Pistons Then Pedals

While March was unseasonably hot for Phoenix, April has been pleasant with a perfect backdrop for a weekend of cycling through Tempe.

Solo Bike Ride to Tempe

I often ride with a group now on Saturday mornings. However, with the Canyon briefly out of service for repairs, I turned to my Fuji. This bike lends itself to long distance rides at a casual pace, rather than fast rides. My rides tend to be more about enjoying the ride itself, stopping for photos, and embracing the time outside. The music in my earbud tends to be lo-fi when I’m on the Jari.

My intended destination for this day was Old Town Scottsdale. I figured I would ride to Scottsdale, take some photos along the way, get a coffee, and then head back. This year’s goal has also been to build an Instagram page, so video was also an objective for the ride.

As I pedaled through downtown Tempe, a sign indicated “Event Ahead.”

“Oh. ASU must be doing something,” I thought to myself.

That was an understatement. I completely forgot the Pat Tillman Run was last weekend.

The Pat Tillman Run, which attracts tens of thousands of runners, is a 4.2 mile running event through Tempe which honors Pat Tillman, a former ASU player who became an NFL player. He then left the NFL to become an Army Ranger. In 2004, Tillman was tragically killed by friendly fire while serving in Afghanistan. More information about the Pat Tillman Run can be found here: Pat’s Run 2026: 22nd Annual Run | Pat Tillman Foundation

Traveling along Tempe Town Lake, a constant stream of runners in yellow shirts flowed past on the adjacent road. It was clear I was not going to be able to travel north without a massive detour.

So, I stopped, appreciated the view of the lake for a few minutes, and began my ride home. I was not frustrated with the detour. In fact, I was grateful for the weather and for being able to live in an area which does events like this.

Replacing the Bottom Bracket on My Canyon Endurace AL

On Saturday afternoon, UPS delivered my new bottom bracket for the Canyon. The new part is a TorqTite bottom bracket from Enduro Bearings. This type of bottom bracket is similar to a pressfit, except that the part threads together. This is meant to reduce creaking, a common issue with true pressfit applications.

While my bike is entirely black, I chose the blue bottom bracket (BKS-0122). It seemed like a nice pop of color. Also, it was $30 less than the black model, which, as far as I could tell, is the same except for the color.

Installation was easy and Enduro includes well-written printed installation instructions within the box. I also ordered their installation tools, which are made in-house and are of high quality.

Enduro Bearings is based out of Oakland, CA, and produces a number of components (Enduro Bearings Cycling Products – endurobearings.com).

Open Streets Tempe: Community Cycling Event   

Sunday was another day for biking. I wanted to test the bottom bracket on the Canyon, so it was the vehicle for the day. My destination was Tempe’s Open Streets event. This is an annual city-sanctioned event which encourages community through active transportation. More information about the event can be found here: Open Streets Tempe

This year’s event featured a “bike parade” which was a slow-speed group ride through Tempe on closed roads. The police department directed traffic as the large group navigated through the city’s diverse neighborhoods. There was also live music, vendors, and artists.

I have no idea how many people attended the event, but it appeared to be thousands.

Wearing flat shoes, the Canyon performed admirably at slow speeds. I wore casual street clothes for the event and, after enjoying a beer at The Shop Beer Co., put my SPD shoes back on, and headed home.