Greetings from... Maine!

Okay, so here it is Friday and I still haven't posted anything about Ohio and New York and very little on Vermont. I left Charlotte, Vermont Tuesday just after noon and arrived at my first cousins place in Belfast, Maine that night. They live just an hours drive from Acadia National Park so on Wednesday I got the "grand tour" of Acadia. You'll probably get really tired of me saying that something is "awesome" or "beautiful" but 'tis true. It was. It started out as a bright, sunny day but quickly turned overcast and cloudy. But at least we didn't get any rain!

My cousin's place overlooks a tidal river with a view out into the bay. Beautiful! (Yeah, that word again!) I'll be here a few more days but will be busy having some fun and "catching up" with my cousin (at least 15 years since we've seen each other) so don't know if I'll get anything more posted anytime soon or not. But eventually, I will. Not doing a whole lot of genealogy research either right now - just enjoying myself and Mother Nature.

Till later, Becky

Pannier Mounting Systems Compared: Ortlieb, Arkel, Basil and Fastrider

As I've mentioned earlier, I am considering getting a custom commuter pannier made to accommodate all of my bikes, including those with short chainstays and small racks. And I've been looking at different quick-release mounting systems in attempts to determine which one would be most suitable for such a project. I'd already tried Basil and Fastrider panniers, but not many others. So I stopped by the Wheelworks, in Somerville, MA and asked to examine and photograph the panniers they had in stock, which they most graciously allowed me to do. I now bring you a comparison of several different mounting systems, which I hope you will find useful.



Ortlieb panniers are made in Germany. They are waterproof, rugged and distinctly utilitarian-looking. I found myself attracted to this neon-yellow pannier and I think it actually looks kind of good on my Gazelle. But still, overall the design is not really for me.



The mounting system, on the other hand, is fantastic. Most of the currently produced Ortlieb panniers use the QuickLock2 (QL2) system, which accommodates the stout tubing of traditional Dutch and Roadster racks, and is extremely simple to use.



The QL2 mounting system consists of a top rail with hooks and a lower support hook - both of which are adjustable without the need for tools.



The top hooks release automatically when you pull the handle, and close around the rack's tubing when you let go of the handle. The placement of the hooks on the rail can be easily adjusted, as can the position of the rail itself. This comes in handy for those planning to use the same pannier on multiple bikes with different racks: Depending on the spacing of the perpendicular slats on the rack, and depending on the length of the bike's chainstays, the adjustability allows you to control the pannier's positioning. While the top hooks alone are enough to secure the pannier to the rack, the lower hook will prevent it from moving altogether. If only this great system was attached to more classic-looking bags! How about an olive satchel with brown trim, Ortlieb?



Arkel panniers are made in Quebec, Canada. The look is similarly utilitarian, though the styling is distinctly different from that of Ortlieb. The design of the bags doesn't really speak to me, but again these things are a matter of taste. While Ortlieb makes it difficult to purchase their complete mounting kit, Arkel sells it readily - which makes it a good resource for those looking to make custom panniers with a reliable and well tested mounting system.



Arkel's Cam-Lock attachment system works similarly to Ortlieb's QL2, in that there is a top rail with adjustable hooks that release via lifting the handle, and a lower hook added for stability. However, the hardware is aluminum (Ortlieb's is plastic), and the lower hook is attached via a bungee cord. Tools are required to adjust the position of the hooks on the track. To my eye, the Arkel system looks kind of rough in comparison to Ortlieb and takes a bit longer to figure out. Also, the aluminum hooks have sharp-ish edges and I could see them scratching up the paint on a rack.



However, the bigger problem is that the Arkel hooks are not large enough to fit over the tubing of my Gazelle's rack. I am certainly glad to have discovered this before having a custom pannier made using this mounting system. Looks like Arkel is just not an option for me.



I have already described how the DutchFastrider panniers work in my review of the one I own, but will reiterate here - as well as say that the more I use this pannier, the more I appreciate its design.



The Fastrider mounting system features 3 heavy duty hooks that are plastic with metal bolts and springs. The central hook closes all the way around the rack's tubing, and the two outside hooks are for additional weight support. While the distance between hooks is not adjustable, the outside hooks pivot - which means that they can be mounted even on the curved portions of a rack, allowing for greater versatility of placement.



Here is what I mean by that. Notice that the left hook is attached to the curved rear portion of the small constructeur rack quite comfortably. Though there is no additional lower support hook like in the Ortlieb or Arkel systems, I find Fastrider's 3 hook attachment to be quite secure, with minimal swaying. For a commuting pannier, it is certainly sufficient. And the hooks are versatile enough to fit both skinny and stout rack tubing - perfect! Unfortunately, Fastrider products are not widely available in North America at the moment. The Bicycle Muse carries a few of the shopper panniers, but not the entire line.



Basil, on the other hand, is a Dutch manufacturer whose panniers are now easily available in North America. Their bags range from classic to utilitarian to quirky and they offer a great deal of choice.



This is what the mounting system looks like: Two hooks that may be either alloy or plastic (I can't tell) with a strip of velcro in the middle.The hooks are wide, non-pivotable, and the distance between them is not adjustable - which makes them incompatible with some racks. Like on the Fastrider, there is no lower support hook - which, again, I think is just fine for commuting if the upper hooks are sufficiently secure.



I also like it that the Basil's system is designed with a zipper flap that covers the hooks when they are not being used. The panniers look like regular bags when not on the bike, and the hooks won't catch on your clothing as you carry them.



But to be honest, I find it difficult to trust the Basil mounting system, because it seems to me that their design causes the hooks to be stressed every time they are used: The hooks have to be spread when attached to the rack, and spread again when detached.Is that not bound to cause fatigue when done over and over again? It does not help that I saw a couple of Basil panniers with broken hooks in local bike shops back in and have read comments from a few owners reporting the same experience (see, for example, here and here). To be fair, the majority of Basil owners I know are happy with their panniers. But I'd have a difficult time trusting my laptop to their mounting system.



Another brand of panniers I've been seeing lately is Bontrager- an American manufacturer affiliated with Trek.Their city pannier (above) resembles the Basil Mirtemodel, and features a similar mounting system.



As I understand it, these hooks will only fit Bontrager racks, or racks with similar tubing.



And finally, there is the hooks + bungee system used by OYB (see review here). Swift Industries, Axiom, and Jandd use similar configurations, but with larger hooks.



This system consists of two open metal top hooks that attach to the rack's platform, and a bungeed S-hook that attaches to a lower part of the rack. All three hooks must be used in order for the pannier to hold up securely, as the top hooks don't wrap all the way around the rack's tubing.



Depending on the size of the hooks, they may or may not fit your rack's tubing. Since both the hooks and bungees are readily obtainable in a hardware store, this method can be a great DIY solution. But keep in mind that if you use small hooks and a thin bungee cord, the system will not support a great deal of weight.



I know that there are other quick-release pannier mounting systems out there, and if you have one to recommend (or one to warn against), your comments would be most welcome. We all have different requirements and preferences that will inform what we consider to be our ideal system, and for me the best option seems to be Ortlieb, followed by Fastrider. Their mounting systems are easy to use, secure, and will fit racks with a variety of tubing diameters - from heavy duty transport racks to skinny constructeur contraptions. If I were making a pannier from scratch, I'd try to get my hands on either their mounting kits... though looking into it, this has proven to be no easy task! Ortlieb sells some, but not all of the parts needed to assemble a full QL2 kit, and I've not yet been able to determine whether Fastrider sells just the hooks alone. Will keep you updated with news on that front, and in the meanwhile I hope this comparison has been helpful.



Thank you again to theWheelworksfor allowing me to photograph the Ortlieb, Arkel, and Bontrager panniers.

Big Bend Revisited :: Cerro Castalon

Saturday, March 2nd - - In English, Cerro Castalon is called Castolon Peak. Whatever you call it, it dominates the landscape in the Castalon region in the southern realms of Big Bend National Park.





The southern view is the
most photogenic side of Cerro Castalon. As you drive in from the
north the peak appears from out of nowhere as you crest one of the
many hills. The road winds through the area with virtually no place
to pull off to get a picture.





On my way back from Elena Canyon, I
shot this through the front window, stopping in the middle of the
road. There wasn't much traffic... Shooting through the windshield
adds a greenish tint to photos so I converted it to black and white
and adjusted the contrast a little.





At the base of the peak, on the western side, is a pull-out. This too, is Cerro Castalon though it doesn't look quite so impressive from this vantage point... which just goes to show, you need to look at everything from different perspectives!

Summer OR show SLC 8/3 through 8/7

I'm not posting live from the summer OR show as I have done at the winter shows in the past. But obviously a few things are leaking out. The Blue IceWarthog pack and the Petzl Lynx crampon are two early examples. There is more to come. Old and new technology being show cased. Pictured are some wild ones and some old stand bys from the past and a fewcurrent "game changers" thrown in. Just to get the process going :)

















I am sworn to secrecy for a few more days. But I have to say...some of this stuff I hadn't even dreamed of yet. And that is a long list of gear dreams when you start talking about ice gear and technical boots.



The Summer OR Show gives retailers a chance to see what will be available for Spring delivery and in some rare instances a few things that will be available for Fall 11. But most new Fall items are generally shown at the winter OR show the previousJan. Delivery for the Winter OR show is Fall of that year, a full 9 months later. So Winter OR will show clothing,ski and climbing gear available in the stores the Fall of . Summer OR shows the summer sporting goods and clothing that will be available in the spring of the following year. Hopefully that makes sense.



More to come by the end of the week.

Herding Water?

Tuffee is so determained to 'herd' something she trys to 'herd' the water coming out of the water hose.

Niagara Falls

This is one of those things that I had on my Bucket List when we started traveling. This is also one of those things that lived up to its hype. It is also one of those things that is so incredible, that words can't even begin to describe it.

It is also one of those things that pictures can't truly capture it. I still tried. I wanted to post about a hundred of my shots from this wonderful day, but I forced myself to pare it down to a size I could actually upload using our connection.

To be up close and feel and hear the power was really something. It reminded me of how much grander things found in nature are than things that man builds.

Not to mention, it was just beautiful. Really, really take your breath away beautiful!

Living the life in the land of natural wonders!

The Feel of a Smaller Wheel

This spring I've been test riding a 26" wheel Sogreni city bike, and some readers have asked what I think of the 26" wheels - specifically, do I find the handling sluggish and do I think the frame could fit a 700C wheelset. The answer is that I do not find it sluggish at all, and believe that the 26" wheels were a good choice for this frame - allowing for aggressive front end geometry with no toe overlap. The bike is pretty fast and maneuverable, and I do not notice the wheel size at all.




Back when I was riding a Pashley Princess and describing the handling as slower than several similar bikes I'd tried, many expressed the opinion that this was due to differences in wheel size. The Princess is fitted with 26" wheels, whereas the other bikes I compared it to were fitted with 28" wheels. Despite a few contradicting voices (most notably that of Jan Heine), it is commonly believed that larger wheels are faster, and that it is always better to use 28" or 700C rather than 26" or 650B, unless the builder/manufacturer is trying to achieve something specific with sizing or clearances.






While I cannot contribute scientific evidence to the wheel size debate, personally I am comparatively indifferent at this stage. I've ridden fast bikes with 28" wheels, 700C wheels, 650B wheels, 26" wheels. I've ridden slow bikes with 28" wheels, 700C wheels, 650B wheels, 26" wheels. Recently I tried a very cool 26" wheel roadbike, made by Richard Sachs for a local cyclist. I would need to put it through a real road test to really comment about it, but around the neighborhood I could not discern any difference in handling, any hesitation in accelerating, compared to a 700C roadbike. And the proportions work so nicely for a cyclist of shorter stature, maybe even for someone my height. I am surprised that shorter women getting custom frames don't go for 26" more often.






Folding bikes and mini-bikes suffer even more from the small wheel bias. Just the other night a friend was telling me that he finds the idea of a folding bike convenient, but cannot imagine the small wheels being adequate. Having ridden Bromptons on a number of occasions now, I disagree as does the Co-Habitant. While I am sure that some folding bikes are slow, it probably has more to do with how the bike itself is designed than with the small wheel size. To me, the 16" wheels on a Brompton feel no slower than full size wheels. I have also spoken to cyclists who ride Moultons and Bike Fridays with dropbars as their main roadbikes, finding them more than adequate for club rides and pacelines.




I am not saying there are no discernible differences between wheel sizes, all else remaining equal. But in the scheme of things, there are so many other factors affecting speed and handling, that I feel the importance of wheel size is disproportionally stressed. It seems to me that getting the tubing, geometry and positioning just right for a cyclist of a given size should be the primary goal, and the wheel size should be a function of that - not the other way around. I am open-minded about smaller wheels and would like to try more bikes with them.