Last year, I put some upgrades onto my Cross-Check which among others included different handlebars. While they felt better than the original drops by a long shot, I noticed one big disadvantage: They offered really only one hand position. Riding in the hoods no longer was an option due to the angle of the brake levers, the top section was too narrow to accommodate for my big hands. Back in the fall, I was starting to look for a replacement. Here’s what I ended up with:

I wanted to keep the bars wide, be able to change hand positions as needed and keep my bar-end shifters. This ruled out the WTB Mountain Road Drop Bars since they are compatible with STI shifters only.

Regular MTB bars don’t really work for me, so I was briefly considering ordering the Modolo Dumbo bars. In the end I skipped that idea, because they are rather pricey and would have necessitated a set of Paul’s Thumbies as well as new brake levers.

Thankfully, Salsa came to my rescue by introducing the Woodchippers that promised to be exactly what I was looking for. I ordered them as soon as they became available (in 46 cm width) as well as the Aztec Vibe Wrap. I was also lucky to score a NOS set of Cinelli Spinachis.

All of this went onto the bike a few weeks ago and I’m still surprised how much of a difference it makes.

I now have all the hand positions back I had on the original drops with the added benefit of better leverage due to the added with. The Spinachis add some additional positions that are quite nice to have on those rides exceeding 50km.

So far, I have about 250km on the new setup and it is easily the most comfortable cockpit I ever had. I am very much looking forward for touring and camping this summer.

This is the old setup, for comparison. Here’s the new setup:

Click the image to see it larger size

I’ll admit it, I am a sucker for bike bags and backpacks. Seeing the first prototype pics of the Vandal late last summer I couldn’t wait to get my hands on one; as soon as they became available I ordered me one as a Christmas present to myself.  After ordering the bag I found out that the masterminds behind the Mission Workshop are the guys that founded Chrome, so my expectations were raised quite a bit. Almost five months of daily use have passed, so here are my findings:

Materials & Workmanship: 5/5

As one would expect from a company with that heritage, the bag is impeccably made. All stitching is superbly executed, with some nice reinforcements on the stress areas. In a notable difference from other bike bags I own, Mission Workshop uses different materials. The outer shell of the bag is made out of a somewhat “softer” cordura than my Chrome bags, but it appears to be just as sturdy. The inner compartments are not made with truck tarp but rather some reinforced nylon (I believe), which appears just as sturdy and waterproof, but a lot softer to the touch and much more flexible. All buckles are of the “high-end” variety that doesn’t get brittle in the cold; furthermore they are all standard sizes, so in a pinch you could just grab a replacement buckle at REI if time is of the issue. All Zippers are of the coated variety, and while Mission Workshop labels only one compartment as waterproof (all others are called storm-proof) I’d think that even a rain shower of the heaviest kind would not be able to penetrate the zippers.
The bag is handmade here in the US (go Denver!) and comes with a lifetime warranty.
All of this attention to detail, however, does not come cheap. Price of the bag is $239, the additional hip belt (highly recommended) is $30.

I am in no way suggesting the bag is overpriced, but I can see fellow riders just scoffing at the price when “a $20 Walmart backpack does the same thing” (no, it doesn’t).

Design & Practicality: 5/5

This section, as well as the next one are what truly makes the Vandal a kind of its own.
All bike-centric bags I know fall into one of two categories: the over-the shoulder messenger style, made famous by Chrome and Timbuk2 or the knapsack-style pack pioneered by Ortlieb and picked up by a few other companies as well. Both designs work well enough on a bike, but also have a few shortcomings inherent in their design.
The Vandal is the first bike bag I’ve see that shuns all that and starts with a clean slate.
When you see a Vandal for the first time it looks unassuming, almost to being bland. I can see some people looking for a bit more “bling”; for someone like yours truly that favors the stealth approach, the looks are about perfect.
Starting from the back of the bag, the first thing you’ll notice is a carrying system not unlike what you would find on a mountaineering backpack. You’ll spend a few minutes to set up the various straps and buckles to get the bag into a comfortable position, but you have to do it only once. You’ll at that point also notice that the Vandal has an internal frame that goes a long way in providing stiffness as well as a snug fit. For an even better fit, by all means get yourself the optional hip-belt, you will not regret it.
Moving to the front, things are getting even more interesting:
I noticed the absence of an organizer mesh pocket and initially though this to be an oversight, but after exploring the bag a bit more I realized: The Vandal doesn’t need an organizer pocket, it is one big organizer in itself.
Up on the very front is the smallest compartment (still pretty big) that I find perfect to stash my lock, keys wallet and so forth.
Behind that is a larger compartment with a divider that I find perfect to stash my tools, pump and rain gear. Both of these compartments offer coated zippers, Mission workshop dubs them as “storm-proof” but honestly I can’t see how anything would leak in there even in a very heavy rainstorm.
In the very back is the largest compartment, big enough for a 17″ laptop. It is designed as a rolltop, so it is going to be waterproof.
Finally, there’s the crown jewel of the Vandal: The expanding mid section.
Between the middle and the large compartment is a big zipper that runs around pretty much  the whole bag. Open it and you’ll see another zipper and two buckled straps. Open said zipper and you will be greeted by a positively huge compartment, ready to swallow pretty much anything you might have to carry. This compartment is not water or even storm-proof (and not designed to be) bo offers a grommet at the bottom for a quick runoff of any precipitation you might acquire.

Fit and Capacity: 5/5

In between the top-notch carrying system and the optional hip-belt this bag offer me the the best (by a long shot) fit and comfort of any of the bags and packs I already own, regardless if I ride it semi-empty with the expanded section closed or fully opened up and loaded full. The same experience has been share to me by some of my riding friends that are shorter than me (I’m 6′3″) or have a different build. Spend a few minutes to adjust the carrying system and you will be comfortable no matter if you haul 3 pound or 30.
With the mid-section fully expanded I have hauled the same if not more stuff than with my Sultan, all the while being more comfortable than ever carrying a heavy load on my back. The most intriguing aspect however is not only the positively huge capacity in itself, but the fact that one no longer has to face the problem of bringing a too small bag for hauling stuff or a too big bag and not really needing it.

Summary:

Without a single doubt, the Vandal is the best bike-centric bag ever made. In-between the high-quality materials, expert workmanship and the incredibly clever design I can not see any rider that would not be smitten by it. Recently, Mission Workshop introduced a mildly updated version of the Vandal that now offers to additional small pockets in the front. My version of the bag doesn’t have those yet I have no reason whatsoever to change my opinion on the Vandal by one Iota.
Go and buy one (don’t forget the hip-belt) and ride it for a bit. You’ll wonder, like I did, how you could have done without it for so long.

First of all I must admit that riding wise 2009 was not exactly a stellar year for me. Due to circumstances beyond my control I was not able to do any of the touring trips I had sort of planned for the summer. That being said, it still was a very good year to be riding in Denver.

While I was not able to go away for longer trips I did manage to go on a few SO24s (What’s this you ask? Read more here). I had a blast doing them and also met a bunch of pretty cool folks, so overall I am pretty happy

So what were my riding favorites in 2009?

Platte River Trail

Denver’s back bone of multi-use trails has seen a lot of attention over the last few years. It now stretches pretty much all the way from north to south of Metro Denver and connects to almost every other trail in the city. It can get a bit crowded in certain areas, especially on the weekends, but it is my favorite trail to ride still

More commuters than ever

It is perhaps that I pay more attention these days, but I noticed a much larger number of other riders on their way to work, the store and so forth than in years before. The whole spectrum from carbon-fiber weenies to Hipsters wearing their sister’s pants on their brakeless fixies to guys in business attire on a cruiser. It is a good thing to see

Traffic policy changes

The city of Denver ( as well as the state) have changed their policy regarding bicycles in traffic quite considerably. Good for all of us, even the cagers

Bike shows & Community rides

I attended several bike-related events in 2009 and the were all great. From bike-themed artwork to handmade frame and vintage parts, everything seemed to have its own event last year. Huge numbers of people there and a good atmosphere.

Good bike shops

We are now blessed with a number of shops that are all about bikes and riding. Sure, the despicable chain stores are here as well; but now there’s choices. The fact that my money goes to a local shop rather than a faceless corporation is an additional perk

My friends, riding or not

Going to a time of, well, hardship nothing beats good friends. The amount of support, help and just good company I received from all people I consider close to me was nothing but mind-boggling.

Thank you all so very much for that.

I was lucky enough to receive a pretty much brand-new Burley Nomad in the late summer of 2008.
Since then I used it for grocery runs, camping and pretty much any other situation where I needed more capacity than my various bags and the rear rack provide.

Design & Practicality: 4/5

The trailer consists of a folding aluminum frame with a cordura canopy to hold your cargo. It can be folded down with ease within a couple of minutes, sans tools. The main compartment has a divider for separating your goods as well as a few mesh bags to carry smaller items. By design, the trailer is NOT waterproof, so anything you don’t want to get wet in inclement weather needs to be packed in a waterproof bag or stuff sack.

Oversize items that won’t fit into the trailer itself can be strapped to the trailer itself or you could go for the optional cargo rack

Attachment to the bike is handled by a aluminum hitch that goes into you rear quick release; if you ride tandem or full-suspension there are other hitches available

It is overall a very good design; there is however a certain lack of attention to detail and execution (see next paragraph)

Materials & Workmanship: 3.5/5

Frame and canopy are made constructed of what appears to be good materials, yet there are some unsatisfactory cheap details as well. The pull straps to close the canopy over the frame are made out of low-grade vinyl that rips easily. There are some attachment points on both side of the trailer for strapping additional items to the top of the trailer, but they have clearly not been designed with holding down weight, but rather as an afterthought. Granted, Burley offers an optional top rack for the trailer, but given the price of the trailer I find these issues rather uncalled for.

If you charge top-end dollar for your product I expect top-end quality as well

Fit & Capacity: 5/5

Burley rates the weight-carrying capacity of the trailer to 100 pounds. This is a generous rating and the frame certainly appears to be up to the task. I have loaded 60 pound into it and while it is a bit cumbersome to get rolling with that much weight, the trailer itself is certainly capable of handing it.

The much larger “ground-area” of the trailer, compared to panniers makes it a lot easier to get stuff organized; at the same time, I have caught myself loading way more than was necessary because the cargo space is just there. Of course one cannot fault the trailer for the lack of self-control

Summary

Overall the Nomad is a good cargo/camping trailer with good capacity and is pretty well made. It is the aforementionened failures in detail that turn me of a bit. Granted, I was lucky in getting it for free, if I had bought it for the suggested $330 be assured I’d be complaining to Burley aplenty

I have no first-hand experience with other cargo trailers such as the BOBs, but I feel that all things considered the Nomad is a good product. If Burley would feel to address the smaller complaints (and I am not the only one voicing them) the for sure have a winner on their hands

Riding with a trailer will change the way your bike handles. It takes more effort to get the whole load rolling, and depending on how much way you carry. Going uphill or downhill will present its own set of challenges; yet I feel that these issues are far less pronounced compared to riding with loaded panniers.

After using my Chrome Bags Sultan for quite some time I was ready to try a somewhat smaller alternative. While I like the huge capacity of the Sultan, it literally gets in the way some time when I’m out only on an errand.

Considering how much I like the Sultan I decided to give one of their smaller shoulder bags a try. After several months of almost daily use, here’s my impression:

Design & Practicality: 5/5

At first sight, the bag looks rather unimposing. It is only after you open the main flap that the clever features shine through. Right on the front is a good-sized organizer section for smaller things like keys, cell phone and so forth. Behind that you find some larger pockets that are perfect for a U-lock, tools and a spare inner tube. There is also a document pocket behind it, large enough to accommodate my MacBook Pro in a protective sleeve and the power supply. Lastly you have the big main compartment, suitable for your bigger stuff such as groceries, your favorite adult beverages and so forth

Outside is a loop for a blinkie light and an attachment for a poster roll or a rainjacket.

Overall, I’d say it is a pretty perfect design

Materials & Workmanship: 5/5

As it is the case with the Sultan, materials and craftsmanship are first rate. Anyway you look at the bag it just oozes quality. All the buckles are prime quality and in standard dimensions, so should you ever break one (pretty unlikely, I’d say) you can pick up a replacement at pretty much any sports store.It is also worth noting that all Chrome bags come with a lifetime warranty.

Fit & Capacity: 5/5

While Chrome rates the Metropolis as smaller than the Sultan, it is still a very high-capacity bag. I have no problem to fit a week’s worth of groceries in it or a substantial amount of “Post-ride Rehydration Cylinders”. However, if it is only smaller things you carry, the bag will stay very flat and low profile and never feels bulky.

The carrying system deserves a separate mention: When ordering or buying one of these you need to specify if you wear it on your left shoulder or on your right. The main carrying strap is very generously padded; it also comes with Chrome’s signature “safety-belt” quick release. There’s also stabilizer strap that can hook into two different positions, depending on your preferences if you are riding with the bag loaded full.

Carrying comfort even with a full load is great and it is very easy to adjust the bag so it doesn’t move around. That being said, I feel that a backpack design in the same situation feels better. This is no fault of the bag itself; carrying 20+ pound on both shoulders rather than only one feels just better to me.

Summary

As far as shoulder bags are concerned, this is one of the best ones out there. Superb quality and great design make a great all-around bag that is very well suited for a do-it-all urban bag

In case you like the overall concept, but have no need for that much room, Chrome makes smaller bags in the same design and quality for less money

Click on the image for a larger view. All images are taken from Chrome’s website

Since quite some time, I was looking for a stand for my bike to hold it up if there’s nothing to lean it against. I was contemplating the two-legged kickstand from Pletscher but never really warmed up to its looks. Then I found out about this amazing product through one of the cycling mailing lists I subscribe to. So what is it? It’s a portable bike stand. It’s one of those things that are so brilliantly executed, I just had to have it. How does it, ahem, hold up? Read on to find outIt works the same way as a collapsible tent pole: a few sections of aluminium tubing that insert into each other, assisted by some elastic cord that run on the inside. On the top is a cradle that holds the top tube, the bottom has a rubberized tip for traction.
In order for this to work, one or both brakes need to be engaged. To this end you’ll receive three elastic cords with your purchase; but in a cinch a thick rubber band or something will work too.

Since bicycles very in size and frame dimensions quite a bit, every stand is custom-made according to the measurements you provide. It’s really simple to do: Measure the distance from the lower end of your top tubed down to the ground in a straight line, and the top tube diameter, that’s it.

Click-Stand is available in a variety of versions, I opted for the beefiest one since it has to support the bike and the trailer.

I received it a few days ago and was immediately impressed by the compact size and the weight, or lack thereof. I can throw it into my messenger bag, my Camelbak, it even fits into my little front bag. You can also purchase a little rack to attack the stand to your frame in case you prefer it that way.

I have used it a couple of times, and it works impressively well. Apply the brake band(s), flip open the stand and attach it, presto, your done. I took it with me today for grocery run and it has no problem holding the bike with the trailer and 60 lbs. of stuff in it. I tried it in windy conditions on my ride out to Chatfield, no problem. On really soft ground the weight of the bike pushes the stand into the ground (same a with a regular kickstand) but I just used my patch kit for some support, problem solved.

Now, how much is this gem going to cost you? I bought the beefiest one and also opted for the 5-segment option for compactness and it came to a very affordable $32, shipping was amazingly fast.

Conclusion: Brilliant idea, great design, very well made and affordable. This is already one of my favorite bike accessories I have ever bought. My only complaint is I wish I would have found out about it sooner. Highest recommendations without any reservations

Get it here: http://www.click-stand.com

I took three days off from work for some much needed rest. Wednesday the weather was rather crappy, so I treated Mean Betsy to some maintenance and myself to some Paulaner Original Munich Lager. Thursday I rode 30km on some errands and shopping and so forth, but Friday I decided to go on a “real” ride.

SInce I hadn’t been on the Bear Creek Trail in almost a year, I decided to hit that and see how far I’d make it. The somewhat lofty goal was to make it to Morrison, alas I am rather out of shape and I also got off to a late start.

The weather gods were with me and it turned out to be a beautiful ride. Contrary to the newer bike trails such as the the Platte River Trail, Bear Creek is a lot different. Its very curvy in a good way, not as “polished” and it takes you through mostly wooded areas. I eventually hit Bear Creek Park and decided to challenge myself and ride up Bear Creek Dam. It’s not a very steep climb, but just steep and long enough to be pretty straining, at least to me.

I did make it up there (with a fair bit of suffering) but it was so worth it. I got a beautiful view of the foothills, spent a few words with a fellow cyclist who arrived just minutes later and took some pictures.

It was so awesome I decided to skip Morrison (it’s literally just down the dam on the other side) and ride home instead. I somehow managed to miss the trailhead, so I rode eastward on streets that had less traffic for a little and then hit the trail again.

Back in my area, I decided to treat myself to some food from my favorite Mexican restaurant and celebrate my awesome ride with one or two post-ride rehydration cylinders.

It’s days like this that make me want to never move from Denver.

More detailed info is here

After riding my Cannondale Capo for almost a year I decided I wanted a more “all-around” bike that would be better suited to purposes such as shopping, touring, bike-camping, basically the kinds of rides a trackbike is really not designed to handle

I had a few criteria:

• Steel frame
• eyelets for fenders and a rack
• more relaxed frame angles
• ability to run wider tires
• good value

Before I started looking for such an animal, I hadn’t even heard about Surly, but all the reviews I read online as well as the opinion of a few cyclist friends of mine advised me that Surly in general offers great value for the money and the Cross-Check in particular would be well-suited for what I wanted. I checked out some other offerings and while the fit some of my criteria, none did fulfill all.

I purchased the bike at Campus Cycles sight unseen, as I had not been able to find a bike shop locally that had one in my size, but given all the very good reviews i figured I be safe. The idea was to ride it stock and the perhaps upgrade to something “better” maybe in a year or two. How did that all workout? Read on to find out

Frame & parts 5/5

Make no mistake this is not a boutique style handmade frame. That being said, it is very well put together with nice smooth welds and a really good quality paint job. That in itself is nothing really unusual nowadays, but a nice detail nonetheless. Where Surly really shines is the part selection. All components are good quality, no-nonsense brand parts, nothing flashy for sure, but functional and durable. For a sort of “budget” bike (MSRP last year was $975, it has gone up slightly since then) I was impressed. I did some upgrades this winter ( more on that later) but not because those parts were worn out. My bike was completely stock when I bought it except the addition of fenders, a 11-34 rear cassette and a Shimano XT rear derailleur

Ride quality: 5/5

The bike now has a little over 2000 miles on it, seeing mixed rides ranging from commuting and shopping to single-track rides, touring, some camping trips and a few getting lost rides. I am really, really impressed by the quality of the ride. It handles swift, but not nervous. The frame lets you know about the condition of the surface you ride on but is never jarring or punishing. Pot holes and pockmarks are soaked up very well, and it does a fine job on single-track and fire roads. Heavy loads or a fully loaded trailer do impede on the handling a bit but a lot less than I expected. The bike is heavier than some of the aluminum offerings from other manufacturers, but not by much.

Practicality: 5/5

Incredible. That’s the only description I can think of. The bike has excelled in any kind of riding I threw at it and continues to do so. It is not perfect in any discipline but does incredibly well in all I have exposed it too. Commuting, shopping, camping, all-day rides, whatever. I am not a racer myself but I know of countless people that slap a set of skinnies on it on the weekend and do club rides, brevets and full centuries. It also appears to be a very capable cyclocross racer.

You have braze-ons for fenders and a rear as well as two bottle holders. The rear drop-outs are semi-horizontal, so the bike can be set up geared, single speed or even with an internally geared hub. Very nice.

Conclusion: 5/5

My Cross-Check is easily my most favorite bike I have ever owned. In between the build quality, the nice ride and the amazing versatility, the bike is truly a kind of its own. My initial idea of replacing it with something better has long gone out the window, simply because short of going with a custom-built frame, I can’t think of any bike that would offer me the same qualities I already enjoy.

If you are looking for a well-built, well-riding bike that can handle almost any riding situation while still being on the more affordable end of the price scale then run, don’t walk to your local bike shop and order one of these. You’ll really be glad you did.

The upgrades:

Well, if this bike is so good, why did I bother to put different parts on it? Simply said, I wanted to fine-tune it a bit more towards my own riding style. So here’s what I chose:

Origin-8 Gary handlebars: better leverage when climbing since they are wider; a lot less numbness and fatigue in my hands and neck compared to the original drops. The standard bar-end shifters needed a little bit of grinding before they would fit

Brooks B-17 standard saddle: Somewhat uncomfortable right out of the box until it’s broken in, but then the most comfortable saddle you have ever exposed your gluteus maximus to. It’s not fully broken in yet but has already started to get very comfortable

Avid Ultimate brakes & Cane Creek Deep-V brake levers: The brakes the bike comes with are entirely adequate for solo rides and light to moderate loads, if you’re pulling 80 lbs. of groceries in the trailer and are going downhill, they get a bit sketchy. The Avid brakes offer a lot more power and modulation, but they also have a different cable pull, so I needed new brake levers for them too. The brakes are not cheap ($100 per wheel) but very well worth it

Nashbar Trekking crank-set and bottom bracket: I wanted to have a granny gear for pulling the trailer in the mountains, as I am not the world’s strongest climber. This crank-set offered me that, in addition to looking very handsome. I could have bolted a granny ring onto the cranks the bike came with, but I am a sucker for matte black . It is an ISIS-style crank, so I also needed a new bottom bracket in order to mount them

Shimano 105 front derailleur: The FD that comes standard on the bike is not compatible with a triple crank. Shimano makes cheaper FDs for triple chainrings, but I decided to pay a little more and take advantage of the 105’s notoriety for offering very good reliability and function.

So far, all the upgraded parts have exceeded my expectations. I have only 200 miles on them for now but will post individual reviews as I get more mileage put onto them

It is perhaps a bit “unusual” to put a review of a fixed-gear bike into the more travel/commuting oriented bikesite; alas this is the bike I bought to get back into cycling after a nearly 10-year hiatus.
When looking for a bike to start cycling I got immediately intrigued with the simplicity and also the relative low pricepoint of a fixed-gear or singlespeed bike. No expensive parts besides the frame, no shifting gear to maintain all sounded like a winning recipe to me. I did a bit of research and found a number of “prebuilt” fixies from a variety of manufacturers, but almost immediately picked the Cannondale once I found out they were offering it. My only reason was: I have been riding Cannondales since 1990, all hand-made frames and had nothing but good experiences with them. I read a few reviews online and proceeded to order a bike from a local Cannondale dealer.

I rode the bike as my main ride for a year and still ride it at least twice a week when I feel the need for some shenanigans on the street (“I swear that was not me hanging off the spare tire of a Jeep”)

I expected a ride that was simple, quick and enjoyable; somewhat akin to a Mazda Miata. If you’re not into cars that may not mean much to you but what I got was the equivalent to a Lotus Elise SC. Read on to see what I mean by that
Frame & parts     5/5

This is one of the frames still handmade at Cannondale’s factory in Bedford, PA and it shows. It is made out of one of their custom tubesets, double-butted and thin-walled. Way back when, it was Cannondale and Klein that pioneered fat-tubed, aluminium frames, so the have considerable experience there; perhaps more than any other manufacturer.

The frame is drilled for front and rear brakes ( a big no-no among the fixie purists), has mounts for two bottleholders and you get a carbon fork also.

The parts that are on there are some no-nonsense, very well working items from their own in-house brand. The headset rocks ‘Dale’s “System integration” logo, but I couldn’t tell you what that means, except it has been working very well. Besides that you have a decent crank set, nice brakes and a wheelset that is not superlight but well built and is still true after two years of agressive but not abusive urban riding.

Ride quality     0/5 to 5/5, it depends on you

Riding the bike home from the dealer I bought it from I was shocked. I had never ridden a bike than handled so explosive, accelerated that fast or was that nervous at slow speed. It was then that I discovered what the Capo actually is: It’s a track bike, built for speed, acceleration and lightning -quick handling on the boards of a European velodrome. A finely tuned, exquisitely exercised single purpose bicycle, a pure-breed if you will.

Take it out of it’s habitat onto the pockmarked and pot-holed streets of Denver and you realise there are compromises to be made.

The frame is stiff to the point of abusive. Mix that with super-short chainstays, very steep seat and top tube angles and race tires and you get a ride that is invigorating, exciting but never relaxing. 

This bike will always keep you on your toes, it will (figuratively speaking) whisper in your ear: “Spank me, please” but never relent. It is your neighborhood bad girl (the one you’re secretly scared of) made out of choice aluminium and carbon fiber. If you were looking for your high-school sweetheart, look elsewhere.

Practicality     0/5 to 5/5, you decide

If you read that far, than you already know that this is not a very practical bike either, in the true sense of the definition. There are no eyelets for fenders or racks, the biggest tire you can possibly squeeze through the fork or the rear end is a 25mm race tire.

This means you are limited to whatever you can stuff into your messenger bag for cargo and your ability to find the smoother roads to get to work.

You may, however, find that these limitations are not really limitations at all but rather the epitome of concentrating onto the essentials of riding, which are speed, suaveness and attitude

Conclusion     4/5 for me

This is easily the most fun bike I have ever owned. In the general consensus of commuter bikes, the Capo is possibly one of the worst choices, but if it’s siren song of high-speed, needy handling and a semi-abusive ride appeals to you you cant go wrong.

I picked up a more “sensible” bike last year for shopping, touring  and all the other stuff, but am I ever glad to succumb to the Capo’s whisper and hiss.

While the long silence on this blog may indicate that I am not riding anymore this is actually not the case. It’s just that most of my rides are of a utilitarian nature, i.e going shopping etc. I did a few rides on my favorite trails as well, especially the Platte River Trail. I also visited my friend Jessica in her new digs, which is just the perfect distance for a little stroll.
I am taking next week off and have a few bigger rides planned and will certainly update with pics and such