I have a travel case hard ish/soft sided bike pro or some sort that is just taking up room in my storage unit. I like it because it's pretty big, with room for wheels and clothes, and has a metal subframe to which you can secure your bottom bracket and fork. You and anyone on the club are welcome to borrow.

I have a travel case hard ish/soft sided bike pro or some sort that is just taking up room in my storage unit. I like it because it's pretty big, with room for wheels and clothes, and has a metal subframe to which you can secure your bottom bracket and fork. You and anyone on the club are welcome to borrow.

Hey Mark...Really generous offer. If it's really no trouble for you, I just may take you up on that this one time.

No worries, the biggest hassle will be picking up the case I suspect. I live in Washington heights. Let me know when if you think you might be able to grab it and we will work out a time.

I bought this one earlier this year:
http://www.bikebags.com/index.html

At $130 it is the cheapest you will find. A bit larger than the Pika Pack and not as elegant in design, but it works.

I supplemented the internal padding with closed cell foam (sleeping mats for backpacking) and also got two straps to cinch the thing up during traveling.

I just picked up some used carbon wheels on the cheap. This is my first foray into the world of tubulars. Both came with wheels glued on, but only one has a valve extender. Is there any way to add a valve extender to the other wheel without taking the tire off?

@Allen Carr

Depends on whether you can see and get the valve core out of the short valve?

most fit in between the valve stem and the core. So you need to be able to get the core out of the stem and then screw the extender into the middle. http://www.biketiresdirect.com/product/tufo-valve-extender

if you can't get the valve core out of the stem you need one of these http://www.competitivecyclist.com/product-components/2012-zipp-valve-extenders-7884.40.1.html

Allen,

Thanks for the responses. I'll try to get the core off. Its beneath the rim but I can try and figure out a way to remove it. If that does not work, Ill go with plan b.

needle nose pliers might work if it's just below the surface.  Otherwise, I wouldn't try.  

I'd be up for a Bikesuit, but not keen on the idea of full Kissena Kit branding. I love me my Kissena club, but sometimes I feel subtle. Ragot and Ben probably wish they had one of these that cross race in Jersey last year, the one where it rained cold, cold ice for days. I know I did. I've got some proper duck boots that I've gotta remember to bust out for cross season. And I was going to just get some rain suit at an outdoors store, or Campmor catalog or something.

Hey, so I'm about to join the ranks of NYC commuters, having brought back my favorite commuting bike from my mom's house. Lock recommendations? Do I have to get one of those monster chains that look like they weigh 30lbs that I see delivery folks use? Or will a more subtle "Kryptonite/NYC" u-lock do the trick. I'm mostly going to use the bike to get to work, and park in a rack in the hospital's parking garage, so somewhat safer than parking it on the street. But still, don't want to limit myself, because I have a wussy lock.

Thanks for the advice.

I've been using the Kyptonite/NYC lock for 5 years and never had an issue (I think fixed the old ballpoint pen trick).  Just use their thin cable to loop through the front wheel.  It's light and flexible, and the geometry on my old R600 Cannondale kinda prohibits a small U-Lock between the downtube and front wheel.  Obviously, it's easily cut, but I've never had anything stolen (well, besides a broken saddle, durrrr) party due to the fact that:

Most of the components aren't nice and lack logos (except for the carbon FSA cranks, ha). Wheels look dull.

All the labels on the bike are covered in black vinyl, so it looks pretty plain and boring, with a lot of chipped up paint and kinda dirty.

I don't leave it outside overnight.

Obviously, no matter what you do, if someone wants your shit, they can get it. So be okay with that.

Chains are good if you're looping through wheels and frame repeatedly during the day messenger/delivery-like b/c it's a bit quicker, but they're also much much heavier than a u-lock and cable.

But if you're going to be leaving this inside the hospital garage for 12+ hours during your shift, perhaps do the second u-lock thing for your front wheel (not sure how secure the entrance to your garage is).  Maybe there's a place near the ambulance bay where there will be lots of traffic? Not that that matters, people never stop anyone hacking though a lock in a crowded area during broad daylight.

Also consider the old tubular glue with a ball bearing in the headset cap and stem bolts (or switch to the star-nut kind). Most thieves only carry allen sets.  Yes, that makes adjusting your cockpit a pain, but how often do you do that on a commuter?  Again, not fail-safe, but another decent deterrent.

get a kryptonite chain and a carabiner - it makes wearing it comfortable and getting it off easy

Abus locks are the best in my book. lighter material and just as strong if not stronger than kryptonite.

Lots of good advice folks. But, I'm hoping my Sears' 3-speed from the 1960s (literally) doesn't warrant the kind of chamo/locking/gluing routine that you guys employ. I just don't have the energy...

Meant to throw in a "thanks!" there...don't know how to edit posts in the new forum.

@Marc your bike is perfect. It should be worth less than what the lock you're protecting it with. That will mean thieves will pass your  bike up and go for somebody else's with a nicer bike. And by nicer I mean easier to fence in the places where people buy stolen bikes like Craigslist.

Kryptonite mini U-lock combined with a cable.

mini U-lock is just long enough to go around rear wheel and bike rack/sign post.
cable gets looped through front wheel and onto U-lock.

The topology of just locking the rear-wheel to the post is non-intuitive, but it does secure the frame indirectly.

Also, use a bit of old chain to secure your seat to the frame. I think seats are more popular than anything else and I think some people are just kleptomaniacs. An unsecured seat is just too good to pass up.

PS. If you join Transportation Alternatives, you get a coupon for Kryptonite locks. I may have an old one lying around.

Posting this question for a non-racing friend.

Any opinions about the iBike Newton to measure power.

This is based on wind resistance, is cheaper than others, and doesn't require any new components for the bike.

Stokes,

Just had my 5th SRAM rival brifter fail in 3 years.

What a joke.

I'm done with them.

All hail our new Shimano overlords!

Damn William...I have one of the o-regional runs of the SRAM red shifters....zero problems. I was a Shimano user before nd their stuff is really good...little heavier, little over engineered and I don't think you can rebuild them. My 9 speed shifters would always develope a rattle. Good luck with the land of the rising sun.

William, you shift like a hyperactive lemur. No wonder you break brifters. 

Better a hyperactive lemur than an onanistic bonobo!

I tweeted to them "red or refund" and they are dealing with it.

I've had multiple campy shifters for multiple decades with zero problems.
Well, I did break a cable last year. . .

2006 Dura Ace 7800 has been beaten all to hell and still works great.

Better a hyperactive lemur than an onanistic bonobo!

I tweeted to them "red or refund" and they are dealing with it.

local man complains, gets refund.