio and Rua Augusta Arch

Santa Justa elevator
Museum of Art, Architecture, and Technology (MAAT)

I really liked climbing the Christ statue at sunset.

Cristo Rei

I’ll be back in Lisbon next Spring to get my implant installed.

Cycling Portugal

On By Rick McIn cycling, travel1 Comment

I rode Portugal November 2021. November is considered off-season. There were very few tourists.

Click PLAY or get a glimpse on YouTube.

Cycling Alentejo and the Algarve is very popular, especially with German tourists.

For me Alentejo was much better. Very undeveloped. Low population density.

The Algarve is overdeveloped. And not in any way more scenic.

Weather was good. But I did have one BIG rainstorm.

I mostly followed the EuroVelo 1 Atlantic Coast Route using an app called Mapy.cz recommended to me by two Polish cyclists. Other cyclists recommended RideWithGPS. I’ll try that on my next trip.

It’s not much signed. Not clear. The EV1 in France — by comparison — is well signed and much better maintained.

I was quick to go off route if something looked interesting either left or right. Ended up getting lost and having to backtrack quite often.

With a week long touring bike rental from BikeIberia here’s what I ended up doing:

Lisbon > train to Setubal > ferry to Costa de Gale
Night 1 – Small room beside a small town bar in Comporta
Night 2 – Great hostel in Porto Covo
Night 3 – Tenting near Odeceixe
Night 4 – Great hostel in Sagres (huge rain storm)
Night 5 – Sagres
Night 6 – Hostel Portimao
Night 7 – Great hostel in Faro

Cost was about 30 EUR (US$33.85) / day for 7 days. Cost / day is less if you book for longer.

That included a good bike, well maintained. Helmet, handlebar bag, 2 waterproof panniers, toolkit, spare tube, pump and lock.

BEST of all — you can drop the bike anywhere you want in Portugal and Spain at no cost. The company picks it up on your last day. Brilliant.

Click PLAY or watch an EV1 promo video on YouTube.

I’m already considering riding one of the Camino de Santiago routes in future. Perhaps Lisbon to Santiago along the coast.

I slept most nights in a hostel, the best of which was MUTE in Porto Covo, where I had started my Fisherman’s Trail hike the week prior.

sunset from the MUTE hostel balcony

I would have slept in the tent more often, BUT nights are long in November. And it was colder than I expected.

In general, I took the scenic route closest to the Atlantic.

Beaches in November are deserted.

I ate one restaurant meal a day.

Free coffee at the hostels. Or on the trail.

I’d detour to tourist attractions.

I easily finished at Faro within my 7-day rental. Probably the least charming town en route.

Small coastal villages are best for me.

I’ll be back to Portugal / Spain to rent AGAIN from the same Lisbon based company. This is the easiest way in the world to do cycle touring.

Tree to Sea Bike Touring Loop, Vancouver Island

On By Rick McIn cycling, travel1 Comment

I’m looking forward to exploring the northern half of Vancouver Island by bike.

Sometime.

I’ll do some variation of the Tree to Sea Loop, 1000-kilometres on gravel around the lesser-known areas on the north end of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. It’s 90% unpaved.

Highlights include massive valleys, oceanside villages, towering coastal mountains, and deep fjords via an impressive patchwork of forest service roads.

Right now the route requires a water taxi from Tahsis to Zeballos, which will be replaced by the Unity Trail that will eventually connect the two communities.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Birthday Party in LISBON

On By Rick McIn cycling, hiking, travel2 Comments

I’m 64-years-young on November 2nd.

I’ll be celebrating in Lisbon, Portugal. You know — the most vaccinated nation in the world? 😇

No quarantine. No covid test. BLAST. Connecting in Montreal, I was one of about 10 connecting passengers informed that we did need a Covid test before getting on the plane. I got a 20 minute test at the airport for $150. Very confusing as Portugal allows vaccinated passengers to arrive without a test on TAP airlines and others. I blame Air Transat for poor communication.

I’ll be hiking famed Fisherman’s Trail. And Seven Hanging Valleys.

Renting a touring bicycle from BikeIberia.

BUT if anyone asks, I’m there mainly looking to get some dental work done. North American dentists are the most overpaid in the world.

searching for a dentist

As usual, I’m flying to Europe on Air Transat. Cheapest by far — BUT they don’t have many flights / week.

As it happens, I celebrated my 53rd birthday in Porto, Portugal. So this is something of a re-do.