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Friday 19 May 2017

Don't Ride Without It: Water



Either you ride for century, bikepacking, touring or just rush on the street, water its one of absolutely list things to carry. You may experience loose of drink water in the middle of the ride without any shop or house on your sight. How you survive? Why water its important? How to manage your water in the middle of nowhere? Here's a few things to consider: 

Humans can go without water for only a few days. High and low temperatures, a lack of shade, dry or windy conditions, and other factors can further reduce the amount of liquid reserves left in the body and dramatically reduce the time available for waterless survival. When too much salt is in your system, water is leached from individual cells to compensate for and correct the imbalance. The body fights this by urinating to remove the salt, so we urinate more water than we drink. The result is dehydration.

The body compensates for the fluid loss by increasing the heart rate and constricting blood vessels to maintain blood pressure and flow to vital organs. Eventually, you’ll feel nausea, weakness and delirium. As you become more dehydrated, the brain and other organs receive less blood, which leads to coma, organ failure and eventually death.

Prevent Dehydration

Even when you are not thirsty, drink small amounts of water at regular intervals to prevent dehydration. Rinse your mouth for 30 seconds before swallowing. Most of your thirst comes from a dry mouth. regular intervals helps your body remain cool and decreases sweating. When bundled up during cold weather you may be unaware that you are losing body moisture. You must drink water to replace this lost fluid. Your need for water is as great in a cold environment as it is in a hot environment.


Over-hydration

Over-hydration can occur if total water intake exceeds what your kidneys and sweat glands can process. A rule of thumb is that consumption that exceeds 1.5 liters per hour can result in over-hydration. Over-hydration can cause low serum sodium levels resulting in cerebral and pulmonary edema, and, possibly, death. 



Finding Water

If you bikecamp in wilderness, animals can often lead you to water. Grazing animals, such as deer, are usually never far from water and typically drink at dawn and dusk. Birds can sometimes lead you to water. When they fly straight and low, they are heading for water. When returning from water, they are full and will fly from tree to tree, resting frequently. 

Insects, especially bees, can be good indicators of water. Bees seldom range more than a few miles from their nests or hives. They will usually have a water source close by. Ants need water as well. A column of ants marching up a tree is likely going to a source of water. A good source of water is dew. By stretching out a sheet of plastic you can capture dew during the night.

If you find a muddy area, there may be groundwater available. Dig a hole about a foot deep and one foot in diameter and wait. You may be surprised to find that the hole is soon filled with water. This groundwater will be muddy, but straining it through some cloth will clean it up, and it will get you by in the short term.

Vegetation helps supply you with water as well. Fruits, coconuts, cacti, vines, palm trees and bamboo can be good sources of liquid sustenance. Bend the top of a green bamboo tree down about a foot off the ground and tie it off. Cut a few inches off the tip, put a container underneath and leave it overnight. The next day, you should have a nice amount of clear, drinkable water.


Last...

Riding without bring a water just stupid. Never put yourself in situation to find a water, plan your route wisely and that's mean including where to find water and food supply.


Source:
American Survival Guide magazine, spring 2017
http://adventure.howstuffworks.com


Ride On!



Thursday 18 May 2017

Review: Sleek Baby Diaper Rash Cream

After a few short ride, its time to tell you the result using Sleek Baby Diaper Rash Cream as substitute of chamois cream. First, i applied the cream in my skin, not in chamois pad. Second, during the test, i only used a road BIB/short and used XC and road bike. The course was vary, from beaten road to good surface road. 



So what the results?

1. After applied in my skin, it felt natural like lot of sweat concentrate in one place, sleek but almost odorless

2. During the test, i don't have allergic or rash issue

3. It help prevent my crotch from scratch because countless friction between my skin, pads, pants and saddle when cycling

4. It doesn't help protect my bum from impact, i still felt sore when seated across the beaten road.

5. After washed the shorts/BIB, i didn't see any stain in the pads, neither in my saddle's too

tested

Conclusion

Sleek Baby Diaper Rash Cream it work (for me) as a substitute of chamois cream. With price around Rp 30.000 for 80 ml its bang for the bucks and the tube design make us can carry the cream in back pocket.

Bear in your mind, if you wanna try it, i didn't responsible for any result you have.


Ride On!


Tuesday 16 May 2017

First Look: Prompt Toe Strap

Honestly, its been a years i wanna bought a toe strap, but in that time the price its kinda high. I don't think they worth that much. A few weeks ago, i accidentally see "Prompt" toe strap at local online shop and that thing have a decent price around Rp50.000. Ok, i think that's a fair price for toe strap and few days ago, the toe strap was landed in my home.



I don't care about the packaging, so i have fully attention in that strap alone. Its a black colour with dark grey "PROMPT" embroidery on upper side, pretty elegant. But, when i see the strap, i doubt this strap will have a long age (i hope i'm wrong). The strap was thin and soft, its easier to installed it in my MKS Sylvan pedals but i predict it will be hard to slip in on the ride (and maybe cut it out after a few skid). 

At a glance, it had a cheap price, a great look but i worried about the strength. Stay tune for the review.


Ride On!


Sunday 7 May 2017

First Look: Sleek Baby Diaper Rash Cream



Okay, the title seems awkward in this blog, but...if you read my previous post "In Search: Chamois Cream Substitute" you will know this article still relate with cycling :). After a few medical shop sight seeing and asked, i found this diaper rash cream in one of mini market, wkwkwkkw.

The tube contain 80ml of cream and the price only around Rp 30.000 (CMIIW). Why i choose this product? 

1. The smell is good for myself
2. Cheap (FYI, there's a same product with different brand cheaper than this)
3. I kinda like the colour scheme of the tube, white and purple :D
4. If i'm satisfied with it, i can easily find it

The feature of this product is "...specially formulated with natural anti-Irritant, moisturizer, and antibacterial with pH 5.5..."  Ok, i found 2 point i needed from this cream, anti irritant and moisturizer. I will do couple ride with it and tell you the result.

Stay Tune.


Ride On!


Friday 5 May 2017

Bicycle Parts Vending Machine



Vending machine for bicycle parts?

Weird?

No!

It's brilliant i think...

Imagine a scenario like this: You ride your lovely bike far away from home at 05:00..it's a good time to ride...no traffic, peace and lot of fresh oxygen..and....shit happens...flat tire and you forget to bring spare inner tire. No bicycle shop open at that time and that situation leave you no choice except call a cab or hommies to take you home or waiting at nearest bicycle shop veranda.

Vending machine its the answer of that trouble.

If you google it, there's some bicycle parts vending machine in this world today. Sadly, not anyone of them exist in Indonesia :(

Here's some bicycle parts vending machine and their loaction:
   
1. Sourland Cycles, New Jersey

100 kilometres from New York City in the small town of Hopewell, New Jersey, Sourland Cycles, had a vending machine in its parking lot replete with multiple small bike shop items. The “24-Hour Bike Shop,” is a visually compelling, could garner some publicity and be a very visible way to support the local community. The machine has been deployed for about two years now.

“Loading it was fairly simple,” says Michael Gray, owner of Sourland Cycles. “But the testing and programming took a few trial runs, to set prices and messages.” The machine is stocked with a variety of small items including chains, master links, tubes, cables, tyre levers, patch kits, multitools and cables. While many items fit within the coils that came with the machines, Gray did have to order some larger coils for certain items. It is set to only be used with credit cards, to avoid the hassles of dealing with change and potential vandalism/theft. This does mean that it costs a small monthly fee for a wireless connection to process card sales.

While the vending machine may look good and prove that Sourland Cycles thinks about its place in the community, Gray says it may never pay for itself. He says it does not really sell a lot of product, averaging less than US$50 per month on average. Given that the cost of the machine was around US$4500, profit is at best a multi-year possibility. “I have more people taking pictures of it than actually using it, but that was kind of the point – it is a definite gesture to the cycling community,” says Gray.

2. Bikestock, New York

Bikestock vending machines offer bicycle accessories and essential products for cyclists and urban dwellers on the go. As an alternative to the traditional bike shop model, Bikestock provides do-it-yourself service around the clock. Bikestock also offers free to use tools and air to ensure you can get back on the road with minimal effort. Products Offered: – Inner Tubes (all sizes) – Patch Kits – Lights – Locks – Brake Pads – Rim Tape – Multi Tool – Tire Boot – Headphones – Phone Chargers – Power Block – Seasonal Items (Sunglasses, Sunscreen, Etc.) – Food and Drink – Many more items. They have 4 vending machine spread in New York, click this link to see the location.


3. Fixtation, Minneapolis



The Fixtation is really just a vending machine, but with bike parts instead of snacks (though there are some snacks in case you’re getting hungry on your ride). What makes it most convenient is the bike mount and tools–attached with aircraft cables to prevent theft–alongside the vending machine. You can replace that flat or adjust your brakes yourself without dealing with the characters who usually are employed at bike shops.

4. University Bicycles, Boulder, Colorado

They sell gels, nutrition bars, CO2 cartridges, tubes, cycling cap, gloves, lights, chain lube, multi-tools, and more. Lester Binegar at University Bicycles says the machine paid for itself in about one year, and they've had almost no problems with it in the three years it's been outside the store.

5. Bike Box, St. Louis, Missouri 

They sell tubes, tires, levers, chamois butter, patch kits, drinks, sunglasses, hand warmers, condoms, cigarettes, candy bars, and more. In summertime, squirt guns are the machine's top seller; at night, it’s cigarettes. A workstand in front of the bar has tools attached to help cyclists with fixes.

6. Tom's Pro Bike, Lancaster, New York

They sell Gatorade, energy bars, tubes, CO2 cartridges, and more. After realizing how upset a cyclist might be if a tube or CO2 cartridge didn't drop out of the machine, owner Tom Lonzi installed a unique feature: guaranteed vend. The vending operation isn't complete until a product reaches the bottom tray, so if an item gets hung up, you can hit the button again until one drops—no need to physically assault the machine over a patch kit.

7. Rebound Cycle, Canmore, Alberta


They sell tubes, food, water, CO2 cartridges, pedals, hand warmers, and more. Rebound says the average user of the machine, which has been outside the shop for three years, buys 2.2 things from it—a rate the inside sales staff tries to beat so they won't be replaced by vending robots. Perhaps driving sales: Many items come with a surprise $5-$10 gift certificate.

8. Green Zebra Grocery, Portland, Oregon 

They sell bike tubes. The Green Zebra Grocery store is like a bike-friendly minimart for health nuts, with a vending machine, bike pump, work stand, and covered bike-rack area.


Source:

http://www.bikestocknyc.com
https://www.fastcompany.com
http://www.bicycling.com
Bikebiz magazine, April 2017


Ride On!


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Thursday 4 May 2017

In Search: Chamois Cream Substitute



Sometimes, ergonomic saddle and good padding pant doesn't protect your crotch from blister, especially if you ride century or tour. Some people i know can enjoy a hundred km ride without blister crotch just using a regular short, Unfortunately, i'm not the one of them. 

So, after a countless ride and countless blister in my crocth, i have a will to try using chamois cream. after a few clicks, i think again, again, and again..to buy that cream. Why? The problem was their price. I found their price start from Rp 200.000 for 100ml tube. Wow! It just need a few ride before the tube run dry, hiks...

So...chamois cream stay in wish list for now. I started google it to found chamois cream substitute. Generally, netizen say you can substitute chamois cream with:

1. Vaseline
2. Diaper rash cream
3. Coconut oil

There's plenty of option, and they are all cheaper than chamois cream! So its time to try that things. Stay tune for the result.


Ride On!