The Radavist

At NAHBS, themed bikes are usually hit or miss and by that I mean, people usually get it or they don’t. If you can’t see the theme in this bike, then you probably didn’t grow up on the 80’s watching reruns of Smokey and the Bandit… Or… You just don’t get it.

Josh from Avery County Cycles went way over the top with this homage bike. Built for himself, as his new touring rig, everything was thought out and executed with precision. Down to the choice in tire: Michelin’s Country Rock. The stem is custom and Josh even got Coors-themed water bottles for the show.

For the saddle, Mick Peel from Busyman hand-embossed the firebird logo from Bo Darville’s Trans Am. Other details include PAUL Racers, hand-made carbon fiber racks – with Paragon ends (Josh isn’t 100% sure the front rack is structurally sound, these were mostly for show) and the exquisite Trans Am-inspired wet paint by Jordan Low.

I can almost hear the theme song playing as I’m typing this! See more in the Gallery!

The 970, one of the last made in the USA, lugged MTB frames ever produced by Trek. In recent years, there has been a resurgence in interest for these bikes. Especially seeing as how a XO-1 can set you back a pretty penny. They’re Wisconsin-made, rugged and actually pretty lightweight, considering. Frames can be found on eBay for around $200.

The Mudfoot Cyclocross Racing Team began years back as artist Geoff McFetridge found himself racing cross (solo) in Los Angeles. He started winning races and eventually thought it’d be rad to form a team that wasn’t really like other teams in the area.

People take racing very seriously and Mudfoot was about having fun while still kicking ass. Soon Mudfoot grew to a small group of like-minded individuals in the Los Angeles area. Some raced, some didn’t but they all enjoyed cycling. Go to a cross race in SoCal and see for yourself just how ridiculous these dudes act. I know this seems sort of cheesy to read, hell, it sounds cheesy to type but it’s mostly the truth.

Mudfoot has grown to be one of the most coveted “brands” and each year, the team kits get radder and radder. I can’t tell you how many times these guys get hit up to sell shirts, stickers, kits, whatever. People go nuts over it! This year however, Geoff and the Mudfoot elite did something a little different. They teamed up with Santa Barbara’s Stinner Frameworks to design a small fleet of team bikes.

With Geoff’s hand-drawn graphics, paint by Kelli Samuelson of Ritte Cycles and a list of American-made components (PAUL, Chris King) as well as Vittoria, Giro and ENVE, they’re by far the nicest team bikes I’ve ever seen. In fact, I’d go ahead and say that this is my favorite bike of 2013. Kyle‘s bike in particular has some great details.

Details include: Mini Moto front brake, Touring canti rear, Salsa mis-matched skewers and a blue and orange Chris King bottom bracket. While we didn’t get the sunrise light we wanted that morning, the photos came out pretty rad!

I can’t think of a better way to end a year of Beautiful Bicycles… See more in the Gallery!

Golden Saddle Cyclery has a lot of really incredible customers, who happen to own really incredible bicycles. I usually sit there all day and just pick off the gems that walk through the door. Case in point: Hans’ Rock Lobster Cross.

Like most people forking out money for a custom bike, Hans was very mindful of what he wanted. The truth is, most people don’t need a cross bike for racing. But for travel, dirt roads, weekend getaways, light touring, singletrack, fireroads and yes, maybe the occasional race, they’re one of the most perfect machines.

Hans and I talked a lot about this bike via email (it happens a lot). He was initially drawn to a lightweight race machine but he kept describing the kind of riding I do on my cross bike. So I asked, “what will you really be using this bike for?”. He ended up going with a more versatile tubing selection, much like I had on my cross machine.

The end result, as seen here, came out superb. See for yourself in the Gallery!

Luke is one of my favorite people here in Austin because he’s a road racer that doesn’t appear to be a road racer. Stereotypes aside, Luke enjoys touring probably more than racing, but he still races road and cross. Most of which, end with him on or near the podium.

Living in Austin can overwhelm you sometimes with how competitive the road scene is, but there’s nothing better than leaving town to ride away for the weekend, which is where Luke’s All City Space Horse comes into play. He leaves his Mr. Pink behind (sounds dirty, huh?) and ventures out on this bike, fully loaded and ready to do nothing. Right now, it’s set up with a Pass & Stow front rack and a Freight porteur rack bag. Oh and a super bent Brooks!

It’s unfortunate that Luke broke his wrist during prime camping season here in Austin, so once the temperatures drop a bit, I’ll probably be spending some saddle time with him outside the city. Although I must admit, even though we’ll be touring or camping, I might have a hard time keeping up with this powerhouse…

Check out more photos of this well-seasoned bicycle in the Gallery.

When I first came across Swift Industries, I didn’t even have a use for the Ozette randonneur bag and yet, I really, really wanted one. My last touring bike was set up for a handlebar-mounted bag. At the time, I chose Arkel as a manufacturer and I still have it, but I wasn’t happy enough with it to put it to use on the new Geekhouse tourer. I wanted my front weight as low as I could get it and the Arkel sat too high. The older model bag also wasn’t water proof. Or even water-resistant. Not ideal for a touring rig. The 2013 model is water proof, however.

Two large panniers and a large randonneur-style front bag is all I need for touring portage. The Ozette randonneur bag has so far, been the perfect choice for the Geekhouse. Without leaping to any great tech-overview, I’ll just say that Swift and Geekhouse are a good pairing and when it comes down to it, the 10.5 litre capacity of this bag is a large improvement over what I was used to with the Arkel (which has 10 litres of space but the aforementioned weight distribution makes it a less than ideal option).

Along with the large compartment, there are five external pockets and a top map-case. The two back pockets will fit an iPhone, a point and shoot camera, film and anything else you’d need to access without reaching under a jacket and into a jersey pocket. The front pocket is out of reach while riding, so things like first aid, camping supplies, or what have you would go there. The map-case is big. Big enough for maps or cue sheets. Each of these are covered with a loop-secured, top-flap. For quick stashability, the two side pockets do wonders. All in all, I fit everything I’d need for a long ride, like a Brovet, just fine.

All of this from a classic design and a waterproof construction. Now, securing the bag to the appropriate rack is the most important part. My Geekhouse rack is wide enough to where the velcro straps hold the base of the bag just fine. With a “tombstone” rack extension, I could slip it in the bag’s sleeved support but it wasn’t enough to keep the Ozette laterally-stable. Two zip ties did the trick but I’ll still use a decaleur for increased support, at which time, I’ll remove the zip ties. This will enable me to use the handy shoulder strap Swift supplies.

Right now, out of the box, so to speak, the Ozette randonneur bag is a customizable, modern-spin on a classic design. I picked my colors, added it to the shopping basket on Swift’s site and it showed up under a month later. All for $210. I have nothing against Berthoud, Ostrich or other manufacturers, I just wanted to support a new, smaller company in Seattle. Plus the olive looks great on the bike. See more at Swift Industries and if you’re still reading without clicking through the Gallery, check out more detail photos there!

Austin, Texas is a superb place to live in the summer months. If you can stand the heat, which many can not. Let me tell you, no matter how hot it is where you live, it’s hotter in Texas, because, well, everything is bigger in Texas. Part of living here is having access to swimming holes and this place in particular has been on my list for some time. It’s close enough to our house and seemed like a perfect day trip for Lauren to take on.

As with anything new and unfamiliar, bicycle camping, touring and even day trips can be a daunting task for people. Lauren’s never really done anything like a bicycle camping trip, so we took it one step at a time. The right mix of mileage, hills and hauling had to come into play.

We left before it was too hot and were home before it was hotter. We made a picnic, got sunburnt and swam. She got to officially christen her Icarus and I got some great photos of it all. Anyone with a spouse or a partner who rides knows the feeling of seeing them happy on a bicycle…

Tools of the trade:
Mamiya 7ii / 80mm
Kodak Portra 400

“A little bit of racing and a little bit of light touring” seems to be what a lot of people want from their cross bikes. That’s exactly what Gordon told Firefly when he put down his deposit. This cross bike has fender and rack mounts for weekend getaways and mini-v’s for road riding. Come cross season, he’ll pop on some 32c cross tires and get her nice and muddy. It’s always a pleasure to photograph a Firefly, especially when the owner is such a stand up guy. Denver has such rad bikes and such great people. It’s been a hell of a trip. Oh and, thanks for the hangover man!

Detroit has a long tradition of US manufacturing and it’s this very tradition that Shinola is looking to continue with their brand. The company began with watches, a common, everyday object that hasn’t been mass produced in the United States for decades. But Shinola knew that in order to bring that industry back to Detroit, they’d have to enlist in the help of true craftsmen. Ronda AG, a Lausen, Switzerland-based movement manufacturer is working with Shinola on their Argonite 1069 watch movement assemblage and that’s only the beginning.

Similarly, when Shinola began to design their bicycles, they looked to Wisconsin and the Waterford facilities for fabrication. Inspired by French porteurs and light tourers, the Shinola Runwell is an ideal city bike and you don’t need any fancy Swiss movement to get these bikes rolling. An 11-speed Alfine hub effortlessly shifts this mid-trail bike through your city or countryside. Load up the front rack with groceries, post office runs, beer, or what have you and just go! If you need to stop on a dime, the mechanical disk brakes will do the trick.

The Runwell has details. Waterford’s simple and classy lugwork, along with a bright Cherokee red paint job (it’s really bright!) really compliments the mostly chrome components. Even the gusset on the non-drive fork leg resolves any stress riser issue you might have with disk tabs on a mid-trail ride. Shinola went the extra mile with their branded saddle and grips and the 32c Continental Contact tires will roll without getting flats from thorns or glass.

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