While normally having many bikes means having a choice, that’s not the case any more. I loaned my neighbor’s son my bike so he could ride to work, and he’s been having such a great time, I feel bad asking for it back. His old school ten speed needed too much work, and we were going to convert it to a single speed, so I let him try my Windsor The Hour. He was amazed at how much faster he could go with only one gear, rather than ten. Sure, he probably dropped nine pounds of bike too, but he’s hooked now, and I feel responsible.

Before he appropriated my bike, I had thrown on a pair of Fyxation Session 700 tires. These whitewalls on my yellow bike earned it the nickname “Scrambled eggs”. They’re 700×28c tires, with 120 TPI construction, a Kevlar belt, and a diamond tread pattern. While I’m not into either tricks or skidding, (riding single speed, not fixed) I certainly appreciate both the cushion a wider tire offers on our crappy streets, and the massive traction these tires provide. It could just be in my head, but it seems like the wrap-around tread has saved me more than once when cooking through a corner with more speed than I have any business going. And they hardly look worn, even though they’ve got a couple hundred miles on them already. My guess is that they should hold up well for quite some time.

Based on my time riding them, here are some observations.

Pros: They look good, handle great, and seem to be built well. Wide color choices, including solid colors, or colored whitewalls. Since the Fyxation guys are less than an hour from me, I can count on next day shipping. If you can’t find them locally, you can probably get them shipped within a few days.

Cons: Price may be a factor for some. While $50 is hardly expensive in the world of bicycle tires, that may be steep if you do a lot of skidding and go through a back tire every month. Weight may also be an issue, but since they seem to wear well and resist punctures, that too may not be a deal-breaker for everyone.

And let’s face it. Some guys (and girls) and going to get them just so they can coordinate them with the Fyxation BMX and Track grips. As long as you’re riding, it’s all good.

Yeah, it snowed today. Just like yesterday, and the day before. Puts a cramp on getting out and riding, or even taking photos for reviews. But a quick search of Youtube indicates that trying to get decent video for one of my latest reviews would have been a lesson in futility. So read on, and then do a search yourself, if you’d like to see these products in action.

About 100 years ago (ok, maybe two months, but it seems longer) I got a box in the mail from the nice folks at Pedalite. It contained some very interesting pedals, an Anklelite, and a Baglite. These innovative products are aimed squarely at cycle commuters. The main danger faced by cyclists is motorists failing to notice a smaller, more environmentally-friendly form of transportation, and running them down. While it’s entirely possible that the use of these products will allow motorists to see you before they hit you, the hope is that they may help you avoid becoming an unpleasant statistic.

That said, I’ll start with the battery-free pedals. Yes, they’re OMG! heavy. But I suppose that given the choice between serious injury and/or death, and heavy pedals, they’re not so bad. In all fairness, they’re not really as porky as their bulk suggests, it’s just that I’ve only got weight-weenie pedals to compare them to. While the body is plastic (polycarbonate?) they have ten steel pins that offer plenty of grip for cleatless riders. The dynamo contained in each pedals ensures battery-free operation, but there’s still a little built-in battery that keeps the lights running when you’re stopped at a traffic light. Each pedal offers front to back lighting, with an clear flasher up front, an amber one on the side, and red on the back of the pedal. It’s like a little disco light show under your feet.

My very scientific testing consisted of installing the pedals on my Wabi Classic, and sending my neighbor’s son off for a few laps around the block at dusk and then proper night time. The results? Yes, they’re eye-catching. I felt like an idiot, sitting in my car, watching someone else ride by on my bike, but he was hard to miss. It also caught the attention of all the little kids in the neighborhood, which I found to be a bonus, as it allowed us to talk about bikes and how “cool” it would be to be able to bike everywhere when they grew up. Yeah, there’s hope for today’s kids yet. Back on topic, I don’t have any specifics regarding light output, visibility distances, or anything like that. But if my simple real world test is any indication, the Pedalites will certainly help you be seen in poorly lit residential areas. My guess is that the three flashing lights moving in the crank’s circular rotation will probably also help in busier areas as well. To that end, I’m going to be passing these on to an actual commuter for a more comprehensive, long-term test. Details on that will follow, along with the review of the other Pedalite products.

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.

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.

The bike: Wabi Cycles Classic

The details:  A hand-built Reynolds 725 frame with classic road geometry and hand-brazed Reynolds chromoly fork. Rolls on Jalco hoops laced to Joy Tech sealed hubs with double-butted, stainless spokes, all wrapped up in Kenda Koncept Lite 235gram 700×23 rubber. Flip-flop rear hub for fixed gear or single speed riding. Cockpit consists of Lead Tec bars with Velo cork tape, attached to a Kalloy stem riding above an FSA Orbit IS-2 sealed and integrated 1-1/8″ headset. Jagwire cables connect the Tektro ergonomic levers to Tektro R530 brakes. A Velo saddle comes mounted to a Kalloy post. Andel crankset and machined cog. Bring your own pedals.

Options: When ordering, you select your frame size and color, and then either go with the stock components for that size, or choose to spec the following items yourself - stem size from 80m to 130mm,  three drop bar sizes and two bullhorn options, three crank length options, six chainring options from 42-48, and six cog/three freewheel options. Not sure what size you need? Give them a call. Who else does all that?

Of note: Should you want to go brakeless, remove the stainless cable stops for a very clean look, as there are no stops or guides on this frame.

The sum of all those parts: One 18.4lb bike (that’s with two brakes) that rides as smooth as it looks. Smart design, clean welds, quality components.

Opinion: While many of the components may not exactly be household names to most cyclists, they’re OEM (frequently under another brand) on a lot of bikes out there. But getting beyond the lack of familiarity, they look great together. More importantly, they perform exceptionally well together. The road test portion of this review is next.

The porn: