New Bike!

Okay, this post is so old and crusty, but that's just a measure of how busy I have been. That's a lie. I am a horrible procrastinator. But I am working again and it is really amazing how much one can get done when there is a lot of stuff to be done and not nearly as much time. I was going back through the half-written posts and found this one languishing. Since this a leadup to other posts, I figure that this one should see the light of day.

I have a new bike. A brand new 2008 Kona Sutra.
This bike was the result of much agonizing and contemplation, and a whole bunch of hunting around.

Some basics: I test rode the 54C frame, which is Kona's odd size naming scheme for this frame. With very little adjustment, this frame fit me quite well. Stock, it has a lot of what I was looking for in a bike: Avid BB7 Road disc brakes, steel frame, bar-con shifters, and a full complement of mounts. Some added bonuses were three bottle mounts, outboard bearing crankset, Deore XT Shadow rear derailleur, front and rear racks, and 36h wheels on ISO Deore hubs. As such, there was little that I would want to change upon getting my bike home.

But there were still things that needed changing. The brake levers were definitely not my favorite as they did not fit my hands well. I am not a big fan of panniers, so the racks had to go (but I like having options). Narrow saddles don't fit my wide hips too well, so the really nice saddle got replaced by my Brooks B17.

Because I would be logging serious miles on this bike, I figured I should spring for the full fitting. I had the cockpit fitted to me with a wider set of Salsa Short & Shallow 44cm wide bars, Tektro R200 levers (my favorite!)(and an incredible value!), and a slightly shorter stem.

Among the other changes are higher Q-factor on the left crank, cleat positioning, and saddle positioning. It's all a bunch of subtle little changes that add up to a really custom feel on the bicycle. I highly suggest a full fitting; save room in your bike budget if you think you can't afford it. The fitting can make a $1200 bike feel like a $3000 bike.

And then there's my ongoing bag fixation.

The bag fixation continues. Stay tuned.

Now that I have been logging miles, I am actually not such a big fan of the B17. That is going to get replaced with a Selle Anatomica this week. There are three kinds of people when it comes to Brooks Saddles: those that love them, those that hate them, and those that haven't tried them. I am now a few thousand miles into this saddle and it's just not for me.

This bike is going to be my weapon of choice for my upcoming adventure. Stay tuned for more on that...

Somebody Shoot Me

Those of you who know me, know that I really despise the hipster fucks that snootily ride their fixies while looking down their deliberately unwashed pimply noses at anyone who dares to ride a bicycle with derailleurs and (*gasp!*) brakes. When I see some tight jeans-clad dipshit slide into cross traffic because he's too cool for anything so gauche as brakes, I secretly wish that the dumbass gets smeared. And what's with the damned spoke cards anyway? Are you really that desperate for attention?

Now, before any fixie riders get their panties in a bunch (and I can see you're wearing panties under those painted-on jeans), it's the elitist snobs that really frost my liver. I once walked into a cafe after busting out 125 miles on my loaded touring bike. The woman behind the counter asked me what I rode, and turned up her nose when I told her a touring bike. "Oh, I only ride fixie. Without brakes." Right. Then there are the buttheads that try to blast past me, only to be unable to keep up their pace 50 feet later and now I have pass your punk-ass that is attempting to labor up the 2% grade. But it's funny how a few bad apples spoil the whole bunch. I guess that is how perception works. I'd say that 99.99% fixie riders are cool folk, and they probably even still bleed red and have a kitty or pooch at home waiting for them.

Well, never one to let my street cred falter (ha!), I have joined the ranks of the fixie-riding pseudo-elite. Oh, I am kicking it poseur-style, for sure. I bought a Kona Paddy Wagon. With brakes (poseur alert!). No elite conversion kit for me. No overpriced, hand-crafted frameset. Just a basic steel frame.

It handles nimbly, has a decent component set, durable tires, fits full fenders, has clearance for a transverse saddle bag (in my frame size), and is fun to ride.


It's not as revolutionary as everyone says. But then again, my spin is pretty good to begin with, and my stroke is quite round. It is impressive how well it climbs up mild grades because the inertia of the bicycle carries the pedals over TDC/BDC. When it comes to the serious hills on my commute, some churning and major spinning are required. But overall, I am quite happy with the experience. The simplicity of it all is quite pleasant. There's nothing quite like being able to abuse the drivetrain on the bicycle and know that it is still going to be there for you.

Is it for everyone? I'd say no. I can feel the stress in my knees, but as long as I spin and don't skid stop,my messed-up knees should be okay. I am rather surprised how much of a non-issue my 36 mile commute is on the fixie, even toting all my work gear up 2800 feet of ascent and down another 2800 feet. It is most certainly worth a try, though.