It’s a tradition on the iBOB list to share cycling things that you tried and liked over the year. Having done a lot of riding this year, somewhere in the neighborhood of 5,500 miles, there’s a lot that I discovered I liked.
Rivendell Rambouillet – my dream bike has been everything I hoped it would be. My previous geared road bike was a Bridgestone RB-2 which is a direct ancestor of the Ram. The differences in terms of geometry are slightly longer chainstays, a lower bottom backet, a more relaxed head angle, and room for wider tires. The wider tires were what I was aiming for in an upgrade, but I’ve really grown to like the lower bottom bracket. It feels like I’m riding much more in the bike rather than on the bike. The difference is about 7mm, but it’s quite noticeable. Beyond that, it’s proven to be an extremely versatile machine. While still quite zippy on pavement, I’ve taken it on gravely fire roads with a touring load. Technically, that’s more than it was designed for, but I’m skinny and pack light (or at least try my best to do so) and it’s handled my abuses like a champ.
Keen Commuter Sandals – These bike sandals have become my default footwear. They’re far more walkable than my Sidi Dominators which are great, but I can’t ride out to a trailhead and go for a hike in them like I can with the Keens. On the three tours I took in 2008, these are the only pieces of footwear I brought with me – no need for “off-bike” shoes.
Schmidt Edelux Dynamo Light – Wow, this thing is bright. Maybe not as bright as my NiteRider MiNewt.x2, but I don’t need to worry at all about batteries running out or completely malfunctioning (as was the case with the 24hr. mountain bike race I did in April). It proved invaluable on my ride from Kyoto where I rode several times at night, if only for the psychological benefits of knowing I wasn’t going to be left in the dark. I’m looking forward to hitting some brevets with this.
Acorn Bags Handlebar Bag – I love this thing. Easy access to camera, maps, and snacks. Comes with a shoulder strap for toting it around off the bike. Plus it looks super classy.
Perpetuem – Brevet juice! I don’t think I’d have been able to finish the 200km and 300km rides I did this year without it. Absolutely awesome liquid energy.
Long Rides Without Bike Shorts – I’m over padded bike shorts. They actually make me a lot more sore. On my Kyoto trip, I wore only merino wool boxer briefs under my knickers or pants. Combined with my Brooks saddle, it was all I needed. I’d like to try bike shorts without padding but with perhaps an old-school minimal leather chamois and see how that goes for the times when I want to dress the part of a cyclist.
Nau Clothing – Sustainable, socially and environmentally sensitive performance wear that also happens to be quite stylish. I lamented the fact that Nau.com was closing shop back in May. They had a clearance sale of their remaining inventory and Bronwyn and I picked up essentially a whole new wardrobe. I practically live in their merino wool henley. Thankfully, they’ve been able to relaunch themselves, scaling their line down a bit to more manageable degrees. Unfortunately, their full-price items are a bit expensive. I may still get some of their clothing in the future (I dig their riding jacket and dualist jacket), but as it is I’ve got plenty to wear at the moment.
