Why I Wear A Helmet

If you want to start a fight in the cycling community, simply bring up the topic of helmets, and then offer an opinion regarding whether or not you believe they should be worn at all times when riding a bike.  It doesn't really matter on which side of the fence you choose to sit.  Those from the other side will immediately and fiercely attack your beliefs and inform you that you are the biggest idiot alive.

If you believe helmets SHOULD be worn, you'll get people who tell you the scientific studies in favor of helmet use are politically skewed and part of a massive helmet industry conspiracy to make us all buy them, and that helmets don't really protect you, and that helmet laws only serve to dissuade potential cyclists from riding.

If you believe in NOT wearing a helmet, people will scream at you for setting a poor example for the kids, and tell you how irresponsible and selfish you are, and they'll tell you all about the time they fell over in the driveway and lived to tell the story because they were wearing a helmet.

It also seems the media world loves to propagate the fight by always letting you know the cyclist wasn't wearing a helmet when they were killed by a motorist ... as though they might have lived through being hit by that pickup truck whose driver was both drunk and texting at 50mph, if only they'd been more responsible and worn their helmet.  The media would have you believe the vehicle driver was the real victim, and that the cyclist's demise was obviously their own fault, not that of the driver who "never saw them".  The media will imply that the helmet would have not only protected their entire body from the high-speed collision with a multi-ton vehicle, but it would likely have made them completely visible to the driver, therefore helping to avoid the accident altogether.

Personally, I'm not sure where the line should be drawn.  I can relate to arguments on both sides.  I've actually fallen in the driveway while attempting to unclip from my pedal (back when I used clipless pedals) and felt my helmeted head smack the pavement.  I've often wondered whether or not I would have experienced some kind of injury if it was my bare noggin, rather than a helmet-covered one ... but then I realize the helmet adds some size to my head, and it very well may have been just the helmet to hit the pavement, and a bare head might have never touched it.  At the same time, I've tripped over things many times in my life while simply walking from one place to another, and have suffered no real head trauma.  That being said, I've never crashed at high speed, and have no experience with what happens there.  Also ... if I understand it correctly, the official testing for bicycle helmet certification is basically only good for low-speed incidents that involve something hitting your head from the top ... which seems a rather unlikely scenario.  And even if it does offer some protection for a portion of your head, it certainly won't protect the rest of your body from a high-speed auto collision.  The odds of surviving that are low, helmet or not.

So .... my official position is that it should be optional, but perhaps recommended, depending on the environment and type of riding taking place.  I don't think they should be required, because there are many circumstances where they just don't make any sense for casual riding ... but I do think they serve an important function, and should be used when there's a potential risk.  How's that for taking a firm stance?

Nevertheless, I do choose to wear a helmet when riding.  Even if I'm not entirely convinced it will save my life, it does give me a little added mental security, as well as giving my quite significant other a sense that I'm being safe.  But most importantly, it gives me something I can only get from wearing a helmet.  You know what I'm talking about ... it's that special thing that tells everyone "Why, yes, I did just finish an epic bout of cycling."

Post-Ride Helmet Hair ... the BEST reason to wear a helmet!

Yes ... there it is ... the REAL reason to wear a helmet.  Helmet hair.  It saves hundreds of dollars every year by giving you a hairstyle that you could only otherwise get from a stylist.  Forget the politics ... do it for the style!!

New Shoes ... For My Brakes!

Wow ... is it really November already?  It feels like summer just began. Let the updates begin ...

In my last post, I showed you some new shoes ... well "new" was a relative term since I'd been wearing them for quite some time before writing about them.  In any case, while we're still on the topic (over a month later, since I haven't written about anything else since then), let's talk about more new shoes ... this time for my brakes!

I ordered my Hunqapillar (a.k.a. Funqapillar) with the new-at-the-time Shimano CX-70 cantilever brakes, and have been very happy with them ... but always felt the pads were a bit lacking in the "grabby-ness" department.  I wanted to give the system plenty of time before making any changes, though ... for two reasons.  First, brake pads always have a bit of a break-in period as they lose the shiny surface, after which they tend to perform better.  Second, the Velocity Synergy rims on my wheels do not have machined brake surfaces, which means they aren't perfectly smooth initially ... but become smooth with regular braking over time as the pads work like light sanding blocks to even out the rough spots.  I'm not exactly heavy-handed on the brakes, so for me, it takes a little time to break in the rims.  So I left the factory pads on the brakes and let them do their job until such time as they needed replacement.

Well, after several months of riding, I realized it was time for a thorough bike cleaning and full routine maintenance checkup.  Bikes get dirty, especially if you explore dirt roads and trails, and ride in salty air along the coast.  The "not being shiny like new" part isn't a big deal for me.  I just see it as a sign of a bike that's well-loved and well-used.  But what I do care about is making sure everything is kept in proper working order, which means looking at everything from top to bottom, cleaning, lubricating, making adjustments, tightening anything that might need it, and replacing anything that shows signs of excessive wear, breakage, or malfunction.  I decided I'd change out the brake pads, even though they were still in good condition, since I wanted to see if different pads would improve the performance.  I removed the black factory pads (remove the little retaining screw and slide the pad out of the holder), and replaced them (slide the new pad in and replace the screw) with new Kool-Stop Salmon-colored road pads (had an extra set in the tool box).  These are my favorites, at least from past experience, and seem to be the preferred pad of many shop people I've talked with.  The salmon pads are actually designed as one of Kool-Stop's "most aggressive compounds for extreme all weather conditions especially in the wet, but still superb in the dry."  I've found them to be very effective on any rim brake system I've used.

Kool-Stop Salmon pad installed on Shimano CX-70 brake

So did they improve the performance of the Shimano CX-70 brakes?  Why, yes, they certainly did!  As always with these pads on cantilever or V-brakes, the first ride included a couple of miles of extremely poor braking accompanied by the loudest screeching known to man.  But a quick stop for minor alignment and toe-in adjustment, and the noise is gone, replaced by a solid grip on the rim when squeezing the lever.  Even when new, these pads work better than the factory Shimano pads.  After a month of riding and wearing them in, they perform WAAAAAAYYYYY better.

Kool-Stop continues to perform for me.  I've now used them on road calipers, V-brakes, center pulls, and cantilevers, and they have been great in every system.  Give them a try ... but go easy when you squeeze the lever the first time.  You don't want to be learning to fly while riding your bike ...

Review: Teva Joyride Mid Shoes!!

Yes, I know ... it's been a while since my last post ... again.  The continued battle of balance has found me focusing on many things that don't include writing ... although I actually have been riding a lot over the summer, which is part of the reason there hasn't been a lot of time left for writing.  Excuses aside ... I'd like to share a recent discovery with you that has brought a great deal of happiness to my feet.

In case you haven't heard, I'm quite particular about what goes on my feet.  They're fairly wide-ish and strongly built, but at the same time, they're sensitive and have a tendency to get uncomfortable on long rides. If I'm walking or riding in sandals, I'll occasionally feel what I swear is a giant jagged rock under my foot, only to find it's the tiniest single grain of sand.  Lots of "normal" shoes don't work for me because they're just too narrow and tight ... and yet a lot of the "wide" width shoes are too sloppy and clunky.  Basically, it's pretty hard to find shoes that really work for my feet ... so when I trip and stumble across something that works, I get pretty excited.

Enter a new series of shoes from Teva.

Here's my disclaimer: None of the products reviewed here were provided to me by the manufacturer or any retailer for evaluation. Nope. I'm not one of those famous bloggers who gets stuff for free. I purchased everything with my own money, and without any sort of special interweb journalist discount, so you can rest assured that the opinions expressed here are unbiased and come purely through my own experience ... good, bad, or otherwise. That being said, should any manufacturers out there wish to provide some cool bike-related products for ... ummm ... testing and evaluation ... I would likely be open to offering my honest review. 

Teva has been well-known for many years for their adventure and water shoes and sandals, as well as their Mush flip-flops, and has experimented with lots of other casual styles.  I've been a fan of their sandals, and wear them daily, but to be honest, the shoes just haven't been a good fit for my feet.  Over the past year, they've been introducing shoes for bike people, which seems a natural progression for the company, given their reputation for adventure and outdoor sports, and the sandals are worn by many cyclists.  The shoe line was initially geared toward BMX and the more hardcore mountain bike style, the first two models looking like beefed up skate shoes with heavy padding and a stiffer outsole.  Nice, but not quite the ideal for me ... nevertheless, I tried a pair of the Pinner model to see if they might work.  They didn't.  The tongue is so heavily padded that the entire shoe is very tight.  Plus, the whole shoe just seems very small, both in length and width ... but going to a larger size would not have made the fit better, just clunkier.  I understand this kind of shoe may be just the ticket for a BMX rider ... but not for me as a general-purpose wherever rider.

Other models began to appear, however, and my interest was again drawn to the line.  The new models didn't have the heavy padding, nor were they all of the same skate styling.  Some of them even looked like retro sneakers, made with leather.  Hmmm.  But still ... I hadn't had much luck with their shoes fitting well, and I wasn't sure the styling was quite right for a man of my age.  After all, I'm not exactly a hipster.  I browsed the line many times as they sent email messages of announcement, gazing with happiness that a company like Teva would offer focus to bike shoes that can be walked in and worn all day, and that don't require (or offer) physical attachment to lock the shoe to the pedal.  Just good, all-around shoes designed with bike-riding in mind.  I always ended the browsing being confident they probably wouldn't fit my "special" feet, and would probably make me look silly.

One model continued to catch my eye, though, and was relentless in its subliminal question of "what if".  Teva calls it the Joyride.  It's offered in both a standard low cut (Joyride) and a mid-ankle height (Joyride Mid).  In a moment of weakness, I ordered a pair of the Mids, assuring myself that if they didn't fit, I could promptly return them.  That was months ago.  They are now almost the only shoes I wear when I ride.

Here they are:

They're offered in the dark brown shown here, as well as black.  You can't really go wrong with either color, so I flipped a coin and the brown won.  The uppers are made of waterproof leather, and are very soft.  I did get caught in the rain on one occasion, getting soaked from head to toe, and the shoes are absolutely no worse from the experience.  While the leather did get wet, it dried quickly and was not affected by the water.

I did add a set of DIY LaceKeepers, shown in the photos.  Out of the box, there is no provided means for securing the laces.  This really isn't a big deal, since the laces aren't really long enough to get caught in the chainring when tied.  However, the lacekeepers I added make sure the laces STAY tied.  An untied lace is not a good thing on a bike.

The shoes wipe clean easily and don't look abused from scuffs.  I'm not exactly thrilled about the creamy white trim on the sole and toe bumper (would have preferred something darker), but it's very much in line with the retro styling, and has actually grown on me with time.  They have a sole that Teva designed specifically for mating with the surface of a bike pedal, which they dubbed PedalLink.

Inside the shoe is a light, but very comfortable "Mush-Infused" insole that seems to mold well to my feet.  It's also removable, in case you want to replace them with a different insole.  The shoe lining is soft and quite "breathable" (my feet don't seem to get hot in them).  It's treated with some kind of anti-microbial stuff that's supposed to keep them from getting smelly ... and so far it seems to be working.

Here's what Teva has to say about them:

Riding your bike to work is the perfect way to start your day off on the right foot. But it’s really hard to find a shoe that has the appropriate level of sneaker-ness for biking along with enough seriousness for work. Solving that problem is the Joyride Mid. Hiding beneath the classy leather upper is our PedalLINK Outsole technology, which was developed with Teva Tribe professional riders for grip and feel. So if you’re looking for shoes that work on the pedal or off, the Joyride Mid is for you.

T.I.D.E. GRIP

• Our Spider365 Rubber sole will hold its grip in all kinds of environments
• Our PedalLINK outsole was designed specifically to interface with the unique platform of a bike pedal
• Aggressive tread designs at the toe and heel will grip the dirt when you’re hoofin’ it

T.I.D.E. HYDRO

• Waterproof upper materials can handle getting wet
• The gusseted tongue keeps water out

T.I.D.E. COMFORT

• A Mush® Infused Insole brings the absurd comfort of our flip flops into a shoe
• A rubber bumper will protect your toes
• Waterproof leather upper

Part of what held me back the most was wondering if the style of the shoe was a bit too "young" for me.  I imagined people would think I was going through some strange sort of mid-life hipster crisis, wearing shoes inappropriate for my age ... and in my mind, I saw that guy from the Sprint commercial:

It is I ... your subconscious style insecurity 

However ... I actually do like the retro style very much, regardless of its potential for age-inappropriateness, and when I took them out of the box, I was very pleased.  The material felt great and they appeared to be solidly built.  Even better, they fit great ... even on my wide-ish sensitive feet.  There's decent room in the toe box, and the leather is soft, so it adapts and shapes nicely.  Walking is as comfortable as any good sneaker, and the combination of Spider Rubber and tread pattern provides good grip on all surfaces.

The true test, however, is in how they work on the bike.  I can ride in almost any shoe for a few miles, but not so many of them get past 15-20 miles without causing some kind of discomfort or even numbness, especially if I'm pushing harder in a headwind or up a hill.  The Joyride has been great from the first ride ... like a favorite broken in pair of sneakers that feels great no matter what you're doing in them.  They stick to the pedals extremely well, but are easy to re-position when desired.  While the shoe has plenty of room for my feet, it's also designed with no extra stuff sticking out, so it's easy to keep my feet tucked in close to the cranks, where the power and efficiency is much better for me.  Most wide-ish shoes tend to force my feet out a bit on the pedals.  And here's a puzzling thing for me ... the sole is pretty flexible, which generally doesn't make for a comfortable long-distance riding shoe, but somehow these feel great on the pedals and don't cause any kind of fatigue.  They're also surprisingly light, considering the leather upper.  Not a bit of clunkiness here ...

The "on-the-bike" performance of the Joyride quickly made me forget any insecurity I may have had with the style.  They work so well, I'd wear them no matter what they looked like.  That said, they do look nice, and they coordinate well with everything I own.  It's even better that they're so comfortable for "off-the-bike" applications.  They are truly an all-day shoe.  I can't speak yet for durability, but so far, they've been great ... and I don't exactly coddle them while riding.  They've been through salty ocean spray, dusty dirt trails, rain, and assorted road debris, not to mention a sizable dose of sweaty feet.  They don't stink yet, and the pictures above are what they currently look like.

I'm considering getting another pair in black ... and maybe some of the low cut version, too ... now if I could only find a way to justify the purchase, because the last thing I "need" is another pair of shoes (or three) ... any suggestions?

If you're looking for a pair of comfortable sneakers with style, check the Joyride out, or any of the other shoes in Teva's Bike line.  I think you'll like them ... and if lots of people buy them, maybe Teva will keep making them!  Great shoes for regular pedals and regular bike people!!