As part of the Sustainable Living Festival we’ll be doing a workshop on bike touring as an environmentally friendly alternative to a driving holiday.

We’ll be talking about the suitability of your current bike for touring, what to look for in a touring bike if your current one isn’t going to work out, what sort of gear to bring, and I’ll be going on and on about how nice it is to bike tour in Tasmania.  It’ll be very informal with lots of Q&A and show and tell.

It’s on Sunday the 27th of Feb from 2-4PM.  It’ll be held here at Commuter Cycles (14 Prentice St.).  We’ll have some bikes, parts and luggage for the show and tell, but bring your own bike and any gear you’d like to ask about or show people.  Also, please RSVP to info@commutercycles.com.au just so we have an idea fo numbers.

We just got in out first shipment of Old Man Mountain racks.  They are American-made racks that allow bikes without eyelets or braze-ons to be equipped with panniers.  As the name implies, the racks are most often used with mountain bikes – in particular to fit racks to bikes with suspension.  However, they are also very useful for fitting to road bikes.

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If you’ve looked at the Bicycle Victoria site, or gotten the BV newsletter you could be under the impression that the brakes on Long Haul Truckers and Crosschecks sold in Australia are faulty.  The way the issue was reported is, unfortunately, both misleading and alarming, and this is not the case.

The issue is that some bikes were shipped from the Australian distributor without a straddle cable catcher.  This is a little hook that sits under the straddle cable.  It is there so that in the unlikely event that the main brake cable snaps, it can catch the straddle so that it cannot fall onto the tyre.  In the worst case scenario without the catcher, the tyre (if it had nobs on it) can grab the straddle and apply the brakes, which could cause an accident.

This is a far cry from BV’s coverage, which, from the way it was phrased, claimed that the brakes supplied with the bikes were faulty.  Firstly, the problem applies to only some of the bikes, not all of the bikes.  Secondly, the brakes are not faulty, but rather a secondary safety device was not supplied with all bikes – a safety device that does its job if another part of the braking system has already failed.

The majority of the Surlies we have sold cannot be affected by this problem, because mud guards, reflector mounts and fork crown mounted lights all do the job of a straddle catcher.  Both stand between the tyre and the straddle and make it impossible for a broken brake cable to cause any harm.

The Australian distributor has announced a voluntary recall (see image).  If you have bought a Surly (either from us, or from somewhere else) and you are not sure whether the missing part applies to you, then please drop in.  We’ll take a look and if there is a problem we will remedy it.

We’ve gotten a few Gilles Berthoud products in.  Among them is a saddle that I’m very excited about.   The saddle is a Gilles Berthoud.  It looks at first a little like a Brooks, and it’s this similarity that excites me.   The Berthoud is made from very thick high quality leather, which is screwed down to the saddle body.  Where the Brooks saddle body is all metal, the Berthoud has metal rails and a plastic back (called a cantle).  The plastic cantle is reputed to be amazingly strong and is designed to have a tiny bit of flex for extra comfort.  The looks of the plastic might put some people off though.

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Wheel building is one of our favourite jobs.  As well as being rewarding work to get the wheel true and strong, it’s satisfying to figure out the best combination of parts and best set-up for a particular customer.  As well as the rims and hubs, the spokes and nipples are important things to think about, and choosing the right ones will make a real difference to the reliability of the wheel and how well suited it is to its intended use.  Being able to tailor all of these choices to a particular rider is what puts custom wheels ahead in the hand-built vs factory-built debate.

We’re one of the few bikeshops in Melbourne who specialise in custom wheel building and sell far more hand built wheels than factory built wheels at the medium to high end.  This post is intended as a discussion of some of the variables involved, and hopefully the huge range of possibilities will highlight why hand built wheels which are custom-built for a particular application are going to do that job better than factory-built wheels.  This post is long, and has some technical discussion of both component choices and then of the process of building itself, but it is not a how-to guide, so only click on read more if you’re keen.

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VO Porteur racks are back in stock. They’re a great rack for commuting bikes since they can hold a lot and can easily take additional load if you have to grab something on the way home.  They’re also very beautiful.

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Surly’s Long Haul Trucker (LHT) is our reference point for touring bikes and they make excellent commuters as well.  As a general rule the requirements of commuters and tourists are similar -  the bike should be comfortable, should be able to carry a reasonable load, should be robust and reliable, should fit moderately wide tyres and mudguards and should be fast and efficient enough to cover large distances at a decent clip.  The LHT does all of these things and is versatile enough to be set up to match the needs of a lot of cyclists.  We build, and sell, more of them than any other bike.  We’ve mentioned them a number of times in this blog, but we thought it was time to write more comprehensively about our thoughts on them, and where they sit in our line-up.

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We’ve just finished an exciting build. We used a 650B randonneur/porteur frame made by Velo Orange, called the Polyvalent. Ours might be the first in Australia. We’ve built it up as a showcase for some of the VO gear we stock (and as a great bike in its own right). It has a big VO Porteur front rack, VO cantilever brakes, headset, saddle, rims, etc. It has a dynamo hub, is shod with Grand Bois Hetres and stays upright while stationary thanks to a Pletscher bipod kickstand. It will soon have a VO chain guard.  We installed a B+M Lumotec IQ Cyo just under the floor of the rack, and a B+M tail light on the rear mud guard.

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We’ve been quietly stocking Bicycle Quarterly for a while. Bicycle Quarterly (BQ) is our favourite bicycle magazine. It started out life at Vintage Bicycle Quarterly and dealt mostly with old French Randonneur bikes, as well as the people who rode and still ride them. As the magazine has progressed there has been a growth in interest in this world, and new more builders have started making bikes inspired by the classics (Herse and Singer, most famously), so the focus broadened to include these. I believe that Jan Heine started the magazine on his own, and over the years has gotten help from Alex Wetmore, Frank Berto and others.

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We have been stocking Grand Bois tyres since 2010 and using them on our own bikes for the same length of time and we love them.

Grand Bois is a small Japanese company catering to Cyclotourists with a fetish for nice old French bikes. They offer a very wide range of 650b road tyres as well as some nice 700c tyres, all with a nice old-school look and tan sidewalls.

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We’ve just got a nice new bike in, but in very limited numbers. It’s
a KHS Flite Tr-101.  It’s very similar to the Long Haul Truckers
(LHTs) we build a lot of (including two recently for a couple doing a
trip through Mongolia).  Like the LHTs we can customize them to meet
specific needs (the Mongolia trip bikes needed stronger wheels and
dyno hubs).  However, it’s ready as is, to take touring, with both mud guards and a rear rack.

Like the LHT it has room for wide 700c tyres and fenders, drop bars
with bar end shifters, all the braze-ons you need for racks,
mud-guards, etc and very wide range gearing with a triple chainring
crankset.  Both are made out of oversized cromoly tubing which should last forever if it’s well looked after.

Here are the specs for the KHS out of the box:
http://www.khsbicycles.com/05_flite_tr_101_10.htm

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It’s the middle of winter, you’re rugging up for the frosty ride to work, but how do keep your head from freezing when you have to wear a helmet?

With an Otto and Spike beanie of course. Their cycling beanies – they make funky scarves too –  are made from Aussie Marino blended with elastane. The elastane gives them durability and a bit of stretch.  And they’re thin enough to fit under your helmet.

Otto and Spike, part of LMB Knitwear, are one of the last bastions of Australia’s textile industry have been making quality woollen products for over 40 years, and get shipped to us all the way from East Brunswick.

Pop in and have a look at the selection we have instore,

Beanies start at $30.

The complete range at Otto and Spike

If a bicycle is your main form of transport, you should consider a dynamo to power your lighting system.

Dynamos use the turning of your wheels to generate electricity, which can be then used to power your lights (or mobile phone, if you wish to get ambitious). Using the same system employed in windfarms, the dynamos now available have very little rolling resistance compared to those of yesteryear.

We stock both the excellent value Shimano hubs (the new 3N80 is brilliant), and the top shelf Schmidts (the SON 20R is THE dynamo hub). All will give you many years service, and mean less acid batteries end up in landfill.

The virtues of these dynamos are too numerous to mention, so drop in for a chat on how you can go battery free.

for more  information on these Dynamos

Shimano Nexus

Schmidt Dynohub

• Schmidt’s Webpage (mostly in German – not a lot of info)
• Peter White -The world’s #1 Schmidt advocate

One more thing – Because these dynamos are part of the hub, this nifty device will require you to replace your whole front wheel. A complete wheelbuild will cost around $300 with the Shimano hub dynamo.

Once you’ve settled on a dynamo, you’ll have to pick out some lights to go with them. Again the Germans are at the forefront of this technology – their Busch and Müller lights give you fantastic bang for your buck.

Unlike a lot of cheaper L.E.D. lights available, these aren’t just to give you visibility on the road, they’ll illuminate the road ahead of you. Perfect for late night rides down the Merri Creek bike path.

Once you’ve seen these in action you won’t be able to go back.

Headlights typically in stock:

We also stock the E-Werk power supply, which allows you to charge and power any device you can think of using your dyno-hub.

As always we’re happy to get in other models to order.

Plenty of information and images are available at the Busch and Müller website.

We also love Schmitd  and Supernova lights.  The Schmidt Edeluxe is a deluxe version of the IQ Cyo and the Supernova E3 is the brightest thing going.

With Melbourne’s recent cold snap and the dark falling on commuters ride times, we’ve got a few new items in-store that will keep you safe, snug and seen on the road.

Gloves

It’s easy to overlook your hands when rigging up for a frosty morning’s ride. Considering you need your fingers to control your brakes, it’s best to keep them warm and working. We’ve now got an excellent range of gloves -10 different styles, and in a range of sizes – for you to try on and take home.

The added bonus is that we’ve put the TUFF brand front and centre. An Australian Company, TUFF (by name AND nature) have been designing and selling gloves and cycling socks since 1990.

So if you’ve got frosty phalanges, pop in and have a look.

Prices range from $30 to $45.

More about TUFF, over on their website

Jackets.

We’re always banging on about bicycle safety, so we should give a plug for some of the high visibility jackets and jerseys we’ve got in store. Netti, an Australian company have been producing bicycling clothing and helmets for over 60 years, make up our current range.

On our rack, and in various sizes we have a selection of tops suitable for a variety of conditions. All with night riding in mind, they’re perfect as the days shorten in ‘Old Melbourne Town’. All garments have long torso size, and over-length arms, perfect for the reach to your handle bars.

Netti Sunshield

A lightweight Jersey that can be worn on it’s own or snugly over your daily garb, is made from breathable micromesh fabric. It has a Sun Protection Factor of 50 plus, so is ideal all year round.

Deep rear pockets are perfect for your phone and wallet, and a 30cm chest zipper, means added value for this simple and elegant jersey.

More information at the Netti Site

Sunshield: S-XL – $60

Netti Shift Jacket

The Netti shift jacket is the sort of thing you’d like to have in your pannier for those unexpected moments: you’re caught out after dark, Melbourne’s weather lives up to it’s reputation or you need a second jacket. Showerproof, windproof, and underarm ventilation, it’s quite roomy and is ideal as a shell.

More information at the Netti Site

Netti Shift Jacket – S -XL – $60

D3 Jacket

If Tenzing Norgay were riding round Brunswick, in the cold and wet, we reckon this would be the jacket he’d wear. This jacket with it’s heat sealed seams and front zipper guard, has all the marks of quality and is built for all conditions. The Netti D3 jacket with its breathable and waterproof fabric, is ideal for those who don’t use rain as an excuse not to ride to work. It even has a hood (that is detachable) for those really heavy downpours.

Double Plusses:

• Detachable arms – this jacket doubles as a high visibility vest.
• Elastic waist and cuffs
• Front and rear reflective strips
• Rear pocket for your phone, wallet, scroggin.

This jacket has just about everything built in, and only weighs 370 grams, so would be ideal for touring cyclists too. This is about as heavy duty as they come, so if the weather’s too heavy for this jacket, you probably shouldn’t be riding.

More information at the Netti Site

Netti D3 Jacket S -XL $230

If you think kickstands only belong on kids bikes, think again. 

Commuter Cycles just got in of a couple of Pletscher dual leg kickstands, the sort that will keep a fully loaded bike upright. Undoubtedly the Rolls Royce in their category, these attach just behind your bottom bracket and both legs cleverly fold to the left hand side of the bike. By lifting the front wheel off the ground the stand distributes the bikes weight on it’s points of contact and your bike’s back wheel. Pretty nifty!

If you’re in the habit of carrying a load, this might be the solution for you. 

Pletscher’s Website leaves a little to be desired, so feel free to drop in or call to find out more about this nifty device. We’re currently selling these beauties for $115, and they fit just about any bike setup.

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By now, you’re probably familiar with the Dutch Gazelle Bicycles we’re so proud of, with style and function in one package. Now we’ve got some bike bags and baskets that fit the same template. Basil, also from the Netherlands, have a huge range of pannier bags and baskets for every sort of shopper, commuter and touring cyclist. They even make a basket specifically for your dog, cat or iguana. No more searching for a car park  at the vet!

More information on Basil range can be found online at the Gazelle website, or read on to see the selection we currently have in stock.

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If you’re after a bike that gets you to work, and down the coast or into the hills on weekends, this bike is for you. The Long Haul Trucker is a rock solid bike that’s built for doing the heavy work, and it doesn’t weigh a tonne.

The LHT, built by Surly, has a solid steel frame with the sort of geometry that allows for relaxed riding. It can be built up for touring – it’s designed to take loaded front and rear pack racks – and full mudguards. It even comes shipped with spare spokes clipped to the frame! Perfect if you break a spoke in a town with a bikeshop that only has minimal supplies.

We’ve just sold one of these workhorses to Casey, who rides from Coburg to Yarraville daily. And as you can see, he needs a bike that doesn’t complain when it’s carrying a full load.

We can also get the Long Haul Trucker frame naked, if you want us to do a complete custom build.

Price: $1700 – with 3 months free servicing
Full Specifications: at Surly’s website
Recommended accessories: Topeak Super Tourist Rack, Axiom Mudguards