Rivendell Sighting.

Last week when I was out at breakfast I spotted a Rivendell Atlantis!

Hi I'm Pretty.

My jealous Bianchi in the background.

Even though Rivendell bikes come from California, I don't see them in the wild all that often. This one was parked outside my favorite breakfast spot (Nichols in Marina Del Rey). When I went inside I secretly checked out the clientele to see if I could figure out who was the Atlantis owner. :) Though the Atlantis would not be my Rivendell of choice (I'd probably go for the Betty Foy or the Quickbeam) it was still fun to see such a beauty up close and personal.

Charge Lazy Susan.

Recently I've come across a really cool bike on the internet. I've yet to see it in person because I can't find a shop that stocks them in LA. Charge Bikes seems to be a British company. All the retailers on the website are in the UK. I have seen the fixed gear Charge Plug in an LA shop but not this sweetie - The Lazy Susan.

Photo via Charge Bikes

Isn't that a gorgeous bike? They've taken the step-through/Dutch/city bike and made it completely modern, a little bit punk rock and not at all prissy. Personally I have no qualms with a girly girl bike but for some women (maybe like the one in the photo below) something with a little more edge is in order. I love the angular chain guard, the clean lines, the silver fenders, and the stunning burnt-orange color. Notable specs are a Sturmey-Archer 3 speed hub , drum brakes, and an integrated rear rack.

Photo via road.cc

In the above picture you can see the bike provides an upright riding position like a traditional European city bike.

Photo via road.cc

Does anyone have experience with a rack like this? Though it's absolutely beautiful, I wonder about its utility. The tubes seems very large. I don't think I'd be able to get my hard plastic pannier hooks around them. Also I'd be worried about scratching up the beautiful paint on the rack with  the pannier hooks. I've always wondered about how well painted racks hold up in general.

Photo via Ridelow Bikes

Maybe a pannier set with leather straps like above would solve the problem - but those kinds of panniers are not as easy on/easy off as the kinds that mount with hooks.

Photo via road.cc

Another fun feature is the retro-looking shifter. Apparently those are the graphics of the old-school Sturmey Archer shifter. Very cute. The three speed hub might be a deal breaker for people who live in hilly cities.

Has anyone out there seen the Lazy Susan in the wild, or ridden one? There seem to be a couple of online retailers that sell them here in the U.S. for around $700.

If it were my bike I believe I would change out the saddle. The stock saddle looks a little cheap. I'd also do something about those rubberized grips. Finally I would look for a front basket that was harmonious with the chic modernism of the bike - maybe a Wald Woody or a Velo-Orange Porteur Rack. This beauty below by Axiom is a rear basket but it's oh so chic.

Photo via Chubby's Cruisers

For a good review and more pictures of the bike check out road.cc.


Gentlemen, if you can't quite rock an orange step-through, they also make the Steamer. Not quite as charming somehow but still really cool.

Photo via Charge Bikes

Oops!... I did It Again!

I bought another bike!  I've been looking for a vintage mixte that is a bit of a fixer upper. I'd like to repair it, replace some components, and generally use it as a training ground to learn about bicycle repair and maintenance. After months of browsing Craigslist, I came across this beauty last night. Tonight after work I took the plunge and drove 70 miles (each way) to get it. I don't know much about it yet except that it's a Centurion LeMans - maybe from the early 80's? I'll post more pictures and close ups this weekend. I'll be posting updates as I fix her up!

Her name is Rose. :) Had her for two hours now.

Test Riding a Vintage Mixte.

In an earlier post I mentioned that I'm looking for a project bike that I can refurbish, build up as a single speed, and basically use as a training ground for how to fix a bike. To that end, I test rode this vintage mixte.

I liked the bike, but I'm not convinced it's the right one for me. Really I'd like to find something that is cheaper and more stripped down since I will most likely be replacing most of the components. It's really the frame that I'm after. This one was going for $260.  The same day on Craigslist a mixte frame that was already re-powder coated was selling for $100 but I just missed it. I think that would have been perfect!

The bike's owner thought I was a bit unstable when I asked him to take a picture of me on the bike. I fibbed and told him it was so I could better gauge the fit of the bike.

After assuring the bike's owner that I could indeed test a ride a bike in platforms, I gave the bike a spin keeping in mind Velouria's tips for what to look for in a vintage mixte. The mixte had really skinny tires and was positively racy compared to my Bianchi Milano. I was a little apprehensive about trying to shift gears since I'm used to an idiot proof internal gear hub and don't have much experience with derailleurs and no experience at all with those downtube shifters. I did manage to shift into a higher gear once and it was kind of thrilling! My overall impression was how much faster this bike goes compared to mine with the same amount of effort. One feature on the bike that I really liked was that it had brake levers in two positions on the drop handle bars. That made me feel a lot more secure riding with such a different style handle bars.

I'm glad I got to try this bike but I will continue to look.

This post is an entry for the "Let's Go Ride a Bike" Summer Games. (Learning Experiences - Test ride a different type of bike than you normally ride.)

It Came to Me in a Flash.

I’ve had my Bianchi Milano Alfine for about 6 months now and I really like it but…I’ve been dreaming of other bikes.  Something about it is a bit sluggish and heavy.  Part of me wants something zippier, lighter, more efficient.  I stare longingly whenever I see a cool girl coasting by on a single speed or fixie with not a care in the world, nothing but a messenger bag on her back.  I myself am eternally carrying two panniers on my rear rack.  So here’s what came to me:  I need a fast, simple, single speed bike (and a messenger bag) and a slow, comfortable, plush bike that’s good at hauling stuff.  My current bike is somewhere in between and doesn’t really satisfy either need quite well enough.  So what kind of bikes would suit these needs?  Perhaps a Surly Steamroller and a Pashley Princess Sovereign?  I think to have 2 such different bikes would be divine!  The single speed for when I just want a light bike I can jump on and go – a bike that can easily be brought up the stairs at my office or my boyfriend’s house.  And the Pashley for shopping trips, leisure rides, tweed rides, or whenever I just really need gears.  

The dream pair?