| Title | Description | Author |
| Protecting your Frame | I have found a great product that protects your frames finish against cable rub and other digs. It is called surface guard or helicopter tape. I use it to prevent cable rub on my cross bike. An extremely tough polyurethane tape originally designed as a leading edge protector for helicopters blades and airplane propellers. It is clear, can be cut to any shape, and has out performed any thing else I have tried. Buy the outdoor grade since it provides excellent protection against ultra violet light, temperature extremes and automotive solvents. | Wallace Wormley |
| New toy | I'm luckly to be able to commute to work via bike. In October it is now dark when I leave and get home. During this time of year I mount my Vista light put in fresh batteries and wear a reflective vest. This year I bought a new vest and this one has 16 led strobe lights in the vest. | Wallace Wormley |
| The most ridiculous bike accessory | The most extravagant or the dumbest bike accessory I have seen lately has to be the carbon fiber water bottle cage. They cost anywhere from $30 to $100 each and will save you a whopping 3-5 grams. Then there are the ultra lightweight cages (sub 25 grams) that are pretty much worthless since they easily break and don't hold bottle securely either.
If you just have to have one of these carbon cages and want something dependable I would suggest ones made by Arundel, Profile [Carbon Kage only], Elite or Tacx. While around 30-35 grams they are more dependable. | Wallace Wormley |
| Shoes - Velcro vs. Buckle Which is better? | While it's a matter of preference what is the difference between buying shoes with 3 Velcro straps or 2 Velcro straps and a racketing buckle. Here are the good and bad of both. (I'm only referring to the top strap closest to the ankle)
Velcro:
- Lighter
- Quicker to put on shoes
- Easier to adjust
- Cost less
Buckle:
- Doesn't wear out
- Most have replaceable parts
I prefer the buckle for both road and off because I have worn out the Velcro straps well before the shoes. | Wallace Wormley |
| Dental Picks Not Just For The Dentist | Dental picks in the workshop? Yes, they're amazingly handy for all types of tasks such as: - Cleaning hard to reach places.
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Removing snap rings, c-clips and o-rings
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Working on bearings
A set of 4 with different angles heads will cost less than $10 and a great addition to your tool box. | Wallace Wormley |
| How to take care of wet shoes | We all get caught in the rain sometimes and cycling shoes are expensive so here is how to take care of them when they get wet.
- Clean them. Use a mild soap and stiff brush but read the instructions for how to cleaning your shoes first.
- Dry them. Use an electric boot dryer. Use the kind that dries by using convection. I recommend [DryGuy Circulator or DryStix] both are safe and work great on cycling shoes. You should be able to find them online or at your local ski, camping, or hunting store). Never use a dryer that uses forced hot air similar to a hair dryer or any dryer that exceed 120F. You also can use the old fashion way and stuff your shoes with news papers.
- Lube them. Some cleats such as Speedplay may need to be re-lubed.
| Wallace Wormley |
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