Bike Geek

During my sojourn to Fredericksburg, TX on my bike, my Trek Valencia crossed the 2,000 mile mark. I thought I’d pause and reflect on this milestone and give an update on how the bicycle is doing. I purchased the bike in December of last year.

In a nutshell, it’s doing great! The bike has really held up well despite taking a lot of punishment from the pavement. The life of an urban bike is not an easy one but the Valencia has met these challenges and continues to deliver solid performance.

Now for a little details:

• Brakes: the mechanical disc brakes continue to perform confidently in all weather conditions. They do squeak a little from time to time, but I’ve never found this to be very annoying.
• Frame: despite the punishment of railroad tracks, pot holes and uneven pavement, the aluminum frame looks as good as new. A small ring of metal that the front derailleur is attached to picked up some corrosion which I’ve treated – not a complete surprise given the humidity and moisture I’ve encountered along my journeys. The frame itself is corrosion free, of course.

I’ve taken the bike to the shop a couple of times for minor adjustments – most recently, I discovered a loose spoke which was easily tightened back up.

In summary, at the 2,000 mile mark the Valencia continues to demonstrate that it packs a lot of value and longevity into an urban bicycle well suited for bicycle touring, errands and of course, commuting.

If you’re interested in getting an even closer look at what the Topeak DXP bag offers, take a look at this quick video which is a nice companion to my detailed review.

Product: Hoss “Ponderosa” Bike Shorts ($49.95)
Rating: * * * * * (5 out of 5) : Outstanding!

“Cycling clothes that make sense…”

…that’s the tagline at Hoss Technical Wear.

I discovered these guys from an ad I clicked on when browsing a cycling site. I ordered a pair of their Ponderosa bicycle shorts and I must say…

They’re grrrrrreat!

The CoolMax liner keeps the shorts cool – a requirement when you’re biking in South Texas where the mercury is regularly above 95 degrees.

The shorts are comfortable, have several convenient pockets and look great. The partial elastic waistband and integrated buckle ensures a snug fit. They’re also a great buy at $50.

When my shorts arrived I found a nice t-shirt that had been thrown in as an “extra”.

That was the icing on the cake. A company with some character backing a great product.

I’m sold…if you’re looking for a solid pair of shorts for biking around town or commuting, give these some serious consideration – you won’t be disappointed!

The Seca 400 Bicycle Light

When I started bicycle commuting, the need for a headlight became a high priority since my morning commute is under cover of darkness.

I’ve owned and used the following headlights: the Planet Bike Blaze 1/2 watt and the Blackburn X8. In each case, I’ve upgraded to a more powerful light since I have some dark sections of my commute that lack street lights.

My latest bicycle light is the Light & Motion Seca 400 and so far, I’m thrilled with it.

While the Seca 400 is marketed as an off road light, its 400 lumens of light and unique beam pattern make it a powerful ally to bicycle commuters.

Here are my primary observations after about 4 months of use…

• Beam Pattern: the Seca 400 provides a wide beam pattern with a center focus of light. It’s unique design creates a wide “u-shaped” beam that does a great job illuminating the road ahead.

• Weight/Size: the Seca 400 and its small, lithium-ion battery weigh just under a pound. While weight is not as much of a concern on my commuter bike, you won’t hear me complaining about this powerful, lightweight lantern.

• Mounting: you’ll be amazed at how easy it is to mount this light on your handlebar (or helmet) and you’ll wonder why every other light you’ve ever owned used something more complex. The Seca 400 has a stretchable, elastic band that allows you to attach it snugly to handlebars of various sizes. The band holds the light firmly in place no matter what kind of bumps the road throws your way.

• Battery Life: Light & Motion indicates about 2.5 hours of burn time at the full 400 lumens setting. So far, I have no reason to doubt this claim. I’m able to use the light for 2-3 commutes on my bike before recharging. I use the full 400 lumens during dark spots of my ride and either 100 or 200 lumens for brighter sections of the road lit by street lamps. On my ride home in the daylight, I use the flashing mode to help drivers see me.

Here are a few more pics of my Seca 400:

If you’re in the market for a bicycle light, the Seca 400 provides a powerful, reliable headlight that lets you spot road hazards while alerting drivers to your presence. I highly recommend this well-designed and high-quality light!

Trek Valencia Experience : Ride #10 (of 10)
Ride Type: Moderate commute
Distance: 8.6 miles

This will be my last, formal, “ride experience” review of the Trek Valencia. That said, if you’re in the market for this bicycle have no fear as I’ll continue to include insight on the bike on a regular basis.

Last Monday, I awoke to wet streets and some light drizzle but decided on a “GO” for the commute with the commitment to take my time, ride with caution and keep speeds way down. That worked very well until I was cruising down a hill, doing about 18mph, and made the mistake of moving over to the right in my lane to be give some cars behind me “a little more room”. A raised section of uneven pavement knocked the wheels from under me and sent me and the Valencia flying through the air before crashing into the pavement.

Flying through the air?

Yep.

The bike has absolutely no scratches on the right side that made contact with the ground. It did not scrape along the pavement – it was airborne – and landed on the right pedal (which was broken).

But enough about the crash…let’s look at some final insights on the Valencia:

• Pedals: The Valencia’s “weakest link”. It’s described as an “alloy pedal” but the center of the pedal is made of plastic while the ends (where the reflectors are attached) are aluminum. The folks at Bike World replaced the pedals with a set of all aluminum pedals that may be slightly heavier but have already noticeably improved my ride – my feet are staying put and I feel like I’m getting more power with each stroke.

• Ride Position: Love it! Nimble enough for fast downhills and flat cruising but upright enough to let you look straight down the road without torquing your upper back or neck.

• Brakes & Wheels: Wet weather handling is quite good between the disc brakes and the wider, 700×32 tires. I’ve been caught on smooth pavement at the beginning of a light rain before on my road bike with 700×23 tires where my every move felt like I was sliding. The choice of the beefier x32 width improves the Valencia’s ability to handle inclement weather.

In conclusion, it’s my opinion that the Valencia delivers a lot of commuter-friendly features at a competitive price point. If you’re in the market for a bike to commute to work, run errands and even go on a cycling tour, I’d give the Valencia a hard look.

Be sure to review my previous entries on the Valencia for more information.