Unboxing

The bike arrived completely unscathed from the Edinburgh Bicycle Cooperative, and opening the box revealed a bike that looked shiny and new and big. First impression seems to focus on the tyres. They are _huge_. 26″ wheels with 1.95″ wide tyres. Likewise the handlebars are _wide_. The bike came with a little dual-ended allen key which handles adjusting the stem, bars and seat, along with a little EBC bag, some instructions, and a flat multi-spanner for attaching the pedals. Putting the pedals on was a piece of cake, as was adjusting the handlebars. Getting the saddle right is a lot trickier, because the angle of the seatpost is extremely laid back, meaning my usual measurements didn’t work very well.

Considering the size of the bike, and the “extras” – built-in rack with board, kickstand, bell, full mudguards – it’s actually reasonably light.

There were only 2 real disappointments in the package. Firstly, the pannier that I had bought attaches with plastic clips that are far too small to clip onto the oversized railings of the integrated rack on the bike. Secondly the (very nice) wooden deck appears as if it may have been incorrectly attached to the bike, although I’m not 100% and it hasn’t in any way hampered the bike, so I’m not actually bothered.

First ride

Going from a road bike to this is like going from black and white TV to colour. Essentially it’s the same thing, but it’s really a whole lot different. The geometry of the frame is so laid back that you do feel as if you are reclining. The bike is ultra-stable, which is great for commuting on Glasgow roads. The handlebars are so wide that it feels a bit like you’re riding a Harley. The brakes are fantastic and, being internal, don’t degrade in the wet Glasgow weather. The gearing is just about right for my commute – lowest gear is probably a shade higher than my old bike, and highest is maybe a touch lower, although it’s difficult to tell because of the difference in riding position.

Interestingly the bike makes me want to go both faster and slower than before. The stable geometry and wide handlebars make riding slow very easy and relaxing. The geometry and the brakes make going fast great fun and much less scary. The enormous tyres make for a smooth ride over potholes and have loads of grip in this mornings slush. The saddle is sprung which is also nice and comfy, although the seat-tube is angled so far back that the saddle can’t actually go horizontal, which I’m not sure I like, but will leave for the moment.

Under heavy pedalling one of the cranks does knock against the chainguard slightly, but it’s not bad enough (or frequent enough) to be a proper annoyance. Riding out of the saddle will take some getting used to because of the width of the bars.

Probably the hardest thing is getting used to a more laid back riding position. It feels like I’m using different muscles, and at times it feels somehow less efficient. It also doesn’t feel like it’s accelerating all that quickly when I first start off. It will be interesting to see whether this is actually true over a long period of riding and timing my commute.

Conclusion

This is a cruiser bike, and it lives up to it’s name. I feel like cruising around in it. I feel like I would be much more likely just to jump on it and ride, which was part of the plan. Not that I didn’t like riding my previous bike, but this feels inherently more practical for some reason. It’s also more fun to ride, and more comfortable.

Watch this space for long(er) term review.

mrBen

My initial choice (for various reasons) was the excellent Kona Ute, the cheapest cargo bike on the market. Having a longtail would certainly have been fun, although possibly not as practical is it might have been. However, it was not to be, mostly for financial reasons.

And so, arriving in my life tomorrow, is the Charge Steamer, purchased from the Edinburgh Bicycle Cooperative. Charge is a UK company too, and they make some really decent kit. The Steamer is a bit of a quirky bike, with it’s integrated rack, and hub gears and brakes. But I think that it will make an excellent low-maintenance commuting bike, as well as attracting a few looks for it’s odd shape.

Interestingly, I think that this choice of bike is indicative of a number of changes and realisations about my life:

• It’s not a speed machine, but I’m more interested in getting there than getting there quickly
• I’ve realised that I will rarely do weekend long distance runs, or touring, or LeJOG. I need a bike that will be reliable for commuting and short runs
• I like quirky. I didn’t want just another ordinary looking bike.
• I want a bike that’s useful and pragmatic. While not a cargo bike, I hope that the built-in rack will proved useful for carrying stuff
• I want a bike that’s comfortable, for me and occasionally Heather.

Delivery is due tomorrow, so hopefully my first ride will be Wednesday morning

Along with a new bike comes a new target. Given the increase in distance I gained from moving house, and the increase in diesel costs, I’m aiming for 2500 miles this year. It’s a bit of a stretch, but I am confident that it is achievable.

mrBen

Last week I finally achieved one of the targets I set forth in January, namely cycling 1000 miles on my ‘new’ bike. All but a handful of those miles have been done whilst commuting, although I am still a few days short of my 200 days (assuming I’ve been tagging my rides correctly…). Even discounting costs I will have saved over £400 by the end of the year, and I plan to continue with the cycle commuting, even with the longer commute now involved.

Most importantly, I still enjoy it. Sure there are days when it’s cold and rainy, but you’d be surprised how few they actually are considering the reputation of Glasgow. My commute is still 50% cycle path, which is quite relaxing (although when the ice arrives that will have to stop by necessity). Oh, and I’ve (so far) only had 1 puncture the entire year, which is also quite surprising.

I’m hoping to get a new bike at some point in the new year, to save on a long list of things that are likely to need repairing on the old bike that would add up to distinctly more than it’s worth. Given that my mileage is likely to double to 2000 miles next year, this seems like a decent investment. I might get my brakes done first though, as they’re getting a bit urgent (well…. the brakes are actually get less urgent by the day, which is the problem….)

Roll on 2011…

mrBen

1. I actually really enjoy doing it, even in the rain. I’ve covered over 650 miles in the past 7 months, and am on target for my 1000 mile plan for the year. The only days I’ve not cycled to work (3 in total) were because of practical circumstances and not a lack of willingness.
2. I can leave when I want, and my trip time only varies by about 90 seconds each way of 12 minutes. Can’t say the same for car or bike
3. It gives me a nice mental barrier between finishing work and getting home
4. I cycle on the cycle path, rather than the road. I do this for a number of reasons:
   1. The route is actually .2 miles shorter, which is (I gather) unusual for most cycle commutes
   2. Only 2 sets of traffic lights to handle, rather than the 13 by road
   3. My brain is free to wander because I’m not having to concentrate as much on the mass of traffic
   4. The cyclepath is in as good a condition as the road (which isn’t saying much).

   I shall probably return to the road in the winter, as the lighting on the path isn’t up to scratch.

5. After the initial outlay for a few essentials, my free bike hasn’t really cost me much, considering the mileage. A brake cable here and there, but that’s about it, meaning that I’m racking up the ‘savings’ – at least until I look to buy a new bike, that is
6. I am getting a bit quicker, which I presume means a bit fitter. I’ve failed completely at getting out on my bike for other, longer, rides in the evenings. Hopefully this won’t always be the case, as I think it’s probably key to actually losing a proper amount of weight and gaining proper fitness, but there is evidence of improvement at least.
7. I’m beginning to look to take my bike on other short journeys too – it _is_ still possible to travel light and not have to worry about clothing, etc for short journeys

Anyway – just wanted to get some thoughts out, so that my dedicated readers (snort!) didn’t think I’d forgotten about the blogosphere completely.

mrBen

Fast-forward to 2009, where I got 2 offers – a new job at Central and a new (to me) bike via an online friend. He had been given an old 10-speed road-bike, but wasn’t allowed by his wife to keep it, so I said I would take it.

I took delivery of an old Peugeot Carbolite 103 (actually the name of the frame, the model is an obscure number on a sticker near the bottom bracket that is a bit torn ) in November, but sadly there is no such thing as a free bike. New tyres were a good start, but when I went for my first serious test ride, the chain broke. A new chain then enabled me to see that the saddle was woefully uncomfortable, so a new saddle arrived for Christmas. I’m still in need of some mud guards, and I suspect a rack at some point, and some additional cycling clothes, etc, etc, etc. You get the picture

Me collecting the bike:

A few alterations later:

Of course, then there are the alterations that need doing. The brakes are shoddy and need a bit more work, if not replacing. The brake levers have been moved, but need moved a lot more to make the drops anything more than decoration. I have bar tape to fit (matching the saddle…). Plus it now needs a good clean and oiling.

However, I’ve done 100 miles in January, having ridden every work day, and I intend to ride at least 200 work days in 2010, which would be about 1000 miles of cycling. It will also save me in the region of £400, although I would need to minus expenses off that…… now – where’s that cycling mag….

mrBen

• My New Job
• My New Bike / Commute / Fitness plan for 2010
• Thoughts on PVRs
• Snow!

But for now, a few excellent links for those of you who are into cycling. My aim this year (more later) is 200 weekday commutes, so I am officially “into” cycling (again!)

• .citycycling (free monthly online cycling magazine)
• Yehuda Moon (cycling webcomic)
• Cyclogs (site for recording all your cycling stats)

L8rs…

mrBen

While I’m here, a couple of useful biking links:

CityCycling is a monthly online magazine which hails from Edinburgh. Has some really good articles, and is well produced. Check it out!

Not that I participate in the National Lottery, I would be pleased if they gave £50 million to Sustrans for improving the cycle network in the UK. Vote here *Would’ve been helpful if I’d posted this when I first heard about it, rather than a day after the voting closed…..

mrBen

From my “LBS” (Local Bike Shop) sold me some degreaser and chain lube, and Halfords (I know, I know) supplied me with a chain cleaner and a Park Tools gear cleaning tool. Pretty much everything worked well – the chain cleaner was a bit fiddly, but once I’d figured it out it did a fairly good job.

Then I set about adjusting my rear mech. Now – with my previous bike I had attempted this a number of times, with no real success. But it turns out I was missing 1 really important piece of information – at the point where the gear cable meets the derailleur there is a barrel adjuster. This is for adjusting the indexing (ie making sure that the gear lever (or in my case twist-shifter) selects the cog correctly). I wish I’d known this before – credit to Cycling Plus

So – now everything is working nicely. Happiness abounds, etc. Well – until the next rainy day, in which case it will probably need doing again….

mrBen

1. When cycling to the station on Monday, I forgot to zip up one of my jacket pockets. This became blinding obvious at the point when my mobile phone fell out and bounced along the road behind me. Luckily, other than some nasty chips in the plastics, it all seems to be working
2. Also on Monday, I got halfway through Finnieston when I realised I had forgotten my cycle lock. Which meant I had to cycle home and take the car to work instead.
3. I managed to leave my (1 month old) cycle helmet on the train when I got off at work yesterday. Sadly, it does not appear to be possible to get telephone numbers for train stations, and the lost property number is an answerphone for the central lost property for Scotland, in Queen Street, rather than the lost property office in Central. So far, it has not been returned, which could set me back £25 for a new one

So – not a good start to the week. Here’s hoping that, after Liverpool’s record-breaking 8-0 win last night, things are looking up.

mrBen

This morning was interesting, in that I finally remembered to pump up the tyres on my bike. The tyres currently on there have a max pressure of 55 psi, which seems quite low, but I was surprised to find how far below that I was. Add that to the fact that I hit a run of green lights that ran from Crow Road all the way until the penultimate traffic lights onto Argyll Street just round the corner from the station, and I managed to knock a good 5 minutes off my time from Friday, which was nice. Cycling home tonight was, if anything, a bit quicker. I think there’s something about riding in traffic that helps me put a bit more effort in (although not having to worry about being sweaty at the end helps too).

The riding is good fun, and good for me. And I’m coping with having to sort out lights, helmet and lock. Probably the most frustrating thing is actually the logistics of clothing, and arriving at work in semi-tidy clothing. Both on Friday and today I carried a full set of clothing and changed in the toilets at Central Station (20p). This has 2 main disadvantages – firstly that, given that I’ve barely got off the bike and the toilets are quite stuffy, I’m still quite sweaty, and efforts to clean myself up are on partially successful. The second is that it means that my sweaty t-shirt and joggies go straight into my bag for the rest of the day. The alternative would be to change at work, but that means arriving at work in t-shirt and joggies, and then wasting 5 minutes getting changed, which I don’t really have. It’s tricky.

The other possibility would be to get an alternative train that doesn’t arrive quite so late, and give myself time to get in to work and get changed and ready for the day. I haven’t worked this out fully yet, but I reckon I’ll be looking even more seriously on the first properly wet day. Biggest problem is that, rather than following in the x.50 time (7.50am, 8.50am etc), the earlier train is at 6.36, which is a bit early. The alternative would be to go to Greenock West, which has more trains, but would require an additional 3 miles cycling at the other end.

All-in-all, I think it’s a success. Hopefully I’ll manage to lose a bit of weight, and get a bit fitter to boot.

mrBen