Miss Clementine's Makeover

Miss Clementine before and after the bar and tire swap.

2020 is the year for Miss Clementine's upgrdes.

The reason for the update was two-fold: swapping handlebars to create a more aggressive posture plus create more comfortable alternative hand positions for longer rides, and a tire swap to improve handling and further lighten the bicycle.

To back up a bit:

First impressions of the stock 2016 Clementine (Clem-L to be exact) - in my opinion - were disappointing. Riding was sluggish, and the bike was heavier and longer than I expected.  But trusting Rivendell's reputation and with my desired low gears, I put my immediate reaction aside, The weak aspect was always the bosco handlebars - I disliked the angular, cruiser-type setup, but without knowing what exactly I would swap them with, I decided to live with them for a while, which, in the end, proved to be a wise decision. 

You gotta start somewhere. 

Once I inflated tires properly, went on a few tours, hauled weight, tested hills - that was when the magic began to happen. Miss Clementine seems to climb all by herself! Well, of course, not really, but the propulsion or planing (I think it's called) is rather extraordinary. Once I gain momentum, Miss Clementine is easier to ride. I liked the upright grip on the boscos and even the supplied Kenda tires worked well on dirt roads. Hmm. Like all my bikes, I needed time to sort out what I would change, for Miss Clementine has always been what I foresee as my new touring bike.

Soma Oxford bar is a near equivalent to Nitto Albatross, but less expensive. This aluminum bar replaced the stock Nitto alloy boscos and is much lighter. I gained 4" of forward reach, a position that's a more comfortable fit, with alternative gripping on the curves.

Weight matters as I grow older.

Miss Clementine is a little heavier than I would like in a touring bike. The step-through bones are good. Gearing is optimal. At the present, it's still the right bike for me with a few changes. As I grow older, it's harder to haul the same 40lbs. of gear when I was 30 years old, so paying attention to bike weight, and getting by with less camping gear is critical. I chose the Soma Oxford bars for better hand positions and swapped the Kenda tires for my preferred Panaracer Pasela's in gumwall version.

Ooooh, comfy gripping on the curves!

A world of difference.

Both changes have made a dramatic difference in comfort. Between finding a bar that works better, along with familiar tires, I've lightened the bike by an estimated 2 lbs. Benefits to the new bar include: lighter weight, aggressive reach, and I have gained back the ability to climb hills while standing on the pedals like a traditional flat bar bike. The new tires are slightly narrower (though both indicate 1.75" width). I still need to work on optimal rack setup, but already I want to ride this bike more.

Ride to Visit Little Free Libraries

In early May, seeking another motivational ride challenge, I visited registered Little Free Library boxes in Burlington, VT. The map displayed 16 locations. I found 12; 3 were missing; and one I could not visit one because of it's location inside a closed university building. During these strange times, many sites are offering cleaning wipes (with little trash cans for waste), puzzles, food items, stands offering local newsprint editions of Seven Days, bee polinator plants adorned one lawn complete with educational material, and another place even cataloged clothing for those in need (see yellow boxes in next photo). Each box was uniquely designed, the only commonality was their official labeling as a Little Free Library. I restrained myself to carrying home two books.

What became clear, after stumbling onto other non-official sites since my quest, is that there's an equal variety of undocumented sites with their own flair that are bright spots in our community. 

Little Miss Sunshine library is also a community resource for clothing and food.

Bike Blog Love - 8th Edition

Every year I seek out new bicycle blogs to follow. Here's my annual ode to a new (or at least new to me) batch of two-wheeled bloggers. Spread the link love!

HandsOnBike

I discovered this blog while researching possible upgrades and pannier solutions to my Dahon, Boardwalk, but have since followed his thorough evaluation of other projects. Check out how much work he put into his Boardwalk.

Super Biker Woman's Bike Touring
Colleen lives in the Pacific Northwest and loves to bike tour alone or with friends. I admire that she sets out with a general route idea and let's the days evolve from there.

My Life on Two Wheels
Heike travels the world and is an amazing photographer. She writes from the heart.

Adventure Cycling Blog
Some thought provoking material and good advice for those new to bike travel.

Bye Bye Trek 830 Antelope

Too small frame, no longer fitting anyone in our family.

Over several sessions, I broke down my once beloved Trek 830 Antelope, kept parts that might come in handy on our other old mountain bikes, and donated the frame to Old Spokes Home, where magic happens and they will rebuild it back up again for someone to use as transportation. 

I haven't seen this bike without a rack since 1985.

 Deore LX derailleur looks to still be in good shape.

Letting the crank and sprockets go with the bike.

In 1994 all the original Suntour components were replaced with the recommended Shimano group set, in preparation for our around the world journey.  As I lovingly dismantled the bike, I noted that the only thing still original were the stem and handlebars - a testament to how long these old mountain bikes can last and why they still make wonderful commuter bikes.

I have no regrets - how liberating to part with an ill fitting bicycle!

I'm now down to a manageable 4 bicycles.

Moving on from Bosco Handlebars

Soma Oxford (upper, darker version) vs Rivendell Bosco. Comparison, using whatbars.com

I know I'm not the only one who dislikes Rivendell's bosco bars. While Miss Clementine is suited to upright riding, I've always felt that sitting like a queen with all my weight on the seat wasn't right for me, especially my intended purpose, which is for long rides, overnights, and touring. Also, though the grip position on the ends of the bars are quite comfortable - stellar, really - however, alternative hand positions on the bar are just awkward. The height and reach difference is too dramatic. After 3+ years of experimenting, I'm ready for a change.

I have long admired the svelte, sexy look of the Albatross bars. Soma's version, the Oxford, is a more affordable option.

The slightly wider Granola bars compared with Oxford and Bosco.

At the same time, I'd been advised online to try the VO Granola bars, which I'm also attracted to. I was all set to order both bars (I want options and may have a place for the unused one) because I want the nail down the perfect bar this summer. In addition, I have a shorter, removable faceplate stem, which might come in handy to get my desired body position.

But then I discovered both stem clamp diameters are 25.4 and the Granola bars require a 31.8. Ugh.

Bosco vs VO Curvy. Would this bar work with shorter stem?

Needless to say, I'm overwhelmed with bar options. I may need to go down the rabbit hole of searching RBW Google Group - someone must've posted a similar question. But I thought I'd also throw out the question to my readers: Does anyone have suggestions for an aluminum bar that can handle thumbshifters, brakes, plus give alternative hand positions without too much reach? And how wide is too wide for a bar on the Clementine?