Nothing says a job well done than passing out on the way home and yet still maintaining balance long enough to not crash into a power line pole you are veering towards.
Not today Satan!
But I still managed to rip my shifting cable for my rear derailer, so my bike at the end of the night went from a 12 speed to a single speed. That was a bit of a grind back home to be sure. The good people at Cycleworld Miami managed to get Silvana (crossrip1) Trek back and running like a beast, but the happiness only lasted as long as I was able to not give her another ding, and a nice one she got when she slipped along a pole I locked her up to. Well life is a bitch and you only get lemons, then you complain to the manager and tell them you ordered limes and then they tell you sorry there is only limes here in the life store, so you go home with nothing. Here is something to get sour about...
What was the plan here?
Speaking of sour, cycling in the city more than a 'passing through' has brought about a bit more bitterness towards traffic. Now did I know people in Miami are bad drivers? Yes of course, but did I understand how bad? I was unpleasantly surprised.
Having a couple of days of delivery under my belt I can make a bit of an assessment for anyone interested in doing this kind of work, especially for UberEats. When running around you notice how agile a bicycle can be compared to a car. Traffic is far more terrifying, you even start internally running a cost benefit analysis of whether or not you should make that turn or wait at the light, whether you should filter, or play it safe losing time. Time is your enemy, and the layout of the city usually doesn't help, especially the older parts of the city.
Also, fuck wind.
What is the plan here?
Now I know what your gonna say, "Carlos, just hop into your car and get around faster!" Now I'm gonna tell you, "You don't know shit about parking and one way streets." I noticed that the better markets (where a lot of people use the app) are in the saturated parts of the city, that means sub-burbs are deserts, and your sooooo thirsty.
so.... hot...
I honestly cannot see myself doing this kind of delivery in a car, maybe a scooter, but a car? Hell no. In downtown there is so little parking that anyone pulling off to the side (even to drop off a passenger) gets the ire of all around them.
so, salty
I did notice that many restaurants make accommodations for delivery cars, but the pick up and drop off part of this work is so much faster with a U-lock and pole. Even so I have seen pairs of people working the delivery circuit, dropping off the bag person while the driver circles around, it is a solution, but now you have to divide the spoils of the delivery.
ALL MINE!
In heavy traffic there is no beating a bicycle, and when you are hard pressed to pull off a deadline, the agility and size of a bike makes traffic a laughable obstacle.
Enjoy your cages cattle
I noticed some clients whom the order is in a business, order a bit earlier than the time their lunch is scheduled. More often than not I surprise them, once I even arrived earlier to a location than the customer to their own job. The way traffic is here in Miami, delivery in the city with a car seems like a arduous and painful experience, the road rage alone wouldn't be worth it, at least to me (and if you have seen my videos I have plenty of rage already).
I'm not a complete asshole though....
We all working ourselves into a coma...
More videos are coming down the pipe, make sure to shoot me a like on these videos and I will post some more delivery videos soon, till then!
It has been a long while since I have done a video and I am still in the importing and rendering process of my current ride. It has been a hefty, muddy trek to get back into the saddle while maintaining a good work ethic; gotta make sure I can afford life's important expenses.
We all know Chipotle, we all know
Recently, I had my bike tuned up, finally utilizing a swaggy new set of wheels I purchased as a gift to myself. The first ride, after the tune up, was a bit of a torrent of happiness. The ride was too good to be true and karma wanted to make sure I paid what I owed. It was useful to find out the hard way that my wheel-set is bombproof.
This is a bit harsh karma...
When I was shifting into a higher gear, my rear derailleur caught a spoke and proceeded to promptly stop my bike in the middle of the street-in traffic- fundamentally destroying itself and the brand new chain I just got in the tune up.
Snapped clean off
Rectifying my rectum that is, as the tune up, after everything was said and done, ended costing me over $200. Granted, this is the second time around Thomas and Calvin accommodated me and even waved a bunch of charges since the bike just came clean from the tune up. We all agreed this should not have happened.
Thanks Calvin and Thomas of Cycleworld Miami for rectifying the situation!
On that note, here is one of many videos down the pipeline. With working at a small business and all the things that come with it, many of the posts will be far more spread out. Please know I am doing my best to crank them out!
A ride with Cycleworld Miami
If you're a commuter like me and want a pair of pants that are fit for cycling, comfortable and stylish for business, check out Rozik outfitters! Good stuff!
What I love most about Miami is that you never drive the same road twice; the traffic is always shifting , always flowing. I never have the same experience on the wild roads that are in Miami and Doral, so many things temper the course. Holidays, rush hour, school dismissals and the ever present road construction all play into a dynamic and terrifying commuting experience. I have noticed many a thing while playing road outcast in the south of the sunshine state.
Pretty much most of Miami's response
There seems to be a sweet spot in the traffic, at least its flow, where I feel most safe. But there are some sections with just the right combination of elements that I feel the most threatened. Let us say there are 4 types of traffic: Empty, Light, Medium and Heavy. Empty is a good road to be on; no cars and, if there are any, very intermittent and they usually give you a wide berth when passing, which is awesome and always appreciated. In Empty traffic, I can move the bike at a comfortable level and I do not feel the need to push myself that hard for the most part.
So happy!
Light traffic and Medium traffic are the diciest ones for me. Most of the "Almost Hit" Series is me in this kind of traffic. With more cars all vying for space, trying to aggressively one up each other, and swerving around, this traffic makes me feel like I am in a giant coffee grinder. I am not even exaggerating. Miami is one of the worst cities with the worst driving etiquette ever. So aggressive and so pointlessly antagonistic.
We gotz to stop at the red light first....
By far, the best traffic is Heavy traffic. All the cars are stopped, or moving slowly, and they have little to no room to out maneuver each other. They are stuck, and are practically being herded by the lights like cattle. I honestly love this traffic because it brings me a slight schadenfreude when I filter past cars in parking lot conditions.
Past...or into...the point is, I'm faster!
Filtering is a bit of an art in urban cycling and one that I am still practicing. The law is actually a bit unclear on cyclist filtering in traffic, and, well, cycling laws in general here in Florida are unclear and vague.
Like animals in cages...
Many of these traffic conditions are also important and play out in group rides as well. When you are hammering down in a tight group, the last thing a cyclist needs is an ignorant driver trying to squeeze past, pushing the group dangerously close to the curb. The driver needs to know that it is better to wait a bit instead of having a squad of cyclists under and over his hood.
Get it!
Show your appreciation by liking and subscribing to my videos and make sure to stay tuned for the next couple of group rides I will be posting!
Many have criticized the cycling industry for marketing road cycling as a kind of "extreme sport". I can see many types of Mountain biking easily fitting into this label, even Cyclocross. Shit that is generally a hazard to your well being! Until recently I would have countered the notion of road cycling as an extreme sport, but I now realize, the cycling industry has it all wrong.
So extreme!
The real extreme part of road cycling is urban cycling, which includes commuting. Aside from the occasional jostle, bumps, and the most unfortunate crashes, road cycling isn't as "extreme" as many X-game sports (and is rightly excluded). I always seem to unconsciously put far more intense music into my "Almost Hit Series"(videos showing my commuting in the streets) than my "Shut Up Legs Series" (videos of my group rides). The tamest urban cycling video I have is "Filters", but to be fair, it is a very sanitized video of my commute, showing the good times.
More like the fun times!
So why is this? The simple answer is urban cycling produces some hairy situations because of all the variables thrown into the soup that is driving in Miami. Road cycling, in a group though, not so much, it is far more controlled, and there is a certain etiquette to maintain. What this means is, the music I select is more reflective of the video's feel. So sure the videos may be more entertaining, but every bad encounter with a driver may put my life at risk. It is a delicate tightrope I maintain between riding on the dangerous main streets ( which get me from A to B faster) and sticking to the side streets ( usually tacking on 15 to 20 minutes to my commute). I try to make these videos as a kind of awareness, keeping it interesting to viewers, but I fear it comes off as pursuant. We all love some dramatic encounters with others of our species...
Hardly....
As safe as I try to ride, it seems (regardless of my intentions) that bad drivers also seem to be the angriest ones, hell bent on raging if you try to confront them. I am not even sure if this is reaching a wide enough audience, and by the statements of MDPD's Chief, they seem to have more disdain than care for cyclist. I do not expect help and certainly not enforcement from them.
It's not easy being a cyclist
There is no redemption out on these streets. Even with a camera and reports filed, there's no punishment for these drivers. I can just hope their License plates being broadcast for the world can give me some solace. In order of appearance, FCH-043, BRG-P58, BCT-Y28, ICW-562, and X50-4GG, if you see them, give them the only finger that matters, for me.
The thing about being a cyclist in Miami, is the never ending shitstorm, that is the drivers, in this city. I have even been so cynical, and bitter, that my friends are starting to worry. Well, shit, I guess it is high time I let these driver's know how I feel. Even ran into a police officer, and well, he was just as ignorant.
My face when the Internal Affairs Department tells me I cannot complain about an officer's conduct, behind an advocacy group... "TravellingDirtbags", I would need to come in to the station myself and present the video... Sounds like a trap...
Well aside from the new video, I have a couple of other edits down the pipe, so stay tuned for that stuff. Also make sure to rate and subscribe to the video or even leave a comment if you liked it or even disliked it.
Not this time asshole...
A pleasurable ride to the beach without my GoPro! Oh the the ridiculousness and the fun! Look how wacky this sign is WOAHH!
Some of the most touristy crap we got here in Miami
After a long hiatus I am back to work, issues with my computer, as well as a stacked, and busy summer, have made for a difficult posting season. This Fall, I hope to change that and get back to regular updates, not to mention some planning of some tours. Also, I am moving to finally make those other posts of the Key West tour, and the Everglades tour, so look forward to that.
At the moment I am without my gopro, so no new video updates. I will be doing my best to post more pictures and get a bit more involved with the cycling community at large, getting a bit lonely doing the "Lone Wolf" cyclist stich.
I will never be this majestic
I have a couple of minor news, some of it is travesty. A bit disheartening when you get rear ended by a hit and run and your bike happens to be hanging off the back. More on that later.
Dat ruined front wheel doh...
I picked a pretty lovely day to commute to work and after I ended up going to a friends house, who also wasn't home.
I figured while waiting I would explore Calle Ocho and see how close it was to the city and beach.
If anyone is wondering, it is very close. enjoy the next couple of images of this magical journey.
American Airlines Arena!
The Julia Tuttle Causeway!
I feel so welcomed!
It is really hot!
Stuck at a bridge with everyone else!
Awesome tourists!
a slug sticker!
it is so hot!
anyways, now it is about to monsoon!
If you guys are interested I did make one final video before I disappeared, I actually really like this one. So please let me know what I can do to improve and what are some things I missed, enjoy! So here is another addition to the "Almost Hit" series.
There is an interesting piece of road that always seems to slow traffic a considerable amount. I'm sure its just all the tourist heading into the mall.
And Florida sleeps soundly
Until next time make sure to head over to Rozik Wear and when you type in "dirtbag" into the promo box, you get an additional 20% off your entire order! I am not even sponsored by the company, but the gear is just so good, and made in the states, so check it out!
When I first set out on my bike, I was a hefty 230 pounds. I could barely run for 5 minutes straight and getting around on the bike was a planned affair. To traverse the 3 miles on my commute to work would take a grueling hour, not to mention the massive bag I lugged around that slowed me down. I was constantly on the sidewalk ruining my fragile Fuji "Adonis".
...He has seen some shit
In the one year since I've started cycling, I have done two long tours: one to the Everglades National park and the second to Key West, which sent me to the hospital. Now, with more than a year's biking experience behind me, I can pedal 7 miles in 30 minutes while taking it easy and I can crush 3 miles in 10.
Video of the Everglades tour
Everglades!
Currently, I stick to the road to preserve my steed, "Phil" Jamis. Commuting on the roads day and night has given me a totally different and unbecoming challenge here in Miami. It is one in which both officials and citizens seem completely apathetic and uncaring to; one I didn't realize as a driver myself. Cycling is looked down upon, scorned, and, depending on your bumper sticker, hated...
Mmmm cheeky...
Only once in my entire time cycling did I ever witness a driver getting pulled over after passing way too close. When I caught up to the officer, the driver was getting a ticket, not for endangering my life, but for illegally sharing the lane next to me with another car. I was the catalyst, but not the reason for the infraction. The officer argued that he may pass and that what he did was not illegal. When I countered with the 3 foot clearance rule, he disregarded it. This is a problem.
The Good ole days before my GoPro 3
I feel like this blog really isn't changing much and I have no idea how to move ahead. I guess the best thing I can do is record these license plates, send them to the proper authorities, and post them online. Is this a solution? No, but it is illumination, shedding some light on many who cannot afford a car payment, or, like me, want to be healthy and hate the hassle of a car. The solution is hard; it will take time and take convincing. We will need infrastructure, but for now education will have to spearhead the change.
TL;DR: More bike lanes, I am healthier because of cycling, and 3 feet PLEASE!!!
Until next time!
Like, subscribe, and follow!
P.S. The 20% promo code still works at https://www.rozik-us.com/, Just type in DIRTBAG into the promo dialogue and get some pants!
After a too long battle with Bronchitis, and apparently a hell of a lingering cough, I'm back in the saddle. Riding has reminded me that being as forthcoming and safe as possible yields the best results. I often try to empathize with other road users, but too often I just get blatant assholery and far too often witness other cyclist being complete idiots...
To be fair, the shortest distance between two points is a straight line
It is things like this that really make me shake my head in shame. Yeah I know me yelling at terrible drivers is a drop in the bucket and more education AND infrastructure is far more helpful, but look at these two. In front of tens of drivers they just run a red light and simultaneously cut off two drivers turning from opposite directions. That is a special kind of ignorance that is seldom seen. Unfortunately at this moment they are on bikes.
On a lighter and happier note I ended up traversing Kendall after a canceled bike ride and went thrifting. The local Goodwills and Salvation Army can sometimes bring up good finds, and boy did I luck out today! The retainer was badly damaged but I had a hunch that this helmet was worth more than a cool Benjamin. After heading over to my bike shop Cycle World Miami, they quickly found me the bike retainer that I needed for the Gyro Atmos, turns out, it is lighter and completely redone, that's just dandy! The full price version.... In all honestly I am a bit on the poor side, I do my best to support my local bike shop. Especially those with the means, head over to Cycle World Miami to get fitted for a new bike, they are good people and do great work!
Cycle World Miami's Service
Here is another "I almost died again!" video, but I hope the new focus on art instead of documentation makes it more entertaining. I sencerly apprciate feedback and hell critisize it, but if anything, watch it!
