A belated "Happy New Year" from the Southern Tier Bike Project. I know many of you have been taking advantage of the unseasonably warm weather to stay on the road. It's been a great "winter" for cycling, not so much for the cross country skiers though.

While things have been typically slow for the Bike Project at this time of year, there have been some interesting things going on.

• First of all, we received a very generous donation of $50 to help keep us in business. Thanks so much Linda. We really appreciate it!
• While we're on the subject of Linda, one of the earliest bike donations was a 1950 Humber that belonged to her husband Ray. After nearly two years of disassembly, cleaning and reassembly, this bike has finally been restored.
  

  

  Click on the image for a more detailed view.

  Once the weather improves, I hope to get this out on the road. It seems to be in working order, though it is nearly impossible to fix a flat on the road. It's not an easy task, especially the back wheel.

Onward to other news:

• On Dec 16th, we were able to provide a nice 24" bike (Bike 051) to a young girl in Endicott via Catholic Charities.
• Also on Dec 16th, we were able to provide a nice BMX bike (Bike 071)to a 12 year old boy, again via Catholic Charities.
• Just before Christmas, we got a call from the man who got Bike 028 for his granddaughter about a year ago. At the time, she was just learning to ride and this nice BMX was the perfect size for her to start riding on the rail trail. Well, it turns out that she has outgrown the bike and Tim wanted to trade it in on another one. We were happy to get Bike 070 all fixed up so Tim's granddaughter could have it for Christmas. We even had a nice Christmas bag to wrap it in, thanks to a a previous donor.
• Because of the above, Bike 028 is back in the inventory. It was very well cared for and is in "like new" condition.

• In early January, Bert, from Union Center, stopped by to drop off two interesting bikes. One is a 1950's Columbia Twosome. This 26" tandem (Bike 072) should be a fun ride for a couple who live on flat ground. It's very heavy and it's a single speed. Hopefully we can get some of the rust scrubbed off and get the rear hub repaired and it will be ready to go. The other one we got from Bert is Bike 073, a solid Murray 10 speed from the 60's or 70's. This one needs tires and cables as well as a lot of elbow grease to get rid of dirt and rust. It should be decent transportation once we get it done though.

• On May 12, the George F. Johnson Dream Center for Community Empowerment in Johnson City will hold their annual bicycle give-away. The Dream Center press release states the purpose of the event as: "The bike drive is held to help youth get to youth development programs that are held at Sarah Jane Johnson Church and in Johnson City's beautiful parks, as well as a free summer, noontime lunch at the church. Area agencies can refer youth 8 and up to the program". That being said, they always have numerous re-condiotined adult and youth bikes on hand to give away to anyone in need. If you are looking for a bicycle and the Southern Tier Bike Project is unable to fulfill your needs, you may want to check out what's available at Sarah Jane Johnson United Methodist Church on May 12.

  For more information or sign up forms, contact: Patricia Cardin, 607-797-3938, X 113, or send an email to: gfjdreamcenter@hotmail.com

While some people prefer plain old motor oil, I have long advocated using bicycle specify lubricants for your bike. Here are some suggestions from the March 2012 issue of Bicycling Magazine.

• For most riding conditions, use a bicycle-specific Teflon-based oil, such as Park Tool CL-1 or Finish Line DRY Teflon Lube, to lubricate pivot points - any part that moves - on brakes, derailleurs and chain links. Don't forget springs and mechanisms.
• Use a lightweight machine or chain oil, such as those from Dumonde Tech or Pedro's, between nipples and rim to make adjusting spokes and truing wheels easier; brake and derailleur cables to keep them moving smoothly; and brake and shift levers to ensure they function properly.
• Choose a chain lubricant specific to the conditions you ride in. Typically, wet lubes, such as White Lightening Wet Ride, work year round, but attract more dirt in dry conditions. Dry lubes, such as Tri-Flow Superior Dry Lubricant, don't hold as much grit and grime, but won't last long in wet conditions.
• Use a general-purpose, medium-weight grease, such as Pedro's Bio Grease, on bearing systems (hubs and headsets) and large-threaded bolts (pedal spindles and crankarms) - basically, on parts that require assembly and disassembly. Another use: on exposed ares to stop or prevent corrosion.

• Ceramic bearings, common on today's high-end road bikes, produce less friction than steel ones, making them less likely to seize. For this reason, they require a lower-viscosity lubricant, such as Finish Line Ceramic Grease.
• Metal parts that fit together and rarely move, such as a seatpost, stem and frame, can cold-weld to each other, making disassembly nearly impossible. Coat these with anti-seize compound (Park Tool makes one) before joining them. Of all metal combos, the worst offender is titanium on titanium, threaded or not.
• Grease on carbon parts will cause them to slip. Instead, use a friction paste, which contains tiny bits of grit to help them stick. Syntace makes a good one.
• WD-40 is a SOLVENT and can actually strip your chain of lubricant. Use it to clean your chain before you lube it.
• Use plenty of oil or grease, but wipe off excess with a clean dry rag to keep grit from glomming on. If you lube a bunch of parts at once, wipe them in the order you lubed them so the oil has the same amount of time to penetrate.

If you or anyone you know has a bike they would like to donate to the Southern Tier Bike Project, please E-mail us at: Donations@SouthernTierBikeProject.com.

If you see an abandoned bike along the road, throw it in your car and contact us at Donations@SouthernTierBikeProject.com and we will arrange to come pick it up.

Be vigilant on trash days. If you spot a bike set out for the trash man, either grab it or contact us so we can get there first to pick it up. Most bikes that get thrown away are repairable and useful to someone who has none.