Commute/Utility Cycling Gear
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Review: Po Campo Bergen Pannier
Ever since my ride to work went from 2.5 miles to 7.5 miles one-way, I have been in pursuit of the ideal bike commute setup. After a few months, I settled on using a Carradice Camper for the to and fro, and that worked well, as long as I did not need to ride anywhere… Continue reading
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The Versatility of the Bike Helmet
Whenever conversations about bike helmets begin, controversy is seldom far behind. Today I’d like to take an opportunity to redirect the conventional helmet discussion and instead explore its versatility. Continue reading
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Running In a Dress: Nuu-Muu Review
Over the last year, one piece of workout gear has firmly inserted itself into my closet– the Nuu-Muu exercise dress. I use them for commuting, running, and even ran a marathon in one earlier this spring. Continue reading
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Switching It Up: Bike Friday Tikit Commutes
Last week someone asked me how many bikes I own. I generally deflect this question because anyone who is surrounded by bad influences (I’m looking at you, Felkerino) and has the money can purchase multiple bikes. So I have more than one bike, but do not consider it any sort of accomplishment. That said, the… Continue reading
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Bike Commute Hoarder
Lifehacker recently posted an article called the Cycling Commuter’s Daily Bag that essentially emptied out a bike commuter’s pannier. Curious, I looked through the items listed and the accompanying photos. The number of items this person carried to her job was shocking. The article did not go into the mileage of the woman’s daily commute, but during… Continue reading
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Commute Essentials: Klean Kanteen Cages
A few years ago I began commuting with steel Klean Kanteen bottles. I liked using the steel bottles, but because Klean Kanteens are narrower in circumfrence than a standard plastic water bottle and I use stainless steel cages almost exclusively, the metal on metal made the Kanteens rattle away on city streets like nobody’s business. I… Continue reading
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Bike Commute Guide: The Essentials
Today I’m talking commute basics, as somebody recently asked me what to keep in mind when making the transition to bike commuting. It took me back to when I dusted off my old Ross mountain bike and said to myself, “Metro no more. I’m going to make this bike commute thing happen.” Happily, it wasn’t a tough transition to… Continue reading
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BikeWrappers: Review and Giveaway
With the arrival of fall, night creeps in a little earlier to push out the daylight. Time to think about nighttime riding and making yourself even more visible to traffic. While a head- and tail-light are critical for rides after dark, there are other accessories worth considering for your bike, too. A couple of months… Continue reading
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Getting Comfortable in the Saddle
One of my blog readers, Trish, recently asked the following question about comfort in the saddle: I searched your blog to see if I could find your thoughts on comfort in the saddle, which is my biggest obstacle to long rides. I’ve been doing metric centuries every weekend, but beyond that I think my rear… Continue reading
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The Perfect Commuter Bike: my Surly Long Haul Trucker
Recently, I took a break from riding my Surly Long Haul Trucker because it was just too dirty to ride. Every time I touched the bike I deposited dirt somewhere on my person. I washed it over the weekend (OK, Felkerino washed it over the weekend) and now it’s too clean to ride. In the… Continue reading
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Utilitaire Curiosities: How We Light Up the Night
In order to officially complete the Utilitaire 12, at least two rides must be completed in the dark and thus, require lights. What do people use to ride in the dark? Some people, not part of this challenge, use nothing. Boo. Bike ninjas are all over. At least, I think they are. I have a… Continue reading
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Utilitaire Curiosities: How We Carry What We Do
Boop bee doop. Reading through the utilitaire posts and tweets got me thinking about the various “bike and haul” setups people have chosen, and also prompted me to analyze my own. I have two primary systems and bikes I use for hauling stuff around. For riding in the city, I generally use one of two… Continue reading
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Century Ride, Burley Trailer, and Santa Hats
Even though the holidays are quickly closing in on us, Felkerino and I made a joint escape from our chores on Saturday to do a century ride. We then made up for our day at play by doing car-free errands on Sunday, including a few with the Burley trailer. Crofton, Maryland, Century Ride Saturday, Felkerino… Continue reading
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Carradice Cheesecake, Weekend Cycling, and Mechanicals
How was your Thanksgiving? In the D.C. area, we were not only treated to a holiday, but also some spectacular late November weather. Sun, light wind, and temperatures in the mid-sixties. At least not all the good weather happens while I’m at work. Here are the weekend highlights from this neck of the woods. Continue reading
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Ride for your Life: Grocery Shopping
Felkerino and I recently acquired a bike to share, the Bridgestone MB-4. To-date, the sharing has consisted of me letting Felkerino ride it. That’s ok. My day will come. We realized that the Bridgestone is perfect for hitching up the $40 mint-condition Burley trailer that Felkerino got a few years ago from Goodwill. He’s been… Continue reading
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A Bike Ride, a Burley trailer, and a new Nishiki mixte frame
Wow, this week went fast. Felkerino and I are off to join our D.C. Randonneurs friends for a little bike ride. This is one where reflective gear and lights are required. Before we go, though, I would like to share that we are putting the Bridgestone MB-4 to work. This morning, Felkerino hitched the Burley… Continue reading
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Bikes to Like: The Surly Long Haul Trucker
First of all, way to go, rain commuters! That was quite a rain on the homeward trek, no? Lightning and everything! Now, on with the show. As I’ve mentioned, certain bikes on the commute really catch my eye. One of those is the Surly Long Haul Trucker, which I also use as my primary commute… Continue reading
Chasing MailBoxes 