Tall Boots, Zippers, and Mixte Stays

If you ride a mixte with twin lateral stays and wear tall boots with zippers along the inseams, you may notice that the zippers can rub against the stays as you pedal, which, over time, can damage the paint. This was a big problem on my vintage mixte - whenever I would wear boots like these, the entire length of the zippers would rub. On the Royal H. this is less of a problem - either the stays must be closer together, or my feet further apart on the pedals. The zippers themselves clear the stays and only the pull tabs hit them occasionally. Still, it won't do to have metal tabs repeatedly hit parts of the frame.

I am going to try covering the pull tabs with black electrical tape or something similar. If that doesn't work, then I guess I just can't wear these boots on the mixte. Unfortunate, because I don't own that many pairs of footwear. My previous pair of tall boots had zippers along the back, but after wearing them out I was not able to find a replacement with the same design.  Just a little glitch to be aware of when it comes to mixtes and tall boots!

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Autumnal Updates

When I acquired my vintage Gazelle two months ago, I had meant to give her some TLC and a tune-up - but ended up doing absolutely nothing to her until now. She functioned fine despite having sat abandoned in someone's basement, and I've been taking the poor, loyal creature for granted. But every bicycle enjoys care and personalisation, and I have finally given Linda some much-deserved attention. 

The original rubbery-plastic grips must have been reaching the end of their life expectancy, because they felt soft and sticky - as if the material was slowly degrading. So I replaced them with Elkhide sew-on grips from Velo Orange. Although these are not exactly a breeze to install (they are strips of leather that you must cut to size and sew on yourself), the result is worth it - soft, pliant, subtly textured, and beautiful. Luckily, I did not have to destroy the Gazelle grips in the process; with some effort they slid off and I will hold on to them as keepsakes.

I have also outlined the head tube lugs in silver. There was trace evidence that they had once been outlined in this manner and I wanted to restore Linda to her prior glory. I think the outlining goes nicely with the chrome fork crown and the silver headbadge. 

But while these changes are nice enough, the Co-Habitant gave Linda a gift that is even nicer: he "brightened" her headlight by replacing the halogen lightbulb with an LED. This is a temporary solution, before we execute our grandiose plan to overhaul both the head and tail lights with a super bright LED + standlight system, while retaining the original Gazelle casings. It was reassuring to see that DBC did this to their bikes; hopefully our project will be equally successful (if it works, we'll post instructions). But for now, at least I have a brighter headlight - good to have that sorted now that it is starting to get dark so early. 

In addition to the lights project, we are still planning to eventually replace the old, cracked tires with cream Delta Cruisers, and to finally give this bicycle a proper tune up. I am also considering whether I should replace the standard dress guards with something personalised, like the beautiful hand-made guards I've received from Bobbin and Sprocket.  

Linda has been so good to me since I got her, that it is only fair to reciprocate. It's true when they say that one person's trash (she was discarded by her previous owner) can be another's treasure. 

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DBC Swift Test Ride

Last night we stopped by DBC City Bikes (formerly the Dutch Bicycle Company) in Somerville, MA to have a look at their new "Swift" line of bicycles. DBC - whose focus was previously on importing Dutch and Danish transport bikes - has now changed direction and established their own line of classic handbuilt bicycles. The Swift models are designed in house by Wentworth and MIT graduates and built to spec by local framebuilders. They had a few floor models at the shop, and I test rode the loop frame ladies' version.

The Swift is TIG-welded cro-moly steel. The build includes upright handlebars, Brooks saddle, internally geared hub, front and rear drum brakes, dynamo lighting, fenders, chainguard, rear rack, and a cafe lock. The curvature of the top tube is executed nicely, and the welding is very clean. There are no dress guards, but nowadays it is becoming easier to purchase those separately. The lack of a full chaincase could be problematic for those who want one, but others would consider the chainguard sufficient. Everything else you might need in a transport bike is included. 

As always, I am not a fan of unicrown forks, but at least the welding here is nice and neat. The fork blades are curved. There are cable routing guides for the lights and brakes. Not sure how they are attached - they do not seem to be braze-ons - and why they were made in a contrasting colour.

The dynamo headlight and tail light are custom: DBC fitted what I think might be SunLite casings with LEDs and turned them into dynamo driven lights with a standlight feature. It's a neat system and the lights are very bright. 

Tail light. Front and rear hubs are Sturmey Archer.  The bicycle I test rode was a 3-speed, but they are also available as single speeds and 5-speeds.

The fluted fenders look like VO to me. The wheels are 700C.

The pedals are attractive and grippy, but it is a trade secret where they are sourced from! (Anybody happen to know?...)

Riding the DBC Swift was a very particular experience. In many ways, it handles like a classic Dutch bike (think Gazelle or Batavus, as opposed to Pashley or Velorbis), but is lighter and more responsive. The angles are steeper and other aspects of the geometry are a bit different, but still - all in all the Dutch bike qualities seem to dominate. In the picture above, you can see how tall the headtube is and how high up the handlebars are - almost at my chest. The resultant sitting position is bolt upright.

I was not sure what to expect, but I have to say the ride quality was nice: smooth, peppy, lightish, and with an easy feel to it. The bike is stable and easy to control. When my hat flew off my head, I caught it while continuing to cycle; the bike seems fairly klutz-proof. Another notable aspect of the bike, was the superior functionality of the drum brakes. All other drum-brake city bikes I have tried or owned were fitted with 70mm version, whereas DBC fitted the Swift bikes with the 90mm version. Especially for the front brake, the difference in braking power is substantial.

According to DBC, the Swift is meant to be comfortable and non-intimidating even for those who are new to bikes. In this respect, I think it is a success. At the same time, it was designed to be more maneuverable in traffic and easier to ride uphill than a Dutch bike. In this regard however, I am not sure that it feels much different from my traditional Gazelle. It is definitely lighter and somewhat more maneuverable, which some consider a plus for American streets. But it did not strike me as necessarily "better" than my Gazelle - on which I handle traffic and the local hills just fine. It seems like a good bike though, and whether one would prefer it to a traditional Dutch bicycle is a matter of personal taste - just as whether one prefers lugged vs welded frames.

As I was riding the ladies' Swift, the Co-Habitant took a spin on the men's version. I should note that the men's and ladies' versions of the Swift are completely different bikes, designed by separate teams. The angles are different, the proportions, everything. So while my experience of the ladies' model was positive, I have no idea how the mens' handles, and the Co-Habitant's feedback was vague. When it comes to city bikes, I think he is a creature of habit and prefers his Pashley over pretty much anything else.

With the ladies' Swift, my impression is that DBC accomplished what they set out to accomplish in terms of performance. The price of a fully built bicycle is in the $2,000's, depending on the options. Each bike is built to order and custom paint colour is included in the price. How will the DBC Swift do in the long run of course remains to be seen. But it is good to have options: When it comes to handbuilt TIG-welded ladies' bicycles, DBC joins the likes of ANT and Geekhouse. The work of all three builders is different. If you are in the area, try them out for yourself!

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Do Women Want Custom Bicycles?

Not surprisingly, my beautiful mixte by Royal H. Cycles has been making quite a splash. People ask about the bicycle, and when I say that it was custom built the reactions are interesting. Several men (including framebuilders) have asked whether it was a gift from my husband or boyfriend - meaning, whether he was the one who ordered the frame for me, interacted with the builder, etc. Others have asked whether the framebuilder is my boyfriend. And others still have noted the amazing amount of detail for a women's frame and asked whether it was built as a NAHBS bike (show bike) - which is mostly where one would see such a mixte. When I explain that I was the one who ordered the frame, thought up the criteria for it, specified the design features, etc., all without a male intermediary, this is met with amazement. And having thought about it, I doubt this has anything to do with sexism. Rather, I think it is about statistics: According to the framebuilders I have talked with, women do not typically take the initiative to order custom hand-built bicycle frames. The more common scenario, is that a male framebuilder builds the bicycle for his female significant other, or a male bicycle lover orders it for his spouse. 

[image via mapcycles]

Thinking about that has made me wonder how women feel about handbuilt bicycles. Do they want them? Or do they perceive the process as either too daunting, or not worth the money or time it takes? 

[image via JP Weigle]

At NAHBS and other handmade bicycle shows, mixtes and step throughs have become increasingly popular over the past several years. One might even say that it is now almost de rigueur for classic framebuilders to include a mixte in their portfolio. Does this not mean that there has been an increase in demand for ladies' bikes? 

[image via Boedie Cycles]

To an extent, I am sure there has been some increase in demand (and here again we must differentiate between women ordering the bicycles versus their spouses ordering for them). But for the most part, I believe the appearance of women's bicycles at handbuilt shows is mainly symbolic - reflecting the increasing number of women cycling for transportation in American cities. 

[image via YiPsan Bicycles]

Additionally, a mixte frame is more challenging to build than a diamond frame. It involves more elaborate brazing and lugwork - giving the framebuilder the opportunity to truly show off the extent of their skills. When done right, a mixte can embody elegant design at its most stunning. 

[image via antbike]

So what about the ladies? Do they ever call up a framebuilder and order a bike for themselves? I am not saying that it never happens, and a few builders in particular (ANT, for example) seem to attract female customers. There is also the "lady framebuilder" Sweetpea, which caters specifically to women. But overall, it isn't typical. If you browse framebuilders' websites and flickr accounts that include narratives about recently made bicycles, you are more likely to find descriptions such as "this mixte was commissioned by Joe for his lovely wife Mary" than "this mixte was commissioned by Mary". Will this change as the number of female cyclists grows? I hope so! It would be fun to argue with another female about seat tube angles and lugwork. 

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Cream Tires Directory

It is no secret that I like cream bicycle tires. If you are a fan as well, you will find this recent thread on bikeforums a real treat - loads of pictures of classic and vintage cream tired bicycles. And, since I am asked about this all the time, I have compiled below a directory of cream and white tires in various sizes that are available on the market. My criteria for these selections were reasonable availability and all-over colour (as opposed to white sidewall on a black tire). Unless noted otherwise, all tires listed are puncture-resistant.

Cream Tires for City Bicycles

28"
Schwalbe Delta Cruiser (28 x 1 1/2")
Vredestein Classic  (28 x 1 1/2")*
*available in EU only or from Dutch bike dealers

700C
Schwalbe Delta Cruisers (700C x 35mm)
Kenda Kwest (700C x 35mm)
Specialized Nimbus (700C x 35mm)*
Electra Amsterdam City Tire (700C x 40mm)*
* may not be puncture resistant

26"
Schwalbe Delta Cruiser  (26 x 1 3/8")
Schwalbe Fat Frank (26 x 2.35")
Geax Tattoo (26 x 2.3")
Kenda Cruiser (26 x 2.125)*
Electra Retrorunner (26 x 2.125")*
Electra Vintage Diamond (26 x 2.35")*
Electra Blossom Trail (26 x 2.125")*

* may not be puncture resistant

Cream Tires for Road Bicycles 

650B
Grand Bois Hetre (650B x 42mm)

700C
Panaracer Pasela (700C x 28mm, 700C x 23mm)
Vittoria Randonneur (700C x 28mm, 700C x 23mm)
Vittoria Zafiro Pro (700C x 23mm)
Origin 8 Elimin-8er (700C x 23mm, 700C x 25mm)
Schwalbe Durano (700C x 23mm, 700C x 25mm, 700C x 28mm)

27"
Cheng Shin CST C-740 (27" x 32mm)

The selection is not huge, but there is something to be had in almost every wheel size. If you know of other cream or white tires I have omitted, please let me know and I will add them.

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The Mystique of 'Ride Quality'

When describing what we like or dislike about riding a particular bike, we speak of that bicycle's "ride quality". But what exactly is that? In simple terms, it's how a bicycle feels to ride. Is it comfortable? how does it feel over bumps? how does it accelerate? how does it behave when turning corners? how does it feel when loaded? At least to some extent, all of the descriptions we provide under the umbrella of "ride quality" are subjective. And although there are objective, technical factors underlying the subjective experiences, the relationship between these factors is so complex and so sensitive to even the most minuscule variations, that translating sensations into explanations can be tricky.

This is especially true of my Royal H. mixte.  Its ride quality intrigues me, because it is like nothing I have experienced before. For one thing, the frame feels oddly soft and springy. Some may suggest it's the tires, but no - the sensation is from the actual metal. It's like riding a bike carved out of a cloud, and the feeling is the exact opposite of the vintage Motobecane I used to own - whose frame felt "painful" and "hard". The other mysterious aspect of the Royal H., is the extent to which it likes to keep its line of travel. You can launch this bicycle across a room without a rider, and it will go straight. When I turn a corner, it goes at the exact trajectory I want it to go. I have never experienced anything quite like it. I know that Bryan (the framebuilder behind Royal H.) chose a delightfully eccentric combination of tubing specifically to combat the discomfort issues I was having with my vintage mixte, and that he built the bicycle with neutral trail so that it would feel stable. But is it really as simple as that? I have ridden other bicycles with good tubing and neutral trail, and they did not handle quite like this. So I prefer to attribute it to magic.

Being an annoying academic by training, I like to analyse everything until I understand it. But sometimes the things we feel are beyond the sum of their parts - things like love, happiness, ennui, longing ...and ride quality.

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The Bostonians: A Meeting of Cousins

On a lovely Sunday afternoon in Boston, my Royal H. mixte ran into a cousin... an ANT Lady's Boston Roadster of the same colour.

I promise the ANT is not mine. But whoever it was built for certainly has a similar taste in bicycles.

Sage green loop frame, cream Delta Cruiser tires, brown leather saddle, cork grips and huge copper panniers - I think the combination looks great. And notice that the rims are powdercoated the same colour as the frame.

It's fairly accurate to say that my Royal H. and this ANT are related. Not only because both were made by Bostonian frame builders and have similar "complexions," but also because some time ago Mike Flanigan (of ANT) gave Bryan Hollingsworth (of Royal H.) the new-old-stock mixte lugs that made the construction of my bicycle possible.

Like my mixte, the ANT roadster was built with racks and dynamo lighting. Looking at the "cycling landscape" in Boston today, I think it is important to credit ANT for resurrecting the notion that transport bikes should be built with these features. I see more and more bicycles now with dynamo lighting, whereas as recently as a year ago people would stop and ask me why my front hub was so large, amazed when I would explain that the lights are powered by pedaling. And racks are now pretty much the norm on city bicycles, whereas a year or two ago they were an anomaly. ANT bikes, and the younger local builders whose work is influenced by them, played a crucial role in this change.

It is nice to live in a city that is home to so many excellent frame builders, and to spontaneously "meet" other local handbuilt bicycles. The bike pictured here was actually the second ANT I saw today. Earlier, I was stopped at an intersection and heard the cyclist behind me say "Sick bike! Where did you get it?" I started telling him about Royal H. and handbuilt frames, then realised that he was riding a black ANT when he pulled up beside me. "Hey, yours is an ANT!" What a weird thing to bond over, bicycles. Encounters like these make me feel like a character out of a 1950s sitcom, where neighbours wave and smile to one another and the mailman whistles a happy tune. 

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