You Know What? I Think I'll Start Treating This Like A Bike Blog!

Good morning, and Happy Hallowed Weenus!

The above photo is of course from my 2015 Hallowed Weenus posting on the Brooks Blog, and I'm pleased to report that I've officially finished curating the BSNYC Pre-Fondon't Ride post for that same publication, which means you should be able to read it just as soon as Old Man Brooks has it legally vetted.  In the meantime, here's a teaser:

Remember that time I marched everyone up a really steep hill even though there's a really easy way to get to the very same trail that requires no dismounting whatsoever?

That was awesome.

Hey, the first order of business on any ride should be punishing anyone who's using road cleats.

I am so over road cleats, and so should you be.

As for the next BSNYC-curated adventure, I'm hoping to carve out a little time for one before the weather gets too blustery and/or snowy, and I'd estimate the chances of that happening at something like 70/30.  And if you're wondering whether that means there's a 70% chance for or against, the answer to that question is simply "yes."

Moving on, we here at BSNYC Enterprises work hard to bring you quality bike-related content:

To that end, I'm pleased to announce an imminent editorial shift into product testing:

Well, half-kidding anyway, for the truth is I should have some exciting tech stuff on which to report in the coming days.  For one thing, I recently received an email informing me that after many, many weeks a Renovo wooden Fred Chariot has finally been hewn and shipped to my place of residence:

I'll believe it when I see it, but rest assured that as soon as it comes I'll strap on my coconut shell helmet and share my impressions with you:

Of course, riding a skinny-tired aero bike in November is about as seasonally appropriate as a g-string bikini, but I'm determined to make the best of it  This may even require my participation in one of the area group Fred rides, which is something I haven't done in quite some time.  Indeed, the very idea of a doing a Fred ride in the autumn strikes me as très gauche, and the discriminating cyclist is obviously focussed on more dirt-oriented exploits at this time of year, but alas I am at the mercy of Big Wood and its powerful lobbyists.

Oh, and if you ever need to know the model year of a Renovo bicycle, simply saw it in half and count the rings:

And in other tech news, who can forget my suspension column for Outside, which bike dorks all over the Internet are still talking about?

I mean seriously, get a freaking life already.

Anyway, while quite frankly I could have done without some of the attention (Pinkbike and the Radavist creep me out in the same way that sports bars and police stations do), I was quite excited to hear from one Jeff Jones of Jones Bikes, who it turns out appreciated what I'd written.  No doubt you're familiar with his bikes:

And his handlebars:

And as he espoused his approach to fit, handling, and cycling in general I found myself nodding so vigorously in agreement that, like Tom Araya of Slayer, I can no longer headbang.  Here's where he's coming from, in case you don't know:


The upshot of all of this is that I'll be taking delivery of an H-Bar, which I will install on my Marin, and I look forward to seeing if this transforms it into the all-day bike I suspect it could be.

I also really want to try one of this bikes now, so hopefully one of these days I can make that happen, because they look like the kind of bike you can use like 90% of the time.  Between something like this and a WorkCycles I'd probably be totally covered.

And finally, this weekend is the Philly Bike Expo!

While I won't be giving a seminar I will be heading down there in a semi-professional capacity.  Also, for the first time I'll actually be staying the night, and there's a sort-of-halfway-decent chance I'll partake in one of the concomitant rides.  Indeed, I even got ahead of myself by making sort of an impulse buy the other day:

While I still believe strongly that the venerable Panaracer Pasela is the only tire you ever need for drop-bar riding, there these things were hanging on a hook in front of me and what kind of bike blogger would I be if I didn't try something new once in awhile?  And while I tend to suspect the only purpose little knobs like this serve is to wear quickly I'm certainly willing to be proved wrong.  So I'll throw them on the Milwaukee and see what happens.

And now to put the finishing touches on my Cipollini costume.  Hot wax here I come!