It's All About the Flow

Someone asked me recently why I ride my bike on the road.

I've crashed twice in the past four years (user error, I assure you), been honked at and/or nearly hit, and had cars pass close enough that I was able to pound on the rear door. I'm not gonna lie, it can be frustrating and infuriating to ride on the road sometimes. On rare occasions, it is scary; never once have I considered giving it up.

I love it too damn much.

There is something completely freeing and near transcendent about riding a well-fitted and tuned bicycle. After a while, it really doesn't feel like a vehicle, but an extension of yourself.  Many people I meet ask me how I can string 20, 30, or more miles together in one ride.  Simple: it's all about the flow.

See, we studied Mihaly Csikszentmihyi's work on flow when I was in college and I've been fascinated by the concept ever since. 
     In his work, Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, Csíkszentmihályi outlines his
     theory that people are happiest when they are in a state of flow— a state of concentration
     or complete absorption with the activity at hand and the situation. It is a state in which
     people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter
     (Csikszentmihalyi,1990).

We've all been on rides where the temperature's perfect, the sun is shining, the pedals are turning smoothly, and suddenly, boom, you're done.  And you have little idea as to how you got there.

I love rides like that.

Until next time, ride long and keep the rubber-side down.

Event: L.A. Marathon Crash Race

I've heard rumors about events such as this: Poaching a course that's been closed off for a race in the middle of the night. I have to say, the idea has a certain appeal.

LA Marathon Crash Race

We need something like this in Minnesota, do they close the course for the Twin Cities Marathon the night before?

Be wary, there is a disturbance in the Force

I'm a cyclist. And not just any cyclist, I'm a roadie. What I do is dangerous. I know the risks of riding and I accept them every single time I swing my leg over the bike and clip in. There are potholes, gravel slicks, gutters filled with sand and glass... there are automobile drivers who aren't looking for someone on two wheels. Like most cyclists who've ridden for years, I've had my share of close calls.

I've swerved through snow, lost control going through sand, been buzzed by horn-honking teenagers, and nearly shoved into raised curbs by SUVs. But, I've never really worried about being attacked, mugged, or otherwise harmed intentionally. Perhaps I should re-think that after what happened to a young bike shop employee a few days ago. Woman Knocked Off Bike, Assaulted On Greenway

It isn't enough that we have to worry about all of the above, but we've got to worry about jerks who want to jack our stuff and hurt us, too?! So, for all of us who commute on two wheels, here are the things I do to keep myself as safe as possible:

Ride with presence. To ride in an urban setting, on the roads and on the trail, you have to have confidence. I don't mean ride stupid, but ride like you own the road, like you belong. Others will sense that confidence, even through a car's windscreen.
Be aware of your surroundings. I ride with lights in the mornings and evenings. I keep my head on a swivel at all times when I ride in or near traffic. Stay away from the iPod if you're riding in the city. If you know what's going on around you, you are better prepared to act.
Safety in light and numbers. As much as possible, ride while it's light out and ride with other people. The old saying is true, there really is safety in numbers.
Consider hornet spray. Mace isn't legal to carry in Minnesota, but hornet spray is. And man, is that stuff nasty to get sprayed in the face with.

Until next time, ride long and keep the rubber-side down.

Dress for Success

In the upper Midwest, it gets cold in the winter. I mean cold as in temperatures regularly don't get above freezing from late November to March. And, here in Minnesota, we tend to get lots of snow. Last winter we accumulated 84.6 inches (that's a little more than seven feet) of snow, our fifth snowiest on record.

With this kind of weather, it can really put a damper on riding. The latest issue of Bicycling printed a guide to make it easy for those of us who don't often ride when it gets below freezing. This is it, reproduced for you:
65-70: START WITH Base layer; short-sleeve jersey; short-finger gloves; socks
60-65: ADD Arm warmers; full-finger gloves
55-60: SWAP IN Knickers or knee warmers; thicker socks
50-55: SWAP IN Leg warmers ADD Vest
45-50: SWAP IN Thicker gloves; long-sleeve jersey ADD Toe covers; a sock layer; ear-covers (comfort over style)
40-45: SWAP IN Tights; long-sleeve base layer; thin hat (you might have to loosen your helmet)
35-40: SWAP IN Shoe covers or winter cycling shoes; thick hat or balaclava
30-35: SWAP IN Heavier tights; lobster gloves or mittens
25-30: ADD Second long-sleeve jersey; mid-layer sock
25 and below: ADD Base layer short and/or knee warmers under tights

Keep in mind that this isn't the gospel and you may need to modify what you wear if it's windy or precipitating, or if you tend to run hot or cold.

There are also a few "clothing calculators" to help you figure out what to wear when the mercury dips. Check out Bicycling and Castelli's what to wear on VeloNews.com.

Until next time, ride long and keep the rubber-side down.

Under Lock and Key

I've seen a lot of bikes get stolen over the years, especially in the city and on college campuses. It seems like no matter if the bike is a Schwinn from the 1970's or a newer mountain bike, if it has wheels, it gets stolen.

So, what can you do about it? The answer is obvious, lock your bike. But more than just lock your bike, lock it up properly. Just locking it may be a deterrent, but not locking your bike correctly may also increase the chances of someone riding away.

This guy is a mechanic in NYC and, though loud and opinionated (it is New York after all) he's got good points about how to properly lock your bike up:

1. Make sure the pole or rack that you're going to lock to is securely planted in the ground
2. Anything you want to see again, take with you: Helmet, lights, panniers, etc.
3. Use both a strong U-lock and a cable to lock your rear wheel and the frame to the bike rack and the front wheel to the U-lock.
4. Use a smaller cable to lock your saddle to your frame, or mark your seatpost and take your saddle with you.

Until next time, ride long and keep the rubber-side down.

The Longest Ride

I had planned to ride the 40-mile Tour de Tonka route, since I missed the ride on Saturday.

It turns out following the painted arrows on the pavement didn't work out the way I planned, because this is what my computer said when I got home.

Umm, oops?

Until next time, ride long and keep the rubber-side down.

Ridden Hard: 2011 Specialized Amira Expert

One of the perks of working at a bike shop is you occasionally get to test ride bikes, really nice bikes. Bikes that when you swing your leg over the toptube, click in, and take those first pedal strokes, it's magic. I present to you, the 2011 Specialized Amira Expert.

Yummy, isn't she?

The Amira Expert is a women's specific carbon fiber frame, tuned to a woman's weight, which is on average 30-40 lbs. lighter than the average man. Thus, in order to respond the way it's supposed to, they tweeked the carbon lay-up to respond better to a woman rider.

The bike was spec-ed with full Shimano Ultegra components, Fulcrum Racing 5 wheelset, a Specialized Jett Comp Gel saddle, and Look Keo Classic road pedals, courtesy of Francesca of the Specialized Demo team.

And how was the ride? She rode like a dream. The carbon made for a stiff ride and the geometry let me dip into the corners at the last second, when I stood on the pedals, the bike rocketed forward, and climbing the rollers was almost too easy (but that could have been because of the compact gearing). I loved the big drop from saddle to handlebars, too. My blue bike is set up with a seven centimeter drop between the saddle and handlebars. Usually, only racers have that aggressive a position on the bike, but I like it because I'm strong enough and flexable enough to be in that position without getting sore and I get the best leverage for climbing and sprinting.

Oh, and here's what she'll look like next year at the S-Works level: First Look: Specialized S-Works Amira 2012

Until next time, ride long and keep the rubber-side down.

Oh, Joy! Oh, Happiness!

Parks Dept. Disavows a Speed Limit for Bicycles
For some odd reason unknown to this writer, the speed limit for cars in Central Park is 25 mph and for bicycles it was (posted in fine print on a few signs) 15 mph. In what world does that make sense or is safe?

After some police officers issued at least ten speeding tickets to cyclists in Central Park, the Parks Department disavowed the 15 mph bicycle speed limit and said the new limit was 25 mph, the same as an automobile.

Someone check the thermostat in Hell, I think it just went down .25 degrees.

Until next time, ride long and keep the rubber-side down.

International Women's Day, Biker Style

Today is International Women's Day, a day to honor and celebrate the social, political, and economic achievements by women. So, in the spirit of celebrating women's achievements, here are a couple articles from Cyclingnews.com regarding the current state of the women's professional peloton and what can be done to improve it.

Five Ways to Improve Womens Cycling

Top Five Influential Women in Cycling

Top Five Rides of 2011

Let's go, ladies!

Until next time, ride long and keep the rubber-side down.

Mais amor, menos motor

That's Portuguese, it means "More love, less motor".
Car Runs over Critical Mass Cyclists in Brazil
Driver Plows Through Dozens of Cyclists in Brazil
I don't understand how intentionally running down cyclists is self-defense, or how it's supposed to teach anyone anything. A bicycle is a means of transportation for millions (if not billions) of people around the world. There's no way in h*ll drivers, however maniacal, will frighten people off their bikes.

Go Critical Mass!

Until next time, ride long and keep the rubber-side down.

Anyone Found A Parking Spot?

So, you think there are a lot of bicycle commuters in your town? How about this photo taken of a bicycle parking corral in Ghent, Belgium?

What I want to know is how does anyone find their ride? It's not like you can punch a button on your key-fob and your bike will meep-meep.

Until next time, ride long and keep the rubber-side down.

"I Can Ride My Bike With No Handlebars

... no handlebars." Not really, but it's a funny lyric, isn't it? And a funky lead-in to today's essay.

Actress Angie Harmon (Law & Order, Women's Murder Club, Rizzoli & Isles) @Angie_Harmon tweeted this morning: Today we're teaching #1 to ride a bike w/ no training wheels... Any tips?? Yikes! Why, yes, yes I do.

It got me thinking about how my dad taught my sister and I to ride a bike and why it worked. I talk through this same process with my customers at the bike shop when they ask me the best way to teach their kid to ride a bike. Here goes:
- Helmets are a must and make sure it fits properly. If the old one is more than three years old, replace it. At the rate a child grows, you might be looking at a new helmet every few years until their head quits growing. Fortunately, helmets these days are incredibly adjustable and you should be able to get at least a year or two out of it.

- Adjust the saddle (seat) height so that your child can touch the ground with flat feet. This will make it easier for them to maintain control of the bike when they loose their balance.

- It helps to have a slight decline to your driveway, and have your driveway empty into a cul-de-sac or a quiet street. This will help gravity do some of the momentum work for you.

- First off, don't worry about the pedaling. Start out just having the child push themselves with their feet and then lifting their feet off the ground. This will make it easier for them to learn to balance on two wheels.

- Once they've mastered balancing with their feet off the ground, have them push themselves with their feet, take their feet off the ground, and put them on the pedals. Don't worry about actually pedaling. That part comes next.

- Once they've got the hang of balancing and putting their feet on the pedals, have them push off with their feet, put their feet on the pedals, and start pedaling!

See? That wasn't so hard, was it?

Until next time, ride long and keep the rubber-side down.

Money Can't Buy Love

But I guess it can buy you out of trouble.
Driver sentenced after controversial plea deal in Vail hit-and-run

I wonder if he'll be able to pay someone to do his community service and probation for him, too?

I was so hoping for a better result.

What makes me justifiably angry about this case is the fact that the defendant was handled with such kid gloves by the prosecutor. A prosecutor that has a reputation for aggressively prosecuting defendants for incidents that, according to common sense, are a lot less serious. Throw a snowball at someone at Copperhead? Prosecute. Fudge a race entry to Leadville? Prosecute. Nearly kill a cyclist with your Mercedes and you've got a s**t-ton of money? Plead him out. Read The Explainer article in the link below, it'll give you a good perspective on the whole case and the circumstances surrounding it.

This double-standard isn't supposed to exist in our justice system. I know that it does, and our courts would collapse under the sheer number of cases without plea bargains; but the prosecutor was very wrong not to take this case to trial. A trial, win or lose, would have brought attention to the issues of safe driving and how vulnerable cyclists really are out there. No matter how many cyclists ride on the roads, as is our right, a car will still outweigh a cyclist, both literally and otherwise.

Wow, don't I sound cynical.

More on this case:
The Explainer: Thoughts on Erzinger and why I won't boycott Vail
Friday's Foaming Rant: Restitution or retribution?
District attorney seeks to bar Vail victim's testimony in plea hearing

Until next time, ride long and keep the rubber-side down.

Darwin-ism In Action

I find this rather unsettling.
Cat 6, Competitive Commuting Turns Bike Rides into Races
I truly hope this author had nothing else to write about that day, because commuting isn't a race and if you turn it into one, you're being moronic. Bike lanes and multi-use bike paths are meant for efficient, predictable riding; not for shouldering past a riding buddy to win a sprint or pulling a dick-move and not letting a quicker rider pass. Racing while commuting is like high school kids drag-racing: It just isn't a good idea.

Now, if you want to see if you can beat your best previous time commuting to work, knock yourself out, but please don't be a jerk when others try to pass you, okay? I ride my bike for fun, so forgive me if I don't want to spend my ride playing a stupid game of leap-frog/chicken with a guy tucked into his tri-bars (I'm sorry, but it's always tri-bars) who doesn't want me to pass him on my blue bicycle.

BikeSnobNYC: BSNYC Friday... Nice to know I'm not the only one who thinks that this racing while commuting is akin to playground antics and "which one is bigger".
It's Not A Race: The Unspoken Game This is a site dedicated to the ridiculousness that is the Unspoken Game, shhh!

Haters gonna hate, as the saying goes. I say, póg mo thóin! Thank you.

Until next time, ride long and keep the rubber-side down.

Fanning the Flames

More reaction from the cycling community, et cetera about the Erzinger case in Vail, Colorado. Yummy!
Vail Daily: Hurlbert stands by plea bargain
Vail Daily: DA explains controversial plea bargain
Good. I hope he gets thousands more e-mails asking him where he put his brain when he made that [now] infamous comment; especially if it doesn't reflect the "real" reason he offered the plea deal. Last time I checked, it was the prosecutor's job to represent the interests of the law and the victim of the crime, not the fact that the defendant "could write a check and his case would be dismissed".

Vail Daily, Editorial: Judge should reject plea bargain
The Explainer: Is having a Mercedes an affirmative defense?
"In what has to be the most boneheaded public comment made by a prosecutor in recent history, Hurlbert noted that 'felony convictions have some pretty serious job implications for someone in Mr. Erzinger’s profession, and that entered into' his decision."

Read this whole write-up; take note of what happened a woman gave her Leadville 100 race entry to a friend and that friend was entered in the wrong age group. *wince* I'm not sure this prosecutor has his head screwed on correctly. Fudging a bike race entry, getting caught, returning the award, etc. is more serious than a hit-and-run offense? Okay, that's f***ed up.

Until next time, ride long and keep the rubber-side down.

Un-Flipping-Believeable.

UPDATE 11:42pm
This thing has gone viral. Check out the Huffington Post article, note the explanation within bottom two paragraphs. If the DA's goal was to limit potential impact to this guy's job, he mis-calculated; it's blown up in his face.

This makes me sick.
Vail Daily News: Alleged hit-and-run driver may not face felony
Summit Daily News: DA Hurlbert won't press felony charges...

Responses
New York Times: Cyclists Fault Prosecutor's Decision
BikePortland.org: Another black-eye for bikes in Colorado
BikeSnobNYC: Wheelsucking...

Wait, because this guy manages million-dollar accounts and being charged with a felony "could jeopardize his ability to pay restitution", he gets a pass on hit-and-run charges? Mr. Erzinger will be charged with misdemeanor traffic violations, but won't be charged with a felony for leaving someone broken and bleeding at the side of the road!? How is nearly killing someone with your car only a traffic violation? That's attempted manslaughter in some places! WTF!

I like BikeSnob's response to this news. A nearly perfect blend of sarcasm, anger, and his trademark dry wit: "Also, the District Attorney who dropped the charges doesn't want to cost the doughy money manager his job because 'justice in this case includes restitution and the ability to pay it.'
In other words, treating him like the criminal he is might make it slightly more difficult for him to buy his way out of this and any other future vehicular assaults, and that would be downright un-American."

I don't care what this guy does for a living; this should be about a driver hitting a cyclist, severely injuring him, fleeing the scene of the accident, and not reporting that accident to the police. Did Mr. Erzinger really think no one would know/find out what happened? What if Dr. Milo had died as a result of the crash? Would the prosecutor decline to press charges then? I rather doubt it.

Ugh, I'm going for a ride. If you hit me while I'm out there, please stop and make sure I'm okay. If I'm not okay, call the paramedics. Thank you.

Until next time, ride long and keep the rubber-side down.

Bike Paths = Perplexing Conundrum?

As a person who studied recreation and resource management in college, I'm quite interested in the problem(s) voiced in this article:
Grist: We Need Real Bike Paths for Real Bike Transportation

This is a problem that has challenged recreation professionals for as long as the "multi-use path" has been around. How do we accommodate everyone and their respective preferred uses? How do we handle the resource when problems, such as crashes with injuries, occur? It's a hard set of questions to answer and one that planners, lawmakers, and users will have to deal with a lot more as traffic on these paths increases past the trails intended capacity.

And you thought recreation planners and other professionals got to run around outside and play all day. Nope, they make sure you have the spaces you run around on all day.

Until next time, ride long and keep the rubber-side down.

Enforcing Artificial Speed Limits

I have a few reactions to this story:
City Pages: Greenway cyclists ticketed by phantom cop...
Star Tribune: Not so fast, officer warns bikers
Mpls Bike Love Forum - Police ticketing bikers on Greenway
1) The speed limit isn't 10mph on the Greenway
2) "You'll never catch me!"
3) Who is this phantom police officer, which city do they work for, and why are they radar-ing bikers when they could be out catching bad guys?

Okay, now that I've got that out of my system...
Don't "run" from the police, even on a bike. They will find a way to catch you and it isn't worth it. If an officer waves you over, move over and stop. BE POLITE. Officers are trained to be in control of a situation, so let them do their job and both of you will be easier for it.

Until next time, ride long and keep the rubber-side down.

Cyclist Converses with Motorist, Part II

As promised, here's the second part of the interview with the slightly fictional "Motorist". The disclaimer from the previous entry applies here, too.

The roads are full of cars. Why don't you ride on the sidewalk?
I believe it's called a "sidewalk" for a reason. A sidewalk is meant for pedestrians to walk on, not for wheeled vehicles. In many communities, you will actually see signs posted that bicycles, Rollerblades, and skateboards are prohibited from sidewalk use. The space is often too uneven, narrow, or punctuated with obstacles to safely allow for riding.
I, myself, was on Nicollet Mall once, trying to get back onto the street, when a Minneapolis Police vehicle rolled up and informed me that I wasn't allowed on the sidewalk. I politely said I was attempting to figure out where I was and how to get back onto the street safely. They let me hop the curb onto the street in front of their vehicle and I was off like a shot before they could think of an excuse to detain me.

Okay, what about the bike paths? Couldn't you just stick to those?
The Twin Cities metro area has a wonderful network of bike paths and trails, and I love this area for that. However, wouldn't you get bored if you drove the same roads all the time, every day? How often do you end up at the end of your drive to work or the supermarket, and not remember the drive there? Dangerous for you and for the other drivers around you. To stave off boredom, vary training program needs, hit different landmarks and shops, and to view different scenery, cyclists mix up where they ride. Riders who love to ride the roads will often hit a favorite paved trail, too.

I never know how a cyclist is going to behave or where they're going when I pass them on the road. This makes me really nervous, what can I do?
Be alert. You don't know how the person in the car next to you on the highway is going to behave, or where they're going, do you? Yet you're comfortable driving there. One of the requirements of riding a bike on the road is riding in a safe, predictable manner and using hand turn signals. Unfortunately, this doesn't happen and there are careless cyclists out there, just like there are careless drivers. Again, stay alert and look around for that cyclist that may be in your blind spot(s).

Since they're riding bikes, cyclists don't pay the same taxes I do because I drive a car and buy gasoline. Since my taxes are paying for the roads, I should be able to use the road and cyclists shouldn't.
*snort* I'm curious, do you really believe that?
Nearly every cyclist that I know drives an automobile. We [cyclists] pay gas taxes, property taxes, renter's tax, sales tax, liquor taxes, should I continue? I assure you, we do pay the same taxes.
I will point out the vast conspiracy (shh!) for bikes to take over the world, as reported by the New York Times Spokes Blog on August 5, 2010. First the streets, then the world! As Matt Hill tweeted in response to the SpokesNYT (spokesnyt) August 5 entry, "Phase 1: Collect underpants." Are you laughing yet? I hope no one is taking this Dan Maes seriously, as his statements about the instituting of bike policies are absolutely ludicrous.

Cars and trucks were on the roads first, thus bikes don't belong on the road.
Ah, a history lesson, yummy! Actually, roads were originally paved to better accommodate the huge boom in bicycling in the 1890's (The Golden Age of Bicycles). That, and the bicycle and the horse and wheeled buggy were the two main forms of private transportation just before the invention of the automobile. To make these forms of transport easier, roads began to be graded and smoothed (Wikipedia, Bicycle History). So, bicycles have been around longer than automobiles and you have the bicycle to thank for the idea that roads should be smoothly paved and graded. ^_^

And that's it, for now. I hope you've found this two-part series educational, informative, and humorous. If you have a question that you'd like me address, leave me a comment or shoot me message through this blog.

Until next time, ride long and keep the rubber-side down.

Cyclist Converses with Motorist, Part I

A few nights ago, I had a conversation with my folks about how a huge SUV had honked at me and zoomed past my left elbow way faster and closer than necessary on my afternoon ride. I had reacted by sitting up in the saddle, pounding my chest with a gloved fist and yelling, "Yes, I'm here!"

So, my parents asked, "Well, what should we do when we see a cyclist on the road? They scare us!" Wait, cyclists scare motorists? Really? Okay, then! Here's what I'd absolutely love you to do if you encounter me or any other cyclist on the road.

Disclaimer: I'm not a lawyer or a police officer. This essay is a reflection of my own experiences and Minnesota state laws. Laws vary by state and even locality, be sure to check them out. The bold lettering is the motorist stating a question. The italicized lettering is my answer to that question/statement.

I hate it when I see cyclists on the road. I never know what they're going to do. I just want to get past them as soon as possible. What should I do?
Please don't honk your horn. We hate that, and it's dangerous. Cyclists can hear an approaching automobile very easily, an internal combustion engine is quite noisy compared to a bicycle. You don't need to honk to let us know that you're there, often we already know. Just continue to [safely] drive the way you normally do when there are other vehicles around. Be alert and both you and the cyclist should be okay.

But, you're going so... slow on the road! How am I supposed to pass you!?
Safely and respectfully, please. Bicycles are vehicles, too; and in Minnesota they have the same rights and duties to the road as a motor vehicle. If you wish to pass a cyclist, do so in a predictable and safe manner. Don't rev your engine or lead-foot it just to pass. Give the cyclist at least three feet of space when you pass, remember we're not enclosed in a steel and glass box to protect us. That traffic lane is wider than you think, and you might be able to pass without crossing the center-line. But if you aren't sure, err on the side of more room rather than less room, it's very frightening to have a two-ton vehicle buzz by six inches from your left elbow.

The shoulder is wide. Why do you always ride so close to the white dividing line? Shouldn't you be as close to the right as possible?
Yes and no. Statute 169.222, Subd. 4(3) states that a cyclist must ride as close to the right as is practicable. The thing is, there is often a lot of debris (glass, sand, gravel, branches, trash, etc.) on the shoulder that make operating a bicycle more hazardous than it otherwise is. The only clear path is closer to the traffic lanes, where automobiles have blown the small stuff to the side. Hence, that's where we ride.

What if there's no shoulder, only one lane, and you're in it? I want to pass and you're in my way!
I'm very sorry you feel I'm in your way, but I do have a right to the road. If you wish to pass, do so in the same [controlled and safe] manner that you would pass a slow-moving truck or tractor on the road. Wait for a widening of the road, another lane to open up, or a clear lane across the dashed yellow line. Pass smoothly and without honking your horn. If you honk, you may startle me into veering into your path. And that's not what either of us want to happen.

Cyclists are very rude to me when I pass them, even if I give them plenty of room. They yell, flip me the one-fingered salute... What's up with that?
Every cyclist who's ever ridden on the road has had at least one encounter with an angry driver who's done something to endanger their life. Some cyclists' feel that yelling, etc. is their only means of protecting themselves from something/someone that could squash them like a bug.
Personally, I try not to get angry or pay such a driver back in kind. It is childish and gives cyclists a bad reputation. Just smile and wave and let them stew. Getting angry and attempting to "teach them a lesson" (you know what I mean) could end up with one or both of you in the hospital or worse.

This is turning into a long entry, so I'll be posting a second part to this "interview" within the next couple days.

To read Minnesota's laws regarding the operation of a bicycle, go to Minnesota Legislature and retrieve Statute 169.222.

For more information on sharing the road in Minnesota, head to Share the Road Minnesota

Until next time, ride long and keep the rubber-side down.