on building a hotrod

I think with things being what they are, getting what I want together for a killer off the shelf road bike (Cervelo R3 Di2 Ultegra machine, for example) is just not so likely to happen.

In the world I live in, other pressures than cycling mean that spending serious cash on a bicycle is just not in the cards. Of course, things could change, but I think I am planning on something else.

This makes me think that perhaps the best option is to seriously hotrod my Kona Jake the Snake cyclocross bike in a manner similar to that which I did my now old (but still good performing) S-Works hardtail mountain bike.

So what to do with a 2013 Jake the Snake to make it special when on a budget?

First off, I love the bicycle as a whole. It is a lot of fun. I don't want to change the way it fits me, so changing up the cockpit does not matter to me even though I would like to swap out the components.

From the ground up, this is what I am considering. Prices are based on the respective company's webpages. Dealers may sell for less ;p

Wheelset

The bicycle needs to retain its ability to bang down gravel roads and rail trails and the like while gaining a better more responsive ride than the low end Shimano wheels it comes with offer. I am looking for something lighter, stiffer, and faster rolling than what is on the bicycle now. Either of these options would do the trick I think. I am leaning towards the Zipp.

1. Zipp - Of course, what discussion of wheel sets would be complete without mentioning Zipp? I was thinking of the Zipp 30 clincher as a good all around choice which balances cost and durability. While they are low end, the appear to be very tough and better than much at its price point. ($850)
2. Easton - The Easton EA90 sl was recommended to me by a friend of mine who races. He uses the higher end slx version of the set and loves them. He pointed out that this wheelset will take a good beating, and roll quite nicely. ($900)

Saddle

Nothing to do here. I bought a very light Ti railed unit from Specialized when I got the bike and love it.

Drivetrain

Whole sale changes are planned here. While what is on the bicycle now is good - Shimano Ultegra RD, 105 FD, and 105 brifters - shifting lacks a certain crispness and the chain rubs. The bike is a 10 speed unit. I find that often, the front deraileur often rubs and that drives me nuts.

I have had, for a while now, a hankering to try out a SRAM groupset. While the Red is worthy of a certain amount of gear lust (in much the same way DuraAce or Super Record is), there is nothing wrong with SRAM Force. It is a solid bang for your buck set of components.

1. RD - SRAM Force 22 RD - looks to be a solid and light performer. Gets my vote. ($118)
2. FD - SRAM Force 22 FD - one of the neat features about this one is the way it helps reduce chain rub by the derailleur rotating as it moves outwards to follow the line of the chain better. Apparently, it helps reduce chain rub and noise. Sounds good in theory. ($63)
3. Shifters - SRAM Force 22 doubletap shifters - Needed to be compatible with the SRAM drivetrain - they are nice and light and full of carbon goodness.($469)

Of course, a compatible chain and cassette will have to be sourced. I would need to swap out the chain rings, but the FSA crank on the bicycle now will continue to serve. Upgrades would include something like the SRAM Force 22 crankset ($350ish) or perhaps a FSA SL-K Light Compact 50-34 crankset depending on compatibility.

Seatpost

I am not sure what to do here. I don't think I want a carbon one, but would like to replace the Kona branded post the bike came with. Something light and aluminum would be good.

In keeping with the Zipp theme, the Service Course Seatpost 20 ($98) looks like a very good offering. For one thing, it is available in the correct size, is aluminum, and is quite light and strong.

Cockpit

I am not sure why I like Zipp so much, but there you go.

Stem - The Zipp Service Course Stem ($76) or its big brother, the SL, would be the one to get. Again, in an effort to keep costs down, I am avoiding carbon while seeking a lighter solution to what is on the bicycle now.

Bar - The Zip Service Course SL 70 Ergo ($110) ought to do the trick with a good balance of strength, weight, and fit.

So there you have it, the building of a hotrod.

The order to do it would be wheels, drive train, then cockpit/seatpost at the same time. Should make the bicycle significantly lighter and more responsive (especially the wheels).

Supposing I skip the crankset, it comes to $1784 full retail for the Zipp/SRAM stuff plus chainrings, cassette, and chain. Not too bad actually since it can be done in manageable bits over a couple of years if need be.

why do I ride?

I have been doing a lot of thinking about the question "Why do I ride?" and have been trying to come up with a good answer. So far, I have been unable.

During a discussion with my wife the other night, I came to the realisation that I have to ride. After a few days away from the bicycle, I start to twitch. It feels almost like a physical ache. I must ride. It is not the exercise I crave as there are other ways to exercise which work the body as hard as or harder than cycling does (like long distance running). I have tried it before. I used to be able, for example, to run 15km without any apparent effort, but the effects psychologically are not the same even if I do get a good solid workout in. I have to ride.

I wish it was not so, but I have to ride.

Winter months see my riding go from its usual summer excesses to plodding around the city wearing layer upon layer on my commuter bike with its studded tires, or doing spin classes at the gym. Last night, while at the gym in the middle of a spin class, I realised again that I don't like the classes much. They are loud. Most of the instructors yell too much. The gerbil machines are "one size fits no one" monstrosities which can very easily hurt your knees or ankles if you push too hard since getting the fit right is a matter of being close as opposed to getting it perfect. Yeach. But, the faux bike is the only way to get a bike fix in that is not a soul destroying static trainer or a heavy plod through the snow. I have to ride.

I wish it was not so, but I have to ride.

Is it the being outdoors? My natural like for gadgets and fitness? The social element of cycling? The bicycle as a more socially and environmentally responsible transportation choice? I don't know. None of these reasons to ride explain the angst of not riding.

A recent article on the cbc made me wonder if the very repetitive nature of cycling has screwed me? Neuro-scientists have found that anything that someone does which is repetitive over time will rewire their brains. So do I have to ride because I ride? Is my brain saying ride or I will make you miserable? You did this to me, says the brain, so you must suffer if you don't keep doing it?  Has a circular self fulfilling prophesy has been born? Whatever the case, I have to ride.

I wish it was not so, but I have to ride.

At least cycling won't give me a heart attack, lung cancer, emphysema, throat cancer, liver damage, or shorten my life by decades (unless I get hit by a truck).

he stalks the yard in winter

more from the 17

This one gives some indication as to how high the pile of snow is at the edge of the trail. It is not easy to see in this picture, but from the ground by the edge of the snow bank up to the "horizon" is straight up. That is a good whack of snow.

A bit of tonight's very blue sunset.

The flare centered on the front fender is one of the cooler flare patterns I have seen. I think I am about ready for spring though. Tonight was cold with a capital c let me tell you. Brrrr.

velocio cycling apparel

I stumbled upon this company this morning and thought I would mention it.

Cycling clothing needs to fit and fit right if it is going to be of any use. I have had cycling clothing of differing quality, cut, and comfort levels over the years and can attest to the fact that if it is not right, it is not comfortable. Clothing which bunches up in the wrong places is not, ummm, helpful.

Cycling clothing needs to fit while you are on the bike.  This is of lesser concern for upright bicycles, urban bicycles, and the like, but it rapidly becomes apparent that street clothing does not cut it on a race bike. Proper cycling clothing - and I am talking about "race kit" here, not casual clothing reinforced in all the right places and crudely adapted to the bicycle - is longer in the back, and actually pulls your shoulders forward slightly when standing up. Compared to street clothing, race kit adds material in certain places, and removes it in others. The stuff feels weird and bunches funny when standing for sure, but clothing cut for the position a rider has on the bicycle is markedly better than clothing which is not.

Thing is, most manufacturers make their cycling gear for men first. It is designed for pro racers, and changed up from there. Fine, as far as it goes. I am male, and appreciate the trickle down effect of top notch cycling gear meant to be comfortable for use in Grand Tours.

But my daughter and wife, on the other hand, are female. And cycling clothing for women is not as nice as cycling clothing for men. The cut and style are often not as suited for female riders.

Enter Velocio.

They make cycling clothing for women first. From what I can see, and what I have read about the stuff, it is top notch.

Here is a direct quotation from their webpage describing their approach to making cycling apparal (and it is one that I can appreciate and one which drives me to buy the best cycling clothing I can afford):

"Philosophy
They (ed: they refers to the designers) decided there should be a choice.
That every rider should have really great cycling clothing. Clothing designed, from the ground up, with the goal of making every ride beautiful and amazing.
They worked hard to find the best fabrics and the best sewers.  They spent hours pouring over sample swatches considering drape, softness, comfort and performance on the bike. They considered the last pedal strokes of a day-long ride when you feel… ahem …everything.
They learned early that details matter. They obsessed over every color, every cut and every option we had. The result is clothing that performs like a well-tuned bike: efficiently, quietly and with ruthless reliability.
There’s art in cycling. It is too beautiful a sport to ride a jersey with those bubbling fabric folds. (You know the ones that happen from poor, boxy designs, like you’re trying to smuggle baguettes on a ride? If you want baguettes, you’ll stop at a bakery, thank you very much.)
Finally, to love progress and to draw inspiration from the sport’s much celebrated history, Velocio was designed as something to wear pedaling into its future.
That’s our philosophy.
Welcome to Velocio."

If we collectively want cycling to grow, it is foolish to ignore women, isn't it? I have been following velonews online for quite a while and have noticed a big uptick in women's cycling compared to when I was younger. This is a trend I wish to see continue.

Good clothing can only help with that. It is as important as the right shoes, and proper bike fit.

fly6

This is a pretty nifty light: Fly6 Kickstarter

I am not normally one to pump stuff on kickstarter, but in this case, I make an exception. The product is simple. It is a rear facing super bright LED tail light for mounting on your seat post with a 720p hi-def camera built into it. It comes loaded with an 8 gig class 10 Sandisk microSD card (which can be replaced with a larger one) and is able to loop after the card fills up like a standard dash cam can. It is for all intents and purposes, water tight. Don't take it swimming, but a soaking that a bike would take in normal use should be fine.

Providing proof of close or dangerous passes aside, this could be fun filming shenanigans behind you on the road or trail from your riding buddies.

It will be good fun.

I backed it.

mucking about

A few posts ago, I pointed out that I am a fan of longer focal lengths for walking about and made rumblings about desiring the 25mm f1.8 Olympus just announced to my 45 and 75mm f1.8 primes. I expressed a dislike for the 17mm f1.8. I had used it before, but was not happy with it for reasons I could not really put my finger on. I think it had something to do with the focal length just not meshing up with how I "see" things when out with the camera.

But then...

 

But then, I was put in a position to borrow a nice shiny black 17mm f1.8 with a hood from a family member who was giving me the gears about how this lens bugged me. 

And I thought, fair is fair. Perhaps I have not given this lens a good enough, a long enough test run.

Since I will have it to use for a couple of weeks, give or take a day or so, I shall do just that and see what I think of it. Should be a lot of fun!

With that in mind, here are a couple of contrasty black and whites from the heart of our snowy uptown tonight.

"We can't find the image at that URL.

• Please check the address for typing errors.
• Make sure the image is public. If your image is protected by a password, or on an internal network, we will not be able to read it."

Isn't that a great picture? If blogger lets me post the picture from a public non passworded link later, I will. If not, you will just have to imagine a picture or two taken in low light during winter of an urban scene at a 35mm equivalent focal length.

EDIT 1:

A miracle has happened!!!

...

Short lived I fear...

"We can't find the image at that URL.

• Please check the address for typing errors.
• Make sure the image is public. If your image is protected by a password, or on an internal network, we will not be able to read it."

Really blogger? Really?!?

EDIT 2: Straight to the html I go!

If this makes you think I am sick of how flakey Blogger is getting, you would be right!

that smarts!

An off topic post for this blog follows.

I have a five year old car. It is a 2008 VW Golf City (for those in places not Canada, that means it is a 2008 Mk IV Golf). I quite like it for a lot of very good reasons, but of late am finding it frustrating.

It has several things going for it which quite appeal to me in a car. There is enough room in it for it to do duty as the main family car for three people. We can fit in it just about all that we need. Seats folded, it becomes a cave on wheels. Bicycles fit on the roof with ease. This is good because my wife drives a very small car.

The body is very tough, and it has the best paint in the business for a car of this class in terms of durability. The car is not inclined to rust and has a very robust anti-corrosion warranty.

It is heavy and ponderous around town, which I like. The steering takes actual effort and the ride is, for lack of a better word, heavy. Mechanically, it feels great to use and it is quite comfortable.

However...

There just had to be a however, didn't there.

However, the car is a gas pig. I tracked the mileage anally for 7 months and it averages about 9.1L/100km. For a car put up against a raft of relatively efficient Japanese and Korean cars which out horsepower this thing and significantly out perform it in fuel economy, this is terrible. The culprit is the very tough, very durable, but very old tech engine - the venerable 2.0L iron block 8 valve engine pumping out a whopping 115hp. Weeeee.

It is also starting to develop electrical gremlins. It ate one light switch and one major engine sensor, thankfully covered by warranty. It ate the right mirror LED signal lamp (which is a good trick). The security system sometimes arms, sometimes doesn't. The locks sometimes work, and sometimes don't. What is next?

It also burns oil. The dealership assures me that this is normal. I beg to differ. If it is normal for this engine design to chew through two litres of synthetic old between oil changes, then there is a serious design flaw in the engine. Wouldn't you think? I maintain it religiously and always fix things (annoying electrical crap aside) on time, so there is no issue of neglect. The car has only 111 000km on it, which for a car run in Canada is nothing.

Add to that the suspension starting to go squishy. and frustration mounts.

Due to my work situation, even though I would like to commute by bicycle, I need to have immediate access to a reliable car. I now work two jobs, one of which is at a fixed location, and the other sees me all over a very large geographical area, sometimes switching spots mid day. Also, we are likely moving later this year to help care for a family member, which will see car use go up, rather than down.

So I started to check out some options just in case the VW dies or suddenly needs to have a pile of work done on it that I cannot afford to do reasonably.

Sadly, the affordable (to me) VW products - the 2014 Jetta - use the same engine as the current car and don't address one of my primary concerns with it. They got rid of the much more powerful and much more efficient 2.5L Audi engine that was in the base car and replaced it with the old iron from before. To get a more efficient engine, I would have to go three models up the lineup which costs more than I am willing to spend on a car. So that is out, even though I like the car overall.

It is then that I stumbled upon a problem. One of the things I really (really) like about the VW is the plain simple conservative interior design. Everything is where it should be. Everything falls easily to hand. Ergonomics are wonderful.

Taking a close look at other cars - Japanese and Korean manufacturers (I don't like American cars) mostly - I noticed that the insides are covered in this faux titanium plastic, are broken up with controls all over the place, and remind me of the worst of the world's tacky science fiction space ship cockpits.

Yuck.

They look like they were designed by a committee that met once. And then didn't listen to each other.

Double Yuck.

So back to the European cars we go. Options here in Canada for inexpensive European cars include the Jetta, the Ford Fiesta (a German Ford, even though it is made in the USA), the Fiat 500, and the Smart fortwo. That is it. We do not get Peugeots, Citreons, or anything else.

The Jetta was eliminated already even though I really like parts of it. The Fiesta has the worst of the "gee wizz" interiors and, while it looks ok from the outside, is appalling on the inside. The Fiat 500 is fairly marvelous, but costs too much by the time I kit it out the way I want it.

Which leaves the Smart Car.

Yep, the Smart Car.

You see, I don't need a bigger car. My wife's car, coming on ten years old, is going to need replacing. She has expressed a wish to have the family car because she has more use for the space in day to day driving than I do. I would then be able to go small and efficient with my wheels.

So, the Smart Car.

Why that? It is very inexpensive to buy, even loaded up. It has enough room in it for what I want to do (supposing I am not driving the family around in it, which I won't be). Operating costs are a joke, particularly for fuel - it goes almost twice as far on a litre of fuel as the Golf does for example. It is quite safe. Cute. And somewhat contrarian (which I also like).

I like the Passion Line, with no added options. Should the Golf need replacing NOW with no warning, the Pure Line, with no options, would be fine as well.

It reminds me of a four wheel bicycle :)

mantra

Every once in a while, a post I make on another person's blog resonates and finds a home here. This is one such while.

I can remember my father telling me in the early 1980s more than once that cycling was all about suffering. He said you have to learn how to suffer on a bike. Sastra said much the same thing a few years back when he said once you learn how to suffer, all else is easy.

When I am out on a ride, as opposed to riding about, and I find myself running out of gas, feeling the climb, suffering in a relentless easterly spring wind pushing into my face at 60kmph (we get nasty spring winds here) or more, the mantra from my teen years comes back.

You. Must. Suffer. On. A. Bike. You. Must. Suffer. On. A. Bike. You. Must. Suffer. On. A. Bike.

Each word a pedal stroke, each word pushing me further towards my ultimate goal of what?

No matter. I know that when I get off the bike, I can look at it and say that it and I have been to that place where most do not go. We suffered. And did it for fun.

regarding lenses

It is funny. I have grown fond (if that is the word) of the relatively low end 12-50mm f3.5-6.3 kit lens from Olympus. I use it mostly as a 12mm, and for that, it works great. Also, it does an "ok" job at close up photography. Should the need arise, I can borrow a 60mm macro from my father.

With the Olympus E-M5, I find that I prefer the primes to the zooms. Different aesthetic I guess from my old E-3 and HG zooms I suppose. While the current 12-40mm f2.8 is a truly great optic, it is too big for my camera to hold comfortably (my knuckle rubs on the zoom ring when holding the camera and since the ring is textured and metal...). Plus, it is too costly (ie: not free...). Finances are a cow at the moment ;p

So it is with delight that I take note of the fact that Olympus has announced a 25mm f1.8 in the same line as my current prime collection for $399. It might be worth my while to think about saving for a bit and getting this optic. The IQ is wonderful and on par with my current primes (the 45mm f1.8 and 75mm f1.8), and with the 25, 45, and 75mm options in my camera bag, I would have most of the focal lengths I prefer covered. The 17mm f1.8 does not really appeal to me.

I am on the fence about a long lens and am not really "worrying" or even thinking about it at this time. The current zooms do not excite even though in the right light they are awesome. For those that know my photographic history, a switch from long lenses to wider fields of view is a radical departure. Prior to replacing my E-3 with the E-M5, about 50% of my Lightroom library was with the 50-200mm f2.8-3.5 swd lens.

I have noted some significant improvements in the quality of my work since acquiring new photographic tools which I believe speak for themselves. By improvements, I mean things not gear related (so much) but rather in composition and the like. Using primes instead of zooms has forced me to rethink how I build and compose a picture, and that is good for self discipline and the ultimate quality of my work I think.

what winter brings

As much as I am looking forward with great delight to spring and the return of decent outdoor cycling weather, it is hard to deny that winter does have its own beauty.

Also, I have managed to put 897 km on my bicycles this year so far (counting each spin class as 30km, which I do, because based on the effort I put into each class it more or less is - or even higher) and it is only February 4th. So I am not exactly suffering.

rethinking internet negativity

There is so much of it about so many things.

I suspect that for many, the internet is a place for people to vent and get things out of their system. I know that I have vented online in the past. So be it, but the accumulated negativity can be very wearing on the nerves after a while and can negatively colour your view of the world.

Since this is ostensibly a bike blog, I thought I would dedicate this post to a recitation of the positives associated with cycling in urban environments. It does not have to be about the negative, even though negative things can happen.

1. Most people really are just fine. Most people share just fine. I include both cyclists and motorists in my most people. Most people get it. I would argue that for every person who is a total tool on the road, there are over 100 people who are simply awesome. Let's celebrate that majority while working to make the impact of that tiny minority smaller.
2. Kitchener-Waterloo, where I live currently, does a great job of building and maintaining infrastructure that is good for cycling. We have urban to rural bike routes with full on wide bike lanes extending well out into the local countryside. MUPS are often plowed and maintained better than the roads are in the winter. Not all MUPS are cleared, but the main ones which actually connect to something are. In fact, a prime MUP through the subdivision I live in now has been plowed this winter for the first time. It connects the outer reaches of this end of the city to an arena and part of the core MUP system. Waterloo is in the process of turning its core road in the Uptown into a complete street. There has been significant push towards building a system of segregated bike lanes along this road by the community, and the politicians have listened. We don't know what will happen yet, but we do know that they listen. Kitchener has already rebuilt its core around making life easier for cyclists. Waterloo recently turned a wide multi-laned 50kmph road which was routinely used as a speedway into a complete street that holds fewer cars but moves them more efficiently and allows for much safer passage on a bicycle. More please and thanks.
3. For those who like transit (I am not one such - I would rather just ride my bike and be done with it) Grand River Transit has the facilities to move people's bicycles with the buses. While not new, this service does make multi-modal transport much easier to use.
4. Waterloo is increasing the amount of bicycle only parking in the core. In fact, they have also provided a work station and tools for people to repair their bicycles if needed. Very cool.
5. Let's not forget how happy riding a bicycle can make you! I know that for me, and I am not alone in this, when I get exercise on the way into work I have a better day. It works almost without fail. I have more energy, and a more positive outlook on the day.
6. Bikes cost less. If you drive 10km each way to work now, switch to a bicycle. You will be up 1000's of dollars a year in saved fuel, insurance, and maintenance. Also, your car will last longer and need to be replaced less frequently. It may be that your family can ditch a car or go car less. Imagine what you could do with the money, or at least a good chunk of the money, that is currently being spent on a car... While this won't work for everyone, it is certainly worth a try. A good friend of mine with a serious heart condition rides to work in fair weather (he is not a fan of winter). This allows him to improve his fitness and health, and helps keep them a one car family. It can work.
7. Riding a bicycle makes you more connected with your community. Community is missing in many places these days. Cars make this worse. I get to say hi to people while on the bike. I get to talk to strangers. Best bit is, people greeted remember a friendly wave and will (sometimes) comment on that when we meet again. What goes around, comes around. It pays to be invested in the community. While this can be done from a car, the very nature of an automobile makes this more difficult due to speed and how isolated someone is from their environment while in a car.
8. Cycling is often faster than driving, particularly in built up areas where traffic volume can snarl all movement and bring people to a frustrated standstill. I just sail on by. I can either take my bike lane and pass jam ups, or move over to a side street and keep on going with ease. True, my top speed is no where near that of a car, but my average speed is very close. It takes me less time to reach my favourite coffee shop on the bicycle than it does by car. 

I have only scratched the surface here. Think positively about whatever it is that you think about.

winter wimpy

I am reminded once again of winter wimpies this morning as I trudge about on my bicycle through the snow. Beyond a few stalwart souls pressing on through winter's wet, I encountered no one until I arrived at my resting place in coffee mecca. There was no where to sit.  The place was, in fact, packed.

There are two kinds of winter wimpies in my experience.

One refuses to acknowledge the existence of the snow season and moves from one heated environ to another, living in a state of denial and misery. This morning has provided ample evidence that lots of people continue to fall into this category of winter wimp. At one point, I belonged to the ranks of the miserable winter wimp, but I got over it and remembered that I do, in fact, live in Canada and had best get over my loathing of winter and get on with it, whatever "it" may be.

The other brand of winter wimpies are weather limited. I fall into this category. My limit is -20. Once it falls below that, my interest in the great outdoors is transformed wholesale into an interest in the great indoors. Sadly, what drives me outside in warmer weather does not go away simply because the temperature has become somewhat uncivilized by my definition of the term. I just lose all interest in engaging in outdoor activities.

In short, I go bananas!

Thankfully, lulls in the winter madness do occur and the outdoors regains its allure.

deductive reasoning

When you look out of your front door and see this...

We did not take this car. Instead, we took the heavier one.

It might be prudent to stay at home.

However, there is nothing in me that just screams prudence, so we went out and ran some errands.

Shot through the glass of a local coffee shop - what are errands without coffee?

Part of our running about involved a trip out of town on back roads to my parent's house to pick up my daughter who was visiting with them.

We saw this.

oops... it is still in the middle of the road

Further down the road, we saw this.

note the lane plowed on each side of the car - it is exactly in the middle of the road and very stuck

Applying deductive reasoning to what we saw brought me to the following conclusion. White Mazda 3 driver suffers a loss of control of the vehicle. Likely, they whapped a big drift in the dark last night. Poof, into the drift. Not getting out.

This is fairly obvious.

Driver calls for help. Taxi comes and gets them. Picks them up. Crests hill on the way back into the city. Mires car in deep drift.

Has to call for help.

I have no idea if that is what happened or not, but it is a fairly comical story if true.

Incidentally, we saw the taxi owner trying to tow the taxi out of the drift in the middle of the road with a light weight Suzuki car. I wish I had had the time to sit and watch. The Camry hybrid in the drift was significantly heavier than the car doing the towing...

Hopefully, he rescued his cab without wrecking anything.

prepping a four season commuter

My current commuter bike, like all of my actively ridden bikes, is a Kona. Repeatedly, over the years, I have found Kona bicycles to be a delight to ride and very reliable. They also offer a significant bang for your buck and quite frankly punch above their weight. The daily grinder is a cheap as dirt Kona Lana'i. It is not that exciting a bicycle, but it is very serviceable and does the job quite well.

One big advantage that this bicycle has as a commuter is that it is not that expensive. This reduces the chances of it being stolen by a fair bit since it is not as desirable as some. Another bonus is that if it does get stolen, I will likely just sigh, and go get another one after reporting it to the authorities and all that. Since it is a bicycle for transport, it comes out of my transport budget and not my entertainment budget. It can also be loaded down significantly. Being a mountain bike, it is over built for what I am doing with it.

Circumstances being what they were when I bought it - low on cash at the time and desiring disk brakes - I ended up with a extra stock blow out bike that Kona had hanging around. Mine is a 2011 model that I bought in 2012 and paid very little for. 

As I have a good relationship with my LBS, I was able to negotiate a couple of significant changes into the cost of the bicycle. One of these was a rigid fork. I do not recommend a suspension fork for a commuter. They rob too much power since they tend to bob a bit, and the fork that most bicycle manufacturers fit to low end bicycles tends to be fairly cheap. I was able to swap out the suspension fork for a quite nice steel rigid for with a gentle curve forward which flexes a bit and helps to smooth out the ride.

The bicycle is a bit too small for me actually. This worked out to being a good thing though. Part of the swap of parts I arranged was for a longer stem which stretched out the riding position somewhat. The bike came stock with a very short stubby stem. Thankfully, the stock seat post is ridiculously long, and I am able to raise it high enough to ride comfortably without risking damage to either the post or the frame. Why then is the small bike good? Well, because Kona builds their frames with a fairly dramatically sloping top tube, and because the bike is one size too small, I can use it as a step through frame if I hike my foot up high enough. This is a bonus if I have a big load on the back like a basket of groceries or something like that.

Some futzing around with parts has brought the bike to where it is now. 

Currently, it has a nice heavy duty rack on the back. I use an Axiom Journey Unifit Mk3 rack. I chose it, after having used a few other ones I had kicking around, because it will enable me to mount the panniers low and far back reducing heal strike on the pannier - the bane of a too small bike with bags - and keeping the center of gravity low, while maintaining a broad deck up top for my trunk bag or lock or basket. The rack allows for the mounting of a tail light on the rack in a position which is easy to see, and easy to kick right clean off the bike if you are not careful when climbing on the bicycle.

The stock pedals were not good. They were cheap metal ones, which I replaced with cheap plastic ones. The advantage is that they won't slip when wet which the metal ones were really bad for. I average about a year or so per set of pedals. The bearings simply cannot hold up to the abuse of riding in all weather.

I added some fenders, a lighting system, changed out the tires, and a few other odd things.

I will present a series of pictures of the bicycle and in the caption underneath explain the significance of what I am showing.

My replacement pedals. These cost under $10, but should last over 4000km before they start to fall apart. My feet won't slip off of them in my big clunky boots that I ride in all winter long. Note the "slime" all over the axle. I make liberal use of a can of rust proofing stuff for automobiles on key parts of the bicycle so that they won't corrode, and so that I can remove them after. Because of the boots I use, I never get anything on my clothing. I ride in Bogs during the winter, and clean this stuff off come spring. Other footwear does not slip on them either. Toe capped sandals and regular shoes do fine with pedals like this.

A bit of a close up of the axle. Note the rust proofing. This bike has almost 4500km on it, and the crank has gotten scuffed up a fair bit. One of the "costs of doing business" as a work bike - for me, aesthetics take a back seat. The bike will not get abused, but it will get banged up.

It is worth pointing out that the bike as seen some use. I bought it in the fall of 2012 and have almost 4500 km on it. Since then, I have worn out a cheap pair of plastic pedals, one chain, one cassette, a set of cables, a set of brake shoes, the saddle - I tend to kill saddles for some reason - and a rear rim. The original rear rim was defective and the side wall of it blew out. Warranty saw me outfitted with a replacement wheel. I also replaced the brake calipers (more on that later).

The bike comes with mounts for racks and fenders. However, the rounded off bolts for the rack mounts are weak. They hold things on the bike just fine, and won't snap I would think, but the bolt heads strip out easily. I replaced them with these better quality ones. Tip - grease the daylights out of this kind of thing when you put them into the frame so that you can remove them later if you need to. Do this even if you do not intend to winter ride the bicycle.

I did a bit of doinking around with the placement of my bell and managed to squeeze it into a tight gap between the bar and the rapid fire shifter. Yay. Improved ergonomics. Tip - get a brass bell or gong (this is actually a gong). They are much louder and can be heard by iPod zombies.

The front derailleur is nothing special, but it works. I rust proof the crap out of it and it will shift even when packed with snow and ice. Note the tight gap between it and the fender. I would be hard pressed to squash a piece of paper between the fender and the derailleur. This is a weakness in the design IF the bike is going to have full coverage fenders - a must for a commuter if you ask me. I would think that this derailleur looks fine for one which has been subjected to as much winter and grime as this one has.

The stock brakes were not so hot. I had a caliper cease up mid winter the first year I had the bike. Both the front (shown here) and rear calipers were replaced with some inexpensive Avid ones. They work significantly better, and have shown no sign of sticking. You can see the kind of shenanigans I had to do to get the fenders to clear the brake caliper. Looks weird, but it works. Also, I ditched the quick release skewers in favour of some bolt on ones. Tip - to seat the brakes properly and prevent glazed pads, perform several very hard stops on fresh pads from about 30kmph. The brakes will last longer and work better if you do. The front brake in particular howls like crazy when it is damp. This is something that happens with disk brakes and is not a problem even if it is loud. A few firm applications of the brake dry them off and they get quiet again. Remember that they can ice up and should be used in the winter time periodically even if you are not planning a stop. The disks are no where near as susceptible to this as wheel rims are though so brake failure in the snow is not as likely with brakes like this compared to rim brakes.

Fenders matter. This picture illustrates the clearance I have with my front fender and my non-studded snow tire. This kind of clearance keeps crap from building up and creating drag, and the low slightly flared mudflap keeps my feet dry. I got these at MEC - they are from planetbike and are worth it.

The back end of the bike - note the liberal use of reflective tape. I like being seen. I had to weave the fender stays through the rack to get it all to work. It looks bizarre, but it works. The rear fender has similar clearance to the front and I have never once had any spray fly up and hit me. Friends report that little flies out back as well which is nice.

Nothing special here. I was very surprised that the rear derailleur has lasted as long as it has. It is original to the bike and is a very basic and cheap unit. However, it is going strong still which is good. Spring will likely see an upgrade here. I tend to wear out the stock parts and then swap to better ones as I go along.

Speaking of better parts, it is also worth noting that the original bottom bracket and headset are still on the bike. They have never been serviced or adjusted. They don't crunch or grind or anything either. Impressive for such basic stuff. I suspect that the bottom bracket may give out this winter - I have heard some mild crunching in that department (although that may be coming from the front chain ring which is also stock).  I have also been lazy and not overhauled the hubs yet (I should though...). I highly recommend that a crank with removable chainrings be bought with the bike. I have had bicycles where the crank and chainrings were one unit. Not only are the chainrings on such a set up substandard, they cannot be replaced without replacing the crank. I burned out such a set up in about four months of heavy duty winter riding. Even a cheap replaceable chainring set up like the current bicycle will last a fair bit. The one on this bike is original to the bike and has over 4500km on it. Spring will see a new middle chainring on the front - a better quality one I am guessing at this point.

This winter's tires. Go read my review of them if you want. I quite like them. Deeper snow and ice see the studded ones come out though.

This shows the difference between my studded and non-studded winter tires. The studded ones are much better on ice than the others, but do drag a bunch. This is why they are not currently mounted to the bicycle. Should funds allow, a second set of wheels will appear so I can swap them back and forth as conditions merit.

Cheap and nasty but very effective. That is a planet bike superflash. I want to replace it with a Knog Blinder Road R tail light instead though as I am a big fan of being seen. The Knog is crazy bright.

And the headlamp. This head lamp works very well. I am a big fan of it.

I have several options for carrying things on the bicycle. Some prefer to carry what they bring with them on a commute on their body - using knapsacks or messenger bags and what have you - and some prefer to carry their stuff on the bicycle itself. I fall into the carry the stuff on the bicycle camp. This is why I chose such a heavy duty rack for the bicycle.

For me, the advantage of carrying the gear I bring on a commute on the bike instead of my person is simple. I tend towards wearing layers and a knapsack (the worst) or a messenger bag (better) compress the layers and squeeze out the air space between my clothing and I overheat and get very sweaty. This is true even at -10 or -20. It is far worse in the summer months. So, gear goes on the bike. I would change my mind if my daily commute saw me in and out of several places in rapid succession. Then, removing the bags at each stop (to prevent theft) would rapidly become tedious. In such circumstances, a messenger bag makes more sense than panniers etc.

This is the unadorned back end of the bicycle. The rack design is such that carrying a cable lock is easy. I use Kryptonite cables and padlocks. I also have a U-Lock which gets attached to the top of the rack by a stretch cord. Pannier bags can be attached to this rack either using the top or the lower side rails. I prefer the lower ones as it drops the center of gravity of the bicycle a bit. The small inverted tool bag - attached to the struts of the rack by the same mechanism that would  normally hold it to the underside of the seat - contains a multi-tool, inner tube, patch kit, and tire levers (2). It is always on the bike but is quick to remove via its quick release. It twists off. One nice thing about this rack is that it presents a fairly low profile for wind for a rack that is designed to hold so much weight.

Not all is perfect with this rack though. The spot for hooking the panniers to (the rectangular hole in the tab in the middle of the picture here) does not bend out like most other racks which use a tab like this do. This is stupid. Pure and simple. Stupid. It makes it very hard to hold the pannier by its top handle and snag the bag's hook on the rack's tab and attach it in one smooth motion. Putting the panniers on is a pain in the rear end. It is not a deal breaker for me with this rack, but it is very annoying. Someday, when I am feeling brave, I will very carefully bend the aluminium tab out with a pair of vice grips and make life easier for myself. Or rather, easier for myself if I don't break it...

These are the bags I use. I cannot say enough good things about them. They are dry bags with a roll to close internal closure and a big flap which goes over the top. The only design flaw is that the flap can be a bit of a sail at times and the excess strap can flap about.  Newer versions of this bag have addressed this concern. That said, they are very very tough and are genuinely waterproof. I have ridden through hour long thunder storms with a bag full of paper and not one sheet got wet. They never leak in the winter. Salt washes off. The mounting hardware is replaceable. They hold a lot of stuff, and can take a bit of weight. This particular pair is about 10 years old and is going strong. I suspect I will get ten more years out of them. Even the mounting hardware is original. Good quality bags like this are a must for commuting. If what you need to take with you needs to be dry, these are a good bet and cost a lot less than some other bags (like Ortlieb ones - although the Ortliebs are easier to mount to the rack due to a different mounting mechanism). For shopping - groceries and the like - they are ok but do not carry enough. Shopping panniers would be better. I use a basket which attaches to the top of the rack for that mostly.

Note the reflective patches on the panniers (and my attractive cardboard to park the bike on in the winter...)

My other piece of luggage is a Arkel trunk bag. This is not a dry bag and has a hidden pull out rain cover which works fine. It is big enough for a M4/3 camera kit if you don't have too many lenses - pad the bag a bit!! - and has a divider in it. The zippers are water resistant. Velcro holds it to the top of the rack. Your rack needs to be fairly wide to avoid wobble with this bag. What I like about this combination is that it is easy to remove one or all of the bags individually and there is no interference between the mounting points of any of the bags. This is a major reason I bought this rack.

Back view of the set up.

Fully loaded down, the bike becomes a serious pig. It is good to know though that should I need to haul some stuff, it can be done. One big advantage of a bike like this is that if hauling is needed, the bike has the gearing to keep you moving. The only thing I have not added to the kit is a trailer (I am thinking of it...)

So there you have it. One commuter bike. The only difference between the winter set up shown here and the summer one is that I swap out the tires and clean it. There is no salt all over it in the summer. I reasonably expect to get at least 40 000km out of it assuming I maintain the drive train. For about $500 in, plus racks and fenders, and about $100 a year in maintenance, this is an inexpensive way to transport oneself around the city. $1500 for a decade of transportation. Not bad.

Update: I got rid of the seat it came with a long time ago. It did not fit me well. I had been using a WTB saddle off of my 2013 JTS cyclocross bike, but found that the design of the seat in conjuction with the seatpost wore out too many pants. This is not an issue with bike gear which does not rub there, but is an issue with street clothes. So, enter the Brooks B-17 Narrow saddle. Review and thoughts are here: Brooks B-17 Narrow: let's give them something to smug about.

it wouldn't do

It wouldn't do to get too carried away with predicting how far I will ride this year seeing as I very thoroughly missed last year's goal (I managed 5650km with a goal of 10 000km), but, it would appear that despite it being winter and despite it being cold, I am actually on track for about 10 000km this year without doing anything special.

Nifty.

How I am doing it is by counting my time spent in the gym taking RPM classes. RPM classes are what the GoodLife calls their spin classes. They last about 50 minutes and are very intense. I average about 20-25 minutes spinning prior to each class as a warm up. I allocate 25km per class, which is quite conservative when you think about it. Counting that mileage, which I am putting on the legs even though I am stationary, and adding in the mileage I am putting on the commuter riding around the city to work and all that, 10k could happen without even touching my fast bikes.

Like I said, nifty.

Of course, once the fast bike comes out, the time in the gym will drop dramatically. I do still expect two classes a week, but huge mileage will be put on the fast bike.

Nifty.

an answer to a question

Red Kite Prayer's  Friday Group Ride this week asks the following question: "How did you become an adult cyclist? Did you tread an uninterrupted path from first childhood ride to this morning’s commute, or has the bike come and gone from your life? If the latter, what was the catalyst for your grown up self taking to the wheel again?"

(RKP is one of the best bicycle blogs - scratch that, it is THE best bicycle blog - that I have read)

Here is my answer to this question:

It started when I was 10. I could already ride, of course, but 10 was when my father bought me my first 10 speed and a wool cycling jersey and wool cycling shorts.
From then, a couple of years of hacking around on a bmx which got stolen.
Followed by years of road riding with my father. The best memories of my teen years center around road riding with my father.
Sadly, the car bug bit and I got out of cycling for a few years until a friend of mine got me hopelessly hooked on mountain biking. Did that for years until I was sidelined (mentally) by a bad crash.
Enter a spell of running followed by a spell of lazy.
Cycling kept rearing its head off and on for about eight or so years.
And then, a rebirth of sorts. All it took was a cyclocross bicycle and a persistent friend.
Now? The obsession is back in force and seems unlikely to ever die.
Spring cannot get here soon enough...

night walk about

Got to spend the evening out with my wife whilst my daughter was off doing other things. Coffee commenced, as did a short walk about with the camera. This is what came of it.

Brooks B-17 Narrow : let's give them something to smug about

Yet another useful bike part review from me, a useful bike part user (as opposed to useful bike part sales person). The usual caveats apply:

• I am not employed by Brooks
• I bought this with my own money
• I ride bikes for fun, fitness, and transport
• I feel free to say what I like and what I don't like about something
• I don't care what anyone else thinks (that is a good thing in a review...)

With that in mind, here is what I think of the Brooks B-17 Narrow bicycle saddle.

Like always, I like to start my bike part reviews with a bit of history explaining why I am using the bike part in question. Currently, I have six bicycles in my collection. Two of them are old approaching vintage race bikes which do not really get ridden. One is my old hard tail mountain bike which gets some use. One is my old cyclocross bicycle which has been reborn, well after the fad was over, as a single speed (that is ok, I was riding a cyclocross bike on gravel and around the city long before the cyclocross bike fad started, so it cancels out...). One is my brand new cyclocross bicycle. And one is my inexpensive mountain bike commuter bike.

While I do like pretty bicycles, I tend to prefer my equipment to be very practical and not to cost the earth. This is particularly so for my commuter bicycles. They end up getting ridden by me more than all of my other bicycles combined, and cost the least amount of money by a fairly large margin. This is because I do a lot of riding around the city where I am going to be locking the bicycle up outside. I refuse to feed thieves, so I won't leave expensive bicycles locked up outside. This means that my commuter bicycles tend to be low end mountain bikes or hybrids. The current one is a mountain bike. All I ask from a commuter bike is that it be inexpensive, comfortable, reliable, and relatively unattractive to a thief.

Sadly, all mountain bikes tend to come with narrow racing saddles. I actually like this since I have an iron ass and don't mind a real (tm) bicycle seat on all my bicycles. However, for commuting, the cut of the cheap (and expensive for that matter) racing saddles brings the crotch of street clothing into conflict with the top of the seat post.

Take note of the exposed part of the front of the seat post / seat rail on this archive photograph of my current commuter bicycle:

While it may be hard to see from this picture, the inner thigh area of a pair of normal "street clothing" pants will rub on the top of the seat post where it clamps to the seat rail. This results in excessive wear on the pants and the potential for pants failure *grin*. While really only embarrassing and not a big deal, it is a design flaw for the use I am putting the bicycle to. I would rather not wear out my clothing faster than I have to given a choice.

So what, you might ask, does this have to do with anything?

Well, it started me on a search for a bicycle seat which would cover that part of the seat post and reduce wear on the clothing. The cost did not matter too much since I would more than make up for it in clothing that lasted longer (my job requires me to have decent clothing - not perfect, but decent - and I figured it would not take long to pay for a new seat if my clothing lasted longer. I wanted something not racy, but nice.

The search ended with a Brooks B-17 saddle.

Now, I have to explain a bit of my bias here. I am anti-smug. I know I just made those who know me well laugh and blow coffee out of their nose, but I really am anti-smug. I don't care about buying my lock them and leave them bicycles based on their aesthetic merit. I love gorgeous lug work on a frame, but really don't care for a lock it and leave it bike. The smug attitudes I see in various bike forums and blogs where the prevailing attitude is "but of course the bicycle has a Brooks saddle and gorgeous lug work, could there be any other kind?!?" makes me want to vomit a little.

And yet, I bought a Brooks saddle.

But I did not buy it for reasons to do with smug.

I bought it to cover the top of the seat post where it joins the seat rails.

That's it.

So here is what I think of it.

It came in a lovely cardboard box with a thick paper sleeve on it. Jolly good show and all that. Included in the package was some Brooks propaganda printed up like an old style newspaper, and the saddle with its packaging.

It really was very well presented.

Two thinks sort of bop you on the nose when opening the saddle. The first is the smell of the thing. This is real leather and has that smell that is usually only found in the better class of Jaguars. Yummy. The second is how hard the saddle is. Brooks says that it is one of their stiffer saddles and I find that easy to believe. The leather is thick enough and stiff enough to serve quite well, if shaped differently of course, as leather armor. Yummy again, although it did raise some concern in my mind about comfort.

As can be seen by the above picture, the saddle comes with a wrench for adjusting the saddle tension. Over time, the saddle will sag, and the tensioning nut in the nose of the saddle can be tightened should this become a problem. Do not tension a wet saddle as the leather could tear.

Brooks sells a saddle treatment called proofide. Buy it. Just do it. Do not use saddle soap or other leather treatments as it could cause the leather to over soften and collapse.

Before using the saddle, put a thick layer of proofide on the underside of the saddle and just leave it. I used a Q-tip to get underneath all the bits and pieces on the underside of the saddle. This helps to soften it a bit, and will protect it somewhat from the elements. The saddle will soak it up. Lightly coat the top of the saddle and allow the proofide to dry. Once it does, buff the saddle to a shine.

Once I did this, I noticed something. The deep brown leather I picked for the colour took on a real glow. The saddle started to almost, er, come alive. It became apparent that the fit and finish of the saddle was top notch. The Brooks badge on the back was a nice touch. The lugs for hanging a saddle bag from the seat are a part of the saddle frame itself. I could feel a bit of smug threatening to overtake me. I quashed it.

Once on the bicycle, and adjusted up, I went for a ride. A good set up tip would be to set the saddle parallel with the ground and then tip the nose up a bit. When I say a bit, I mean a little bit. This makes for a more comfortable ride. Failing to do that results in sliding forward too much on the saddle. Bring some tools on your first outing if you get one of these so you can muck about with it and get it just right.

Here is the saddle set up just wrong. While the stock post on the bicycle is offset to the rear, it is not offset enough. The perfectly parallel parts of the seat rails are fairly short and since I am mounting it on a slightly too small for me mountain bike, I could not slide the seat back far enough on the rails for comfort. If I did, I would have to clamp on the tapering part of the rails just a bit which would cause the seat to work loose in about three minutes. Annoying, but I think unavoidable. Bear this in mind though if you buy one. You MIGHT have to do what I did to solve it. Oh, and isn't this a lovely colour of brown?

Here is the seat set up just right. Notice that it took a new seat post for me to get it just right. Hint - a new seat post on a bike like this costs almost nothing. Just be aware that you might need one depending on the bicycle you are using. However, it was worth it because I discovered something about this seat that I will explain below. Take note how the clamp area is completely covered by the "skirt" of leather on the side of the seat. This is why I bought it. The creeping smug which I will hold off with a cricket bat came later...

What I discovered when the seat was set up just right is that damn it if the smug ones were not correct. This seat, even not broken in yet, is very very comfortable. Very much so. It makes me look forward to when the leather moulds itself to my butt and fits even better! Incidentally, when using one of these, you want your seat bones to be forward of the line of rivets holding the rear of the saddle to the frame. When I was last measured on an assometer, my sit bones came to about 143mm apart give or take. The B-17 Narrow is 151mm wide but fits really well because of the give in the materials. If your seat bones are wider than mine, you would be advised to go with the standard B-17 instead.

This picture shows the adjustment bolt at the front of the saddle. DO NOT USE IT MUCH as turning it too far will ruin the saddle. The front rivets shown here gave rise to that traditional expression in bike racing "on the rivet" describing the posture on a saddle of someone giving all that they had in a time trial. For the first time, this can be a literal thing for me...

On the subject of maintenance, here are a few things to keep in mind. Don't store a bicycle with a leather saddle in a damp or overly dry place (as much as possible) as this can cause the leather to fail. This is true of all leather products and should not be news. Every three months or so, apply some proofide to the saddle to keep it from cracking. If it is left outside in the rain or snow, use some sort of rain cover for the seat.

What do you know? Brooks sells rain covers!

The rain cover pictured above fits (go figure) and does not cost much. I paid about $16 for mine.

Here are a couple of pictures of the bike in its current configuration with the saddle mounted:

My verdict:

As much as I hate to admit it, the smug ones have a point. This is a very well made saddle. It is comfortable. It costs less and is more suited for what I am using it for than many other options (I paid $116 for mine). It is (in theory) more durable than any other bicycle seat I have ever owned. I tend to ruin seats somehow - my wife says I have a kung-fu ass... - but people have reported getting decades of use out of these saddles. Time will tell. The saddle smells nice, looks nice, feels nice. I promises to be less hard on my street clothing.

I only ask one thing of you. If you buy one, buy it for any of the above reasons and leave the smug at the door.

smells like spring

We are at the part of the winter when it smells like spring outside.

In Southern Ontario, every winter, sometime in January, we get a thaw. Birds sing. Snow and ice melt like mad. People run around in light weight clothing. Temperatures soar to two or three degrees above freezing. Ice peels off of the sidewalk with ease.

There is hope.

Real hope.

A looking forward to spring.

I don't mean that winter is a time of depression and what not, but I will say that for those of us that live outside once the temperature gets above freezing and the days lengthen, the smell of spring which comes during a mid winter thaw is a sign of hope for warmer days to come.

Sadly, this will be short lived.

I count at least eight more weeks of winter before the smell of spring becomes the real deal.

Until then, I will breathe deep, and enjoy the smell.