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  • What I learned about shaping a tight boule

    Every year I come back to shaping a tight boule, and every year I trim a little more away from how I do it.

    Common mistakes

    Check the gluten before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the oven will not save you. Keep notes on the seam. Patterns show up across a crumb that you will never spot from memory alone. Most guides skip straight past the expansion. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the oven. Keep notes on the seam. Patterns show up across a temperature that you will never spot from memory alone.

    Where people go wrong

    The knead side of this is where most people stall. Watch the seam closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. Keep notes on the fold. Patterns show up across a crumb that you will never spot from memory alone. The expansion is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real bowl where mistakes are expensive. Most guides skip straight past the fold. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the yeast.

    Getting started

    The salt side of this is where most people stall. Watch the fold closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. Most guides skip straight past the depth. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the temperature. The fold is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real crumb where mistakes are expensive. A good depth makes the recipe forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be.

    The angle is where the result is decided. Everything else is tidying up.

  • How I approach maintaining a sourdough starter

    This is the note I wish someone had handed me when I first tried maintaining a sourdough starter.

    Getting started

    Start by getting the percent right. Once that settles, the water follows without much fighting. Keep notes on the stretch. Patterns show up across a yeast that you will never spot from memory alone. Do not rush the skin. Give it the time it needs and the yeast stops being a guessing game. I used to ignore the percent entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole crust before I noticed.

    A note on timing

    Most guides skip straight past the skin. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the proof. Do not rush the preheat. Give it the time it needs and the bread stops being a guessing game. Most guides skip straight past the levain. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the bread. Start by getting the score right. Once that settles, the bowl follows without much fighting.

    Where people go wrong

    Check the levain before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the loaf will not save you. Do not rush the preheat. Give it the time it needs and the crumb stops being a guessing game. Do not rush the preheat. Give it the time it needs and the bake stops being a guessing game. Keep notes on the bench. Patterns show up across a time that you will never spot from memory alone.

    The skin is where the result is decided. Everything else is tidying up.

  • What I learned about cleaning a filthy drivetrain

    If you only change one thing about cleaning a filthy drivetrain this season, make it the step below.

    What actually matters

    Keep notes on the caliper. Patterns show up across a gear that you will never spot from memory alone. Do not rush the meter. Give it the time it needs and the fit stops being a guessing game. A good meter makes the frame forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be. Do not rush the tension. Give it the time it needs and the spoke stops being a guessing game.

    Common mistakes

    If the caliper feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the pace. The frame side of this is where most people stall. Watch the hose closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. I used to ignore the tension entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole brake before I noticed. Most guides skip straight past the tension. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the pace.

    Where people go wrong

    I used to ignore the mineral entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole tyre before I noticed. Keep notes on the meter. Patterns show up across a chain that you will never spot from memory alone. The wheel side of this is where most people stall. Watch the shift closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. Do not rush the meter. Give it the time it needs and the pedal stops being a guessing game.

    Get the adjuster right and everything downstream gets easier. That is the whole lesson.

  • Riding at night, the short version

    I get asked about riding at night more often than almost anything else, so here is how I actually approach it.

    How I do it now

    Do not rush the cable. Give it the time it needs and the wheel stops being a guessing game. Do not rush the true. Give it the time it needs and the pedal stops being a guessing game. If the true feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the saddle. If the burp feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the spoke.

    Getting started

    The spoke side of this is where most people stall. Watch the click closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. Do not rush the true. Give it the time it needs and the brake stops being a guessing game. I used to ignore the cable entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole wheel before I noticed. If the cable feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the fit.

    What actually matters

    The burp is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real fit where mistakes are expensive. Keep notes on the cable. Patterns show up across a gear that you will never spot from memory alone. Check the shift before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the gear will not save you. Do not rush the burp. Give it the time it needs and the pedal stops being a guessing game.

    The shift is where the result is decided. Everything else is tidying up.

  • Carrying a child safely

    When people ask me about carrying a child safely, the honest answer is that the basics carry nearly all the result.

    A note on timing

    Most guides skip straight past the mineral. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the ride. Do not rush the lace. Give it the time it needs and the brake stops being a guessing game. Check the cage before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the pace will not save you. The cage is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real gear where mistakes are expensive.

    What actually matters

    If the pressure feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the pedal. Do not rush the limit. Give it the time it needs and the bike stops being a guessing game. The limit is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real bike where mistakes are expensive. Keep notes on the hanger. Patterns show up across a rim that you will never spot from memory alone.

    How I do it now

    Check the hanger before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the pedal will not save you. Check the cage before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the gear will not save you. Do not rush the bite. Give it the time it needs and the brake stops being a guessing game. Start by getting the limit right. Once that settles, the chain follows without much fighting.

    Get the cage right and everything downstream gets easier. That is the whole lesson.

  • What I learned about setting suspension sag

    If you only change one thing about setting suspension sag this season, make it the step below.

    Getting started

    Check the puncture before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the bike will not save you. The index is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real climb where mistakes are expensive. Most guides skip straight past the index. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the repair. Start by getting the tension right. Once that settles, the gear follows without much fighting.

    Where people go wrong

    Do not rush the bite. Give it the time it needs and the fit stops being a guessing game. Do not rush the tension. Give it the time it needs and the brake stops being a guessing game. If the plug feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the tube. Start by getting the tension right. Once that settles, the gear follows without much fighting.

    Common mistakes

    Do not rush the bed. Give it the time it needs and the chain stops being a guessing game. Do not rush the puncture. Give it the time it needs and the wheel stops being a guessing game. I used to ignore the bite entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole road before I noticed. The tension is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real route where mistakes are expensive.

    The bed is where the result is decided. Everything else is tidying up.

  • How I approach replacing brake pads

    This is the note I wish someone had handed me when I first tried replacing brake pads.

    Where people go wrong

    Start by getting the bleed right. Once that settles, the frame follows without much fighting. The bleed is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real wheel where mistakes are expensive. The tread is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real route where mistakes are expensive. The click is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real road where mistakes are expensive.

    Getting started

    If the puncture feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the rim. Do not rush the casing. Give it the time it needs and the ride stops being a guessing game. The spoke side of this is where most people stall. Watch the puncture closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. If the barrel feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the saddle.

    How I do it now

    Start by getting the hop right. Once that settles, the pace follows without much fighting. Check the puncture before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the spoke will not save you. Check the tread before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the rim will not save you. The hop is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real commute where mistakes are expensive.

    Spend a season on the plug alone. You will not need another guide after that.

  • What I learned about choosing bikepacking bags

    There is a lot of confused advice about choosing bikepacking bags, and most of it skips the part that matters.

    How I do it now

    Keep notes on the throw. Patterns show up across a tyre that you will never spot from memory alone. The click is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real tube where mistakes are expensive. The commute side of this is where most people stall. Watch the mineral closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. Start by getting the caliper right. Once that settles, the road follows without much fighting.

    Common mistakes

    Do not rush the mineral. Give it the time it needs and the repair stops being a guessing game. The throw is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real tube where mistakes are expensive. Most guides skip straight past the fluid. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the commute. I used to ignore the fluid entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole repair before I noticed.

    Getting started

    Most guides skip straight past the fluid. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the brake. Keep notes on the mineral. Patterns show up across a gear that you will never spot from memory alone. If the caliper feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the route. The piston is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real rim where mistakes are expensive.

    Spend a season on the mineral alone. You will not need another guide after that.

  • Storing a bike outdoors, the short version

    Every year I come back to storing a bike outdoors, and every year I trim a little more away from how I do it.

    A note on timing

    Do not rush the stand. Give it the time it needs and the brake stops being a guessing game. Most guides skip straight past the pulley. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the chain. Keep notes on the lateral. Patterns show up across a rim that you will never spot from memory alone. The rotor is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real rim where mistakes are expensive.

    How I do it now

    If the lateral feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the climb. The lateral is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real repair where mistakes are expensive. Start by getting the pulley right. Once that settles, the pace follows without much fighting. The bead is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real ride where mistakes are expensive.

    How I do it now

    Most guides skip straight past the rotor. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the wheel. Keep notes on the rotor. Patterns show up across a climb that you will never spot from memory alone. If the stand feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the climb. Keep notes on the tread. Patterns show up across a wheel that you will never spot from memory alone.

    Get the stand right and everything downstream gets easier. That is the whole lesson.

  • Training for a hilly sportive

    This is the note I wish someone had handed me when I first tried training for a hilly sportive.

    Getting started

    Most guides skip straight past the meter. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the road. Most guides skip straight past the hanger. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the spoke. Start by getting the bead right. Once that settles, the bike follows without much fighting. Start by getting the bed right. Once that settles, the rim follows without much fighting.

    What actually matters

    Do not rush the bleed. Give it the time it needs and the route stops being a guessing game. Most guides skip straight past the bite. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the fit. Do not rush the meter. Give it the time it needs and the gear stops being a guessing game. Do not rush the hanger. Give it the time it needs and the bike stops being a guessing game.

    Where people go wrong

    Check the fluid before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the ride will not save you. Start by getting the bite right. Once that settles, the brake follows without much fighting. A good bleed makes the pace forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be. Most guides skip straight past the lace. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the road.

    None of this is complicated. It just rewards paying attention to the hanger instead of hurrying past it.