Commuting Luggage

When it comes to carrying your daily work kit around choosing the best option for your needs and yor bike can be difficult. Like most commuters I've used either panniers or a back pack at some time or another. But for me niether of these options has been ideal - backpacks make you feel top heavy and can cause excessive back sweat, while panniers have always made me feel like I'm towing an anchor. And most importantly, when I get to the office none if these options seem very board room friendly.

As an avid reader of the ecovelo blog, I've come across a third possible option - saddle bags. Of course your average saddle bag is not up to the task of carrying anything more then a spare tube, patch kit and multi-tool. But these bags from Rivendell Bikes are not your average saddle bag!

From the Rivendell site:
Our new Sackville series bags are as fine as saddlebags get. The Britamerican materials (including waxed and waterproof cotton duck), the Connecticut craftsmanship, the California design, the melted thread-ends, and the total absence of any cost-cutting measures add up to bags that cost us a mint to make, are worth three mints, but cost you only a mint and a half. They're over-the-top good and a joy to use. They load and unload easier than any saddlebags we've used; they're more secure; they're more handsome.

But if these excellent bags don't get you excited check out some other cool (albeit panniers) bags I've come across in my search for a perfect solution.

Unlike the Rivendell bag, neither of these Vaude solutions are waterproof however they do come with their own rain cover which is definitely welcome. Both are designed to carry a laptop with ample room (18L) for all your other items. And best of all they each have a concealed attachment system allowing quick on and off access for your rack.

All 3 solutions will cost a pretty penny - starting at $140 for the Vaude all the way up to $175 for the Rivendell saddle bag. Which one am I going to go with? You'll have to wait and see...

Jtek Bar-end Shifter for Internal Hubs - In Stock!

Starting this week I will be accepting orders for Jtek's indexed Bar End Shifter - a happy new arrival here at Legend Cycle (aka The Electric Bike Co.). Until I have the new store running they will be available directly from my blog in The Electric Bike Co. Store section for only $80.00 CAD plus $5.00 for shipping anywhere in Canada. Take advantage now and save since the price will likely increase once I have my real time shipping module in place. Stock is limited!

Jtek Bar-end Shifter for Internal Hubs

I just received an email today from Ryan at Jtek Engineering notifying me about the coming availability of their indexed bar end shifters designed for Shimano Nexus/Alfine 8 speed, Shimano Nexus 7 speed, and Sturmey Archer 8 speed. I will definitely be ordering one of these puppies for my Seek! Review to follow...

AmpedBike Tube Batteries Getting Closer!

According to Danny over at the AmpedBikes forum, the new tube batteries are due to arrive at their warehouse within 50-60 days.

From Danny
"We are going to sell batteries w/out the wireless. We acquired USA Design and utility patents on the battery tube. The electronics we added cannot be released and combined until my international patent is finalized."

Too bad about the wireless, but these are definitely a step up from the majority of batteries out there and should look sweet on any ride!

Once I have final pricing and specs I'll be accepting pre-orders as soon as possible so stay tuned for more info and be sure to check out our online store for more products.

The cost of commuting (or is it the savings?)

Here is a link to a list of all my expenses related to my daily commute. Wherever possible I will include all the details in order to give the most accurate costs involved. All prices are quoted in $CAD and total savings are based on the Transit Costs for the year.

Click inside the table and use your mouse to scroll up and down. Click here if the spreadsheet below does not display correctly


A Few Notes

1. Bikes - I like nice bikes, but that doesn't mean you have to. If you need to keep your costs low try looking at something around the $500 price point. Generally its a nice balance between quality and value. For example take a look at the Louise Garneau Sub-0.
2. Clothing -  I will try to price out specific items that I feel are a 'must have', but in some cases I either can't remember what I paid or already had the item. For example I already own some base layers (long johns and wool tops), but did buy winter riding gloves. Where ever possible I'll make notes regarding this.
   
3. Annual Savings - Realistically I don't expect to be riding the same bike, with the same parts for the next 10 years. Things will inevitably brake down or wear out, but regardless it gives you a good idea of the cost savings you can expect in the long run. Not to mention the health benefits which are hard to quantify.
   

Decision Made!

After 3 visits to my lbs I've decided to bite the bullet and pick up the Seek. It should be ready in a few days. Its a medium frame which is on the smaller side for me but it feels comfortable so I'm going for it.