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If you’re familiar with our other website, BikeCommuters.com, then you’ll be familiar with some of the community service projects that I’ve been doing. Back in the Fall of 2012 I got some help from Planet Bike, they donated a huge box of bicycle lights, bells, and locks for me to give away to some of the homeless folks in Santa Ana, Ca. that used their bicycles as their main mode of transportation. From that experience I invited other companies to join my effort because I felt that it was very rewarding and a valuable lesson giving back to the community. Then around Christmas time, Planet Bike sent another box of donations and James Thomas from Serfas came out with a huge bag full of product that he wanted to give away. You should have heard some of the stories that people would tell us on how having a light could help them not get hit…again. Yes, many of the people we met back in 2012 talked about getting hit multiple times by cars or how their bikes got stolen.

While I was out there, I had asked some of the people we helped out what else they needed. Some said tubes, patch kits and even seats. They needed basic things that you and I would often times take for granted. But I also noticed that many of the bikes they had were in disrepair. Some bikes had bent wheels, brakes that didn’t work and most just needed lube on their bike. With that in mind, I came up with the Mobile Bicycle Repair Unit. I joined Operation Feed the Homeless 2 Sundays ago and got to work on fixing bicycles. I was pretty overwhelmed on how many people needed help once they found out my service was free.

After my first experience in fixing bicycles, I wanted to share it with others. I then put it out on Facebook, sent emails to my local ride group and solicited people to come and join me the following Sunday to come back out to Santa Ana, Ca. to service more bicycles. I wanted to form a small team so we can take care of more bicycles while we were out there. I actually had quite the response from people wanting to help. Some were riding buddies, others were readers of both sites. But since it was a bit of a late notice, many couldn’t make it but promised to be there the next time I coordinated the effort.

However, I was every encouraged to have my friends, The Moe and Artie-The One Man DH Party by my side on that Sunday. We had a total of 3 work stands busy the whole time. I started losing count on how many bicycles we serviced. At one point, we had a homeless man come up to us wanting to see if we can fix the brakes on his walker.

This is Artie working on this gentleman’s walker. He asked us to see if we can do something about his brakes. Fortunately, Artie worked his magic and made it 100% better.

Art’s thoughts from Sunday.

This weekend RL asked me if I would like to help him repair bikes for the homeless over in Santa Ana. RL had did this the weekend before and said that he had a great response to this need and that the help would be appreciated, I agreed and when I got there RL and our other buddy The Moe were already set up with there bike stands and tools.

We were busy right off the bat and I couldn’t believe how many homeless people that rely on their bikes as there main mode of transportation were in need of tune-ups, parts, flat repairs, and any other basic thing they may need to travel. This is an amazing need for the homeless and I it felt good to help those who are in need.

The one thing that would have been great to do is be able to have replaced some of the most basic parts like brake pads, chains, and cables. I felt bad sending someone on there way knowing they had a bike that wasn’t 100% safe. It was amazing that some of the bikes we repaired were running at all.

This is an amazing service to do and all that we helped were so glad to have us there you couldn’t help but feel good. I have been involved in the cycling industry in one form or the other and this is a genuine need and I look forward to helping RL when I can with this feel good operation.

Here’s 2 of the 3 work stands we had available. The Moe to the right, yours truly on the far left and that’s Lady P next to me.

The Moe was instrumental on communicating with our customers. Neither Artie or myself I speak Espanol, so it was great to have The Moe translate.

One of the things that we were doing was getting these bikes back on the road. Some of them were really bad condition that the only thing we could do was to lube their chains and check their brakes. This bike came to us because the owner said his chain was skipping. Upon closer inspection, his whole chain was rusted out and seized. Though, you and I would probably just replace the whole drive train, the owner didn’t have that luxury nor did we have parts to give him. So The Moe and I went to work on this bike by applying a liberal amount of lube, degreaser, then lube again. Then I had to take 2 pairs of pliers and try to get each chain to start moving again. This was no easy task. Eventually I got each link to start moving again and got the bike pedaling. Not as smooth as I would have liked, but 5 times better than before.

Artie was meticulous on making sure he didn’t miss any thing on this bike. He went over everything making sure it was in the best riding condition possible.

We had a pretty good day, you would not believe how many people thanked us. In fact, one person I helped out the previous week came up to me to express how grateful he is to me for fixing his bike. On another occasion while we were all busy fixing bikes, a man comes up and says, “Wow! This is such a great idea! Who came up with this? This does so much more for people than just simply giving them a plate of food to eat. This ultimately gets them from one place to another, you’re helping people maintain their livelihood!”

Even as we were leaving, people still thanked us for what we did for them. I’d like to invite our readers who are in the SoCal area to join us next time we head out. All you need is basic bicycle mechanical skills, a workstand and a desire to help. The plan is to do this at least once a month to coincide with the efforts of Operation Feed the Homeless. I’ll be posting at least 1-2 weeks prior to the date we’ll be heading out on MtnBikeRiders.com and BikeCommuters.com as well as our fanpages. It really is a great opportunity to give back, I guarantee your experience will be rewarding.

You could also help by donating parts such as brake/shifter cable/housing, brake pads, grips, tires tubes and other things that you may have on your spare parts bins that you no longer need. You could also donate funds so we can go out and purchase some of the items ourselves. We’d love to get companies involved by donating hard parts so we can be more effective in our efforts. Feel free to comment or contact us directly info@mtnbikeriders.com.

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I was playing around with the idea of changing things up with Burt Reynolds…again. Here’s some ideas…

My favorite color!

Green mAcHiNe!

Orange you glad I didn’t say banana?!

Vanilla Gorilla.

The Purple Nurple.

If I go with either one of these colors, I’m not sure if I could continue calling Burt, Burt Reynolds…

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First step to gaining 3lbs on your bike is to get a wild hair up your butt like I did and somehow convince yourself that going from a 3×9 drive train to a 2×10 would be “upgrading.”

Second step is to procure yourself a slightly used SRAM X7 2×10 drive train.

Step three, install said drive train and watch the pounds add up!

Once you do this, you’ll visibly and physically notice the weight difference.

Before the 2×10 drive train swap, Burt Reynolds weighed in at 27lbs. After the swap, you can see he gained a bit over 3lbs…Hmm, not sure if this 2×10 stuff is worth the excess poundage. I can tell you this, that dinner plate sized cassette would be one of the culprits of this weight gain. But I’m willing to give it a try tomorrow and see if the weight will be over shadowed by the benefits of the new drive train. If at any time I don’t like it, I’m taking that stuff off and putting back my 3×9 drive train.

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WHAT COMES WITH THE SMOOTHEE. ONE BELT CLIP, ONE GOPRO MOUNT, SMOOTHEE, AND ONE BAG

MAKING WEBSITE MAGIC
As you our readers go through the mecca of knowledge on our website countless times and see all the cool footage of test, cool stories,  events,  and all things mountain biking, you must wonder, “how do they it”.
I’m not only talking about the effort and lengths we go to when we get that ultimate pic that just blows your mind, or that photo presentation of products, and let’s not forget the how to sections we do.  A lot of this has to do with our raw ability to showcase our subject in such a way you that you just have to go right out there and buy it or go straight to that trail to have the same fun we do. We like that we excite you in that way, but I have to tell you It’s a lot harder than that, it’s the early mornings and late nights, long film edit nights with constant emails and sit down meetings about what to put on the site. There are really a lot of trade secrets I can’t go into.

OK, OK, so it’s not all us and it doesn’t have a lot to do with trade secrets, but that sounds so good right.  To do what we do, we rely on the tools of the trade and when we descend on an event like say Interbike or Sea Otter, in tow is our media gear to make the magic. These are backpacks with the weight that only an Army Ranger can carry.
Our typical gear list goes something like this, laptops, camera gear, cords, pens, voice recorders, tri pods, and a whole lot more. We more or less walk the equivalent of a marathon during some events with gear in tow.

THE SMOOTHEE IS VERY STREAM LINED AND SMALL WHICH MAKES IT GREAT TO HANDLE

TIFFEN STEADICAM SMOOTHEE
We are always looking for equipment to use that will make a test product look great or an interview and ride smooth. Our camera gear is essential to our use to help tell our story to you and if we find something that won’t break the bank that we know you can use to tell your story we’ll let you know.
Before we left to Interbike last year I had seen a video on YouTube where a guy was using a hand held Steadicam, this made me think this would be a great tool to use in what we do, but I needed something small that would work with a GoPro or Contour cameras. It had to be small and light in weight so we can say carry it on our belts or backpack straps. Now if you’re not familiar with a Steadicam these are used to get movie shots where the camera man is running or walking next to the actor and the shot is smooth meaning no bumps or jiggling. These rigs changed movie making, but they are very big and very expensive. There are smaller units that will work with DSLR’s (Digital, Single, Lens, Reflex) cameras and they go anywhere from $100 to $300 bucks.

Still needing something that would work with small POV cam can be a tall order to fill, so while researching on the web I came across the very company that makes the big time rigs for Hollywood. Steadicam and their Steadicam Smoothee. This is a small hand held unit that will work with GoPro, iPhone 4/3G, iPod touch, and Flip, no Contour yet.

COOL PACKAGING

ADJUSTMENT IS EASY WITH THE RED KNOBS AND SLIDING COUNTER WEIGHT ON THE FRONT BARS.

HOW IT WORKS
Now when you order your Smoothee you need to order the one that will be for the camera you need it for, in this case it was the GoPro. It comes in a nice box that looks like a briefcase telling you what it’s for and what you get  is one Steadicam Smoothee, one quick camera mount, one belt clip, and a nice carry bag for all of it.
Now when I received the Smoothee it was very easy to set up. I borrowed a GoPro, mounted it to the cam mount no problem. The next thing I had to do was set the fore aft and left right balance. This is all done by the two red knobs on the unit. The one on the left side controls the tilt right, tilt left and the one on the rear of the unit controls the tilt forward, tilt back. Now if you still have a slight balance issue with the camera going too far forward or back the round black disc on the front that says Steadicam is a counter weight that you can slide up or down to fine tune the Smoothee.
One other thing that is really nice about the Smoothee is the handle; it fits your hand very nice and allows you great control moving it left and right, or tilting it down or up. This is all done by the super smooth gimbal in and on the top of the handle. This will take a little practice to get used to when you use it.
Go to the Steadicam website they have some very good videos on how to use the Smoothee.

GOPRO MOUNT UP CLOSE

TEST TIME

Before we took it out to any trails I wanted to do something that I thought would be a little easy (around the house) and the other thing I had to play with was the fact that I have the Contour cam and Steadicam does not make a mount for the Smoothee, so seeing that it was only days before the MtnBikeRidres.com team descended upon Interbike and I was going to get my GoPro at the event I had to come up with something quick. I had a standard GoPro clip mount that was for a helmet, so what I did was a little cutting, filing, drilling, and “BAM” I had a mount.
Now this didn’t come without a little balance problems seeing that the Smoothee isn’t really made for the Contour, but I got it to work and did all the Interbike shots with it (see Interbike footage 2012). I had quite a few people stopping me and asking me about this little beauty. The Smoothee worked really great getting in and around products and doing interviews.
The next test I gave the Smoothee was the walk around bike view. This allows us to give a great perspective of the bike showing you all aspects of a bike.
The run/walk test takes some practice seeing that if you bump into an object it can kill you shot, but walking or jogging next to a rider gives you a smoother shot then if you didn’t have the Smoothee.

THE SMOOTHEE HAS GREAT CONTROL WITH JUST USING YOUR THUMB, BUT ON A WINDY DAY IT CAN BE HARD TO USE.

PRACTICE DOES MAKE PERFECT. PLAY WITH IT AND YOU WILL SEE A DIFFERENCE IN YOU VIDEO

FINAL THOUGHTS

This will prove to be an invaluable tool for us and seeing that I was able to get my Contour to work on it was a good thing, but Tiffen’s Steadicam Smoothee is made to used with a GoPro and it works great for it. It’s very easy to work, it’s built tough and with practice you will make some great movies.
The price for movie magic goes for about $170.00, but go online and shop around for them.

We wish to thank Tiffen for sending us the test unit and putting it through its paces.

Our review disclaimer

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Nick D. contacted me a few days ago and told me he’s made some progress with the tandem project. He found some tubing that would work perfectly well for our Eccentric Bottom Bracket. You know the saying, “measure twice, cut once.”

Check out our Niner EBB in the new shell.

Here’s how it looks on the frame. Nick D. had to cut/grind off the old BB shell to make room for the new one. He did a great job, don’t ya think?

Before Nick D. welds anything. He’ll have to build a jig to make sure everything is lined up. Can’t wait to see that process!

The Double Banger Tandem Project is proudly sponsored by Serfas. Bringing Cycling to Life.

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So, RL and I were riding together the other day when the topic of what I carry on a ride came up. I explained to him that given my fireman/paramedic/search-and-rescue/general outdoorsman/pro bike mechanic/avid rider/all-around-bitchin guy background I carry more than your average mountain biker. It was with awe and amazement that he exclaimed, “The world needs to know this information. You must share via this magnificent site what you carry and some tips on how to use all that great stuff.” I agree. Check back later this week for the first installment of what should be a regular series. I gots alotta stuff crammed in my Camelbak.

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So why am I talking about ear infections on a mountain biking website? The other day I went to the beach with my daughter and her friends. I played in the water and later that day my left ear was aching. I figured something nasty in the beach water got in my ear canal and started to grow…eeew.

I’m about to give you some tips on how I remedied my outer ear ache. If you’re not familiar with what it is, some people actually call it Swimmer’s ear and it’s an infection in the outer ear canal, which goes from your eardrum to the outside of your head.

Ok let’s get down to it. First thing you’ll need is some Hydrogen Peroxide. If you don’t have any, go to your local drug or grocery store and get some. They only cost about a dollar for a bottle. Then what you do is fill up the cap of the bottle about 1/2 full. Place your head on a table so the infected ear is up. Pour the cap of hydrogen peroxide in. It’s going to feel odd because you’re pouring in cold liquid. You’ll feel the peroxide settle in, then if you have some sort of infection in that area, then you’ll feel it fizzle.

When I did this, I let it sit for about 10 minutes or up until the fizzing stopped. When I was done, I took a tissue to catch the peroxide, placed it over my ear, then I sat up. Make sure you get all of it out. In a bit, you’ll start to feel better.

I’ve been doing this remedy for my kids for years. Saves us from having to go to the Doctor’s and get a prescription for antibiotics.

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Kids we’ve been blessed by Serfas stepping up to sponsor the Double Banger Tandem Project.

This package literally just arrived at the World HQ of MtnBikeRiders.com.

What you see is a set of Serfas BURNER tires in 2.35.

The Burner has a directional tread pattern that will handle any terrain you throw at it.

Multi Sport Flat Protection System for Puncture Resistance
Directional Lugs for Lower Rolling Resistance
Aggressice Sholder Lugs that Bites into Corners
Excellent All Mountain Cross Country Tire
Available in Wire Bead and Folding
Average Weight: 700g (26X2.0 wire bead) 800g (26X2.35 wire bead)
65 PSI Capacity

Sizes: STS-26 Burner Wire Bead 26″X2″, STS-2.35 Burner Wire Bead 26″X2.35″, STS-26-2.35F Burner Folding 26″X2.35″, STS-26-2.0F Burner Folding 26″X2″
Colors: Black, Black

A set of matching Serfas Tegu 5 Comp Saddles were in the package.

The Tegu features a high back sit area for better leverage on the climbs

MTB Specific Design
Dual Density Base
Lightweight Foam
Chromoly Rails
Weighs 355 grams
280mm X 148mm
Waterproof Microfiber Cover

Sizes: One
Colors: Black

Last but not least, 2 sets of the Serfas Connector Lock-On Grips.

We took our best selling grip and turned into a lock on…

Dual Lock on Design
Dual Density with Hard Inner Shell
Anodized Black Aluminum Collars
Safe for use with Carbon Bars

Colors: Black, White

Oh boy oh boy, I can’t to start installing this awesome gear from Serfas! We wanted to thank the great folks at Serfas for their generosity!

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Hey! Don’t think this soft thing means that Burt is a wuss, NO! It just means he got a new-2-him fork! Scheck it out kids, this is my latest acquisition for Burt Reynolds, it’s a Rockshox Reba RL (that part is my favorite, you know, that fact that it says my name, RL).

So take a look at this. My steel Redline Rigid Fork weighs around 2.5lbs. Which is awesome compared to the stock/OEM fork that weighed over 7lbs!

Now look at the Rockshox Reba RL, it weighs a tad bit over 3.0lbs! I was pretty surprised on how light it was.

Here’s Burt with his new fork looking all fancy and stuff with his matching white bits.

Looks sharp don’t it? Rides pretty nice too. It sure will be fun to see how it will do on the trails.

Wow, I’m loving how Burt Reynolds is turning out. He looks pretty good!

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Back in 07 I published an article showing how I stripped the paint off a bicycle frame.

Fast forward a few years, I have another project that requires me to remove the paint off the frame.

I took the the Airborne Skyhawk frame that we are using for the tandem project. Notice the beautiful burnt orange paint job. Well, say goodbye to it.

Just like that famous Boys II Men song…I say to this paint job, “It’s so hard to say goodbye.”

I took a can of Klean Strip and a pair of gloves then went to town on the frame.

I sprayed the stripper all over the frame. I did a few coats of it to ensure that the paint comes off easily.

Here’s how it looks after I scraped off the stripper.

To finish off the job, it’s a good idea that you first wash off all that stripper chemicals. Be careful when you do this because if you get it on your skin, it’s going to burn…trust me I know! After you’ve cleaned everything then take a wire wheeled brush that’s attached to a drill and remove any remnant paint/primer. This process will take some elbow grease. Then your frame will be ready for what ever you chose to do with it.

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