When I popped, my power literally dropped off a cliff on lap 4/5 – it was pretty astounding… I went from an average power of 229watts on lap 3, to an average of 196w on lap 4. Then it dropped off another cliff on lap 5, practically flat-lining like a patient suffering cardiac arrest at 172w… I was cooked! And it didn’t matter how hard I pushed, or how big of a suffer-face I made because I was done and done.

The thing I find most valuable about having access to this kind of data is that sure, I know I was going slower, as was evident by being dropped, but more than that, even though I felt like my effort was consistent (perceived effort of 8-10) right from lap 1 through lap 5, my actual output wasn’t, and whether you’re racing or even more so for training, having that power metric to tell you if you’re delivering or not, as opposed to just ‘feeling’ like you are, is pretty valuable I think. In racing, the data can be just as valuable, if you can actually watch it during the race. If you know your 1 hour FTP is 240w and you’ve been putting out 260-270w for the last 45 mins, then no matter how jacked you are with adrenaline in the moment, you can be pretty sure you’re gunna pop! The numbers ‘rarely’ lie.

Take this a bit further as I’ve been dabbling with TSS, or Training Stress Score. This is a great all-around metric that measures your heart rate, plus power as a percentage of your FTP and provides a nice, neatly packaged little score. If your 1 hour FTP is 240w, and you ride at 240w watts for 60 mins, then your score will be 100. Ride under 240w and your score will be less -ride over 240w and your score will be more, etc… It’s simple, which is what I like, but it also makes training about much more than just miles, the number of hill repeats or time in the saddle. This TSS value is the measure of your actual workload, which lets you know if you really put in the work or not, training session over training season, and week over week. (Note: TSS is essentially your Suffer Score on Strava, though more accurate)

All this said, in talking to more and more racers lately, many of you are going data-less – opting to not just forgo the power meters, but also your heart rate monitors as well, in an effort to get back to more riding and racing more by ‘feel’. The pendulum seems to always be swinging on this issue, but how to do you roll? Are you more of a data geek, or a champion of old school perceived effort?

Checkout more info on TSS.

No related posts.

All lost on you.

You don’t notice any of it… You don’t appreciate it a lick.

Instead, your head is down, oblivious to everything, gearing up for your power song – Survivor, by Destiny’s Child.

Now, I get it. I really do. Despite my preference for two wheels, I still run. I understand and appreciate that zone of focus, concentration and oblivion. I too find that slipping in some earbuds and having the beat drop helps turn my feet over and keep me moving. The problem is that this isn’t a race and you’re not alone. So open your goddamned eyes and ears and pay attention.

Children? Dogs? Rollerbladers? A gaggle of women running 5 abreast? They all receive a wide berth… Who knows what the hell they’re going to do. But a single runner, cruising down the pathway? I’d like to assume they aren’t going to haphazardly dash across the grass into my path without any indication of where they’re headed.

This has proven to be a foolish assumption.

To be fair, I do feel that I’m referencing the minority – But as the Albertan spring finally unfolds and the elusive recreational runner emerges from their treadmills and winter dormancy it’s a minority on the rise.

I’ve discovered that it’s not about everybody having their own place, but rather about simply understanding and being aware that you exist in an ever evolving ecosystem. Ultimately I’m not too fussed that you’re wearing earbuds, nor that your monopolizing the path by running 5-up… All I ask, if you’re going to cross the street, change lanes, or move across an intersection, is that you be aware of your surroundings and translate your intent – It’s as easy as a glance over your shoulder.

It’s not hard. It’s called courtesy. Understanding the pathway doesn’t exist for you and you alone. And although it’s a two-way street, I’m disappointed it’s such a rarity.

Although I’ve locked the crosshairs on runners here, there are plenty of cyclists just as bad… Just last week I saw some pathlete cruising through a packed noon-hour pathway tucked onto her aerobars…

Srsly. Get it together people.

Related posts:

1. I don’t ring my bell

Having lovingly clad hipsters in cycle-worthy denim for years now, it’s safe to say the Levi’s Commuter Jean has come into it’s own. There aren’t many brands that can drive mainstream adoption of a niche market like this, but Levi’s has proven to be one of them. Perhaps the ‘hipster-esque’ culture was seeking skinny jeans with function, or perhaps existing riders were looking for viable alternatives to cladding themselves in lycra. Regardless, it appears that the Levi’s Commuter Jean is here to stay.

Being recently in the market for some form fitting denim to properly hug my curves, I sought out a freshly cut pair for myself. After a few weeks of field testing, I’ve concluded that generally, I’m impressed — though room for improvement exists.

THE HITS

• Very comfortable – There weren’t any seams, gussets or ‘nubbins’ anywhere that really caught me while riding, and for general wear the small amount of elastane ensured the jeans were comfortable no matter what position I was in.
• U-lock loop – Despite my initial indifference (ie. I don’t have a u-lock), I actually found this useful. It’s always a pain finding a place to put your lock – Mine isn’t long enough to sling around my shoulder and I don’t like it rattling around on my bike — this loop worked fine and dandy.
• Soft to the touch – The ladies like that.
• Odor-resistant – The Sanitized® (anti-microbial) coating is a nice touch and I definitely didn’t notice any odour (though I didn’t really go for any epic randonneuring or stress test this in any meaningful way)
• Water/dirt-resistant – Believe it or not, the NanoSphere® protective finish actually works… Dirt/mud doesn’t really slide off, but a wet rag will easily remove splatters and/or even larger pieces of dirt, and though I didn’t ride through any torrential downpours, when in light rain, the water beaded off the jeans. Pretty slick.
• Higher back rise – Though my shirt usually covers my rear-end, I didn’t notice any “crack” while riding. Always a good thing.
• Reinforced seat/crotch – I imagine this is more for wear than for extra comfort, and although you can see the extra stitching/layering when you inspect the jeans, you don’t notice it visibly or otherwise while you’re wearing them.
• Deep pockets – Thankfully the pockets in these jeans are nice and deep so you can bury your cell phone in there and not fear it flying out while riding. This is especially reassuring considering the useless cell phone pocket (see below).

THE MISSES

• Reflective  – While the 3M™ Scotchlite™ tape on the interior cuffs is cool, and a nice nod to cycling, it’s not really wide enough to be useful… I’d almost like to see it twice as thick and make more of a statement.
• Bleeding – The tag (and sales associate) indicated that the jeans would bleed, and they didn’t lie. For the first few wears my hands had a definite bluish tinge, white shirts also picked up on the blue, so be aware… There’s a price to pay for those nice deep blues.
• Stretch – The inclusion of elastane definitely helps with comfort and at no point do you feel restricted, but after a couple wears (without wash, as recommended) they start to feel/look kind of dumpy… This may be an acceptable look for some, but my wife prefers jeans to hug my chiselled buttocks.
• Breathability – Despite the hype, this isn’t athletic gear… While likely more breathable than regular jeans, you’re not going to find yourself blissfully cool on a hot day.
• Phone pocket – A nice thought, but poorly executed… It doesn’t really fit my iPhone (1/3 of it sticks out the top), and my phone dug into my hip when riding.
• Men’s only – Oddly, the Levi’s Commuter range is only available for men. I would imagine that this approach honours their target demographic, but to not offer any commuter jeans for women seems like a miss.

With brands like Rapha and Creux relieving you of $225+, the Levi’s Commuter Jean is certainly one of the more budget conscious varieties out there (~$89). I can only speculate that there’s likely to be some very nice tailoring and finishing from the more cycling-centric brands… Their’s would be a jean constructed explicitly for cyclists, whereas I feel that this is a regular jean, with some nice nods to commuting… It just works out that I’m not looking for much more out of my “cycling denim.”

Regardless of the whole “cycling” approach, I appreciate the premise of these jeans on two fronts:

• The fit – I’m active. I like to be active and do things regardless of what I’m wearing. I don’t always want to have to change into “activewear” to run around, play with my kids, or hop on my bike. I also don’t want to be tied to something that looks decidedly goofy. Unless closely scrutinized, you’re hard pressed to see a difference between the Levi’s Commuter Jean and any another nicely cut jean. This is probably the biggest win. It’s just a pair of pants that looks good and works well.
• The function – For everyday wear it’s about practicality. Technologies like NanoSphere® or the inclusion of elastane simply enhance these jeans. Is it raining out? No worries… Spilt your coffee on your lap? Not as huge a deal as it could be. Need to actually bend your legs, or do something functional in your hipster skinny jeans? These can make it happen.

As a note – I purchased the 505 Straight Leg jeans rather than the 511 Slim Fit since for everyday wear I found them to be a good fit. With that said, if I were to purchase another pair, I would certainly consider the 511′s as I didn’t find them alarmingly ‘skinny’. Also, it appears as though the 505 commuter’s are being discontinued.

If you’re into riding in denim, Levi’s likely isn’t the only brand you should be checking out, there are a number of other worthy purveyors out there:

• Muxu
• Rapha
• Creux
• Cadence
• Swrve

No related posts.

After that event, I filed the concept in the back of my mind for future reference. There is an entire discipline of cycling dedicated to downhill and yes, there is more than a fair share of climbing in road and XC MTB racing, but why not have a hill climbing event? I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that some else already thought of this…

Enter the Redbull Hill Chasers!

Staged heats of racers battle it out elimination round style until the field is whittled down to only the strongest, to decide who has the legs and lungs to be king of the hill. This is a cool, and simple concept that I like a lot. Watching the video you can see it’s highly applicable to city-scapes, not just some remote hill off in the country somewhere… Spectators can heckle you on, pint in hand, from the comfort of their pub patios. Not only does this make the event massively spectator friendly, but it’s a multi-discipline bike event, where BMX, Road, CX, Fixies and MTB or whatever are all welcome. You want to wear a giant Big Bird costume? Even better!

I love these kinds of events. They are exciting – can happen in one day, from set-up to tear-down. They can happen centrally, allowing for great venue location options and spectator engagement, plus this particular event concept is open to cross-discipline riders, making it more easily accessible to everyone. Someone needs to set this sort of thing up in Edmonton. Maybe Kokanee Redbike?

No related posts.

For me, racing as an independent was pretty painless, due to the relationships I had built over the years here locally. I could usually find a group ride to join in on, or a deal on parts & service somewhere. I also had no obligations to take all my business to one bike shop (I could spread the love a bit), or feel the need to get involved with organizing club events and activities. It was essentially a situation where I could just ride and race for me. This provided valuable flexibility and freedom that I enjoyed, especially given my busier home and work life last year. But the obvious downside was not ‘really’ belonging to any one group – always feeling a little bit disconnected. At first, I didn’t pay much attention to this, but as the season went on I started to take stock and realize I was missing out on one of the most important aspects of riding and racing – feeling like you’re part of the community and helping to sustain and grow it, essentially the very reason Bikeridr exists in the first place.

It was with this realization that I started pondering starting ‘Team Bikeridr’. More than a few folks had expressed interest in racing for Bikeridr if ever we started an actual club, so I gave this some serious thought last fall. I actually all but decided this was what I was going to do, before ultimately determining I wasn’t sure I was up to the task. Going from an independent racer to team manager, even if it was a very small team, was more work than I was willing to commit to. I’ve been on the organizer side and I have some idea how much work goes into running a good team. This got me looking at joining an existing local team again, where I could enjoy feeling like I was more a part of the scene, help out where I could, but still temper my engagement so I wasn’t taking on more than I could chew. It was around this time that local MTB racing legend, Sarns (Intact Racing), came to me with the idea of joining forces and starting a new sponsored team with Redbike.  It immediately sounded like a great idea, because Sarns was looking to manage the team and I was looking to join a team, and together we could design a team concept from the ground up that we were both excited about. A few months later we are now the ‘Kokanee Redbike Race Team’! More info on the team will be coming soon.

In general, now that I’ve ridden both team and independent, I can safely say that I see many of the pros and cons for both. For those of you who are new to the racing scene and wondering if you should join a club/team or not, here are some of the things you might consider:

Racing as an Independent:

Pros:

• Race and ride where and when you want
• Ride with who you want
• Ride as hard, or as easy as you want
• No obligations to help with team events
• No allegiance to one shop, or mix of bike brands/products

Cons:

• You may not be able to find deals on the bike parts and service you need locally.
• Not being part of a scheduled team ride and training schedule that can be helpful to your development as a racer.
• Not feeling like you’re part of the community, making it harder to build stronger cycling friendships (Awww..).
• Not having a group of teammates to travel with, carpool and share accommodations with when racing out of town.
• Not having access to team race-camp supplies, such as tents, tools, stands, mechanical skills better than your own, etc… As an independent you can find yourself all on your own here.
• If you designed your own kit (like Bikeridr), you can’t wear it in ABA (UCI) races unless you’re a registered team. You have to wear non-branded jersey and shorts. Lame.

Racing with a Team or Club:

Pros:

• Support. You have a bike shop and team members who can help you in many ways, including with your training, any equipment parts and service needs, and with motivation. The social aspect of riding and racing is one of the biggest motivating factors for me, as I think it is for many. If you have support and a group to ride and race with, you’ll ride and race more.
• Opportunity to get involved with running team events and giving back to the cycling community. For me, this is one of the biggest reasons I’m going back to racing with a team. I missed this part of cycling last year.

Cons:

• Potential for increased fees due to team membership, above your race license fees.
• Obligations to carry your weight, helping organize events, lead team rides, etc…
• Your team is your team, so there is not much you can do about it if there are members you can’t stand riding or traveling with…
• You’re handcuffed a bit as to what bike brands you ride, and where you go for parts and services. This is something you need to consider when joining a team. If you only like to ride Rocky Mountain, and your prospective team shop only sells Trek and Specialized, you may have a problem.

What’s your pref, team or indy? Have any great or terrible stories either way, we’d love to hear them!

Related posts:

1. Death of XC MTB Racing
2. Grass Roots Racing
3. Bike Shop Community

When I first started racing, there was only one kind I wanted to do – cross country mountain bike. The problem was, I wasn’t really in good enough shape to do it. I was your typical ‘weekend warrior’, spending a couple hours per week bombing around on the single-track trails with my pals. After a while, we got bold and signed up for a few bike shop-led group rides. In that context I thought I was pretty good, and with some encouragement decided to go out for an actual race, only to have my ego shattered! The 90 mins of max effort riding required in a typical ABA MTB XC race was so far beyond me, I was shocked. I finished the race, but it damn near killed me. Afterwards, I thought long and hard about if I wanted to do another one…

Of course, I did end up doing another, and another, and another… And with time, I managed to get both technically good enough and fit enough to actually feel like I belonged in those races. It helped a lot that at the time, the XC scene was booming here in Alberta. I also had several friends getting into it at the same time, and there were lots of races on the calendar, thanks to the local joint efforts of both the ABA and Alberta MTB Racing. I enjoyed two really solid seasons of XC racing and even tossed my hat into the enduro ring, racing the Bow 80, the full-pull TransRockies and the TR3. Interestingly though, right about the time XC racing started to lose its luster for me, the sport started to show signs it too was getting bored with itself as well.

The number of racers started to drop off, and then events started to drop off the calendar entirely. When Alberta MTB Racing shut down, with it, went 4 races from our Alberta race calendar, including the Kokanee Edmonton Canada Cup. To me, things were seemingly falling apart overnight  – and I didn’t really know why… That was until I started racing Cyclocross. Short 40 min – 1 hour races, many of them held right here in town in local parks, with low entry fees, and a fun casual atmosphere all added up to cyclocross becoming by far, my favourite form of racing. In some cases, I could actually leave home, race, and then be back home in under 3 hours – and still have energy to mow the lawn, clean the house, play with the kids, go to the grocery store and make lunch. Try doing any of that after full distance XC MTB race, never mind in as much time… And it was this realization, that ‘time’ was the key factor for me, when I also realized why XC MTB racing might be dying off – maybe it takes up too much time, for most people.

ABA XC MTB Calander Comparison:

• 2009: 16 races
• 2010: 14 races
• 2011: 18 races (The Peak)
• 2012: 11 races
• 2013: 11 races (currenlty, as of March 5, 2013)

Think about the amount of time on the bike you need to put in, to be in good enough shape to actually race a full 90 mins, not to mention to keep the rust off your technical bike handling skills so you’re not bobbing around like an idiot on the constant verge of crashing. Add that onto the time it takes to actually do the race itself, wait around for results, and maybe watch the next race – you have to admit, XC MTB racing is a major, major time commitment! Compare that to cyclocross, or to what I’ve heard called ‘short-track’ MTB racing, where the races run for around 30-45 mins and there is no question which one is going to see more likely participation from someone like me. And I don’t think I’m the only one. This is why we’re still seeing healthy numbers at ‘short-track’ MTB races like Fat Tire Tuesdays, and such a massive swell of racers into cyclocross. People still want to race, but most of us just want to do it in smaller bite-sized chunks.

I’ll concede that Enduro MTB is still going strong with the Transrockies offerings and the BC Bike Race series as both good examples. We also shouldn’t forget the single-day enduro races like, 24 Hours, the Giver 8’er, Organ Grinder, Nimby Fifty, and the Bow 80, not to mention the recent and prolific rise of the GranFondos. But, that doesn’t change the fact that, the typical 90 min XC MTB race now finds itself in kind of a no man’s land – not long enough, and not short enough to draw the racer numbers it used to.

When I look back, I miss the old XC MTB scene.  I hope that this year, I’ll be able to get out to some of the key remaining MTB races, but based on the schedule, it looks like there is sincere travel involved for anyone in Edmonton who wants to make a full season of it… And that has to be worrisome, because forcing racers to travel more won’t help the registration numbers. Has XC MTB hit the bottom – are we seeing the last gasps? Does it need to change and shift to a short-track format to survive? Or, is there a movement afoot, that’s going to help XC MTB make a comeback here in 2013?

Related posts:

1. Grass Roots Racing
2. Cyclocross Comes of Age
3. PUNCHEUR
4. T’was a Dark Knight CX Race

Well, three seasons later, that fad continues to grow and enter the alternate term ‘Snowbike’. Suddenly, there is a die-hard ‘Snowbike’ group ride here in the city, comprised of a growing number of dedicated Fatbike owners who know just how much fun these bikes are, and how well these bikes perform in our winter conditions. There are now so many locals marauding around on these machines left over from the set of Mad Max, that just this past weekend, the Devon Bicycle Association hosted the first ever, dedicated Fatbike category race!

So, now I wonder, do I think this is still just a fad or is it the beginning of a legitimately new category – am I going to be adding a Fatbike/Snowbike to my quiver soon? Well if I did want to pick one up, apparently I had better get in line. Despite several major bike brands now offering a Fatbike option, like Surly, 9:Zero:7, and Salsa, here in Edmonton, you can’t find a Fatbike to buy. The shops are sold out, and backordered… I’ll admit this news shocked me a bit.

I stuck around after my race on the weekend, to watch history in the making with Alberta’s first-ever, official, Fatbike race and it was a pretty legit field and one that I think could continue to grow. That said, it will be interesting to me to see what happens in the summer. Sure, there were lots of Fatbike racers at the Blizzard Bike Race, but most of them are regular MTB racers in the summer, so unless the Fatbike becomes a new channel for attracting an entirely new group of riders and racers, I wonder if the Fatbike won’t remain a fun winter activity for most. Time will tell, but what’s your take?

Thanks very much to the Devon Bicycle Association, and to the event sponsors – congratulations on a very successful 2nd annual Blizzard Bike Race! Looking forward to 2014. Who knows, I may just have to sign up for the Fatbike cat.

Related posts:

1. PUNCHEUR
2. Flat Out
3. Grass Roots Racing

Despite the fact that it’s rarely driven and sits mostly idle in my driveway there are times when the convenience of a car is tough to ignore – especially if your car is paid off, cheap on gas, and the insurance costs aren’t crippling (as mine is).

With that said, I still have trouble justifying the cost of gas, parking and the time spent sitting in traffic just to have a car available whenever I’d like, especially when I generally have more attractive means of transportation at my disposal. But there sure are times a car would be nice to have around…

Enter car2go.

car2go is a car-sharing service similar in spirit to the Bixi bike-sharing service. Spearheaded by Daimler AG in 2008, car2go currently serves 18 cities globally including 9 in North America — Calgary is one of the lucky three in Canada.

In short form, wherever you see a car2go Smart™ car, you can simply hop in and go. No need to worry about booking, fees, insurance, or parking. Just drive, park at your destination and walk away.

The car2go reality is slightly more complicated, but not much. It’s essentially a by-the-minute rental car without the overhead.

The main restriction of the service is that your trip needs to be completed in a pre-defined “Home Area.” Technically, you can leave the Home Area but won’t be able to end your trip (ie. stop paying) until you return and the car is safely parked. The other catch is that when you do park the car and end your trip, that car is fair game — It might be gone by the time you return.

In some situations returning to an empty stall isn’t really an option. For these cases car2go offers “stopovers” — it’s like telling a cabbie to “keep the meter running.” The car remains inaccessible to other car2go members, but you’re still charged by the minute. For longer trips there are discount hourly and daily rates.

I can’t speak for the other cities, but the Calgary Home Area is a pretty healthy chunk of downtown and it’s surrounding suburbs… More than enough real estate for the majority to get things done during the day.

A mid-day appointment on a sloppy winter day gave me the opportunity to give things a go. Some of my initial thoughts:

• Ebb & flow — As with any traffic, there is a certain cadence to the car2go service. Arriving at work prior to 8:00, most of the cars were still parked in the residential areas surrounding downtown. Unsurprisingly, evenings see cars migrate out of the downtown core towards residential areas and a reversal of that pattern is seen during the day.
• Location & reservation — Locating a vehicle (using the smartphone app), I quickly made a reservation since I wasn’t about to have my car taken by another traveling suburbanite as I walked to it. Making a reservation couldn’t be easier and essentially gives you a 30 minute window to unlock the car (15min reservation + 15min grace). I was easily able to find a handful of vehicles within a 5-8 minute walk from my office.
• Unlock & setup — After waving my membership card over the dash, I punched a few items into the in-car touchscreen and was off. It likely took me 30 seconds to get rolling.
• On the road — I’m not going to lie… The Smart cars that are part of the car2go service are gutless wonders. Initially I wasn’t sure it was going to be able to keep up with traffic! However, after a brief adjustment period I was good ;-)
• Wrapping up — Finishing the trip is as easy as finding parking… Depending on the time of day, that could be relatively easy, or not. Personally, I had to drive around the block a couple times (I’m not used to finding parking during the day) and that was it.

For a cycling commuter like myself car2go isn’t likely to have a daily presence, but it does have a particular draw for trips that occur during mid-day inclement weather (or mid-day laziness). I can also see obvious benefits for those living relatively close to the core as well as students… Imagine not having to work 3 jobs to afford a car only to constantly worry about it breaking down. Given this option, why an inner-city family would need to own more than one car is beyond me. Going car-free may even be a possibility for some.

Judging by the ‘migration patterns’ on the car2go map it appears that the service is being well used here in Calgary. I definitely have to lend a deep châpeau to Daimler AG who are pioneering this obviously successful service… A service, that will ultimately result in fewer cars being sold and is already resulting in fewer cars on the road.

Related posts:

1. Cycling vs. Driving
2. I don’t ring my bell

Despite efforts to keep my bike unadorned, the practical matters of riding to work everyday has made certain accessories worth their affront to my clutter-free preferences.

With all the paraphernalia adorning my rig there is no choice but embrace the “commuterism” of it… During the fall, winter and spring I’m sporting a bell, lights, fenders, rack and panniers. And while my commuting bike has never been exceptionally svelte, it now bristles with clydesdale-ness.

I’ve been rocking lights and fenders for quite some time now, but the rack and panniers are a recent addition. I had always been a “backpack guy,” but a recent injury forced me to get the weight off my back/shoulders. I had never really felt that I needed the ‘legitimacy’ of a pannier bag – I didn’t think I carried enough to necessitate it. On any given day my gear includes:

• Change of clothes – Underwear, pants, undershirt, dress shirt
• Personals – Wallet, phone, keys, pocket change, anti-perperant, hair goo
• Repair kit – Mini pump, tube, tire levers, tire-boot, multi-tool, folding knife
• Emergency gear – Rain jacket, gloves

Not that hefty of a haul… I try to find the best balance of being prepared and travelling light.

I’ve been using the rack & pannier combination for a couple weeks now, and despite my initial trepidation, it hasn’t been quite as bad as I thought it might be. Some first impressions:

• The good
  • Less restrictive – Definitely easier and more comfortable to shoulder check, stretch, etc.
  • Stable – Surprisingly stable through turns, rough terrain, curb jumps etc.
  • Quiet – Not as noisy or ‘clang-ey’ as I thought it might be. Though things have a tendency to loosen over a week or so, so I need to check/tighten the bolts weekly.
  • Great airflow – No more sweaty backs! I feel like the technical clothing I have is finally able to do it’s job and properly wick away any moisture.
• The less good
  • Boat anchor – I found there was a noticeable effect to the feeling of the bike. It felt somewhat ancho-rish, especially when accelerating or climbing. Once things got up to speed though, all was well.
  • Not aerodynamic – Noticeable drag when it’s windy (which in Calgary, is most days)

Though the conditions have been too varied to gauge decisively whether traveling with panniers is truly faster or more efficient than a backpack, I definitely ‘feel’ like it’s slower – but I also ‘feel’ like I finish the ride fresher, especially in the upper body… No aching shoulders, or stiff neck.

If you’re looking for speed, responsiveness and your commutes are shorter the backpack could be the way to go, at least if you’re a clutterphobe like me… However, if you’re commuting daily, or are looking for comfort, the rack & pannier combination is guaranteed to be liberating.

As for me, I’ll keep rockin’ it as long as the fenders are on my bike… After that, we’ll have to see ;-)

No related posts.

Although our lives and the content of this blog continue to evolve, our passion for cycling remains unchanged.

When we unveiled our new kit last summer (to a very small distribution) – we felt it marked a more ‘grown-up’ Bikeridr. Along with our kit, we have slowly been updating all our digital touchpoints and the refresh of this blog marks the last step.

Unsurprisingly, we’ve noticed an increasing number of you coming from tablets and smartphones and even better – that you’re actually taking time to read our articles. We’re proud to say that our new design is optimized for reading… Regardless of device. Bigger photos, bigger text, less distraction. We hope you enjoy.

– Ken & Sheldon

No related posts.