Monthly Archives: July 2014

“What’ll she do?”

Posted on July 29, 2014 by

When I was a kid, I loved cars. My first question to any owner of a sports car was: “What’ll she do?” I approach bikes similarly – I care about how they ride first and foremost. Some cyclists these days … Continue reading →

Posted in Testing and Tech | 39 Comments

My Favorite Bottle Cages

Posted on July 25, 2014 by

It’s rare that I fall completely in love with a product, but it happened with the Nitto bottle cages. Ever since I began cycling seriously, I have been looking for the perfect bottle cages. In the late 1980s, almost everybody … Continue reading →

Posted in Bottle cages | 41 Comments

Out of Reach

Posted on July 21, 2014 by

When I am riding alone, cycling is meditation for me. When riding with friends, it’s uninterrupted time together. In both cases, it means leaving my busy life behind. No random e-mails, no urgent phone calls, nobody coming to my desk. … Continue reading →

Posted in Rides | 56 Comments

The Stem formerly known as Nitto Pearl

Posted on July 17, 2014 by

Once upon a time, most stems had quills that inserted into the steerer tube. The stems were made from forged aluminum. Cinelli, 3TTT and others offered them. They were attractive and relatively lightweight, and stem failures were unheard of. Many … Continue reading →

Posted in Stems | 31 Comments

The Actual Width of Tires?

Posted on July 14, 2014 by

Sometimes we get an e-mail or a phone call from a customer asking, “I bought the Compass 32 mm tires, but they only measure 28.5 mm on my rims. Why is this?” Decades ago, some tire makers cheated when stating … Continue reading →

Posted in Tires | 26 Comments

A Japanese Book on Simplex

Posted on July 11, 2014 by

Hideki Sasaki has released the second book in the “Derailleurs of the World” series. The new book covers Simplex, perhaps the most influential derailleur maker of all. From the earliest 1920s designs to the last slant parallelogram derailleurs of the … Continue reading →

Posted in books | 2 Comments

Thoughts about Getting Children Engaged in Cycling

Posted on July 7, 2014 by

Many avid cyclists would love to share their joy of cycling with their children, but some find that their children aren’t interested at all. I am lucky – for now – that my son shares my love of the sport. … Continue reading →

Posted in Rides | 30 Comments