Haines Shoe House

As we were driving to the Harley Davidson factory, I saw a house shaped like a shoe. I hadn't heard anything about it so I had to look online when we got back home.



This is what I found: The Shoe House, built in 1948, was by far "Colonel" Mahlon N. Haines' most outlandish advertising gimmick. It is a wood frame structure covered with wire lath and coated with a cement stucco. It measures 48 ft. in length, 17 ft. in width at the widest part and 25 ft. in height. The interior consists of five different levels and contains three bedrooms, two baths, a kitchen and living room.



This giant structural advertisement was originally used as a guest house. In the first year after its completion, elderly couples were invited to stay for a weekend and live like "kings and queens" at Haines' expense.

'Fork's Bent?'... Suspicious Cracks in the Paint Cause Concern

The phrase "fork's bent" has become a private joke of sorts in vintage bicycle circles. Almost any time somebody posts a picture of their "awesome vintage find," there will be that one person who comments that "the fork looks bent." Most of the time, the fork is not bent and it's just something to say - or maybe the angle or the lighting in the picture are misleading. Nonetheless, the possibility of a bent fork or frame is certainly something to watch for in vintage bikes. If a bicycle is steel, a bent frame or fork is not necessarily tragic - steel is flexible and the bent portion can usually be straightened. Cracks, on the other hand, are of greater concern.



During my visit to Geeekhouse last week, the guys were looking at my Gazelle and pointed out that the bits of cracked paint underneath the fork crown could indicate cracks in the surface of the fork itself. Needless to say, my heart sank.



I noticed the cracked paint before, but didn't think anything of it. The fork blades in of themselves are not deformed and there are no indicators that the front end of the bike has been in a collision. In an impact strong enough to bend the fork, surely there would have been some other damage - but there is not a scratch anywhere. The bicycle also handles absolutely fine - better than fine - with no indication of anything "off" in the steering.



It would be easy to dismiss the cracked paint, if it were not for one red flag: The cracks are symmetrical - right underneath the fork crown, on both the right and the left blade. How did they get there, and how can we tell whether it really is just cracked paint or an indicator of some sort of trauma to the fork?



I was speaking to a local frame-builder yesterday, who advised to check for similar paint cracks in the back of the fork blades. There are none; the paint is cracked only in the front. To him, this was an indicator that the fork could be fine - as stress fractures typically happen in the back and not in the front of the blades. He also pointed out that even if the fork has been bent and reset, or even if there are hairline cracks, a massive Dutch fork like this can probably take it, without it being a safety issue. No doubt there are loads of people in the Netherlands riding ancient beaters with visibly bent forks.



But the bottom line is, that we simply don't know what's going on under that cracked paint. To find out for sure, I would need to remove the paint from the fork blades and thoroughly examine the steel underneath - which I am reluctant to do, as the original paint is so nice. Is there any way to diagnose while keeping the paint intact? Any suggestions or thoughts are welcome.

Weight Distribution Mysteries

One thing that continues to mystify me about frame design, is how different bicycles react to weight distribution. Over the years, I've really found this aspect of a bicycle's handling to be a wildcard. My Rivendell Sam Hillborne is built like a typical mid-trail touring bike, which, it is said, makes it optimal for carrying heavy loads in the rear but only moderate loads in the front. However, I prefer to ride this bike with an enormous handlebar bag, and it does very well with it. It also handles well with a saddlebag and panniers, but interestingly the handlebar bag - with the same amount of weight in it - does not appear to affect speed at all, whereas the saddlebag does a bit. If I am going on a fast ride, Iremove the saddlebag butdo not bother removing the handlebar bag. All of this is just fine with me, because I find it far more convenient to keep my stuff in the front for easy access. But it goes against my understanding of the way a bicycle like this is supposed to react to weight.





Then there is the Moser racing bike, which reacts badly to any weight I put on it at either end. The front gets twitchy with even a small bag attached. And with any saddlebag larger than a tiny wedge the bike feels distinctly rear-heavy. A few times I've affixed a mid-sized saddlebag so that I could carry my camera, and it felt like trudging through mud compared to the speed this bike is normally capable of. On the other hand, a full water bottle on the downtube (the bottle weighing about the same as my camera) has no effect, and neither does my own weight gain when I stuff my jersey pockets with all the things I would have otherwise kept in a bag.



Riding bikes like this has made me understand why some cyclists chose to ride with backpacks instead of baskets or panniers - some bicycles simply do not handle well with weight on either end, but do fine when the weight is part of the rider. This is one reason the argument "If you want to lighten your bike, lose some weight" does not make sense to me.You cannot simply take the combined weight of a bicycle, its accessories and its rider, and assume the handling and speed will be the same as long as the total remains the same.







My first city bicycle - a Pashley Princess - came with a huge front basket, but it did not handle well for me when I put things in the basket. Eventually I removed it and attached a set of rear folding panniers instead. With that configuration the bike handled much better, and faster. When I carried weight in the rear, I could detect no difference in speed, even with a full load of groceries.






On the other hand, the Bella Ciao city bike I now ride - while faster than the Pashley overall - is more sensitive to weight in the back. The handling doesn't change, but I can feel a difference in speed depending on how heavy the load I am carrying is.




With pretty much every bicycle I've ridden over an extended period of time so far, I've noticed some sort of relationship between weight distribution and handling, and it is not always a logical one - or at least not obviously so. I am sure there are lots of factors contributing to these effects, and these factors are just too nuanced to be obviously discernible. It's interesting to figure this stuff out in the process of getting to know a bike.

Spirits in the Sky

For the past couple of nights I've been taking advantage of both some beautiful night skies and the low-light capabilities of my new Canon 5D Mark II camera. This camera is just awesome for making night images. The image above is a 30 second exposure taken at ISO 3200, which I never could have done with my old camera. The old camera at ISO 3200 would have had so much noise that the image would have been unusable. By using such a high ISO setting, the camera was also able to pick up the Milky Way in the image.



The image above is a 2 hour exposure made between 11:00 p.m. and 1:00 a.m. This image was shot at ISO 100, but even with such a low ISO setting, at 2 hours most cameras would still be producing unacceptable noise levels. Not so with the 5D Mark II! The image is very clean, with very acceptable noise levels. It should be noted that in the above image, the glow of light on the horizon is not from the sun or the moon, but rather from the city lights of Thunder Bay, Ontario, which is about 40 miles away.

The image below was a 1.5 hour exposure, taken this time from 2:30 a.m. to 4:00 a.m. This time of year, by 3:30 a.m. the sky is already starting to show signs of light from the coming sun, and by running the exposure until 4:00 a.m. the final image looks almost like the blue sky that you see during the day.

Greetings from New York :: Thanks, Apple!

Yes, I'm still here. Or somewhere! I haven't been posting as much as I would like to – it's a lot harder than I thought it would be to find the time (or just take the time) to write while traveling.

I'm in New York, southeast of Snowville, after spending last night and this morning with Apple and her husband. We had a great visit - it was so nice to be able to meet her in person. And I certainly appreciated their warm hospitality. Thanks so much Apple, for putting me up for the night.


More later on the meandering route taken through Ohio on the way to New York... soon, I promise!

Cycling and Suffering

In my view, the most unfortunate myth about cycling for transportation is that it is difficult. Understandably, this is how non-cyclists often perceive it - due to the overabundance of athletic cyclists and heavily armoured utility cyclists on the roads in comparison to cyclists who look like regular people. But even among the "everyday cyclists", I feel that there is a tendency to focus on the challenging aspects of riding a bike in a way that takes pride in these challenges and thereby dwells on them: the pain of cycling uphill, the heroics of cycling in cold weather, the battle of cycling in traffic... Come on, be fair! Cycling is fun and convenient, giving us the most independence and flexibility of all other transport options. Compared to the poor drivers stuck in traffic and the users of public transportpushing their ways through overcrowded buses, we coast through life with smiles on our faces.



[image via BostonBiker.org]

Reading Boston Bikerthis week, I was reminded of my all time favourite misrepresentation of cycling's "difficulties": Our love of exaggerating thefortitude of cycling in the rain.On cycling blogs, we often read stories that describe a non-cyclist asking a cyclist, "But what do you do when it rains?" and the cyclist replying "I get wet!" After this exchange is retold in the blog post, the author will then muse about how people nowadays are out of touch with the elements, and how ridiculous it is that "the car culture" has taught us to fear getting rained on. This, however, is simply untrue. Car culture did not teach us to dislike getting rained on. Seeking protection from the elements is a natural impulse that has been with us pretty much forever. In non-car-oriented societies people still use umbrellas and hide under awnings. Cave people sought shelter in caves. It is completely normal not to want to get rained on on the way to work or a date, so that we can both arrive in dignity and not come down with the flu the next day.



[image viaBostonBiker.org]

Cyclists however, sometimes seem to experience pride from getting soaking wet in the rain, and this pride translates into projecting an intimidating image to those who do not ride a bike. The non-cyclist is given to understand, that in order to embrace cycling they must accept the idea that getting wet is "normal" rather than something to be avoided... In other words, to accept an idea that goes against people's natural instincts since the dawn of civilization.



I don't know about you. But when a non-cyclist asks me what I do when it rains, I reply that I wear a raincoat. When a non-cyclist asks me about hills, I explain that I switch to a lower gear and pedaling gets easy again. And when a non-cyclist asks me whether I am scared of traffic, I point out that it was less scary than driving once I got used to it. And all of these things are true. Why tell them I am suffering, when I am not?

0% Alcohol Beer and Garlic

Last Friday I was in Eindhoven (south of the Netherlands about 120KM fromAmsterdam) having a little kick-off with my partner. I managed to get my messageacross during my presentation and the food was a success. We had Spanish tapas and booze.

Since I am in the Noord Brabant region which is where Eindhoven is and where Bavaria beer comes from, I had to say no to wine and drank the local beer. Firstly, I had the normal Bavaria beer, then for my second bottle I tried the 0%alcohol Bavaria wit beer. I was curious of course.
One thing I know: It may be the beer for Hugh Hefner and his old comrades (the TV advert of this beer) but IT’S NOT FOR ME. It tastes funny.
After the kick-off party, I didn’t realized that I was carrying with me a very strong garlic accent. Blame the gambas al ajillo, cooked in oil and garlic! The gambas were literally swimming in ground garlic but it was sooooo yummy, I came back for a 2nd serving.
Thus the consequence: When I got home in the evening Dutchman was complaining that I completely stunk.
Oooops, sorry. LOL

The sad truth about the Beach Vendors on Costa del Sol

The journey from Mali to Marbella; from Senegal to Sotogrande; for the promise of a better life...



Disillusionment – ´Europe is not the way we expected it to be'



‘When people save for the dream of going to Europe, they don’t understand the reality of the journey or life here when they arrive. The journey itself can be fatal. Some make it as far as North Africa, but the Spanish, Moroccan or Mauritanian security forces often intercept groups of men, load them in buses and then dump them out in the desert with nothing; many die there. If they make it as far as getting on a boat, some die of exhaustion or illness and there have even been cases when security forces have overturned boats and killed immigrants.’



Source: SUR in English, an English newspaper in Andalusia, Spain.









The article on SUR in English, an Andalusian-based newspaper. To read, please click to enlarge.











Many of the African beach vendors are decent looking, they could easily hold normal jobs back home, and they are tall as well.



The African beach vendors on Costa del Sol are everywhere, they are exceptionally mobile and they often move about from one boulevard to the other, always on the look out for the policia. There was a time when I saw a few of them packing up all their goods in a jiffy, bolting through the crowds to the other direction of the beach. Oops 112 policia calling? If they are caught, would they be charged for illegal vendor squatting or selling fake designer goods? I would guess the former.



From what I’ve read and heard, most of them have tried their chances on the job market, and even though they speak 3 European languages—French, Spanish and English, with the current bleak unemployment outlook in Spain (-+22% now), there are obviously no jobs in sight. And because of this, they have succumbed to peddling fake designer bags, shades and watches on the coasts of Spain.



Whenever I see people trying hard to survive by very little means on the streets, it really stops me on my tracks, and makes me reflect. I just cannot help but well up a hope of sympathetic feelings for these people. Nevertheless, I am grateful for what I have.

Monday Mailbox: What is a High Nelly?

Monday Mailbox is a weekly post dedicated to questions received over email. Here is one, for a nice change of pace:

It's been fun discovering what to call different styles of bikes through your blog... diamond frame, step-through, loop frame, mixte, truss frame, Frascona curve! But what exactly is a High Nelly?

I have wondered about this myself, especially about the term's origin.




Used predominantly in the UK and Ireland (and not very common anymore), in a general sense "High Nelly" describes upright bikes. More often than not, the term refers specifically to women's bikes, and particularly to vintage ones. So, for instance, an old fashioned loop frame with swept-back handlebars up higher than the saddle might be called a High Nelly - similar to what an omafietsis to the Dutch.





But in Northern Ireland last summer, I was treated to a more detailed explanation. I was told that originally, "high nelly" referred to a specific style of a woman's bicycle frame, where the head tube was extended considerably past the height of the seat tube. This ensured that the handlebars could be set up as high as possible, for a fully upright and ultra-ladylike position. Apparently, only frames thus constructed are true high nellies.






Interestingly, in manufacturing its popular Lady's Tourist model, some time in the 1940s Raleigh switched from the original extended headtube design to one where the headtube was more or less level with the seat tube. The measurements of my 22" 1973 DL-1 frame are almost identical to the measurements of my 22" 1936 Lady's Tourist frame, save for this aspect and the resulting difference in posture.So, going by the explanation above, only the very early Lady's Tourists can be considered high nellies, whereas the later DL-1s (as well as most other post-war English 3-speeds) are not. And according to the same definition, lots of modern bikes can be considered high nellies, since extended headtubes are now quite popular.




Unfortunately, I cannot find any written information about the origins of the term, so I can't cite my sources beyond "conversation with collectors." And sadly, who exactly this Nelly was, for whom I assume the style of bicycle was named, remains a mystery.

Trail Running Challenges

On the way to the trailhead... Ehhhh

On the way home... Ahhhhh

Recently running has felt different. It seems summer has finally hit the Laurel Highlands. It's been really warm and humid, with storms plentiful especially this past week. I managed to get rained or stormed on several times. The weather was in the lower 90's with the humidity similar or higher. My body has been holding up well to the quick increase of mileage. I've been pushing a little harder, but trying not to overdo things. Being able to run again feels so good and I don't want ruin it. I've been rebuilding my ski injured body with the dreams of pulling off a LHHT double as early as fall (or spring '14). During this rehab and training I've been reading more on Challenges and FKT's (fastest known time's). I'll try to explain the way I understand them. Competing for aFKT's is simply trying to achieve the fastest time over a predetermined course/trail, alone or in a group, but not an organized race on a designated day. They can be short 5K runs or long trails like the Appalachian or Continental Divide. They can be completed any time you choose. No set date, even worse yet, weekend. Only success or failure awaits with only one person holding the FKT. The honor system applies, although for major or serious FKT records tracking devices are utilized for proof. Challenges are different because they're a personal goal to complete, not a race. Did you accomplish the course set out and if you have already, could you do it quicker? Challenges are more about personal accomplishment, although most have a FKT as well.



While browsing around, I stumbled upon this challenge here in my back yard. Its called theOhiopyle 50K (Gate-to-8 X 2) posted on the North East Ohio Trail Club (NEO Trail Club) website. I'm not a member of the club, but found the posted challenge. Whether you have to be a club member to be listed after completion I don't know. Either way, it gives me a goal to accomplish that I haven't done. I know I'm not in super woodz ninja shape right now, so I figured it was time to incorporate the Gate to 8 section of the Laurel Highlands Hiking trail into my week of running as well as some other quicker tempo runs.



Recent runs

The Barn at Bear Run Nature Reserve

Tuesday 7/2 Laura's Tiny Tulip Traverse, 5 miles - This is a run that Laura put together after my Bear Run Trail Run challenge. What a great 5 mile (apprx.) loop in Bear Run Nature Reserve. It follows Tree, Rhododendron, Tulip Tree, Snowbunny, Rhododendron and Tree Trails in a counter clockwise lollipop. The route climbs 718' and is on some pretty amazing trails (especially Tulip Tree) It was my first time running this route and I wanted to apply a reasonable effort. I ran the wonderful course enjoying the steepening climb from the car up to Tulip Tree... Tulip Tree is freakin' fun. What else can I say. This is the best .8 mile trail I've ever run. It is so fast and dabalicious. Quick footwork on slightly downhill single track, runners high for sure! It had to be built by runners. I wish it was way longer. Snowbunny leads back across the hill and down to the early trails you started on, then finishes at the sign-in. Warm and humid as described above. Ran the course in 45:41, with one routing mishap.



Wednesday 7/3 LHHT Gate to 8, 15.75 miles - I was planning on running to MP 10 and back for 20 miles, but... Everything was going well. I ran an "easy" pace NOBO, hiking most of the hills. I was hearing some distant thunder while climbing up "heart attack hill" towards MP7. By the time I had MP 8 in sight, the sky was quite black and the thunder was persistent. Retreat was my thought. I barely took 20 strides SOBO and the skies opened up and the rains came... and came... and came. I bombed heart attack hill in a muddy running creek with extremely limited visibility. My visor helped, but I found its limitations. It was similar to winter white-outs I've experienced. My nonchalant pace quickened on the return trip with rains stopping and skies clearing briefly for about a mile. Despite the heat, slippery trail and slug like pace I managed a 3:23:44 overall. X2 laps would put me under 7hrs for the 50K Challenge. Seems like a good start. Elevation +4081, -4064.



Thursday 7/4 Bear Rocks Loop, 4 miles - It was the Fourth of July. I squeezed in a short, slow, road run in the sun. Ran the loop in 29:03. Elevation +416, -406. Not much to say.



Thursday 7/5 Yough River Trail, 2 miles - Ran with Laura and her sore knee. Rest day, spent most of it lounging by the river at the Oasis...AHHHHH! Then went running. 22:08.

River art = Rart at "The Oasis"

Friday 7/3 LHHT Gate to 8, 15.75 miles- It was 91° which seemed perfect for another training lap of Gate to 8 ;) I figured that If I practice in conditions like that, surely a more comfortable day will feel slightly easier? The cooler months have been when other (wiser) people have done it. I'll try in August and then hopefully improve on that later in the year under favorable conditions. I went out intentionally slow trying to adjust to the heat. Humidity was really high and in no time I was sweating buckets. The overall trip was very hot with a flash storm popping up and tagging along with me for about 45 min. Compared to the dumping on Wednesday this was nothing. I did pass another trail runner around mile 4. We were both moving quickly and gave a wave without stopping. I ran out of water coming up the last hill before MP 3. I should've stopped at the stream to at least fill a handheld. Finished the run in 3:31:03, incredibly hot and thirsty.
Weekly rundown5 runs8hrs31min.42 milesElevation +9,405', -9,306'

The 'Backlash': Why Are We Surprised?

[image via nytimes]

For the past couple of weeks, cycling blogs have been abuzz with news of a backlash in New York City against bicyclists and bicycle infrastructure. Police are overzealously handing out traffic tickets to cyclists. Members of the community are demanding the removal of bike lanes. Protests are underway. Anti-cycling op-ed pieces are appearing in respectable publications. Alarmed and disappointed, cyclists all over the country are wondering what the heck is going on.



But what I'm wondering is: Why are we surprised?



Think about it objectively. Since when has society embraced sudden change? Since when have the values of a minority been unquestioningly accepted by the majority? Since when have people welcomed ideas that they believe threaten their own lifestyles? Since never. That's not how things work. And cycling - a fringe activity that over the past couple of years has attempted to torpedo itself into the North American mainstream - is no exception. The "cycling culture" is not so special as to be immune to the laws of social psychology. Ingroup-outgroup bias, prejudice, stereotyping, and all that good stuff, apply to the interactions between non-cyclists and cyclists just as they do to interactions between other social groups with conflicting goals and value systems. It was naive on our part to believe that sweeping changes could be imposed on our neighbourhoods - both in the form of bicycle infrastructure and even just in the form of increasing numbers of cyclists on the roads - without non-cyclists feeling threatened.



The incident that took place in Boston several months back illustrated this point perfectly. Just weeks after bicycle lanes were installed in Charlestown, the local residents had a Council meeting, voted to have them removed, and swiftly did so. Many cyclists were outraged by the events, and in a way so was I - The waste of government funds this battle of wills involved was unacceptable. But the reaction of the Charlestown community in of itself was understandable to me. Adequate research was not done to determine whether neighbourhoods through which bike lanes were planned wanted them or not in order to gauge possible resistance or hostility. No effort was made to establish good will with the neighbourhoods, and so there was no good will. The community felt that something strange, foreign and dangerous was being shoved down its throat by the big city planners, and they wanted none of it.



I think that we, as cyclists, need to be aware (1) that we are in the minority, (2) that cycling is perceived as weird and dangerous by the majority, which means resistance to it will be high, and (3) that we live in a democratic society where we cannot impose our beliefs on others no matter how right we think we are. There needs to be sincere and open dialogue (as in two-way conversation) with the non-cycling community, free of smugness, slogans and arrogance. It is not productive to tell people that "Everyone can cycle," that "You too can live without a car if you tried," or even that "Cycling is good for you." Rather than encouraging, those messages are perceived as threatening, making people feel as if they are being told that their way of life is inferior and that some bizarre social engineering project is unfolding against their will. I don't think that most cycling activists even realise that, because those are the only types of messages I see when attempts are made to reach out to the public.



What I suggest instead is sending messages that don't just focus on ourselves and our point of view, but on the community at large - and especially on those who don't ride a bike and don't plan to. Why not spread information that bike lanes make neighbourhoods safer? That bike lanes help small businesses? That bike lanes help motorists? Imagine a public service announcement commercial that goes something like this:

A man gets out of his sedan in front of an office building. He looks at his watch, then faces the camera with a smile. "Finally got to work on time!" The camera pans out to show the road with freely moving car traffic, and a bike lane with lots of bikes. "With the new Main Street bike lane, more people are choosing to ride their bikes, leaving the roads clear for those who prefer driving. No more traffic jams, that's for sure." And a caption underneath reads "Traffic congestion in Neighbourhood A has decreased X% since bike lanes were installed."

Sure it's simplistic, but so was "Got milk." To avoid a backlash, we need to show that cycling is good for everyone.

Desert Wild Flower

I don't

know what this plant is. It is one of the first to put on green leaves and bloom in the spring. It seems to be a native plant. The flowers are tiny, tiny on a long stem clustter of flowers. Leaves are long and stripped. Not much to look at but at least it doesn't have stickers on it.

KHS Green: The Loveliest Budget Bike

[Edited to Add: There is now an updated review of this bicycle here]



One stumbling block in the purchase of a classic step-through city bicycle, is the shocking price tag. Be prepared to spend upward (in some cases very much upward) of $800 USD for a quality Dutch-style bicycle with 3 or more speeds.



Refreshingly, there is one alternative. During my trips to local shops, online research, and chats with surprisingly bike-knowledgeable acquaintances, I came across the "Green" bicycle made by KHS.





Made especially for stylish and safe commuting, the KHS Green features the relaxed-style frame and handlebar construction and comes fitted with fenders, a rack, and a partial chain-guard. It is a 3-speed, with a Shimano hub. It has both coaster brakes and a hand-brake. And it is priced at $350 USD! As one reviewer put it (I paraphrase, unable to find the original text): This is the least expensive bike worth buying.



The bicycle on the photo above is the KHS Green, ladies' frame, that I rented from Cambridge Bicycle (more on this later).

Power Grips: Foot Retention That Even I Can Use!

[edited to add:Power Gripswas a sponsor of this website September-October . This review was written before that time.]



I do not like the idea of foot retention and generally feel no need for it - whether cycling for transportation or going on long rides. Perhaps it is more accurate to saythat the very thought of having my feet connected to the pedals fills me with terror.The problem is, that I will soon be riding a fixed gear roadbike (Marianne's conversionwas practice), for which it is advisable to use foot retention: When cycling over bumps or potholes, your feet can fly off the pedals on a fixed gear bike and the pedals can then "chew up your ankles" before you have a chance to brake. So yes, foot retention is recommended.



Some have suggested I try Power Grips if I am too nervous to use toe clips or clipless pedals. I have finally gotten up the nerve to give them a try... and so far they have been more or less a success. We installed these first on my Rivendell Sam Hillborne, so that I could get comfortable with them before putting them on the fixed gear. Here are my impressions so far.



Power Grips are basically straps made of a thick, stiff woven fabric, that mount diagonally on the pedals. It is easy to slide your foot in and out, but the diagonal position grips the foot firmly in place once it is all the way in. Note that we mounted these with the logo on the inside. There is also a beige version with an argyle pattern accompanying the logo.



Even as I write this, it sounds implausible that something can both "grip the foot firmly" and "be easy to slide in and out of," but that is the feeling. Because the band is diagonal, there is a large escape area as soon as you move your foot back a bit. You can also feel the grip getting tighter/looser as you shift your foot forward or backward on the pedal, so there is a natural bodily awareness of the system that works in your favour. When approaching a stop, I simply slide one foot off the pedal and step down on the ground. Initially I would remove the second foot at stops as well, but eventually I discovered that it was easier to just keep it inside the grip.



I am not qualified to say how effective the Power Grips are in terms of pedaling efficiency; I simply would not know. It feels as if with the grips I can pedal with more power, but it may very well be an illusion. However, none of that is important to me, and what really matters is safety. The Power Grips keep my feet firmly in place when going over bumps, yet are easy to get out of whenever I need to.



I should mention also that the straps come in several sizes, and are adjustable to fit over different types of footwear. They do not squeeze or rub the top of the foot, so I am pretty sure you could wear them even with sandals.

Another nice thing about the Power Grips, is that if you want to pedal without them, you can easily use the other side of the pedal. I do not feel comfortable yet wearing the grips in stop-and-go traffic, so when the traffic gets dense I simply cycle with them upside down and my feet are free.The straps do not hang low enough to scrape against the ground. And even if there is an occasional scrape, it is soft and silent (whereas toe clips make screeching, clunking noises).



Some complain that Power Grips don't look attractive on a bike, but I think they are fine: it is just a strap attached to the pedal. They will soon be moved from my Rivendell to my fixed gear bicycle - though I must say it is tempting to keep them here, too. Unless riding in traffic, it actually feels nice to have my feet in the straps, especially when pedaling fast or going over bumps.



I cannot overstate how scared I am of foot retention: I have tried clips and half clips, and was unable to use them. Power Gripsseem easier and safer to me than either of these systems. They are also by far more effective than half-clips or loose toe clips.

The storm that never was

Today I went for a drive up to the end of the Gunflint Trail. As the end of the road got closer and closer, I started seeing a really ominous cloud bank up in the sky. I thought that it for sure was not only going to rain, but thunder and lightning something fierce by the looks of it. Nothing ever came of it. The cloud bank loomed, but moved on without so much as a whisper or a single drop of rain (at least, not that I noticed!).

A (Pashley) Penny for Your Thoughts

The Pashley Pennyis the companion model to the Parabike I wrote about earlier. This unusual bicycle looks vaguely old-fashioned, but unlike the Parabike it is not based on a specific vintage design. Part cruiser, part mixte and part mountain bike, its uniqueness is enhanced by eccentricities such as the split curved downtubes. The Penny defies classification, and this seems to be how the manufacturer intends it - explaining that the bike "provides the perfect excuse to experience more rural rides."





While the Parabike's aesthetic is defined by the continuous curvature of its top set of twin stays, from head tube to rear dropouts, in the Penny the curve is interrupted and inverted. This difference is so visually dominant that it overshadows the structural similarities between the two bikes. The Penny also lacks the military/historical somberness of the Parabike, coming across as more light-hearted.






Made of cro-moly steel, the Penny is handbrazed and powdercoated in Stratford-upon-Avon in England, like all Pashley bicycles. It is fairly lightweight for its category of bikes, coming in at under 30lb.





Like the Parabike, the Penny is built for 26" wheels and fitted with 26 x 1.75" Schwalbe Marathon tires.Colour-matched fenders and chainguard are included.







Components include a 5-speed Sturmey Archer hub, hand-operated hub brakes front and rear, a Brooks B67S saddle, a Stronglight crankset, non-slip platform pedals, rubbery "faux cork" grips, and a large bell.Unlike the Parabike, the Penny is set up with straight, rather than swept back, handlebars.






Standing over the bicycle for the first time, I was overwhelmed by all the flowy slender tubes; it was a bit like standing over a swaying rope bridge. Not that the tubes sway. It's the form and the repetition that give that impression of movement. A unique design to be sure.






One thing I had wondered about when seeing pictures of the Penny, was whether the stepover was low enough to be practical. Unlike a traditional mixte, the twin parallel stays here don't extend all the way down to the rear dropouts, but connect to the upper seat stays - which places them rather high. However, this is compensated for by their downward sweep. When mounting the bike, the stepover height resembles that of a typical mixte.






Riding the Penny, my first impression was that it felt too small for me (I am just under 5'7"). My test riding partner agreed that the Penny's "cockpit," even with the straight handlebars, felt smaller than the Parabike's. Later I looked up the sizes of the two bikes and was surprised to see them described as the same: 19" (48cm). Of course this measurement refers to the seat tube length, and it's possible that the Penny's virtual top tube is shorter than the Parabike's. Regrettably, I did not measure the bikes and have not been able to source geometry charts. But the good news is that the Penny will work well for smaller riders and those with shorter torsos.




Putting the fit issue aside, the ride quality and handling of the Penny felt very similar to that of the Parabike, which I liked very much: maneuverable, extremely cushy over bumps, mountain-bikey but with a relaxed cruiserish element to it.These are entirely different bikes from Pashley's Roadster and Princess line.Personally, I prefer the way the Penny and Parabike ride to the classic Princess. Of course the looks are a matter of taste.






One advantage of the Penny over the Parabike, is that - to my eye at least - its aesthetics do not conflict with a standard rear rack. So turning it into a practical city bike would be fairly simple. Unfortunately, dynamo lighting is not included. Also not included are the waterbottle cage mounts that I noticed on the Parabike. Step-through frame designs often do not lend themselves to this, and it's too bad. Finally, I am not sure why the Penny was set up with straight handlebars rather than swept-back bars - I suspect that much of this bike's target market would find the the latter more comfortable.





In their description of the Penny, Pashley suggests that this bike is meant to move effortlessly between town and country. I can see that. Provided that it's a fairly flat area, this bike could feel equally enjoyable to ride through meadows and forests, on cobblestones and on busy city streets, for shorter and longer distances. It is a nice combination of comfortable, maneuverable, and intuitive to handle. The durable powdercoat and the enclosed brakes and gears allow outdoor storage and make this bike a good choice for winter and inclement weather conditions. If the unique look of the Penny appeals to you, the bike is worth taking seriously.






The Pashley Penny is available in "willow green" (shown here) or "dusk blue" - a dusty indigo. Current retail price is $1,195. Both the Parabike and Penny are available for test rides at Harris Cyclery in West Newton, MA. Many thanks to them for setting up these demo bikes.