Author: Rando Richard

I’m an old guy (age 69 in 2023) who enjoys aerobic, endurance sports. I call myself a cardio-junkie. Perhaps the more appropriate term would be “ultra” endurance sports. Since I was a teenager I have always enjoyed “slow twitch” outdoor sports like backpacking, ice climbing, running, mountaineering, hiking, alpine skiing and randonnée skiing (alpine touring, backcountry skiing or skimo). In 2005 I starting running with more regularity — except this time it was not for the intent of getting ready for a mountaineering trip, but as an end to itself. From 2005 to 2007 I managed to eek out two seasons of ultramarathons — that is competitive trail runs up to 50 or 100 miles. Due to a nagging ankle injury from the 80s (an accident while ice climbing in the 1980s where my lower tib and fib were badly broken), I had to cease that grueling, but rewarding activity. I then migrated into ultra distance road cycling or randonneuring. The rides are called brevets (pronounced bruh-VAY, it’s French) and are minimally supported — they are similar to ultrarunning and backpacking where one must be self reliant. Although brevets are non-competitive, they do have have cut off times to qualify as a finisher. They are usually are done in groups, which can have a competitive slant to them. Today, I continue to participate in long distance cycling including some ultra-racing, randonnée skiing (a blend of cross country and downhill disciplines) and still get out on an occasional mountaineering trip. Since 1996 I have been designing, manufacturing and selling camera bags. That is Kinesis Photo Gear (kgear.com). In 2005 I started selling cycling bags under the Kinesis label and eventually expanded it to including other sports like SUP (stand-up paddle boarding and some skimo). Consequently, it become eoGEAR — the “eo” stands for endurance outdoor. My wife and I are empty-nesters now and we live and work out in the boondocks of central Utah, half way between Salt Lake City (great powder) and Moab (great red rocks). Well, I guess that is all for now. Safe travels mate! Perhaps I’ll see you on the road or trail. — Richard Stum

Sierra Haute Route ~ Epic Backcountry Skiing

In late April of 2024 myself and four others finished a trip that has been on my bucket list since the 1970s – a crossing from east to west of the California Sierra Mountain Range on skis. First, let me first post some photos and a few links to aid other in navigation. Eventually I may add more captions.

This was my third attempt in doing a crossing in almost a decade. The first two were foiled by either partners that not quite ready, a lack of confidence on how much fuel we had, or unknown adverse medical conditions of a partner. My first attempt started on Kearsarge Pass, further north. Prior attempts were done later in the season, which seemed like a good idea because we would have longer days and warmer nights, but the river on the approach to Shepherds Pass was a torrent making the crossings difficult and slow. The last week of April or first week of May seems to be the sweet time for this route.

Here was our intended route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41943891 (on paper, the specs were 38 miles, with 11,443 feet of climbing).
Here is our actual route: https://www.strava.com/activities/11316666701

Our trip took five nights and six days total. We got a rather late start on the first day (10 or 11 a.m. as I recall) and as mentioned below lost some time on day two when squall rolled in.

Prior to the trip, I could not find a GPX file (or complete Strava upload) from any site that would provide navigation details. The only thing I had to work with was a low res topo map with a crude route line drawn. I spent many hours creating a new route from scratch using my preferred online software, which is Ride with GPS. I used both it’s USGS and other generic topo maps, alongside with satellite views, to create our route. We saw few other parties or ski tracks until the last two days, so we really had to rely on our own navigation skills. The biggest variation on the intended route compared to the actual one taken, was the last day, in Tablelands, where we followed other tracks. Our route was the Shepherds Pass route, which is most commonly done.

The fastest known time (FKT) for a crossing is 19 hours, the last time I checked.

On our second day as we gained snowline, right below Shepards Pass, a nasty storm rolled in, causing us to hunker down for the night, rather than attempt to ascend the pass. We lost perhaps a half a day due to that storm. But we knew it was coming, so it was calculated risk, but also knew the balance of the week looked stellar.

On our last day, I thought since the terrain looked less steep, that it would be super easy. But in the morning, we dropped in on a north-facing slope (following other ski tracks which were apparently made in the afternoon when conditions were soft) which proved to be totally iced over. Most of the team gently side stepped down, rather than try to ski it. I was more timid and put on my boot crampons and it booted it down, while they patiently waited.

Stove notes: we debated whether to go with cartridge stoves (aka JetBoil type) versus “old school” white gas liquid stoves. At first we were going to use the butane/propane cartridges because of their reported efficiency. But at the last minute, I called some of the companies that do guided trips on this route. All of them use liquid gas, so we followed suit, bringing a one each, MSR Whisperlite and Simmerlite stove. I believe the reason guides use liquid is because with larger groups (and more days “out” as is common with commercial groups) it requires an enormous amount of fuel to melt snow for water. That would require a crazy amount of cartridges which is very, very bulky. Liquid gas is very compact. We allocated about 4.5 oz. per day per person. If you are not making hot drinks or hot breakfasts, then 4 oz. would be enough. Despite using white gas, as it turned out, the night prior to our start, most members of our party were struggling in finding enough space in their 50-55L packs for group gear. We were able to use open streams for the first two nights, after which we had to melt snow. We had one pot with a built-in heat exchanger and one without.

The photos below are mine or those from Wayne Pullman. Other members of the party included Jim Knight (who was with me on our prior two attempts), Greg Paul and Martin Frey. Many thanks to Paul Curtis for his time in shuttling us from the east side back to the start. Wayne was the youngster of the group, so he broke trail much of the time. Jim was the oldest at age 71, I at 70, and rest were slightly younger. Consequently, our moving speed was not stellar, but adequate.

Approaching the top of Milestone Mtn Pass. Easy class 3.

My planning notes showing each proposed day and the climbing specs.

sigma-rox-12-gps

Sigma ROX 12 GPS — Overview & User Tips

My Preferred Settings set on the Unit

Swipe down from the top
Tap on top menu > on screen brightness, disable “auto” (only use auto at night) > Adjust slider to max screen brightness.* Runs for about 7 hours & then get a low battery (25%) warning with backlight on all the time, so I set the backlight to go off in 2 minutes.
Check that the compass accuracy is “high.”
Auto Pause should be on (disable for mountain biking).
Strava Live Segments Off.
Settings > User > Name = RR, HRmax = 150 BPM (for early 2019)

*If not clear enough, try Settings > Device > Display Settings > Color Mode > Night

My Preferred Settings set via the Sigma Data Center (iMac)

Settings > Device > Auto Sleep > 5 mins. (only goes to sleep when an activity is not running)
Settings > Device > Altitude Calibration > Automatic
Settings > Map > Map Orientation > Heading Direction
Settings > Map > Auto Zoom > Off (red)
Settings > Connect Sensor > Heart rate monitor (if new firmware)
Settings > WiFi > Connect locally as needed or use hotspot
Settings > Display Settings > Backlight Time > 2 min.
Settings > Display Settings > Color Mode > Day
Settings > Sigma Cloud > Auto Share Settings > All Disabled (instead, go to Data Sync > Sync there manually).

Importing RWGPS Routes Using a Desktop Computer

First, export the RWGPS route as a GPX Track (include cues as waypoints) onto a location on my iMac. From there import that file into the Tracks section of the Sigma Data Center app on my iMac. I then attach the ROX 12 to the iMac via a USB cord & upload it to the ROX 12 using the Sigma Data Center desktop (iMac) application.

Importing RWGPS Routes When Away From a Desktop Computer

I typically upload tracks to the ROX 12 via the Sigma Data Center app on a desktop computer via a USB cord, but oddly enough, the Sigma Cloud App on the iPhone doesn’t provide a solution to upload routes when away from iMac. I only use this technique as a backup, in case I get to the start line of an event and the file is somehow missing from the ROX 12 or, if the ROX 12 was to crash in the field, in which case I would need to re-load the file.

First, create the route in Ride with GPS and then export that file as a GPX on my desktop computer (or if using mobile, save to my iCloud Drive > Desktop). Then use this “Strava Labs project” link to import the file it to my Strava account: https://labs.strava.com/gpx-to-route/#12/-122.44503/37.73651. Assuming Strava is synced on the ROX 12, it will then be available on the ROX 12 via these settings: Home > Strava > Show Strava Routes.

Following a Track

Screen shown after selecting a route.

Question for Sigma Tech Support: When I want to follow an uploaded route or “Track” I do the following: Tracks > Select the given route from a menu > Select.
And then I see the words: “Start Point” and “Closest Point” with a “Start” button below both of them. Which of the three buttons do I press next if I am at, or near the start? What if I am in the middle of the route? Can you provide clarification on what should be obvious?

Answer: I think you can choose between those 2 Buttons, then press start.

Sigma Tech Answer: You can choose between those 2 Buttons, then press start. (Upon pressing Start or Closest, nothing visual happens so you are not sure it “took,” but it does seem to work).

If Navigation Seems Wonky

More than once, I will be in the middle of a ride trying to follow a pre-loaded route and things wack out. For example, one time, while on a 62-mile route, the ROX said my “distance to destination” was 74 miles! What the heck. Usually this works:

Home Screen > Navigation > Stop Navigation > Yes > Back Arrow > Home Page > Track > Reselect Route > Start

How To Power Down When Riding Multi-day Rides

I like to save multi-day rides or long brevets as ONE long event.

At the end of the day: Press Stop Button (lower left on front face) > Back Arrow. Optional step: Hold Down the Power Button For 3 Seconds > Lock Screen. Elapsed time will continue & screen will darken. Charge the ROX 12 overnight, otherwise it will lose 2 or 3% of battery life every hour.

To resume activity: Power > Unlock > Screen > RDW or MTB Training > Start (lower right button on front face)

Uploading to Strava After a Ride

This is an old photo. I have now disabled the auto sync with the Sigma Cloud (top menu) as it takes forever to sync there. All I care about is getting my data to Strava.

First unlink from the Sigma Cloud, otherwise the unit will spin endlessly trying to upload the ride there, instead of uploading it to Strava first.

First, unlink the Sigma Cloud on the iPhone: Sigma Link > SIGMA CLOUD > Log Out
Second, unlink Sigma Cloud on the ROX 12: Main screen, scroll to SIGMA CLOUD > Gear > Log Out

With WiFi nearby: it should do it automatically otherwise go to Home Page > Data Sync > Tap on 2nd menu (Strava logo) & then check for today’s date, confirming upload is done, or plug it into USB on iMac for latest upload.
With no Wi-Fi nearby: Turn off WiFi on phone. Enable Hotspot on iPhone. On ROX 12: Home button > Settings > WiFi > Select iPhone & Input Password. If it doesn’t sync automatically then go to ROX 12 > Home Page > Data Sync > Tap on 2nd menu (Strava logo) & then check for today’s date, confirming upload is done.

Error Message

Upon start-up the ROX 12 may give you this error message “SIGMA APP is not responding. Do you want to restart it?” Press “WAIT.” If you hit OK, it my lock up the whole unit.

If ROX Freezes: How To Reboot

If the device doesn’t boot at all we need to wipe the whole system.
Following the instructions. Please be sensitive with this data as the user can brick his ROX if he does other stuff in this recovery mode. It’s OK to tell him how he gets there and what he needs to do there but he should be informed to not do anything else:

Sigma app is not responding…wait or restart. Hit wait, not restart.

Press and hold the power button and the home button simultaneously till you see “Recovery Mode” on the Display (needs 20-30 seconds). This alone may wake up the unit and the following steps are unnecessary.
Press the home button and you will see some options.
With the left and right buttons navigate to “wipe data/factory reset” and press the power button.
Navigate to “yes” and press the power button. (My note: If it keeps repeating, hit the power down button or “reboot system now”).
The system gets wiped, choose to reboot the system afterwards.

Heart Rate Strap Problems

When the heart rate strap doesn’t sync (after syncing it once before) try:

Home > Settings > Connect Sensor > Paired Sensors > Heartrate > Pair, using the number 4105 or search.
Home > Settings > Connect Sensor > Paired Sensors > Heart Rate ID 4105 > Show Sensor Details > RSSI (signal strength): -40 thru -44 is excellent. -67 or higher is worse. https://www.metageek.com/training/resources/understanding-rssi.html
Home > Settings > Connect Sensor > Paired Sensors > Heartrate > Disconnect & then re-pair per step #1.

Charging While Riding

Initially when you plug in and turn on an external USB battery you will get an error message that says you cannot upload tracks while recording an activity…simply press the round home button and continue navigating/recording your activity and the unit will charge.

Auto-Pause Thing

With Auto Pause on, it records the correct elapsed time, assuming I start moving immediately, BUT it appeared to “lose” 5–10 seconds, or more, if I started the GPS but didn’t start moving immediately.

Screen Brightness

As an ultra-distance roadie I frequently travel in areas where I need the navigation features. Since the audible beep “turn” feature is only 70-80% effective, I have to ride with a navigation map always up. My number ONE COMPLAINT with the ROX 12 is the navigation maps are hard to see in most daylight conditions, especially early or late in the day when the light on the screen is skimming across it and not directly hitting it or if the unit is in the shade of my body or head. I am using polarized sunglasses, but it doesn’t really seem to matter (I remove the glasses from time to time and have the same problem). The red “follow me” line against the dark green background field makes it difficult to see surrounding streets. A light-colored background, or a map with MORE CONTRAST as found on the default setting for Google maps, WOULD HELP IMMENSELY. With the backlit on the screen turned on all the time I barely get 5 to 6 hours of use before the low battery (25%) warning pops up. Zooming in a lot helps (to 750 ft), but then I can’t see what is up ahead.
Here is my solution: set the backlight so it goes off in two minutes and then during the ride, when brighter viewing is needed, tap on the screen and it will brighten up.

Navigating to the Start of a Route

The ROX 12 does not support navigation to a route, when that distance is over 300km: https://www.randonneurs.fi/sigma-rox-12-0-is-unsuitable-for-randonneurs/

Updating OS (or checking to see if you need an update)

Backup sport profile to an external source like a hard drive of computer using Sigma Data Center.
Plug unit into a wall outlet (not a computer) and be connected to WiFi.
Using only the ROX 12 (not the Sigma Data Center): Home Screen > Settings > Update Firmware

Screens on My Road Bike Sport Profile

Ptarmigan Traverse

This past July (the 18th–22nd, 2022), myself, my brother Karl Stum, his daughter Corrie Bahr and grandson Aaron Anderson (Natalie Anderson’s son) completed a mountaineering route in the north Cascades in Washington, called the Ptarmigan Traverse. It has been dubbed as “America’s Most Beautiful Mountaineering Route” by Outside Magazine. Our Strava-uploaded stats indicate we hiked or climbed some 45 miles and about 13,000 vertical feet.

The normal Cascade Pass trailhead was closed, so we started out actual route, some 3 miles and 1500′ vertical down from it. We hustled up that section late Sunday night. It was raining so we opted to camp inside the restroom (it was rather clean!), rather than hassle with starting out the trip with soggy tents. The rain and mist continued into the following day for four or five hours before finally quitting. We had flawless weather the rest of the trip.

The first four days were absolutely fabulous with much of our route traveling off trail (much of the “trail” was covered by snow, esp. since the winter of ’21–22 had been a big snow year). Because of the many steep snow fields, I felt that technically, it was much more difficult than the standard route on Mount Rainier, though we didn’t have the crevasse dangers found on those higher peaks.

Our fifth, or last day involved hours and hours of bushwhacking on a “trail” that is officially closed; we felt like we were in a Brazilian jungle. Had I known that the last 10–12 miles would have been so difficult, I would not have attempted the route. It just wasn’t worth it. The problem is that there are simply no early bail out options, so one cannot just take a shorter route. The Outside article must have been published many years ago, before the trail was closed. It appears that the U.S. Forest Service has simply let that section of the trail “go to the dogs,” and not make any effort to maintain it.

Kyle, a prolific blogger, did this extended route, bypassing the miserable last day (but adds another ten miles). I have recreated his route using my online software. Email for the link if you are interested.

Preferred route (with the option to create a GPX download if you wish): https://ridewithgps.com/routes/36542738

Our actual route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/40377706

My Strava Uploads:

https://www.strava.com/activities/7534457343 (Days 1-5)

https://www.strava.com/activities/7534424667 (Last Day)

Unless noted, all photos are copyrighted Richard Stum, 2022. Please DO NOT duplicate w/o permission.

Day 1

Cache Col headwall. It was melted out on the left side so we went up that side, but it was very steep gravel-like with no way to protect. I lead it using my Whippets to self belay in the dirt.

Day 2

Route for the Red Ledges. It was much easier than expected.

Day 3

Day 4

From White Rock Lakes, checking out the route for the next day. As it turned out, much of the “summer” trail was snow covered and we got off route doing some extra bushwhacking. We didn’t drop down far enough before beginning the final climb to gain the Dana Glacier.

Day 5 — Final Day to the Car
On paper the last day was supposed to be only 12 miles, but my GPS showed 19, due to all the meandering (& perhaps combined with errant satellite signals from traveling in a heavily forested area).

Cannondale Topstone Carbon — First Impression

For some time I have wanting to replace my rim-brake aluminum frame Cannondale Cyclocross “race” bike. Part of the problem with that bike was that with cantilever rim brakes it had little tire clearance, esp. near the rear chain stays as mud collected there. So I decided on the Cannondale Topstone Carbon. My reasoning for that model was based on the following factors:

Unlike many other gravel bikes, this one came stock with a nice low “front end” gearing of 46/30 instead of road-specific 50/34 like many gravel bikes have.
My one-and-only local bike shop is a Cannondale dealer, but doesn’t carry other major brands.
The stack height was “more than average,” which for a guy who is 6’3″ tall, is important.
The cost of Cannondale products are less than Trek and Specialized while typically provided similar quality.
Kingpin suspension which offers up to 30mm of shock absorption.

This bike, with disc brakes should have had more clearance…but man was I wrong! Their website says “Big tire clearance — comes with big 700cx37mm tires for grip and comfort, but has room for up to 40mm tires with tons of clearance. You can even put on 650 wheels with 48mm tires if small and fat is your thing.” I thought that with “tons of clearance” I thought I would be OK with 43mm rubber, but after installing 43mm Panaracer Gravelking SK “small knobby” tires and inflating them to 45 PSI the rear wheel would not turn at all! It rubbed against a fender bolt, just behind the bottom bracket. I removed the bolt and now the wheel will turn, but I can barely have 3mm of clearance between the bottom bracket and the front of the rear tire (I used an allen wrench to measure). Later, I took a Dremel and filed down (careful to not damage the carbon) the alloy ring gaining another millimeter and it now seems to be slightly better, but I still may go with a 38 or 40mm tire in the rear, instead of a 43 like I have there now. Ughhh. Buyer beware. Why do the bike manufacturers, when making a bike for “gravel and adventure” still think they are adhering to UCI cyclocross “race” regulations which max out at 33mm? Kills me. Is it because of chain line issues with the Q-factor of road bike cranks?

Eventually, I may get a 650b wheelset and run 47mm-wide knobbies for “those special days.”

Oh, one other thing…I’m 6’3″ tall (34″ inseam) and there is just enough stand-over height over the top tube. I am guessing that the BB height is higher than the average road bike to provide more clearance over obstacles and a nearly horizontal top tube maybe provides more clearance for frame bags. Not a deal breaker but something that was noticeably at first, but I am now used to it, after several long rides.

More later…I just wanted to quickly vent.

XL (61cm) Topstone Carbon with one notable upgrade: Ergon CF3 Pro Carbon Seatback seatpost. Amazing comfort when combined with their built-in mini-suspension.

Deadlifts are Dumb…and Dangerous

In November of 2017, it was recommend start to integrate deadlifts into my strength training regime. Under the supervision of an experienced body builder, I did around 20 deadlifts with what I thought was a “okay” amount of weight. The tiny gym I was at did NOT have a hex bar as shown above. Later than night, but lower back was killing me. The pain eventually went away so about a 10 days later I attempted a few more with almost no weight on the bar itself, yet afterwards I was in pain again.

In early 2018, I had a major bout of sciatica, presumably caused by dead lifting, where nary a chiropractor, massage therapist or physical therapist could fix it. I finally went to my family physician and he prescribed Pretoszone. Within 48 hours the pain was gone. The P.T. said he never recommends deadlifts for strength training.

Fast forward three years: for the past nine months I have had what feels like a pinched nerve causing premature pain or weakness in my right leg while cycling more than 60-90 minutes (sometimes while backcountry skiing & usually while hiking). This is despite a professional bike fit with a P.T. with a pressure mapping saddle system. The pain is always on my right leg, which is where my sciatica left off. Ibuprofen will remedy the situation, but I don’t want to have to take that before every single ride! Preliminary diagnosis is that I have EIAE (External External Iliac Artery Endofibrosis), but further testing or imaging is needed. The vascular surgeon I met with in 2019 recommended I hang up cycling and find another sport that doesn’t pinch my artery while cycling, but the problem also persists with other sports.

Long story short: deadlifts are dangerous, especially for tall people like me (6′ 3″). If you feel you MUST do them, I highly recommend a hex bar. Below are some of notes about deadlifting for tall people.

Deadlift Substitutes

Replace the deadlift with the Rack Pull (start at knees & pull up), Romanian Deadlift (start at knees & lower down, but does little for quads), Kettlebell Pull-through. https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/the-very-best-deadlift-alternatives i.e. planks, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqrWrR_UCQA & Kettlebell Swing (back flat & don’t squat too much) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSxHifyI6s8.
Some people simply can’t do deadlifts w/o pain. “I have people do a squat, or HIP THRUST, or even a trap bar deadlift to get the same effect without any problems.” https://www.menshealth.com.au/top-trainer-says-not-all-guys-should-deadlift
Replace the deadlift with three flexion-based workouts using squat patterns and ROLL OUTS (or if you can hold it all together well enough, explosive heavy ball slams). https://breakingmuscle.com/fitness/why-i-will-never-program-a-deadlift-again
Dumbbell Deadlift (one in each hand to side, similar to trap bar)
Bent-over Rows
https://www.cheatsheet.com/health-fitness/weight-lifting-moves-you-can-substitute-for-deadlifts.html/?a=viewall
Keep you back curved is best for leg press, which is why it is bad for you ?? https://www.silversneakers.com/blog/worst-senior-exercises/
Dumbbell Lunge: Barbells in hand & lunge bending knees & how I recovered from a deadlift injury. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UO21aKZuO-Q
Do partial deadlifts first for 8 weeks.
https://www.ironmanmagazine.com/is-it-a-good-idea-for-older-lifters-to-do-deadlifts/
Do leg press instead of Squats. 80% as good with 10% of the risk. Never use a leg press if you have existing back pain and always consult a physician first if you are over 45. Finally, movements that put direct downward pressure on the spine, such as squats and dead lifts, are proved to be effective in preventing osteoporosis.
https://www.fitness.com/articles/1013/squats_and_deadlifts_after_40_don_t_do_it.php
If you’re new to deadlifts or have questionable form I’d start with high handle trap bar deads. Stick with these for at least six months and never go above five reps. But if for some reason you can’t deadlift, it’s nothing to get down about. You’ll be just fine with squats, Olympic pulls, shrugs, glute hams and the like.
http://jasonferruggia.com/drop-the-deadlift/

Correct Deadlift for Tall People (video)

https://youtu.be/9BTQebgxi8A

Proper Leg Press Technique

Don’t bend knee more than 45-degrees. The most common mistakes, says Woll, are allowing your head to pop off the bench, with your chin tucked, or allowing your lower back to do the same. “We all have lower back issues, so we never want to ‘load’ a lower back,” Then remember that the back of your head and from the middle of your spine all the way down to your hips should be flush against the bench, she says.
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/28/fix-your-form-how-to-exercise-leg-press_n_1833521.html
http://seannal.com/articles/training/leg-press-form.php
https://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/fitness/Pages/Top-10-gym-exercises-done-incorrectly.aspx

Yellowstone/Grand Teton 1000K

In July of 2017 (13–15th) I sponsored a 1000K brevet (~ 625 miles) that went through Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks…plus Starr Valley Wyoming. This route started in Ashton, Idaho, which is just west of Yellowstone National Park.

Day one: Our route heading north though the town of West Yellowstone and then into the park’s west entrance. It then made a big loop through the park. We left at 4:00 a.m. and four of us stayed mostly together, with the others waiting for me on the climbs. We arrived back to Ashton for our first overnight just after dusk, at about 9:30 p.m. We then learned that one of the other two rides was bumped or hit by the mirror of an SUV. He was then transported to the hospital by the spouse of another rider for evaluation. He was not knocked off his bike, but it caused a massive bruise. Needless to say, it put him out of the “race.” Totals for the day: 235 miles with 9,570 feet of climbing.

Day two: We decided to leave at 4:00 a.m. on the second day. Our route took us through rural Driggs Idaho, with the west side of the Teton mountain range in the background. That was one of coolest sunrises I have ever seen. From there we climbed up and over Teton Pass. The grades were not impossible, at around 9 or 10%, but I was really hurting. I ended up walking most of the upper part of this pass. I just had nothing in the tank! I attempted to text my friends to not wait for me, as this took a while, but I couldn’t get cellular coverage. On the descent, I set a new P.R., hitting 55 MPH on a bicycle. The ascent, on the other hand, was also a new record for me…my first time walking a pass on a bicycle ride! Two personal records in one day. We made our way along the eastern edge of the Teton range and up to the southern boundaries of Yellowstone before turning around and making our way back to Jackson Hole. Paul Foley literally pulled me for the last half that day, while we sent the other two on ahead. We arrived into the motel at about 12:45 a.m. Totals for the day: 201 miles with 9,397 feet of climbing.

Day three: Since this was a shorter day, we left at about 6:00 a.m., after making a fast food pit stop. The route goes south into fabulous Starr Valley (part of the LoToJa race route) and then we headed northwest into Rexburg, home of BYU-Idaho, before finishing up in Ashton again. Near Rexburg, there were many miles of flat or rollers. We organized into a pace line and Paul pulled our little group of four for hours on end! Many, many thanks to him for his perseverance. When we got closer to our final destination we could see a thunderstorm ahead, but we were spared any rain. However the power was out everywhere in this town upon our arrival, due to the storm. We got in at 10:27 p.m., relieved that our adventure was finally over without incident and any mechanical problems. For most of us, that was our longest ride or brevet of the summer. Totals for the day: 188 miles with “only” 5,804 feet of climbing.

The following day, I stopped in to visit my son, who is a student at BYU-I in Rexburg, some 35 miles to the south. We did a walking tour of campus. I was so fatigued that I could not even walk up a complete flight of stairs without stopping! Something was wrong. The next month I DNFed on a rather easy 600K after 400km. I just had no energy to ride. Shortly thereafter, I had some blood tests which showed I had anemia or iron-poor blood. My hemoglobin and ferritin levels were on the low side of normal. This explained my very poor performance during the later part of this summer. As it turns out, my anemia was caused by a bleeding ulcer which was caused by a regimen of Aspirin, which my cardiologist put me on.

New Magnetic Pedal — A Review

Several years ago, a friend of mine from Colorado, Reed Jentzsch, mentioned that he was working on a new bicycle pedal design — one that uses magnets instead of the spring clip mechanism that is commonly used. He has been an engineer working with metals for most of his life. One of his passions is white water rafting but for years he also has done mountain biking and road cycling.

Last month, he sent me one of his prototypes to try out — the mountain bike version of his new product called the J-Pedal. My first impression was “Wow, this is really nice…go ahead and quit your day job.” Little did I know he already had quit his day job…or retired from it. I mostly do ultra-distance road or gravel riding. I started out with Shimano clipless road pedals. The problem with them is that the plastic cleats wore down quickly and carrying a pedal cover was a pain. And, on occasion, when I got sand in them, I could not clip in! Within a year of using these road pedals, I switched to SPD mountain bike pedals and have never looked back.

I mounted this J-Pedals prototype on my primary long distance bike, a carbon-fiber Project One Trek Domane. Then I swapped out the cleats on my MTB shoes for the J-Pedal cleats. Before riding outside, I placed my bike next to a table in my warehouse and practiced until I was sure I could “clip in and clip out” without issue. It couldn’t have been easier. I then went out and did a familiar 100km (62 mile) ride using these pedals.

J-Pedal Pros—

Very easy to “clip” in, especially compared to my one-sided Shimano A-600 clipless pedals. When unclipped, the Shimano do not always end up with the clip side “up” so I usually have to glance down while clipping in. With the J-Pedal, I never had to look down. Super intuitive.
To unclip from the J- Pedal, you just need to tilt, not twist (see attached picture). I found the J-Pedal to be much easier than the A-600 or other Shimano-type SPD clipless pedals (I have five bicycles with SPDs). This was especially easy with my wonky left ankle, which, due to an old mountaineering injury, makes it difficult to twist out of most spring-loaded clip pedals.
These new pedals have tons of float. I am guessing 8- to 10-degrees compared to 6-degrees on most of SPDs. At times I felt like I was ice skating with that much float. (Part of the reason for the slippery feel is because my sole is thinner than some so that there is less friction between the sole of the shoe and the pedal). Some people like that. Personally, I prefer a smaller amount of float, especially when climbing. But this is one of my subjective preferences in pedal design.
Strength. I purposely yanked up with all my force and could not deliberately disengage from the pedal. Nice! (I’m 64 years old and I suspect a younger fellow might be able to pop lose). The strength of the magnets seemed to be just the perfect balance.

Cons of the J-Pedal—

With my Bont MTB shoes, the thickness of the cleat was thicker than the thickness of my soles…so when walking I could feel the cleat tapping or scraping on the ground or floor. According to Reed, the J-Pedal owner/designer, the thickness of this cleat is consistent with most MTB sole thicknesses and the reason was that my sole was unusually thin. I believe his assessment to be reasonable.
The weight of each J-Pedal is 211 g and the weight of each cleat (w/o screws) was 69 g. My Shimano A-600’s, by comparison, weigh 276 g a pair. The cleats add 52 g per pair. My first suggestion was to machine out the underside of the cleat to lighten them. Reed seemed to think that would work without compromising the strength of the connection. Even then, I wonder if the weight will be comparable to other road cleats. Now, with a mountain bike, the average weight is perhaps 4 or 5 kg (10 pounds) more than most road bikes, so component weight is less critical on a mountain bike compared to a road bike.

Summary—

Most roadies use and prefer clipless pedals. Unlike mountain bikers, the need to quickly eject happens less often. For them, the speed of releasing is less important. Usually, when a roadie goes down, there is little time to react and unclip. Yeah, sometimes at stop lights, we forget, and tip over, but that is generally in the beginner days of using clipless pedals. (Many novice riders, and some of my randonneuring friends, use platform pedals with sandals or sneakers, but they are the minority). Mountain bikers, on the other hand, are more split. Many mountain bikers use clipless pedals, but I still hear of many others who started to use clipless systems but have gone back to platform pedals for safety — they simply couldn’t unclip quickly enough and crashed. And then, in some crashes, the bike is tied to you as you cartwheel down the mountain, causing you more injuries. The J-Pedal, on the other hand, pop outs much easier, reducing the risk of injury in the event of a crash. I guess what I am saying is that this design seems more suited to those using 2-bolt pedals for mountain biking rather than roadies. This pedal is especially relevant to downhill or enduro mountain bikers that have given up on clipless pedals. It should be, for them, “the cat’s pajamas.”

A well used pair of pedals. They seemed VERY durable.

How To Add More Tire Clearance To Your Road Bike — DYI

For the past many years I have been using the Continental 4000S II tire in 25mm width on all my road bikes. After a tough 1000K this past summer, I wanted to try out some 28s and see if the ride was better. During the winter of 2017–18 I started experimenting with 28mm 4000S tires on my Trek Domane. Although they fit, the tolerances were very tight. I also wanted to use the set of full-length Bontrager fenders with these tires. For the rear tire, I have plenty of space behind my bottom bracket, near the chain stays, but oddly enough, the room below the brake bridge was tight. It left little room to spare (yet my stock Ultegra brake had plenty of adjustability). I inquired into having a custom frame builder move the bridge up a few millimeters, but the cost was $800 — way too much.

I came up the idea of taking either a small piece of wood or plastic and epoxying it inside the drop-outs. In my business I have lots of 1.5mm (.062″) HDPE scraps, so I took a piece of plastic, about 5 x10mm and bent it gently and glued it in place, making a shim of sorts. I also filed it down so the edges so they were smoother. I have done this on two of my road bikes, my Trek Domane to accommodate 28mm tires and also my Cervelo P3C TT bike (on the front fork only) so I can get 25mm tires on that frame. Because the skewers are pushed down a little more, I am most careful about tightening a lot now. (On the Domane I have to crank them down a ton anyway, otherwise it creaks!) On the Cervelo fork, I filed down the lawyer-tabs so they were smoother, as the fit was too funky without doing that.

With the 700c x 28mm 4000S tires I am getting width measurements of between 29 and 30.5mm on an 18mm I.D. alloy rim.

I have only had these in place for a few months now, but so far, it is working. Time will tell, but, it is better than investing $5,500 on a new carbon-fiber Domane with disc brakes!

Brake bridge with 28mm tire before adding shim. Conti 4000S’s measure 29 to 30mm wide on this 18mm I.D. rim (the pressure causes small variations).

My “Stable” of Road Bikes

In 2006, after two seasons of trail ultrarunning, my “bum” left ankle left me with no choice but to seek an alternative endurance sport. After all, I enjoyed trail running and ski mountaineering so I thought a mountain bike would be the logical first stop. In 2007 I purchased a Fezzari full suspension mountain bike. But shortly thereafter I also purchased a road bike and seemed to gravitate towards it more. Was that due to my lack of coordination on single track trails, or was it because I just wanted a runner’s high by doing long distance cardio? Or was it the simplicity of doing longer distance “Forest Gump” endurance workouts? I suspect it was a combination of all of these. For me, randonneuring seemed to be most like ultrarunning. Randonneuring is a timed long distance road cycling event, but unlike ultrarunning, it not classified as a race. (For additional background information, check out this intro page).

In any event, below is an overview of my road bikes which I have been using since I started actively riding in 2007. As of 2017, all of them are 10-speed with rim brakes (using tubes — no tubeless yet), so I can switch wheelsets around. I also have a 26″ full suspension Fezzari Alta Peak aluminum mountain bike with 2″-wide tires. It collects a lot of dust.

My go-to randonneuring or “distance” bike . It is often used for local training riding too.

This is my go-to long distance “rando” bike. It is a 2013 62cm Trek Domane 6.2 Project One which I acquired in late 2014. It utilizes Trek’s 600-series carbon fiber, which is their lightest and stiffest offering. The fork is a tapered 1-1/2″ to 1-1/8″ (shouldn’t that be called 38.1 to 28.6mm, since everything else on road bikes is metric?) with internal routed cables (my local bike shop [LBS] hates internal cables!). Shown are the following components: Syntace C3 clip-on areobars, a clip-on SKS rear fender (only used when needed), an eoGEAR SeatBag 4.8, an eoGEAR Century (top tube) bag and a Brooks Cambium C17 saddle. It also has DT Swiss RR1450 alloy rim-brake wheelset with Continental 25mm 4000 S II tires. I have a 50/33 chainring (Shimano Ultegra crankset with an Italian-made special PMP 33-tooth small ring) and a SRAM PG1070 10-speed 12/36 cassette. An Ultegra RD-6700-A-GS long cage derailleur is used. Since this photo was taken, in 2017 I have migrated to using a Brooks Team Pro leather saddle (Ti frame) and have recycled the very-durable DT Swiss 240S 28-spoke hub with newer DT RR411 rims. These rims, which have an 18mm I.D., can accommodate 28mm-wide tires nicely. But the brake bridge on this 2013 frame is a little tight for Continental 4000 S II 28mm tires as they balloon out to about 31mm wide, so I started using other brands like Kenda and Schwable. (The fork, on the other hand, has plenty of clearance…Trek was short-sided by making the front end with plenty of clearance, but not enough on the back end). Finally, in 2019, Continental introduced the 5000 tire series and they are more “true to size,” in fact they run a tiny bit shy of 28mm. But they will fit inside this frame, so I don’t have to purchase a new frame with disc brakes.

Another shot of the Trek Domane with a larger eoGEAR seat bag (9 L model).

I have a pair of Bontrager fenders that are designed to go with the Trek Domane. Easy on and easy off. Full coverage. With 25mm tires they will fit under the brake bridge, but with 28s it does not clear and I plan to cut the fender in half, creating a “split fender” arrangement.

This is my 61cm Cervelo P3C time trial bike with mostly DuraAce components. It has a ceramic bottom bracket with FSA carbon fiber crank arms. It is used for solo (i.e. no drafting) events with less climbing (the gearing is much higher than my Trek Domane) and some 24-hour time-trial races. In November of 2014 I did my first 24-hour time trial race. I was using my Rocky Mountain Prestige with clip-on aerobars. But I unexpectedly found out that many of the others at that race had full-on time trial bikes, so afterwards, I decided to hunt one down. The next month I found a local deal on this 2008 frame and picked it up for a “song.” Components: I replaced the nice carbon fiber Profile Design Cobra Wing areobars with Syntace C3 alloy aerobars because the Cobra’s only mount below the bull-horn bars, placing them too low for my 6’4″ frame. I never did put handlebar tape on the carbon fiber bull horns and have found I kinda like the super smooth surface, even on long rides without pain in the palms of my hands (yes, I mostly the aerobars, but on long gradual climbs I set upright). I have added a Wolf Tooth 4-slot B-RAD Mounting Base to hold two water bottles cages on the down tube, a couple of eoGEAR bags (of course). Shown is a Chromag Trailmjaster LTD padded leather saddle (I was testing it but didn’t like it, I prefer the Brooks Team Pro like with my Trek. I have Issi SPD pedals (they offer models with longer spindles which accommodate my wonky left ankle which wants to rub the outside of many crankarms), 52/39 chainring, 12/32 10-speed Ultegra cassette and a DT Swiss RC38C carbon fiber wheelset (20/24 bladed spokes, rim brakes, 38mm deep) with 25mm Continental 4000 S II tires. I sometimes move this wheelset over to my Trek Domane if I’m doing a route with less climbing and where I want a slightly more aero rig than the 28-spoke alloy DT Swiss RR 411 wheelset. It has horizontal drop-outs so I have to really crank down on the rear wheel quick-release skewer, otherwise the tire will rub on the drive-side chain stay…but because of the horizontal drop-out, I CAN use a moderately “fat” (25mm) tire.
Check out this page on how I “rando-ized” this frame (modified it) for longer rides.

My gravel grinder is a 61cm Cannondale CAAD 8 aluminum cyclocross bike with stock Maddox OEM 700c rim-brake wheelset. I typically put 40mm rubber on the back (Clement X-PLOR MSO) and 35mm in the front (whatever knobby I have on hand). I have a 46/33 chainring with a “cheapy” Sunrace 10-speed CS-MX 11-41 cassette in the rear, mated to an MTB Shimano 9-speed XT derailleur (yup, it works with my 10-speed Ultegra shifters) mounted to a Wolf Tooth RoadLink which extends the derailleur out further. The saddle shown is Prologo Scratch Pro (142mm wide) mounted to a Specialized CG-R seatpost (to soften the harness of the alloy frame). I think I might change it out soon to my a Gilles Berthoud Aarivs leather saddle for more comfort.
Sometimes I use this as a hard tail mountain bike and on long mountain descents, having disc brakes would make for less hand fatigue. And, disc brakes should allow a fatter tire. 40–42mm is about the max width for this frame.

Rocky Mountain Prestige (my first 100% carbon fiber frame)

For several years this was my lighter-weight “climbing bike” as it doesn’t have aerobars mounted on it. It is a 61cm Rocky Mountain Prestige carbon fiber road bike. It has a taller-than-average head tube (and stack height which is the more relevant geometry number), which was the prevailing reason for purchasing it; 30% off also helped convince me. It has rim brakes and shown is my old DT Swiss 1450 wheelset with 700c x 25mm Continental 4000 S II tubed tires. Sometimes I put a pair of Mavic Kysrium Eletes on it too. The eoGEAR bag shown is the SeatBag 2.3-IA. The saddle I have on this frame is a Brooks Cambium C13 158 (158mm wide with carbon fiber rails). It is super light & super comfortable for non aerobar use. For me, the narrow nose of this saddle doesn’t provide enough support for a bike with aerobars. In 2020 I found that saddle not perfect for me and started using a Fizik saddle instead. I purchased this 2009 edition bike new in April of 2010. In 2019 this frame went to Texas for use while visiting there (see note on the Seven below) and now has a set of Syntace aerobars mounted on it.

Seven Axiom Ti frame. Although it is double butted, it is still kinda harsh compared to my carbon fiber models. I used this for two seasons before moth-balling it, replacing it with the Trek Domane. This blog post explains why. Then in 2019, I sent my Rocky Mountain carbon frame to Texas, where my son and his family live, so I would have a bike to ride while visiting them. Consequently, I brough the Seven out of hibernation and made it my “climbing bike,” for rides that have mostly uphill climbing.

Epic Human Powered Adventures

The most miles bicycled in one year, set in May of 2017, was set by a woman named Amanda Coker. She did her on a flat loop in Florida, doing the same 7-mile loop over and over again! Her total was 86,500 miles.

Links: Gear Junkie, her Blog or Velo News Q&A.

The prior record was set by Kurt Searvogel in 2016, cycling 76,076 miles (yes the numbers are symbolic).

Around the world in less than 80 days. On a bicycle. With support. Mark Beaumont (UK) accomplished this feat in the fall of 2017.

His saddle looks down right painful (I have tried a similar model). I am surprised it didn’t use several bikes…a full-on time trial bike (instead of a road bike with clip-on aerobars) and then a road bike with no aerobars for climbing.

Incidentally, he holds the record for the longest distance cycled in a month: 11,315 km (7030 miles) set in May of 2017.

Chris Bertish was the first person (I believe) to cross the Atlantic on a stand-up paddleboard. 4,600 miles over 93 days in 2017.

Crossing Antartica 100% self supported in 60 or so days. Ben Saunders is going to start this journey in November of 2017.

As of 2015, this woman set the record for the longest distance on a stand-up paddleboard. Seychelle Hattingh, a Floridian, set a new world record: 177kms (110 miles). Her average was 4.5 MPH. I have struggled to maintain 5 MPH for 30 minutes!

In September of 2017, a 70-yr old man kayaked “an almost” self-supported across the Atlantic…for the third time. He is Aleksander Doba from Poland. During his last attempt, he had some mechanical issues and accepted help from the crew of a nearby container ship, which knocked him out of the Guinness World record for a 100% self supported crossing.

Bryan Allen (Calif.) set a human-power record for air flight in 1977. Above is his plane, the Gossamer Condor (as seen in the Smithsonian Air & Flight Museum, photo copyright 2017, Richard Stum). He received the Kremer Prize for flying a prescribed distance in a figure 8 pattern for about 7-1/2 minutes. He traveled 2.17 km (1.35 miles) going between 10 and 11 miles per hour. Power for the propeller was done by pedaling, similar to a recumbent bicycle.

Some local acquaintances in Salt Lake City set a new climbing/skimo record on Mount Rainer for a Liberty Ridge ascent (normally a 2 to 3-day trip) and descending down the Emmons route. Sub 8-hours. Brothers Jason and Andy Dorias. May of 2017.