Bike Hugger 

Pam’s been testing a Sealline Urban Shoulder Bag for a couple weeks and reports that she likes it’s light weight, styling, and features, but found that the carrying handle was too small and the shoulder strap twisted when riding.

Jerry Baker has been riding in the Northwest since the roads were dirt, back when shorts were wool, chamois were leather, and you switched gears by removing the wheel and flipping it around. Here’s Jerry with a new Davidson

I’ll admit to being a bit of a label-hound when it comes to my bike stuff, but other times I want the cheapest part to do the job. Then there’s that special case where the brand name part is the SAME as the knock off. Apart from graphics and color - these wheel bags are identical. I have a couple of each in my garage right now and after inspection it turns out they are the same. I got the Performance bags for $9 on sale!

I’m a big fan of wheel bags. Keep yourself and your car clean if you need to lug them around. Protect them fragile spokes from people trying to pack overstuff the trunk on the way to the race.

The Attack wheels have been on my Trek for a week now and I’m reluctant to give them back.

First off they are Carbon Clinchers – “Everyday Carbon” they say. How cool is that? I prefer tubulars for race day, but I can guiltlessly ride these to work without fear of being stranded with a flat. I’ve been running them in place of my Bontrager Race-X-Lite Aeros and the difference is noticeable.

Reading about Cascade’s High Pass Challenge and the related High Performance Cycling group, I thought that has all the elements of a bike race, ‘cept they don’t call it a race.

The HPC is for the Cascade cyclist that wants to “ride fast, hard, far, and climb hills.” The High Pass challenge is an epic ride and whether they call it racing or not, you can bet cyclists are thinking right now of how to win it, place, set a personal best, or drop that dude that’s dangling just behind them and doesn’t take a pull.

I first noticed the grizzly bear, then a girl in boots with a russian hat, and now the wolves on columns under the West Seattle Bridge near the Spokane Street Swing Bridge. I think they’re lithographed decals and wonder who the artist is … anyone know?

From Gregg’s Cycle’s blog is a post explaining their renovation/addition to the Greenlake store, move of Aurora Store to Alderwood, and construction of larger Bellevue location. When completed Gregg’s Greenlake will feature a two-story 10,000 square foot addition for a total of 18,400 square feet making it the largest cycling store in the Northwest.

Gregg’s Greenlake has been there since 1932 and started their business renting bikes.

Natalie was in Pike Place Market, standing next to a Bianchi, chatting with her friend from Team Group Health about bikes, messenger bags, and more.

A bit worried and wondering where in Japan Mark V is (we haven’t heard in a week and it wasn’t sounding too good for his knee), I’ve been checking a few Japanese blogs for any mention and found a Message to Fixie Riders: You Are Not Alone from Neomarxisme that laments hipster fixies and sarcastically acknowledges that

“this is the single most important change in the way we think about mobility and there will be no turning back.”

Check all the comments on that post for the lively discussion. In regards to an important change in mobility, note that that latest issue of Bicycle Quarterly is chock full of old bikes that were either fixed, single-speed or used flip-flop hubs. Example is the 1950 René Herse fixed-gear winter training bike.

Now that carbon frames are ubiquitous, that super-light frame of yours just isn’t turning heads like it used to. Lucky for you, my narcissistic friend, several companies’ new high-tech composite frames are sure to turn the tables back in your favor, and there’s little danger of wide adoption. I am of course referring to wooden frames.

Concept bikes from GP Design Partners and Waldmeister use traditional layering-and-molding methods to create these beautiful frames: