by Velospeak | Feb 5, 2014 | Uncategorized
Today’s Los Angeles Times features an article by Steve Lopez on the thrill of commuting in LA. The article, entitled Commuting by bike is an L.A. adventure, speaks about the dangers and the obvious benefits of riding as opposed to driving. It’s an interesting take on the subject from someone who doesn’t consider himself a cyclist. And a perfect bike for commuting is pictured above: another Rob English creation, this one Julian’s winter city bike. I can’t get enough of looking through his website and checking out all his amazing builds.
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by Velospeak | Jan 31, 2014 | Product Reviews, Uncategorized
Last summer, I was able to tour the Assos headquarters in Ticino, Switzerland. The tour was an excellent opportunity to see firsthand the amount of time and detail that goes into each and every product release. While there, I was given a sneak preview of the presentation box for the new line of shorts that fall under the s7 designation. The unusual thing for me was seeing how much care was put into presentation of the new product. From a casual perspective, I’d guessed this was a months long project, which made me think the development of the shorts must’ve been a years long project. I received confirmation of both these assumptions, and then, six months after this preview, I received my own personal presentation box in the post, and I am now able to ride the new T.équipe_s7. I must admit I was a bit apprehensive about trying these shorts. I’ve been riding the T FI.13_S5 shorts for some time now, and since the first ride, I’ve never worn another pair. As my previous review pointed out, these are hard to beat. So, the game changing s7 line made me nervous. Would they be better and worth the upgrade? The answer is a resounding yes. There are many details in the new design that improve upon the former, but I am smitten with two of these improvements over the rest. First, the new positioning of the straps is excellent. They are now positioned further out on the torso, avoiding the chest, and increasing comfort tremendously. It feels more natural to have the straps this way, and it avoids chafing entirely. The other huge improvement is the material around the thighs that features more compression. The compression aids in getting you farther, and in more comfort. Simply put, these two changes have made riding immeasurably more comfortable for me. I’ll still ride the s5’s, but I really do have a new spot in my heart for the T.équipe_s7 shorts. The details are spelled out in a new Assos microsite set up for the introduction of the line. There are four models, the équipe being the first to reach market. The two top tier models feature the much ballyhooed kukuPenthouse, a circular cutout meant to accommodate the male anatomy. The name of the feature has raised many eyebrows, but I for one am looking forward to trying these shorts out. The concept behind the kukuPenthouse makes sense to me, and judging from the design success of the équipe, I imagine the top tier will be exceptional. Finally, I wouldn’t toss the old s5’s, but if the opportunity presents itself, the upgrade to the T.équipe_s7 is worth the money.
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by Velospeak | Jan 30, 2014 | Uncategorized
Thomson has long been a favorite of mine, producing some of the best seat posts, stems and handlebars on the market. My mountain bike is outfitted with Thomson, as is my cross bike. The products are absolutely top of the line, and will last a lifetime. Now, Thomson is venturing into building complete bikes, and is joining forces with Lynskey to produce three different models. First up is the Elite 275, a purpose built hard tail mountain bike. Next up is the Elite 29, a single speed that can be converted to a geared bike by swapping the sliding dropout. Last to be introduced is the Elite Gravel, an adventure bike that will come equipped with the soon to be introduced Pave seat post. We’ll have to wait until 2015 for this last release. I am incredibly excited by this announcement, and hope to see some of these bikes later this year at Interbike. For now, there are brief descriptions on the Thomson website.
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by Velospeak | Jan 30, 2014 | Uncategorized
Chrome has updated its camouflage line with a new Swedish M90 geometric pattern that is reflective at night. It is a special edition, and can be had in the Victor, the Barrage, and the Citizen pictured above.
Chrome’s second issue of Reflective Camo is an updated version of how Chrome does camo. For this edition, Chrome found a Swedish M90 geometric camo, and overlaid a rain camo print with a special glass bead finish, which reflects light from up to 100 feet. During the day, these bags appear as Swedish geometric “M90” camo and at night the appearance in light is a reflective rain camo. Developed in limited quantities, the Barrage, Citizen and Victor are available in our versatile Chrome Reflective Camo 2nd Issue.
The bags are available starting today, and can be found at your local bike shop or online directly from Chrome.
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by Velospeak | Jan 21, 2014 | Made in the USA, Product Reviews, Uncategorized
Light and Motion seems to be able to pull off the impossible. They take an already great product, and make it far better than could be imagined. This is definitely the case with the new Urban 700, a step up from last year’s Urban 550. As the number indicates, the lumens have gone up quite a bit, resulting in a brighter light. But more importantly, the reflector has been redesigned to be able to handle the increased output. The new design makes for a larger and smoother beam spread. It lights your way without a distinct line at the edge of the beam. This makes it easier to navigate in total darkness, and in turn, makes riding safer and easier. In a previous review, I pointed out that Light and Motion was the premier bike light manufacturer, and in releasing the Urban 700, they can solidly lay claim to that title. In related Light and Motion news, the company has outgrown their Monterey, CA, headquarters, and are currently in the process of relocating to nearby Marina, CA. The story can be read on their blog. The move promises to allow Light and Motion to continue building the best lights in the industry, and also continue to manufacture their products locally.
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by Velospeak | Jan 21, 2014 | Made in the USA, Product Reviews, Uncategorized
Last month I was fortunate to be invited to an event at Bike Effect to introduce a new brand out of San Francisco, CA. Parker Dusseau is the label, and the company is centered on clothing for the cycling commuter. This includes everything from shirts to chinos to suits. The suit is the signature piece from Parker Dusseau, but to start, I thought I would present my impressions of a most basic garment, the tried and true chino. Of course, to be considered for use on the bike, the basic chino needs to be reinforced with cycling specific features. Parker Dusseau starts with a stretch cotton twill fabric that has a beautiful feel and the perfect amount of give. The pants are sewn with single needle chain stitching for increased durability, and have a bias cut crotch gusset for extra movement. My favorite features are the rear pocket flaps that have reflective piping that can be hidden inside the pocket during the day, and the clever pant cuffs that contain hidden reflective straps that can be adjusted in two different positions. This is what is pictured above, and simple as it may seem, it is an incredibly useful feature. There is also a gripper waistband, and extra deep pockets to make sure nothing is lost during your commute. The cut on these pants is perfect for me. They are slim, but not too skinny, and have the feel of a trouser that has been worn in over time. On the bike they perform perfectly, and at work they are a great option for a slightly dressed up look. The cycling commuter is a strange breed, with many different clothing requirements, and I believe Parker Dusseau has something for all of us. I recently received the suit, and I will report back at a later date on this most beautiful piece. For the time being, check out the Parker Dusseau website and read up on the brand and its founder’s inspiration. It’s a great story worth reading, and serves as inspiration for following your passions.
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by Velospeak | Jan 16, 2014 | Uncategorized
Butchers & Bicycles, based in Copenhagen, is introducing their take on the cargo bike. The bike is remarkable in that the three-wheeler leans into a turn, basket and all. This is an amazing engineering feat, and judging from the video on their homepage, looks like an amazing ride as well. These really need to come to the USA. Watch the video, and let me know if you agree.
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by Velospeak | Jan 16, 2014 | Uncategorized
Blackburn Design is looking for brand ambassadors for 2014, and is offering an amazing opportunity for those with wanderlust. Blackburn sums it up best in the following text:
Are you a cyclist with an adventurous soul? Someone who likes to capture your stories along the road? Maybe you’re a seasoned bikepacker, well-versed in traversing back roads and trails. Maybe you’re just getting into adventure cycling – testing out overnight trips and yearning for more. Definitely you’re somebody who passionately believes in the idea that viewing the world can be better by bike.
At Blackburn we design product for those who embody this spirit of adventure, and in support of this community we’re recruiting 4 new brand ambassadors for 2014. Nicknamed “Rangers”, our ambassadors provide the ultimate test of our products and bring them into real world situations as they tackle journeys along the Pacific Coast and Great Divide routes. Blackburn Rangers work directly with our designers and engineers to deliver invaluable product feedback as well as advocate for bicycling touring, share their journeys and adventures along the routes and encourage everyone to get “Out There.”
If you’re interested in traveling the Pacific Coast Bicycle Route or the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route and sharing your stories along the way–as well as testing out our latest and greatest gear–you just might be the perfect candidate to be a Blackburn Ranger.
For those interested, the link to the process can be found here.
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by Velospeak | Jan 14, 2014 | Uncategorized
Every once in a while, I like to check out the recent builds on Rob English’s website. I’ve written often about Rob’s inventive cycle designs, and each time I visit the site, I discover more beautiful bicycles. The “special winter bike project” pictured above is stunning, and has now got a hold on a bit of my imagination. I imagine the fun that could be had riding this around in all conditions, without any worry of maintenance or upkeep. The design lends itself to fuss-free cycling, and as Rob’s description details, the bike as pictured above, has a Portland winter’s layer of dirt and grime on it. Read up on this build, as well as many others, on the English Cycles site.
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by Velospeak | Jan 10, 2014 | Uncategorized
Today I came across the WIT Industries blog on Tumblr. This image really caught my eye, and will require further research.
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