Long about 1996 a guy named Karl Abby teamed up with Gardner Martin of Easy Racer fame to make the Super Zzipper fairing. They made it for Fast Freddy Markham, and I'm sure glad they did. Cause now a fairing and my Easy Racer bike go hand in hand...

I was out today riding in the balmy 50 degree morning temp, but I had a strong head wind going out west. It was blowing around 22 to 25 mph.... Now other than not getting the normal speed I would expect for this stretch of road I was riding, I thought just maybe cause yesterday I got in my first outside ride in a long time I was just a bit tired today..

I turned the bike around after a 10 mile run and headed back towards the van. Now I was running in higher gears, and popping some decent speed. Then I realized that I had a tail wind that was filling this fairing, and I just had to let the Games Begin. This ride was on what I would classify rolling but mostly flat roads. No advantage of terrain in either direction. Now get some wind that is either head on, or a tail wind, it's a different ballgame..

I did a roll-down test with this fairing when I first got it two years ago, and I picked up an honest just shy of two miles an hour on an unassisted roll down my favorite hill....... I thought at the time, now I know one of the things this fairing is good for. But today silly me finally realizes that under power, with the wind at my back, I got to come in 4 mph faster on a ride than I went out at...... Nothing but smiles here because of that........

Now if they could only do something about how easily these things scratch. I've given up on having a perfect fairing. But let me tell you, summer I ride with it on even on the hottest days. I used to get at least one bee-sting a summer to the face. Now I haven't had one in the two years I've owned this one, and I can't believe how many bees have bounced off this thing while riding..... I still carry an Epi Pen.........

In the winter time, my hands are basically behind the fairing while riding. Gloves and the fairling keep the old fingers warm as can be. I used to feel wind in my chest on cold days, that is a thing of the past with the fairing. Now there is a warning, and that is a stiff or sudden cross-wind can throw you around. I had just one day where we went out into the country to ride, and got terrific cross-wind bursts. I got blown across two lanes of country road. Glad no cars were close. But when something like this happens, I just take off the four plastic bolts that hold the puppy on, and roll it up like a newspaper and stow it in the back bag on the seat.

Hope everyone got to get out and log some miles today......... Hey Mark, finally you get some bad weather, but if you want to trade heads up, Illinois for out west weather, you on buddy!......