Side by Side

My last ride of was with the delightful Bekka ofBikeyface, who is slowly but surely getting drawn into roadcycling (eeexcellent). We've been practicing our "epic" faces, as you can see.

We had some things to talk about, so we decided to "go for coffee" - a 20 mile ride to the Ride Studio Cafe and back.

Once there, we nearly took the rack down with 60lb of collective bike poundage, but never mind!

The weird thing about riding with Bekka, is that her bicycle - a Surly Cross-Check - is the same make and model as the Co-Habitant's bike - only about half the size and built up very differently. The smaller sized Cross-Check frames have sloping top tubes and different seat tube angles(75° on the 42cm frame vs 72° on the 62mm frame), so altogether her bicycle registers as sort of the same bike as his, but not really. Freaky. And it also goes to show that when reading bicycle reviews and test ride reports, it's worth paying attention to the size of the bike described - this factor can make a difference. But despite the blatant differences in frames, both Bekka and the Co-Habitant are quite happy with theirs, so it seems fair to conclude that the Cross-Check is a crowdpleaser.



With Bekka on the Surlyand me on the Rivendell, we were pretty well matched for speed, which was nice. It was a quiet morning just before New Year and we were able to ride side by side some of the time.I used to be vehemently against cycling side by side on the road - especially in the city - because I felt that this distracted me from paying attention to traffic. Now I am less vehement about it, simply because I've ridden with people who cycle side by side as a matter of course and have learned to adapt. Still, I seldom have a good feeling about it. While in Massachusetts it is legal to ride two abreast, one could argue that doing so is not always practicable, and therefore not in good faith. It has also been known to provoke driver aggression. The local cyclists I've been riding with are split on this one, with some groups prohibiting riding two abreast and others insisting on it, so I am getting some rather mixed messages. I'd like to decide on a policy and stick with it without being influenced by the people I am riding with, but haven't made up my mind yet.



Switching from "lone wolf" cycling to riding with others has caused a rather dramatic upheaval in my little world.I had tried the social cycling thing before and did not enjoy it, but somehow this time around it clicked. Suddenly I have a full "dance card" of cycling events every week, and in the winter at that. Not that I am complaining! But this is definitely a new era, and I am curious what the future will bring.

An Igleheart and a 'Sex Hub'

At the New England Bicycle Expoa couple of weekends ago, I had the pleasure of meeting legendary New England framebuilder Christopher Igleheart and briefly test riding one of his bicycles - an upright commuter model called the Yoyodyne. One cool thing about this bike - aside from it being an Igleheart - was the3-speed Sturmey Archer S3X hub - aka "the sex hub." Several people I know have set up their bikes with this hub and their feedback has been intriguing, so I wanted to try for myself. And what better way than on an Igleheart bike?



Located just North of Boston, Mr. Igleheart - like many local builders - traces his professional beginnings to the legacy of Fat City Cycles, where he started as an apprentice welder in the 1980s. By 1994 he had established Igleheart Custom Frames as an independent operation, spcialising in TIG-welded steel. In the chaotic environment of the Bicycle Expo, a sense of calm presided over the crowded Igleheart booth. The man is very comfortable with his work and discusses it in a way that communicates his experience and versatility. Road bikes, mountain bikes, transportation bikes and even randonneuring bikes - he knows them all, executing them in his distinct aesthetic.

Unfortunately, I somewhat dropped the ball on photographing this beautiful bicycle. The high noon light was unflattering from every angle, the background I chose was too busy, and people kept coming up to ask about the bike and distracting me. The results are washed out and entirely unworthy of the Yoyodyne, so I did what I usually do with ruined pictures: upped the contrast and at least tried to make them atmospherically interesting.

The Yoyodyne is designed as a fun and comfortable city bike. This particular one has a green frame and an orange fork, which is an unexpectedly pleasing colour combination.

ColumbusZona is a comfortable all-around tubing that contributes to a plush ride quality. The welds are very cleanly done. The segmented fork is one of my favourite fork designs and I never tire of its various iterations from different New England framebuilders.

Components cater to urban commuting, combining good quality and budget considerations: single crankset,Soma stem and Oxford swept-back handlebars, cork grips, simple city brake lever, brass bell, and a front rack. [edited to add: I just learned that the price for this complete bicycle is $1900 - good deal!]

Cardiff leather saddle with copper rivets. You can't see this very well here, but the seat post has a special feature that allows the top of it to be easily detached and reattached, without having to re-adjust saddle position.

And of course, the exciting 3-speed fixed gear hub. A testament to just how distracted I was, I even failed to capture the "S3X" label. It's on the other side.

Sturmey Archerhas a new gear shifter for 3 and 5-speed hubs that is versatile in that it can be used both on upright and drop handlebars. I found it a little difficult to budge in comparison to the traditional trigger shifter, but perhaps that can be adjusted.

It's difficult to properly test ride a bicycle at a crowded Bike Expo, but I made a half dozen laps on it around the large parking lot in the back of the building, as well as cycled up and down the long driveway a few times. With a constant stream of cars coming and going it was like a slower version of actual urban cycling.

The ride quality of the bicycle felt familiar as soon as I began pedaling. Cushy and easy to handle, it was not unlike a vintageRaleigh Sports - only more responsive, 1/3 of the weight, and made of far nicer tubing. I would feel comfortable riding it in city traffic. However, I would need a longer test ride to determine how it handles potholes at speed.

All of this struck me before I remembered about the bike being fixed gear. What I mean is that usually the fixed-gearness of a bicycle tends to dominate my impression of it, but here this was not the case. It felt more like a comfortable 3-speed, on which it just so happened that I didn't coast. This could be due to the bicycle's handling, or it could be due to the hub.

The ride with the S3X hub felt interesting, but I would say not entirely like a fixed gear bike. When I ride a single speed fixed gear, there is more to the sensation than merely not coasting. I feel like I have a direct connection to the drivetrain, and for me that is part of what makes riding fixed gear bikes enjoyable. This aspect is gone with the S3X: It basically feels like a nice 3-speed hub that does not allow you to coast. Shifting is easy and the gear spacing is just about perfect, but no matter what gear it is in, the feeling is not quite the same as single speed fixed gear.

One thing you have to watch out for with the S3X is that if not adjusted properly, the hub can "space out" and go into coasting mode for a millisecond's time at the end of each pedal revolution. Several people I know who've installed the S3X hub report this, and I experienced it as well - which makes me think that the adjustment has to be extremely precise in order for it not to happen.

While I like 3-speed hubs and I like fixed gear, I am not sure that the combination is for me, as it introduces a degree of complexity into both categories. But I still think it's a neat idea, and I am glad I tried it. In future, I hope to have the opportunity to learn more about Igleheart bicycles and to take one on a longer test ride. Many thanks to Mr. Igleheart for allowing me to ride the Yoyodyne!

Computer Games

I have never liked computer games, but with the influence of the Co-Habitant I am finally starting to get into them.



Here he is, taking a break after a particularly heated round.



What you need to play: an open road and a fast bicycle. Challenging hills can be introduced after you pass Level 1. Oh yes, and of course you'll need a computer.



After I mocked the Co-Habitant for putting one of these on his own bike, he decided that I was just jealous and got me one for Graham (my Rivendell Sam Hillborne). I reluctantly agreed to try it, and quickly grew to love it - much to my dismay, as there is really no attractive way to attach these things to a bike.



For those not familiar with it, a bicycle computer is basically a speedometer with some extra features. Mine tells me: distance covered during a trip,current speed, maximum speed during a trip, average speed, andtotal distance covered so far (since installing the computer). There is also a clock, which is handy since I don't wear a watch and extracting my mobile phone requires stopping the bike. If you are training yourself for touring, the bicycle computer helps you measure your progress in terms of how fast you are able to cycle. Keeping track of the distance you have covered is also useful. My top speed so far is 27.4 mph (44.1 km/h), which I reached the other day on the hills in Maine. I know that to the roadies out there, this is far from impressive. But for me, it was shocking to learn that I was capable of cycling this fast. 27.4 mph is of course a downhill speed, but on flattish ground I was consistently cycling at 16-19 mph.



The Co-Habitant is faster, so I guess he won the computer games - and probably will continue to win for a while. But who knows, maybe someday I will catch up.



The main thing that makes me lose speed, is fiddling around with my shifters. I don't shift gears on my usual rides outside Boston, so whenever we go to an area with real hills it takes me a while just to get comfortable with shifting. The Co-Habitant thinks that my friction shifters are an affectation, and if I got "brifters" (brake levers that contain indexed shifters within them) it would solve all of my problems. I feel attached to my wonderfulsilverbar-end shifters, but I do see his point.



For those interested in touring or in cycling for sport, the bicycle computer can be useful and fun. But beware: Once you have one, it can also get addictive! I know some people who have one on every single bicycle they own and are incapable of cycling without knowing their exact speed or distance covered. I am not likely to suffer this fate, but I amglad to have a computer on Graham. And a question for the randonneurs and roadies out there: What speed should I be working toward for touring and for club rides? It would be great to know where I stand.

Three Ladies, One Bicycle

I came across this scene in my favourite park in Vienna, the Augarten. Did not really know what to make of it, but it looked so iconic that I just could not resist a clandestine snap:

The three young women were resting against the wall - eyes closed, smiling, faces turned up towards the sun. The bicycle seemed to be "with them" rather than belonging to one of them, almost like a fourth person. Intriguing...

Wordless Wednesday :: Nearly Ready for Liftoff

The Great Forest Park Balloon RaceSt. Louis, Missouri September 1994Copyright © 1994/.. by Rebeckah R. Wiseman

Cailtin Bradley - American Girl

I returned to Yangshuo in mid-Winter, with only a brief Facebook message from West Australian climber/adventurer Logan Barber, who I'd never met, as the only lead on people who I might join up with. I met Logan, we crossed over for my first two days, he was awesome, I'm still getting to him.













































But the last person I had the privilege of knowing was the extraordinary Caitlin Bradley.

Early twenties, living, working, studying, adventuring and climbing in China.





















What's her story?









It seems a young American girl from North Carolina can make a living in China teaching climbing.

See her on theBlack RockClimbing team page.










Ninjas take climbing lessons from Caitlin.






After graduating fromUNCChapel Hill she headed toYangshuofor a climbing holiday. And never left. She does, however, have intentions of returning to do a masters on anthropogenic activities affecting fish populations in fresh water ecosystems.













I recently caught up with Caitlin by email, after a long pause. She says.

"Sorry for the late response, right now I am traveling in Yunnan mainly climbing and hiking, and myinternetaccess has been limited. I used a friends computer that had aVPN".




It's still a big world out there.

Being between degrees she's studying Calligraphy, Chinese painting and Chinese cooking. Skills!

















Who likesbiscuits and gravyfor breakfast? Must be a North Carolina thing. I had to google it.

Caitlin misses family breakfasts of biscuits and gravy in their forest home, listening to birds and watching the deer. Horse riding through the forest. Helping her Dad in the garden and fishing, and quilting and cooking with her Mom. I try to picture all that, I make it up from American movies.

For now she's working on American home style cooking, as long as it can be done on one burner, in a wok.













Hearing her melodic mastery of Mandarin, coloured with Southern Drawl is completely dreamy.

I've no idea what she's talking about, but could listen happily all day.









It's Christmas day we are crammed in the back of a mini-van, balancing big filthy packs of climbing gear on our knees. The bumpy road and worn seats are hurting my arse as we return from the crag in the dark. It's cold. Every one's got that glazed-eyed silence. Satisfaction, exhaustion. Caitlin is on the phone to her Mom in Nth Carolina, they are obviously close. You can hear the longing. Mothers with young daughters overseas, they are the same everywhere, concerned, needing skillful reassurance, but ultimately full of pride. She should be.










Find Catlin on Facebook at Caitlin Bradley - UNC but don't expect a response from behind the Great Fire Wall of China.

Thanks Caitlin, for your friendship, yours is an amazing story.






jj



PS All the photos disappeared from this post. I have reconstructed it as best I can. I blame Google.

Albuquerque

This was my best photo actually looking down at Albuquerque, NM from Sandia Crest. It was hazey this day, on better days you can actually make out buildings and streets in Albuquerque, and with field glasses you can see my house way, way west, almost 100 miles west of the mountains.

Meeting of the Mercians

In the sort of uncanny coincidence that can only happen in the alternate bikeland universe that is the Boston area, our local Somervillain is now also a Mercian owner. His is a vintage model, restored with new paint and period-correct components by the bicycle's previous owner. Somervillain's bike arrived at about the same time as our frames. While we were building mine up, he was putting the finishing touches on his.



Once both bicycles were ready, we of course had to commemorate the occasion. We arranged to meet on a sunny day. Alas as I cycled to our meeting spot, the clouds gathered and so our Mercians met under dramatically overcast skies. They had a great deal to say to one another - though, regrettably we could not understand their secret language.

Somervillain's Mercianis really quite a find. It is a 1971 Olympian model in English Racing Green with white headtube and seattube panels and gold outlining.

The geometry is like that of a club racer (would that be Audax or Sportive?), and the frame fits him well at 61cm x 58.5cm.

The complete history of this bicycle is unknown. The previous owner found it in pretty rough shape - badly repainted and entirely unrecognisable. Only after stripping the surface layer of paint and finding a serial number did it become apparent that the frame was a vintage Mercian. The owner decided to get it restored. He sent the frame off to England for a full repaint and began to hunt around for period correct components.

A year later, the bicycle was restoredto its former glory, and it was beautiful... too beautiful! The former owner found himself incapable of riding it. He kept it as a collector's piece for a bit, but ultimately decided to sell it to someone who would be willing to give the bicycle an active lifestyle.

...which Somervillain was more than happy to do. He got a good deal on the complete bicycle, and is happy both with Mercian's restoration and with the former owner's choice of components -

- which include a Campagnolo drivetrain,



Weinmann centerpull brakes,



andCinellihandlebars and stem.



One thing Somervillain was keen to add to the build, was a set of English Bluemel fenders. He felt that the Mercian did not look right with French style fenders, or the plastic SKS. I've considered this as well and agree that English bicycles don't look right with, for instance, hammered or fluted fenders. But for me the plain ones would be all right, since they really have no identifiable style to them and look fairly neutral.

But the Blumelfenders are quite special and difficult to find. Behold the little contrasting mudflaps.

Despite the 1971 Olympic and my Vincitore being entirely different models made with different lugsets and hailing from different eras, we marveled at how similar they are. The finishing is similar, the tubing is similar, the overall "presence" of the bikes is similar, and our accounts of ride quality are similar. Somervillain describes a responsive, but comfortable ride, easy over bumps and potholes - which is how my bicycle feels as well.

It is fascinating to me that Mercianhas managed to keep their process so consistent over the years with their classic models. You can choose much lighter tubing now if you wish, but the method remains the same. I would love to try an older Mercianin my size and compare it to how mine rides. Unfortunately Somervillain's frame is much too big for me, but if I visit New York City, maybe Justine of Midlife Cycling will let me try her1994 mixte - it would certainly be a treat!