We all have found a niche in our life for bicycling, otherwise you wouldn't be reading this. Some of us ride to relax, some ride to get pumped up, some ride as a means of transportation, or to socialize. Most of us ride for some combination of the aforementioned. But we can all agree on one thing: bicycling is fun. So it's always a welcome surprise to find a place where riding a bicycle is not only enjoyable, but it's the most efficient and convenient mode of transportation. This is what I found when I arrived here in Iraq at the start of this summer.
The situation here is perfect for bicycle commuting. In my case, to get from where I live to where I work is about two miles. That is a distance that's probably walkable, but due to the fact that I usually make the trip twice a day or more, isn't really practical on foot. Very rarely do I have to take anything that can't fit into my backpack. There is a bus system in place, but the buses run every 30 minutes with several other stops, making a quick there-and-back trip into an hour-long affair, at least. Personal vehicles aren't permitted, and the two trucks we have are usually being used in some kind of official capacity. In addition to that, on a bike I can take many shortcuts that can't be driven in a vehicle. Because of all that, riding to work is not only the most convenient way, it's also the fastest.
On top of the five to ten miles a day I ride going to and from work, I also ride for fun. I'm not really sure what to call the style of riding that I do here; it's a cross between XC, urban, and freeride I suppose, although I wouldn't consider myself an accomplished rider in any of those specialties. There are no substantial climbs or descents, it is almost completely flat. The largest elevation change is 50 feet, and that is from the top of a berm to the bottom on a 45 degree loose sand/clay slope that has yet to be ridden. However, the large amount of ditches and berms makes for interesting terrain to ride on. With some work, it's possible to build very substantial drops. And in many cases, you can find dirt piles that only need a small amount of compacting and shaping to build jumps. If you can find lumber there are places to build ladder bridges and drops, and other technical features, although I haven't gotten around to this yet. And there are cement blocks, rocks, barriers, and other trials-type features everywhere.
The hardest part about riding here is bike maintenance. It is hard to find the time, or resources to thoroughly clean your bike after every ride, especially when you're riding every day. In addition to that, the dust here is extremely fine, a powdered clay that on some days is more like fog than sand. This dust gets everywhere, inside of bearings, cable housings, or any other enclosed space where it can build up. So on top of a normal wash, using bottled water and good old-fashioned elbow grease, I'm doing roughly two hours of maintenance a week disassembling hubs, headsets, or other parts to clean them. I've learned far more about working on bikes since I've been here than I knew before, purely out of necessity. There is no local bike shop; I am the local bike shop.
I am also learning the value of stock-piling parts. I was already building up a good supply of tubes and patches, as the terrain here lends itself to pinch flats or the occasional all-out blowout. But while I was back in the US recently on leave, I decided to buy a new bike and ship it back to myself. After taking it riding a few times, and after becoming very happy with my new purchase (an '08 Kona Shred, for the urban/freeride that's abusing my full-suspension XC bike) the time came to disassemble it. Due to my insufficient packaging, I lost the top crown race of the headset somewhere between California and Iraq, putting my new bike out of commission. Luckily, Kona is sending me the part I need, but it's been a week already since the bike has arrived and it will likely be another week, at least, before the part arrives. If I didn't have a bike here already, that would be two weeks of non-riding. So I'm trying to accumulate expendables, like chains, lube, grease, and tools before I, or the other riders here, actually need them. It can be difficult to find an ideal work space to do maintenance, but you just have to make due. I've done plenty of work to my bike it leaned against the outside wall of our tent, and disassembled bearings onto a dirty t-shirt because it was the cleanest thing I could find.
Aquiring a bike here is relatively easy. The PX/BX on most of the larger camps have them for sale. You can expect to pay $75-125 for a cheap huffy or something equivalent. While it makes to leave your nice bike at home and buy something cheap here, these PX bikes do not hold up. Most will deteriorate to the point where they can't be ridden, within a month or two. A better course of action is to bring a nicer bike, and the tools and material you will need to work on it.
There are two ways to get your bike to Iraq: bring it, or ship it. My troop had extra room in a shipping container, so I just put my bike inside and strapped it to a wall. A month on a container ship and a month of extreme desert heat inside an enclosed metal space took its toll, but after an hour of lubricating and clean-up the bike was ready to ride. If there is space available, this is probably the better method. The other way is to ship your bike. To ship my new Kona cost me $60, between two boxes. I took both wheels off the bike, and packed them together in one box. In hindsight, I should have taken the brake rotors off the wheels but luckily they both arrived without damage. In the other box went everything else; the frame, fork, stem and bar, seat and seat-tube, another helmet, and a few new tools. I removed the derailleur from the frame by detaching the replaceable derailleur hanger, the stem and bar from the steerer tube, and removed the fork from the headset (which caused me trouble later on, as mentioned above). I wish I had taken more time to properly package the bike, as it arrived with some scratches, and without the critical headset part I've already mentioned. How much you want to disassemble depends on how small of a box you want to use, but anything that could be bent, warped, or damaged by a reasonable amount of force should probably be taken off the bike. APO shipping is exactly gentle handling. I don't blame disassembling for the trouble I caused myself, just the fact that I didn't pay enough attention when I did it.
Overall, bringing my bike with me has rekindled my passion for cycling into a bonfire. I've found that riding my bike to work is a wonderful way to start your morning (or night). Riding for fun after work has been a great way to release some frustration, have some fun, and explore this place that I live. And sitting down to get personal with my bike and turn some wrenches lets me relax and gives me time to think. And every day, I'm improving my riding skill and fitness. I have enjoyed this so much that when I come back to the states, I plan on finding a place to live that's close enough to work that I can ride. I just wanted to share my experience so that anyone else who may be on their way here can consider doing what I'm doing.
PunkerTFC, thanks for sharing a slice of life in Iraq. I hope you are able to do your time and get back home safely. I thought my 8 mile commute to work was bad dodging cars. I will never take it for granted now.
Did a year in the "sand box" myself! Several different locations, Az Zubayr, Cedar 2, Tallil, FOB Duke, etc. We moved around allot!
I chose to leave my, new at that time, Enduro at home. But I did pick up a ridged off brand single speed POS for getting around. I worked pretty well for the whole year! It took some maintenance for sure. As you said, hubs, chain, headset, any place that sand could collect. My wife sent me tubes and chain lube about once a month and that kept me going. And the boys in the motor pool kept me stocked with grease. Didn't realy matter what I used for grease over there as I was servicing bearings about once every 2 weeks or so anyway! As long as it was thick enough to stay put and slippery it was good. I sold that bike the day before we left country and it was in better shape mechanically than when I bought it. I'd like to see it now if it's still rideable! It would be interesting.
The best thing about it was, working on that "thing" kept me sane! Being able to get around, to work, etc. or just go ride was a bonus!
So I know where your coming from. Anyway, hope your tour goes by as quickly (or seems to anyway) as mine did. I know it ain't fun, but it's the little things, your bike, packages from home, the bonds that you form with your squadmates that will make it all tolerable.
Take care, keep your head in the game at all times!, and drink water n drive on! You'll be home figuring out which bike to keep in no time. But I'm betting you'll have both bikes for a long time! It'll be hard to get rid of them. To many memories attached. "Stay hard and stay alive!"
Is there any organization that is dedicated to getting replacement parts donated and sent over to you guys? I know in the R/C car/airplane world there have been organizations established to get parts/donations sent over to help keep the troops entertained.
Heck, I know that most of us have piles of parts, extra grips/used but rideable tires, seats, pedals, etc. laying around that we will probably never bolt back on a bike, but could readily be put into service by you guys.
you weren't kidding when you said combat commuting.
I grew up in South Central Los Angeles, better known as WATTS, I am Asian and attended predominantly Black schools. I was always skinney until I finally filled at 18 yrs old. I suffered at the hands of the local gangs after school, they would stake out their territory and corners where they hung out. When I caught the bus I had to walk directly into their lair. I started riding a bicycle and found that I could beat the gangs to their corners or out run them when they gave chase. that was my combat commute, it was suvival and fun. I still ride for fun. I hope you stay safe on your commute thru truelly a combative area.
Not that I know of, although I've already been contacted by one generous member offering to send some supplies. There's a pretty decent group of us who are also avid RC helicopter pilots (myself included) and I know some guys have taken advantage of the groups you've described. I haven't myself, but I haven't crashed in a while so I don't need any parts!
Went for a ride this afternoon after I posted that and found a couple of new lines to develop. I need to get my hands on a good shovel and rake so I can smooth some stuff out! I found a great jump with a hip landing but the dirt is really hard and rough, too rough for me to stick the landing. Once we get some good stuff built we're going to work on a video to show you all the riding we're doing. I think I'm leading the way with MTBs but there are some pretty talented BMX riders here.
I just wanted to share my experience so that anyone else who may be on their way here can consider doing what I'm doing.
I recall that Military Postal Shipping (MPS) is free.
So those of you who are coming from o'er there to o'er there can *usually* get your things mailed from the APO for free. As of around 2003, APO SF to APO AE is also free. YMMV (Ms. Johnson @ the Mannheim APO, I'm talking to you)
See the trails, be one with FOO-MTB.
Slow-core. -.. .-. .. -. -.- .... --- -- . -... .-. . .--
Punker,
I forwarded a copy of your email to Specialized HQ, I'm hoping they can offer some help. after all my firm sends a Care Package GI's that we sponsor. I'm hoping they can offer something. Who knows, I'm waiting for a reply to my email to them. if not I will attempt to contact some other mt. bike companies.
Punker,
I forwarded a copy of your email to Specialized HQ, I'm hoping they can offer some help. after all my firm sends a Care Package GI's that we sponsor. I'm hoping they can offer something. Who knows, I'm waiting for a reply to my email to them. if not I will attempt to contact some other mt. bike companies.
Yours,
Wayne Nagata,
Vietnam Era Vet.
Right on bro! Good looking out!
OP-
Spent three tours there myself, never had a bike though. I had a hard enough time keeping the "flour" sand out of my mouth and eyes, more less a headset and BB.
Wow! We really appreciate the support. I'm going to ask around over the next day or so, to see what kinds of stuff people need. If you have some old parts or tools laying around that you'd like to send, PM me and we'll work it out. I'll get a list of needed parts, ect. up tomorrow. I want to co-ordinate it to make sure everything that's donated is being used.
Notaknob, I'm not sure on the MPS shipping. I know that anything under 16 oz. we can send FROM here for free, but above that I don't know what rates apply. And I don't know about shipping from a military post office in the states to another APO address, honestly I've never done it. Before I was deployed, I always lived off post and used the post office of whatever town I was living in.
Sodak and squash, you both definitely know what I'm talking about with the dust! I just re-serviced my front hub and headset tonight, and they were both pretty nasty. After a thorough cleaning and a healthy serving of fresh grease, they are butter smooth!
I haven't posted a whole lot here, but sure have learned a lot from these forums. It never ceases to amaze me how tight the MTB community can be. Good stuff.
I know the overseas part is free. Usually the only cost is from where you at in the states to where it goes over seas. Example. send from NJ departs for over seas from NY. you pay the costs for the NJ to NY section. The overseas is free.
Ok, here is a complete list of what we need (or could use). If you feel like donating something, just send me a PM and I'll give you my address here.
Tubes (26X1.75-2.35 or equivalent)
Wax chain lube
Grease
8 speed chains
Cabling, both brake and derailleur, and housing.
Rim tape
Bike-specific tools, such as a BB tool, chain whip, cassette lock ring tool (shimano type), ect.
Floor pump, with a dual head
A good long-handle spade-type shovel and dirt rake for jump building
Bike work stand
If you have extra, old parts that you want to get rid of, we can probably use those too. Just ask first, I don't want to waste someone's time and money by having them send us a part we can't use!
And thanks to Brett for the sweet logo, and to the others who have PM'ed me already about sending supplies. We really appreciate your support! Hopefully I'll have some more pictures for you all soon, and we're going to start our video.
I think I have an old floor pump, some tubes, and some grease I could donate to keep you sane in the sandbox. The floor pump's hose leaks but you can still put air in a tube with it! I'll have to rummage around through my garage and see what I can find that might be useful to you. Do you need any tires?
Awesome post!!!!
I'm forwarding your post to the boys at Diamondback Bikes. Don't be surprise if some of your parts needs are met!
Keep up the good work over there and come home safely!
Some of my happiest memories in life took place on my bicycles. - Me
Total respect and honor to you from this Air Force wrench turner. Glad to see that you have the freedom to ride at your location. On my recent deployment to Kyrgyzstan, the base commander had banned bikes. But at least it was relatively safe there.
I will dig through my spares. I think that I have some cables and housing that I can send to you guys. PM me with the address and I will ship it out.
"There are those who would say there's something pathological about the need to ride, and they're probably on to something. I'd wager though that most of the society-approved compulsions leave deeper scars in the psyche than a need to go and ride a bicycle on a mountain." Cam McRea
You know if you were at home, you could get all that stuff at a local bike shop. it's easy, and no body is shooting at you, you don't have to get in a million dollar armoured car to get there.
Why don't you just come home, and bring your closest 165,000 friends with you.
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Hope things go good for you over there. Thanks for sharing and stay safe!
Originally Posted by PunkerTFC
I had a hard enough time keeping the "flour" sand out of my mouth and eyes, more less a headset and BB. 
