Zizzo Liberte - folding bike

[A2022]

the Forte comes with a Brompton style bag mount on the frame. this is good if you want a front bag because it is not attached to the handlebars. I purchased a 10L bag from Wotancraft with a generic Brompton mount. I needed to remove a portion of the plastic to allow it to fit the mount catch. after I ground away the portion, I realized it could have probably been popped of and is some type of adjustment feature. anyway, it catches now and is secure. I feel like I am groping around to get this bike ready for overnight touring, but I will learn as I go. especially, after a couple trips to Upper Michigan, after the snow melts. get there fast and then ride slowly.

[A2022]

-5C this AM but warmed to 5C in the afternoon and was very nice. water and hot coffee in the aircraft double cup holder. busted out mid-morning and hit the bike path, then brunch and the mountain bike trails (MBT) for a couple hours. the MBT are fun! I always need to unzip to cool off. it's a good work out. all I think about is the next bend in the path, that's it. I was breaking in the Liberte bike #2, and it passed with flying colors. I'm beating these Liberte bikes up with roots and rocks, but they are holding up for now. I brunch was really good as I tried Huevos Rancheros with homemade habanero sauce. it was great! the habanero sauce, then drink hot coffee and get a double burn. I am going to lock in on this dish because of the flavor blending. a great day flying and biking. the biking was more fun, but the flying got me there. now I always add the rotating nose wheel chock to the gust lock soft bag. that's all I use for light and mid strength ground winds, very simple.

I also rode to the gorge. it's 70 ft straight down (bikes are not supposed to be there). carved by glacial runoff water more than 20K yrs ago (not very old). a very nice place. I'll be back with geology hammer pick and a 10x glass because the base rock that is exposed was laid down about 500 million yrs ago!

deer off to the left in one photo. I held out some food, she was tempted but didn't take the bait. don't mess with a buck this time of year. they are rutting and aggressive. if a buck tries to stab you, go behind a tree then grab his antlers and force him to the ground. that's my plan anyway.

the bike bag keeps the airplane clean. I don't like a dirty bike, so I'll have to clean that. you want your bike to look good!

Tinlicker - Light Beam
https://youtu.be/pIIp9HGLiSk

[A2022]

getting prepared for Michigan geology in an airplane and on a bike. go see some 3-billion-year-old rocks and perhaps see some Sudbury ejecta (1.85 billion years old). Michigan is the only place in the US to see this. yeah, continents move around, pull apart and squeeze back together, it takes a long time, but an airplane makes it faster to get there.

I think this guy is underrated and really good. Elisa J Piispa PhD (Author), Steven Donald John Baumann PG (Author) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08ZQ ... UTF8&psc=1

latest GTSV6

[rockwoodrv9a]

Steve,
There is a pretty good youtube video on the Sudbury meteor strike. I cant remember the womans name but she does a bunch of videos on visiting the UP. It may be Ann or Allie and last name starts with R but should be easy to find. We just watched the Sudbury ejecta video last night. She had a geologist explaining the whole thing.

I flew up to Boyne Mt yesterday for lunch. It was perfect flying weather up here. When are you planning to head up to UP?

[A2022]

Steve,
There is a pretty good youtube video on the Sudbury meteor strike. I cant remember the womans name but she does a bunch of videos on visiting the UP. It may be Ann or Allie and last name starts with R but should be easy to find. We just watched the Sudbury ejecta video last night. She had a geologist explaining the whole thing.

I flew up to Boyne Mt yesterday for lunch. It was perfect flying weather up here. When are you planning to head up to UP?

probably, not until June, so it will be a while. in 2021 I visited the Kewanna in early June and there was no snow, but they said it was there two weeks prior. I think late May or early June is good. no bugs at that time and still cool. I need the snow to be gone so I can see the rocks. they have snow monitoring websites I can view. I will make a couple local runs on my touring folding bike with gear loaded for testing. after being on the Keweenaw for only a couple days, I want to go back. I did notice Lake Superior water is very cold. a downed pilot in that water may last 10 minutes but not much more.

I think this guy and gal give good folding bike touring tips and tricks. they travel inexpensively, my style. https://youtu.be/TN84qv6KFeA

I have not landed at Boyne Mt but did land and several other airports around there. I think the upper mitten is a beautiful place to fly. I am not sure what to call the upper mitten: 1) Upper Michigan 2) the lower peninsula 3) the Traverse City area 4) Northern Michigan?

https://www.upsnowmobiling.com/trail-re ... per-harbor

[A2022]

this is the Zizzo Forte bike. the touring bike with upgraded panniers but I have heel strike, so I need to address that. I have a couple ideas, the first one I will try is to print an adapter. Winter is a good time to get it squared away. I have a feeling I will be using some straps. I saw a guy that simply uses old inner tubes as straps.

[A2022]

I need a pannier lower attachment arm. thinking of printing something.





****************

maybe something like this, nylon / carbon fiber? this will have some lateral motion, but I think that is OK. it just needs to restrain in the downwards direction from a bungee. needs to restain about 1 lb. and will have some impact loading. nest the upper in the Y joint with half tube contours. add a bolt at the cutout notch. mirror it for the opposite side. or perhaps I should buy a welder and use some steel tubing.

[A2022]

quick and dirty.

[A2022]

I think this is going to work. this bracket moves my panniers aft, so I don't have heel strike when I pedal. first print, good fit and very secure. I don't believe I will need nylon / carbon fiber for this. this plastic should be fine, not much load. need to make and install the opposite side and then test for bike folding interference, but I think it will be fine.

[A2022]

loaded baggage test runs were good. 18 lb of water in the front bag. printing the left-side pannier support bracket now. angled the mating bracket surface to fit flush and pocket recess to clear tube and weldment. rounded the corner of the bracket to eliminate any sharp edges. where the tent is now, I'll replace with a medium sized backpack. I like the black and green color scheme.

[A2022]

Zizzo Forte pannier brackets are on, and they seem good. full up riding trips will be the real test.

[A2022]

first airplane/bike ride of 2023. for $80K you can buy the red/white jet. I spent most of the ride adjusting a new helmet mirror. I am not happy with it yet. closer to the eye is better than farther away. a very good day. birds and traffic were plentiful today.

it's almost like Ohio didn't have Winter this year. I may need to move farther North.

my wife is a head banger at heart.
AC/DC - It's A Long Way to the Top (IF You Wanna Rock ' n' Roll)
https://youtu.be/eQluGs2SFRs

shake it Baby!

[A2022]

Forte baggage..... need to print a fwd cross member for the rack to carry the backpack. test rides were good for this location of the backpack. getting ready for Northern Michigan. it's too hot in Ohio. need to get back to 5C weather and roll in the snow. I am going to be the old guy on the loaded folding bike in the Keweenaw, but first, Sleeping Bear dunes and Empire for the test ride. pump up the music! when I cruise up to Art's Tavern on my bike in Northern Michigan, the hard Winter gals will see me as candy. yeah, all you need to say is, "hey, how's it going"?

working on my Spanish, nice music flow and smooth, Karol G
KAROL G MAÑANA SERA BONITO - Album Completo
https://youtu.be/ralBwWM7l4c

and yes, I have read Henri Hobarts Journal, Copper Country Journal.
https://www.amazon.com/Copper-Country-J ... 0814323421

when they said "Go West Young Man, Go West" they were talking about the Keweenaw. that was West, copper country, geological masterpiece.












*************

pushing my printer to max size envelope, 16 inch. this one doesn't need to be pretty. it just needs to work and be lightweight.






***********

could have had bigger tabs on the ends (what was I thinking) but it should work. I could probably take some weight out.










*************

the lightweight gear has arrived, but where to find water to use my life straw?

rain cover for the backpack when it becomes wet.







****************

well, the crossbar didn't work out as I still have heel strike when the peals are at my toes. I don't want any heel strike. for these short wheelbase folding bikes, you have to keep it narrow to avoid heel strike. I think I can get all my gear into this set up. hey, it takes me awhile for this, I'm a newbie for bike touring. put a rain cover over the sleeping bag if needed. sleeping bag rated to 2C.

[A2022]

Forte.... rain covers, headlight /taillight, rock pick and shovel, vest. need to mount a rolled metal sifting screen. need a sheath for the pick. I think I could pierce to the center of a bear's brain if I came down hard, but I am truly nice to animals and deer leave their fawns at my porch for the day and I help turtles cross the road.

need to make some GO bags:
Camping GO bag
Geology GO bag
Bike riding GO bag

here's a tip: rotate the bike tire inflation stems upwards so you can easily air them in the plane, I like to inflate these to 110psi. tomorrow I ride in order to stay in shape. high of 9C, winds medium from the NE, perfect. I'll ride the Liberte, it is a fast little bike, 20+ mph. the Forte is like a truck but the ride is very good, the best I can describe, it is like a Ford F-150.

the airplane will become a time machine, as I will be finding things from thousands of years ago.

Jan Blomqvist - The Space In Between
https://youtu.be/2nXFrk6y4BE

Way Out West - Oceans feat. Liu Bei
https://youtu.be/IcpfIVA_e_I

use this song just after takeoff and feel the air because the mathematics that allows us to fly has been done and it is beautiful:
AC/DC - You Shook Me All Night Long (Official Video) it's fun to be the monkey and it's OK to have fun!
https://youtu.be/Lo2qQmj0_h4
https://youtu.be/xRQnJyP77tY

if all goes well, my elevator hinges will stay attached.

[A2022]

Liberte ride, Springfield airport to Yellow Springs. stopped by Sunrise Cafe for the Huevos Rancheros and had them bring more of their exclusive organic Habanero sauce. after I added the second shot glass full on top, I think I earned their respect as they seemed to treat me differently, hovering around. rode the mountain bike trail and only saw one other person. swapped to lighter weight gloves there. there were books at several farm houses, must be readers there. some eggs for sale on the road then saw a burned house and stopped to talk to the electrician that asked about my bike. he said the owner also raised chickens and was trying to heat the coups using 14 gage very long extension cords. obviously, it didn't work out and he said it went up quickly and kids jumped from the top floor in the back to escape. my heart goes out to them. took a different route at the crossroad. walked into the lumber smelling place and asked them what they do. they make doors and window frames and other stuff. next time I get a tour. a big sawdust catcher out front. my favorite thing about the Springfield airport amenities is the water fill. a very good day riding 20 miles. the Zizzo and gear worked perfectly, and I finally understood the helmet mirror settings. oh yeah, Dunkin Donuts has the worst coffee and donuts on the planet. Sunrise cafe coffee is some of the best, small cups and they keep it hot.

I noticed there are a lot of mature women with medium to long hair in tights in Yellow Springs and I had some nice smiles, but they were in big groups.

[A2022]

magnifier for examining rocks. cheap but effective. another addition to the Geology GO bag. I already had one of the same to inspect the plane.






***************

sheath for the geology rock hammer. it's a beast.

[A2022]

Urbana Ohio, Grimes Field.... too much fun for one day. Urbana has more to offer than I expected. a great trip. Cedar Bog... it's really a Fen. riding the boardwalk was a blast! I highly recommend a bike!

a helicopter landing while I was refueling. he was close. good thing I left my gust locks on when I pulled the aircraft to pump or he would have destroyed my rudder, hooking around my tail. I almost jumped on my tail to hold it down, but I had fuel nozzle in my hand. I asked how he was doing, he didn't say much, just looked at the ground. that is the first time I have had a helicopter land next to me at a pump.

78 hrs on the the oil, I changed it, but probably didn't need to. that is a photo of the used oil, not the new oil. the filter was clean. what the hell am I doing changing this clean oil? I don't know, filters and oil are expensive.

did I say, I highly recommend a bike! several times today, I said to myself, " this is too good to be true ".

today I learned I can hang my helmet from the bike post bag when I am just around the airport. a small thing but could come in handy.

the burger sliders were really good at Crabill's and folks were wrapped around that place in their cars. double patty, relish, honey mustard and fried onions. what more can you ask?

Van's, see the rivets in shear, not poked into thin sheet in tension. 1940 vintage, they knew what they were doing. SHEAR! not tension on rivets like the elevator hinge rivets on RV aircraft. that's a no-no. perpetual inspection. after that thumping on the tail by the helicopter, I need to inspect the hinges again.

I wish everyday could be like today! everything good, except the helicopter, but that was OK. I will ride these Zizzo bikes thousands of miles.

Nora En Pure – Gratitude
https://youtu.be/0QeL9cZ7EOs

[A2022]

planning a bike ride in Columbus IN tomorrow. it looks like they have a nice bike trail around the city and some good pizza at ZwanzigZ. a new riding location for me. the dedicated bike trail starts at the airport. I'll probably extend this ride some around the downtown because it is not very long. I'm going to get fat riding my bike, need to get back to running, the weather is warming.





******************************

the ZwanzigZ pizza I ordered scored 5/10. I ordered a Margarita pizza that was not on their menu, but they made it for me anyway. next time, I will say with their menu items. maybe next time I will try Columbus Ohio, (a different Columbus) East Coast Pizza, review by Barstool, Barstool Pizza Review - East Coast Pizzeria (Columbus, OH) https://youtu.be/FZm2W--vvFY. I prefer my pizza to have crunch when you bite into it.

Columbus IN is a great place to visit and ride around. this was Sunday around noon time and most places were closed, like they should be. the people I met were very nice and wanted to talk about their town and I received some good info. some really nice architecture there. you can't go wrong with a trip to Columbus IN. a lazy Sunday, good weather, nice people, a bike = a very good day!

New aircraft display in Columbus IN, C-119, the flying boxcar. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairchild ... ing_Boxcar

Cummings engine plant is located in Columbus IN.

En route, I see that Greensburg IN is getting a new runway about twice a long as the old one, but still easy access to the ice cream stand.

[A2022]

planning for Columbus Ohio this Thurs. should be a good ride and get in some better milage. ride from OSU airport to the State Capitol building and maybe find something good to eat along the way. riding a bigger city. need to load some big city music in my phone.

Queen - Fat Bottomed Girls (Official Video)
https://youtu.be/VMnjF1O4eH0




places in Ohio where I have ridden in the bast 6 months.



*****
seat change for the red Liberte. the one on that bike was too small for me. upgrading to another Milano. adjusted the latch on the bar as it needed a quarter turn. easy to do. ready to go.












***********
Columbus OH, OSU airport is one of the best around. first time for me to go there. the facilities are immaculate, and it was hopping. what a great trip! I think I rode about 30 miles today. No problems. need to push it to 40 miles because I will need to be able to do that in the Keweenaw. a lot of photos. Spring is here because I had my first companion on the return flight. I offered him a headset for the music because I had eaten all the snacks, but he declined (the last photo). he waved goodbye as he exited the canopy upon landing. OSU airport uses a robot mower for the front. you can't go wrong riding a bike in Columbus, OH.

Papa Giorgios, I would score this pizza a solid 8 (not the frozen pizza scale but the real deal). a score of 8 is something you would drive across town to get. it was good. I called about 3 miles out and it was ready when I walked in the door.

Barstool Pizza Review - OH Pizza and Brew (Columbus, OH) (a bad scoring pizza, don't go there)
https://youtu.be/oLa9ozD3WzE

[A2022]

planning for Dayton OH or Muncie IN on Sunday. there are a lot of things to do in Dayton. I should ride my bike to the Wright Brothers Aviation Historical Park and their bicycle shop, the Dayton Art Institute, and the Boonshoft Science Center, and Old Scratch Pizza (very high ratings). a lot to do one day. I may also find some ice cream.... Ben & Jerry's is close by. Flying into Moraine OH airport. Moraine OH got its name for being located on a glacier moraine. there is A LOT of aviation history in Dayton and that is an understatement. as Foresty Forest would say, A LOT, A LOT.

you know what a good trip would be for out of towners: fly into Moraine, get a bike, tour all the good aviation places (Air Force Museaum, Clarillon Park, Wright Bros Bicycle Shop, pay homage at the Wright Bros grave site, etc. , stay one night at an Airbnb, eat pizza and ice cream, see some more good stuff the next day, ride back to Moraine and fly away. you can do it all on a bike in Dayton. I'll check on bike availability at Moraine. that would be a good two-day trip. the problem is the Air Force Museum is so big it can eat up a whole day. it's that good! you may want to make it a 3-day tour. hey, cruise more on the bike and eat more pizza. I am finding that Ohio is a very good destination for flying, biking and eating.

Nora En Pure - Aquatic
https://youtu.be/rzRsQw2gUCY

Nora En Pure – Gratitude
https://youtu.be/0QeL9cZ7EOs



**********

this was a great trip! you can't go wrong riding Dayton OH. the Great Miami River was high, big water. too many photos..... it was a full day and met some nice people. a quick flight and not even enough time to heat my oil. total cost for the day was $60 and that includes food and fuel. I'll have you know; I dusted some 10-speed road bikes on the trail with my folding bike. the Liberte folding bike is fast!

to save some time, my trip was this:
Moraine OH airport, I73
Dayton Institute of Art (rivals any Art Institute and beautiful sandstone building, unbelievable, I spent too much time there)
Old Scratch Pizza, Dave from one bite gave this place a 7.7 score and I think that is correct, Neapolitan pizza is not my style, but it was good.
Wright Brothers grave site, people leave a penny https://www.dayton.com/what-to-love/mem ... ZWTS5RVSQ/
Dayton University, rode the campus area
Ben & Jerry's ice cream (Graeter's ice cream is better, Cincinnati based)
Carillon Park, a quick stop
Moraine OH airport