Jack's Electric Bicycle

Maintenance and the "fleet"

I spent an hour this evening on some overdue bicycle maintenance.

The first order of business was tire pressure. I was surprised to discover that the tires on the electric mountain bike were registering a pathetic 40 psi. That’s just barely within the recommended range of 30 to 80. It is, admittedly, a soft, cushy ride. And I had noticed a nice, smooth bouncy feeling – especially in comparison to the “regular” commuter bike with its skinny 90 psi tires.

But when it comes to performance, that had to be slowing me down. The tires are now at 80 psi. My weekly “to do” list will now include checking the tire pressure.

This task makes me really appreciate the fancy Zefal floor pump my parents bought me for Christmas a few years ago.

I also emptied the panniers, washed and cleaned the bike and oiled the chain. Everything seems to be in working order.

Since I was outside with a bucket of soapy water and a tire pump, I dragged the old road bike out. That’s bike No. 3.

Just to keep things straight, I should clearly label the bikes. Here’s what I have:

1. The e-bike, aka electric bike, aka electric mountain bike. It’s a Specialized mountain bike with a Wilderness Energy Systems electric hub motor.

2. The regular bike, aka regular commuter bike, aka Peugeot. This was my dad’s commuter bike before he retired. It’s not a fancy bike and it only has 10 speeds, but it’s a sweet ride. Very solid and smooth.

3. The road bike, aka the $15 bike, aka “my high-performance bicycle.” This is a nice Panasonic road bike. I bought it at a garage sale for $15 and it was later fixed up and painted. It’s a stripped down 15 speed with standard drop handlebars and foot clips. Take off the kickstand and it could pass as a racing bike for all but the most snobbish cyclist.

After pumping up the tires on the road bike, washing it and oiling it, I felt compelled to test it out. So I took a short jaunt to the Mad River. The sun was setting and the bike doesn’t have lights, so I had to move fast.

It’s been a long time since I used toe clips. They take a little getting used to, but there’s a distinct advantage. The bike hauled ass!

I rocketed to the Hammond Trail Bridge and back.

I came across what I assume was a high school girl. She had blonde spiky punk rock hair and was sitting on the ground spray painting graffiti on the blacktop. If I was a couple decades younger and still in high school, I would have stopped and asked her to the prom, but I digress. She never saw me coming and when I passed by her at full speed, I apparently scared the crap out of her. She muttered something like “OH SHIT!” Her buddies were hanging off the bridge with spray cans.

It looked kind of dangerous, but I think they were on a mission to make an artistic statement. Normally I’d rush home and report vandalism, but I sensed they were trying to create something interesting. I hope I’m right. I’ll investigate at a later date.

The road bike performed beautifully. Still, I have mixed feelings about those drop handlebars. I’m thinking about replacing them with what Bike Nashbar calls Mustache Handlebars. They’re apparently a cross between drop bars and straight bars.

Why mess with the road bike? Because it’s a pleasure to ride and I’d like to include it in my transportation mix. I'm at the point where I'm considering a mix of e-biking and standard biking. But as a creature of comfort and convenience, I want the right transportation tools at my convenience.

posted by Jack Durham @ 9:40 PM