Today was a beautiful but different day for a bike ride. Fewer cars than normal. The slow traffic quietened so you could hear the falling snow. It made for a beautiful day as long as you have to clothing to stay warm.
My layers were pretty simple. I had pogies/bar mits with my regular cycling gloves on underneath, a thick wool shirt under the jacket, a wool neck gaiter, and the rain pants over some athletic pants. Water proof boots for good measure. Feet started to get a little cool towards the end of being out for over an hour. Wool socks would have fixed that quick though.
The e bike definitely helped with the snow build up in the fenders and pushing the snow out of the way. Still wasn’t riding over 10mph though. Step thru frame makes getting on the bike easier as well as less worry about putting a leg down. My front brake was squeaky due to the cold which was funny. Its totally quiet when its dry and warmer.
Ah another secret spot. If overlooking the water isn’t close enough this spot will bring you right to the waters edge. People enjoy fishing and overlooking the lake here. Personally it’s a cooler spot in the summer with the lake breeze to take a break.
Technically it is a part of Murrell Park. To get here you follow the path from the Northshore Trailhead area on N Park Road and go south. Stay on the pavement and it will turn more to gravel and eventually dirt. Watch out for hikers and mountain bikers as you ride to this more secluded area since the Northshore Trail crosses in multiple spots.
During the week it is not uncommon to have a quiet serenity to yourself to listen to the water crash on the rocks. There are no trash cans. Don’t leave your trash as it may not be picked up and will make it worse for everyone who comes after. In the summer I’ve seen it become a party spot in the evenings and you’ll get the dumped beer cans and additional trash.
Over the years I’ve tried many different forms of locks. From the least secure with cables to the most with U locks. I’ve found a couple typically work best for me while providing decent security and the ability to lock up at most places.
My favorite type of lock is a ring lock with a thicker chain attached. That is if the bike has the mounts for the ring lock. Following that would be a chain lock. A ring lock by itself prevents roll away theft. The chains that connect will typically allow a greater distance to what you are locking to vs a chain lock. A hardened chain will typically fend off manual tools. A ring lock is also hard to get at without damaging the bike. In my example above it’s an ABUS non key retaining lock. On another bike I have an AXA Defender Key Retaining that I prefer much more. You can then use different chains with them. ABUS, AXA and Kryptonite make chains for these locks. Kryptonite had one of the thicker hardened chains thus why I use it. If you have questions about compatibility make sure to ask your shop about it. Also not all ring locks accept chains so make sure you purchase one that does.
I mentioned there are only certain bikes that can work with a ring lock. It is due to the frame design and you need braze ons on the rear triangle in a certain spot for it to work. Many city style e-bikes at our local bikes shops have this. Some examples of currently in (Dec 2024) would be like the Specialized Turbo Como or Vado and the Trek Verve+ /FX+ among others on the electric side. On the traditional or as some call the acoustic bike side you have the regular Electra Loft, Trek Verve, Specialized Sirrus, and the Trek FX line. If looking at other bikes I’d make sure to ask the shop about it.
Using an angle grinder proof U lock. They are heavy and don’t give much room to mount however they are the most secure. If you can make it work for your use cases there is nothing wrong going this route. I just haven’t been able to for most of mine thus far.
Another this to consider is the value of the bike being locked up. The higher the value the more emphasis on locks. Plus I really recommend insurance for if the bike gets stolen and have it myself in addition to my locks. I will cover this in a later article.
Sunset Point is a beautiful boardwalk area overlooking Lake Grapevine. It is near the future Hotel Miramar in the Lakeside development a short walk away. You will find locks left on the cable fence however, I do believe they are periodically removed.
They have no bicycle signs however, I’ve always interpreted it as a dismount and don’t ride. A walk a bike area. Respect other pedestrians around. They have a bike rack close by to park bikes at if it is busy. The trail that leads to sunset point has a drinking fountain and a bike repair station outside of the Northshore Trail entrance. Only thing to watch out for is Saturday mornings there are sometimes yoga classes I’ve seen may be seasonal though.
I’m excited to see you here. Our goal and mission is to bring information forward regarding cycling in our great town/city. There are many ways to get around via bike to destinations of importance and leisure. We will be making a bike friendly business list that provides bike racks to lock up to as well as mapping many of the paths that are not included in the towns website. There are many secret ways to navigate that I wish to make available to everyone. Freedom of movement should not just extend to those who can afford a car. Eventually I dream of corridor from Lake Grapevine to Lake Lewisville of safe, sustainable and economic bicycle infrastructure.
