New Non-E-Bike

Since the e-bike is in the shop, I got annoyed with the old Viscount 10-speed I've been flogging around for the past 25 years or so and decided to go shopping Friday. After checking out some local shops (including used bike joints) and Target, I decided on going with the Schwinn 700C Trail Way Hybrid at Target. I knew the bike would have to be re-tweaked after getting it home but it's looking like a decent bike. I would have liked to bought from a local shop but their prices were over $100 extra for less bike (steel not aluminum, cheap hubs not the machined ones, etc.). The bike ran $220 plus tax.



Only one thing spoiled the fun. When I was just about to head out the door after filling the tires, tweaking the V-brakes, adjusting the handlebars (that took some head scratching) and seat, the rear tire started leaking. Thought it was a bad valve because the air was blowing out of the stem area but it proved to be just a common flat. Weird.

First I thought I'd try to patch it but the patch didn't hold. Then I called Target to see if I could get a new tube from them and found out that I'd have to bring the whole darned bike in and they'd have to fiddle with it for a couple days. And you can't buy the tube from them separately. Screw that. So tomorrow morning I'll be calling around to a few bike shops to see if I can get a tube.

Other than that, I think the bike could be hot. It's an aluminum framed unit. Has huge 28 inch wheels that are wider than my old Viscount 27 inch units. Very deep alloy rims. 21 gears. Has a front shock absorber and a seat post shock for suspension. Should be scary fast. I'm psyched.

New Non-E-Bike

Since the e-bike is in the shop, I got annoyed with the old Viscount 10-speed I've been flogging around for the past 25 years or so and decided to go shopping Friday. After checking out some local shops (including used bike joints) and Target, I decided on going with the Schwinn 700C Trail Way Hybrid at Target. I knew the bike would have to be re-tweaked after getting it home but it's looking like a decent bike. I would have liked to bought from a local shop but their prices were over $100 extra for less bike (steel not aluminum, cheap hubs not the machined ones, etc.). The bike ran $220 plus tax.



Only one thing spoiled the fun. When I was just about to head out the door after filling the tires, tweaking the V-brakes, adjusting the handlebars (that took some head scratching) and seat, the rear tire started leaking. Thought it was a bad valve because the air was blowing out of the stem area but it proved to be just a common flat. Weird.

First I thought I'd try to patch it but the patch didn't hold. Then I called Target to see if I could get a new tube from them and found out that I'd have to bring the whole darned bike in and they'd have to fiddle with it for a couple days. And you can't buy the tube from them separately. Screw that. So tomorrow morning I'll be calling around to a few bike shops to see if I can get a tube.

Other than that, I think the bike could be hot. It's an aluminum framed unit. Has huge 28 inch wheels that are wider than my old Viscount 27 inch units. Very deep alloy rims. 21 gears. Has a front shock absorber and a seat post shock for suspension. Should be scary fast. I'm psyched.

Leaky Nukes in Spain Too

Young folks may not know this but Bar's Leak radiator leak goop used to be sold in glass jars that had something like "Used on the Nautilus" on the label. This was because on the Nautilus, the first nuclear submarine, they had leaks in the system and had to go into port on the maiden voyage to fix it. How did they fix it? They sent sailors around the port town to gather up all the Bar's Leak they could find and dumped the then tar-like concoction into this highly sophisticated and expensive piece of equipment. it worked and the Nautilus went off to visit the North Pole (under the ice that they had back then) and other adventures.

So there's a long tradition of springing leaks when it comes to nuclear plants. Just like the long tradition of covering up nuke plant failures.

Spain Seeks Big Fines Over Leak at Nuclear Plant - IHT - 18 Aug 08

"Spain's nuclear watchdog agency proposed a fine of up to €22.5 million (US$33 million) over a leak at a power plant, accusing operators Monday of waiting three weeks to report it and downplaying the amount of contamination released."

I read about it back when I was a teenager in the book, "Nautilus 90 North" (1959) by William R. Anderson if someone wants a more authoritative account. More on the Bar's Leak story.

"Just a side note, back in 1956 Admiral Rickover was trying to get the Nautilus commissioned and on the street. It seems the Reactor Plant Fresh Water (RPFW) system that cools things in the reactor compartment such as the rod drive motors and the main coolant pumps, etc, these items are not assessable during reactor operation. Developed a leak they could not isolate or find.

Rather than put the ship back in the builders yard and miss some political commitments, part of crew was sent into NewLondon separately and to different auto supply houses where they each bought a considerable quantity of Bars Leak. They needed a lot as the system held around 300 gallons of water. They did not want the news media to know there was any kind of a problem.

Anyway, some Sailors have big mouths (somebody has been talking to Tom Clancey) and it was not long before Bars Leak started printing this story on the can, (this was the 50s). When I joined the Submarine Force later I verified the story. So I think the ads by Bars leak are probably pretty accurate."

Leaky Nukes in Spain Too

Young folks may not know this but Bar's Leak radiator leak goop used to be sold in glass jars that had something like "Used on the Nautilus" on the label. This was because on the Nautilus, the first nuclear submarine, they had leaks in the system and had to go into port on the maiden voyage to fix it. How did they fix it? They sent sailors around the port town to gather up all the Bar's Leak they could find and dumped the then tar-like concoction into this highly sophisticated and expensive piece of equipment. it worked and the Nautilus went off to visit the North Pole (under the ice that they had back then) and other adventures.

So there's a long tradition of springing leaks when it comes to nuclear plants. Just like the long tradition of covering up nuke plant failures.

Spain Seeks Big Fines Over Leak at Nuclear Plant - IHT - 18 Aug 08

"Spain's nuclear watchdog agency proposed a fine of up to €22.5 million (US$33 million) over a leak at a power plant, accusing operators Monday of waiting three weeks to report it and downplaying the amount of contamination released."

I read about it back when I was a teenager in the book, "Nautilus 90 North" (1959) by William R. Anderson if someone wants a more authoritative account. More on the Bar's Leak story.

"Just a side note, back in 1956 Admiral Rickover was trying to get the Nautilus commissioned and on the street. It seems the Reactor Plant Fresh Water (RPFW) system that cools things in the reactor compartment such as the rod drive motors and the main coolant pumps, etc, these items are not assessable during reactor operation. Developed a leak they could not isolate or find.

Rather than put the ship back in the builders yard and miss some political commitments, part of crew was sent into NewLondon separately and to different auto supply houses where they each bought a considerable quantity of Bars Leak. They needed a lot as the system held around 300 gallons of water. They did not want the news media to know there was any kind of a problem.

Anyway, some Sailors have big mouths (somebody has been talking to Tom Clancey) and it was not long before Bars Leak started printing this story on the can, (this was the 50s). When I joined the Submarine Force later I verified the story. So I think the ads by Bars leak are probably pretty accurate."

Schwinn Hybrid - Day 1

Drove over and picked up a new inner tube for $6 and made my way back to install the critter. They didn't have the heavier puncture-proof variant so I went with the regular. I'm not so sure the new puncture-proofs are all that anyhow. I do worry about the non-deep mountain bike tire tread getting it like the street slicks I had on my CA mountain bike. Even with the Kevlar, those things were often nailed or otherwise deflated.

I very carefully inspected the tire and the rim to see if there were any objects or sharp edges that might have caused the earlier and very premature leak. As I rolled the wheel around I was shocked to see the sharp curl from a drill lodged in the hole where the tire stem goes through. I'm assuming this came from drilling out the hole and the sharp bit fell into the hollow space in the wheel rim. Rolling the wheel around a second time popped up yet another sharp chunk of metal. After that, no more was found.

After figuring out which way the tire was supposed to go on (given the tread direction and a big arrow on the side of the tire captioned "drive direction"), I finally inflated the tire and mounted it back on the bike. Of course this all meant that the rear brake had to be re-done and while it works it's not quite right and I'll probably have to fiddle with it a bit more. At this point all the basic stuff seemed to work and off for a test run I went.

First thing I noticed was that the handlebars were not set right and I couldn't see what gear I was in and the gear shifters were not set at the right angle on the handlebars. I brought along the tools and fixed that once I got to the Rolling Wok for a late lunch of cheap Chinese food. Today I went with the chicken chow mein special with soup and a small drink. That pretty much stuffed me more than I probably should have stuffed myself.

Fortunately, all my ills seem to go away after some exercise so I went to The Mill South which is pretty much a completely uphill run. There I found out that the low gear wouldn't engage on the front gear group and so I pulled off and adjusted the front dérailleur so it would drop into that. Then I had enough of a granny gear to plow up the steepest parts of those hills. Win! That was one of my main gripes with the old 10-speed unit. I would have to walk those hills with that unit. Also the upright mountain bike handlebars were a real success too.

Now to get fenders and a rack and I'll be open for business again. Looks like solar powered REI and/or do-gooder Bike Planet might get some business there.

Schwinn Hybrid - Day 1

Drove over and picked up a new inner tube for $6 and made my way back to install the critter. They didn't have the heavier puncture-proof variant so I went with the regular. I'm not so sure the new puncture-proofs are all that anyhow. I do worry about the non-deep mountain bike tire tread getting it like the street slicks I had on my CA mountain bike. Even with the Kevlar, those things were often nailed or otherwise deflated.

I very carefully inspected the tire and the rim to see if there were any objects or sharp edges that might have caused the earlier and very premature leak. As I rolled the wheel around I was shocked to see the sharp curl from a drill lodged in the hole where the tire stem goes through. I'm assuming this came from drilling out the hole and the sharp bit fell into the hollow space in the wheel rim. Rolling the wheel around a second time popped up yet another sharp chunk of metal. After that, no more was found.

After figuring out which way the tire was supposed to go on (given the tread direction and a big arrow on the side of the tire captioned "drive direction"), I finally inflated the tire and mounted it back on the bike. Of course this all meant that the rear brake had to be re-done and while it works it's not quite right and I'll probably have to fiddle with it a bit more. At this point all the basic stuff seemed to work and off for a test run I went.

First thing I noticed was that the handlebars were not set right and I couldn't see what gear I was in and the gear shifters were not set at the right angle on the handlebars. I brought along the tools and fixed that once I got to the Rolling Wok for a late lunch of cheap Chinese food. Today I went with the chicken chow mein special with soup and a small drink. That pretty much stuffed me more than I probably should have stuffed myself.

Fortunately, all my ills seem to go away after some exercise so I went to The Mill South which is pretty much a completely uphill run. There I found out that the low gear wouldn't engage on the front gear group and so I pulled off and adjusted the front dérailleur so it would drop into that. Then I had enough of a granny gear to plow up the steepest parts of those hills. Win! That was one of my main gripes with the old 10-speed unit. I would have to walk those hills with that unit. Also the upright mountain bike handlebars were a real success too.

Now to get fenders and a rack and I'll be open for business again. Looks like solar powered REI and/or do-gooder Bike Planet might get some business there.