Biked to Work! 3

Today was the first time I rode since I got back and each way was a different experience.

Strava Stats

To Work
Distance: 2.8 mi
Elevation Gain: 0 ft
Moving Time: 0:16:10
Max Speed: 28.7 mi/hr
Avg Speed: 10.4 mi/hr
Calories: 86

Back Home
Distance: 3.0 mi
Elevation Gain: 43 ft
Moving Time: 0:14:13
Max Speed: 33.6 mi/hr
Avg Speed: 12.5 mi/hr
Calories: 115

I usually get out before 6:45am, but I didn't head out today until about 7:30am. I took the reverse route of my previous ride from work to get to work today and it was a bad idea. Kinau Street has some really thin sidewalks and there were so many pedestrians, that I must have said excuse me at least 100 times! Kinau is a one-way street funneling the freeway along with a few other roads, so I'm sure the rush hour traffic didn't help me any. I think my next purchase should be a bell. On top of that, it felt like every stoplight I came upon stayed red for at least a minute each! The ride was not enjoyable at all :( I arrived at work 3 minutes before 8am. 4 more red lights and I would've been late!

I had to stay a little longer at work and the sun was already down when I decided to head back home. The timing ended up being perfect though because downtown Honolulu was not busy at all. I rode on King Street and had the left most lane all to myself for the whole time and it felt nice riding on one of the smooth main streets of downtown. I wish I could have ridden a little longer, but I had to turn left and go to Michelle's mom's house where they were waiting for me to eat dinner.

Michelle drove to her mom's place and for some reason, I had a feeling that she would want to race me back home after eating. We were maybe a mile away, and I had to go back on Kinau Street, which is not such a bad street going with the flow of traffic. Cars are parked close to the curb along the left and the right most lanes and they create makeshift bike lanes between the cars and the next lane over. I can usually maintain a 20-30 mph average while moving out of the way of fast moving vehicles. I had a chance of winning, but I had to stop at two crosswalks and to re-adjust my lock's bracket (The crank arms started hitting the bike lock). I don't even know when I tightened it last. When I got home, Michelle was already out of the car waiting for me.

2 more rides before I save that gallon of gas!

Black Mountain Bicycles

Before heading back home today, my step-dad and I took a trip to Trader Joe’s to get the usual pasalubongs (Tagalog for souvenirs/gifts). Hawaiians love Trader Joe’s and I mean LOVE! Anyway, right next door was Black Mountain Bicycles and my step-dad asked if I wanted to check it out. I didn’t because I was running pretty late (what’s new), but I wanted to check out Trek’s entry level road bike.

They’ve moved since I last stepped into their store and they’re now at 9860 Hibert St. Their new location is super huge with their products nicely spaced out, and they carry mostly Trek and Specialized bicycles along with a few other brands. 

An employee brought down a Trek 1.1 for me to checkout and I found out 52 cm fit me pretty well. He told me that the 1.2 would be a better deal though because the 1.1 still had an aluminum fork, while the 1.2 and most other newer road bikes had carbon forks. He also mentioned that most of the other components were upgraded. He didn’t have one on the floor, but he said that they could build any bike that they carried for me to checkout without any commitment to buy since building bikes was what they did. I told him no thanks since I was just visiting, and we looked around a little more.

I thought my step-dad had caught the road bike bug after showing him the bike I had and what I wanted, but after taking a turn at the next display, we were greeted by the BMX section! Maybe my brother will have his road bike with an adjustable seat by the time I visit again lol.

Black Friday Biking

I didn’t really need anything from Black Friday, so I didn’t stay up late or get up early. What I did need were lug nuts for my neglected 350z, so I could drive her this weekend. Bike time!

Circuit
Distance: 5.1 mi
Elevation Gain: 92 ft
Moving Time: 0:32:36
Max Speed: 20.3 mi/hr
Avg Speed: 9.4 mi/hr
Calories: 119

We actually had another bike just sitting in the garage that my mom has been telling my step-dad to sell for a while. I’ve never really given it any attention since I’ve always thought it was just some cheap, heavy mountain bike (plus I wasn’t really into bicycles in my previous life). Regardless, I’m glad it was never sold because it gave me something to ride today!

The bike is actually a Nishiki Colorado we adopted from my uncle before he left for the Philippines a looong time ago. The bicycle has been well preserved since no one has really ridden it, and it has been in the garage this whole time. All though it did feel a little tight, it rode pretty well considering it has never seen a tune up (I was expecting the chain to break at any time during my ride haha).

New Korean Market, HMART in once Vietnamese dominated Mira Mesa 

I planned a 10 mile route last night, but cut it in half while riding because I have poor planning skills. I didn’t bring a backpack, so I had to hold the pack of lug nuts in one hand during half of the ride. It was a little annoying because I couldn’t go as fast as I wanted, but the bike felt pretty slow already with its fat, mountain bike tires, so I don’t know how much it really mattered (you can tell by my average and top speeds that I wasn’t really conquering any hills).

Didn't eat here because I didn't want to bring Michelle any back lol

During my ride to Autozone, I passed by Thanksgiving Lane (how appropriate). It’s next to both of my younger brothers’ old middle school, Wangenheim, and is a cross street to Gold Coast Drive. On my ride back home, I came across these things.

 They are really trying to slow down some serious suburb speeders with these full length speed bumps! Don’t worry guys, I’m on a mountain bike and I’m holding a pack of lug nuts. No speeding today.

The bike was a nice experience, but I now know that I am definitely not a mountain bike guy. The bike gave a comfortable ride though, plus it had responsive brakes and crisp barrel shifters. It just had some ridiculous rolling resistance. I guess I wouldn’t be complaining if I were in the woods. My step-dad was getting a little interested in bikes since it’s been the only thing coming out of my mouth, so hopefully there will be a nice road bike the next time I visit. He currently has BMX on his mind though bleh.

Rode A Fixed Gear

My brother surprised me today by having the chain on his bicycle already fixed when I arrived. He was still sleeping though, so I decided to just get my bike stuff out. A nice dent greeted me when I pulled my helmet out of the luggage, but I gave it a once over and the foam still looked ok.

When my brother woke up, he went out to the patio with me where his bike was. He explained to me that is was fixed gear with no brakes and all I could think of was that movie, Premium Rush lol.

I weighed the bike and it was only 18 lbs with its Nashbar Nekkid aluminum frame and carbon fork.

I took it out and I couldn't even get full extension without nutting myself on the seat, let alone the frame with my feet flat on the ground lol. I gave up fast since we were about to leave soon to spend Thanksgiving with my mom's side in LA.

It's a nice bike, but in the very short distance I rode it, all I could think about was of how hard it would be to ride around a hilly area. The way your legs have to follow the pedals at every revolution even for braking would definitely take some getting use to. He's thinking of getting a road bike sometime in the near future, but I guess it's a great way to build the leg muscles for those long rides in the mean time.

Haven't Biked For a Week, but Happy Thanksgiving!

This has been the longest I've gone without biking since I got the thing! Currently packing for Thanksgiving in San Diego. In addition to the rain, work and cleaning has also taken up some precious biking time.

Michelle's sisters from Maui will be staying at our place for Thanksgiving, so we're getting the place nice and clean. She's also been complaining about the bike in the living room so I stuck it snug in the corner for the time being.

One of my brothers in San Diego has a fixed gear bicycle, so I'm hoping to get little test ride while I'm there. It just needs his new chain put on. bleh. Will keep the blog updated. Anyway, gain some fat to burn later and have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Biking in Maui! or Not

I didn't get to do my usual riding this past Saturday and Sunday because I went to Maui for Michelle's niece's birthday. I thought of renting a bike, but I brought work with me, so I didn't think I would have been able to sneak in a ride worth the money.

We drove around a lot and I saw a good amount of bicycle lanes, but not a lot of people riding their bikes. I don't blame them though because the roads were just flat and straight through the suburbs of Kahului and the scenery got pretty boring quick. Not the, Wow!-I'm-about-to-get-a-top-speed flat and straight, but more of a, this-sucks flat and straight. I'd like to ride through one of Maui's highways though when I'm a little more pro. On our way to Hashimoto Persimmon Farm in Kula and I spotted a few cyclists on Haleakala Highway.

 

 

When we got back to Michelle's aunt's house, Michelle's nephew was riding his bike around the cul-de-sac.

 

 

I was bummed before we got to Maui because Michelle told me that no one in their family rode a bicycle. I needed to get my fix! I walked a few blocks over to him and his friends after seeing him put the bike down and asked him if I could ride it. He told me to ask his dad first, but I wasn't about to walk back to the house when there was a perfectly good transport in front of me, so I told him that he said yes already. Michelle's nephew said OK and I was off! lol

 

The last laugh was Karma's though because the first driveway I went up on to get on to the sidewalk had a big stream of water in the gutter. I rode the bike straight back to him with my shorts dripping wet :/ There are two lessons here; Get some fenders and tell the truth.

Can I Ride a Bicycle on the Sidewalk?

I was surprised to hear how much confusion there was on the rules of the biking road after my coworkers found out that I had started riding.

A few of the better comments I got when they first found out were; "Oh, you're one of those people." or the subtle, but sweet, "I hate your kind!"

After the initial, playful judgement, we got to talking about what they disliked about the general biking community and a good amount complained about bikers going on the sidewalk.

While I did complain about this during my boring pedestrian life, I am now a well informed rider and I am here to inform YOU! Well when you're in Hawaii anyway.

The most basic rule is, "Bicycle riding on sidewalks is prohibited within a business district (such as Downtown Honolulu, Waikīkī)." This is straight from the government website! Business districts are areas where the majority of store fronts are offices, retail, shops, restaurants, etc. So if this is the case, get on the road or walk your bike!

Things get a little more confusing on roads like Ala Moana Boulevard though where sometimes you're next to the water and then sometimes you're next to a business building! In cases like these, I suggest you try to use the bicycle lane when it's there, and just be very cautious when it disappears and you DO decide to go on the sidewalk instead of the road (I cannot be held responsible for your actions lol). I ULTIMATELY suggest staying on the road, for the city's sake, but I know how crazy it can get over there during rush hour.

Some things to keep in mind while you're on the sidewalk are, ride l0 MPH or less, and alert pedestrians before passing. If you'd like to read up on other common riding courtesies in Hawaii, please go to our government website here.~> honolulu.gov/dts/bike_regulations

Wooden Rear Bike Rack

Wald #215 WW Woody Rear Mount Bicycle Rack

Why would you spend money on a classic looking wooden rear bike rack when you can make one yourself?

Spotted this home made bad boy while I was exiting Walmart today. A beautiful blend of wood and metal, with a nice, distinct stamp on the right side that makes this rack look unique enough to be noticed among the rest. Noticed for style, but never to be stolen lol. I wonder how much weight it adds?

Biked to Work! 2

I biked to work today since Michelle didn't have work for Veteran's Day. I did because I switched today for the Friday after Thanksgiving, so I would have a 4 day weekend next week. Still tweaking my route and managed to get 10 foot higher in elevation and a very fast max speed on my return home :)
Strava Stats

To Work
Distance: 2.9 mi
Elevation Gain: 0 ft
Moving Time: 0:16:54
Max Speed: 25.5 mi/hr
Avg Speed: 10.4 mi/hr
Calories: 70

Back Home
Distance: 2.9 mi
Elevation Gain: 51 ft
Moving Time: 0:17:10
Max Speed: 34.6 mi/hr
Avg Speed: 10.1 mi/hr
Calories: 106

My body was still super sore from yesterday, but I decided to bike to work anyway. I wouldn't have the chance to on Thursday or Friday because Michelle traded those day offs for this coming weekend. I took somewhat the same route from last Thursday, avoiding the Beretania Dip, but went a little too far on the wrong side of Kinau Street. The sidewalk ended and I had to cross a busy, morning rush hour freeway off ramp. I waited for the cars to clear up a little and then ran as fast as I could across road. A Mini honked at me as I reached the other side. I rode down through Beretania Street, crossed Chinatown on Alapai Street, then continued toward my work place using the Ala Moana Boulevard bike lane. The Vice President of the company was there surprisingly early and opened the door for me.

I didn't get too distracted with the bike this time, because I was too distracted with my throbbing thighs the whole day! During my lunch break, I looked online for some tips and Livestrong.com said to "elevate the leg to an area above your heart." I'll be sleeping upside down tonight.

I left work about 30 minutes early since it was forecasted to rain (deja vu). The guard at the exit raised the gate for me while I was still far away, so I took the opportunity to get a fast start before a very mild downhill. BAM 34.6 MPH! I rode the rest of the street hearing the homeless guys telling me to slow down lol. I went through Aala Park and the tires handled the grass and small rocks pretty well. I crossed Beretania Street and took the sidewalk along the Nuuanu Canal lined with Chinese restaurants and old guys playing board games. This cut felt nicer to ride through then weaving in and out of traffic on King Street. I then took Vineyard Boulevard back to Kinau Street where I got rained on again, 3-5 minutes from the apartment (deja vu!!!). I can't win!!!

On a better note, I only have to bike to work 2-3 more times before saving a gallon of gas! lol

Through Waikiki, but Skipped the Ala Wai Mash

I rode to Waikiki today, but skipped the Ala Moana Mall traffic by getting on Kalakaua Avenue ASAP. I did the "To the Fountain" Strava Segment, went around Kapiolani Park, got on Kapahulu Avenue, then headed back home through Beretania Street. The edges of Beretania Street suck! Have I mentioned that before?

Strava Stats

Circuit
Distance: 9.4 mi
Elevation Gain: 89 ft
Moving Time: 0:49:53
Max Speed: 32.1 mi/hr
Avg Speed: 11.3 mi/hr
Calories: 248

I went on the Keeaumoku Street bridge, over the H1, and the stop light at the bottom was GREEN. I pedalled as fast as I could with my hands off the brakes, and no hesitation. It felt pretty good hitting 32.1 MPH right off the bat. I then turned and headed to Kalakaua Avenue after seeing some traffic toward the mall and shot straight into Waikiki.

Waikiki was its normal self; crowded on the sidewalk, but with smooth flowing day traffic. I was satisfied with my brisk pace until I saw a triathlon bike pass me a few car lanes over. I picked up my speed, but of course couldn't catch up. Beaten, I headed to one of the beach benches to take a breather. I guess I should just be happy that it wasn't raining.

I got up after 5 minutes and started "To the Fountain". I was going pretty fast and was pedalling through my gears smoothly. I could feel my thighs burning at each click of the gear change lever, but I kept going faster. I was already dreaming of that fast time, having zero head wind and no debris on the bike lane. I noticed that the traffic on my left side was starting to back up and could see two scooters fully stopped in the middle of the train. I already knew what was going to happen next. Suddenly, one of the scooters swerved into the bike lane without looking back. I pressed my brakes pretty hard and the other scooter looked back and said sorry. There goes THAT time!

I was even more bummed out at this point and I didn't even want to continue with the "Ala Wai Mash" anymore, so instead, I turned onto Kapahulu Avenue. It wasn't too busy, and I just took it easy on the sidewalk. Kapahulu Avenue is home to the famous Leonard's Bakery where they make the best malasadas in Hawaii. I didn't buy any today though, and just stopped to take advantage of their huge sign's shade lol. I could smell the malasadas in the breezy air and left before I got too tempted.

I worked my way around onto King Street and took a right onto Beretania Street after hitting a fork. DREAD. Beretania Street is so bad that my bike lock's mount became lose and I was hitting the U-Lock with the left crank arm at each revolution. Good thing I had the lock's tool in my bike bag, so I just re-tightened the mount at the next stop light before continuing home.

My thighs were so sore after getting off the bike today, that it took a little longer than usual to get up to my 3rd floor apartment. I opened the door, brought my bike in, closed the door, got down to my underwear, and knocked out on the floor. END LOG.

Taste of Kalihi and Back

Michelle told me yesterday that the Taste of Kalihi was happening today, so that's where I went. Of course everything was cash only, which I didn't prepare for, so I just looked around and then went back home. During the ride, I raised my max speed to 31.9 MPH on the Beretania Dip and got a PR :) Totalled 12.1 miles including a night time ride I did after checking tire pressures.

Strava Stats
Circuit to Kalihi and Back
Distance: 10.5 mi
Elevation Gain: 55 ft
Moving Time: 0:56:21
Max Speed: 31.9 mi/hr
Avg Speed: 11.2 mi/hr
Calories: 270

Around the block
Distance: 1.6 mi
Elevation Gain: 87 ft
Moving Time: 0:8:57
Max Speed: 26.3 mi/hr
Avg Speed: 10.5 mi/hr
Calories: 65

I did a couple of things before heading out. First, I took the reflectors off of the front wheel (the bike was getting unstable at high speeds and I suspected the reflectors were the problem since they were so heavy). Then, I attached my seat bag I bought a few days ago.

I think it looks pretty cool. I also finally used that small cable I bought with the bike lock and attached it to the bag and the seat. This way, they will all be tied up with the U-Lock when I lock up the bike.

There were mostly old people at the Taste of Kalihi since it was so early (I went back later that night with Michelle and everyone else was there). I think there has been less and less booths each successive year which is a little depressing. Some of the food booths were not even from Kalihi!



There was also entertainment through out the day and even a few Hawaii officials.

? and State House Candidate Nicole Velasco

They should really solicit more businesses in Kalihi especially restaurants. "Taste" of Kalihi?

I left after listening to some songs from the band, and went down Waiakamilo Road toward Nimitz Highway. I made my way home, happy to see that the bike lane started in this intersection.

Later that night, I decided to check my tire pressures. It was not as low as before, but in just a matter of days, the tires have lost 20 PSI each! Is it time to get new tubes? They're still within the lower limit of the "inflate to" note on the tire though, so we'll see.

Got Some Arm Sleeves

I went to Don Quijote today and stood around the beauty section while Michelle and her friend looked around. I started looking around too after a while and saw these arm sleeves hanging on the corner of an aisle.

They were $9.99 and everything was in Korean, but I could read moisture, durable, UV, and there was a picture of a bike. Unless it was trying to tell me that it retains moisture, is not durable, lets UV pass through, and to use it while riding if you want to die! Probably not though.

 

They came in a few other colors, but this was the most neutral to what I usually wear. I'll use them tomorrow!

Biked to Work!

I finally biked to work today! 5.8 mile round-trip. I went through the Beretania Dip again, but I was on the sidewalk the whole time :/

Strava Stats

To Work
Distance: 2.8 mi
Elevation Gain: 0 ft
Moving Time: 0:14:58
Max Speed: 23.9 mi/hr
Avg Speed: 11.4 mi/hr
Calories: 67

Back Home
Distance: 3.0 mi
Elevation Gain: 41 ft
Moving Time: 0:18:10
Max Speed: 28.9 mi/hr
Avg Speed: 10.0 mi/hr
Calories: 90

I kept telling myself to take it easy so I wouldn't sweat and end up stinking the whole day, but I just couldn't help crank on the pedals, especially when the street was sloping down. Of course I got to work sweaty. Good thing I rode with what I slept in and just brought my work clothes in my backpack. I parked the bike in my cubicle right next to me and it was a big distraction. All i could think about was the ride back home and my co-workers would catch me just staring at the bike through out the day.

On my ride back, I had to bring home some work and I swear I had an extra 50 pounds in my backpack. It seemed to have helped me gain some momentum down a hill though because I hit my highest speed yet of 28.9 MPH! Felt great. At about 3-5 minutes from the apartment, I got caught in the rain and I stopped under the freeway for a little while. When the drops became smaller I pedalled as fast as I could back home. So other than fenders, I think I'm going to need to pack some plastic bags to cover my backpack. hmm...

Stuck Inside because of the Rain

I use to love the rain. Sleeping, working, eating, etc. felt so much better while it was raining, but now that I have an outdoor activity, it sucks! I really want to get fenders, but would that even make me want to go out in the rain? I feel like it would just be more for when I would have to ride to work :/

New Bike Pump and Seat Bag

I have been putting off buying a bicycle pump this whole time, thinking that bike tires were like car tires and that they only needed to be checked once in a while. WRONG. I bought one today after looking in two shops (actually I've been checking every where I go) and pumped up the tubes right when I got home. I test rode the bike up the local hill and around the block and the result was a more firm and nimble ride. The front was a little wobbly at around 25 mph which I think is because of the new reflectors, but we'll look into that another time.

Circuit
Distance: 1.9 mi
Elevation Gain: 78 ft
Moving Time: 0:09:57
Max Speed: 25.7 mi/hr
Avg Speed: 11.6 mi/hr
Calories: 71

I went to The Bike Shop earlier today with Michelle to check out their selection of bicycle stuff. It's nice to see that there are so many shops in Honolulu within a small vicinity because they usually all carry different things. The Bike Shop is located on King Street, right before crossing Piikoi and their parking lot is behind the shop through a short alley. They carry mostly Specialized bikes and their stock was a little more on the expensive side. Everyone inside was very nice though and they seemed very knowledgeable. We browsed around for a little bit and then headed to my favorite LBS.

We already knew though that it would be McCully Bicycle & Sporting Goods saving they day. I went in there looking for the cheapest pump they had. They carried a $19.99 pump, but it didn't get too many favorable reviews online, so I went up one price bracket. I ended up getting the Blackburn Air Tower 1 Floor Bicycle Pump for $29.98+tax. It has a Presta/Schrader AnyValve head which I needed because my rear tube is Schrader and my front tube is Presta. Don't ask lol. The Air Tower series from Blackburn also did not have too many accuracy complaints which is the most important factor in buying a pump! It seems well built and Blackburn offers it with a LIFETIME WARRANTY! The shop even told me to just bring it in with the receipt if I had a problem and they would take care of it. I have also read many accounts online about people just calling the company up and also getting thing taken care of that way.

 

I checked and pumped my tires right away when I got home.

 

 

I have been riding around with less than half the recommended tire pressures! The first reading was of the front tire and the second one was of the rear and from the looks of it, I would have been the perfect candidate for a pinch flat. Pinch flats are flats resulting from an under inflated tire becoming pinched up against the rim when running over things. I am so lucky that it hasn't happened to me yet!

 

I also bought a seat bag/pack from McCully, so I wouldn't have to carry anything in my pockets anymore while riding. I've been carrying my cell phone, keys, money, etc. in my shorts with zipper pockets and it felt really bulky. I got the Jandd Hurricane Mini Mountain Wedge which was the only WATERPROOF pack they carried. Everything else was just water resistant.

 

 

Now all I need are fenders!

Ride Through Waikiki and Ala Wai Mash Part 2

All I could think about last night was riding through Ala Wai Boulevard again, so I decided to actually semi-plan my route this time. I decided to go on Kalakaua Avenue through Waikiki, past Kapiolani Park, and then back around which would let me ride the Ala Wai Mash one more time.

Circuit
Distance: 9.5 mi
Elevation Gain: 50 ft
Moving Time: 0:46:39
Max Speed: 28.5 mi/hr
Avg Speed: 12.2 mi/hr
Calories: 269

I spent most of my time on the road today and less on the sidewalk, partly because I got out of the house at around 8:30am. The roads were not too busy. The grade through out maybe 5 miles of the ride was 0.0% and I had a pretty consistent pace for the most part. There was a dedicated bike lane through Waikiki on Kalakaua Avenue that sometimes disappeared with an accompanying sign that told me that I could take a full lane. I ended up just mashing on the pedals every time I got to those sections in fear of getting hit from behind. There is a Strava Segment on this route called the Kalakaua Ave. Mash, but it has been marked as hazardous and the leader list for comparison is not available. There is also a quick half mile Strava Segment continuing on Kalakaua Avenue through Kapiolani Park called To The Fountain. I might have to run through this one another time though seeing that my time was more than double the fastest lol. I took a small break when I got to Waikiki Beach and snapped a quick photo facing toward last weekends Kakaako Park picture.

 

While riding through Kapiolani Park, I noticed a good number of cyclists going up a road toward Diamond Head. Of course I decided to follow them with little thought on the somewhat steep incline. Needless to say, I turned around about half a mile in after not being able to pedal anymore. On the other hand, I did reach a new top speed of 28.5 MPH going back down, thanks to the hill :D

 

I rode the momentum all the way to the start of the Ala Wai Mash segment to a RED LIGHT. Wow, perfect. I could have had a super fast start! Anyway, I started out rowing through all the gears smoothly. I moved my hands closer to the center of the handle bars as I got faster and tucked my elbows under my stomach which helped a lot with the speed. I was moving at a nice, fast pace until 2 cop cars appeared, blocking an intersection along with the bike lane! bleh. I guess I'll try again another time. I still got a PR (Personal Record) of 4:54 minutes though. Weird.

 

Well, now I have to go back to redo To The Fountain and Ala Wai Mash. Maybe there is a Diamond Head one too that I could do later when I get a little better :)

The Ala Wai Mash

Went out a little late today. I had to wait for Eki Cyclery to open at 9am to get the strut kit Jayne put aside for me yesterday. Then I had to get water. During my ride, I stopped by McCully Bicycle and Sporting Goods and went through Ala Wai Boulevard before heading home, totaling 7.5 miles.

Strava Stats

1st Half
Distance: 5.6 mi
Elevation Gain: 0 ft
Moving Time: 0:29:19
Max Speed: 22.8 mi/hr
Avg Speed: 11.4 mi/hr
Calories: 126

Back Home
Distance: 1.9 mi
Elevation Gain: 51 ft
Moving Time: 0:10:53
Max Speed: 20.4 mi/hr
Avg Speed: 10.4 mi/hr
Calories: 55

Before sleeping last night, I thought about setting some biking objectives. I told myself that for starters, I should ride around 10 miles a day during the weekends, and around 2 miles, or maybe even 30 minutes a day during the weekdays. I remembered that Michelle bought an Outdoor Products Kilometer 2.0 Hydration Pack Camelbak thing a while ago for hiking, and since I had around a 10 mile ride the next day, I should make use of it.

I headed over to Eki Cyclery after dropping Michelle off to work and picked up the strut kit for my rear rack. It was a great deal at $6.95. I also bought a Long Sunlite Bicycle Wheel Reflector Set for $3.95! Eki Cyclery is located on Dillingham Boulevard and carries mostly Raleigh, Schwinn, and Dahon bicycles. They have a great assortment of accessories with prices comparable to my favorite LBS. The staff is also very helpful and knowledgeable and if they didn't know something, they will admit it and not beat around the bush. I actually walked around their shop for maybe 30 minutes before checking out.

When I got home, I tried mounting the rear bike rack, but then realized that I was missing the mounting screws! Luckily, McCully Bicycle and Sporting Goods had them in stock for 50 cents each (When I got back home, I found out that these were the same screws on the bike already used for water bottle holders and accessories uhhh). I installed both reflectors on the front wheel and headed toward the store.

After getting the last of what I needed to attach the rear rack, I kept on going up King Street toward Kaimuki. It was a little scary sharing the road with cars coming from the freeway off ramp, so I stuck on the sidewalk. I turned right onto Kapahulu Avenue and headed toward Ala Wai Boulevard.

There is a nice, flat, straight bike lane on Ala Wai Boulevard that I've been wanting to get on ever since I got the bike and it was everything I was hoping for when I did. The road was nice and smooth and had a 0.0% average grade through out the ride according to Strava. I got some real satisfaction from pushing through the gears, knowing that it was ALL ME powering the smooth ride and not a downhill. Naturally, there would be a Strava Segment on this stretch called Ala Wai Mash which I got 158th place on lol. Pretty fun ride regardless.

Ala Wai Boulevard consists of a few stoplights that are usually green. Car lanes are to the left of the bike lane and designated parking is to the right, so watch out for opening doors. The bike lane ends a long ways away from the intersection crossing McCully Street and signs suddenly tell you that you can take a whole lane. Cars turning right with you in the intersection will start getting impatient, so be careful toward the end.

I take McCully Street toward my usual route, down bumpy Beretania Street and up Piikoi Street. The end. I want to go back ASAP!

 

My friend told me to take a photo on the drive side which I found out was the proper way of taking bike pictures so enjoy! lol

Where to Put Registration Sticker

My registration sticker came in the mail today, so I guess I am officially the new owner of this bike! It came with some application instructions on the back.

1. Apply decal to:
BICYCLES - UPRIGHT POST ATTACHED TO SPROCKET FACING IN FORWARD DIRECTION.
MOPED - LOWER PORTION OF THE REAR FENDER, FACING IN THE REARWARD DIRECTION.
2. Thoroughly clean and dry surface where the decal is to be placed.
3. Remove paper backing from decal by bending and peeling it off.
4. Rub surface and edges of decal until bubbles and wrinkles are removed.

That's great that they mention sprocket instead of gear (I've seen it mentioned as the correct term, but will probably never be popular enough for use), but where exactly are they telling me to put this thing? Upright post attached to sprocket facing forward direction??? It would have been easier if they just put a picture with an arrow pointing to the spot!

I think closer to the seat post is the most popular, but I guess just as long as it's on that upright section so it's easy to see?

When I was at the LBS the other day, a kid buying a bike with his mom asked if they can put it under the bike because it looked ugly. lol