Category: Gear

Tom rides with the Bicycle Club of Philadelphia; he’s one of the group that has been doing leader Tim’s progressive rides.  Tom seems to have quite a knack for finding unexpected treasures.

When he wanted a gear bag for his bicycle, Tom picked up this LL Bean dopp kit at a thrift store, thus turning it into both a practical and an economical treasure.

Not only does the kit fit his bicycle’s rear rack as if made for it (Tom attached it with its own hook-and-loop fasteners and cable ties), but the curved zipper offers a perfect opening arc for easy access to the contents.  Not to mention that there are a couple of handy exterior pockets.  Clever re-purposing, no?

Technical athletic wear is expensive, and the more sports-specific it gets, the more likely it is to be higher in price.  Now, I’m perfectly willing to pay full price for exactly what I want once I’ve determined that it’s the right course to take (I do own a Brompton, after all!), but for athletic wear, I’m nearly always in the discount aisle, looking for bargains.

That’s where I found this shirt, which turned out to be wonderfully warm, wonderfully comfortable, and wonderfully marked down.  (The above photo is actually of the second one I bought — and it was a rare purchasing error, as I’d failed to notice that it is only bright yellow, not fluorescent. But I digress.)  However, after several rides wearing the original one, I realized that, for my purposes, this pullover needed a full length, separating zipper.

This was surprisingly easy to do, although it did involve a lot of careful work to remove the original stitching and zipper.  Then I measured carefully from sides to center, drew the center front line with tailor’s chalk, and gingerly cut up the front.  After that, installation was just the standard method for any center front zipper.

There was one problem, though.  I wasn’t able to get a retail zipper in the right length, which would have left my neck exposed — an undesirable feature in the kind of cold in which I wear this top.  If you look closely at the first photo, you’ll see that there is a zipper guard at the top of the center front.

I cannibalized that feature, and turned it (a bit clumsily, perhaps, but entirely efficaciously) into a wind-guard at the top of the new zipper, by removing it, unfolding it, and installing it sideways in this new position.  In addition, I added a bit of fleece under the zipper to keep the neck area warmer, and the zipper from irritating my neck if I happen to be wearing a crew-necked shirt underneath.

This is no marvel of dressmaking perfection, but it was a huge improvement in the utility of the garment.  When my cycling days start out extremely cold, and then become far warmer, a full-length zipper lets me regulate my own temperature easily,without either having to stop, or needing to find a place to store a pulled-off outer layer.

I’ve kept that second top, with its original one-quarter zip — for days where the temperature doesn’t vary so much.  I’ll just wear my fluorescent mesh vest over it to retrofit it as a high vis top when I’m cycling.

Basil’s wire basket came with a bail.  I thought I could live with it, but the truth is that it was a constant minor annoyance.

No matter which way I flipped it, the wire blocked the basket opening.  Then there was the comfort issue:  Although the bail has a plastic handle, it’s sufficiently thin and unergonomic that using it is really not much better than holding the bare wire.

So I removed it.  Though this required some finicky (and gentle) bending and pulling, it was surprisingly easy to do.

When the basket is attached to the Brompton S frame, it’s easy to carry it with the far nicer Brompton handle.  When the basket’s not in use, it doesn’t need a handle. Much better.

After a brief hiatus, Basil and I finally got a chance to run out for groceries, and to test his new neoprene mitts.  I made these after seeing some commercial examples because I couldn’t find any that would fit Brompton M bars, like Basil’s.

As suspected, getting my hands into and out of the mitts was no problem at all.  I was able to signal and shift without any difficulty, and with very little thought.

You can see why: There’s a lovely gaping maw into which one sticks the hands.  The mitts are anchored to the handlebars, so they don’t slip.  However, I didn’t realize until I got home that I’d set the left one lower than it should have been.  This, oddly, made no difference in use, but it did mean that my Garmin was a bit obscured.

The hook-and-loop fasteners belong above my light mount, not below it.  (Yeah, I don’t ride at night.  The light is in case I’m running late, and end up coming home on an overcast day a bit later than expected. Should I ever need it, the mitt will be adjusted appropriately.)

On this 32 F/0 C ride, my hands were quite comfortable in thin (though “winter”) gloves.  I loved not having to ride wearing my lobster claws — though, since this was the the first trial run for the mitts, I had them tucked in Basil’s saddle bag, just in case.  I much prefer the dexterity that comes with lightly clad digits.

That shopping bag has to go.  Basil obviously needs a polka dot shopper.

Related:  Neoprene Handlebar Covers for my Brompton

My winter foot gear set up couldn’t be simpler.  I’ve been wearing these Keen Presidios since last fall, and I’m mad about them.  They’ve been a terrific cycling shoe for me.

I bought these a half-size larger than my usual Keen size — these are US 7/Keen EU 37.5.  That’s because I wear them with very well padded SmartWool PhD socks.  I wash these socks in the machine, dry them slightly by machine, and then hang them to dry the rest of the way.  This has made the socks even more dense than when I bought them, and they need the extra room in the shoes.

Incredibly, my feet have not been cold once this winter — even in 18 F/-7.7 C temperatures.  I may have to fuss and bother about layers everywhere else on my body, but I’ve never had to think twice about my feet!

The soles of these cycling shoes are SPD-compatible (though I don’t go there).  Keen also makes a Presidio walking shoe that looks the same, but doesn’t have the cleat plate (naturally), and presumably has a slightly less stiff sole.

The Presidio hikers would undoubtedly be the best choice for serious walkers.  However, I’ve wandered all around New York City for days in these shoes, in spite of their lovely stiff soles, and been quite happy wearing them as a pedestrian.

I’m a packing minimalist, and won’t take spare shoes on a trip if I can avoid doing so — and, even if I’m riding Basil on only one day when traveling, I take the shoes I want while bicycling, and wear only those for the entire trip.  These shoes have performed admirably, every way I’ve used them.

Still winter here, but in mid-February a lass turns to thoughts of spring.  I want to wear sandals while biking in the heat of summer, so I snapped up this Keen Commuter II pair when I found them remaindered recently.

If I remember correctly, the difference between the Commuter II and the Commuter I is that hook-and-loop strap across the top of the shoe.  The earlier version just had the bungee lock — which in my experience, isn’t much of a “lock” at all.  I was happy to see the more effective strip.

Covered toes are a must for me when cycling or traveling. Scraped toes rank high on my personal list of “horrors to be avoided at all costs”.  These not only have a closed toe, but a sturdy toe cap, so the digits should be well-protected.

These are true cycling shoes, at least in the sense that they are fittted out for SPD cleats.  I’ll never use this feature; I’m just too clumsy to trust myself in clipless pedals on a bicycle.  But this is the right sole for good power transfer, even if you’re a wimp like me.

I’m hoping these will be comfortable for cycling without socks, though I suspect that I may want liners on rides longer than about 10 miles.  Socks will look silly worn with the sandals, but I’m all about the comfort, so I won’t care if they are necessary.  Time will tell; I’m not testing these, sock-less, in the heart of winter.

Unlike my Keen three-season cycling shoes, I bought these in my usual shoe size: 6.5 US/Keen EU 37.  They are much narrower than most Keen shoes or boots, which works well both on my feet and on Basil’s pedals.  Off Basil, they feel great, and, in spite of the stiff sole, I don’t find them at all uncomfortable for walking, which means that they should travel well at times when I’ve got Basil with me but may also be doing some walking without him.

I love my all-purpose cycling jacket, but it has one flaw:  It’s black.  That’s an advantage if I want to be inconspicuous once I’m at a destination, but not any kind of plus on the road.

So I’ve kitted it out with removable fluorescent sleeves.  They slide on over the coat sleeves, and tuck into a pocket when not in use.  I used a fluorescent poly knit and athletic elastic.  (The tricky part is finding fluorescent thread.  Luckily, I had some hanging around.)

They couldn’t be easier to make.  Measure your coat sleeves, draw a pattern (on a fold) that tapers from the shoulder to the wrist, add a seam allowance and an allowance for stitching elastic to each end, and stitch them up.  Here’s what a finished one looks like, inside out.

I used griper elastic for each end, folded the edges over, and stitched the elastic to the underside.  (Gripper elastic is what’s on the inside of the lower edge of your cycling shorts, and maybe on your cycling tops, too.) Remember that your elastic should be a bit shorter than the opening to which it’s being attached.

It takes two seconds to slide these off and put them into a pocket when I want to blend in, rather than be screamingly visible.

Once I’d made the sleeves, I added a mesh vest.  (It tucks away in a pocket just as easily as the sleeves do.)  I ditch the watermelon helmet, too.  It may be just a little ostentatious itself.

I think this will do the job, don’t you?

(It was 18 F — 7.7 C — out when I took these pictures. My coat is the seventh layer of apparel I’m stuffed into. Worked beautifully!)

I thought I’d make it through this winter without having to buy a new coat, but when the temperatures plummeted to below 20 degrees, I realized I was in trouble.  However, what I needed more than anything was a coat I could also use as a final cycling layer — but no way did I want to end up with specialty clothing just for the coldest of temperatures.  It just isn’t usually all that cold where Basil and I ride most frequently.

Plowing through the coat racks at a variety of stores, including REI, didn’t yield anything I thought would fit my requirements.  On my way out of REI, though, I passed through the cycling section, which, for the last month, has been stocked with nothing but windbreakers and jerseys, in anticipation of spring.  And there it was, looking oddly out of place: a trim, well-cut coat, looking interestingly as if it just might do.

It’s the Novara Edgewater, a water-repellent jacket with cyclist-friendly features, including reflective trim.  See the cuff, right, in the photo?  When the cuffs are turned back, the jacket just looks like a “normal” coat.  Turn them out, and the cuff  becomes a serious nighttime visual, as on the left.  Ditto for the belt; turn the reflective stripe in, and you’d never guess that the other side shines like a beacon when light hits it.  And, yes, that’s a double-vented flap in back — plenty of seat coverage, but lots of room to move, too.

The upper back is open, and mesh lined, for breathability, but this feature also increases mobility significantly.  This is a very comfortable jacket to wear.

There’s a hidden (and large!) pocket at the center back, that I found surprisingly easy to use.  I’m not much of a fan of branding, but even I was amused by the rear belt carriers:  see the “N” for Novara?  Nice, and understated (sort of!).

There are two front pockets, one with a media port, which I devoutly hope no cyclist will use.  The zippers are “invisible”, meaning that they hide in the seams, giving the jacket a slim profile, even though the pockets themselves are generously sized.

Since the pockets are bagged, there are effectively two more pockets on the inside of the coat.  Though they are open, they are deep enough that it’s unlikely that most items would fall out inadvertently, unless you were doing some serious coat-tossing.  This colorway is called “Black/Radish” in deference to the unusual (and rather attractive) interior color.

The collar is pure genius.  Unlike the way most coats are constructed, the zipper comes only to the collar seam, meaning that there is no zipper bulk against the neck or chin.  Instead, the coat front is cut asymmetrically, which allows the collar to overlap to cover the throat area.  As you move, the collar adapts without restriction, ensuring that the neck is covered at all times.  I’ve folded the collar down in the photo above, to show the top of the zipper, and the generous overlap.

The inner facing is cut generously, too, so that there is no struggling with a skinny zipper flap, and the chest area, too, is amply protected against the elements.  The entire coat is faced with a napped, slightly textured, lining, that, amusingly, really does evoke a bit of a radish aesthetic.  Assuming there is such a thing.

This is by no means a winter jacket.  Though the tags say it’s windproof to 60 MPH, and it is well-lined, it is not insulated to the extent that one expects in a winter coat.  However, when I wore it out for the first time on a 21 degree day, layering my winter cycling apparel beneath (six layers!), I was very comfortable.  I have not yet cycled while wearing it, but it is so easy to move while wearing this coat that I am confident that it will become a valuable part of my cycling gear through the cool seasons.

Normally, I will not buy cycling apparel that isn’t high-visibility.  In this case, I will wear a hi-vis vest over this jacket, as its reflective qualities aren’t useful in the daytime, when I generally ride.  In addition, I will probably make hi-vis sleeve covers, too, to ensure that my signaling arms are readily seen in daylight.

This purchase, though, seemed like a good choice because the coat will fill multiple roles.  Fashionistas, and those who wish to preserve the illusion of riding in street wear, can enjoy the beautiful style and cut of this jacket while benefiting from its very functional attributes.  Cyclists who care most about function will find nothing wanting here, either, and gain the added benefit of a comfortable, practical coat that can be worn whether cycling or not.  Leave your cycle at home, and no one will guess that this is a sport-specific design.

A woman who was trying this jacket on at the same time I was said to her companion “This would make a great travel jacket”.  She’s absolutely right, and I suspect it will become my go-to adventure coat.  At nearly half the price of similar jackets, it’s a genuine deal for travel or for cycling.