Tag: Rossa

Switching up the Handlebars

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Photo info: FUJIFILM X-E4, 35mm, f/2, 1/105 sec, ISO1600
 “Rossa” Cedar Park, 2021

I decided to switch up the bicycle handlebar situation a bit by putting the Upanbike swept riser bars that were on Mango onto Rossa, then putting the butterfly bars, which were sitting in the garage, back on Mango. Once I replaced Rossa’s flat bars with the riser bars, the riding experience is so much more comfortable!

Rossa is an old mountain bike, and bikes of that era had the handlebars way out front over the front wheel. Modern mountain bikes position the bars farther back (as well as different overall geometry) so the risk of going over the bars is lessened. I don’t take Rossa on any downhills, so for me I just wanted the more comfortable upright position, and the Upanbike handlebars certainly help. It’s so much more fun for me now! As an added bonus, I think they look really sharp. 😁

If you have time, come with me as I take the Rossa’s “new” handlebars for a spin around the neighborhood:

Grill Mount for Hands-Free GoPro Footage

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“Rossa” Cedar Park, 2021

This afternoon Rossa and I went out for a ride and I used the Pro Standard Grill Mount 2.0 which is something that a couple YouTubers I follow use. It’s basically a mount that you bite down on and the GoPro is situated in front of your chin. This allows you to control the viewing angle similar to a helmet mount – the frame of view matches the direction your face is pointing. The advantage over the helmet mount is that with the Grill Mount, you can quickly remove the mount and hand-hold the GoPro (the mount also acts as a nice handle). No need to unscrew the camera off of a standard mount, which can be a pain.

Of course there are a couple of cons. Firstly, since the camera is right next to your mouth, the GoPro’s built in microphone will pick up sounds of hard breathing. Secondly, I think it looks really strange. This is something I think I can just get used to, especially since on a bicycle, if someone does notice the GoPro, it’s only for a few seconds. No need for awkward eye-contact or conversation.

Do I think the Grill Mount is the ultimate solution? No, not for the videos I am making. But it’s definitely a nice addition to add some variety to the standard chest-mount view. And it’s already giving me more ideas and options to branch out on how I shoot my videos.

Please give today’s ride a watch below if you have a few minutes. Thanks!

Morning Ride at Lake Somerville State Park

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Photo info: FUJIFILM X-E4, 18mm, f/5, 1/250 sec, ISO640
 “Mango at the Lake” Lake Somerville, 2021

We woke up early to catch the sunrise, but heavy cloud-cover prevented us from seeing it rise above Lake Somerville. However, when it finally appeared a bit higher in the sky, it was beautiful!

Photo info: FUJIFILM X-E4, 18mm, f/7.1, 1/250 sec, ISO200
 “Sun Rays” Lake Somerville, 2021

My friend Také and I went for a short bike ride around the camp area on the hike and bike trails and saw a bunch of deer, rode through numerous spiderwebs, and worked up a good appetite for breakfast later on. I let him ride Mango, which is has front suspension, trigger-shifters, and a more upright riding position, while I rode Rossa which has no suspension, has a more aggressive position, and friction shifters.

Photo info: FUJIFILM X-E4, 20.5mm, f/9, 1/125 sec, ISO320
 “Rossa and Mango” Lake Somerville, 2021

It was so much fun, but I blew it and forgot to bring the GoPro for the ride! 😒 Man, I suck! Also, Rossa had a flat front tire when we got back to camp. Double-bummer.

But the ride was awesome so it’s all good!

Photo info: FUJIFILM X-E4, 18mm, f/9, 1/140 sec, ISO200
 “View from the Overlook” Lake Somerville, 2021

Evening Cloudspotting

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Photo info: FUJIFILM X-E4, 27mm, f/6.4, 1/1500 sec, ISO640
 “Cumulonimbus” Cedar Park, 2021

The clouds were beautiful this evening! A slow bicycle ride while cloudspotting is a wonderful way to spend an hour or two.

Photo info: FUJIFILM X-E4, 27mm, f/6.4, 1/850 sec, ISO640
 “Rossa and Distant Cloud” Cedar Park, 2021
Photo info: FUJIFILM X-E4, 27mm, f/7.1, 1/600 sec, ISO640
 “Cumulonimbus” Cedar Park, 2021

Sunset Ride

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Photo info: FUJIFILM X-E4, 27mm, f/8, 1/250 sec, ISO640
 “Sunset and Rossa” Cedar Park, 2021

This evening I rested the running shoes and hopped on a bike for today’s exercise. But instead of going out with the intention of burning calories, I decided that I wanted to go for a leisurely ride. My friends and I used to “ride bikes” a lot when we were kids, and I wanted to recapture that feeling of not having a destination, and just enjoy the magic of balancing on two wheels.

So with that mindset, I was riding up on the sidewalk, hopping off curbs, and generally acting like a kid. It was so fun! I live in the suburbs and there isn’t much traffic on the neighborhood streets so I don’t have to follow the “rules of the road” so strictly.

That being said, I didn’t go full 10-year-old hooligan and slide out in the gutters or skid down people’s driveways. 😆

Photo info: FUJIFILM X-E4, 27mm, f/8, 1/1000 sec, ISO640
 “Sunset” Cedar Park, 2021

I hope you had a nice day! またね～

Deer Ride with Rossa

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Photo info: FUJIFILM X-E4, 27mm, f/8, 1/110 sec, ISO640
 “Rossa and Deer” Cedar Park, 2021

This evening I went with Rossa (my red Bianchi) to go look for some deer. There’s a nearby neighborhood in which I always see them, so I thought it would be a fun ride.

I also fixed up Rossa with the white Retrospec saddle, new white handlebar grips, and a pair of new tires. Everything was very inexpensive, totaling about $50. Add another $5 for the cabling to get her in safe riding condition and I am very happy!

Photo info: FUJIFILM X-E4, 27mm, f/8, 1/140 sec, ISO640
 “White Grips” Cedar Park, 2021

I like the red and white color scheme. It’s fun and seems very 80s.

Photo info: FUJIFILM X-E4, 27mm, f/8, 1/100 sec, ISO640
 “Rossa” Cedar Park, 2021

And of course we did see plenty of deer on the ride as evidenced by the first photo in the post. If you want to ride along with us virtually, hop on your stationary bike and put the video below on your laptop or tablet. 😁

Photo info: FUJIFILM X-E4, 27mm, f/5.6, 1/170 sec, ISO640
 “Rossa” Cedar Park, 2021

Bicycle Work

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Photo info: FUJIFILM X-E4, 27mm, f/2.8, 1/80 sec, ISO3200
 “White Saddle” Cedar Park, 2021

Look! A new seat for Sophie. This saddle is from Retrospec, and I have a black one on Mango. I find it very comfortable, but unfortunately they don’t make them anymore. So when I stumbled across this white specimen, I ordered it right away. I think it goes well with the white cables, and would pair nicely with white handlebar tape. But I am going to try some black cloth tape and see how it looks. If the mismatch is too much to take, then I can even move my black saddle to Sophie, but I think the white looks fun and very 80s. 🤣

FYI, I am waiting on a new, wider set of handlebars for Sophie. Wider will be more comfy, but I’m worried that she’s becoming less vintage… So I’m having second thoughts and might just keep with the original narrow bars. We’ll see!

Photo info: FUJIFILM X-E4, 27mm, f/2.8, 1/50 sec, ISO3200
 “Rossa” Cedar Park, 2021

As for Rossa, I’ve ordered some new shoes (tires) for her and set her up with the frame bag and Sophie’s old seat. I think the Bianchi is looking good! Hopefully by this weekend she’ll have her new shoes and we can go for a spin.

You know, the white seat might look good on Rossa too since she has white cables and the large white Bianchi graphics. Maybe some cheap white handlebar grips and white pedals would look fun?

So. Many. Possibilities!