Nitto Stem Comparison

I've been asked about the quill length of the new Nitto UI-2 stems. It measures about 78 mm from the top of the quill to the minimum insertion line. This is slightly shorter than the quill of the Pearl stem, but since the UI-2s I received have a 90-degree extension, the clamp still winds up higher.

This photo shows the two stems side-by-side:


Here is the same view with a rod showing the height of the clamp of the UI-2 stem:


Another view shows the approximate installation angle:

Politics and Obama

I am often reluctant to bring up politics because some folks might decide not to business with me if they happen to disagree with my views. My friends in the bicycle industry are all over the map politically, and I support them all. I respect their views even when we differ. I would hope that most folks feel the same way.

In the coming presidential primaries, I am supporting Barack Obama. If you favor someone else, that's fine with me. In fact, if you get involved and do something, it's great even if your candidate is not my candidate. If you do happen to like Mr. Obama and would like to support his campaign, I've set up a fundraising page. You can learn about his views and contribute if you'd like. You can see the page here.

Thanks.

Nitto Pearl Stems in Stock

I also received a bunch of Pearl stems from Nitto. These are cold-forged masterpieces and maybe the most beautiful stems of all time. Here's the scoop:

Quill Diameter: 22.2 mm for 1" threaded steerers
Clamp Diameter: 26.0 mm
Extension Angle: 71-degrees
Available Extensions: 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 cm
Price: $65 each

Note: Because Nitto measures the extension length through the center of the extension rather than the top, their sizes wind up being a little smaller. So, a 8 cm Nitto stem will be the same length as an 8.7 cm stem measured as most other companies do. Generally, you can buy one size shorter than usual.

New Custom Nitto UI-2 Stems in Stock!

As I wrote earlier, I've got the new UI-2 stems in stock. Nitto usually builds these with a 71-degree angle, but I asked them to build this batch with a 90-degree angle for a more upright position. Here are the details:

Quill Diameter: 22.2 mm for 1" threaded steerers
Clamp Diameter: 26.0 mm
Extension Angle: 90-degrees
Available Extensions: 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 cm
Weight: 272-319g
Price: $55 each

Note: since these stems have a 90-degree extension angle, Nitto's method of measuring the extension length will give the same figure as other manufacturers.


As you can see below, the UI-2 will give you about 1 cm more vertical adjustability than the Salsa SUL stem. With the longer quill and the fact that the extension mounts slightly higher on the quill, the UI-2 will give a taller riding position than the Salsa.

The Nitto UI-2 logo on the extension is actually a decal. It removes easily for a cleaner look as seen below:

New Custom Nitto M12 Front Racks in Stock

I've got our new M12 racks from Nitto. The old version was customized for us to place a threaded light mount on the right side support stay. This new version has a second light mount on the left support stay. So, if your looking for a clean way to mount two headlights nice and low, this is it!

Since the support stays are not adjustable, I'm often asked if these racks will fit a specific fork. My experience shows that the lower stays are flexible enough to fit most fork widths and crown heights. I haven't found a cantilever-equipped fork that didn't fit, yet. So, unless you have something really unusual, it should fit.

Price: still a low, low $50!

Nitto Stuff Is In!

I just received my long-awaited order from Nitto. I haven't even had the chance to unpack it all yet, but I wanted to check out the new UI-2 stems and get a few pics (quick, improperly lit, and without tripod).

The UI-2 is a TIG-welded cromoly stem with a two-bolt faceplate. "UI" stands for Ultimate Ideal, and, as it says on the box, these stems are "Light Weight, Heavy Duty, Finely Made." The Nitto UI-2 logo on the sides of the stem is actually a sticker. I'm going to remove one to see how that looks. I'll get pics when I can. The Nitto logo is also etched onto the faceplate.

These stems are for 1" threaded steerers. The clamp diameter is 26.0 mm. I have them with 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 cm extension. The extension angle is 90 degrees. Price is $55 each.

I'll get some better pictures tomorrow and include some of the Pearl stems and M12 racks I also received.

More NOS Freewheels on eBay

I found a few more NOS freewheels in my parts stash. They are all SunTours and include a 7-speed 13-24T, a 7-speed 13-28T, and a 6-speed 13-21T. You can see them in my eBay store here.

Ed's Oracle Update

A while back I asked folks to prod me about my progress on my novel, Ed's Oracle. Nobody has asked, and it's likely that nobody really cares. However, it helps keep me motivated. So, I'll do a pretend prodding:

So, do you have a publisher for your book, yet?

A publisher? I haven't even finished the rewrite!

Oh. So, how's the rewrite coming?

I have one chapter done (almost). Actually, it's starting to move along. I have to fit the rewrite in between Tullio's stuff, Heron stuff, other writing projects, family stuff (how in the world can two little kids such up so much damn energy? I'm exhausted by the time they go to bed!). So, it isn't going to be quick even if all goes well. I'm just trying to keep making progress.

Yawn.

OK, so it's not the most interesting thing in the world. I'll put something about bikes up here soon. I promise.

NOS 6-Speed Freewheel on eBay

I found an old Shimano 600EX in a box of parts and put it up on eBay. It's still new-in-the-box. Here is the listing.

A New Blog to Check Out

I just found a fun, new blog. Good stuff - Stevie Joe Parker's Guide to Life.

E-Mail Problems Fixed

It took a few days to figure it out, but I think I've finally fixed all of my e-mail problems. It appears that messages that I had sent were not being properly delivered. Unfortunately, I had no indication that there was a problem, and it may have been going on as long as two months. If you tried to reach me recently and received no reply, I apologize.

I should be able to receive and send mail now from my primary e-mail address, todd@kuzma.com.

E-Mail Woes

I just discovered that many, if not all, of the e-mail messages I have sent over the past few weeks have not been properly delivered. I'm working with my e-mail service provider to figure out how to correct it. If you have e-mailed me and have not received a reply, I apologize. I am not ignoring your note. Hopefully, this will be corrected soon. --Todd

Asthma and Winter Cycling

It is now wintertime, and with the cold weather comes an aggravation of the asthma suffered by many cyclists, myself included. I’ve seen the subject mentioned many times on various internet forums. I thought that I would write about my own experience here.

I have the asthma triple whammy. Mine is exercise-induced, allergy-induced, and chronic. Chronic asthma refers to a reduced lung capacity even when not having an “attack.” For cyclists, we are primarily concerned with the exercise-induced variety, but allergies and chronic asthma can affect any ride.

While some experience the classic wheezing when having an attack, I often simply found myself out of breath. This was especially true when I used to race. For some time, I simply assumed that I was getting spit off the back of the pack because the other racers were simply better prepared. However, after one race, I found that I couldn’t catch my breath even after thirty minutes of recovery.

My doctor advised a gradual warm-up before a race or other hard effort. This proved to be a problem at races, though. I would be able to go through a proper warm-up and get my heart rate up, but I would invariably have to wait at the start line long enough for my heart rate to fall. The massive sprint that inevitably occurred at the start would then trigger an attack.

My doctor also advised a preventative dose of an inhaler like Albuterol before exercise. I still do that today if I plan anything beyond a light workout. I also carry an inhaler on every ride in case an attack hits me on the road. My need for a gradual warm-up means that I often can’t ride with groups that go hard from the start of a ride. I frequently need thirty to forty minutes before I can ride at tempo. If I go too hard too fast, I can trigger an attack.

I’ve also followed advice from the book Reversing Asthma by Richard N. Firshein, D.O. He suggests that most drug treatments for asthma merely address the symptom while aggravating the underlying cause. This results in a spiral of larger doses and additional medications. Instead, he recommends a change in diet and exercise that can reduce or eliminate the need for medication. He also suggests magnesium as a supplement. In fact, intravenous magnesium is often given to treat severe attacks. I have begun taking this recently after my neurologist suggested it to help prevent migraine headaches. So far, it has helped with both problems.

Back to the cold weather. The cold, dry air of wintertime often aggravates asthma for many cyclists. When I ride in winter, I make my warm-up even longer than normal. During the coldest times, I wear a balaclava that I can use to both keep my face warm and warm air that I am breathing in. The lower part of the balaclava can be adjusted during the ride as needed. During the coldest weather, it can be worn all the way up over the nose, full-ninja style. This allows exhaled breath through the nose and mouth to warm the fabric and, in turn, the inhaled air. As things warm up, the balaclava can be slipped down from the nose so that it only covers the mouth.

Once I am warmed up sufficiently that breathing in cold air will not trigger an attack, the balaclava can be lowered again to expose the mouth. If warm enough, the chin can also be exposed. Used in this manner, I found the balaclava to be one of the more useful bits of winter riding gear. While it is not always necessary simply to maintain body temperature, it can always be used to regulate the temperature of inhaled air.

I have talked to enough asthmatics to know that what works for one will not necessarily work for all. However, I hope that everyone can find a way to keep riding through these colder months. If anyone has other suggestions, please forward them.

Randonneurs, Need Some New Wheels?

Brevet season is coming up, and some new wheels might be in order. I've listed a great pair on eBay that feature a Schmidt SON28 dynohub, Campy Veloce rear hub, and Torelli Master rims. Check them out here.

Randonneur on eBay, Again

The 59 cm Randonneur didn't sell the first time around. I've dropped the price $50 and listed it again. Check it out here.

Neil Produces Another Beauty!

For Christmas I received the latest Neil Young and Crazy Horse release, Live at the Fillmore East. While this is a new release, it was recorded in 1970 and shows the power of the Horse before the death of guitarist Danny Whitten. It's well worth it for the versions of "Down by the River" and "Cowgirl in the Sand" alone (over 12 minutes and 16 minutes respectively). Steve Miller and Miles Davis were also on the Fillmore stage that weekend (but not on the record). The Fillmore marquee shown on the cover indicates that the following weekends would feature John Mayall, the Moody Blues, and Joe Cocker. Not a bad line-up.


Now back to the shop . . .

Heron Randonneur on eBay

I've listed a used 59 cm Heron Randonneur frame and fork for sale on eBay. Details are here.

The Green and Tan Nelson Longflap

Here it is:


Now in stock!

More Carradice Stuff Has Arrived!

I just received a shipment from Carradice and have a number of things back in stock! Check out the Carradice page on the Tullio's site for all the details. Highlights include the new green and tan Nelson Longflap saddlebags, more Super C rear panniers, Bagman QR racks, saddlebag clamps, Super C saddlebags, Zipped Rolls, Cape Rolls, and Barley saddlebags.

Also, I received some extra rubber tips for the Bagman QR racks. An earlier shipment of these racks came without the tips. If you bought one of these racks and would like a pair of tips, let me know.

Betrayal of the Brain and Revisiting Lebowski

I didn’t get to 50,000 words during National Novel Writing Month this year. I have lots of excuses, but it’s mostly my brain’s fault. I am typically betrayed by my brain in one of three ways. First is the migraine headache. My headaches can put me out of action for a couple of days, and I had two doozies in November.

The second form of betrayal is obsessive-compulsive disorder. This is when my brain decides that, rather than write, I should be looking up every punk band of the 1980s who might have recorded a cover of Duran Duran’s “Girls on Film” and/or “Rio.” Sometimes, my brain also decides to watch The Big Lebowski until 1 AM. If you’ve never suffered from OCD, it can be difficult to explain. Just imagine that your brain is engaged in one gear and refuses to shift to another.

The third form of betrayal is not technically the brain’s fault. It occurs whenever I get sick and my many prescription medications are supplemented by over-the-counter cold medicines. This inevitably creates a brain haze that prevents any sort of clear thinking. In the past month, I’ve taken Axert, Imitrex, Zoloft, Tylenol, Tylenol Cold, Vicodin, Prilosec, riboflavin, magnesium, Cold-Eeze, Alpha CF, Promethazine, Nyquil, Vicks VapoRub, Pepto Bismol, and Rolaids. I still have the cold, but I can now cut through steel with powerful rays that I emit from my eyeballs.

By the way, I have tried the injectable version of Imitrex for headaches. This comes in an injection “pen” with a spring-loaded needle. The injection is typically given in the thigh. I’m not sure how it well it works long-term, but in the short-term, you forget about your headache to focus on the new, searing pain in your thigh.

During my obsession with The Big Lebowski, I came to revisit an earlier blog entry in which I listed O Brother, Where Art Thou? and Fargo as the two best Coen brothers films. Someone questioned me on it at the time, and I have to question myself now. Lebowski is pretty darned good and gets better with each viewing. How about if I just call them the top three and leave it at that?