10/31/15 8:12 PM

" I ranteth on. "

I gave my beautiful vivacious wife a pair of Vasque leather boots that fit perfectly, the last of the old school kind, perfectly waterproofed with beeswax sno-seal.

When she came back from her hiking vacation to her family in the San Luis Valley of Colorado the toe boxes were all scratched up with a stick because she was upset by her brothers relentlessly making awful remarks like that rant above, saying something is wrong with them because they're new.

I know the guys who posted their satisfaction with those high quality bags aren't intimidated like she was but it sure would be nice to read something like "look great today but imagine their character ten years from now." Out of character dude, I'm surprised, that's all.

10/31/15 8:40 PM

Ok, I don't too much like Velcro, either, I've used basic zippered nylon rack trunk luggage that didn't look like it was trying to make a fashion statement, but iir, Grant went off on zippers and now we're back to buckles.

Functionally, I've seen to many bags of all types swinging from the saddle by buckles/straps that don't manage to cinch tightly enough to what they are attaching to, suggesting to me that the attachment pieces are more style than function.
But I'm not enough of a bag user to do a fair critique beyond that.
I do wonder what happens to rain water and road detritus bowled in by raised leather piping along the top edges of trunk bags, am I missing something?

Now, as for the market, anyone who has stayed in business as long as these vaunted bag makers knows what they are doing, and I won't be telling them what to do. My own tastes in bike luggage is just a different style, and for what it's worth I have made my own bag/wrap apparatus for carrying things while riding in tough, even off-road, conditions, but which doesn't reflect the same sort of usage these bags were made for. I've also refined methods for carrying loads of groceries using doubled or tripled plastic grocery bags, safely, while being able to keep the re-used bags folded and concealed in my pocket or seat bag. I wouldn't think of leaving expensive luggage or an expensive bike parked outside of the store. But I'm not a tourist so might not so readily appreciate the value to those who tour.

10/31/15 9:10 PM

"I know the guys who posted their satisfaction with those high quality bags aren't intimidated like she was but it sure would be nice to read something like "look great today but imagine their character ten years from now." Out of character dude, I'm surprised, that's all."

Actually, I finally got a look at the bags being discussed, on the Wallingford site, after my first look on Berthoud's site didn't show any bags.

The bag I see looks quite a bit more functional than the generalization I made. I've bought vintage bikes that came with more stylized bags that made me cringe, but I don't find much to fault with these Berthoud bags, other than that see the possibility (depending on the bike it's on) of a visual clash that is entirely personal.
As I said, I'm not much into touring!

I'm really sorry to hear of your wife's shoe miseries. I too seem to have had it drummed into my head during formative little-league years that leather is meant to be broken in, pounded into softness, distress and conformity! An illness, I suppose.

11/1/15 5:23 AM

Jan Heine on the Berthoud handlebar bag:

https://janheine.wordpress.com/2012/10/23/unimprovable-gilles-berthoud-handlebar-bag/

11/1/15 9:47 AM

These bags remind me of the Domke camera bags I bought in the 80's. They are extremely high quality and functional, and I still use them as carry=ons when I fly or take the train/bus.

This is some weird thread drift, and I must admit I'm having trouble following it.

11/1/15 5:09 PM

"...This is some weird thread drift, and I must admit I'm having trouble following it."


This is just an intermission, we're killing time whilst waiting hopefully for more photos of the new Carver build to appear.

I headed out this morning to ride to our Fall Granfondo event, just as the predicted wet weather arrived about nine hours early.

I immediately started wishing that I had a bag full of clothing options, though I knew I'd survive wearing a t-shirt under my longsleeve jersey.

Surprisingly, about 2/3 of the usual 75 or so riders made the start and did the ride.
It was wet but just very light rain, and the switchback time-trial section of the ride never felt better with air temps near 50F. We got in an albeit-shortened 33 miles and averaged 17.1mph on the hilly, wet route. No crashes, and the EX Ti gobbled it up. I can find no fault with the bike but for the delayed wet-braking response. These Open Pro rims lack sidewall machining and the sidewalls are anodized slick. Odd version, the labels don't mention "UB Control" so it's not a manufacturing defect.

11/1/15 5:26 PM

"...I'm riding a 28mm tire now, but the frame and fork will accept up to a 42,maybe more.

I have a bunch of cross tires in the garage, but I won't put them on until the weather gets worse. I have a 35 knobby, and the smaller Big Apples, but I doubt if they fit."


This might be a first, a rider who seems likely to be looking forward to the weather getting worse!

The rain we got today, at least we finally got some rain here to contain the dust layer off road. My 'cross season had been on hold...

11/1/15 5:38 PM

"This might be a first, a rider who seems likely to be looking forward to the weather getting worse! "

Hardly in my case. With the new Strong and both 2.1 650B and 40mm Nano Tubeless wheelsets all ready to roll I am drooling... It has been wearing 27mm Paves mostly.

I went out last Sunday with it and fenders with 10 guys also with fenders. I bailed when the water made it through my shell in 3 miles. Ordered some rain tops since. ;)
I was not the first to bail, and bet not the last either... Disc in heavier rain are loud and annoying I can say, although stop fantastic. But I honestly did not expect that much racket.


On another note; I popped some Vittoria Paves, 25/27mm on the 753 Copper Reynolds bike in anticipation of grabbing for dryer winter days/rides. Test rode it today, and talk about riding on a cloud even @ 95 lb pressures. A lot better than the GP4K Chili summer sneakers I pulled. Roughly same sizes mounted [touch smaller front touch bigger back with the 23/25 GP4Ks]

11/1/15 7:00 PM

I don't look forward to it getting worse, but I try not to let it stop me. Probably the hardest part is my friends all quit in the winter and I often have to go alone. I don't always make it out and bail to the trainer, but I'm gonna try to go out more this winter.

I can default to the mtb on the multi use trail if its not too icy. Shoe tracks and dog tracks become treacherous when frozen. They were even hard to ride on a fatbike.

11/1/15 7:02 PM

You obviously need a full suspension fat bike... ;)

11/1/15 7:18 PM

Why would somebody buy a suspended Fat anyway? I can't make sense for anything except an aluminum frame either. People are buying ti fats, and I don't get it. at 4-5 PSI not much comes thru.

11/1/15 7:28 PM

You can bet folks would I;d wager to say. I feel the same way about FS bikes and Aluminum being fine and not worth the spend for Ti.

Question is should I be more open to 2.4s on my 29er now that I see folks dragging Fat Bike/Tires around? I disliked climbing on it when I had a 2.4/2.2 combo on it. ;) Or at least I had myself convinced of such. ;)

11/1/15 7:43 PM

29er+ is a class now, and I honestly don't get that either. I always thought it was about the minimums-minimum tire for weight, min suspension for effeciency, and so on.

Comfort comes around a 2 inch tire, and after that trade offs get serious.

11/1/15 7:51 PM

29er Plus, isn't that like N+1 Baskins Robbins flavors at this point?

11/2/15 1:06 AM

"...This is some weird thread drift, and I must admit I'm having trouble following it."


So a few months ago I heard Baskin Robbins 31 got its number of flavors from one degree below freezing.

I used to be a fan of the metric system. But ever since I heard that I've sworn it off. Baskin-Robbins -1 doesn't do it for me.

rimshot, cymbals crash

11/4/15 12:36 PM

So I put the Schwalbe Big Apples on and they fit. They are the smaller version that measure 44mm wide on the rims I have. They are at the limit, but I'm surprised they fit. Frame was supposed to clear 42's so they gave me some extra clearance.