Using Bike Lights During Daytime?

Do you think bicycle headlights and taillights are just for night rides? Think again.
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by Tamia Nelson | March 22, 2018
Originally published in different form on January 28, 2014

Cyclotouring Article on Tamiasoutside.com

The months between the autumnal and vernal equinoxes are a time of short days and long shadows. This has important consequences for cyclists who venture onto public highways. The low winter sun poses the greatest danger. Late in a March day, an impatient motorist driving toward the fiery orb hanging just above the western horizon is sure to be all but blinded by the dazzling light. There’s almost no chance she’ll spot a cyclist in the road ahead of her in time to swerve or brake.

Are you feeling lucky today? It’s a question I often ask myself before pedaling away.

Of course, we cyclists are forced to rely on the kindness of strangers for our very survival all year round. Motorists who are alert, competent, and well-disposed pose few problems. But not every motorist embodies these happy qualities.

OK. What can cyclists do to … Continue reading »

A Clean Bike is a Happy Bike

Bikes are versatile beasts and will carry you through fine weather and foul. But they’ll protest if they’re not kept clean. A dirty bike—specifically, a dirty drivetrain—will eventually wear and give up the ghost. So, cleaning your faithful steed after each filthy ride will be rewarded with improved functioning and reliability for the long haul.
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by Tamia Nelson | March 18, 2018

Bike Maintenance Article on Tamiasoutside.com

Ideally, bikes should be completely cleaned, checked, and lubed after every dirty ride, but in reality this isn’t always possible. Cleaning a bike is a time-consuming and messy job. When you return tired and hungry from a dirty ride, it’s too easy to roll the bike into the garage and forget about it. The trouble with this is that you remember quickly enough the next time you turn to your bike, usually when it’s inconvenient to give it a well-deserved cleaning. Maybe you spray the drivetrain with WD-40 or drip some lube over the rusty, grubby chain and ride away to the sound of grit grinding away the chain and other components. But … Continue reading »

Hasty Homemade Vegetable Soup in Less Time Than It Takes to Shovel the Drive

“Soup’s on!” Do you long to hear those welcome words? Then here’s how to make your wish come true.
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by Tamia Nelson | March 11, 2018
Originally published in different form on January 8, 2013

Whatever your complaint—a bad cold, the flu, or just one dark winter day too many—soup is good for what ails you. But soup-making has now become a black art practiced only by a coterie of cognoscenti, something far beyond the reach of ordinary mortals. That’s what the Mad Men in marketing would like you to think, anyway.

To which I reply: Piffle. Making soup from scratch is no harder than shoveling the drive, and it won’t take any longer. So before you grab a can off the shelf, give this recipe a try. It will put a steaming pot of vegetable soup on your table in less than 30 minutes.

  • 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 32-ounce container of broth (vegetable, chicken, or beef—cook’s choice)
  • Medium-sized potato (any variety), diced small
  • Small onion diced fine, or a few green onions, sliced fine
… Continue reading »

Nashbar’s Stand By Me: Compact, Inexpensive, and Durable

A bike stand simplifies routine maintenance like chain lubing and adjustments to the drivetrain. But not every cyclist wants a costly full-sized shop stand that takes up a lot of floor room. Is there any other option? Sure there is, and it will cost less than topping up your car’s gas tank.
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by Tamia Nelson | March 5, 2018

A bike stand is a handy addition to any cyclist’s home tool kit, even if the most involved task you perform on your bicycle is to clean it and lube the drivetrain after sloppy rides. More ambitious home mechanics will find a stand handy for brake and derailleur adjustments, bottom bracket work, or any other task where it helps to have the rear wheel off the ground. And while a full-sized shop stand makes many jobs a lot easier, not everyone can devote floor space to a large stand, or pay what it costs for a competent model. There is an alternative, though. It’s small, capable, and cheap. I bought one back in 2008, and amazingly, it’s still available. It’s … Continue reading »