philly bike expo 2022

 

I don't go to the Philly Bike Expo expecting to buy anything in particular, although I've never walked out with al the cash with which I entered. I don't go expecting to find anything I can use in my cycling, although I have found useful items. 

I go to be surprised, appalled, and delighted with the world of cycling.

We'll get to the pretty bikes later (of course we will!). I wanna rant for a little bit first. 

I can't believe I didn't get pictures, but Silca had a booth. Silca makes cycling accessories, and the accessories they make are beautiful and expensive. Silca, for example, made pumps years ago, that were high-quality, rebuildable, and expensive for the time. The company stopped production; the name was resuscitated, and the Silca pumps you get now start at $150 and go up to $500. This is not just a pump; this is jewelry.

But Paul Component Engineering had a booth:

...as did White Industries:

Both make beautiful, if expensive, components that are actually used. I'm just a sucker for the fine machine work.

Other companies are making interesting components: this AARN is making sculpted chainrings:

... and Ignite is making similarly sculpted (and colored) cranks.

Advocacy groups take a number of the booths, and it pleases my anti-capitalist, anti-misogynist, homophilic soul to see them. 

Above, promoting African-American men in cycling. Not to be outdone...

A personal note: I volunteer at the New Brunswick Bike Exchange, and we partner with this Girls in Gear program, getting young girls on bikes.

I'd met Gabrielle, but introduced myself again at the booth. She was so taken with the support we offer that she gave me a "Boy in Gear" hat as a supporter. I was touched. I now have headgear I will wear regularly when I'm at the Bike Exchange.

OK, more neat bike stuff. This Golden Velo is a source for new old stock.

The folks at Bike List see their venture as a bike-specific alternative to Ebay.

But I mostly go to see the beautiful bikes. There wasn't a lot of carbon fiber this year (I didn't see many of the big manufacturers), nor were there any e-bikes that I noticed (I suspect the e-bike manufacturers are established now, and know that this show isn't really their crowd). But here's some of the steel bikes:

Above: Drillium!

That bike above, with the tall frame and the suspended, crocheted saddle, is a modern remake of a bike that was manufactured last century. I wish I could remember the name of the original. Edit 11/1/22: The originals are Pedersen bikes. I feel better for having found out!

There will be more steel bike pics... but I was also taken with the number of titanium bikes:

If you've got way too much money, and want to hide some by giving me a huge gift certificate to Merlin Bikes, I promise to play along.

And just because I can, more steel bikes:

So I didn't see the specific stuff I was looking for. I still wound up spending way too much on a portable tool set and note cards. (Yes, I still use note cards in 2022. I also wear neckties, wear a wristwatch, and listen to dead white guy music.)

i think i found the squeak

 The Yellow Maserati, my titanium bike (which is neither yellow, not a Maserati), has had this persistent and annoying squeak. In an earlier post, I pointed out that I had lubed, adjusted, and swapped out parts... but in the following ride, the noise was still bad enough that I got a number of rude comments, one, for example, about riding among a flock of songbirds.

The squeak occurred in time with the pedal stroke. I decided the problem might be the saddle, and I think I found it. That Selle Anatomica I ride has an adjustment bolt in a specialty fitting... and the fitting has developed serious wear (you can see it on top in the photo above). For reasons we need not go into here, I have another one, which you can see lower in that photo, with no such wear. I've swapped them out, and we'll see if the squeak disappears.

If it does, when this one develops the squeak, I'll have an excuse to try that Brooks Cambium C17 Carved on which I've had my eye.

plain jim goes to the philly bike expo

It's not true that the only reason I went to the Philly Bike Expo this year was to talk to this builder (and I didn't get the opportunity)...

... but I did get her card, and I do love that frame, with the sculpted dropouts, the rococo lug work, and the over-the-top anodization (even the COGSET, for heaven's sake). On her website, she suggests sending an email, and I'm just smitten enough to do it. Who knows? I'm retiring in a couple years, and maybe this will be my outlandish, over-the-top purchase before I do. (I'm going to build it up with my own wheels and mechanicals anyway, and I won't have to put up with internal cable routing or disk brakes if I don't wanna, right?) Besides, she's got a great look, herself.

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The website said they opened at 9 so I was there shortly thereafter... not knowing that 9 was for industry insiders only (I didn't see that anywhere). After I got a little huffy (unusual for me), they let me in anyway. I have a bone to Pick with Selle Anatomica, so I walked around a bit to cool off before dropping in there.

Bicycle art:

I got some too-expensive notecards from this one:

I was taken by the use of sequins and costume jewels:

So I decided to drop in on Selle Anatomica. I use one of their saddles; it's the best thing for me that I've tried (and I've tried a lot!). It's leather, and needs some protection from the weather, so when I heard after last year's Expo that they were making a saddle with rubber instead, I pre-ordered. That was a year to the day from today's show. I brought out a copy of my credit card statement and waved it in front of Carol at their booth, intending to exercise some high dudgeon (pardon the terrible quality of the picture):

Well, with just the right combination of charm and patience, Carol told me of their woes with the manufacturing and ordering processes, and assured me that orders that I had been led to believe had shipped, had not, and that I was still on the list for the first to go out. The saddles are in and assembled, except for one part that needs adjustment and replacing; they hope to ship in two weeks.

I'm mollified.

There are a lot of bikes.

And trikes. Recumbent, of all things.

And accessories of all types, but some of these pictures I got because of the excellent characters making and selling the products.

I'm a sucker for beautiful machine work. These companies make great parts that I'll never buy, but they are simply beautiful.

One of the vendors I DID want to see was HipLok. They make all manner of bicycle security stuff... but the thing I'd seen online that nailed me was, essentially a steel-reinforced zip tie with a quick-release key (they also have a combination model).

It's not for all-day security, but it looks like just the thing for a quick run into a shop, when you don't want someone just jumping onto your bike and riding away. It will slow someone down for a few minutes, maybe, or make them move on to the next bike. They're light and fit into a pocket. I got a couple, and The Excellent Wife (TEW) has already hooked one. I may need to get more.

And, of course, socks. I got two pair.

If I can't collect bikes, I can collect socks.

One exhibitor had a display of neat old bikes. An early recumbent:

A Rene Herse!

...and what I'm sure is a new bike made to look old.

Because of Ricky G's Cinelli project, I had to get these pictures:

E-bikes are a happenin' thing, and may be a consideration for my transport needs as I age. Shimano had their version out...

...and this Alizeti has a system that can be added to almost any bike that can take a rear rack (and you can still use the rear rack!).

I've got to talk to TEW about these for when we go to a one-car family.

More stuff:

This guy below is making bike bag and stuff out of recycled signage. Can you see that under-the-downtube splash guard that's made of a corrugated plastic sign? Ugly, but ingenious.

The woman below goes by the name "A Quick Brown Fox".  She's on a mission to bring diversity to bicycle racing, and she's doing it in the best way possible: by scoring well.

And, of course, lunch at the Reading Terminal Market. Well, it's not like I'm gonna get that close and not stop in, right?