Durability, function, style and sustainability are not mutually exclusive as Zurich-based bag-maker Freitag continues to prove. The brand’s latest offering, the R521 Coolidge, is a continuation of that tradition; this rugged commuting and travel bag…
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No one knows how to live on two-wheels quite like the Dutch. The lowland nation is home to some of the most extensive cycling infrastructure as well as some of the highest rates of bike commuters in the world. And now thanks to…
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Biking to work no longer means looking like a triathlete in training. From casual and functional collections like Levi’s Commuter Series and Giro’s New Road to cyclist specific bags of all styles, cycling apparel has improved drastically in recent years, but few—if…
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Whether your daily commute carries you by bicycle, car or train, Rapha’s Leather Town Gloves have your digits covered. Made by hand with leather from the African hair sheep—an animal native to the savannah of Eastern Africa and known for its thin but strong skin—these luxe gloves are intelligently…
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Five bikes for touring town
Midsummer may very well be the season of the bicycle. With a steady schedule of backyard BBQs, concerts in the park, afternoons at the beach and general meandering about, it’s crucial to have the proper warm-weather transportation. To accommodate such adventures we’ve compiled a short selection of city-ready bicycles, all under $800.
Handmade with durable American steel in Chicago, Daisy is a beefy rig that’s likely to put up with more than a bit of abuse. The unisex bike combines the classic women’s step-through and men’s diamond frame designs with a coaster brake for a timeless aesthetic. Further enhancing its appeal to all shapes, sizes and sexes, Daisy comes in two sizes as a single-, three- or seven-speed and can be outfitted with multiple fender options. Find it at Heritage exclusively for $695—an essentially unbeatable price for a domestic-made bike.
Brought back to life through European import company Baltic Bicycle Company, Latvian manufacturer Erenpreiss and their classic women’s bike Greta find themselves in production once again after being shut down during WWII. Unlike most retro-inspired bicycles Greta is lightweight and efficient—the practical single speed, chain guard and coaster brake make for a hassle-free ride requiring minimal maintenance. To learn more about the history behind Erenpreiss and to find one for yourself visit Baltic Bicycle Co. where Greta is available for £375.
The one-of-a-kind city cruiser Cherry Darlin’ fuses old school looks, sized-down frames for maneuverability and giant sweeping bars for a relaxed riding position. An East Coast High-Rider as Playdate calls it, the curious style makes for a mellow ride suitable more for weekend rides than hardcore commuting. If the “standard” design isn’t unique enough for you, Playdate offers customization across every component from saddles, grips and pedals to bells, cranks and even chains. Readily available in NYC, the Cherry Darlin’ is also available online from Playdate for $650.
The stealth Meatball takes the ultra-sleek aesthetics of a track bike and subtly slips in a two speed, automatic shifting internally geared hub and coaster brake. Set to drop from GT towards the end of summer, it’s the clever, almost cheeky combination of leisurely gearing hidden behind an aggressive looking track frame that really has us excited for this bike. Plus, with horizontal dropouts, all you have to do is drop in a fixed cog rear wheel if you want to give it a proper try. Look to GT in October, when the Meatball will sell for $780.
Let’s face it, it’s difficult to make a folding bike appealing when the market is flooded with perfectly minimalist track bikes and historically accurate cruisers. But Tern’s Joe makes a sound case for such a model by blending function with solid design. With wider tires to tackle cobblestones and weather-beaten paths, a “doubletruss” rear frame for stiffness and 24 speeds, the utilitarian bike can tackle most commutes while allowing the option of being packed up for the train or bus instead. Meanwhile, the improved four-bar joint ensures your bike remains in one piece even on the roughest rides. The Joe sells for $650. See Tern directly for dealer locations.
Hammarhead Industries’ heavy duty backpack meant for motorcycle commuting
Known best for their beautifully bad ass repurposed motorcycles, Philadelphia’s Hammarhead Industries recently unveiled their newest custom creation—the HHI Day Pack. The easy to open roll top bag finds its inspiration in everyday use, designed as a “minimal bag suitable for riding and capable of holding the tools of modern life.” Brooklyn’s d’emploi constructs each bag entirely with American made materials, making this paired down pack your perfect no-frills bag able to take a beating and only get better with wear.
When a client asked for an all purpose bag that’d match the rugged aesthetic of his custom Jack Pine motorcycle, Hammarhead’s designers realized they couldn’t recommend one, so they made it instead. After dissecting over 30 old military bags to see how different materials held up over time with little to no upkeep, they decided on a 15 oz Martexin waxed cotton canvas shell partially wrapped in salvaged leather from a NYC bootmaker for support and protection. For hardware they chose an unbreakable buckle originally made to hold a parachute and nylon webbing from a racing harness manufacturer in the Midwest.
When worn the waterproof bag sits perfectly into the small of your back for a comfortable riding position no matter how heavy the load, and the nylon straps are impressively easy to adjust with a quick pull. Inside the bag you’ll find a large main compartment the exact size of a full bag of groceries—or a 24 pack—and three padded pouches ideal of a laptop, iPad or notebook.
While this beast was specifically built to withstand the abuse of motorcycle commuting while avoiding the over designed look of most messenger bags, it actually works quite well as a bicycle bag as well. The lower leather side pouches are the perfect size for a medium sized u-lock and are conveniently placed in the right position for accessing miscellaneous things like lights, keys or even a water bottle. The HHI Day Pack is available now directly from Hammarhead Industries for $290.
Images by Graham Hiemstra
South Africa’s diverse cycling culture celebrated in a beautiful book
While commuting by bike has long been a natural choice in countries like the Netherlands and China, other nations around the world are only just starting to consider it a serious mode of transportation. In South Africa bike culture is lacking—especially outside of major cities—but cyclists Stan Engelbrecht and Nic Grobler aim to change that. Taking to their own bikes, the enterprising duo rode nearly 4,000 miles around South Africa for the past two years photographing people who use bicycles everyday as their main means of transport.
From their extensive endeavor they produced “Bicycle Portraits“—a series of three books featuring a motley of 162 cyclists and their bikes. Originally intended as a study on South African commuter culture, the books go well beyond beautiful imagery. Engelbrecht and Grobler began a conversation with each person they approached about how their bike fits into their lifestyle, pairing their unique stories—along with the person’s name and location—with their portraits to showcase a diverse range of enthusiasts united by their passion.
Adding even more charm to their handsome set of books, Engelbrecht and Grobler tapped South African artist Gabrielle Raaff to hand-paint individual watercolor maps for each cyclist’s location. The overall layout builds a story that is as visually alluring as it is informative, enticing readers to understand the distinct relationships the cyclists have with their bikes.
Engelbrecht and Grobler detailed the project in greater depth in a recent TED Talk they gave in Stellenbosch, but explain on the “Bicycle Portraits” website that their main objective is to “promote cycling as a means of independent transport to empower the underprivileged, and in fact, to encourage everyone capable to ride a bike as an alternative to driving a car, or even using public transport.”
Designed by Gabrielle Guy, the books are now available for purchase online, and will ship internationally. Those who pre-ordered a book in Cape Town will receive their copy by bike delivery, which Grobler tells us has been “an awesome experience” so far. “Bicycle Portraits” sells as a set of three for $100 or for $39 each.
See more of Engelbrecht and Grobler’s portraits in the gallery below.
Shimano introduces electronic shifting to city cycling
Originally developed to build on Shimano‘s top level component group Dura Ace, the Di2 electronic shifting system changed the roadie game with unmatched speed, accuracy and precision. Now with its third iteration, Di2 makes its debut for internal gearing systems by joining Alfine, Shimano’s premium-level component group for city cycling. The Alfine Di2 Shimano introduces a whole new way of thinking about how a commuter bike can be built.
Like traditional internal hubs, the Alfine Di2 internal mechanism is made up of a series of stepped planetary cogs in an oil bath that when engaged replicate the resistance of multiple high or low gears. Rather than relying on wires physically pulled at different forces to leverage gear change, Di2 releases a burst of electricity that engages a small, light weight motor mounted on the outside of the hub, increasing reliability and performance while decreasing the chance of mis-shifts.
As the first electronic-controlled internal hub, the 11-speed Alfine Di2 increases city commuting efficiency with a wider gear range for terrain adaptability—our road-test conquered the hills of San Francisco with ease—on a single lithium ion battery charge estimated at more than 1,000 miles, which is longer than Ultegra and Dura Ace iterations. Plus, the sealed internal hub drive train can withstand much harsher weather conditions with less wear and tear than a traditional gearing system.
Another first for internal hub systems, Alfine Di2 offers two shifting options to accommodate both flat handlebars with a push button system and dual-control levers for traditional road-style drop bars, both compatible with mechanical disc brake systems. Sitting atop these bars you’ll find a specially designed LED readout ready to inform of both battery life and current gear status. The advent of these options make for a sleeker new school commuter unlike the clunky wire-ridden beasts of yesterday.
Not to be outdone, Alfine Di2 not only boosts performance to a level never before seen, it improves on aesthetics as well. By taking advantage of the new generation of E-tube internal wiring and the option for an internal seat post mounted battery the already clean design of the Alfine group is made even more sleek—an underrated tack in making a city bike less of a target for theft.
Just announced earlier this month, the Alfine Di2 component group will be available Fall 2012 in specialty bike shops, direct through Shimano dealers and presumably on a range of higher end comfort commuter bikes from big name manufacturers.
A fantastic bicycle rack with integrated pump in Copenhagen. (via Lugged Steel)
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