The Bike Geek

From time to time we get a product to test that turns a lot of heads when I ride them, the Footbike Track is definitely one of them.

Specs:

Although you can compete with this fine machine, I mostly used it for recreational and training purposes. Nothing gets your heartbeat really pumping than riding a Footbike.

Thumbs Up: The Footbike Track is fast and light and you can really hug some corners with it. The stopping power of the brakes was more than adequate and the adjustability of the stem enables all sorts of riders the use of the Footbike.

The use of standard bike components is a major plus since you can buy tires, rims, headsets, handlebars and grips from your favorite LBS, just in case the upgrade bug hits you.

Thumbs Down:The Track model is the high performance model of the Footbike line, the handling is very quick and sometimes it can be a handful on fast descents.

Also, the clearance is very low, I found myself scraping some of the imperfections of the sidewalk.

Recommendation:I’ve enjoyed the use of the Footbike Track when I wanted to do some cross training or when I rode around with my family at the park. If you are looking for something different that will test some of your handling skills and give you a different workout, the Footbike Track is it, but if you want something more nimble, check out the Footbike Street or the Footbike trail instead.

For more information or to purchase a Footbike, checkout www.footbikeusa.com

I’m a huge fan of Banjo Brothers stuff. Their Saddlebags panniers are my all time favorite to commute with, so when I was offered the chance to try their Commuter Backpack, I quickly agreed.

Here are the specs of the backpack:

Medium - 1500 Cubic inches / 17″Tall x 12″ Wide x 8″ deep
Waterproof 2-layer design: outer ballistic nylon layer wears like iron; replaceable waterproof liner keeps contents dry in a downpour (will not keep water out if submerged, in case underwater-riding is your hobby).
Wide padded straps distribute load more evenly than messenger bags
Sits lower on the back than standard backpacks to reduce blind spots while riding
Chest strap and removable waist strap for stability
Large reflective stripes and tab for safety light
Quick-access side pocket fits mini-U lock

I rode my 21 mile round trip commute today with the backpack, I really like it so far. The backpack was able to accommodate my change of clothes, my lunch, spare tube, tools and wallet with plenty of more space to spare.

Even though the backpack was somewhat heavy, I didn’t really feel the load on my back. The padded back and the padded straps are really comfortable. You can tell from the picture that the backpack sits lower allowing some air to flow and eliminating any blind spots.

Even though the back pack has those huge reflective stripes, the tab for a blinkie is a major plus. I’ll be riding with it to work on the cooler days, I still believe that nothing beats a great set of panniers on a hot day.

A while back…about 2 weeks ago, RL and I were talking about building a new site that would allow our readers a chance to show off their bikes! Well, in all honesty, between RL and I, we probably have over 30 bicycles in our possession…and we wanted to show them off… not in a “neener neener neener” way, but in a fun way. Most of our bikes have gone through some sort of customization where they are so far from stock. We knew that we weren’t the only ones that have this type of passion for bikes. I know for a fact that our readers LOVE bikes as much or maybe more than Moe and I do and probably have done some pretty amazing custom jobs on their rigs…. Ghost Rider….I’m talking to you!

So without further adieu, I present to you…www.RateMyBicycle.com!

Now hold on — before you start thinking that this is just for commuters or mountain bikers…NO! All bicycle types are welcome to be posted. Here’s the the best part. YOU the READER can create an account on RateMyBicycle.com and post photos of your own bikes! Simply sign up, upload your photo to your Flickr or Photobucket account, use the URL they provide you and post away!

The site pretty simple to use (simple instructions are included on the homepage) and we’ve made it into a blog format so you can see the newest postings of bikes all the time. You can also click on the specific category you want to see and only those bikes will show up.

Once we get things moving on the site, we’ll be hosting monthly contests to see which bike gets the most votes. Yes, you can vote for yourself, but there’s only one IP address per vote so it may not let you do it more than once.

Go on…have fun!

Click here to enter the sweepstakes and make sure that you select thebikegeek.com on the ‘Where did you hear about the contest’

I got the chance to E-Interview Klunkerz director Billy Savage. Click Here to read my Interview at MtnBikeRiders.Com

Review by Jeff Rossini from www.bikecommuters.com

A while back, Maggally over at pricepoint.com sent me a pair of Sette Elite Carbon road shoes. I have had a couple of months to test these shoes out in a day-to-day commuting environment, and some recreational road riding, and here is my verdict:

the Fit
The Sette Elite is a very comfortable shoe. The fit runs narrow like many road shoes, but the neoprene-esque tongue and “molded-heel cup” offer a snug, but not oppressive fit. The two velcro straps and upper ratcheting strap allow you to get a really customized fit to your foot without compromising the performance of the shoe. This is only the second pair of road bike shoes I have worn, the first being a simple 3-velcro strap shoe, and I must say that the ratchet strap is a really cool feature. I was a tad bit clumsy with it the first few times, but I got used to the ratchet very quickly. The Sette Elite ratchet strap has easy one-hand access which makes tightening or loosening the shoe a breeze.

the Durability
I used this shoe as my every day commuter for two months. While I was working on my commuter bike, I rode my Trek road bike to and from work every day - not the ideal commuting set-up to me, but it was the best I could do. Anyway, my road bike is set-up with Look style pedals so I needed a shoe that could accommodate Look cleats. Not only does the Sette Elite work with Look pedals, but it can also use SPD cleats. That’s pretty cool I think.

Anyway, these shoes were put through frequent starts and stops, walking across concrete parking lots and hallways. As you can see in the picture above, the wear placed on the bottom of the shoes was quite minimal - a sign of good durability to me. I was concerned about slipping on the carpet or smooth concrete I had to walk across between the door to my building and the locker rooms, but there are some neat padded tabs on the toe and heel of the shoe. These prevent the slick carbon surface from making direct contact with the shoe.

One drawback of these tabs is that the one in the front can end up being quite close to the front of the cleat, making it a bit difficult to position the cleat into the pedal. This tended to be a hassle with the number of stop lights I encounter on my commute, but gets easier with practice.

The straps still feel as sturdy as the day I first put the shoes on, so I am confident that the closure system will stand the test of time quite well - a nice perk given the fate of my first pair of road shoes.

the Performance
A lot of roadies swear by carbon. Maybe it’s because I haven’t made my fortune yet and cannot normally afford lots of carbon for my bikes and gear, but I have never understood the need for a material that is exponentially more expensive compared to the performance advantages it provides. For a bike commuter, carbon-soled shoes are by no means necessary. In my daily riding, I did not feel that the stiffer shoe sole provided any greater efficiency in my pedal stroke. I used this shoe on a few recreational rides too, and still did not feel that I noticed any performance gains over my old shoes.

However, if you are in the market to buy a new pair of road shoes because the most important velcro strap broke off of your old pair, then I would consider the Sette Elite. For $110 at pricepoint.com, this shoe is not too much more expensive than a regular non-carbon-soled shoe, which makes it a potentially practical buy for the weekend warriors out there. The perceived durability of this shoe seems that it would be worth the extra cash - especially if you don’t have to worry about being stranded with an impotent shoe as you leave to ride home. Ok, yes, I had a bad experience with my old shoes and I am still bitter…oh well.

Again, all-in-all I was impressed and pleased with the Sette Elite Carbon shoe. It won’t get you to the Alp d’Huez next summer, but it certainly gives you a great fit and solid durability, and a decent entry-level price for a higher-performance shoe.

If you are curious about Sette as a product-line, check out their website at www.setteusa.com. They seem to have a solid understanding of recreational cycling, with a mission of bringing high-quality products to the consumer for the lowest cost possible. As with most smaller companies, you don’t end up paying extra money for a label or expensive marketing in Bicycling magazine.

Picture from the COAFunride website, yes, that’s me on the left hand side.

The City of Angels ride is one of my favorite rides. I get to ride through the streets of Los Angeles with a motorcade! Last year I joined the slow group, it was a little too slow for me, this year I’m planning on joining the ‘advanced’ group. It looks like KHS bicycles will be sponsoring the ride again, they gave away 2 or 3 bikes last year. I highly recommend this ride for intermediate riders, advanced riders will find it a little boring and beginner riders will find it harder than the LA Marathon.

Click here for more information on the City of Angels Ride.

Not really a cycling related product per se, but definitely a tool that will enable me to write my posts from anywhere where there is WiFi available.

How small is the Eee? Check out the pc next to the Grips that we are giving away at MtnBikeRiders.com

The Eee should be perfect for Sea Otter and other events and at $299, it’s a bargain.

I’ve been dealing with my knee pain for quite awhile. I went to physical therapy, but the pain remains at the end of some rides. One of my bike racing buddies attributes my pain to improper bike fit. Since I’m always switching bikes, I can’t afford to have a bike fitting for every single bike that I own. I saw the ad of The Bike Fitting Kit on a major magazine, so I decided to buy it.

I opened the box to see the contents, and so far, I’m not really impressed with it. The instructions look a lot like a photocopy of so-so quality, and some of the items look like they came from a 99 cent store. I will try to do a fit on two particular bikes that cause my knee to swell, I hope that my knee pain goes away with the use of this kit. I’ll do a post on that later on.

I’m the type of person that can’t leave bicycles stock. I always like to add my personal ‘touch’ to them. This time, my Manhattan Vendetta was my new victim:

I added some Ape hanger bars, skull grips and skull stem valve covers. Needless to say, it is not stock anymore! I can’t wait to ride it again this Sunday.