SoCal Beach Cruiser

Week of Rain

2010-12-21T17:01:00.000-08:00

It's been raining for a week here in SoCal. The ground is super-saturated. The cliffs along the ocean will be crumbling, the trails muddy.

Free At Last!

2010-11-13T12:28:00.000-08:00

For the past year, my beach cruiser has been stored inside the pickup truck, under the camper shell, and firmly fixed to the BedSlide. All this means is that it is a total time-suck to remove the bike, do the minor re-assembly

Install front wheel
Find tool
Adjust seat
Adjust handle bars, both ways

And then reverse the procedure to put it away. Needless to say, I didn't use the bike much. And that, of course, is unacceptable. So just this past week, I liberated my bike from my truck, and all is right with the world.

Now I store the bike in my condo, where it is much happier and far more likely to be ridden, thereby bringing good things (joy, fresh air/sunshine, etc).

Video: Early morning cruise at Torrey Pines Beach

2010-08-05T15:43:00.000-07:00

Cool New Idea for Cruisers with iPads

2010-07-26T07:19:00.000-07:00

Got an iPad?

Check it out:

http://www.maya.com/sprocket

Beach Cruiser mods

2010-01-25T11:59:00.000-08:00

The FJ Cruiser is just not big enough to hold the beach cruiser and all the other stuff I need when towing the Airstream trailer, so I upgraded to a Toyota Tundra.

The beach cruiser is in the shop getting a quick-release front wheel so that I can keep the bike inside the shell, front wheel removed, and fork secured to the BedSlide, and under the camper shell of the new tow vehicle. (Finally!)

See The Adventures of Airstream Mikie for more info on the tow vehicle.

Kickstand Magazine, for beach cruiser fans

2010-01-25T08:00:00.000-08:00

I just got my first issue of Kickstand Magazine today, and it's excellent!

If you are at all into the beach cruiser lifestyle, then you probably want to check it out because it's only 9 bucks (ok, 9 dollars and 9 cents, but why the 9 cents, I have no idea). The bottom line is that it's totally worth it, with great photos, neat stories, and even the advertising is slick and informative.

Check it out: http://kickstandmag.com/

It Fits!

2009-07-03T12:13:00.000-07:00

It's tight, but the beach cruiser bike fits snugly inside the new Tow-yota. Now I will always have an escape vehicle inside my escape vehicle which tows my escape vehicle!

The bike gets a couple of big brothers

2009-07-02T20:59:00.000-07:00

I haven't been writing much about the bike lately because I've been working on some big plans that will extend my biking adventures by an order of magnitude. I have just started a new chapter in my life with the purchase of a new Airstream trailer plus a tow vehicle. My bike will go along for the ride, in one or the other, haven't quite figured that out yet.

Of course, as a writer at heart, I've started a new blog to document the madness.

Check out the stories and photos at

The Adventures

Airstream Mikie

The Most Important Thing To Do Right Now

2009-03-15T11:51:00.001-07:00

It's pretty amazing to me that The Most Important Thing To Do Right Now started off with a bike ride, but it's a fact. You might think that there are many more things that could get to the top of the list before a bike ride, but sometimes, if the circumstances are right, almost anything can be the Most Important Thing To Do Right Now. Check it out:

The Most Important Thing To Do

Right Now

A moment in the park

2009-01-29T21:14:00.000-08:00

It was one of those perfect days: warm sun, cool air. Begs for a bike ride, solo, just a short one, down to the park and back. Tunes with the iPod Shuffle: piano concertos on the way to the park, Buddy Holley on the way back.

There was a couple groveling in the grass in the park, children climbing in the low brances of a gnarly conifer, and some out of towners playing frisbee, poorly, with a too-small frisbee, but they were enjoying the SoCal experience. What I can do anytime is the highlight of their vacation, possibly something they will remember for their entire lifetime.

I slipped through the park, unremarkably, yet another background element in that moment of Life we were all living together.

Schwinn Black Phantom For Sale

2009-01-18T11:10:00.001-08:00

I have owned this sweet ride for the last 20 years. It was shown on the cover of a Hammacher-Schlemmer catalog, described as professionally restored. I had to have it. I had one as a kid. The bike has been ridden only a few times, mostly indoors, never wet, never left outside.

Currently it sits in storage, hoping for a happy new owner. What is it worth to you? The proceeds from this sale will go to supporting research for a cure to paralysis caused by spinal cord injury (Rutgers U.).

Post-ride review

2009-01-18T10:28:00.000-08:00

Later that evening, I located my iPod Shuffle, which is virtually weightless and clips on to a sleeve, or belt, whatever, so it saves the weight of an iPod Touch and the bracket (mentioned in previous post). Progress!

On the main GPS tracking device is my iPhone 3G, and I must remember to turn off the phone, 3G, and wireless ("Airplane Mode"), and test if the screen can be turned off/dimmed for greater battery life. A few minutes after uploading the GPS stats, right after the ride, the battery went critical. That was after only an hour plus. I'm thinking I need at least two hours for a decent ride, plus break time and photo taking, etc might stretch requirements to 3-4 hours. More testing (rides) needed to learn maximum battery life per charge (and therefore maximum ride length with GPS tracking). Maybe there are hot-swappable battery add-ons in the aftermarket.

There was a gnarly scratch on the left front fork, a result of the Fiesta Island ride, where my bike rode, flat and loose on top of another bike, in the back of a pickup truck. This sort of damage is avoidable, so I'm getting some devices for vertical mounting. Maybe they have such things where I got my bike: Bicycle Discovery in Pacific Beach (no website, can you believe it?).

The scratch got me to thinking that maybe I want to put together two bikes, one for show, one for go. I was thinking a showpiece painted deep purple superfine metal flake with some ghost-painted flames. Pin striping, of course. Who is the custom bike builder in San Diego?

Another post-ride thought. I still don't have the seat adjustment right. Maybe what my butt needs is some more padding, and the only way that's going to happen is if I put the padding in the seat. I'm thinking of the material I had put in the pilot's seat of my open-cockpit biplane. Very good at absorbing shocks, yet gives relatively good support. It diffuses sudden energy outward, not straight down. Who can build a custom seat? Maybe it's just a case of having mine re-upholstered and padded properly.

I removed the wireless bike computer which I recently installed. After the iPhone 3G GPS tracking software proved such a success, the old computer was redundant. Will donate to good home. And because I no longer have that sub assembly, I no longer need the special screwdriver in the tool kit. Simplicity rules!

The iPhone 3G bike mount worked well. The product I used is from Arkon, (CM032-ST-AMPS - Bicycle Mount Pedestal). You also need a separate bracket for the iPhone.

Del Mar Beach Homes, Solana Beach east of Hwy. 101

2009-01-17T16:21:00.000-08:00

Del Mar

see it all, click HERE.

Today I crossed the Great Divide. It is said that there is no Life east of Interstate 5, but there is no life for me east of Highway 101, the Pacific Coast Highway. If there is anything east of that, I'm really not so interested. I prefer the beach. But being the open-minded person that I am, I went with Mark's suggestion to cross 101 and head into Solana Beach. I have never been through this territory before, and I probably will stay away next time I'm given the chance so I can stay closer to the beach.

The iPhone was mounted securely with a new handlebar bracket. I tuned in with another iPod, the Touch, in my pocket, with ear buds, making this the first, double-Apple tour. It looks like I need another bracket for the tunes-pod, and another for the video camera (coming soon). That may be the limit.

(to be continued)

One of the highlights of today's tour was to visit the marker of good friend Derek Blake, who would have enjoyed the waves we've had for the last couple of days. His marker is in a little known part of Seagrove Park, in Del Mar. I always enjoyed hanging out with Derek.

Fiesta Island Tour

2009-01-13T14:57:00.000-08:00

I now have a Used Bike.

My perfect, unmarked bike was unceremoniously dumped in the back of Mark's truck, on top of his, which I guess is better than being on the bottom, I don't know. In any case, it has almost certainly picked up a few dings during the drive to/from Mission Bay.

This trip was intended to be an experiment with the iPhone as a bike computer. Since it is only attached to the bike with Velcro, I wanted as smooth a ride as possible, so we selected Mission Bay as the target.

Temperature, 80 degrees, cloudless, no wind. No better day ever existed in the history of the planet. We toured by the edges of the bay, on wide concrete walkways, with low traffic, and the gentlest, almost unnoticeable, rise and fall in elevation. It was smooth riding in virgin territory. This is the first time I have ever toured Fiesta Island, or anywhere in Mission Bay, for that matter. It was so good, I know I'll be back, with video!

The Velcro mount worked like a charm.

A few minutes after the bikes were loaded back into the truck, I had loaded the trip stats up to the EveryTrail.com website, via the Edge network on the iPhone. It all went flawlessly.

On the way back we got some lunch at the Torrey Pines Glider Port. I had the Turkey Classic sandwich on toasted sourgough bread with tortilla soup prepared to perfection by chef Miguel Fernandez. There was no glider activity today because the winds are still off-shore.

Check out the stats below. Click on the green "Play" arrow to trace the route. Note elevation stats! This stuff is so cool, considering it was all done with an iPhone!

Fiesta island

Widget powered by EveryTrail: GPS Geotagging

Fiesta island at EveryTrail

Map created by EveryTrail:GPS Geotagging

Looking Forward

2009-01-12T17:11:00.000-08:00

I love it. The more I think about the bike computer app for the iPhone, which uses GPS to record where you go with your bike, and how fast, and how steep a grade up/down. That's pretty cool stuff, and its easy to see that it's going to get so much better.

I'm looking forward to what's coming soon, to the iPhone.

It will/must happen soon that the iPhone will have a much improved camera, and video is a natural progression. Memory is getting cheaper and smaller. Vibration and shake correction software will make bike video look like flying low, and I can definitely relate to that. Hi-Def, of course. Continuous, live broadcasting will become commonplace.

Just as every NASCAR racer has multiple video cameras, people will have one as well, the iPhone camera and full-time high speed internet connection. Personal publishing will have arrived at a natural fulfillment. Personal safety will be greatly enhanced by being able to recall exactly what happened. It will be virtually free to record and store and even broadcast continuous video.

Applying that to biking, and some day in the not too distant future, when the weather turns nasty outside, and it's no fun to ride, we can take a virtual tour. We peddle away, the bike securely mounted to a programmable treadmill while we watch the videos other riders recorded on their rides with their iPhones. And then shared with you on the web. Free.

Snow on the roads? Maybe you'd like to take a hill or two of the Tour de France? Too much work for me. But France is OK. I'd prefer a perfectly flat cruise on the Mediterranean sand and through town, at sunset, in Nice and Cannes, during the Film Festival. Now there's an iPhone ride video I could play more than once during the harsh stormy days in San Diego.

For those selling old-style bike computers, the ones that only have a single purpose, like the one I just bought: much thought needs to be given to the business model.

iPhone app for bike computer

2009-01-11T19:46:00.000-08:00

The iPhone App Store shows one app called "thebikecomputer" by GlobalMotion. It records and stores trips on EveryTrail.com which is a free service that seems to be very well done. It allows other riders to compare trips, photos, etc.

A related app is "EveryTrail" the iPhone app. Not sure yet how "thebikecomputer" differs from "EveryTrail". Click here for more info and user video.

There is another iPhone app called "Trails" which seems good too, but it's not free (only $1.99) so I'll check out the freebie first.

iPhone on Beach Cruiser!

2009-01-11T19:01:00.000-08:00

This obvious idea popped into my head, and now I'm looking for a proper bracket to secure (better than velcro) my iPhone to the handlebars. Also looking for an app for the iPhone which would replace the bike computer I just bought. I think an app could do a much better job, especially with GPS ability, interfaced with terrain maps could yield vertical climb/descent info. The only thing the bike computer can do that the iPhone is missing is ambient temperature.

This is a nice setup, especially since the iPhone 3G has built-in speakers, so you can cruise with tunes without the dangly wires of earphones.

It has not been announced yet, but I'll bet that soon the iPhone will have video recording capability, and I'll be able to record the rides and post them here!

The bracket that I would want for the iPhone should allow it to swing from horizontal to vertical layout, and to not block the camera lens in either layout, so I can reduce camera shake in photos by using the bike as a (wait for it) bipod.

There are laws against video players in the front dash of automobiles (too distracting), so I'm wondering if that might also apply to bikes. In fact, I need to check out all the laws regarding bikes, state and local, if any.

In other work today, I removed the reflectors front and rear, saving 2.6 ounces total. They were poorly aligned, easily put out of alignment, and the rear one was blocked by the rear fender. I'm thinking of reflectors which would hang, loose, from the seat, and from the handlebars, so that the natural movement of riding would create a more noticeable reflection. This setup would also eliminate bracket alignment challenges, and it would be a lot cleaner.

shortcuts to get here

2009-01-11T10:47:00.000-08:00

Two easier ways to get to socalbeachcruiser.blogspot.com

1. BikeMikie.com
2. SoCalBeachCruiser.com

To Do List

2009-01-11T09:30:00.000-08:00

To Do List:
1. trailer hitch and bike carrier for Corvette & truck?

2. check detail costs, tire dressing w/ Bobby K.
3. lightweight combination lock
4. clip on light(s)? for after sunset rides.
5. black iPhone headset (wires, ear buds)

6. black shoelaces for hub shiners?

Next service:

1. replace chrome nuts/bolts with black

2. red pin striping?

3. seat improvement (cushion), new seat

4. shorten shift cable, additional clamp

5. valve stem caps

6. reflectors, rig to hang?

7. touch up paint

Pre-Ride checklist:
1. sun screen?
2. backpack (water, id, iPhone, earbuds, camera, book?, other)
3. hat
4. sunglasses
5. bike inspection, tire pressure check,
6. iPhone 3G for GPS tracking, phone, web access,
7. iPod (shuffle) and ear buds for ride-along tunes!
8. tool kit:

two 9/16" box wrenches for seat angle and alignment
one 3/16" hex wrench for seat height adjustment

Post-Ride checklist:
1. clean and inspect
2. (b)log distance, time, route
3. add to To Do List

Good to be strong

2009-01-10T19:05:00.000-08:00

Mark had to go to the post office, so it was a good excuse for a tour on the bike. Tires were clean of sand on this ride, it was all street and sidewalk, and even included two laps of the park. Three miles in all, just a nothing much of a ride, but it was good to get out in the hot sun. It must have hit over 80 degrees during the ride, and amazingly, we fought a head wind in both directions as gusty, changeable Santa Ana winds blew the waves back in a spray. The air was dry and dusty, straight from the desert. Not a cloud in the sky.

We checked out Palmer's old house, completely obliterated and transformed into a McMansion. We checked out other construction sites that seemed to be doing the business of building, so the economy here is still working. On the other hand, the restaurants seem to have more empty tables.

What is known is that in uncertain times, it is good to be fit, good to be strong. The beach cruiser brings fun to becoming strong.

The newly installed bike computer showed a trip distance of only 3.0 miles, which seems reasonable, but it could be off. It would be good to check the calibration, see if adjustments are needed. Tire pressure variances effect accuracy.

Even a beach cruiser needs a computer!

2009-01-09T21:28:00.000-08:00

No ride again today, but I did make an essential improvement to the bike. I installed the Planet Bike Protege 9.0 Wireless 9-Function Bike Computer with 4-Line Display and Temperature which arrived today from Amazon.com and I installed it tonight. It was easy. I expect to give it a decent workout tomorrow.

Click on the image to see the specs and reviews of this product on Amazon.com, or to buy it. If you buy it there, I get a tiny commission, and I donate all commissions to this worthy cause.

There is more to life than cruising the beach...

2009-01-09T13:02:00.000-08:00

My bike did not touch the beach on Thursday. However, there is more to life than cruising the beach. For example, there is pool (pocket billiards). The weekly Thursday 8-ball tournament, to be precise. I would have won but I had a brain-fart at the worst possible time. For the story, click here. That link will take you to one of my other blogs: Diary of a Pool Shooter - The Adventures of FastMikie.

After the tournament, I crashed at a bud's pad for the night. Right on the sand in Oceanside, and the waves sounded incredible all throught the night.

I scoff at your cupholder!

2009-01-08T23:11:00.000-08:00

Should I have put a cup holder on my new beach cruiser? Dr. Mark (who rides a trail bike) thinks it is mandatory to hydrate continuously during a ride, but I'm not into all that hydration baloney, and I really don't want to start adding a plethora of geegaws on my super-stock ride. So Dr. Mark says how you gonna hold your water?

I show him my backpack, of course. Gotta ride with a backpack, right? Where else are you gonna store your camera, cell phone, Frisbee (can not show up at the beach without a Frisbee!), sun screen, wallet (driver carries no cash!), protein bar, trinkets for the natives, yadda yadda yadda...

It's a complicated world, takes a lot of gear to support a safari to the beach. Man's gotta be prepared...

First Cruise on the Beach

2009-01-07T22:17:00.000-08:00

First touch of beach sand for my new cruiser. Dr. Mark took the photo, shooting into the sun without fill flash, but it's not all about me, it's about the bike, and the beach. Notice all the gulls are completely unimpressed with my new bike. What do they know...

First Day in the Sun, First Sight of the Surf

2009-01-06T17:55:00.000-08:00

First day in the sun, first sight of the surf. In the front yard at 1320 Ocean Avenue, Del Mar, CA. An auspicious beginning. For awesome larger image, see click here!

In the beginning...

2009-01-05T22:46:00.000-08:00

Factory publicity photo. Bought new on 1/5/2009. This is one sweet beach cruiser! Ultra-light all aluminum Electra Sparker Special, gloss black, Shimano Nexus internal 3 speed with coaster brake, Fatti-O rear tire (3"x24"), standard cruiser front tire (2.125" x26"), stubby rear fender, alloy bullhorn handlebar, alloy rims, alloy cranks

I bought the bike at Bicycle Discovery, Pacific Beach, CA. They don't have a website, but you can find them on the "Locate a Dealer" link on the Electra Bike website.

Thanks Mike and Michelle for the excellent service!