How to Change Your Bicycle’s Front Shifter Cable (Almost)

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 1 Comment

Bikes have a lot of parts. Eventually they wear out. The more you ride, the faster they break down. This was the case with my shifter cable. Put simply, it’s the thin wire that moves the derailleur (fancy French word for gears) and makes the bike harder or easier to pedal. After riding 10,000 miles in 2 years, this was not the first time it was replaced, but it was certainly overdue. I decided to have a go at it myself. How hard could it be, right? Well, it was simple but not easy. And in the end, I still had to take it by the shop. Live. Learn. Forget. Repeat. That’s A Dude Abikes motto.

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Last Day in the Holler

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 2 Comments

After a few weeks in the country, today it was time to head back to the city.  I’m still unpacking and will be for some time, but I really enjoyed the experience of living in a cabin in the woods with peace, quiet and a dog named Buddy.  It was generally a great time and no coyotes or bobcats ate us, so that was great.  While the reason for being there was not great at all, I’m grateful for the opportunity to be able to have the time to write this blog and interacting with other bloggers.  Thanks to everyone who has been liking, commenting and following, but more importantly, actually reading what I write. Continue reading →

Wow! I Met Author Walter Mosley at a Book Reading and Signing Event! (+ 12-Mile Trainer Ride)

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 4 Comments

Coincidence is a funny thing. When two disconnected but interrelated things happen for no clear reason, we search for answers. Religious people would say it’s the will of the one(s) they worship. Agnostic athiests and secular humanists like A Dude would chalk it up to chance. The spiritual might say it’s the butterfly effect, or intentions coming back to you. Scientists would say something… sciencey.

I don’t know what Walter Mosley would say about me writing a blog about one of his books just a few days ago, and then him coming to town from a reading and book signing. Well, I think he may have said thanks.  I wasn’t starstruck as much as feeling like “Wow!  That’s Walter Mosley!  Did I somehow summon him to Austin?”  I wish I had that superpower.  But anyway, what I’d say about this coincidence, fate, destiny, kismet, stupid luck, good fortune, or whatever — it was freaking awesome! Thanks to my host for reading my review and cluing me in. Continue reading →

Foam Rollers for Post-Workout Sore Muscles: Beneficial or Torture?

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 10 Comments

Yesterday A Dude mentioned some ways to save money, and one of them was to go to massage schools.  To save even more money, a foam roller is a great way to keep your muscles limber and it’s free once you buy it.  I have owned one of these innocent looking cylinders of pain for a while.  But it tends to sit in the corner or hide out under the bed, lonely and neglected.  After yesterday’s ride, moving earlier in the week, and another day of wrangling boxes, I was feeling pretty tight.  So after a tasty nap next to Buddy the dog and doing my 30′ of yoga (which I’ve been at for over 4 years now), I dragged out the roller to smooth out the rough spots.  First I did a little online reading and for those unfamiliar am happy to share what I learned.  Let’s get rolling!

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13 Ways to be Frugal and Save Money When You’re Unemployed (Or Just Broke) + 18-Mile Bike Ride

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 5 Comments

Saving Money Is Simple and Sometimes Easy (Like Rawlins)

There are probably countless websites listing a far more coherent and cohesive list of places to go and things to do to save money.  Here is what I came up with today that began percolating on my ride.

1. Stay In. There are lots of things to do at home. Blog, cook, read, do yoga, make crafts or art, play cards or board games, read www.ADudeAbikes.com, etc. All are basically free.  Of course if you are a shopaholic or order pizza every day that’s a problem.  I find staying in is a way to save.

2. Barber, Beauty and Massage Schools. Why pay $30 for a hair cut, or too much for body care products and treatment, or muscle relaxation? If you don’t need a perfect treatment and have time, go where experienced students will do it much more cheaply, and are supervised.  I pay $20 for 5 haircuts and get to practice my Spanish while a number of Latina women stare at the one cutting my hair.  They don’t get alot of dudes.

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BOOK REVIEW #1: Charcoal Joe by Walter Mosley – An Easy Rawlins Mystery

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 6 Comments

The idea of reviewing books about bicycling has been in the back of my brain for a bunch of blogs.  But I have Milly Schmidt from Australia (The Cat’s Write) and Shalini from India (Books, Reviews et al. by Shalini) to thank for reminding me that writing in different genres is perfectly acceptable (despite what some pro bloggers may say) and that reviewing books is a good thing to do for aspiring writers.  I’ve just finished award-winning Walter’s Mosley’s Charcoal Joe:  An Easy Rawlins Mystery, so don’t be blue.   Without further ado, here is A Dude Abikes’ review.  For you.  It’s true!  And brand new. Continue reading →

Temas del Hoy: Movimiento, Cambio, y Casa o Hogar?

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 1 Comment

Mi Segunda Eferto Hacer Un Blog En Español

Esto es mi segundo post en español.  Les pido que me disculpen los errores al principio. No sé por qué, pero hoy fue un día larga y difícil. Por eso, estoy cansado y aunque quisiera escribir una entrada breve.  También, me da cuenta de que la palabra más popular en mis estadísticas es bici. Por supuesto, quiero atraer visitantes a mi blog quienes son de países de Latinoamérica y España, debido al mi historia en visitar Guatemala en dos ocasiones, México para pasar hasta Guate, y España.  Algún día tal vez puedo visitar a otro país como Colombia, Ecuador o todo los demás.  Mas que todo, necesito desarrollar mis habilidades hablar y escribir.  Esto está hecho por mano, no por traductor, pero intento añadir acentos usando Word. Continue reading →

A Dog, A Dude, A Day

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 22 Comments

In a week’s time I’ll be back in my room in the busy, noisy, stinking city. The car will be returned to its owners and the process of “re-dogging” will take place. Over four long days I’ll be volunteering for the very large South by Southwest convention (SXSW). That will allow me to see most of the shows except sold-out headliners for free and hopefully do some networking, learning and basically being a tourist in my own town. A luxury of which being employed full-time has deprived me for almost two decades. I’m due for a little fun, especially in the “Live Music Capital of the World.” My search for relevant, rewarding and non-boring work will continue. As will this blog, I hope, but in reduced form while I also hope to re-start working on my book of biking 10,000 miles in 2 years. With these changes on the horizon, it seemed like a good day to reflect.

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News Flash: People of Color and Women Ride Bicycles, Too, Dammit!

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 15 Comments

Bikes Are Colorblind, They Just Want to Be Ridden

It’s Black History Month in the United States of America, so it would be bad form for a progressive to not pay homage to that (which I did earlier when mentioning the impact of the Black Panther movie) Some people have the mistaken belief that only rich white men in Spandex ride bicycles. They are wrong.

Where I live, I frequently see people of color riding bicycles, usually at night, apparently commuting home from work. They usually don’t have lights or helmets or fancy bikes. But they are cyclists just the same, risking their lives to go about their lives, which includes transporting themselves with their own people power. Leonel Hernandez, who died last month, was one of them.

Today, within the space of 10 minutes, I met a black dude named Ivory and a couple from Thailand named Nukul and Rung, each on a bike. You really meet the coolest people on bikes — of whatever color, status or nationality. You never would probably barely even see them from your motorized steel pollution cage.

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Doubt, Embarrassment and Fear: How to Manage the 3 Frenemies

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 2 Comments

The Needle Keeps Skipping on My DEF Jam Records

(Doubt, Embarrassment Fear = DEF) I’ve had a lot of DOUBT about my abilities to bicycle very far or fast, and especially on this hilly road. This has been a source of EMBARRASSMENT to me as someone who was featured in the paper for riding his bike a long way, not to mention being a blogger about bicycling. And due to two recent deaths of people on bikes, I’ve had alot of FEAR. After yesterday’s post about faith, both religious and secular, I felt a parting in the metaphysical clouds, which mirrored those in the sky letting in enough sun to dry the road sufficiently as it also warmed the earth. So I got on my bicycle, and being A friendly Dude, I brought my friends along for the ride. You can come along too as I describe it.

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