I happened to catch some of Dave Scrod’s designs while browsing a forum, and after visiting his bikeage! site, came away impressed not only with his modest yet striking designs, but also his simple philosophy regarding the products he sells:

“The mission of bikeage! is simple: to create and offer straightforward, quality products to fellow cyclists without the outrageous price tags too often associated with any sort of popular scene/culture/whatever. You may not find anything particularly “high fashion” here but I personally don’t think anyone should be trying to sell a t-shirt for 35 bucks and be able to breathe easy.”

While it’s refreshing to see a $12 shirt that’s actually cool, what’s even more noteworthy is that Dave’s plan is to start selling components through his site, with the goal of eventually opening a small bike shop/co-op where he lives, which is apparently under-served on the co-op front. If only that sort of passion for cycling was more common today, the world would be a better place.  Here’s some of his work, and I’ve thrown a banner up for him as well. Have a look if you’re looking for some new threads, now that’s it’s warming up a bit. (Ok, that last part was crap, as it’s been snowing steadily for the last three or four hours where I live)

I just got an email announcing that Fyxation’s saddles are now shipping. Here’s the scoop:

Leather Button Saddles
- Classic styling with real leather cover
- Black, White or Brown Leather
- Chromoly Chrome plated seat rails with graduated marks for easy adjustment
- Padded with Ergo Cutout

More details and better photos can be found on their website.

It’s been well over two months since I got my Wabi Cycles Classic, and with some infrequent cooperation from the weather, I’ve finally managed to put enough miles on it to give it a fair review. Since part one focused on the components and build options, part two is going to be about ride quality.

First off, it should be noted that this review is for the new 2010 model, which has a wheelset 1/2 pound lighter than the 2009 models. So for anyone that read about the Wabi Lightning (same geometry and spec, other than a scandium frame and carbon fork) being named one of Gearunkie’s top ten products of 2009, keep in mind that was with the heavier wheels.

So, on to the review! The Classic’s carefully chosen geometry allows a rider to accelerate from a stop quite efficiently, while still being responsive in traffic and comfortable over longer rides. While I’m no trackie, I can still appreciate the  fact that none of my energy gets wasted by a flexing frame. This was confirmed by a forum member who took much delight in posting photos of his standing starts. Of course, since the Wabi is more or less aimed at road cyclists looking to get into a fixed gear or single speed, I paid more attention to its road manners in traffic and over distances. Handling around town was smooth, with no need to be hyper-vigilant as some more “twitchy” bikes require. The Classic goes where it’s pointed without any drama, so sudden changes of direction due to obstacles didn’t cause me to lose my pace or concentration. Weaving around potholes, small snow drifts, and parked cars, it was easy to maintain my “flow”.

Heading out for longer rides, I’m reminded of Richard’s (Snook, the owner and designer of Wabi Cycles) comment about wanting to design a bike that could be ridden with no hands. On straight sections of road, it’s nice to be able to relax a bit, sit upright for a drink or stretch, and just keep pedaling. Again, the Classic tracks straight and true, which certainly adds to the overall comfort over longer rides, as it requires less attention and input at the cockpit to keep it in line, a big plus on group rides.

Where I live, we don’t have much in the way of undulating hills. It’s either flat, or long and steep soul-crushing climbs. Not being much of a climber myself, I found the Classic to be as comfortable as any other bike for the slow grind. My one attempt at a really big climb resulted in near failure, but that was more due to the 30 degree weather than anything else. I purchased this bike for the purpose of testing other road bike bits, so when the weather warms up, I’ll do some more climbs and report back. Of course, going down those hills, the handling was stellar, providing an extra measure of confidence at higher speeds. And while some have grumbled about the Kenda tire choice, they never gave me a moment of trouble, even when pushing into corners at elevated speeds.

To sum it up, the Wabi Classic seems to perform exactly as promised. The fact that it does at such a reasonable price is even more impressive. That’s not to say that I found it to be perfect though, just not lacking any place that isn’t easily changed. So future reviews will include my personal opinions of the build quality and component selection, along with some changes I’ve made to it.

A 14 year old, Aaron Stannage, rode an eight mile wheelie. That’s just crazy talk. But it should get him into the Guinness Book of World Records. Probably the longest hour of his life, so far.

Good on ya, Aaron!

Well, your shoes should get stuffed. If you walk, jog, run, ride a bike, or engage in any activity that leaves you with damp, smelly shoes, check out Stuffits Shoe Savers.

Maybe you’ve been stuffing balled up newspaper into your shoes for years, and don’t see any reason to change.  But change is good, so on to the review.  According to the fact sheet provided with them, they are 100% cedar-filled, and remove moisture while eliminating odor in all types of footwear. Due to their fancy, patented wicking fabric, they dry shoes up to 8 times faster than air alone. Why is this good? Because it’s that wetness that allows all those smelly bacteria to stink up your fancy shoes.

When it came time to test them, I followed the simple instructions: Insert in shoe. That’s after your workout, by the way. And they work too. I tested them on my cycling shoes, which weren’t too bad to begin with, and they came out smelling like a freshly-cleaned hamster cage, rather than something you hide on the back porch when your date comes over. Once I was satisfied that they worked, I decided to subject them to some abuse. I have an old pair of leather shoes that don’t have any sort of ventilation, and they get pretty ripe. After a long day in them, even my dogs won’t touch them. And we know dogs aren’t usually fussy about smells. Well, I gave them the Stuffits treatment, (remember: insert in shoe) and by the next day, they were perfectly acceptable, with no offensive odors.

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m no candidate for the “Stinkiest feet” competition. But some of my shoes do get on the nose a bit. And Stuffits provides a simple (insert in shoe) solution. Since they’re reusable, my inner green dude gives them a thumbs up. I’d like to thank Mike Huebner for giving me the opportunity to try a set out. If anyone else is interested, they should be able to find them at any good running store (and I imagine bike shops one of these days) or directly from www.stuffits.com. They’re $24.95 and are available in 4 different sizes and some different color options. You can find comments from other stinky-feet here.