DanBailey.net

So I’ve been reading Joe Friel’s the Cyclist’s Training Bible, which has been an awesome and informative read. Again. And I’m ready to sit down and build myself a training program. The task is daunting, though — it’s been years since I’ve had to implement one, and when I was implementing them for myself they weren’t that great because I was too attached to the subject matter. I let my motivation and desire to do well override my common sense when it came to things like rest, recovering from illness, etc., and it turned me into an over-trained, burned-out mess.

I think I’ve opted to go the route of his TrainingPeaks site. I can’t afford the multiple hundreds of dollars (monthly) for a true coach/program, but I can afford a one-year package through TrainingPeaks. So that’s on my agenda for the year.

I’ll be posting here about my experiences with the program, and how well it prepares me for the upcoming season of road, track, and cyclocross. Being the geek that I am, I may even talk about the information architecture and the usability of the site itself.

So Frostbike, QBP’s miniature trade show, has come and gone. I hit both weekend days, learned a lot, met a bunch of cool people, and came away with a bunch of free schwag and evil ideas.

Saturday was a pretty good day. I rolled in just before 10am, cruised the expo floor, and then spent the rest of the day learning everything I could about running a bike shop.¹ My first stop was a seminar on inventory management where I had my mind absolutely blown by the volume of what I didn’t know. Lunch followed, then another swing through the expo floor, where I talked to the guy from Oval Concepts about their aerobar line, chatted with the dude from Crank Bros. about the future of their product line, and then cruised back upstairs for a seminar on the cost of doing business — a 90-minute session that covered everything from initial start-up capital, to applying GMROI to employees, to the transition from credit-based operations to cash-based operations. At the end of the day, my head was spinning, I was more psyched than ever to get my shop opened, and I had resolved to go out and get myself an MBA.

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The author’s not-made-from-IKEA-parts rack and his three current bikes.

I have this whole love-hate thing going with IKEA. During my separation and after my divorce, they were a great source for cheap furniture, and I loved it. However, some of their stuff — couches, for example — are really lacking in personality. I don’t recommend them as often as I used to because, well, I’m not in my mid-20’s anymore. (You mathematicians that know me will point out that IKEA wasn’t here in Minneapolis 10 years ago. I will point out that I was living in Philadelphia when I discovered the Jewel of Sweden.)

Anyway, I’m really digressing. The thing is, for you bike geeks that don’t want to pay the money for Delta’s Michelangelo Rack, the IKEAHacker site has an awesome bit on how to build one out of stuff from IKEA. Worth a look if you’re a cheap bastard or just saving all your money for race entry fees.

That said, I’ve been using the Michelangelo rack for awhile now (click image for larger view), and I’m really quite pleased with it. I had some problems with a couple of arms having their threads stripped out, but those were easily resolved with some 6mm nuts and bolts, and now everything is pretty kosher. I’m even going to have to add a second in a few months.

If there’s one thing that unemployment is really good for, it’s productivity. (I am, of course, ignoring the bad things it causes — like stress, the shutting down of one’s brain, money woes, an urge to drink heavily, and so on.) Since my lay-off from my previous employer nearly two months ago, I have spent a great deal of time actually getting back into my writing — both from an actual emotional investment in the process and the actual creation of work. Granted, there’s been a bit of a dent in my productivity since I brought the new TV home, but I anticipated that.

At first, I dreaded going back to work. Specifically, I dreaded the lost time. Read the rest of this entry »

My friend Jen has her first book out, a collection of short stories. And in the interest of helping a friend out, I’m posting a link to her work. If you like your sci-fi dark and — at times — squicky, this is your book. I’ve read her stuff, and while it’s not my usual fare, I’ll definitely keep reading.

Click to pay a visit to Apex’s site to find out more.

The cycling community lost a great individual last night — apparently, Sheldon Brown died of a massive heart attack, and that has been confirmed from the Harris Cyclery’s website, and other sources.

Among the people at my shop, Sheldon’s website is a regular go-to for information — I’ve referred to his wheel-building articles repeatedly over the past few years, and two of my three current rigs have wheels that I laced-up while reading his materials. I’ve learned more from his site than at some shops I’ve worked for in the past.

It’s strange how someone you never knew could impact your life positively, and how their passing could feel like a loss.

So long, Sheldon. Ride easy. There’s a little bit of you in every wheel out there that’s been built up with the guidance from your website.