New Sea Sucker Bike Rack...

A Bike in Need of Repair

Back in May of this year, at the start of a 20 mile bike ride on a late Saturday morning, the inflatable tube in the rear tire of my Trek Bikes Hybrid FX 2.0 bike exploded. Not only did the inflatable tube explode, there was a long gash in the rear tire. As a result, I had to walk back to my mother's house while pushing the bike. I was disappointed, but I wasn't exactly angry. I knew that my bike was a ticking time bomb. It was just a matter of time before I needed to make a major repair of some kind.

Some Background

The Bike Lane of Reston, VA

I originally bought the hybrid bike from a bike shop known as The Bike Lane that used to be located at the Reston Town Center in Reston, VA, during the summer of 2014. The Bike Lane used to be a short walk down the street from the infamous Jackson's Mighty Fine Food and Lucky Lounge. The Bike Lane is now located at 11150 Sunset Hills Drive near Wiehle Metro station. The Bike Lane was a pretty good store to just walk and look around. I knew nothing about Trek Bikes, but I liked what I saw. One Sunday afternoon in July 2014, I was walking around Reston Town Center and noticed that The Bike Lane was having a sale. Moreover, there were people inside and outside the store, which was unusual. Curious, I walked into the store for the first time. I discovered that The Bike Lane had reduced their prices on all of the Trek Bikes they had in stock. For some time, I was thinking about buying a hybrid bike, so I could ride the bike trails in Reston and Herndon since I developed osteoarthritis in both knees and could no longer go jogging. I gave my driver's license to the store manager and took the bike for a test ride around Reston Town Center. I had a fun time riding the bike. The regular price for the Hybrid FX 2.0 bike was $650. However, with the promotion, the bike was on sale for $500. Plus, the store manager reduced the price of the bike by $50 since the bike already had some scratches on the frame. I ended up buying both the bike and a bike helmet. I then rode the bike along the Washington and Old Dominion Trail through Reston to Herndon, VA and on to Ashburn, VA. Due to a fortunate series of events, most of the parts on my hybrid bike never needed maintenance of any kind. When I rode my bike on the bike trails around the Reston-Herndon-Ashburn, VA area, I never had any problems. Not even a flat tire. When I moved Columbia, MD, in 2016, I still didn't have any problems with my bike. However, when the lease on my apartment next to Columbia Mall expired in June 2017, I had the moving company ship my bike to my mother's house in Sun City, AZ. For several years, my Trek Hybrid FX 2.0 bike collected dust in the garage, while getting baked by the Arizona heat.

Presta Valve versus Schrader Valve

Southwest Bicycles of Peoria, AZ

When I moved back to Arizona from living in the Washington, D.C.-Baltimore, MD area for 13 years this past November, one of my goals was to get my bike back up and running. One of the first things I did was go over to the nearest bike shop, Southwest Bicycles in nearby Peoria, AZ, and buy two new inflatable bike tubes for the tires. When I went to buy the new inflatable bike tubes, I had a decision to make. Was I going to buy inflatable bike tubes with a Presta valve or inflatable tubes with a Schrader valve? Not really understanding the difference between the two different valves, I went with the Presta valves. After all, inflatable bike tubes are inflatable bike tubes, right? Big mistake. There are big differences between the two bike tube types. My Trek Hybrid bike originally came with inflatable tubes that had Schrader valves. I should have bought two inflatable bike tubes with Schrader valves. That's probably a good rule of thumb to remember when buying replacement parts for your bike. When you buy replacement parts for your bike, try to stay with what your bike originally came with.

Bike Tube with Presta Valve

After buying two inflatable bike tubes with Presta valves, a brand new Trek hand pump, and some other miscellaneous items for my bike, I took everything back to my mother's house to get to work. After some difficulty, I managed to replace the old inflatable bike tubes with Schrader valves with the new inflatable bike tubes with the Presta valves. I then inflated both tubes with my brand new Trek hand pump. Something didn't seem quite right. There was an issue with the inflatable bike tubes. Knowing that my hybrid bike had never received any kind of maintenance, I went ahead and made an appointment with Southwest Bicycles to perform a tune-up on my bike.

Bike Tube with Schrader Valve

On the day I picked up my bike from South West Bikes, I took my bike for a ride on the New River Trail that is literaly right next to Southwest Bicycles. After riding as far north as Happy Valley Road in northern Peoria (or is it Glendale?), I heard a loud PSSSSHHHHH!!!!!! sound come from my bike as I was heading south near Beardsley Road on the New River Trail. The front tire was completely flat. I tried using a CO2 cartridge to inflate the front tube. No luck. After taking a short break, I walked my bike all the way back to Southwest Bicycles. After explaining what happened, Southwest Bicycles explained to me that several customers had similar experiences to mine. The apparent cause was the Presta valve in the inflatable tube of the front tire. One of the repair technicians replaced the inflatable tube with the Presta valve with an inflatable tube with a Schrader valve. The repair technician even inserted a thorn guard between the inflatable tube and the tire. The repair technician also inflated the tires to the appropriate level. Belive it or not, Southwest Bicycles performed this repair for FREE. I was surprised. I was prepared to pay for the replacement inflatable bike tube, but they turned me down. For the next couple of months, I didn't have any problems with my Trek Hybrid FX 2.0 bike, riding on the New River Trail and on roads in Sun City. Then, the inflatable tube in the rear tire exploded on a Saturday in May 2024. The reason? You guessed it, the inflatable tube had a Presta valve.

Another Problem

I removed the rear tire from the bike and took it back to Southwest Bicycles. Since it was already after 4:00 PM on a Saturday afternoon, I was told that the repair technicians would not be able to take a look at my bike's tire until Monday at the earliest. Not a problem, I said. Then, on Sunday afternoon, I received a phone call from a repair technician at Southwest Bicycles. He said that the issue was with the Presta valve. He said that when the bike tube exploded, it created a long gash in the tire. He said that he installed a new inflatable tube with a Schrader valve. Additionally, he replaced the original tire with a new one. When I brought back the new rear tire to my mother's house from South West Bikes, things got rather interesting.

Since it had been so long since I had to replace a rear tire, I had to watch a couple of videos on how to do the task. Since I don't have a bicycle repair stand, I had to remove my cell phone holder, my headlamp, my saddlebags, and the rack. With some difficulty, I managed to mount the rear tire. I had enonormous difficulty with the bike chain. I also had problems with disconnecting the brake pads from the brake cable. Still, I managed to get the rear tire mounted to the bike frame. Yet, there was another problem. The new problem was that the brakes no longer worked properly. The brake pads clamped shut on the tire. Additionally, the brake handle no longer worked. I disconnected the brake pads a second time. I then removed the rear tire from the bike frame. Then, somehow, the bike chain inexplicably twisted upon itself. I went to YouTube and watched a couple of videos on how to untwist a bike chain. None of the techniques worked on my bike chain. With no way to transport my bike to Southwest Bicycles, my bike sat in my mom's garage.

My Trek Hybrid Bike with Twisted Bike Chain

SeaSucker Bike Rack

My car, a Nissan Maxima 2010 SV, has a rear spoiler above the trunk. Finding a bike rack for my car has been very difficult. Because of the rear spoiler, I cannot use a bike rack that attaches to the trunk. Sorry, Thule, Yakima, and Saris. In order to use a hitch bike rack on my car, I would need to have a hitch attachment installed underneath my car. Then, I am not too interested in spending several hundreds of dollars on a roof bike rack. While looking through the REI webpage one day, I came across the Talon MAX 1-Bike Rack by SeaSucker. I was disappointed to discover that the Talon MAX 1 bike rack is an online-only item. As a result, you can go to your local REI store and take a look at it. Curious, I went ahead and ordered one from the REI webpage. The Talon MAX 1 bike rack is a roof bike rack that utilizes suction cups to stick to the roof of your car. The Talon MAX 1 comes in two pieces. One piece has three suction cups. This piece is where you attach the front tire. The second piece consists of one suction cup. This is where you attach the rear tire. Unlike bike racks from Thule and Yakima, the Talon MAX 1 bike rack has a simple set up and doesn't require buying any extra equipment. I am really interested in trying it out.

SeaSucker Talon MAX 1 (Front)

SeaSucker Talon MAX 1 (Back)

SeaSucker Talon MAX 1 (Inside Box)

SeaSucker Talon MAX 1 (Instructions)

Here is a video from SeaSucker on how to set up the Talon MAX 1. 

Stay tuned for updates.

Hiking at Thunderbird Conservation Park, Part 1...

First Hike in Maricopa County

This post will be another entry in my continuing series about hiking at various locations throughout Maricopa County. If you like this post, you can view the previous entries in this series here, here, here, here, here, and here.

This post will contain maps, charts, and photographs taken by me.

The first place I hiked in Maricopa County after moving back to Arizona from Maryland was Thunderbird Conservation Park.

Thunderbird Conservation Park Overview Map

It was a rainy Saturday morning on November 18, 2023. Nothing too serious. Not a heavy rain that you would get on a Saturday morning in Maryland. It was a light rain. The kind of rain you would get in the Phoenix area in November. Someone suggested that I go hiking for something to do. Curiously, in my previous visits to the Phoenix area to visit my sister and my mom, I had never been hiking. After an exchange of text messages, my sister recommended that I visit the Thunderbird Conservation Park in nearby Glendale, AZ. The borders of Glendale, AZ are unusual. I always thought that Glendale was primarily centered around the State Farm Stadium and Luke Air Force Base to the northwest of downtown Phoenix. For the most part, that is a true statement. However, Glendale also stretches north between Phoenix to the east and Peoria to the west. The Thunderbird Conservation Park more or less demarcates Glendale's northernmost extent.

The Parking Lot at Thunderbird Conservation Park

After gathering all of my hiking things together, I got in my car and then entered Thunderbird Conservation Park into Google Maps. I then drove north on 99th Street and then east along West Deer Valley Road before making a left turn on N. 59th Ave. After a short distance, I made a left turn onto N. 61st Dr and looked for a parking spot. It was immediately clear that I wasn't the only person who wanted to go hiking that morning. I was fortunate to locate a parking spot for my car. Later on, I would learn that there was an additional parking lot at Thunderbird Conservation Park.

Looking for a Map

After putting on my sun hat, my scarf, my Salomon hiking boots that I once bought from the REI in Fairfax, VA, and my CamelBak as well as filling up my cargo pockets with Clif Bars, a spare USB cable, and a charging bank for my phone, I went looking for an overview map of Thunderbird Conservation Park. 

Getting ready to go hiking at Thunderbird Conservation Park.

By that time, the morning rain had largely dissipated, yet there were large patches of mud everywhere I walked. After a short walk, I found a park map. I quickly realized that the Thunderbird Conservation Park consisted of three separate sections.

• The Coach Whip-Ridgeline-Sunrise Loop Trail
• The Cholla Loop Trail
• The Arrowhead Peak Trail

Overview Map of Thunderbird Conservation Park

After studying the map for a couple of minutes, I made a decision to hike the Coach Whip-Ridgeline-Sunrise Loop Trail on my first visit to Thunderbird Conservation Park.

The Coach Whip-Ridgeline-Sunrise Loop Trail

Since I had parked my car at a parking lot that was closest to the Coachwhip-Ridgeline-Sunrise Loop Trail, it just seemed logical that I should hike on that trail. Given the fact that this was my first hike in several months, I thought that I would do an easy first hike. Something of a getting to know you type of hike. Nothing too strenuous. Nothing too difficult. That was my I idea. Based on the Trails Rating Guide, I'm sure that the Coachwhip-Ridgeline-Sunrise Loop Trail would probably be classified as a trail with Easy-to-Moderate difficulty. 

Trails Rating Guide

Using Google Maps, But Not AllTrails

According to the AllTrails website, the Coach Whip-Ridgeline-Sunrise Loop Trail rates as a trail with moderate difficulty and a 2.2 mile length. The trail maps that I found near the parking lot did not specifically indicate the trail difficulty. However, the map I consulted (see graphic above) did a pretty good job at indicating the types of terrain that would be encountered along my hike.

At various points along my hike, I would also consult Google Maps on my phone for up-to-date location information. In a later hike that I am planning to write about on my blog, I would encounter the fallacy about depending upon Google Maps for hiking trail information.

Just a quick note about AllTrails. I used AllTrails a couple of times for hiking in the Baltimore area when I lived there. I even installed the app on my phone. I am not too sure why I didn't use AllTrails on this hike. My thinking was that the hike would be a relatively simple one.

Hitting the (Wrong) Trail

Once I decided that I was going to hike the Coach Whip-Ridgeline-Sunrise Loop Trail section of Thunderbird Conservation Park, I hit the trail. Almost immediately, I went down the wrong trail. Somehow, I ended up on a trail that led out of the Thunderbird Conservation Park in a southeast direction to N. 59th Ave (see map below).

On the Wrong Trail 

Once I made got my bearings, I was on the Coach Whip-Ridgeline-Sunrise Loop Trail. The landmark of interest that I came across was a large outdoor amphitheater.

Outdoor Ampitheater at Thunderbird Conservation Park - 1

Outdoor Ampitheater at Thunderbird Conservation Park - 2

Outdoor Ampitheater at Thunderbird Conservation Park - 3

After taking some photos of the amphitheater with my cell phone's camera, I began my ascent up the Coach Whip-Ridgeline-Sunrise Loop Trail.

Looking Towards the Cholla Loop and Arrowhead Peak Trails

The Cholla Loop Trail Section at Thunderbird Conservation Park

The Arrowhead Peak Trail Section at Thunderbird Conservation Park

The next landmark that I came across was a structure known at Thunderbird Reservoir. It looks like construction crews cut out a large chunk of the park to create the reservoir. In fact, it appeared as though the reservoir was still under construction due to the presence of construction equipment.

Thunderbird Reservoir - 1

Thunderbird Reservoir - 2

After taking some photos of the Thunderbird Reservoir, I continued my ascent on the Coach Whip-Ridgeline-Sunrise Loop Trail. The views of the Glendale, AZ area continued to get more and more impressive. At the peak, I could see north to Lake Pleasant, southwest to State Farm Stadium in Glendale, and south all the way to downtown Phoenix. Plus, you could see all of the private lakes and golf courses near Thunderbird Conservation Park.

Additional Trails Hiked at Thunderbird Conservation Park

After enjoying the views, eating a Clif Bar, and drinking some water, I made my way down the Coach Whip-Ridgeline-Sunrise Loop Trail. Since the trail was only 2.2 miles in length, I went ahead and started to hike other trails in the Coach Whip-Ridgeline-Sunrise Loop Trail section of Thunderbird Conservation Park. The temperature had to be in the upper 80s. There was a slight breeze in the air. The rainy weather from earlier in the morning had become a distant memory. Moreover, I felt pretty good. My upper body was covered in sweat. As a result, I hiked all the way to the northwest corner of Thunderbird Conservation Park near 67th Avenue. I also hiked the trails along the western, southern, and northern boundaries of the Thunderbird Conservation Park. In all, I think I hiked close to six miles that afternoon. The trail was challenging, yet overly taxing or exhausting. 

At some point during the hike, I stopped taking photos with my cell phone camera. I'm not too sure why I stopped taking photos, but that's what happened. However, the photos I took did turn out to be surprisingly decent.

Ascending the Coach Whip-Ridgeline-Sunrise Loop Trail

Halfway up the Coach Whip-Ridgeline-Sunrise Loop Trail

On the way to the top

Saguaro Cactus - 1

Saguaro Cactus - 2

Heading down the Coach Whip-Ridgeline-Sunrise Loop Trail

Panorama of northern Glendale, AZ

Trail marker at the intersection of the Coach Whip and Ridgeline Trails

Welcome to Thunderbird Conservation Park

Me after hiking six miles

Final Verdict

I enjoyed hiking the Coach Whip-Ridgeline-Sunrise Loop Trail in Glendale, AZ. It was a challenging yet not overly difficult trail to hike, deserving of its moderate rating on the Trails Rating Guide. If the main trail is too short, then you can easily add additional trails in that section of Thunderbird Conservation Park. If the Coach Whip-Ridgeline-Sunrise Loop Trail is too short or not challenging enough or not scenic enough, have I mentioned yet that the Thunderbird Conservation Park consists of two more additional sections? The following week, I did hike the Cholla Loop and Arrowhead Peak Trails at Thunderbird Conservation Park. That will be the subject of a future post on my blog.