Ponies in the Snow

This is both ponies playing in the snow. Traveler and Stormy. Stormy is the hairy beast. He took after his shetland moma and has tons of hair including the beard on his face. Traveler had the same mom but a different dad. His hair is thick but not as long.

Preview of the Fall Black Diamond "Stinger Crampon"

I willfocused on a Cyborg/Stinger comparison but might as well get this out of the way first.

Most obvious comparison for similar performanceis the PetzlDart at 840g per pair. The BD Stinger is 910g per pair on my scale.

For the 70g (2.5 oz) you get a easy replaceable and inexpensive front point, (likely the best improvement over the Dart)a pair of mini secondary front points (that are suppose to grow in the production version), full antibots front and back, mid sole traction of sorts for hard iceand stainless. The foot print isvery closein size (virtually the same) on the Dart and Stinger. And I have accused the Dart and Dartwin as being "roller skates" on moderate ice. I don't like either there and would expect the Stinger to be just as dismal on that kind of terrain.The Stinger seems to "cut" a little better from my own use. The secondary points will allow me to use them on more ice routes than limiting them tojust mixed where I would use the Darts now. None of theseare a "beginner crampons" or something I'd suggest as your only crampon.. It is the right direction, but still ageneration or two to go before I'll be totally happy:)









Before you read any further this pair of pre-productionBD Stingers arethe1st piece of gear to be reviewed here on Cold Thistle that I have been loaned.So YMMV, but by all means, "Caveat emptor".



I don't write about kit that I don't like so obviously I like these new Black Diamond crampons. And againno matter who's blog...if theyare given the sheet...bewareof the review...even mine. Caveat emptor!



It should be obvious if you read the blog that I am none to happy with the state of modern boots and crampons. Twight says and rightfully so, "you can't get around in the mountains without crampons".

And I say in the last 30 yearsthe boots and crampons haven't improved much. That might be a little over stated as both crampons and boots have improved a lot...but I bitch andpush for even better gear where it is so easy to improve. Crampons are easy to improve.



I'd bet it is no surprise that in my spare time I write what I hope are constructive comments to folks at Petzl, BD or La Sportiva for example hoping that small things might get changed. I suspect the company receiving them round files the commentsandjust might refer to them as "nasty grams". Even though I am always polite.



I figure why not...I have nothing to loose from a suggestion.



I am an equal opportunity crampon guy. I like them all. Darts, Dartwins, G12s, M10s, Sabertooth or Cyborg, they all climb well. Just thatfewof them climb pure ice as good asthe last version of the Chouinard/Salewa or SMC rigid. Kind of an old and sad secret really.



Only thing still resembling a Footfang is the current Grivel Rambo.



1978 Haderer single leather boots, Chouinard Zero,a Terrordactyl an SMC rigids...Canadian Rockies ice.



1980 North Buttress of Mt Hunter, Kolfach Ultras and SMC rigids again.







And more recent Dartwins, on Curtain Call, Feb



Grivel G12s on a WI5+



BD Serac on WI4, in the Ghost, Nov





Just an idea of how impressed I am with any one crampon or brand of crampons. They all seem to work.

But all of them could also be better.



Thisis a want list I recently sent to BD after spending a few days climbing on Cyborgs again. And I think the BD Cyborgs is a very good crampon although on the heavy side of what is available.



"I figure somewhere there @ BD you have a plan to update the Cyborg. My thoughts on the Cyborg if so. I'd tighten up the connecting bar interface as you have the Sabertooth and the Serac. I'd go even tighter and make it a .0005" +/- over. Hard to move and adjust but added rigidity to the crampons worth while I think and you still have the option of a spring bar if they aren't using rigid boots..easy to cover in the brochures. Since you are already doing a second connecting bar....you'll have some options. But I wouldn't go to a thinner stock on your new bail. I've been rethinking that. Problem with the thin Petzl bail is reliability and work hardening in the stainless as we suspect. I would not go to a thinner bail but a much "thinner width" bail on a thinner width crampon forefoot. A more narrow bail would solve many of the actual fit problems. I know you haven't missed what Grivel has done on the G20 and G22 bails and forefoot. It won't take much in width. Then you can use the weight savings there to add a bit of length to the forfoot piece. As much as you think you can get away with and still fit tiny boots. But the size of the forefoot *foot print* seems way too smallcurrently. I think it needs to be longer. But that is going to take a new computer drawing of the forefoot. It won't take much to make a big difference. The older wider bails will still fit the dbl boots like the Spantik and over boots as required. The one thing that really shows on the Cyborg trying to fit the newer boots (classic example is the Spantik's rocker and I'd bet the Nepals as well) is the lack of rocker on the Cyborg. You could easily dbl the amount of rocker in the Serac and Sabertooth which is good and really helps the over all fit and be fine on most any boot I suspect. And they would fit so much better over all on others. I think you would be better off on a technical crampon to reduce the size of the first two verticals and move the second pair back a bit more like a Sabertooth front than what you are running now on the Cyborg. Equal length points are easier to mix climb in. And you aren't going to loose anything on technical ice with your forged front points. Just mate the first pair of points up and have them hit a the surface when sitting on a flat. I am not explaining this well. Easy to see if you set a Serac, Saber and Cyborg front piece on a flat. Take a Serac, add the 3rd set of full size teeth from the saber (1st vertical pair supporting the front) narrow up the forefoot a bit and add Cyborg fronts. Then build a narrow forefoot bail of the same material you are using now. Then just do a aggressive lightening job with aggressive profiling on the teeth sides. Easy enough when you cut them out of the plate. I'd bet from looking at it you could do all that and drop some significant weight on the Cyborg."



OK! What am I asking for...short version? Bails that fit the new boots, a bigger foot print on the bottom of your boot, and more rocker in the forefoot. A more rigid inner face between front and rear crampon parts..more rigid. Smaller main points on the crampon, easier to climb mixed and easier to walk in. What I wasn't interested in was a technical crampon that was mono point specific.



Hopefull ythe back groundwill all make more sense in a minute. Dare to read on.





The new Black Diamond Stinger





The one thing that I really miss on the newest crampons is a "cutting edge". By that I mean a set of side points (front to back) that easily allow you to kick a step on hard ice to splay your feet out and get off your calves. In the old days with a straight shafted toolyou could do it with one or two swings, pick or adze. Even the original carbon fiber Cobra could handle that job adroitly. Current Cobra will do it if you don't stick the pick...but an adze is pretty useless in a reversed grip. Quark is OK. Nomic?Fusion ? Not so much. Ergo...ha, ha, hhhaaaaa! And I like my Ergos :)



Here is what I mean by a good "cutting edge". The last generationChouinard/Salewa clip on crampons. You can do some serious step cutting with the point design on these guys. Nothing I would have thought toask for but gotta say I am more than pleased to see this change in forefoot design on the new Stingers.







New Stinger goes a little retro on the third set of down points and you get a slightly bigger foot print from what theCyborg has done previous as the comparison shows. Count the lugs on the sole and look where the yellow mid sole meets up with the down points as a reference.



Stinger and Cyborg side by side. The Stinger mono point is slightly off set of center to the inside of the foot intentionally closer to the big toe. The Stinger is amono specific crampon, andno question the designis specifically intended for hard, modernmixed climbing. BD offers other less technical crampons for pure ice that climb very well. As a "more general" crampon, if you can put a any mono specific cramponin that catagory, these have some advantages over the usual suspects imo.



Cyborg forefoot shown below. Stinger is giving almost a full lug more of coverage on my 45.5 size Spantiks shownhere. A good thing I think. Thenewdesign (really not new at all) might be a little sketchy on the down hill though with the loss of 2 "braking" points on the forefoot. I am more worried about getting up than getting down so I like the change. Never seemed to have a problem before on the older gear and no bots at that!





It gets better. As the heel piece is just a tiny bit longer as well. Again more over all foot print. At this point I am thinking BD is staffed by brilliant engineers and climbers...as we were thinking along the exact same lines. Just that they were 2 years ahead of me and my "round file" letter.



Heels. Check out the heel lever placement. The longer set is the Stinger.



StingerCyborg..again check the position of the boot sole lugs. Stinger has thelonger foot print.

One of the things that has really buggedme on two piece crampon design. If you are going to fook up a perfectly good crampon design by cutting it in half and making it semi rigid...which generally just means flexible, why not at least add some working bits to the empty space between your 2 parts? If you have ever stepped up on a piece of cauliflower ice to find nothing under your foot is biting, you'll know why this one can really irk a climber.

Grivel is doing something similar on the G20 and G 22......but have to say I think the BD versionis a better solution for that issue.

This is the current Cyborg, kinda half assed into the idea

Grivel G22 a totally different way to address the same problemof traction mid foot.

This is the new Stinger which is the best solution I have seen to date on a two piece 'pon..

And a classic example why the new cuts under neath the forefootis a good thing imo. It makes a difference





So what do I think over all? The Stinger is going to ship from the factory with a flex connecting bar. I have tried both the flex and the rigid bar. No surprise what I think works better. I like the rigid bars but I also like options. The connecting bar slot is cut very tight...almost but not quite a rigid crampon with the solid bar in place. Will they be reliable?...who knows at this point but I suspect they will. BD typically over builds everything for durability. Fit? Remember these a pre-production crampons..proto types really. A third or forth round of new bails are in the works. I've seen that bail and fit ittomy Ultras. I believe they will be just as good of fit as I have now, with Petzl bails clicked in. With my Petzl bails in the crampons these are the first pair of crampons to fit my Scarpa Ultras (which a super thin bitch to fit) and my La Sportiva Spantiks (which are about as big as I will get in boot soles). The added rocker on the forefoot of the crampon makes a huge difference on fit. Any crampon that actually fits my boots I am THRILLED spitless to climb in, free or not!



Weight? BD has dropped6.5 oz per pair compared to the Cyborg with the lighter weight Stinger. Stinger is 900g or 32oz even per pair with the bot and heel strap. Good bit of that loss is just in loosing theone front point though. But we have also gained a bigger foot print and a better ability to cut a stepwith a bigger "cutting edge" and better placed down points to accomplish it.



Not a big mono fan myself, but the two secondary front points are being enlarged on the production model which gives me hope. More coining is being added to make the forefooteven more rigid. The down points may be shortened a tiny bit more to make them even more rigid.No question I like having the chance to replace a worn set of front points withforged replacement parts that are cheap to replace. Over all I like the Stinger crampona lot. Things I really like...more rocker in the crampon, more rigid crampon by design and a much, much better fit on all my boots. Down side is they are monos (which may be OK if the production version's secondary front points are long enough to give some real additionalsupport) This is a pair of crampons I will likelybuynext fall when they become available in final form.



Gotta say, "thank you" to Black Diamond for allowing me to introduce the Stinger to the world on Cold Thistle.



WI5, SLC, Jan

Climbing Muscles? Perhaps

When I began to do long hilly rides, I acquired a nemesis: the Mysterious Pain. This pain would get me even when my legs were strong and my energy levels were high. It would get me when least expected, ruining countless rides and limiting my progress.




I have never experienced anything quite like it before. It wasn't so much of a pain even, as an alarming sensation of seizing, not so much in my lower back as below it. If you draw an imaginary horizontal line perpendicular to the top of the butt crack, the sensation was along that line, in two distinct spots on the left and right, symmetrical.




The first time I experienced it in earnest was during a 100 mile overnight ride to Maineearly last summer. It came on around mile 70 and was so debilitating I had to stop on the side of the road and stretch every 10 miles to keep going.




Mystery pains are a source of fascination to cyclists, and I talked about mine with a slew of local riders. At the time the consensus was that I had increased my milage too quickly and hadn't the upper body strength to handle it. So I spent the rest of the summer sticking to sub-100K rides, but doing them with more frequency to build up strength and muscle tone. I am not sure this had any effect. It may have worked subtly, but at the time I felt somewhat stagnant and dispirited. I wanted, very badly, to do longer rides. And I felt strong; my legs would seldom get tired on a bike. But this strange pain/ seizing sensation was like a brick wall I kept hitting:No sooner would I attempt a long ride with lots of climbing, it would return.




This Spring I began riding more than ever. Short rides, long rides, paved rides, dirt rides, club rides, brevets... I thought I was riding a lot before, but now I was practically living on my bike. Disappointingly, the mystery pain was still there - though I'd now learned to manage it with strategically timed stops and stretching. On the 200K brevet, I'd pull over on the side of the road every so many miles so that I could bend over backwards and do some quick twists before continuing. That was all it took to stop the discomfort for the next so many miles, so stopping was better than not stopping: If I did nothing about it and continued riding it would only slow me down.




Having witnessed this riding next to me on the 200K, my friend Pamela suggested that the problem could be insufficiently developed "climbing muscles" - something she herself had experienced at one time. Rather than related to distance, the discomfort could be brought on by long stretches of climbing - which are of course more likely to occur on long distance rides.




There were other suggestions from riding companions at this time: That my gears were too high. That my saddle was too hard. That my position on the bike was too aggressive. And that climbing seated was the real issue.




At that point I decided to take an aggressive approach and try everything. The suggestion that my roadbike position was causing the discomfort worried me, because I otherwise found it so comfortable. But a few strategic rides helped me eliminate that as the cause: I was able to bring about the same pain on more upright bikes (even my Brompton) if I used higher gears when climbing for a prolonged period of time. So gearing had a lot more to do with it than position. I now also knew for certain that the source of the problem wasn't the long distance, but the long, repeated climbs. In Ireland I found that I could bring about the pain within as little as 20 miles, if they were "quality miles" with respect to elevation gain.




In short, the climbing muscles diagnosis seemed the most probable. But how to develop them? I was not willing to go to the gym to work on my "core," and so far just continuing to ride the way I'd been wasn't helping.




Staying in Ireland took care of the problem. Here I did not continue to ride the way I'd been, but, with some guidance, began to do more focused riding - both faster and with more climbing - on a more or less daily basis. I learned how to use gears more efficiently. And I also finally learned how to stand out of the saddleand began practicing that every ride.




One result of all this has been a subtle, but significant transformation to my body within a very short time period. The changes to my legs did not surprise me - after all, that is what we expect from cycling. But I did not expect the changes to my midriff. My abdomen has gone flat and there are these weird thin horizontal muscles wrapping around the sides of my torso, front and back - where the "love handles" used to be,if you will. I have never had muscle definition in this area before, and it all looks and feels absolutely bizarre, as if my body isn't really mine.But existential analyses aside, whatever's happened it has solved the mystery pain problem. No more. It's just gone - regardless of whether I climb standing or seated, in a low gear or high. Just to make sure, this past week I've made it a point to do hilly rides without getting out of the saddle at all, like in the old days (meaning entire months ago). But that seizing sensation below the lower back is now just a memory.




So... climbing muscles. What are they exactly? I imagine some combination of abdominal and lower back muscles. For some they might be naturally well developed. For most they are probably average. And for some, like myself, they could be underdeveloped - requiring lots of work to get up to par. Happily, I love riding and doing this "work." And I love it that this limitation is finally gone.

Finally, Maine!

Saturday - September 8th - - It was shortly after noon when I left Lancaster. Today and tomorrow, the Interstates would be my friend. I hoped. In the afternoon and evening I ran into some nasty weather in Pennsylvania and New York with lots of rain and strong winds but it eventually tapered off as I drove into the night.



Sunday - September 9th - - It was a long day of driving starting at 6:30 am and lasting until 4:30 pm when I finally arrived at Camden Hills State Park, about 15 miles south of Belfast, Maine. It was one of those rare state parks that has wifi available and, even rarer, it happened to be very good wifi at that! Van Dora had been making some rather odd sounds after leaving Pennsylvania and the ABS light had come on too, but there was little that could be done since it was Sunday. I just kept on traveling, hoping that it wasn't anything serious. There was a Dodge dealer in Belfast so that would be my first stop Monday morning...



Monday - September 10th - - The day dawned bright and clear. A good omen, perhaps? Before heading into Belfast, I drove to a viewpoint in the park that overlooks the bay.








Penobscot Bay and the town of Camden.








A zoomed-in view of the town of Camden.


Upon arriving at the Dodge dealer in Belfast, I explained what was happening with Van Dora. They said it might be an hour or two before they could look at it, which was to be expected since I arrived unannounced on a Monday morning. They had a nice waiting room with wifi so before handing the keys over to them, I grabbed the laptop to catch up on email and to write a few blog posts (which did not get completed at that time). I also contacted my friend Joann to let her know what was going on.



About 90 minutes later, I had the bad news. Van Dora needed new tie rods and a wheel bearing! Apparently, heat from the bearing had damaged the ABS Sensor, so that had to be replaced too. Some other major repairs had been done before leaving Indiana (shocks, struts, tires, etc.) so I was disappointed that this problem had not been discovered at that time. According to the maintenance manager at the Dodge dealer it was something the other repair shop should have noticed. No point dwelling on that though. The parts wouldn't be in until the next morning and the repairs might not be completed until late the next afternoon.



I called my friend Joann (on the dealer's phone since my cell had no coverage!) and she was about half way to Acadia. She turned around and came back for me. We decided to continue on to Acadia (about 90 minutes away) since fees would have to be paid for the campground reservations there anyway and it sounded like there was a good chance that the van wouldn't be ready until Wednesday anyway.



It was late afternoon when we arrived at Seawall campground in Acadia National Park. We got settled in at our campsite and enjoyed a pleasant evening together. Joann has a little Casita trailer with enough room for two to sleep, more or less comfortably. I'm used to sleeping in a narrow space in the van but my bed that night was several inches narrower and the six foot length was a little tight. However, I was very thankful that I had a place to spend the night - Thank you, Joann!



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Added Benefits: Bicycle as Shopping Cart

One side effect of owning a bicycle with a large carrying capacity, is getting accustomed to having a "shopping cart" wherever you go. As a result I often ride my bike even to the grocery store that is within walking distance from my house, because it is easier to transport the purchases that way.



Interestingly, some of my friends who've recently had babies say the same thing about strollers: They've gotten so used to being able to hang their handbags and shopping bags on the stroller, that going out without it and actually having to carry all that stuff feels like a hassle. I suggested a bicycle for those times they are without baby and stroller, but they don't seem convinced that it can provide the same carrying capacity (plus, of course "it's not safe to ride a bike in the city"). Maybe one of those bicycle + stroller in one contraptions would do the trick.

favorite foto - really?

It's impossible. I just can't think about it anymore. I can't take the pressure. The stress of making a decision is overwhelming. Sorry, fM, I can't do it!

No way can I choose just one favorite photograph from my collection for Smile for the Camera. Each one is precious to me. All of them. The "old" family photos as well as current ones. And what of all those non-family pictures, the landscapes, the flowers and the vacation pix. OMG, there are so many pictures that could be called favorites. Really, I can't have just one! (You will find many of my favorites included in family posts, scattered throughout the blog. And some of my favorite "scenic" photos are being included in my "Wordless Wednesday" posts.)

So, what you get for this "favorites" edition of "Smile" is Becky in the Freezer! You will have to take my word for it that it is me in the picture. Notice the eyes? Like those of a deer caught in the headlights of a car - panic stricken. Thanks a lot fM ;-)



It's 1975 and I was stationed at the Photo Lab on the Naval Air Station at Point Mugu, California. I don't recall exactly what it was I was photographing that day but the "freezer" was a large climate-controlled building used for testing "stuff" for cold weather use. The walls behind me were being tested for environmental stability under extreme cold conditions. Cold, as in Antarctica cold. It was a big building. And it was cold inside! Really, really cold.

It wasn't easy to see through the "looking glass" to take the pictures. Not with a mask covering the lower portion of my face. And glasses. Glasses that got steamed up and then frosted over. I remember trying to focus the lens (yes, it was back in the days before auto-focus was even thought of). Couldn't see anything clearly. Taking off the glasses didn't help. I couldn't see more than a few feet without them. Basically, I guessed and hoped for the best.

Copyright: Photograph in the collection of Virginia R. Wiseman. Who owns the copyright to this picture? Not me, I didn't take it. A fellow photographer's mate, whose name I no longer recall, is the one who clicked the shutter. He was in the Navy on an assignment. It's a government photograph. Previously unpublished, and as far as I know, I'm the only one who has a print of it. What say you, Craig? Is it in the Public Domain, no copyright?

Early bloomer

Cherry Japanese Apricot blossoms...



... at the in-laws' this past weekend.

I haven't seen cherry trees blooming around here, and the inlaws are north of here, so I guess this one's just an early bloomer.

-----

Updated:
My sister-in-law emailed to tell me that the reason this is blooming before other cherry trees, is that it isn't a cherry tree! It's a Japanese Apricot. (The bark looks just like that of a cherry.)

The Best Laid Plans

Yesterday we both had a day off and planned to go on a long holiday ride. A mere 10 minutes into it, we decided it was time for Plan B and rode to a coffee shop instead. So it seems that I am officially a winter bike wimp! When the temperature is below 30° F (I think yesterday was a high of 25° F?) , I can't really handle more than a commute or an errand ride.

This conflicts with my daydreams of cycling serenely through snowy landscapes - not a soul in sight and my tires making a soft swooshing sound as they roll through the lightly packed powder. Right. The odd thing is that I love winter and have spent most of my life in cold climates. I have no problem cross-country skiing in much, much colder temperatures than this and with less clothes on. What's with this cycling discomfort? I was wearing more layers than a layered cake, including a thermal shirt, thick Irish wool sweater and a windbreaker trench, and the wind still pierced right through it all. And it's not as simple as being just "too cold", but more like going back and forth between being too cold and too hot every couple of minutes. I guess I could wear my XC ski clothes on the bike instead of my regular clothes, but this goes back to the whole "cycling in your regular clothes vs special clothes" debate. Well, at least I continue to ride my bike for transportation; short rides I can handle.

Unlike me, the Co-Habitant scoffs in the face of adversity with his skimpy outfit and no scarf. Tough guy.

According to him, only his hands and ears really get cold when he cycles, hence the wool hat and leather gloves.

I like these gloves very much, and they match his Pashley's leather accessories nicely.

Looking like a snowman in my overstuffed coat, I could only marvel at the Co-Habitant's tolerance of low temperatures. We are promised a blizzard tonight, so the real winter test will soon be upon us!

Culverts, Press, and Poetry

Isn't this cool? Check out these very, very, large metal culverts right next to the road at Kautz Creek. Now try to imagine the road going OVER these culverts (they're supposed to handle future Kautz floods). BTW, this photo partially explains why the official word on the road to Longmire states, "probably [open] in early May." If you are wondering, there are less specific dates for Paradise. Also, news about the park reopening is gaining attention from the New York Times; they discussed strategies to fix the mess (but the story hasn't changed).

Recently, the Seattle Times waxed eloquently about the exclusivity of sleeping in the National Park Inn (NPI) at Longmire this winter. According to the author, visitors with highly coveted reservations at the lodge will be staying at

"one of the most exclusive hotels in the world, the 25-room National Park Inn... this is the only place for a traveler to sleep and enjoy indoor plumbing in the park's largely unpeopled wilderness."

The article goes on to slightly glorify the privilege, but this is not quite as exclusive as the paper might have you believe. As it turns out, climbers have been on the mountain too, a subtle revelation that is slowly spreading across the Puget Sound area. It all started when a few local pilots noted larger teams on the Muir Snowfield and at Camp Muir while zooming by the peak! Then there were rumors of guided clients who made it to Ingraham Flats... (Seattle IS a small town you know). So the word is out: those who booked trips with a concessioned guide service for this spring will be shuttled into the park like the visitors to the NPI at Longmire.

Post climbing ranger "employment:" On the creative writing front, our very good friend and poet, Mimi Allin, was buzzed by the Seattle Times and KIRO Radio. Mimi (former Camp Schurman climbing ranger) has been implicated as the Poetess at Green Lake! Those who walk, run, skip and/or bike around Green Lake may have laid eyes upon her little desk labeled P O E T (look for the red umbrella when it's raining). The desk (and Mimi) can be found every Sunday (since last July) on the NW corner of the lake from 9 to 5. At this very desk, Mimi channels artistic discussion around creative poet vortices (or something like that). Unlicensed and unpermitted, the Poetess at Green Lake has a poem for you..Techncial Sidebar: Mimi walks 4 miles each way to her post. She has only left early once, due to a snowstorm. If you're in Seattle, achieve a creative boost to your life by visiting with Ms. Mimi Allin.

Gilles Berthoud Saddles: Something Different Entirely!

When I started having problems with the width of the Brooks B17 on my roadbike, I received many excellent suggestions from readers. I also received a suggestion from several staff members at Harris Cyclery: a Gilles Berthoud. Bethoud saddles and luggage are made in France and are associated with exquisite randonneuring bicycles. It is generally agreed that their handlebar bags are the finest one can get, and several respected members of the industry describe the saddles as being "even better" than Brooks. However, I was both skeptical of that description and weary of the high price tag. When I returned to Harris Cyclery the following week, I still had not decided what saddle to get, and they suggested that Itry the Berthoud and see what I think. So I now have the saddle on loan, and have ridden with it on my Bianchi roadbike.



The saddle I have is aGilles Berthoudtouring model, which is available in three different colours (black, natural and cork), with regular or titanium rails, and in either a man's or a woman's length. Mine is the woman's version, which is the same width as the men's (160mm), but with a shorter nose. You can read the detailed specs for these saddleshere. The woman's model is called the "Marie Blanque"- after a short, steep climb in the French Pyrenees.



TheBerthoud differs from Brooks and the other leather saddles available today in several ways. The leather is stretched using a different method - a modular system involving bolts instead of rivets. This system allows for the saddle to be taken a part and also for more control over tension adjustment. The leather is somewhat thicker than that of other brands.



The undercarriage consists of metal rails combined with apolycarbonate (plastic) rear support, which accommodates the proprietary Berthoud "Klikfix" saddlebag attachments. The openings can probably also be used with standard saddlebag straps, though I have not yet tried to attach one. This aspect is where the Berthoud saddles receive most of their criticism: "Not only is the saddle more expensive, but it has plastic parts?" However, both Berthoud and fans of the saddle insist that this construction method is superior in terms of comfort and adjustment possibilities, and is not prone to failure. I am cautiously open-minded on this, and would be curious to know the statistics of Brooks vs Berthoud saddle failure.



Another distinct feature of the Berthoud's design, is that the bolts (not rivets) are located behind and below the surface of the saddle - so that the cyclist's rear end does not come in contact with them no matter how far back they sit. This will make a huge difference to those who are bothered by the texture of the rivets on other leather saddles.



Finally, the very shape of the saddle is different than what I have gotten used to from Brooks. The Berthoud's surface platform is completely flat, whereas the surface of Brooks has "undulations" to it (some call it the "banana shape"). As a result, the Berthoud works best when mounted completely level - whereas I mount the Brooks with the nose pointing slightly up, in order to not slide forward.



An additional difference, is the Berthoud's relative lack of "side skirts" (compare it to the Brookshere). Despite being classified as a touring saddle, the leather on the Berthoud is closely trimmed along the sides - typical of a much more aggressive saddle in the Brooks range.



My experience riding on the Berthoud is limited to a short (12 miles or so) winter ride, but here are my impressions so far: The saddle felt "just right" out of the box and I simply forgot about it once I got on the bike and began cycling (no padded shorts). Because the Bianchiis a bit big on me, I am leaned forward on it considerably. The saddle did not feel too wide (it is 10mm narrower than a lady's Brooks B17) and my legs did not rub against the "side skirts". Because the Berthoud is level, the nose does not come into contact with any sensitive areas. With Brooks road saddles, I need to make a lot of adjustments to get this aspect just right - but the Berthoud seems to naturally stay away from that region. As I was cycling, I was not so much experiencing any of this, as not experiencing anything. I was taken with the winter scenery and genuinely forgot that I was supposed to be trying the saddle and forming impressions of it. There were no impressions, and only later did I realise that this in itself meant that the saddle was comfortable.



I have to admit that I am "emotionally biased" towards Brooks, which is an obstacle to recognising that the Berthoudsuits me better - at least on roadbikes with considerable forward lean. The Berthoud basically gives me the width of a touring saddle with the side cut-outs of a racing saddle - plus the shape does not interfere with my "lady areas". In that sense, it is also more versatile, and I can see myself using it both on a touring bike and on a more aggressive roadbike. All this is exactly what I need. But... a $200+ saddle? I suppose that if I sell my spare Brooks B17S and the titanium-rail Brooks Finesse that I received in a trade but find unridable, that would give me the funds. But it still feels like an overindulgence and Ineed to think about it. Regardless of whether I keep the saddle or not, I hope this write-up was helpful to those considering a Berthoud.

In Da House

So, apparently even in Vienna I am incapable of riding just one bike. Now I have Jacqueline the lady's Waffenrad and Kurt the trackbike living with me. Jacqueline stays in the courtyard, chained to a pipe. Kurt leads a pampered lifestyle indoors.

Here are his posh private quarters, under the loft stairs and on my housemate's nice rug. Amazingly, she does not object to her new tenant.

I have been riding Kurt every day after work since having gotten him on Monday, but today my legs demanded a break. My "adventures" so far have included getting a flat 5 miles from home and learning why tubular tires outside the track are not a great idea (you can't patch them up). With the rim and tire combination on this bike, it is actually okay to cycle on a flat slowly, and that is how I got home. But my hands were not too happy after the "vibrant" ride of shame. Later, Wolfgang switched out my entire front wheel for another one with an intact tire. I am guessing they don't make tubular tires with kevlar, eh?

Another fun thing that happened, was that the bolt came off one of my rear drop-outs and I did not notice until much later. I am guessing this happened from riding on potholes. Thankfully, the bolt on the other side of the wheel remained securely attached, but it was still scary to see. Today I bought a replacement (good Lord, Campagnolo bolts are expensive!), so all is well. From now on I will inspect the bike carefully before taking it out - which, I am realising, is something one needs to do on a bicycle like this.

I have been delighted to discover that the geometry of this bicycle activates the thigh muscles in a way that after 5 days I can already see a difference in the contours of my legs - very nice. Kurt is welcome in my house any time - I just hope he has the good manners to keep his bolts on and his tires inflated!