the Bicyclist's Dojo

05/17/2026

Shimano / Ultegra
Shimano Ultegra CS-R8000 Cassette 11-speed -
Shimano Ultegra CS-R8000 Cassette 11-speed - silver
The R8000 cassette is perfectly matched to the SHIMANO ULTEGRA R8000 groupset thanks to system engineering and is available in numerous gradations for road and mixed terrain. It is compatible with HG-EV and HG-X11 chains. An outstanding range of options - this is at the heart of Shimano's philosophy, which focuses on customized components. With 11-25T, 11-28T, 11-30T, 11-32T, 12-25T and 14-28T gear combinations, you have all the options you need on the road.

Features of the Shimano Ultegra CS-R8000 11-speed cassette
Scope of delivery: Cassette incl. aluminum end ring
Material: Steel, aluminum
Additional weight: 11-25 teeth
Compatible with HG-EV and HG-X11 chains
Note: Please note that the cassette with the 11-32 gradation is only compatible with the Shimano GS rear derailleur with medium-length cage!
bikemechanic

05/15/2026

You would think that with all the bike stuff that runs on electricty now days someone would come up with a newfangled bike generator design.

05/13/2026

What I found on the side of the road #12
A çats collar.
A few weeks ago I ( may 2nd to be exact) I reported that I thought I saw a ladies watch on the side of the road but didn't stop to pick it up . Well I went through the same area on my last ride and this time I did stop and to my disappointment it was a cat collar so everythings not all peaches and cream out there on the trail sometimes you just come up with a dud.

05/13/2026

05/09/2026

26.6 for today. When I started out this morning I thought I was going to ride my bike to town and watch the Beef days parade but it was at a goofy time and in a goofy route so I was and hour late and in the wrong place so I had a drink at sonic and rode over to Bill Roberts Chevrolet to see if there were any floats there (nope) so I had my mileage, consequently decided to go home because there is still things that need doing like wash bike and car. Put bike in the dojo till Monday. The total Monday 22.2 Friday 60.6 saturday 26.6 totals 109.4 for the week. Keep your wheels down.
Rick

05/08/2026

Okay, so this morning I drove over to Humansvile to start there because the wind is blowing SSW at over ten miles an hour I don't know if you have noticed but I always like to ride into the wind in the morning and have the wind behind me or pushing me back home, so I started in Humansvile at about 4.5 miles I met an elderly or you could say a old cogdger like myself and a young woman I suppose a daughter or some relation. They had a flat tire had all the stuff pulled out of the trunk of the car It was obvious that they had a flat tire so I asked if they had a Jack because when I pulled up they weren't doing anything just staring at the spare tire they said no I said gosh I wish I could help but I don't have a jack I asked if they had a phone they said they did and I parted ways with them and continued to try and come to a solution to their problem I thought that I had seen a few 4x4 beams along the road perhaps I could find some and make a ramp and slide the car high enough to get the tire changed the I decided that there was something I could do I could go back and get my car and use its jack so I rode till I hit five miles and turned around on my way back I got on the other side of the highway to go with the traffic flow I saw when passing them that another fellah with a truck was helping them but I was already committed by then when I got back to where they were they had gone. So that's my first ten miles and here I go again...
Keep your wheels down
Rick

05/05/2026

I want to take a moment to talk about bike equipment I'm an old school biker A lot of things newer bikers find necessary I think are superfluous I don't like disc brakes on bikes I like rim brakes rim brakes stop you fast enough to throw you off the bike but never warp and pads last just about all summer then if you combine that with hydraulic and now you've got a hole new system you can buy special tools for cables have worked great for the past 75 years don't leave your bike out in the rain and you'll be fine . Electric shift seems like more complications, does the same thing "Why?" Padded shorts I don't get, why wear a diaper that makes you look like a baboon ( Or maybe that's the whole point of it) get a padded seat and a proper bike fit and be done with it. The same goes for butt butter all that stuff is okay for elite level pro riders but for a ten mile Sunday afternooner, ridiculous, messy, and just plain weird. Air cartridges are limited get a proper air pump and you'll have unlimited air, If you don't mind a little work. Special energy drinks and candy bars while you're riding are sugar that leaves you fat or creates an insulin response that leaves you with the " shakes" again in 45 minutes. After ride gorging is stupid if you are over weight. Tubeless tires - for men I liken flat fixing up there with rubbing sticks together and creating fire, I doubt I could make a fire, but I can fix a flat, Likity-split as I've said before with some of the other "modern" advantages it seems to complicate things more now you have to worry about air escaping from a spoke hole, I just prefer tubes I carry a tube and patches I try to patch first and if That doesn't work I fall back to my tube one time I had a one inch rip in the side of a tire and I used a dollar bill to repair the tire until I made it home something that would be impossible with tubeless. Another factor for consideration is how much weight do these special tools add to your kit. But hey you got to be you and what ever system you choose it's all about making it back home safe.
Keep your wheels down
Rick