Author Archives:

About

For half a century, Tamia Nelson has been ranging far and wide by bike, boat, and on foot. A geologist by training, an artist since she could hold a pencil, a photographer since her uncle gave her a twin-lens reflex camera when she was 10, she's made her living as a writer and novelist for two decades. Avocationally her interests span natural history, social history, cooking, art, and self-powered outdoor pursuits, and she has broad experience in mountaineering, canoeing, kayaking, cycling, snowshoeing and skiing.

Getting Ready to Roll: Prepping a New Bike for the Road

The only way to know if your new bike is ready to ride is to check it out, and that’s one job it’s best not to leave to others.
______________________________

by Tamia Nelson | April 2, 2019

One of the many benefits of buying from a good bike shop is that your new bike will be ready to roll when you take delivery. This is why experienced riders usually advise new cyclists to shop at their local bike shop (or LBS, if you like acronyms). But not every local bike shop is good, and bike shops of any description are rare finds outside cities. Moreover, these small shops are low-volume businesses. They don’t have the buying power of the Big Box chains. Which is why Walmart can sell a serviceable derailleur-equipped bike for less than USD200 and your local bike shop can’t.

There is, of course, a catch. Whereas a bike bought from a good bike shop will probably have higher quality components and be assembled well, the bike you buy from Walmart may not … Continue reading »

Gaiters: The Great Cover-Up

The gulf between boots and pants looms large in cold weather, but gaiters can bridge the gap with ease. But they’re not only good at keeping out the cold, as Tamia points out.
______________________________

by Tamia Nelson | April 20, 2018

Lug-soled boots are my first choice for winter footwear when I’m not using snowshoes or skis. An aggressive tread and the support that only stiff uppers can give improve the odds that each step will be sure-footed. But there is a problem with hiking and mountaineering boots. They don’t rise above the ankles, and this leaves the lower leg vulnerable to soiling and wetting, not to mention cold. No matter. I have gaiters. They’re not exactly a new idea, either. Backcountry and high country trekkers have worn them for generations. Townsmen used to wear them also. )Sam Weller, the cheerful cockney who rescued Charles Dickens’ Pickwick Papers from obscurity, was described as “wearing light breeches and gaiters.”)

So gaiters have stood the test of time. Little more than a fabric tube that reaches from ankle to … Continue reading »

Heading Off Headset Problems in Your Bike … And What IS Indexed Steering, Anyway?

Your bike’s headset is a critical component, for without it, you wouldn’t be able to steer. And it’s what keeps your front fork attached to your bike. So unless you’re keen to ride a unicycle, you’ll want to head off any problems.
______________________________

Bicycle Maintenance Article on Tamiasoutside.com

by Tamia Nelson | April 14, 2018

Whether you’re rolling out to ride the Paris-Robaix, or to do the weekly shopping, or for a circuit of the neighborhood, your bike’s headset better be in fine fettle. A lot rides on a bicycle’s headset. Most modern bikes are equipped with threadless headsets. This intricate assembly allows the front wheel to swing smoothly in its steering arc, and when paired with a suitable stem, it also keeps the fork securely attached to the frame, a matter of no little interest to the thoughtful cyclist.

So how does the headset accomplish its mission? Here’s an exploded view of a typical threadless headset, thanks to Keithonearth and Wikipedia:

Threadless Headset Schematic - Keithonearth - Tamiasoutside.com

The pictured headset uses cartridge bearings, but loose ball bearings in retainers are common, too. The upper and lower … Continue reading »

Eulogy for an Old-Timer

Jack was a bit of a bastard, really, but he had a soft spot for birds, chipmunks, and his beloved mountains. He also had a soft spot for me. And though he died many moons ago this month, but he’s still with me every day.
______________________________

Absent Friends Article on Tamiasoutside.com

by Tamia Nelson | April 14, 2018
Originally published in different form in different places in other years.

He died nearly half a century ago this April, at the age of sixty-five. It wasn’t an easy death. He “died hard,” as folks used to say. I won’t kid you. He was no saint. He was a bit of a bastard, in fact. Still, he had his reasons. He packed a lot into his sixty-five years. He raised three kids on little or nothing. A fourth, his youngest son, drowned one winter when he broke through the ice on a local lake. What with one thing and another, he never had an easy life. He lived through two major wars, several diphtheria epidemics, and a depression — and that wasn’t all. But … Continue reading »