Gear Ratio

So I've been contemplating for the longest time whether or not to change my gear ratio. I decided to take the plunge because well to be honest I haven't change my chain in about a year and half or so. So I figured it was time for an overhaul!

Comparing these two chains, the new one on the left, my old chain stretched prolly 1.5 chainlinks. Doesn't seem a lot but after I rode with the new chain on ... I should have done it months earlier. 

Here are a bunch of my chainrings I've gone through. Initially I started on 44-15 for the Irvine hills (the bottom chainring). Then switched to 48-17 (the chainring on the top right). Now I shall be rocking the 49t chainring (top left) with 2 fixed cogs I can flop on my Mack Hubs.

Officially on 49-17 with the option of 49-15

I changed ratios on 10.14.2011 and the thing I can say now is that man 49-17 is such a fast ratio especially on clipless pedals. I have yet to try 49-15 clipless but I am fine tuning my pedals until then. 

Ride 3:

11.9 miles || avg 15.6 || max 25.4mph || total 50.18 miles

I took it easy this ride. I consider this a recovery ride.

~Luggedsteal

Vittoria Wear

I love how well these tires wear down. Although to be honest, running a brake would be cheaper ... pfft fuck it! If you didn't know already, Randonneurs wear down in this order: black, red, threads, black, threads, threads, POP!

These were pics of my tires on 10.3.2011, but I've replaced them already. I usually get 3-6 months off Randos while riding brakeless. 

Ride 2:

21.68 miles || avg. 15.7mph || max 28.3mph || total 38.28 miles

Took it easy this ride, however my legs did cramp during a climb near the end of my route. I just literally had to forget about the pain and just harden the fuck up for the last mile.

~Luggedsteal

New Year's Resolution

So its 2012 and I decided to give myself some goals for 2012 that'll help push me toward my 100 mile ride goal.

1. Ride at least 1,200 miles by the end of 2012
2. Take more pictures
3. Complete a century ride

The 1st one is pretty obtainable in my head at least. That's at least 100 miles a month. I just want to stop giving myself the offhand excuses to not ride because of iffy weather. The 2nd one is because I was cleaning though my pictures and I saw I took 2775 pictures ever since my friend loaned me his Nikon D40. I want to be able to beat that number not because of quantity, but for quality. I look back at my photos and I noticed that I was consistently getting better pictures. So the more pictures I take, hopefully I can become a better photographer! Practice makes perfect. And for the last one ... my initial goal was to do a century ride before 2012, but I got busy with weddings and holidays! I've been off the saddle for too long and its time to refresh my biking spirit.

Anywho, starting strong with today's ride. Didn't take any pictures but I plan to document each ride I take from now on in my blogspot. Ironically, first ride and first fall in 2012! LOL I blame Long Beach concrete!

Ride 1:
16.6 miles || avg 16.4 mph || max 30.4 mph || total 16.6 miles

~Luggedsteal

Belmont Shore Pier: Revisited

About a 20 mile ish ride. Was testing out my new Citygrounds bottles. This ride was on 9.11.2011

~Luggedsteal

33 Mile Ride: Directions

Double sided and ghetto laminated with scotch tape. 

~Luggedsteal

33 Mile Ride: Trek Update

If you know my hommie Eric, you'd know that for the longest he was mashing his bike on clipless pedals with well, no cleats or shoes! Probably the most uncomfortable and inefficient use of power ever. Before our ride we decided to finally swap out his pedals. Funny thing was that I wasn't able to do it with my tools and we had to go to a bike shop to use their repair stand to do it. 

Even after a little scare of possibly cross threaded cranks. We were able to finally get some decent pedals on this bike! My old pedals look great on this classic bike!

 We gotta be on the look out for a new fork though. A tiny hairline crack! :/ No fun at all.

Beasting on this gear! 

~Luggedsteal

33 Mile Ride: Sunset Beach

After we left Belmont Shores, we actually grabbed lunch at In and Out mainly to refuel on water. Pretty much took PCH after with some pretty long inclines. Well deserved rest break here.

The ride back home was pretty brutal due to cross winds and straight up dehydration. But hey, we made it and one step closer to the century ride!

~Luggedsteal

33 Mile Ride: Belmont Shores Pier

Me and Eric went on a bike ride on 8.30.2011 that looped from Long Beach, to DTLB, to Belmont Shores and Sunset Beach. Very beast ride especially for Eric since it was his first long ride. First rest stop:

 That view never gets old to me.

~Luggedsteal

The Orleans

Stayed at the Orleans for my cousin's pre-bachelor/birthday party. I honestly don't remember taking this picture, but it reminds me of the shining .. oh snap!

~Luggedsteal

Viva Las Vegas

Yikes! It's been about a month since my last post. Not gunna lie, I've been feeling a little bit lazy to post stuff up. Its funny because I have so much stuff to show too ... well any who, here are some pictures of a trip I took during the summer.

 such a hyper dog ... wouldn't sit still! Somehow I was able to get him on the Fifty

~Luggedsteal

Profile Design Aquarack

So in preparation for the LB to SD ride, I decided to grab one of these bad boys. For really long distances, you need some form of accessible hydration and granted I could have just put a bunch of bottles in my bag, but a lafixed deal came up which I couldn't pass up. This thing can hold 2 bottles and it attaches to your seatpost. Those little metal things that come out can hold CO2 cartridges. When I was test riding this for the first time, I felt the reach was too low for me even though I hiked it up as far as I could. So I ended up removing the spacer and the CO2 holders and it has a better feel to it.

I'll prolly do a full review when I log 250 miles on my odometer. So far I'm really enjoying this. Next post will be my bottles.

~Luggedsteal

Knog Nerd 12

So I decided to treat myself and get a computer for Merci Rolls. Why you may ask? Well to be honest I always wanted to know how far and how fast I am going. My goal when I bought this computer 8.16.2011 was mainly to try to ride 10 miles a week. Right now I have increased it to 20 miles. By trying to push my endurance more and more over time so that I can ride LBC to SD. The long term goal is hopefully be able to do the Tour de California on a fixed. Here is to the 1st stepping stone!

I plan to do a full review when I have about 250 miles logged into the odometer. So far I have 100+.

~Luggedsteal

Japan's #1 Beer

and one of the few keys to my heart.

~Luggedsteal

Chillin'

Before we played 7s, 11s, and Doubles ... good times.

~Luggedsteal

Polaroids

~Luggedsteal

Camera Check: Nikon FG-20

Another day, another camera check! This one isn't as throwback as the Polaroid 440, but just as cool. Check out that Nikon leather case! It has been used but not abused.

Nikon FG-20, its a film camera with a 50mm lens! Honestly this older glass looked cleaner/clearer than the 50mm I'm currently using. 

Leather grips

Low profile with that Sharp strap

Such a beauty! 

They currently don't sell the FG-20 anymore but they do sell something similar, <this> bad boy! The Nikon FM10 is a very similar looking camera, but for some reason I like how the FG-20 looks!

~Luggedsteal

Behind the Lens: Polaroid 440

~Luggedsteal

Camera Check: Polaroid 440

One of my friends has a really throwback camera ... literally. Check out this rugged leather case.

The plastic case cover protects the lens and just pulls out. The viewfinder pops up. Crazy innovative design Polaroid.

Can you say throwback?

The shutter is a bit different. The best I can describe it is double action. 7/8 press to click and get ready, last 1/8 click to actuate the shutter. 

There are two view finders on this camera. The obvious one in the center and the circular one on the left. You use the large one to compose the shot, the smaller one to focus. It's pretty fun.

External Flash

So this is the bulbs for the flash

It has 4 separate light bulbs which you can rotate when one burns out. 

~Luggedsteal