Handsome Devil All-Rounder

When searching for an all-rounder bike I discovered lots of options.  I wanted it to be fun to ride unloaded, come as a complete bike, fit big tires with fenders and have the potential to add racks and carry a load.   I first thought the Surly Long Haul Trucker or Novara Safari would fit the bill, but they were both more heavy duty than I needed.   The Specialized Tricross was nice and had a great price, but I found the ride and look to be meh.  I really liked the Novara Randonne but I can't get over the amount of seat post that shows on that sloping top tube.  Rivendell Bikes are nice but out of my budget.  I was looking for a bike with a different look as well.  The Handsome XOXO was on the short list but I was looking for something more on-road than off.  I read about the Handsome Devil right here on these pages and in Momentum Magazine. It seemed to check all of the boxes, but I would need to order it sight unseen.

When I saw that the Handsome Devil went on sale I pulled the trigger.   The next day I had a voicemail from Jesse asking me about my build.  We talked about how I would use the bike and picked a local bike shop to do the assembly.  A couple of weeks later I was rolling out of the bike shop with my Devil on 35c tires (Jesse thought I would like them better than the 32mm stock ones).   The shop employees were a little perplexed, "I suppose you could commute on it."   Heck yeah!

So fast forward 6 months and I've made some changes.  I ditched the bar-tape grips for shellacked cork.   All transportation bikes should have fenders, so I installed SKS Longboard fenders.   A Velo-Orange Pass Hunter Rack holds a Wald Basket.  I scored a Nitto R-14 rack on Ebay and my wife got me a Rivendell Large Saddleback for Father's Day.  I call the bike my "Riven-Devil."

The steel frame has a nice springiness about it and the powder coat looks great. The steering on the Devil is quick, but some weight in the basket quiets it down a bit.   The cyclocross geometry does not lend itself to weighting up the rear without a load up front.   You can set up a Devil for touring as long as you spread out the load.  The geometry prefers a front load; however, the frame lacks a threaded boss above the front dropout (but there's one mid-fork).  Handsome now has a version of the Devil with a Porteur Rack, but they drill out the tangs for the axle and (I presume) use a longer skewer.

The Devil is set up with 1x8 gearing with a 44T chainring.  It's perfect for my flat-to-rolling commute.  I'm not sure the drivetrain is ready for a loaded tour without replacing the double 150bcd crankset --the gearing would be too hight evening adding a second chainring.  A low-double or triple would probably be better for biking up hills with a full touring load.  With a nod to versatility, the Devil has semi-horizontal dropouts for internal hub builds.

I've enjoyed the Devil and I would recommend working with the Handsome Cycles folks on your search for your Bike For the Rest of Us.

Trek Transport

The 2012 Trek Transport, including Bontrager bag.  Credit: Trek website.

While we're on the subject of 2012 Treks, we should mention a clear winner: the Transport cargo bike from the Gary Fisher Collection.  The MSRP is $1,390.

This is a cargo bike done the right way.  I'm very happy that Trek, having swallowed up the Gary Fisher brand, is at least continuing to execute some of his best ideas.  The Transport comes with well-designed, well-proportioned front and rear racks, fenders, disc brakes (makes good sense on a fully-loaded cargo bike), and kickstand (the specs say it's a double kickstand, but the photos show a regular kickstand). 

Now here's a feature I really like: flip-flop dropouts.  This means you can have vertical or horizontal dropouts, which allows you to choose whether you want a derailer with multiple gears, a single speed, or an internal gear hub.  Versatility is nice.

You can also opt for the Transport Plus, which gives you an electric assist. 

What are the Trek marketers trying to tell us about this bike? Click for big.  Credit: Trek.

Here are a couple of reviews of the 2010 Transport:

Bicycle Design

Cyclelicious

The 2012 specs:

Colors: Matte Metallic Bronze

Frame: Trek Aluminum cargo design w/folding load racks

Fork: Alloy, straight blade w/lowrider mounts

Sizes: 17, 20"

Wheels: Shimano disc alloy hubs; heavy-duty double-wall 36-hole alloy rims

Tires: Bontrager H4 Hard-Case Plus, 26 x 1.5"

Shifters: Shimano M360 Acera, 8-speed trigger

Front derailleur: Shimano Altus

Rear derailleur: Shimano M360 Acera

Crank: FSA Alpha Drive, 38/28 w/guard

Cassette: Shimano HG31 11-32, 8 speed

Pedals: Wellgo nylon body w/alloy cage

Saddle: Bontrager H1

Seatpost: Bontrager SSR

Handlebar: Bontrager Capital OS Urban

Stem: Bontrager SSR OS, 10 degree

Headset: Slimstak, semi-cartridge bearings, sealed

Brakeset: Shimano M416 mechanical disc front brake, Tektro linear-pull rear brake w/Tektro alloy levers

Grips: Bontrager Satellite Plus, ergonomic

Extras: Folding rear load racks, front rack, Bontrager Transport cargo bag, fender, wide-stance double kickstand

Linus Bags

While we're on the topic of Linus, did you know they also have a chic line of bike bags? 

This is from their 2011 catalogue:

From the 2011 Linus Catalogue. Click for big. Courtesy Linus Bikes.

Bags for Bikes

We’re going to talk about bags on this post. There are literally hundreds of types of bags for carrying loads on your bicycle at price points from $20 all the way to $200 plus. A decent bag should be constructed with sturdy materials and strong stitching to last through more than one commuting season. The design of the bag is important to make sure it will stay put and provide access to its contents while keeping them out of the weather. The size or type of the bag will depend if you’re using it for camping, commuting, holding your wallet and keys, or just keeping a few tools at hand. I’ve asked Freewheel for some input as we take a look at some decent all-purpose bags that will work well for commuting but might come in handy on a light tour.

Bags that hang on your handlebars:

These are bags that can work on several handlebar types (like mustache bars) and hold smaller items (less than 5 liters, usually). They strap to your handlebars instead of to a rack.
 
 
Freewheels’ Pick: The VO Bag

Baguette Bag, which also works as a saddlebag. It cost $34. However, it holds everything I need to take with me when I'm not hauling anything: tools, spare tubes, wallet, keys, cell. There's even room leftover for small purchases. (Apparently you can also take all that out and carry a baguette around, but I haven't tried that).

Tom’s Pick: My choice is the very similar Rivendell Brand V Bar Bag is a simple tube bag with velcro straps. The V is for Vegan since it contains no leather. The form factor is exactly the same as VO’s Baguette bag.
 

Other choices:
Acorn has three choices of sturdy made-in-the-USA bags for handlebars A simple nylon bag like this one from REI will work fine for smaller items.
Bags for a front rack or decaleurs: For the drop-bar crowd the popular choices are the boxy bar bags, which mount best on decaleurs, which are bag mounts that are typically attached to a small front rack. Bikes that can handle a front load can holder larger porteur bags. Folders and touring bikes work well with low-mounted front panniers.
Tom’s Pick: The Pelican Porteur Bag from Swift Industries. You can custom order this colorful bag or even order it along with a rack.
 

Freewheel’s Pick: Ortleib panniers (see more under panniers below).
Other choices: Boxy bar bags constructed of canvas like those at VO and Rivendell.

Nylon quick-release bags like the Banjo Brothers and Rixen & Kaul bags. Alan from EcoVelo recommended the Rixen and Kaul bags to me for my folding bike.

A small bag maker from Philadelphia, PA, Laplander Bags, has started making a very rich-looking porteur bag on the high end of the price range.
Bags for your saddle: These bags are great for keeping on your bike with essential tools, etc. This is one type of bag you can find at your local bike store. You can get larger saddle bags (5-11 liter) but beware they may rub the backs of your legs when you pedal, if that kind of thing annoys you.
Freewheel’s Pick: His trusty VO Baguette Bag, which doubles as a saddle bag complete with a loop for your blinkie.
Tom’s Pick: Minnehaha’s medium saddle bag, made of black canvas. It looks good, holds 8 liters or so, and the prices is right. Banjo Brothers Barrel Bag is a good choice for a smaller bag.

Other Choices:
There are hordes of cyclists out there who will use nothing but traditional touring bags from Carradice and Gilles Berthoud, so you probably can’t go wrong there. You can get less expensive Asian-made copies of these bags by Zimbale and Minnehaha. Origin8 makes traditionally styled bags out of nylon instead of canvas. If you’d like something handmade then take a look at the Towpath Duffle from Laplander. If wool tweed is more your style there plenty of choices over at Rivendell.
 

Rear Panniers:
Panniers are really the superior way to carry loads down low on your rear rack. They also leave the top of the rack free for carrying children, pizza, firewood or the like.
Tom’s Pick: Dutch Double Saddle Bags like Clarijs, CleverChimp and Basil
  These are large boxy bags (40L total capacity) that straddle your rear rack and made of waterproof tarp-type material. They generally live on your bag and sometimes have cutouts to slide a lock through for good measure. The boxy shape means that you'll have heel-strike issues unless you have long chainstays, so these are not great for typical road bikes. 

Photo: Rob
Freewheel's Pick: Ortlieb. I've been using these for years to haul all kinds of stuff in all types of weather. I've carried laptops through downpours with no worries. They truly are waterproof, and virtually indestructible. They've survived my worst crashes and wipeouts. They are very easy to latch and unlatch to your racks. With four of these (2 front, 2 back), you're in good shape for bike camping and touring.

Photo: REI

Other choices:
Bushwacker, Jadd and Arkel all make heavy-duty nylon panniers in various colors and sizes.
 
Swift Industries makes very nice panniers at a reasonable price. The folks at Path Less Pedaled used these bags every day for a year if you need a recommendation.

What if you could have only one bag? So this is one of those silly bonus categories, but I had to throw it in. If you have one bag it has to do lots of things pretty well.
Freewheel’s Pick: Ortleib Panniers. They’re tough and keep your gear dry.
Tom’s Pick: Sackville SlickerSack. OK, OK, so this is an odd bag. It’s flat like a suitcase, but rounded enough not to catch a headwind. It can hold a laptop inside or a pizza or sleeping bag on top. It fits on porteur rack or Nitto Platrack. It also looks great and will probably last a long time.
 

Other types of Bags: We missed a couple types of bike bags like rack-top bags, basket bags, frame bags and bento bags. And there are plenty of bags that you can wear as well. If you have a favorite bag, please add it in the comments!

Photos: Provided by Manufacturer unless noted otherwise

The Xtracycle Radish

If you're looking for a perky radish, you can't go wrong with the one in Henri Rousseau's Pink Candle (see above), but since you're here at Bikes-For-The-Rest-Of-Us, I have to assume these aren't the droids you're looking for.

How about this Radish, from Xtracycle, One-Of-Our-Favorite-Companies-Ever:

The Radish is Xtracycle's latest creation: a full longtail bike that comes in one box, with everything you need to ride in style. I posted about it previously, but there is some new information from the Xtra-folks. They've designed the frame and chosen the components so that riders of various sizes can be comfortably accommodated with only a change of saddle height, so it's a one-size-fits-most arrangement. (If they're as smart as we think they are, they'll spec a bolted seat-post binder, or a wee cable to keep combat the black-market in seat-posts and saddles.)

The Xtra-folks have also disclosed these not-too-specific specifications:

• Xtracycle-specific steel frame, mated to a matching Free Radical (powder coated, we assume),
• Steel fork with V-brake in front,
• Rear disc brake (cable-actuated, we assume),
• 7 or 8 gears with "insane" range,
• Swept-back bars and overall laid-back styling,
• A good all-around component set (with a freehub and stout wheels, we assume),
• Fat-G street tires (Schwalbe, we prefer; Kenda, we expect), and
• Loads of standard accessories, including a chainguard, fenders, and the full Xtracycle longtail kit with Freeloader bags and traditional Snap Deck.

Price tag: $1199.
Radishes are almost available. Get on the Radish mailing list by emailing your contact to radish@xtracycle.com. I did.

Felt Cafe Deluxe

Felt Cafe 8 Deluxe. MSRP: $599.

Felt calls the Cafe 8 Deluxe "a real-world answer to bicycle commuting and any local store runs."

Specs:

Frame: Butted 6061 Aluminum w/ hydroform top tube.
Rear Derailleur: HG-40 cassette
Crankset: 38T Chainring w/ double guard
Chain: KMC Rustbuster
Wheels: Aluminum Tall Profile Rims
Tires: WTB Pathway 700 x 38c
Saddle: Selle Royal w/ gel-infused double-density foam
Aluminum Handlebar-Mount Cupholder
Rear Carrier
Selle Italia removable clip-on saddle bag
Aluminum fenders
Safety Bell

The Raddish

Image: Derek Pearson, http://www.bikerubbish.com/

Now, I dunno when this bike will be available, but it's always fun to have a sneak-peak at something cool, and practical (my own bias).

It's a frameset/bike that was designed by or for Xtracycle, and it will be sold, I gather, by Xtracycle. It's called the Raddish, and it looks real nice. 

Bikes?Rubbish! has an unofficial review, but since he's actually working for Xtracycle, I guess it's not really unofficial. Interesting product launch strategy.

Well, X-folks, we're ready and waiting...

Basil Bags & Baskets

Holy cow, what's this? No bike?

Well, it's a Bike Accessory For The Rest Of Us.

Basil is a Dutch company that was started and is still owned by a family that has been in the bike biz for at least four generations. As you can see, they've taken some traditional and practical designs and updated them with 21st Century style and technology.

Even the swanky bag below attaches neatly to a rear carrier.

Best of all, they're now available at local bike shops across the US. If your local shop doesn't know what you're talking about, tell them that Seattle Bike Supply is the US distributor. If they still don't know what you're talking about, find a new shop.