Category: utility

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e+Lite

I picked up a Petzl e+Lite about a month ago at my local EMS. I really like this little light – I’ve been using it on after dark runs, on my cycling helmet, and even while installing a ceiling fan. I’m using the e+Lite as a helmet mounted compliment to my Schmidt powered lights. The combination of the white and red LEDs in the same package sold me – white light for repairs and as needed for extra road illumination – and red light (which preserves night vision) for reading cues and cockpit illumination.

The light runs on 2 Lithium CR2032 batteries. They fit in the head unit behind the LEDs, are easy to change, and appear to be available in most convenience, hardware, and grocery stores (I’ve been checking locally). Published run times are 35 hours on maximum and 45 hours on economy. I’ve gone through about 20 hours of use and have not noticed a fall off in brightness on either setting. With batteries installed the published weight of the light and strap is 27 grams.

Light is generated by 3 white LEDs and 1 red LED. White has 3 settings – maximum, economy, and flash. White maximum is bright enough to read street signs at some distance on a moonless night while cycling, as well as fully illuminating my handlebars and a patch of ground directly in front of me. White economy puts out ample enough light to run along the unlit lakefront MUP on a moonless night, read my cyclocomputer, make adjustments to my bike, or fuss with the digicam. Red has two settings – maximum and flash. The red light is perfect for cockpit illumination and cue reading when helmet mounted – and would work well mounted to my stem or a cue holder. It has also worked well for off bike rummaging through my seatpack. Flash for both colors works as advertised.

The e+Lite comes with an elastic band for head wearing, as well as an integral clip that will work on hats and helmets with some creatively placed strapping. The body of the light swivels on an integral ball / socket connection to the clamp. Positioning the light exactly where you need it is easy – no tightening mechanisms or special cams to deal with – although the light is small enough that this is a bit clumsy to do wearing lobster gloves for winter cycling.

I’ve had the e+Lite out for several night runs and both short and long night rides. Currently I’m not in need of cue navigating on my local routes so I’ve been using it primarily for cyclocomputer reading and off bike lighting. It works perfectly for this – and I plan on adding this to my long distance cycling kit.

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Winter Bike

Seems I always need something to do with my hands… designing and building furniture, crafting a timber frame, or working on a bike or two. I’m converting the Trek 520 from a straight road / touring rig to an all rounder – replacing the drop bars with Nitto Moustache’s, swapping out the brake pads for some all weather grippy types, and re-cabling the controls. I’ve got a set of 35mm cross tires waiting to meet the rims, have mounted the Brooks Swift, and I’ll get that rack remounted for the Ortlieb’s. The SPD pedals will come off – I’m anxious have a steed to ride in street shoes – so I’ll mount up some flat pedals and try the Power Grips I found in the clearance bin at West Hill. I’ve taken inspiration from Kent who is always mucking around with bikes and bike stuff, and David who is ready to ride this winter with a conversion all his own. I’m hoping the Trek will be a fun all-rounder that I won’t be shy about taking out as the sand and salt hit the roads… and I have to admit that I always feel a bit over outfitted riding the IF up to the corner (complete with LOOK cleated shoes) for a quick post office, hardware store, or grocery run.

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IF Ti ClubRacer

This summer I had the pleasure of building up my dream bike. I settled on Independent Fabrications, a local (only 2 hours away from me near Boston) and employee owned company with a national reputation for building custom bicycles. I toured the shop mid summer and felt right at home – the best I can describe the company is as the love child of art school, indy rock, web design, tatoo art, an expert metal craftsman and a bicycle builder. The crew has a passion for bikes – mountain, road, touring, single speed and fixed. They work in steel, carbon, titanium and combinations of the three.

I envisioned the bike as a do all distance machine. I chose the ClubRacer frame as a platform – it is described as having the pedigree of a racing bike with the sensibility of a light touring bike. I wanted a ride specifically designed for brevets and randonneurring – being able to handle a long day (or days) in the saddle in comfort – perhaps with some lite luggage – and definitely with options for wider tires and fenders. I chose titanium as a go everywhere, do everything material – it doesn’t rust, is light, and a good designer can select tubing and geometry to tune a ride as stiff or as plush as you like. West Hill Shop (my former, most favorite LBS) helped me size the frame, and Matt from IF took over from there. On my tour of the shop we sat down in front of the computer and tweaked the design a bit – in real time using bike specific CAD software. 10 weeks later the frame showed up at West Hill and I built it up under the supervision of Daq, the WHS’s ace mechanic. I’ve tweaked the bike since – I had an intense, pro fit done at FitWerx, and finally installed the TA cranks about 6 weeks ago. I currently have the bike rigged for fall and nasty weather riding – fenders and some wide Schwalbe 28mm tires, along with my handlebar bag and lights.

The craftsmanship of the frame is incredible – the ti welds are the nicest I’ve seen – after researching Lightspeed, Seven, Moots, and Serrotta. The finish is natural Ti with a shot peen surface. I chose discreet graphics – and IF was very cool about having the bike look exactly as I wanted it. The sterling silver headbadge was “standard” on a Ti frame – and initially I was skeptical of the need or cost of the sterling – but it adds a very subtle touch to the overall fit and finish of the frame. The fork is steel – with fender eyelettes and lowrider rack mounts. I’m using the lowrider mounts for my E6 lights – and so far they are working perfectly in that location.

The bike rides like none I’ve ever owned. We designed it for the long haul – but chose the tubing and geometry to reflect my riding style – as I mix standed and seated climbing. The bike has a slightly relaxed road geometry – based on their Crown Jewel frame. The frame has wider clearance in the fork and the rear triangle for fenders and wider tires, and longer chainstays to allow heel strike clearance should I mount panniers. When rigged for brevets everything “works” – there are no temporary or rigged fixes – fenders and lights mount like they should – solidly to the frame and fork (no plastic knob fixes here!) and the bike handles well with my handlebar bag loaded with food, the digicam, and extra clothes. The day after my FitWerx appointment I tackled a century loop to Lake Placid and Mirror Lake in the Adirondacks and I was comfortable the ride through – something I cannot say for any other bike I owned. This was in part I’m sure do to sweating the fit, as well as having a frame designed for my body and riding style. The Ti ride quality feels like my steel touring bike – but is significantly stiffer in the drivetrain and bottom bracket than my previous steel and carbon road machine. Seated and standing climbing “feels” different than my previous rides – and with the TA cranks I have options to swap chainrings as I take on next season’s brevets – which are typically designed to showcase the North East’s terrian – in Massachussttes this means brutally steep little climbs with deteriorating road surfaces, and in Vermont it means mountain gaps and incredible scenery.

I really like the Jeckyll / Hyde nature of the bike. Through August I rode the bike in a minimal road configuration – riding my lighter wheels and forgoing the fenders, lights, and luggage. The bike feels every bit as snappy as my racier machine – and I really like how the bike takes to the road and handles unladen, as well as the simplicity of riding this way. As the seasons changed to fall I rigged the bike in a more typical long distance event setup – adding the lights, fenders, and luggage – and was pleasantly surprised at how the bike felt in motion. I’ve certainly added weight to the frame – but for the long haul (a 400k brevet is 248 miles) wider tires, fenders for foul weather (we always get some!), lights, and a place to carry warm clothes are a must. I like equally as much how the bike takes to the road in self sufficient – randonneurring mode. Both options “feel” right.

Independent Fabrications ClubRacer
Titanium frame and steel fork

Campagnolo Record Ergolevers (10 speed)
Salsa Bell Lap Handlebars (46 cm wide)
Shimano Long Reach Brakes (for wider tire and fender clearance)
Campagnolo Chorus Rear Derailer
Campagnolo Chorus Front Derailer
Specialities TA Carmina 94 BCD Crankset
50,34 chainrings with 175mm cranks
Phil Wood bottom bracket
Look CX-6 Carbon pedals
Brooks Swallow leather saddle with titanium rails
VDO MC 1.0+ Cyclocomputer with Altimeter

Curved chainstays…

TA Carmina cranks and chainrings…

Short Haul:
Wheels
Mavic Classics Ceramic
Mavic Hubs Front and Rear
Campagnolo 13-29 Cassette
Continental Grand Prix 4 Season 23mm tires

Ortlieb Medium or Large Seatpack

Across Lake Champlain on the Essex-Charlotte Ferry…

On the Winnooski Bike Bridge…

Long Haul:
Wheels
Mavic Open Pro with Schmidt Nabendynamo Hub 32 hole, black
Mavic Open Pro with Campagnolo Chorus 32 hole Hub and 13-29 Cassette
Currently testing Schwalbe Marathon Plus 28mm tires
Honjo Fenders, 35mm smooth

Lights
Dual fork mounted Schmidt E6’s
Cateye TL-LD1000 on custom rear mount under saddle
Cateye HL-EL410 on bars as a front “be seen” light

Bags
Ortlieb Ultimate 3 Handlebar Bag (older version, with map case)
Ortlieb Medium or Large Seatpack

Lights, fenders, wide tires…

Exploring the Green Mountains, in the rain…

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Utility

Did a “strength” training workout tonight. 24 miles to the pet food mega store, a stop at the bike shop, and City Market for groceries. The Nomad held all the goodies – about 30 pounds worth of pet stuff and groceries. Riding with the trailer has made me aware of my spin – under load the trailer “surges” a bit when my stroke is choppy. It’s got me focusing on higher cadence and smoother circles.

Petsmart may be getting a letter from me. There is not a single bike rack in view from the front of this very large store. The retailer is located in a neighboring town to Burlington – a 2005 “Bicycle Friendly Community“. One would think that mindful planning and proximity to a town full of cyclists of all sorts would have helped make the commercial areas of Williston a bit more bike and ped friendly. The only secure object available that I could get my cable locks around was the “Oops” pet cleanup kiosk. Locking up I got a ripe wiff of a foul bin of stuffed store bags. I may be switching stores to one a few miles closer – I just need to convince them to carry the brands of goods we like.

After City Market I turned on the lights and rode through town in the dark. Blinkies were blinkning and the headlights lit the way home. I’m testing out some wider tires for next seasons brevet series – and I like the way they have reflective material in the sidewall – its nice to see that I’m that much more visible as I cross an intersection.