Lost Wages

So this week is Interbike and thanks to the glories of the internet and digital cameras there's little need to waste your time and money heading out to Las Vegas. I've been surfing around looking at what's on show and for the most part there's nothing really Earth shattering. More carbon, more suspension, more yawns. Have seen a few things that really caught my attention:

1. Park Tools: The boys in blue always come out with something nice and this year is no exception. My faves: a lighter repair stand, a Mavic truing tool that will fit the slots on most case pallets, and a backpack for carrying tools. All welcome new to race/event mechanics everywhere! Details already posted on the Park site.
2. Cannondale Lefty tool: Cannondale has come with a nifty multi-tool that slides into the empty headtube. Yeah, the French did this years ago but nobody has done it recently. It's a good idea and one I've already been tinkering with.
3. Rivendell/QBP Bleriot: An affordable 650b bike. Rivendell style, QBP availability. What's not to like? Hope it sells like hotcakes at lumberjack camp.
   
4. Jeff Jones: This guy makes the most fantastic titanium bikes out there and also the best off-road handlebar.
5. Reynolds 953: Steel's not dead! Yeah!
6. Wool: The marketing people are finally embracing it which means soon the sheep (consumers) will be wearing real sheep.
7. FSA: Finally someone has pulled their head out of their backside and realized that most people don't ride fast enough to gain any real benefit from aero wheels but could benefit from reduced bearing friction. VeloNews said it best: "Remember when we used to care about bearings and how freely our wheels and drivetrains spun?" Ahmen! Sealed bearings are great for mechanics - when they get cruchy you just punch 'em out and replace them. Unfortunately, all those seals create quite a bit of drag. FSA has gone ceramic and apparently the results are impressive.
8. LED lights: They're getting brigher and smaller. Who really needs a HID system on the road? Seriously, unless you're trying to signal the space shuttle it's overkill. It's also annoying as all get out on bike trails where you end up blinding anyone heading in the opposite direction. Also nice to see dynamo hubs coming back into fashion.
9. Surly Pugsley: If you thought the Karate Monkey was a niche frame just take a gander at this beast! 3.7" tires and as little as 5 psi could make this the ultimate winter trail bike. Kudos to the Surly crew!
   

Another shot

Here's what I'll be looking at as I ride. Makes me happy I spend the big bucks on the lugged stem.

Show and tell time!

Here's a side shot of the bike. Specs:

• DuraAce cranks w/ 48-38 rings
• 105 front derailleur and BB
• Ultegra 10s rear derailleur and chain
• DuraAce 10s downtube shifters
• DuraAce seatpost with Rondine saddle
• Rivendell stem, Nitto Noodle bars, bar-end lights, Specialized BarPhat tape/pads (I don't like wearing gloves)
• Eggbeater pedals
• Mavic Cosmos wheels with 28mm SOMA steel bead tires
• Campy carbon brake levers
• IRD B-57 brakes
• FSA headset
• Delta stainless bottle cages
• SKS fenders
• VDO computer

Weight is a hair under 20.5 pounds. Not bad considering it has steel bead tires and fenders!

Rivendell Reader #36

Got my first Reader since renewing my loooong lapsed membership. Highlights:

• Photos of Nigel Smythe bags. Not sure how I feel about plaid bags.
• Ritchey Breakaway review
• A "the French invented it first" type article from Jan Heine with some great pictures of obscure parts.
• Details of an inexpensive 650b bike. Availability is early next year, made in Taiwan, and lugged. Grant writes that it's "designed within half an inch of where I'm sitting now". He doesn't say where that's at but it kind of sounds like it might not be a Rivendell offering.
• Richard Schwinn interview.

All in all, another fine reader.

What are we buying?

I work for a major outdoor goods retailer. I'm not going to say who but suffice it to say we're best known for our initials. Today we were given the opportunity to purchase some of our house brand gear for next to nothing prices. They do this twice a year both as a thank-you to the employees and also because they know it's a great way to sell more gear (employees in any industry sell more of what they personally use)

I'm looking through the mini-catalog they sent out announcing this sale and one thing that stands out in regards to the clothing is the heavy use of words to describe clothing that I would not normally associate with clothing. Words like "technical", "performance", "laminate" and "welded". Just what am I buying: a jacket or a racing car?

Since when did a jacket need to "perform" and why does it need to be "technical"? Correct me if I'm wrong but we're still talking about fabric. Granted, the fibers are different as are the production techniques but at the end of the day it's still a series of strands woven together into a sheet that is then cut and assembled into a completed garment. It's certainly not technical on the same level as say an iPod, jet engine, or camera so why pretend it is? Maybe I'm getting old (highly unlikely) or way out of touch with the Average American (very likely) but when I'm looking at a jacket I'm more interested in words like "warm", "cozy", "dry", "comfortable". Have we become so dependent on technology and gadgets that these words are no longer appealing?

Fortunately, there is hope. Turn one page from the jacket with the subtitle "Technical fabrics combine for peak performance" is....WOOL! Nice, 18 micron Merino wool at that. The subtitle for the wool top reads "A natural way to add warmth, wick moisture" Now you tell me, which of those descriptions sounds more inviting?

Wish List

First, let me start by saying I think the bike industry is, on the whole, doing a better job of serving a greater variety of cycling interests than at any time I can recall (and I've been at this since the early 80's)

That said, there are some things I'd love to see brought to market or resurrected. Here's a short list, in no particular order:

1) Hite-Rite.
Anyone remember these? A simple spring designed to help off-road riders quickly raise/lower their seats. Useless for fire road riding in Marin but mighty handy on twisty, up and down singletrack. I did see someone is offering a seatpost that can be adjusted with a remote switch. Same concept but way more expensive, complicated and heavier. I can't figure out why more trail riders haven't resurrected this one.

2) 110/74 bcd aluminum crankset for modern bottom brackets.
Interloc is working on this but no promises of when it will arrive. Rivendell is also trying to import the Sugino Alpino. Sugino already makes a great 110/74 crank - the XD - but it's square taper. Shimano is coming out with a 110 crank but it's a double only and uses their outboard bearings. Plus the current generation Shimano cranks look too much like spaceships and not enough like crankst, IMHO.

3) Cinelli Unicanitor.
A plastic shell attached to the rails. Like a Brooks, the comfort comes from the shell flexing rather than from padding. Simple and cheap. Also impervious to wet weather making it a winner for rainy day commuters and cyclocrossers alike. With titanium rails it would be very light.

4) A Brooks saddle that works.
Every Brooks saddle I've ever seen on a reasonably modern bike is shoved as far back as possible. Even then they're often still too far forward. Why Brooks has their saddle rails in a totally different configuration to the rest of the industry is a mystery. John at Rivendell says a solution is in the works but can't give a date. Keep your fingers crossed on this one.

5) Good looking yet affordable bags.
Cycling bags fall into two categories: handsome hand-made models that cost more than a set of wheels or affordable models that look like cheap plastic. Why can't someone take nice materials (canvas and leather) and have them made in Taiwan? How hard can this be? OK, it probably is hard.

6) Lightweight bags.
Why are all good quality panniers so overbuilt? Most cyclotourists are not traveling for months on end through third world countries but you'd never know it from their over built gear. People have hiked the Appalachian and Pacific Crest trails using ultralight sil-nylon backpacks. Why can't someone make sil-nylon panniers for people to use for light and fast trips? While purists may sneer down on the credit card touring crowd there is no denying they exist.

7) Loops on saddles and saddle bags.
Every non-racing saddle should have saddle loops and every bike bag maker should make a saddlebag. Period. A large saddlebag easily beats a set of panniers for commuting, centuries and credit card touring while also allowing you to quickly strip the bike down for speedy, short weekend rides. With panniers you still have a big ugly rack on the bike when you remove them. Not a look.

8) Affordable aluminum fenders.
Honjo fenders are striking in both appearance and price. Much of this is probably due to the high labor costs in Japan. Why not make them in Taiwan? While we're at it, make them as easy to install as SKS and Zefal fenders.

9) A brake/shift lever in which the brake lever and shifter are separate parts.
True, Campy Ergo be rebuilt but realistically the number of man hours it takes makes it impractical. Instead I'm thinking of a shift pod that attaches to the brake lever. This would make upgrading from 9 to 10 to 11 speeds more affordable. Would also be great for cross racers. Modolo attempted this a few years back but didn't quite pull it off.

10) Wool jerseys that fit Americans.
Is it just me or does it seem like most wool jerseys are made for tall skinny guys with no shoulders?? I've got woolies from several makers and most of them are too long in back and have sleeves that are too short. Really odd thing is some of them come from companies that also make plastic jerseys that don't have these fit issues. What's up with that??

Yippeee....

The last piece for my Soma arrived. Spent the night finishing the bike off. It's still not 100% where I want it to be and there are several parts I'm hoping to get such as Honjo fenders, different wheels, and Rolly-Polly tires. Still, it's together and can be ridden. Going to snap some pics tonight and try to post them on this page.