Rapha + Raeburn
I rarely post videos, but I thought this one was quite beautiful. Looking forward to having a look at this jacket from Rapha.
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Chrome Spring Riding Gear
Chrome just released two new items to make up the Spring Riding Gear package. The De Haro Windbreaker and the Mason Riding Jersey join the now back in stock Union Shorts and the Truk Pro shoes. A perfect combo to keep you riding into the summer.
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Canyon Ultimate CF SLX 9.0 SL
Next week I head out to Frankfurt, and while there, I hope to be able to tour the Ergon and Canyon facilities just outside the city. I have been scouring both companies’ websites, and have come across what is one of the prettiest bikes I’ve seen in quite sometime, the Canyon Ultimate CF SLX 9.0 SL. The bike comes in many variations, enough to satisfy all SRAM, Shimano and Campagnolo aficionados. The version pictured above is the lightest, coming in at 13.66 pounds. The frame weighs in at 790 grams, which puts the SLX in the same category as the Cervelo R5, the Cannondale Supersix Evo, and the Parlee Z5SL. The downside to this is that Canyon cycles are still not available in the States. I’ll try and find out if that is going to change soon.
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Tall Bike @ CicLAvia
A really tall bike at CicLAvia.
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CicLAvia 4.21.13
CicLAvia took place yesterday, and, as always, I had a great time. The route to the sea was more crowded than any of the previous rides. One estimate in the LA Times put the number at 150,000 people. That is an impressive number. Of course, the going was slow, so for those cyclists actually wanting to get to point B from point A, it may have been a bit frustrating. I beat back the frustration, and just started to enjoy the general feeling of revelry. There were so many different people and bikes, it was hard not to enjoy being in such an atmosphere. At the beach, the sight was amazing. There were bikes everywhere, from the boardwalk down to the water’s edge. Everyone out just enjoying the outdoors. The ride back to mid-Wilshire was probably my favorite part of the day. CicLAvia had shut down at 3pm, but there were so many cyclists still on the road at 5pm, that we commandeered the right lane of Venice Blvd., and peacefully rode home. It made me think it might be a good idea to propose closing down the right lanes of a major thoroughfare each weekend, and doing a CicLAvia lite. It was such great fun, and the cyclists and cars seemed to get along fine. It was an amazing feeling cycling with so many others, reminding me of a ride up Market Street in San Francisco. Los Angeles has come a long way for cyclists, and seems to be continuously improving. CicLAvia can be directly linked to this improvement, and I am eternally grateful to those who work so hard to put this event on. For those in agreement who might like to help out, please donate to the cause here. Thanks to Marianne Sadowski for the photo.
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Boreas Lagunitas
Boreas is a San Francisco company that produces award winning packs for hiking, biking, or pretty much any outdoor activity. I have been testing the Lagunitas backpack, billed as a bike or light day hike pack. It is made from lightweight 210D ripstop nylon that is impregnated with silicone to achieve a waterproof main compartment. The unique feature of the pack is the variable suspension system. This allows the user to adjust the gap between the pack and your back. I have it set with quite a large gap, and have found that the airflow keeps me incredibly cool even with the bag at full capacity. The concept behind this may not be new, but this pack is the first lightweight backpack I have seen with the system. The straps are comfortable, and there is enough organization within to keep everything in place. The pack has a capacity of 25 liters, and weighs in at 2.2 pounds. I like the basic black color, but it is also offered in three other colors for those who like to spice things up a bit. Best of all, the pack is an affordable $139.99 and available directly through the Boreas website. If you hit up the site soon, you’ll find it on sale as well. Boreas sweats the details, and the Lagunitas shows that affordable can also be high quality design.
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Sycip on the way to Shelter Half
Jeremy Sycip sent this Java Boy down for the installation at Shelter Half. It is a stunning bike with hydraulic disc brakes, integrated racks, dynamo hub with light, and an internal 8 speed hub. Please head down to the shop to see this in person before it is snapped up by a lucky customer. I’ll have it there by the weekend unless it just can’t find its way there. That would be a shame if I had to keep it at home.
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K-Edge GoPro Mounts
The GoPro HERO3 is an amazing camera. It is compact and very simple in design, and the video is phenomenal. The downside to the camera are the mounts that come with it, as well as the optional mounts. They are a bit clunky, and more importantly, they tend to loosen, allowing the camera to move from the intended location. On a bicycle, this is a huge problem. Each and every bump I hit, the camera would move to the right or left, and up and down. This is definitely not a foolproof system. It occurred to me to do a little research for an aftermarket mount, and after a short Google search, I made the rather obvious discovery that K-Edge, the company known for chain catchers and Garmin mounts, has the GoBig line of mounts for the GoPro. I have the Go Big Pro handlebar mount as well as the Go Big Pro saddle rail mount. The mounts are made from CNC Machined 6061 T6 Aluminum. The handlebar mount weighs 46 grams and the saddle rail mount weighs 45 grams. These are absolutely beautiful accessories. They work as intended, and simplify the entire prospect of mounting the HERO3 to your bicycle. There has been no movement, despite jumping curbs and all around rough riding. They stay in place perfectly, and look good to boot. K-Edge manufactures the mounts in the US, and offer a lifetime warranty against material or manufacture defects. If filming your ride is a priority, the K-Edge mounts are a necessity.
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Frankfurt
This is a photo I took in Frankfurt last November. It was very cold, and the fall colors were in full force. I am going back in 2 weeks, and am hoping the colors are springlike with weather to match. A ride along the river might be in order!
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ic! berlin
Here at Velospeak, there is loyalty to certain brands I hold in high regard. Due to this loyalty, there are oftentimes multiple reviews of products from one manufacturer. If it has been written about here once, then in all likelihood, there will be more from the same company. The reason for this preface is to introduce ic! berlin, and give fair warning that I think this company will be featured often here at Velospeak. ic! berlin makes glasses, mostly out of metal, but also in plastic. There are prescription glasses as well as sunglasses. The company is based in Berlin, and their product is made there as well. The unique feature of ic! berlin glasses is the hinge. There is no pin or screw holding the arm in place, just an innovative design that allows the connection to be made without additional parts. This means there is no need for tightening the screw or pushing the pin back into place. It is quite ingenious, and operates perfectly. The glasses I’ve had the opportunity to try are the M0164 der wegweiser. They are very light, tipping the scale at 20 grams. The frame is 128mm, which is well suited for most people. It is a simple and clean design, and when combined with the light weight, these glasses are easy to wear all day long. I imagine the only reason for another pair of ic! berlins would be for a change of style, as I think this pair will last a very long time. Also, ic! berlin has an interesting website and blog. I hope to check out the company on a future trip to Berlin.
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