I thought I'd try something new and post some of the routes I take when riding. (I was jsut trying to figure out how this worked in google earth this morning...).
Here is the route I usually take on a Saturday or Sunday morning if I want to do 100Km. I know some people have different routes depending on what direction the wind is coming - ride out INTO the wind usually means you get a tailwind coming home. I don't care when I'm riding into a tail wind. I hate riding in trafic mroe than I hate headwinds so I always head south west as it is the quickest way out of town and onto the open road.
View Larger Map
There is very little traffic on this route if you go early enough in the morning. Closer to noon there gets to be more traffic out on Valley Road and highway 60 heading to the Berry Barn or the golf course or other destinations along Valley Road or people heading to or from Pike Lake.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Friday, July 18, 2008
Tim’s Cycling Cap Mk. I
So I was sitting around one day and I thought to myself – “I’m going to try making my OWN damn cycling cap! How hard can they be?” I got out a needle and some thread and some wool material I had picked up at a thrift store ages ago (originally intended for shorts – but that’s still way beyond my sewing expertise). I made a simple four-panel pattern. Cut out the material. Sewed it all together by hand. Here are the results:
(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)
Looks not bad here… the brim is more like a ball cap and won’t really stand up cycling-dork-style…
Here’s the big problem – for some angles it looks a little like a squarish farmer hat or something…
Works okay under the helmet…. Rear facing, at least…
I have modified the pattern slightly to make it slightly less boxy and made the brim a little more traditional looking. Now if only I could find the time to sew it up.
Maybe I should try using a machine sometime… How hard can they be to figure out…?
(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)
Looks not bad here… the brim is more like a ball cap and won’t really stand up cycling-dork-style…
Here’s the big problem – for some angles it looks a little like a squarish farmer hat or something…
Works okay under the helmet…. Rear facing, at least…
I have modified the pattern slightly to make it slightly less boxy and made the brim a little more traditional looking. Now if only I could find the time to sew it up.
Maybe I should try using a machine sometime… How hard can they be to figure out…?
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
WEEK SEVEN (and eight…)
Monday 30 June to Sunday 13 July 2008. “Rest and Recovery Weeks”
Not so much with the riding this past week or so.
I’ve had a Pilonidal Sinus infection (basically an infected pore just above my tailbone) – which has made it rather uncomfortable to SIT (…one a chair – strangely enough I was completely fine sitting on a bicycle saddle!?). In my last entry I had mentioned I’d had a bit of a sore and got on some antibiotics. Well they didn’t work out so well. After the long weekend, by some miracle, I was actually able to get in to see my own doctor. She sent me scooting off to see the on-call surgeon at St. Paul’s Emergency to have a look. He had me promptly cut open by a couple of residents to drain a rather large abscess that had been forming. I have to tell you, it even less fun that getting the old sniperoo – which was absolutely no fun AT ALL!
My doctor said it’s most common among cyclists and people driving jeeps!? When I asked her what she meant about people driving jeeps she said it was first medically described affecting soldiers driving their jeeps around in the desert… Hmmm… wonder if that could have been the Long Range Desert Group (British army commando-types that fought in North Africa during world war two that would drive thousands of miles around the flanks and raid German and Italian outposts hundreds of miles behind the lines)…!? I can’t imagine how much THAT would have sucked driving thousands of miles across lumpy, bumpy, rocky deserts with one of those on ones backside!?
Anyway, I am on the mend now and I should, literally, be back in the saddle again soon. Hopefully this next week I’ll be clocking on the miles again. Of course I’ve gotten out of the pattern of early nights and early mornings and once that’s happened it’s so damn easy to just say I’m too damn tired and not get up…
I was back on the bike last week hauling Finnegan over to campus every day for the Saskatoon Suzuki Summer String Experience (a total of ~75km through the week), and on Sunday I rode out to do some errands (another 15km). I HAD totally planned on doing rides Saturday and Sunday morning… see previous comment about “so damn easy…”
Not so much with the riding this past week or so.
I’ve had a Pilonidal Sinus infection (basically an infected pore just above my tailbone) – which has made it rather uncomfortable to SIT (…one a chair – strangely enough I was completely fine sitting on a bicycle saddle!?). In my last entry I had mentioned I’d had a bit of a sore and got on some antibiotics. Well they didn’t work out so well. After the long weekend, by some miracle, I was actually able to get in to see my own doctor. She sent me scooting off to see the on-call surgeon at St. Paul’s Emergency to have a look. He had me promptly cut open by a couple of residents to drain a rather large abscess that had been forming. I have to tell you, it even less fun that getting the old sniperoo – which was absolutely no fun AT ALL!
My doctor said it’s most common among cyclists and people driving jeeps!? When I asked her what she meant about people driving jeeps she said it was first medically described affecting soldiers driving their jeeps around in the desert… Hmmm… wonder if that could have been the Long Range Desert Group (British army commando-types that fought in North Africa during world war two that would drive thousands of miles around the flanks and raid German and Italian outposts hundreds of miles behind the lines)…!? I can’t imagine how much THAT would have sucked driving thousands of miles across lumpy, bumpy, rocky deserts with one of those on ones backside!?
Anyway, I am on the mend now and I should, literally, be back in the saddle again soon. Hopefully this next week I’ll be clocking on the miles again. Of course I’ve gotten out of the pattern of early nights and early mornings and once that’s happened it’s so damn easy to just say I’m too damn tired and not get up…
I was back on the bike last week hauling Finnegan over to campus every day for the Saskatoon Suzuki Summer String Experience (a total of ~75km through the week), and on Sunday I rode out to do some errands (another 15km). I HAD totally planned on doing rides Saturday and Sunday morning… see previous comment about “so damn easy…”
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Surly Cross-Check
I was working at the Bike Doctor in the summer of 2004. I had started racing cyclocross the previous year on the Mikado. Realizing this was somewhat less than ideal to race on I had bought the on Cannondale ‘Cross bike in the spring when I started working at the doc. However during the summer I had picked up the 1FG and was LOVING it. I even raced on it. That got me to thinking; if I could race on a single speed mountain bike, why not race on a single speed cyclocross bike!? I mean, really – in all the races I had raced in I had NEVER used more than one gear ANYWAY!? Maybe if I had a singlespeed ‘cross bike with a gear that was slightly (…or considerably!?) bigger than the lowest gear on my geared bikes it would FORCE me to go faster – No wimping out in the granny gears!
Like any bike geek I’ve always dreamed about starting from a frame and building a bike. When better to do that than when working at a bike store and getting a staff discount? I had a lot of fun building this bike. It’s probably my favourite in the stable. Which is odd, as I don’t actually get around to riding it much…
I built it up with a Surly flip-flop hub as I had gotten this idea that it might be fun to try a fixey – one ride on it and – oh man, it was so damn much fun - I was already plotting a dedicated road fixey – which ultimately lead to The Rocket.
Amanda balked at the idea of me getting a steel bike. A year later we were moving stuff around in the garage and she actually lifted it up and couldn’t believe how light it was. Now it’s no feather weight but it sure isn’t a tank!
This replaced the Cannondale as my Cyclocross Racing Bike… before I ever even raced on the Cannondale… In fact the Cannondale has only ever been used as a road bike… Ah well…
(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)
Here’s what it looks like today. I’ll probably switch one of my brooks saddles onto it when I start riding it a bit more regularly. Hmmmm… looks a bit dirty… shameful… It’s been dirtier though…
I had this up and running just in time for the first cyclocross race in 2004… This was at one of the later races – the Saskatoon Double Cross Weekend. It was muddy and wet and cold like a “real” ‘cross race ought to be.
Wow… did I ride it home like that? I probably went as far as the Bike Doc and sprayed it down at the car wash across the street.
I didn’t have the wheels built for the first race… What the…!? Is that a leopard print thong you’re wearing, tim?!
Oh yes indeed! There used to be a race in the Sask provincial race series called Diva Cross – the cross-dressing ‘cross race. There were time penalties for those who didn’t cross dress and time bonuses for the butchest babe and the sultriest dude. I need ever advantage I could get so I was going for the time bonus this year.
Unfortunately they had the worst system EVER for determining who got the time bonuses. Instead of anyone simply being appointed judge they thought they’d be fair and have people vote – fair enough… except there were three sheets one which you were to write the names of the people you thought were your first second and third choice, respectively. The person with the most votes on each sheet won and was given a 30, 20, and 10 second time bonus…. Is anyone else seeing the flaw in this system…? Clearly there were no statisticians on the planning committee. Technically if you had enough people voting for you in first second and third place you could take all three…?! Ah well…
This is at the Regina Double Cross Weekend.
Regina Double Cross Weekend again. All these nice action hero shots were taken by Amanda. We rented a car and drove down with Finnegan – just 9 months old – and stayed at a B&B. Nice to make a weekend of it.
Who is that man in black…?
Saskatchewan Cyclocross Provincial Championships 2004. Little stretch of road included in it…
More of the ’04 Provincials. It was a fun course – lots of twists and turns and a couple of nasty run ups – walk ups for most. Not me. I RAN every run –up – there’s always a downhill on the other side that you can recover on!
This was the ’05 ‘Cross Provincials. In 2005 I rode three races fixed. Yeah, that’s right, with a fixed gear. 36x15. I have to say I did go quicker – probably had to do with the fact that I had to pedal through stuff I would have ordinarily coasted through.
Not a lot of steep run-ups in this one. Just grass. Lots and lots of grass.
A bit blurry but this illustrates my high-speed can-can dismount when using a fixey. It takes some careful timing – basically you unclip the right foot, keeping your left leg straight let momentum carry you up and bring the right foot over the top tube (as above) then as you come back down step through and hit the ground running – twisting your left foot out as you go! Takes some practice… but it works.
The downside of the course – at least on a fixey – was the rock wall. You can kind of see it in the background. It runs for a good length through the park, varying in height. At a point where it’s only about a foot high they decided to have the course cross it… going down hill… straight downhill, with an abrupt 90° left turn at the bottom. I guess a sensible person could have dismounted at the top, ran down the short bank, hopped down the wall and re-mounted and carried on. But no one else on their free-wheelin’ multi geared bikes were doing that so I’d be damned if I would!
Every time I went over that drop one of my pedals struck the wall being egg-beaters that popped my foot right out! I can’t believe I made it through the race without eating it at least once! That’s skill, baby! (or blind-fucking-dumb-luck!)
The ’05 ‘cross provincials was the last race I rode in. I’m planning on racing again this year though – so stay tuned!
Hmmmm... maybe I should have put all these racing pictures in a separate "cyclocross racing" post... Ah well...
Vital Statistics:
Bike: Surly CrossXCheck
Frame: Double butted 4130 Cro-mo – STEEL IS REAL!
Fork: Surly Cross-Check fork - lugged and brazed cro-mo.
Headset: FSA
Stem: ? 6061 alloy…
Bar: Ritchey comp 6061 double-butted
Grips: Cinelli (I think…) orange cork tape
Brake levers: Diacompe
Gear Shifters: NOT APPLICABLE!
Brakes: Tektro Oryx
Bottom Bracket:
Cranks/Chainring(s)
Wheels:
-Hubs: Surly 32 hole (rear is flip-flop single-fixed)
-FW/Cog/etc: ACS Claws16T/Surly SS 15T Fixed cog
-Spokes: DT black
-Rims: Mavic Open Pro
Tires: Panaracer Cross blaster.
Post: Ritchey
Saddle: San Marco Anatomica 371 (though usually it’s one of the Brooks B-17 saddles)
Like any bike geek I’ve always dreamed about starting from a frame and building a bike. When better to do that than when working at a bike store and getting a staff discount? I had a lot of fun building this bike. It’s probably my favourite in the stable. Which is odd, as I don’t actually get around to riding it much…
I built it up with a Surly flip-flop hub as I had gotten this idea that it might be fun to try a fixey – one ride on it and – oh man, it was so damn much fun - I was already plotting a dedicated road fixey – which ultimately lead to The Rocket.
Amanda balked at the idea of me getting a steel bike. A year later we were moving stuff around in the garage and she actually lifted it up and couldn’t believe how light it was. Now it’s no feather weight but it sure isn’t a tank!
This replaced the Cannondale as my Cyclocross Racing Bike… before I ever even raced on the Cannondale… In fact the Cannondale has only ever been used as a road bike… Ah well…
(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)
Here’s what it looks like today. I’ll probably switch one of my brooks saddles onto it when I start riding it a bit more regularly. Hmmmm… looks a bit dirty… shameful… It’s been dirtier though…
I had this up and running just in time for the first cyclocross race in 2004… This was at one of the later races – the Saskatoon Double Cross Weekend. It was muddy and wet and cold like a “real” ‘cross race ought to be.
Wow… did I ride it home like that? I probably went as far as the Bike Doc and sprayed it down at the car wash across the street.
I didn’t have the wheels built for the first race… What the…!? Is that a leopard print thong you’re wearing, tim?!
Oh yes indeed! There used to be a race in the Sask provincial race series called Diva Cross – the cross-dressing ‘cross race. There were time penalties for those who didn’t cross dress and time bonuses for the butchest babe and the sultriest dude. I need ever advantage I could get so I was going for the time bonus this year.
Unfortunately they had the worst system EVER for determining who got the time bonuses. Instead of anyone simply being appointed judge they thought they’d be fair and have people vote – fair enough… except there were three sheets one which you were to write the names of the people you thought were your first second and third choice, respectively. The person with the most votes on each sheet won and was given a 30, 20, and 10 second time bonus…. Is anyone else seeing the flaw in this system…? Clearly there were no statisticians on the planning committee. Technically if you had enough people voting for you in first second and third place you could take all three…?! Ah well…
This is at the Regina Double Cross Weekend.
Regina Double Cross Weekend again. All these nice action hero shots were taken by Amanda. We rented a car and drove down with Finnegan – just 9 months old – and stayed at a B&B. Nice to make a weekend of it.
Who is that man in black…?
Saskatchewan Cyclocross Provincial Championships 2004. Little stretch of road included in it…
More of the ’04 Provincials. It was a fun course – lots of twists and turns and a couple of nasty run ups – walk ups for most. Not me. I RAN every run –up – there’s always a downhill on the other side that you can recover on!
This was the ’05 ‘Cross Provincials. In 2005 I rode three races fixed. Yeah, that’s right, with a fixed gear. 36x15. I have to say I did go quicker – probably had to do with the fact that I had to pedal through stuff I would have ordinarily coasted through.
Not a lot of steep run-ups in this one. Just grass. Lots and lots of grass.
A bit blurry but this illustrates my high-speed can-can dismount when using a fixey. It takes some careful timing – basically you unclip the right foot, keeping your left leg straight let momentum carry you up and bring the right foot over the top tube (as above) then as you come back down step through and hit the ground running – twisting your left foot out as you go! Takes some practice… but it works.
The downside of the course – at least on a fixey – was the rock wall. You can kind of see it in the background. It runs for a good length through the park, varying in height. At a point where it’s only about a foot high they decided to have the course cross it… going down hill… straight downhill, with an abrupt 90° left turn at the bottom. I guess a sensible person could have dismounted at the top, ran down the short bank, hopped down the wall and re-mounted and carried on. But no one else on their free-wheelin’ multi geared bikes were doing that so I’d be damned if I would!
Every time I went over that drop one of my pedals struck the wall being egg-beaters that popped my foot right out! I can’t believe I made it through the race without eating it at least once! That’s skill, baby! (or blind-fucking-dumb-luck!)
The ’05 ‘cross provincials was the last race I rode in. I’m planning on racing again this year though – so stay tuned!
Hmmmm... maybe I should have put all these racing pictures in a separate "cyclocross racing" post... Ah well...
Vital Statistics:
Bike: Surly CrossXCheck
Frame: Double butted 4130 Cro-mo – STEEL IS REAL!
Fork: Surly Cross-Check fork - lugged and brazed cro-mo.
Headset: FSA
Stem: ? 6061 alloy…
Bar: Ritchey comp 6061 double-butted
Grips: Cinelli (I think…) orange cork tape
Brake levers: Diacompe
Gear Shifters: NOT APPLICABLE!
Brakes: Tektro Oryx
Bottom Bracket:
Cranks/Chainring(s)
Wheels:
-Hubs: Surly 32 hole (rear is flip-flop single-fixed)
-FW/Cog/etc: ACS Claws16T/Surly SS 15T Fixed cog
-Spokes: DT black
-Rims: Mavic Open Pro
Tires: Panaracer Cross blaster.
Post: Ritchey
Saddle: San Marco Anatomica 371 (though usually it’s one of the Brooks B-17 saddles)
Cannondale 1FG
As I mentioned in the Super-V post I was looking to get back into mountain biking but was looking for something… simpler. Really, I had no idea how to maintain shocks and stuff and I HATE owning stuff that I can maintain myself. Also I generally feel that the more moving parts a machine has the more there is to break down – and when those fancy moving pars break down it’s expensive.
I sold the Super-V and picked up a Cannondale 1FG. I think it was the 2004 model. It was the last year they offered a fully rigid/v-brake version. So I got it just in time!
(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)
This is what it looked like when I first brought it home. The tires are ancient Panaracer Smoke/Darts that I had kicking around – just to get it home as the tires I had ordered hadn’t come in yet. I had some kind of Maxxis Larsen something-or-other, I swapped them for a pair of Hutchinson Cross Comp Air light 26x1.3 (yeah, I like the skinny tires…).
The saddle, I think, came off of the Pink Bianchi originally? The bike had come with some sort of WTB saddle.
It also came with a rider bar which I didn’t care for. The flat bar and bar ends are actually old Cannondale parts that I happen to have kicking around (I love my flat bars and bar ends….).
I raced it once…
I rode out to the course early to register then had to wait around a couple hours until my race started…
Because this pic was taken frm above and at a funny angle it almost looks like I’m going downhill. I am not. In the back ground you can see the river. The course was a nasty series of climbs and descents straight up and down a steep riverbank. This was one that I could actually climb the whole way. I got off and ran (and later… walked) at least part of the rest of them – which was often faster than most were cranking their way up in granny gears…
Me, disappearing into one of the descents…
These three pics were taken my Jared Miner – then a mechanic at the Bike Doctor. He also took a close up of my shoes as he was so thoroughly entertained by the fact that I was wearing Birkenstocks…
This was the second mountain bike race I ever rode in. DFL is better than DNF, right?
This is how it looks nowadays. The current saddle is I think the one that originally came with the Cannondale ‘Cross bike. got some new Continental Cross Country tires last summer when I had briefly taken up bike polo and had a couple slipping spills on the grass because the old Hutchinson tires had been worn bald!
There's a bunch of super reflective strips on it now as I was using this as the kiddie bike trailer towing bike for a summer or two (2005).
I have a love-hate relationship with this bike. I love it because it’s so simple and crazy light! Snippy-snappy fast and responsive. But I keep throwing chains!? I’m not sure if it’s that the bottom bracket eccentric slips or if I’m just I high-powered chain stretching BEAST…
Anyway the chain came off in the middle of a bike polo and I ate it while pedaling air. That coupled with the fact that there were a couple nasty accidents at bike polo wrecking both bike and people parts – neither of which I can afford to do – I just didn’t have the motivation to do any wrenching on it… so it’s been hanging since.
I do want to do XC8 later this year and have been getting the itch to get out on the trails so I’m going to have to get the chain sorted out pretty quick…
OFS-baby! Handmade in the U.S.A.
Vital Statistics:
Bike: Cannondale 1FG
Frame: Optimo alloy
Fork: Cannondale alloy rigid MTB fork
Headset: Aheadset
Stem: Cannondale
Bar: Cannondale 6061 – T6 butted flat bar with Cannondale bar ends.
Grips: Cannondale
Brake levers: Cannondale
Gear Shifters: NOT APPLICABLE!
Brakes: Cannondale
Bottom Bracket: Truvativ splined
Cranks/Chainring(s): Truvativ Fire-X
Wheels:
-Hubs: Cannondale Fire
-FW/Cog/etc: 18T Stainless
-Spokes: black?
-Rims: Mavic MX117
Tires: Continental Cross Country 26x1.5
Post: Giant Carbon
Saddle: Fizik Pave
I sold the Super-V and picked up a Cannondale 1FG. I think it was the 2004 model. It was the last year they offered a fully rigid/v-brake version. So I got it just in time!
(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)
This is what it looked like when I first brought it home. The tires are ancient Panaracer Smoke/Darts that I had kicking around – just to get it home as the tires I had ordered hadn’t come in yet. I had some kind of Maxxis Larsen something-or-other, I swapped them for a pair of Hutchinson Cross Comp Air light 26x1.3 (yeah, I like the skinny tires…).
The saddle, I think, came off of the Pink Bianchi originally? The bike had come with some sort of WTB saddle.
It also came with a rider bar which I didn’t care for. The flat bar and bar ends are actually old Cannondale parts that I happen to have kicking around (I love my flat bars and bar ends….).
I raced it once…
I rode out to the course early to register then had to wait around a couple hours until my race started…
Because this pic was taken frm above and at a funny angle it almost looks like I’m going downhill. I am not. In the back ground you can see the river. The course was a nasty series of climbs and descents straight up and down a steep riverbank. This was one that I could actually climb the whole way. I got off and ran (and later… walked) at least part of the rest of them – which was often faster than most were cranking their way up in granny gears…
Me, disappearing into one of the descents…
These three pics were taken my Jared Miner – then a mechanic at the Bike Doctor. He also took a close up of my shoes as he was so thoroughly entertained by the fact that I was wearing Birkenstocks…
This was the second mountain bike race I ever rode in. DFL is better than DNF, right?
This is how it looks nowadays. The current saddle is I think the one that originally came with the Cannondale ‘Cross bike. got some new Continental Cross Country tires last summer when I had briefly taken up bike polo and had a couple slipping spills on the grass because the old Hutchinson tires had been worn bald!
There's a bunch of super reflective strips on it now as I was using this as the kiddie bike trailer towing bike for a summer or two (2005).I have a love-hate relationship with this bike. I love it because it’s so simple and crazy light! Snippy-snappy fast and responsive. But I keep throwing chains!? I’m not sure if it’s that the bottom bracket eccentric slips or if I’m just I high-powered chain stretching BEAST…
Anyway the chain came off in the middle of a bike polo and I ate it while pedaling air. That coupled with the fact that there were a couple nasty accidents at bike polo wrecking both bike and people parts – neither of which I can afford to do – I just didn’t have the motivation to do any wrenching on it… so it’s been hanging since.
I do want to do XC8 later this year and have been getting the itch to get out on the trails so I’m going to have to get the chain sorted out pretty quick…
OFS-baby! Handmade in the U.S.A.
Vital Statistics:
Bike: Cannondale 1FG
Frame: Optimo alloy
Fork: Cannondale alloy rigid MTB fork
Headset: Aheadset
Stem: Cannondale
Bar: Cannondale 6061 – T6 butted flat bar with Cannondale bar ends.
Grips: Cannondale
Brake levers: Cannondale
Gear Shifters: NOT APPLICABLE!
Brakes: Cannondale
Bottom Bracket: Truvativ splined
Cranks/Chainring(s): Truvativ Fire-X
Wheels:
-Hubs: Cannondale Fire
-FW/Cog/etc: 18T Stainless
-Spokes: black?
-Rims: Mavic MX117
Tires: Continental Cross Country 26x1.5
Post: Giant Carbon
Saddle: Fizik Pave
Friday, July 4, 2008
Walz Wool Cycling Caps
Way back in August of last year I mentioned I had ordered a pair of Walz Caps. I had also promised a review when they arrived. Well they arrived… months ago… I’d like to tell you that this review is long overdue because I wanted to do a long-term “product test”… In reality it’s more because I’m lazy – but because of that laziness you do in fact benefit from the experience of a longer-term trial period.
I like wearing cycling caps. I generally have little hair and so caps, I think, help absorb sweat and keep it from rolling into my eyes and also should a bug fly into my helmet there that little bit of fabric to separate us – especially if it’s a stinging-type insect! I will not wear ball caps – I think they look stupid under helmets and that whole stiff-brim-getting-pushed-into-your-forehead thing if you land on your face… well kind of negates the whole purpose of wearing the helmet, huh? I have worn beanies and bandanas, but I do like having a neater looking cap with a brim when I get off the bike and take my helmet off.
I first heard about Walz Caps in a Dirt Rag review of the new Surly Caps. I had originally intended to try and track one of these down – I’m not sure if it mentioned Walz in the review - somewhere on the surly website I discovered they were made by Walz. The Surly caps turned out to be a bit tougher to get a hold of whereas I could order direct from Walz and have a choice of many colours (the Surly one was black).
I ordered two caps, both wool.
A Tan one (which is still available)
…and a herringbone pattern one which doesn’t seem to be available.
Cool thing about them – you can have them personalized! (I have enough stuff that says “Surly” on it – why pay for one more things to advertise for them when I can advertise for ME!?)
I have to say I LOVE these caps! I have pretty much LIVED in them since they arrived – except for a a month or so where I simply had to wear a toque or have my ears fall off!
How have they held up?
All of these pictures were taken a week or so ago after a good solid six months or so of use and abuse – look pretty much the same as when I got them – can’t say the same for any of the cotton caps I’ve owned in the past. By now they’d be showind definite signs of wear and by the end of the summer be holed and coming apart – no sign of such wear on Walz Wool caps!
There is a certain simple elegance to them that makes even a dork like me look suave and debonair. I’m just not that interested in paying money to be a walking advertisement for some euro racing team of multi-million dollar parts company (there was a pink campagnolo cycling cap at the Bike Doctor a while back – but it was twenty five freaking dollars for a cotton, screen printed cap – for twenty-five bucks I get the honour of advetising for them… No thanks - attention makers and distributors of Campagnolo – or any other cool bicycle products for that matter – if you want to sent me a cap of yours to wear I will gladly wear it and advertise for you… when my Walz caps are in the wash…).
Downside #1 These, like pretty much every cycling cap I’ve ever worn, have brims at pretty steep angles. I find that when wearing these under a helmet it obscures just a bit too much of my vision for me to be comfortable. Keep in mind I generally ride road bikes and like to be on the drops – maybe on a mountain bike this wouldn’t be as much of an issue. Not that it’s really an issue anyway. I do ride like this from time to time anyway. come to think of it I don't think I'd ever want them changed really - just thought I'd mention it in case anyone out there is annoyed by this standard sort of cycling cap geometry. I'm only very mildly... I don't know... irritated? ...from time to time...?
Generally I wear the hat with the brim facing back. Here’s one of the things that rocks this cap – most other cycling caps have some sort of card or plastic stiffener in the brim these do not. Other caps I’ve had when worn in this position have interfered with the straps of the helmet or dug into the back of the neck… This also makes it easier to stuff in a pocket – should you ever decide to take it off your head.
Downside #2- another minor (very minor) issue I have with them is that one size doesn’t really “fit all”. In fact one size doesn’t necessarily even fit the same!? The two hats fit slightly differently – if you take a really close look at the first two pictures (click on them for that bigger up-closey look). Look at where they sit in relation to my ear – the herringbone hat sits a little higher on my head and feels just a little bit more like a beanie than the tan one which fits a bit lower and snugger. Both fit well enough that I wear them both – but I tend to wear the tan one a LOT more, just because I like the fit just a bit better.
I should point out that I have a pretty damn big head – other hats that I wear are generally 59-60cm or 7 ½ - 7 ¾ depending on the maker and style. So if you have a big damn head you’re probably okay (unless you have a truly ENORMOUS head worthy of a bison).
I like wearing cycling caps. I generally have little hair and so caps, I think, help absorb sweat and keep it from rolling into my eyes and also should a bug fly into my helmet there that little bit of fabric to separate us – especially if it’s a stinging-type insect! I will not wear ball caps – I think they look stupid under helmets and that whole stiff-brim-getting-pushed-into-your-forehead thing if you land on your face… well kind of negates the whole purpose of wearing the helmet, huh? I have worn beanies and bandanas, but I do like having a neater looking cap with a brim when I get off the bike and take my helmet off.
I first heard about Walz Caps in a Dirt Rag review of the new Surly Caps. I had originally intended to try and track one of these down – I’m not sure if it mentioned Walz in the review - somewhere on the surly website I discovered they were made by Walz. The Surly caps turned out to be a bit tougher to get a hold of whereas I could order direct from Walz and have a choice of many colours (the Surly one was black).
I ordered two caps, both wool.
A Tan one (which is still available)
…and a herringbone pattern one which doesn’t seem to be available.
Cool thing about them – you can have them personalized! (I have enough stuff that says “Surly” on it – why pay for one more things to advertise for them when I can advertise for ME!?)
I have to say I LOVE these caps! I have pretty much LIVED in them since they arrived – except for a a month or so where I simply had to wear a toque or have my ears fall off!
How have they held up?
All of these pictures were taken a week or so ago after a good solid six months or so of use and abuse – look pretty much the same as when I got them – can’t say the same for any of the cotton caps I’ve owned in the past. By now they’d be showind definite signs of wear and by the end of the summer be holed and coming apart – no sign of such wear on Walz Wool caps!
There is a certain simple elegance to them that makes even a dork like me look suave and debonair. I’m just not that interested in paying money to be a walking advertisement for some euro racing team of multi-million dollar parts company (there was a pink campagnolo cycling cap at the Bike Doctor a while back – but it was twenty five freaking dollars for a cotton, screen printed cap – for twenty-five bucks I get the honour of advetising for them… No thanks - attention makers and distributors of Campagnolo – or any other cool bicycle products for that matter – if you want to sent me a cap of yours to wear I will gladly wear it and advertise for you… when my Walz caps are in the wash…).
Downside #1 These, like pretty much every cycling cap I’ve ever worn, have brims at pretty steep angles. I find that when wearing these under a helmet it obscures just a bit too much of my vision for me to be comfortable. Keep in mind I generally ride road bikes and like to be on the drops – maybe on a mountain bike this wouldn’t be as much of an issue. Not that it’s really an issue anyway. I do ride like this from time to time anyway. come to think of it I don't think I'd ever want them changed really - just thought I'd mention it in case anyone out there is annoyed by this standard sort of cycling cap geometry. I'm only very mildly... I don't know... irritated? ...from time to time...?
Generally I wear the hat with the brim facing back. Here’s one of the things that rocks this cap – most other cycling caps have some sort of card or plastic stiffener in the brim these do not. Other caps I’ve had when worn in this position have interfered with the straps of the helmet or dug into the back of the neck… This also makes it easier to stuff in a pocket – should you ever decide to take it off your head.
Downside #2- another minor (very minor) issue I have with them is that one size doesn’t really “fit all”. In fact one size doesn’t necessarily even fit the same!? The two hats fit slightly differently – if you take a really close look at the first two pictures (click on them for that bigger up-closey look). Look at where they sit in relation to my ear – the herringbone hat sits a little higher on my head and feels just a little bit more like a beanie than the tan one which fits a bit lower and snugger. Both fit well enough that I wear them both – but I tend to wear the tan one a LOT more, just because I like the fit just a bit better.
I should point out that I have a pretty damn big head – other hats that I wear are generally 59-60cm or 7 ½ - 7 ¾ depending on the maker and style. So if you have a big damn head you’re probably okay (unless you have a truly ENORMOUS head worthy of a bison).
Amanda is the opposite, however. She has a wee little head and has often worn children’s hats. The Walz caps do not fit her. Maybe if she tied a knot in them somewhere…? But really how many people have heads as freakishly small as hers…
There was a wee bit of shrinkage when I’ve washed them but after a wear or two they’ve more or less stretched back into place.
Another advantage of the wool caps I’ve noticed over the cotton caps is this: cotton caps seem to get stained with sweat. You sweat in them, gunk and dust sticks to the moistened cotton and is maybe absorbed right into it? I’ve found that with cotton caps I’ve had in the past I have to launder them very regularly (at least once a week or even every couple of days) if you don’t want them to be permanently stained. Maybe this is just because I am a big hairy sweaty beast. I am loath to admit how little I’ve actually washed my Walz caps – but so far no sign of staining from sweat!
Overall and excellent product for a very reasonable price – considering it’s hand made (and exceptionally WELL made...) in the U.S.A. of long-wearing, quality materials.
There was a wee bit of shrinkage when I’ve washed them but after a wear or two they’ve more or less stretched back into place.
Another advantage of the wool caps I’ve noticed over the cotton caps is this: cotton caps seem to get stained with sweat. You sweat in them, gunk and dust sticks to the moistened cotton and is maybe absorbed right into it? I’ve found that with cotton caps I’ve had in the past I have to launder them very regularly (at least once a week or even every couple of days) if you don’t want them to be permanently stained. Maybe this is just because I am a big hairy sweaty beast. I am loath to admit how little I’ve actually washed my Walz caps – but so far no sign of staining from sweat!
Overall and excellent product for a very reasonable price – considering it’s hand made (and exceptionally WELL made...) in the U.S.A. of long-wearing, quality materials.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
The Mikado
This was the first and last time I bought a bicycle off the Internet. It’s not that I got screwed or anything I’d just a) rather support a local bike store and b) seen so many other people that got screwed. In my defence I’ll point out that there is no one that I know of that sells Mikados around here. Also I bought it because I was, at the time, looking for a touring rig and on a bit of a budget. Couldn’t find a new touring bike for under $1000 and used ones, around here, are few and far between… especially ones that fit me.
The Mikado is a 1999 d’Iberville. Bought it from a fellow in Ontario that had is listed on Canadian Cyclist’s web site. I think the current d’Ibervilles are commuting bikes the frames are aluminium. This one is a touring rig. Steel (Cro-Mo) frame – and I think they were lugged and brazed with some sort of internal lug…. Very clean looking joints between tubes.
As I mentioned I was looking for a touring rig at the time because one winter (2003?) I was sitting around and realized it had been a very, very long time since I had done any riding just for the sake of riding – bicycles had become purely utilitarian getting me from home to wherever I needed to go work, groceries, etc and back again. I wasn’t interested in taking up trail riding at that point and got it in my head that I wanted to do some touring and started to plan a tour of the summer of 2003.
(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)
This is the state the Mikado was in when it was sent to me. The fellow even threw in the old Cannondale panniers. Hmmmmm… not sure if those pedals were included or not.
The drive train was Shimano 105 – unfortunately the inside of the STI were gooped up with some sort of paste –like, yellow “lube”. It became very sticky in cold weather and made for crappy shifting - you could shift into bigger cogs or rings (increasing cable tension) but you couldn’t shift back down (would not release tension…).
Shortly thereafter I added a Brooks saddle.
The Brooks got shifted to the Tandem as soon as we got that. We got that because I went out for a few rides in the winter with Amanda – picking destinations far from home – but within the city (it WAS winter after all). It soon became apparent that we simply go at different speeds. For a bit we considered me carrying all of our equipment between panniers and the BOB trailer… then we (Amanda) thought it would be even funner if I not only hauled all our stuff but Amanda too… More on that when I get to the Tandem though…
In the fall of 2003 I took up Cyclocross and raced that whole season on the Mikado. These were all taken at the Saskatoon Double Cross Weekend (races on Saturday and Sunday) at the Lakewood Civic Centre.
I added platform pedals. I can’t remember if I had bought these for an earlier bike….? I must have. Anyway, they’re 1664 Beaver traps.
Yeah…. and those are Brikenstock Montanas I’m racing in…
After it was replaced with the Cannondale ‘Cross bike (and then later the Surly) as road riding and Cross bike it found new life as a winter bike. As the STI sucked chunks I dug a set of bar end shifters and used those for a bit. The saddle is the one that came off the Tandem when I swapped the Brooks over.
Later it became a single speed winter bike. I put a solitary 18T cog on the back with a bunch of spacers and at different times used the small and medium chainrings that came with the bike. I forget what they were in terms of teeth.
I got a new bar, dug up some old brake levers – removed derailleurs and excess chainrings and cogs and found some funky new bar tape.
Later I for some reason swapped the wheels and started using a pair I had built up as a spare set for the Cannondale ‘Cross with XT hubs and mavic rims… of course THEN I realized the cannondale dropouts were spaced for a road hub… DOH! Later still I found the wheel was slipping a lot when I pedaled hard - especially when towing the trailer so I replaced the quick release axle with a solid/nutted one and haven’t had any trouble since!
Since then the Mikado has found further new life as the chariot-towing beast in the summer. I put a new Surly 35T chainring on the front this spring and swapped over the Continental Utlra Gatorskins I’dhad on the Cannondale. This made the Cannondale surplus and allowed me to build up a new Soma Double Cross for Amanda.
I love that bar tape. Don’t you?
The Mikado is a 1999 d’Iberville. Bought it from a fellow in Ontario that had is listed on Canadian Cyclist’s web site. I think the current d’Ibervilles are commuting bikes the frames are aluminium. This one is a touring rig. Steel (Cro-Mo) frame – and I think they were lugged and brazed with some sort of internal lug…. Very clean looking joints between tubes.
As I mentioned I was looking for a touring rig at the time because one winter (2003?) I was sitting around and realized it had been a very, very long time since I had done any riding just for the sake of riding – bicycles had become purely utilitarian getting me from home to wherever I needed to go work, groceries, etc and back again. I wasn’t interested in taking up trail riding at that point and got it in my head that I wanted to do some touring and started to plan a tour of the summer of 2003.
(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)
This is the state the Mikado was in when it was sent to me. The fellow even threw in the old Cannondale panniers. Hmmmmm… not sure if those pedals were included or not.
The drive train was Shimano 105 – unfortunately the inside of the STI were gooped up with some sort of paste –like, yellow “lube”. It became very sticky in cold weather and made for crappy shifting - you could shift into bigger cogs or rings (increasing cable tension) but you couldn’t shift back down (would not release tension…).
Shortly thereafter I added a Brooks saddle.
The Brooks got shifted to the Tandem as soon as we got that. We got that because I went out for a few rides in the winter with Amanda – picking destinations far from home – but within the city (it WAS winter after all). It soon became apparent that we simply go at different speeds. For a bit we considered me carrying all of our equipment between panniers and the BOB trailer… then we (Amanda) thought it would be even funner if I not only hauled all our stuff but Amanda too… More on that when I get to the Tandem though…
In the fall of 2003 I took up Cyclocross and raced that whole season on the Mikado. These were all taken at the Saskatoon Double Cross Weekend (races on Saturday and Sunday) at the Lakewood Civic Centre.
I added platform pedals. I can’t remember if I had bought these for an earlier bike….? I must have. Anyway, they’re 1664 Beaver traps.
Yeah…. and those are Brikenstock Montanas I’m racing in…
After it was replaced with the Cannondale ‘Cross bike (and then later the Surly) as road riding and Cross bike it found new life as a winter bike. As the STI sucked chunks I dug a set of bar end shifters and used those for a bit. The saddle is the one that came off the Tandem when I swapped the Brooks over.
Later it became a single speed winter bike. I put a solitary 18T cog on the back with a bunch of spacers and at different times used the small and medium chainrings that came with the bike. I forget what they were in terms of teeth.
I got a new bar, dug up some old brake levers – removed derailleurs and excess chainrings and cogs and found some funky new bar tape.
Later I for some reason swapped the wheels and started using a pair I had built up as a spare set for the Cannondale ‘Cross with XT hubs and mavic rims… of course THEN I realized the cannondale dropouts were spaced for a road hub… DOH! Later still I found the wheel was slipping a lot when I pedaled hard - especially when towing the trailer so I replaced the quick release axle with a solid/nutted one and haven’t had any trouble since!
Since then the Mikado has found further new life as the chariot-towing beast in the summer. I put a new Surly 35T chainring on the front this spring and swapped over the Continental Utlra Gatorskins I’dhad on the Cannondale. This made the Cannondale surplus and allowed me to build up a new Soma Double Cross for Amanda.
I love that bar tape. Don’t you?
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