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Lubing with Chain-L

Dirty chain[dc]A[/dc]fter my Chain-L review some time ago, I've had a number of discussions with various people about the best way to lube a chain.  While the traditional “dab it on, let it sink in, wipe off the excess” does work, there is a better way to do it, resulting in better penetration of lube and longer duration between applications. With that said, keep in mind that I lube a chain (using this method) on average of every 6 weeks or so, which typically means about 900-1100 miles of use.

Let's cook a chain after the jump…

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Fixie Don’t Care

Awesome.  Taken from Craigslist, this guy has as much fixie hate as he has creativity.

Failed hipster – fixie must go – $1100 (SLO)

I tried so hard. I dated a girl from Portland. I criticized cheese. I applied the term artisanal to every inanimate object that went in or on my body. I burned and singed my forearms just to make it look like I was going to culinary school. I grew Carol Brady hair. I got itchy from the finest flannel and I cut off circulation from the waist down with jeans that made my ass look like an elevator button…
And I rode a fixie. No more. It's all gotta go.
The hair, the macrame, the texting overages, the Netflix and Hulu Plus. The record collection (have you ever tried to box up and move an effin stack of LPs?!) and the bike. Pictured below is the bike. It's beautiful. It's got red rims. Red chain. Red tires. Red handlebars shaped like devil horns — because it's the devil.

FixieDontCare

The guys at the hipster store don't tell you fixes don't stop. So I will. Fixies don't stop. Stop sign? Fixie don't care. Car coming turning in front of you at a three-way stop? Fixie laugh. Want Chipotle? Nope. Fixie want protein powder/beet/purple carrot/bee pollen juice and won't stop till he gets it. Fixie has a mind of his own.

Yesterday, Fixie got pulled over twice by SLO PD in three hours. In six months time, Fixie collected more tickets than a scalper for a Radiohead show at Hollywood Bowl.

I'm selling this badboy and tipping the dregs of my last PBR tall boy in his memory.

The (Devil) Fixie:
Cinelli Gazzetta Frame (2011)
Crane Creek and Origin 8 components

$1,100 ($1,600 new)

Well played sir, and it proves how silly a fixie really is.
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Trek Madone 7 series

Madone 7 seriesThe Dauphine is often a proving ground for new technology ahead of its debut at the Tour de France in 3 weeks time.  This year, along with a number of teams debuting Dura Ace 9000 groups, Trek has put several Radioshack Nissan riders on what appears to be the new Madone.  Supposedly dubbed the 7 series, it's currently unknown if this aero offering will replace the current 6.9SSL or be an addition to the lineup.

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Dura Ace 9000 Electronic: Dura Ace 9070

After the much hyped Dura Ace 9000 has been floating around for a while, details were released today about the new Di2 group which will be numbered 9070.  Expect significant changes in the styling and functionality of the group; the most significant highlights are discussed here.

DA 9000 crank

You've already seen the crankset several times in the past.  But now we get more information on it: Shimano is offering the crank in a single BCD.  That's right, gone is the standard and compact options, replaced by a single 110mm, 4 bolt BCD.  The hollow chainrings will be available in a multitude of sizes from compact to cyclocross, standard and TT configurations.  Supposedly, the chainring design allows any chainring produced to be stiff enough to work with the compact BCD.  Be wary though, those chainrings won't be cheap, so choose your gearing very wisely or be prepared to lay out a large sum in order to change it out.

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Keeping Cool in the Heat

With spring here in full force and summer right around the corner, most cyclists are switching gears from cold weather preparation to warm weather preparation.  While warm weather certainly has its own challenges, one of the biggest (aside from remaining well hydrated) is keeping cool to prevent heat-related illness.  Keeping cool can often mean the difference between ground breaking success and crushing failure on rides, races and gran fondos.

If you're finding yourself wilting in the sun, check out my top tips for keeping cool in the heat after the break:

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