The San José del Pacífico tour is not exactly single speed friendly, which I knew in advance, but I kinda cornered myself into it. Which was glorious and great but also colossally stupid because I’m old. Obviously, it was the perfect bike for the job and I enjoyed the challenge.
I don’t care about the equipment, I just want it to be perfect.
Last week in Minnesota for Bunyan Velo’s Evening of Adventure, event partner Surly loaned me an ECR for getting around town and for some bikepacking.
In Greece I toured on my Bike Friday Pocket Rocket Pro.
Old—classic? Well, someday—2007 Felt F1x reconfigured for all weather all road jaunts: 38mm Compass Barlow Pass Extralites (supple, fast, brilliant), SKS P45 fenders, Banjo Bros. small handlebar bag, Ultegra. Not least of all I like […]
Brooks England Ltd recently hosted a photo contest for “you and your dashing bike.” MC’s photograph of me with the Pugsley was selected as one of the winners! Many thanks to Brooks for putting on their North American Dashing Bicycle Show, hosted in New York City by Bicycle Habitat.
Early in the Spring I asked my friend and cycling co-conspirator Nicholas Carman to build a set of 2-9 wheels for my Pugsley. We debated and joked our way between conceiving of the bike as […]
My Pugsley had been in pieces since I returned from touring South America over a year ago. I left most of the drivetrain, the threadbare tires, and anything else that had reached its end behind […]
Rob English Custom folding 2-9. Alfine 8 (32 ring, 19 cog) with JTek shifter. Revelate bags, custom long narrow cuben fiber stuff sack from Zpack. Two bottles and bladder in frame bag, no backpack.
“I mean, she’s ridden plenty of gravel and dirt on her road race bike with Specialized Pro III 23’s on it, I’ve kinda tried to trick her into thinking that that’s totally normal, and she […]
Surely but surely the bicycle and setup one rides are not in the least way an existential metaphysical portal that transcends the mundane weft of the universe through which one can peer into the psychology […]
(All photos courtesy of Rob English from his news blog.)
The Surly Pugsley proved to be an exemplary expedition bike in South America. Though I remain tempted by Moonlanders*, I expect the Pugs to be the go-to machine for anything properly silly. There were a few things, however, that I wanted done for future missions to make it more suitable for carrying water and gear (cf., Cass’s Troll), and I finally got around to sending it to English cycles. These mods were surely embarrassingly brainless for Rob, who builds exceedingly clever and innovative machines, including my folding 2-9 and my road race bike.