Ride-Strong.com» Cycling 101 – How To

Can I put a bike rack on my Toyota Prius? Rear hitch and bike rack is the way to go for Toyota Prius owners!

Tyler Ford — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 13:01:10 +0000

Prius installation of rear hitch and rear bike rack: prius-bike-rack-instructions

Have you been thinking about getting a Toyota Prius but have wondered how you will be able to carry my bike around?

There is an answer! Why not have the best of both worlds; great gas mileage and the ease of carrying two bikes around. A rear hitch-mounted bike rack is one of the best option for Toyota Prius owners or shoppers looking into buying a Prius.

Although the Toyota dealerships will install the trailer hitch for you, installation is easy and something you can do on your own. You can install the hitch in about 30 minutes or less.Things You Will Need That Are Necessary:

Trailer hitch Curt Model 11468
Socket wrench with a 14m and 17m socket
Hand socket wrench with a 10m socket
Flat head screw driver for releasing the plastic rivets holding the underbody fascia in place
Heavy scissors or tin snips to trim the plastic under-body fascia
Extra set of hands to help you lift the trailer hitch into place

Things That Are NOT Necessary But Helpful:

Mechanic’s Creeper
Drive-on Ramps

STEPS

Step One

First, back Toyota Prius on drive-on ramps if possible to make getting getting under the car easier (this step is not necessary for the install of the hitch). Then remove the two tow hooks under the rear of you Prius using a socket wrench, unbolt and remove the tow hooks from the under-body frame rails at the rear of the Prius on both the driver’s and passenger’s sides.

Step Two

Remove plastic under body fascia saving the plastic rivet hardware for the reinstall later.

Step Three

Lift the hitch into position under the Prius and secure with bolts and washers provided with the hitch. Tighten the bolts. This may require some help from someone. Holding the hitch in place and securing the bolts may be difficult to do alone but possible. A second set of hands is helpful for this step.

Step Four

Place the fascia up under the car so you can see where you will need to cut a slot in the facia so you can reinstall the fascia. Using heavy scissors or tin snips cut a slot in the fascia on the driver’s side. Extend the slot all the easy to the back edge of the facia and remove the small segment of fascia. Now the fascia will fit around the driver’s side of the newly installed hitch. There is no facia on the passenger side to worry about

Step Five

Reinstall the under body fascia with the existing hardware you set aside in Step 2. You are now ready to install your hitch-style bike rack.

Recommended Bike Rack

Hollywood Racks – Pro-Rider Hitch Rack 1 ¼ – this is a cool rack and the one I recommend. Although you will have to take your front tire off when placing your bike on the rack the profile of your bike stays behind the car making your car more arrow dynamic and prevents bugs from hitting your bike.

Yakima Rack – Hookup 1 ¼ – This hitch mount is tough and versatile. Kind of like Coach. It carries any bike, from monster freeride bikes with funky frame designs to little pink bikes with training wheels. Plus, it’s extremely easy to use. All you do is flip a lever and it grabs onto the wheel. Bikes on and bikes off in 10 seconds or less.

Recommended Place For Curt Model 11468 Trailer Hitch

Click here for: prius-bike-rack-instructions

Clincher Vs. Tubular Tires

Tyler Ford — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 19:00:00 +0000

Clincher VS Tubular Tires and what is the difference?

CLINCHER

The tire that most of us are familiar with is the clincher tire. The clincher tire consists an inner tube and a tire. The tire has a “bead” on each outer edge of the tire. On most tires, the beads consist of hoops of steel wire. The beads are what hold the tire in place on the rim.
TUBULAR

The tubular , or sew up, tire is a one piece system where a tire is sewn together around the inner tube. Tubulars are used on special rims and are held to the rim by glue or two sided tape.

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Clincher Pros

Easy to change when flatting
Easy to repair tube when flatting
Less expensive to replace than tubulars
Easy to carry spare tube and tools for changing a flat

Clincher Cons

Heavier than tubulars
Cannot inflate with as much tire pressure increasing roll resistance – some would debate if higher tire pressure makes a difference.
Not as comfortable of a ride
Pinch flat when putting a new tire and tube on wheel or pinch flat while riding

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Tubular Pros

Lighter
Better rolling resistance due to higher inflation limit
Fewer flats because you don’t pinch flat
Some say they are easy to change but that is the big debate
More comfortable ride
Can put a light weight silicon liquid in tire so if you do flat the silicon liquid seals the hole allowing you to ride on

Tubular Cons

More expensive than clinchers
Hard to change while on the road
Hard to repair if punctured. Most people throw them away
Need to carry a complete spare tubular which adds weight and is bulky
If you replace a tubular on the road, you need to be careful cornering until you are able to re-glue
Improperly glued tubulars can roll off the rim causing a crash

Bicyclist Harassment Ordinance Passed

Ride-Strong Admin — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:41:35 +0000

COLUMBIA, MO (Jordan Wyner)—A city of 84,000 people in Missouri has passed a bicyclist harassment ordinance making the throwing of objects, verbal assault and other offenses illegal, and a misdemeanor offense punishable by a $1,000 fine or one year of jail time.

The Columbia ordinance, which is modeled after similar ordinances in South Carolina and Colorado, makes it a misdemeanor to do the following: throw an object at or in the direction of a cyclist, threatening a cyclist to frighten or disturb the cyclist, sounding a horn with the intention to frighten or disturb a cyclist, knowingly placing a cyclist in the path of physical injury, or knowingly engaging in conduct that creates a risk of death or serious physical injury for a cyclist.

For more on this story, click on link.

For a good book on cycling law check out the link below.

How to install a bike rack on a Smart Car

Ride-Strong Admin — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 23:27:39 +0000

How to install a bike rack on a Smart Car.

What to do if you get dropped? Put on your Nike’s and JUST DO IT!

Tyler Ford — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 12:00:50 +0000

Getting dropped from a group happens to all of us. Even the best riders in the world get dropped. Pick yourself up and fight to get back on.

You can fall off the group for all sorts of reasons from reaching down to grab your water bottle for a drink, taking off a layer, getting gapped by another rider, being in the wrong position in the group, etc. For whatever reason below are some key tips to bridging back to the group.

First NEVER give up! You never know what will happen up the road. The strong rider(s) in the group could flat making the lead group disorganized causing them to slow down. Or riders in the lead group could begin to suffer leaving the pulling to only a few riders causing the lead group to slow down. You just never know what is going on up the road so don’t give up.

Regroup and get help. Looking around either up the road our behind you to regroup forming a paceline and work together. Many times one of the strong riders in a group will be in the wrong position getting gapped and dropped. Working together with other riders you can have enough engine power to bridge back up to the group. It is a sign of inexperienced rides who have been drooped who don’t work together but ride solo trying to bridge the gap. Don’t make this mistake. If there are other wheels around you there is a way back to the lead pack!

Respond quickly and close the gap fast! If you do get gapped or dropped close it fast and get back on. Others are suffering just like you. Many times if you can just hold on for a split second longer or get back on the group, the group slows down allowing you to recover. Pushing air by yourself is much harder than suffering for a few seconds to get back on. It is much easier to recover riding in the pack than on your own. Put your Nike’s on and JUST DO IT; close the gap while it is small.

Put your blinders on and go into time trial mode. If the gap is large don’t panic. Relax, breath, and don’t try to bridge the gap in one sprint up to the group. You will blow up. Ease into a steady time trial pace collecting your energy to bridge the gap over time. A group bike ride is like a book of matches. You start will a full book of matches and each time you sprint, take a pull, bridge a gap you burn a match. Eventually you run out of matches and your done. Get into a steady mode where your conserving your matches and keep the pace over a period of time with the chance of getting back on.

Don’t sit on the back move to the front. Lastly, when you bridge the gap use your speed and the draft of the other cyclist to move to the front. Getting to the front will give you more protection to recover so you don’t get dropped again. It is tempting to sit on the back of the pack but your are risking getting dropped again. It actually takes more energy and is harder sometimes on the back of the pack. Move towards the front and sit in; ideal right behind the rotating paceline.