Strumey Archer Hub. At Last.

Needless to say I have had the hub in place for quite some time. For those who remain interested, here are my thoughts.

It is a two-speed, kickback hub. It looks like a single-speed but isn't.  You need either horizontal drops, or a chain tensioner. I am fortunate that the Pake has drops that work as I do not prefer the look of a tensioner.

The Pake allows flexibility for either geared or single-speed. Great frame - I think I need to get one of these for my daughter. It's a lot like a Surly Crosscheck but for about half the price.

You can see the chain drooping a little in this picture. I'll be removing a link and resetting the wheel accordingly. Means I need to realign the brakes as well but that's the "price" I pay for having a fixed hub.

 

 

 

 

Commuting.
This is my overall primary function as a cyclist.  My commute is 17km each way, year round. There are no hills between my home and office, and I prefer a simple, if not minimalist look to my bicycle.  Therefore this hub really fits the bill.
I appreciate that there are no cogs to deep-clean on those oft messy days (especially in the winter).
The gear ratio is perfect for my purposes, although when there is less overall environmental resistance in the summer months (less wind, no slush) I do wish I had a higher gear to use. Note too that I replaced the cog it came with for a smaller one (32 tooth chainring and a 20 tooth cog).
The fixie look is pretty hot right now so I can fit into that crowd if I want to (even though I am cheating with two speeds)!
I have found "chain stretch" to be a new issue (for me).  I sometimes drop my chain and its not always a quick fix without a derailleur.

There are other posts and videos that mention the sound of the hub, that is, you can hear what gear you are in.  While this is true, I have found that when commuting I wouldn't count on being able to hear anything over the wind in your ears of the traffic.  It's worth mentioning because when you are heading down a slight slope with some speed it's difficult to determine whether you in in your higher or lower gear. More on that in a bit.

Racing.
I actually took this through the Paris-to-Ancaster race in late April.  The hub is not designed for off-road, gravel-grinding but I felt it actually performed well.
Again, I received lots of "wow, he's doing the race single-speed," which is nice, but we're all whizzing by too fast to try and correct the bystander who is trying to compliment my effort!
The hub dealt well with mud and other kinds of junk that sunk my wheels well past it. 
Given that there were lots of hills in the race, I found that the ratio (same as mentioned above) was just about perfect.
I don't think I did any damage to the hub but I guess time will tell. It's possible that all kinds of things got in there and since I don't have the expertise to open it and clean it I guess I'll take a wait and see attitude. I figure if something in there is grinding away at the mechanism it'll make itself known. Otherwise, so far so good three months later.

Hills & Shifting.
You shift from one gear to the other by giving a slight backpeddle.  It works predictably about 60% of the time, depending upon a few things.  If you are peddling under load (read: hills) then be cautious. The least thing you'd need to worry about is losing momentum on a hill if it won't shift, but the worst thing would be to actually fall over while climbing. Note that I do climb some very steep and long hills almost every weekend as a part of my weekly countryside tour - but I really appreciate the workout the two gears give me (don't expect to keep up with friends though).
Going down a hill has its own consequences too.  If you cannot shift higher as your speed increases be ready for some mighty fine spinning!
Even if you are not peddling under load don't always trust the timing of the internal mechanism (could this actually be damage from my off-road racing?).  It may not shift "just when you want it to." That makes it awfully awkward at stop lights and in traffic or when there is another cyclist right behind you.  Needing to backpeddle several times to get the gear isn't always convenient but will eventually work.
Finally, yes, it does ghost shift.  It is ironic that sometimes it won't shift when you want and it does shift when you don't want it to.  Sometimes (actually often during my commute) it is a very, very subtle backpeddle that changes the gear. When I come to a stop I can almost always be assured that once I start peddling again it will be in the "other" gear.  This could be a big issue for some, but it really isn't for me because I've learned to anticipate this, and as I have said, my commute is pretty flat (so I'm not usually in any danger because of the wrong start-up gear).

If you are in my category - long commute, all season, not hilly, minimalist, utilitarian -  then this hub is a great pick. It's no heavier than a regular, geared set-up in the end, and looks really clean and slick.

You'll learn to deal with its quirks and you'll have equipment that not likely anyone else in your crowd has.

Hope to post again before several months pass. Please leave your comments and questions.

A Morning at the Cannon

A friend flew in from Edmonton and wanted to meet up so I recommended the Cannon.  He's quite a coffee connoisseur and gave their pour-over-style the thumbs up.  I wish I had taken a shot of our breakfast sandwiches - they were pretty decadent as well.

I got the GoPro rolling for the ride home and went a bit out of my way to have some fun.  Not too many days like this left.

If I was trying to make time I would have headed south right away, instead I headed east to the Red Hill expressway and it's parallel gravel path.

At times, the highway isn't very far away (immediately to my left in the photo below).

Then back into traffic once I hit Queenston, and from there, Highway #8 and home.  This fellow came close and his mirror even closer!

Whereas this bus driver left his rightful lane in order to give me space.  Thanks HSR!

The new bike lanes on Highway #8 are nice. Let's see if they keep them plowed in the winter.

Overall observations. It's now officially cold on the hands in the morning and not much better by noon.  The Kenda Small-Block 8's needed a bit more pressure today but should (as always) prove excellent once the weather really turns.  My brake hoods are beginning to feel like they stretch me out a bit too far so I might need to look for an alternative, shallow, handlebar that can get them in a bit closer.

I'm also beginning to think that I should look into a 58" frame. Wondering if the 60" is too much for me. Perhaps that's part of the issue.

Today around the city + a huge compliment

It's rare that I need to bicycle straight into Hamilton, but today I did.  The blurry photo reads 20.0km right on the button (not 200).

I saw a neat bike locked nearby. It had a wild twist in the tube but I guess its still rideable.

Some upcoming events...

And the benefit of living in the west-end where all the $ is.  In this case, separated, two-way bike lanes (I'm not bitter at all).

A beautiful day to be out, but the greatest thing that happened today was a comment I received on my way home.  A fellow passed me on a Bion-X electric bike, and then stopped about 300 yards ahead to wait for me.  He clearly wanted to say something to me.  And then he said it.

"Are you a bicycle courier?"

That's a compliment!

Riding in Ottawa - it's not 1983 anymore

I always felt secure on my bicycle while growing up in a quiet west-end community of Ottawa.  I no longer live in Ottawa but my parents do, and on my last visit I rented a Salsa Beargrease and toured about the city.
Some reactions were positive, others not so much.  Since I don't have any photos for this post I shall keep it brief.

The Negative: I got stared down by a guy driving a ParaTranspo Bus, I got honked at twice (not the just-a-friendly-toot-to-remind-you-that-there's-a-car-here kind, but the GET OFF THE ROAD kind), and there were at least two times that a car seemed to pass me intentionally close.

These kinds of things don't seem to happen in Hamilton.  I wonder why?  I wonder which is a more realistic expectation for a vehicular cyclist?

The Positive:  People all over were staring at me (the good kind, I think.  Remember, I was on a big, fat-tired bicycle), I heard "that is the coolest bike I have ever seen" from three different teenaged boys on school trips, I had two city workers approach me grinning ear to ear eager to have their questions answered about the bike, I had a truck pull up alongside me (while in motion) and the fellows in it (also grinning widely) give me the repeated thumbs-up.

I have to say, I felt special riding this thing. It was a real ego-boost. In other words, since I didn't actually get hit by a car, the positives well outweighed the negatives.  I'll do it again one day but for now I will put this "thread" to rest. Cheers.

Beargrease Post III - the components

Nothing on the bicycle was stock (in case you were wondering), but the components on the Salsa Beargrease really impressed me.

I often defer to cheaper components because my philosophy is "what can the difference really be?" Well...here are a couple of observations that threaten to rock my thrifty world.

One. Disc brakes are terrific.  I don't own a bicycle with disc brakes but I can certainly see the attraction.  These were Hope Pro Hydraulic and their stopping power was excellent.  I enjoyed a feeling of security which I seldom have in wet weather.  They were quite noisy, in fact, embarrassingly so at times.  But if they saved me (even once!) from gliding out-of-control into a bus, well then, I can put up with a bit of a screech.

Two.  I loved the pedals.  They were platforms with pins and no clip-in system whatsoever.  I take it thats the rule for mountain bikes (which I don't know much about).  They had surprisingly marvelous grip.  I have used strap systems since the age of 13, but now I am wondering if even that is necessary. In Grant Petersen's book "Just Ride" he argues that we spend much less time "pulling up" than we think.

On the Beargrease I was surprised that I had no difficulty keeping my feet where they were supposed to be.  I admit, I thought that I "pulled up" more than that.  I guess I "pedal squares" as I once heard Bernard Hinault (the Badger!) put it.

Will any of this translate to the Pake - my regular commuter?  I think yes.

I am not suitably equipped to "review" the drivetrain, but I will say that it shifted quickly and flawlessly.  Brand: unknown.

I have one more post to come in this series.  It will be about the varried reactions I received cycling through Ottawa on the Beargrease.

Walking the Bear - my day with the Salsa Beargrease

Having rented such a wonderful bicycle for the day, I set out to fully enjoy it.  That meant some trail riding, but mostly it meant retracing the routes I commonly took growing up in Ottawa.

Although the paths of my youth would look much different covered in a foot of snow, and some 30 years later, they absolutely succeeded in resurrecting a lot of good memories.

Starting from the far east, the route traces back to itself counter-clockwise.  Turns out the route that took me four hours (including a couple of rests) was only 27km long - but it sure felt a lot longer than that.  I would equate the workout to doing 60km, full-out, on the road.

Salsa Beargrease

I arrived at Phat Moose Cycles with the impression that I had booked a Salsa Mukluk II.  I had never been on a fat-tire bicycle before and to say I was looking forward to it is an understatement.  They opened at 10 and I was there for 9:55 in full gear.  

 
The weather was ideal and although I wouldn't have the time to get to any of the  recommended trails, I had a route well planned out that would include a variety of challenges.
 
I was stunned when the two guys at Phat Moose had instead prepared for me a  Salsa Beargrease.  Holy cow. It was like getting the ultimate, free upgrade at Budget Rent a Car.
 

Are these streets half clean or half dirty?

I think you need to be an optimist if you choose to commute by bicycle.

After a few days of heavy snowfall I was finally able to safely get onto the streets of Hamilton by bicycle.  Here's what the bike lanes looked like.

They sort of disappear for a bit, then reappear a little further on.

James Street North is Gentrifying

Stopped out front of Mixed Media today because I was on James North.  The whole street is really changing.  There are now several bakeries and coffee shops, and a few furniture stores with truly different and interesting items.  James Street is very enjoyable by foot with a coffee in hand!

The white poster up top caught my eye because it mentions bicycles.

I can see that whatever it is is $8 at the door but the poster is certainly wanting!  What the heck is it advertising? Maybe its bicycles made out of ivory.  A frame building class perhaps? Now wouldn't that be something (Illegal!).  We'd have carbon, titanium, steel, aluminum, bamboo and now ivory.

Save the narwhal! Ban ivory bicycles!

Car Blocking

I have been experiencing a phenomena that is new to me, but perhaps a reader has had this experience and can add to my understanding of it.
Three times in the last five months or so (so not that frequently) I have been blocked out at stop signs and red lights by cars and I think it is intentional.
This is how it happens (with high quality photo explanations below):
A. A car passes me.

In all the images we are moving toward the intersection at twelve o'clock. The silver Nintendo DS is the car and the blue poker chips represent my bicycle.

B. The same car arrives at a stop sign or red light just ahead of me.
C. Before I get an opportunity to come in along their right side, between them and the curb, they pull in very, very tight to the curb.

D. There is certainly no room to squeeze through.
E. In every case, the car was neither turning right nor left, but instead carried on straight through the intersection when appropriate.
F. When they do carry on, the very obviously pull away from the curb, and take a much more natural position within their lane.

So what is happening here?
Is the intent here antagonistic or altruistic?
I can imagine that the driver is attempting to spite me, the cyclist, in effect saying "I'm going to mess up your advantage by taking away your lane." But I have also imagined that the driver is thinking "I want the guy on the bicycle where I can see him, for his own safety."  Most accidents between cars and bicycles happen at intersections and by blocking me and keeping me behind him, he certainly eliminates a lot of right hook, and other negative, potential for me.
So have you experienced this same thing, reader friend?  To me, this is clearly intentional, so why do you think?

-Wilson

Extreme Fog

In my opinion, bicycling in heavy fog is a lot of fun.  It feels good on the face, and there's really no danger of being able to see far enough ahead.  It's not like traveling in a car, which is going fast enough that the fog becomes an issue of visibility.

Cool.  My paint job is apparently named "Bridge Overpass Green."

(I'm only on the sidewalk for the purposes of this photo.  Yes, that's a perfectly good bike lane to my left.)

However, it does become an issue when cars cannot detect you soon enough.  I had one close call on this ride and I'm pretty sure that the "guy" came up on me so fast that he had no idea I was there.

This Town Needs an Improved Method of Communitcation

I don't know how to re-post from another BLOG but the link I am referring to is here.

Apparently the Bike SNOB was in town.  In fact, it turns out that I have missed him by about 4 hours.

I Got "Chicked"

I consider myself to be a competitive commuter.  I think I invented the term, but certainly not the concept.

Part of the competition means that I don't like getting passed.  In fact, I tend to target the next rider I see and pass them (honestly, its just a goal and doesn't always factor into reality).

Nevertheless, when I passed a woman a couple of days ago I knew I was in for a fight.  She was clearly out for a "riding to lose weight" kind-of ride.  She was on a very busy (read: dangerous) road, wearing flip flops, no helmet, red as a beet and I could hear her breathing from 20 feet away.  I gave her a friendly wave...

In spite of it all, she had venom in her eyes when I passed.

About a mile later I was stopped behind 2 cars at a red.  As the light just began to turn she whizzed by me, missing me by about a foot.

I had already seen her go through one red light so I was in no mood to play her game.  Instead I slipped into her wake and leisurely drafted her for about two miles before she turned.

I think the drafting really annoyed her all the more.  I don't believe she knew what I was doing and was confused.  Maybe I was playing the game after all.

Update:  I passed her going in the other direction again this morning.  It was at a red light and she was on the other side of the intersection.  We clearly saw each other seeing each other, and I'm sure there was recognition.  Then she turned, pedalled and went through the red (!).

Lovely Riding Today

I pass this park every day heading to and from the office.  It's in memory of the war of 1812. Beautiful spot.
Amazing how a place where there was once such violence can now be so pristine.
 

That's my new pack in the picture.  Pretty excited about it so I'll share soon.

Easy Riding

This is when construction benefits me.

The city is repairing the sidewalk.  As a consequence there is about two miles of pylons right where I would usually ride.  HOWEVER, cars don't want to or cannot fit in this lane with the pylons so I get the whole thing to myself!  It'll be glorious while it lasts.

Infrastructure

Went to a mall the other day and saw this.

It's not especially helpful, that is, any different from a row of bike racks anywhere else.  And it is placed  equidistant from two entrances to the mall itself, meaning, not close to any actual doors.

However it does convey a pleasant message.

Thanks for the effort, Mapleview Mall.

Escapism and Me

I have begun an interesting book that is challenging me.
In the opening chapter it details escapist tendencies.  It reads like a list of symptoms that one might use to self-diagnose an illness.
It would appear that I have a bent for escapism.

Now, that itself is no shock.  I would rightly admit that to anyone, and have on several occasions.  I think it's just a natural product of being an introvert, and that's nothing to be ashamed about.

I confess to several methods of escapism including, movies, music, reading, cycling and travel.  If one is not available I select another.

However, the author argues that this is not a healthy mindset. 

"The problem with escapism is that it cannot go on forever,"  reminds me a lot of the old adage, "no matter where you go, there you are."

Not sure where this journey will take me.  Not sure if this is a one-time observation/comment or if it will amount to more.  The book itself is about New Urbanism, a subject which fascinates me.  It is a discipline that I feel has strong connections to my love of bicycles and sustainable housing.  But so far (the argument is that if you are not living in the city you are already manifesting escape) I am just feeling a bit ambushed.

Soup Fest

A fundraiser held in the city each year.
It was my first time there.  You purchase a card that allows four gourmet soup samples - choosing from the 30 or so that are available at the event.
It was really crowded but I managed, in order of my favorites, a mushroom-bacon soup, a yam-apple soup, a curry chicken soup and a seafood offering.  I didn't enjoy the seafood one quite as much but the attraction was more just getting this little critter in the bowl.

"Please don't eat m..."

The whole thing brought to mind Portland's Soupcycle crew.  Wish we had that here!

Downtown observations

There's a new "corner" that's beginning to get a bit trendy and it includes a neat little urban-art shop.  The shop itself has an eclectic combination of things to peruse and if I knew the name (that is, remembered) I'd give you the link.  Outside of the shop window there sat a bicycle.  I was not certain whether it had been abandoned or not because I thought I had seen it there before in the exact same spot.
Upon closer inspection it seemed well used in the very best sense, particularly the saddle.  So I took a couple of shots.

Then I went into said shop where the owner (?), a bright young fellow with a big smile, said "you like my bike?"  Turns out he commutes through the city every day with this beauty.

Makes me reflect a bit.  I like to think I am a minimalist, someone who likes things deconstructed, simple and understandable.  Yet, here I spend so much time and money in efforts to make my bicycle simpler?  There's an irony there.  There's no doubt that as a means of transport goes, this fellow is much 'simpler' than I (and I mean that as a compliment).
The only thing that helps me justify this attack on my self-imposed smugness is that my commute takes me 18 miles one way along a fairly major highway with no shoulders and then back again.
This 'corner-bike' would neither be functional nor safe for that.

I'm a good justifier. Heh.

City Business, City Views

As the title might indicate I was deeper into the city than usual today and thought I'd keep my eyes peeled for interesting sights.  I saw several worthy of a quip but was struck by the brick wall below and the vandalized poster.

Not sure what creates this effect, or if its even intentional, but its beautiful in its way.

The poster is about 3' by 4' and I think it was placed there to portray diversity in the community.  The only thing I can gather about the graffiti is that it's rhetorical.  Otherwise I don't know what the intent here was.

BTW I see some new tires in my near future.  The Small Block 8's are showing some wear.  That's ok though, it'll give me the chance to bump up from 32's to who knows what.  I want to get something in the 40 range.