by Velospeak | Nov 6, 2014 | Uncategorized
As of late, I’ve been hearing of a backlash to using Strava or even a simple computer on a bike ride. Folks are saying it hampers the ride with an overwhelming assortment of unnecessary facts and figures. I agree there may be more information than is needed, but I wholeheartedly welcome both Strava and the computer. I turn on my Garmin when I start a ride, and then forget it until I finish the ride. Once in a while I might glance down to check mileage, but as a general rule, I pay little attention to it as it does its job silently in the background. But then, when I get home, it is a completely different story. Sometimes, before I even remove my helmet, I’ll run up to the computer with Garmin in hand. It quickly gets plugged in, and Strava instantly comes up on the Mac. I wait the excruciating few seconds as the computer does its magic, and then, as a huge grin spreads on my face, the screen shows me all I accomplished earlier on the bike. I absolutely love to see a map of my wanderings, my top speed, my total mileage, and if I set any PRs. I’ll sit there at my desk fully decked out in cycling kit, studying all aspects of my ride. I see nothing wrong with this. The computer did not get in the way of the ride; instead, it helps me remember my ride. It keeps it neatly catalogued where I can see it anytime I wish. This works really well for travels to unfamiliar places. I can log on anytime to see exactly where I rode in Corsica over the summer. I am quite sure without the aide of a computer, the rides there would be lost and forgotten. To drill the point home, Strava today sent an e-mail with my totals for the year to date. Wow, so cool. I love knowing how much elevation gain I’ve achieved, or how many rides I’ve gone on. Yes, I will stick with my Garmin and Strava. They are the chroniclers of my cycling life.
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by Velospeak | Nov 5, 2014 | Uncategorized
The image above was lifted from the website HotPads, a rental website. This is essentially a heat map of areas in Los Angeles where bike theft is most common. A scary site indeed.
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by Velospeak | Oct 30, 2014 | Made in the USA, Product Reviews, Uncategorized
Over the years Light and Motion has produced a steady stream of rock solid lighting for cyclists, divers and hikers. I have long been a fan, and when presented with the opportunity to test the new Urban 800 Fast Charge, I admit I was a happy camper. I have tried previous generations of the Urban line, and have always been impressed with the lights. I was curious as to how Light and Motion could improve upon a seemingly perfect product, but as evidenced by the new Urban 800, the engineers at Light and Motion have been busy. The most important improvement in my opinion is the beam of light. The new Urban distributes the beam in a smooth and even pattern. There is no harsh transition from the center of the beam to the outer edges, and it seamlessly enhances the field of view. The new lens that creates this beam is brilliant; this feature alone is worth the upgrade. At 800 lumens, the light is more than bright enough for any need, and as is per usual, the light has four settings covering high, medium, low and pulsating. As the name suggests, this light charges quickly, with a mere 2.5 hour time for a full charge. This helps in situations when you realise it hasn’t been plugged in and you are faced with a dark commute home. Plug the Urban 800 into the USB port on your laptop for a little while, and you will be ready to tackle the ride home. The light is also fully waterproof to a depth of one meter for 3o minutes. This isn’t to suggest you should go for a dip on your bike, but it does mean that no matter the intensity of the rainstorm you may be stuck in, the Urban 800 will pull through without any problem. The Urban 800 is designed and assembled in California with about 50 to 80 percent of the manufacturing done in the United States. This number will grow as the company has built a new factory in Marina, California, that will be able to accommodate more in-house production. Light and Motion deserve a great deal of credit for designing and creating excellent products, all the while committing themselves to bringing back domestic manufacturing. I continue to be impressed, and more importantly, I continue to see the road in front of me.
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by Velospeak | Oct 30, 2014 | Uncategorized
This is amazing, and there are more from David Sparshott on his website. Thanks to Kyle over at Tracko for making me aware of this. I so want this poster.
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by Velospeak | Oct 24, 2014 | Product Reviews, Uncategorized
It’s happening. Fall is officially here, and the daylight hours are fewer. Usually I find the adjustment to be a difficult one, but this year seems different. I find myself wanting cooler temperatures, and haven’t minded the shorter days so far. Maybe that is due in part to the discovery of the Torch Apparel T1 bicycle helmet. I received this some time ago, but had not had the chance to properly take advantage of its best feature. This is a bicycle helmet that includes built-in front and rear lights. The lights are individually controlled, and have multiple settings, from constant on to blinking. The rear light is made up of five red LED lights, and the front light consists of five white LED lights. There are four settings for each set, and the lights are recharged using the trick USB cable that can charge both lights simultaneously. The helmet is incredibly comfortable, and I find that I don’t notice it while riding – a good sign. It has a simple adjustment wheel at the back, and the straps are also easy to adjust. So simple in fact, that it got me to ponder why some other helmets I’ve tried aren’t as easy to adjust. Another great feature is the airflow. I have the matte black version, a gamble when riding in LA because of the sunshine. I was pleasantly surprised by how cool my head remained. There are eight well placed vents on the helmet, all doing their job perfectly. This is a great helmet for riding in the city, and I find it a bit astonishing that such a simple and brilliant idea has taken this long to come to fruition. Thankfully, the folks at Torch Apparel did it with the T1 helmet, and in doing so provided another great way to stay safe while on the road.
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by Velospeak | Oct 24, 2014 | Product Reviews, Uncategorized
My commute to work can be a complicated affair when riding a bike with pedals requiring proper cycling shoes. The city bike is the easiesr choice for the daily ride, but a different issue arises with the flat pedals on the bike. On occasion, I like to wear dress shoes with leather soles, and I find pedals with pegs or spikes destroy the soles, or worse, pedals without any allow my feet to slide right off. It is an annoying problem, and I have tried to find a solution for quite some time. No pedal had come to save the day, but then Schindelhauer entered my world. They are a company based in Germany, and they produce some very beautiful bicycles. Alongside the line of 9 bicycles, there are some accessories, such as the Urban CNC Pedals pictured above. I first spotted these at Stilräd in Zurich, and I admit they are the first urban pedals I’ve seen that really make an impression. The size is the first thing I noticed, big enough to accommodate the foot, but a much smaller footprint than a typical BMX or city pedal. This alone is a huge selling point for me because, to be honest, I find aesthetics to be incredibly important, and the Urban CNC pedals just look right on any of my bikes. They are relatively lightweight at 300 grams per pair, and the construction is absolutely solid. The trick to why these work so well is the 3M supplied slip-free grip tape. The tape does its job perfectly. My feet stay firmly planted on the pedals. There are no moments of regret when jumping off a curb or clearing one of the many potholes here in LA. I can rest assured that I will remain in contact with the pedals and that I will arrive at my destination without incident, or at least without incident regarding my feet. The Urban CNC Pedals have become a favorite, and are perfect for everyday riding. And, I’ll say again that the Shindelhaeur bikes are absolutely beautiful, and worth a look. I long to ride the Ludwig XVIII, the ultimate city bike.
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by Velospeak | Oct 22, 2014 | Uncategorized
It’s time to start planning a trip to France. See more here.
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by Velospeak | Oct 15, 2014 | Uncategorized
Ministry of Supply, Boston based purveyors of performance city wear, are hosting a party at their pop-up store here in Los Angeles. Their clothing is worth looking at in person to better understand and appreciate their ingenious design features. I am impressed with the products I’ve seen, and recommend the trip to 8366 1/2 W. 3rd Street for Friday’s event.
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by Velospeak | Oct 15, 2014 | Product Reviews, Uncategorized
Hailing from Northern California, Kitsbow is a relative newcomer to the world of mountain bike clothing. Currently consisting of a 35-piece line-up, Kitsbow is setting out to bring a dash of elegance to the mountain biking community. All the pieces are striking in their design, yet have a simplicity the most discerning rider will appreciate. Many of the pieces, such as the Ride Tee pictured above, are suitable for everyday wear in addition to being perfect on the bike. The marketing push is for the mountain biker, but I think the urban commuter also stands to benefit from the clever and clean designs. I have first hand experience with the Ride Tee, and I can attest to its quality. It is really well made, with production taking place in Canada. The material is a merino, polyester and spandex blend that provides comfort and moisture management. The fabric is naturally odor resistant, and can hold up to the rigors of a mountain bike ride or a commute to work. There are also nylon shoulder panels for added durability. The concept is for a simple t-shirt, but the result is far more than that. It is a well thought out piece that benefits from exceptional design. I look forward to seeing more from this company and trying more product in the future.
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by Velospeak | Oct 12, 2014 | Uncategorized
On occasion when I check my inbox, there will be an e-mail from Bonhams touting another classic car auction. I am obsessed with these e-mails, as they highlight cars I have dreamed about since I was a kid. I am particularly fond of European cars from the 60s, and these seem to be the current hot ticket at the auctions. Today, the Citroën you see above, is what greeted me in my inbox. Incredible! Have a look through the catalog, and I’m sure something will get your attention. I still dream about cars, but in reality I prefer bicycles. They can sit indefinitely and then be ridden without a care. Old cars, on the other hand, tend to get disgruntled when not driven, and will eat away at your bank account when they are brought back to life. Still, I wouldn’t mind the Citroën.
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