First Post

I could probably list all this stuff in the "About Me" section, but then I would continue to have a blog that was totally empty. My cycling/biker friends call me Banger. Their kids call me Banger too, and more recently the store manager of the bike shop I work at called me Banger when I rolled in for the day. I guess its only a matter of time before my mom starts calling me Banger too.

There are hundreds of us cyclists out there, but we're not all the same, so I will attempt to delineate my pedigree and avoid confusion. Er, wait, I don't have one. I ride a little bit of everything. Most of my miles are probably logged commuting, but I try to be well rounded. I had a road bike, but it hasn't seen a lot of use in the last few years. I have an eight inch travel duely downhill sled that gets shuttled in the summer. I have a rigid unobtanium wonder ride that serves as my winter commuter, winter trail bike, summer trail bike after a fork swap, and generally my pride when need be. Most recently I purchased a dirtjump/urban ditty so I can roll the pump track in the summer and the indoor skate park in the winter. I'd own a BMX bike, but they just seem so tiny. I also have a tandem laying around, but I am not really sure it's mine. A friend lent it to me several years back and although I have mentioned it, he hasn't seemed interested in getting it back. It's moved with me twice and the wife enjoys it just fine.

We all ride for different reasons. Here in Fairbanks we have the hardcore commuter crowd. We have the summer trail riders, the winter trail riders, BMX shred kids and even the occasional roadies, although the chip and seal roads of the area are slowly taking their toll on them. Also most of them just seem to be "staying in shape" for cross-country ski season.

My attempt with this blog will be to try and explain what riding is like here in Fairbanks. We have extreme cold here and it's possible the few little tricks I have learned may benefit others. Also I like to proclaim how great products are when they work well and generally crank when they don't.