The Bike Hive

In 1984 I was 13 years old and was crazy about BMX.   At the time, I didn't even have a nice bike .  I rode my black AMF bmx bike with yellow mag wheels everywhere and loved it. It wasn't a Mongoose or Redline- the bikes everyone wanted back then - but I loved it all the same.   I read all the BMX magazines that I could get my hands on.  My favorite was BMX Action and by favorite rider was RL Osborn.  I would read the magazine cover to cover and learn the simple tricks that were in the how-to section of the magazine.  I had seen articles about the BMX Action trick team doing shows around the country.  I used to dream of how awesome it would be to go see them some time. That dream became reality in the summer of 1984. The owner of the Hive Bike Shop hired them to give two shows per day for a week in my hometown of Peru, Indiana.  I was blown away when I heard about it.  At first, I didn't believe it - it was just a rumor that spread...

In September 2012 my wife and I were invited by my employer to join him and his wife along with some friends of the shop on a Trek Travel bike tour of northern California.  The trip began at the Sea Ranch Lodge, about 110 miles north of San Francisco, and finished in Sausalito with a side trip through San Francisco and up Mt Tam.  The 5-Day tour took us down the Pacific Coast Highway with a few trips inland and spectacular views of the coast. Day One The first day was spent taking the van from downtown San Francisco to the Sea Ranch Lodge, getting to know our new friends and guides, and setting the Trek Madone bikes.  After getting settled in at the lodge and setting up the bikes, we all headed out for a short ride up the Pacific Coast Highway and back before dinner. The view from our window, Sea Ranch Lodge Day Two My Wife, at the edge of the U.S. The second day began with breakfast facing the ocean, with a spectacular view of a whale surfacing while...

For many years, I've heard older people say that inner tubes don't hold air as well as they used to.  It's usually the same thing - 'I never had to air up my tires when I was a kid.'   Others seem to think that tubes puncture easier now than they did even 15 or 20 years ago.  All of this got me wondering if there really is a difference between the quality of tubes and if it's changed through the years. First, a (very) short history:  Originally tires and tubes were made from natural rubber from the Hevea tree that is grown almost exclusively in Indonesia and Malaya.  During World War II, Japan had invaded these countries and cut off the world’s supply of natural rubber.  This led to a shortage and the need for an alternative.   At the time, German engineers had already been working on a synthetic rubber, but it wasn't until 1942 that U.S. engineers were able to develop it into a useable rubber compound called Butyl.   Butyl synthetic rubber...

The other day I decided to take the long way to work and ride my Olmo - a bike I've had for 25 years and ridden over 25000 miles.   This is not the first road bike I purchased, but it is the first Italian bike I purchased.  I fell in love with it immediately, mostly because I felt so special riding Italian steel.  This was 1990, when carbon fiber was starting to appear on the market and aluminum frames were all the rage.  I was 19 and this bike made me feel special when I'd ride. One of the greatest things about it is that I purchased it on clearance from the importer for $135.  Brand new Italian steel for a screaming deal!  Granted, it's Oria steel that doesn't have the same pedigree as Reynolds or Columbus.  However, it has been a fantastic bike for me.   A few years ago I updated it with a Campy Daytona group.  Campy was something I'd only heard of when I was 19.  We didn't see it in our shop, the general consensus was that it was to...

Chain lubricant can be one of the most controversial aspects of bicycle mechanics.  It seems like most mechanics you talk to will have their own opinion as to what's best and they will strongly defend their choice.  So what is the difference between the chain lube and why are there so many kinds? Before we begin, let's go over some facts about chain wear. How does a chain wear and what is Chain 'Strech'? As a bike is pedaled, the roller, pin, and bushing parts of a chain are forced together under a high load.  This causes friction between the metal parts, causing them to wear down.  The first picture below shows wear on the pin, the second picture shows wear on the bushing part of the inner link plate (hard to see, it's shown as the lower left part of the hole wearing away).    .    As these parts wear, the pins gradually become farther apart across inner link plates.   This what is referred to as 'chain stretch'  ...

For the second year in a row, my friend Brad and I took off from Indy with no plan other than to ride.   We decided where we were riding first when we left the driveway.  After that, we didn't decide where we were going next until we were done riding the trail each day.   The idea was to look for new places to ride and maybe ride some familiar trails if we were in the area.  No hotel reservations either, we were winging it for the most part. Day one- French Lick After a couple false starts, we were finally on our way to our first stop in French Lick.  We had ridden there last year and really enjoyed it so it made sense to include it on this year's trip.  The trail is a great mix of technical rocks and roots without it being over-rough.  Beautiful rock walls, a water fall, and fun trails.  2 laps on the trails then on to the hotel for the first night. Day two- O'Bannon State Park Breakfast at the hotel then on the road to O'Ban...

Kashima coating is a feature currently only found on Fox forks and shocks*.  It's easy to spot from it's distinctive dark brown color.  What is it and why do they use it?  First, a quick definition: Anodizing is a process by which a metal part (normally aluminum) is electrically charged and submerged in a chemical bath.  This creates an oxide layer that penetrates the metal and changes the microscopic texture and the crystal structure of the metal near the surface.  After a part is treated, it can be dyed to give it color before it is sealed to increase durability. Hard anodizing is a similar procedure that penetrates further into the metal. This increases the surface hardness of the material making the surface even more durable and corrosion resistant.  It does not make the metal part stronger, it affects the durability of the surface of the metal. Kashima coating is a type of hard anodizing that involves a lubricating treatment as well.  This ...