city bike

So in an effort to dispel the gloomy bits of the long weekend, I'm posting about my commuter bike project (even though I won't be commuting on it). A few years ago, I bought a hybrid bike: half mountain bike, half upright cruiser, and none of the best parts of either; it was an idea that was good in theory but didn't work out. Below are a couple of pictures of the model, a Giant Cypress, but mine is blue and white:

Here's another:

Aluminum frame, suspended fork and seatpost (which makes setting the height difficult, because the seatpost settles after a while), basic bike. Cheap crank/gearset in front; the front gears (chainrings) are not individually replaceable, and I fixed an alignment problem with a hammer and pliers. It was not a bike I could love.

I found I kept fooling around with the handlebar height, making it lower and lower. I finally decided that what it really needed was drop bars: those underslung handlebars common on racing bikes. That meant I had to change the shifters and brake controls, too. I didn't want to pop out the money for integrated brake/shifters, as are common on most high-end bikes, and the frame wasn't drilled for downtube shifters, so I went for these bar-end shifters from Velo Orange. The brakes needed these long-pull V-brake levers from Rivendell (they may be available elsewhere, but Rivendell and Velo Orange specialize in this cool, retro, hard-to-find stuff). For the bars, I went with a Nitto classic drop bar. Nitto is a name to reckon with in the bike world, and, after installing this bar, I can see why; it's beautiful, and quality.

I've built it up with a more relaxed riding position than the road bike (it took some doing; I couldn't get the measurements right). I've been out on it a number of times, and it rides well: not near as zippy as the road bike, but not as far from it as I would have thought. I ride it in my civilian clothes, though, and after going through a few puddles on a dry day, I got as wet as I would walking through a light rain.

So yesterday I installed fenders. The SKS fenders from Rivendell are available in silver color (although the fenders themselves are plastic) and fit a number of wheel & tire sizes... which means that the fenders have to be "tuned" to the bike. Installation takes a bit of patience, and it's more of an art than a science. They set up attractively, though, and there's no mechanical interference with wheel rotation, braking, steering, or shifting. I was afraid the bike might look silly, but I don't think it does. I'll post a picture when I get my act together to do so. The bike may have sprouted a rack by then - you never know - but I like this bike way better now than when I bought it.