Bicycle

Wearing the “COVID six,” I started riding my bike into the office again. Before (years and years ago), it was an awesome, fat-melting 17 mile trek down the beach into the south bay. Now, it’s 3 miles, but, better than nothing.
    My current commuter, at the office.
      Trek 2100zr promotional photo
    I’m still riding the same bike I was back then, a circa 2006 or 2007 58cm Trek 2100zr I got from i.Martin.


    It’s still mostly stock, with some accessories added. A couple of years ago, I had Helen’s refurbish it to deal with years of beach riding abuse (corrosion on the cables, new handlebar tape, etc). I got a good deal on it; the next year’s models were already out and they needed to clear it off the showroom floor. I want to say I spent $700, against a sticker price of $1299? Anyway.
    • Frame: ZR 9000 Alloy w/TCT Carbon seat stays
    • Fork: Bontrager Approved, Carbon
    • Wheels: Bontrager Select
    • Tires: Bontrager Race Lite, 700x23c (though if I ever need to swap rubber, I’ll probably go with Continental Gatorskins, like I have on my old Specialized Sirrus commuter)
    • Shifters: Shimano 105 STI, 10 speed
    • Front derailleur: Shimano 105
    • Rear derailleur: Shimano Ultegra
    • Crank: Bontrager Race 52/39/30
    • Cassette: Shimano 105, 12-25, 10 speed
    • Pedals: Power Grips High Performance Pedal Kit (stock were Shimano 505, clipless, but I can never find bicycle (or golf, or ...) shoes in my size (US 13W, euro 47.5-48))
    • Saddle: Bontrager Race Basic
    • Seatpost: Bontrager Carbon
    • Handlebar: Bontrager Select VR, 31.8mm
    • Stem: Bontrager Select, 7 degree, 31.8mm
    • Headset: Cane Creek Integrated w/cartridge bearings, sealed, alloy
    • Brakeset: Cane Creek 3 w/Shimano 105 STI levers
    • Color: Anthracite.
    Accessories:
    • NiteRider Mi.Newt 600 LED headlight, USB rechargeable (I miss the halogen 5W+15W setup I had, with the battery pack that took up a water bottle holder; my Labrador puppy ate the charger cord years ago)
    • Blackburn Mars 4.0 1-watt rear flasher
    • Topeak Road Morph G portable hand pump. Love this one; it has a fold-out foot pad and the inflater is on a flexible hose, so you're not stressing the valve stem constantly. When you're trying to pump a tire up to 110+ psi, this thing is a godsend.
    • Timbuk2 Goody Box (edit: Looks like it's a Goody Bento Box (edit to the edit: Style 895-3-2000)) top-tube bag that worked great back when I had an iPhone 4... Carries keys, a short mini USB cable to charge the headlight, a couple of 1 oz. Gatorade packets, etc.
    • A rear hydration carrier system comprised of, I think, two Profile Design Kage cages mounted to a Minoura SBH-300 saddle water bottle cage mount for 2 cages
    • A pair of “whatever the bike shop had at the time” bottom tube and seat tube water bottle cages, like these
    • A RavX Classic X saddlebag containing the usual stuff:
    • Think there might still be pieces of an old CatEye CC-CD300DW wireless computer with a (wired) cadence sensor; I just use the iPhone and Cyclemeter now, though I really should get a Bluetooth cadence module.
    • Backpack: Timbuk2 Track II bicycle backpack, grey + red.
    • Messenger bag: Control messenger bag, with a cross-strap to keep it in place.
    A lot of trial and error went into putting all that together.

    Specialized Sirrus
    My first commuter was a base model Specialized Sirrus I got for what seemed like, at the time, the astronomical price of $500. Picked it up the weekend after the bar exam, and started commuting (~5 miles each way) from Park La Brea to Century City, shedding some of the flub I’d put on over 4 years of working full time, law school at night, and then cramming for the GBX. That had a CatEye computer (basic), a mirror sticking out of one of the bar ends, a kickstand (?!), a pannier rack and pannier bags, and a top bag that sat on top of that rack, etc. I went through so many lights (front and rear), etc. Shimano ST-EF35 shifters, Shimano T-301 front / Sora rear derailleur, Specialized Forearm Sport, 28/38/48 crankset, 8-speed, 12-26 teeth rear cogs, 700x28c tires. This one had plastic pedals that disintegrated, so it ended up with Power Grips (that I later moved to the Trek 2100zr); now it's wearing some generic metal pedals as it’s only really cruising around a small campus.
    Trek 7.2 FX promotional photo

    At my mom’s in Missouri I have a “Rage Red” Trek 7.2 FX (cheapest decent bike I could find that didn’t have twist grip shifters), for KATY trail rides and bimbles around Forest Park; think I paid about $349 for it in 2006 or 2007, and its still totally stock: Shimano EF50 shifters, C102 front / Alivio rear derailleur, TX71 48/38/28 crankset, SRAM PG830 11-32, 8 speed cassette, Tektro V brakes (with the EF50 levers), 700x35c tires. It may have a bike computer on it. Probably does. Stock composite pedals. Probably has all of 200 miles on it. Still, a good little bike for the price.

    When did Gatorade switch from 1oz packets (for 16.9 oz water bottles) to 1.23 oz packets (for 20 oz water bottles)? And when did they do away with the little cannisters with the scoops? (I know, there’s better stuff out there, but Gatorade mix is readily available at supermarkets, etc., and it’s just easy.)


    Mars 4.0

    Minoura SBH-300
    Mi.Newt 600
    Kage




    Comments

    1. Love it! I only wish that I was not so good at out-eating the miles that I ride. The bike doesn't seem to be doing away with my COVID-six. Yeah... that's all that it is, six.

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