Thoughts on Online vs Local Shopping

 

As I hunt for parts on my current build, I discovered that shopping in 2023 isn't much different than in 2020. I'm reusing as many parts from our current basement stash as possible. Tires were sitting around - our youngest son is a bike mechanic so he accumulates lots of everything! He found a used group set, but of course cables and housing are new. Saddle, rear rack, and water bottle cage are rehomed, and we're piecing a former triple crankset into a 2x setup; one ring is used, the other is new. I'm picky about handlebars so I ordered them online, using my industry discount. 

Even though the bike inventory is no longer problematic online, local shops can't carry everything. The situation is the same with other items. Take computers, for example. I ordered a refurbished model online at Best Buy to save money, even though their store location is 10 miles away. Their online outreach is broader. I tried to buy gouache paint at our local Michaels craft store - they told me to get it online! The same thing with fabric - I was looking for a particular color of rip-stop nylon for a project. I pedaled to a Joann's store but came up short. At home, I easily ordered 1 yard and it's getting delivered in a week, combined with other items in my cart to save on shipping. 

I'm not sure how I feel about shopping locally anymore for hard goods. I don't mind searching in one store, but my browsing days are over. Gas is expensive and visiting shopping malls across town, in my opinion, is just not worth it. Sure, I can still bike there, but the pandemic has altered my shopping habits. It's easier to shop from home and be done with it. 

Have your shopping patterns changed?

Branching Out - More Local Riding Adventures

Bassi Rachel in her home environment, her curves blending in with a water-themed railing along the Saint Lawrence River.

Much like earlier in 2023, we're making an effort to ride in different areas. With the Canadian border an easy crossing, we headed to Montreal, pedaling a much-loved route: riding the Lachine Canal then looping back through the wonderful parks and trails along the Saint Lawrence River.

Free parking on the street means documenting where you left the car!

Nearby, I spotted another purple fade Specialized specimen - likely a similar year to mine.

I loved this art installation.

We hung out to watch a lock in operation.

LVRT- Cambridge to East Fairfield and back.

In Vermont on a solitary ride, I pedaled out and back on a newly re-opened section of the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail. 

My husband and I hope to tour the entire 95 miles, once the whole trail is repaired from July's devastating floods.

This trail will be a treasure to locals and tourists.

Another adventure included a friend, biking from our house, and looping Grand Isle.

Purple asters were gorgeous on the roadsides.

I've ridden portions of the island but never a complete circumnavigation. There were stunning vistas on West Shore Road and East Shore Road of Lake Champlain.

Our friend Catherine, who would later join us in Canada.

Close to home, mountain bike forays included lovely mossy meanderings... 

discovering safer features over an irrigation pipe...

and the beginning of fall color.

September and October have made up for a hot, humid, and wet summer. There's so much more to explore!

Moving for the Soul

15 miles of mountain biking in the lovely, shaded and quiet Ethan Allen/Mackenzie Park Trails. They're dried out now from July's floodwaters. The nettles are thankfully flattened, but it took a lot of work to clear debris and saw fallen trees.

It's helpful to keep moving, diversifying local routes, and in this time when we can plan adventures, finally, sometimes health quirks place us mentally back in pandemic times. Put one front in front of the other and don't look too far ahead. 

Both the Caulkins and MacKenzie Trails skirt farmland and zigzag along the Winooski Riverbank with water views.

With an age gap between me and my husband - he's free to travel and set his own schedule - and thus what a wonderful two months he's had in 2023, traveling thousands of miles, visiting family and friends, pedaling long distance trails and hiking high points. But his health has thrown curveballs, too. Often he overdoes physical work at home and at a summer residence, where seemingly minor tweaks accumulate and turn into debilitating back injuries that take weeks to heal. I'm hopeful he recovers in time for my planned vacation time - I'm still working - in September, because from day one, we're the best traveling partners.

Choose from meandering trails or a dirt road throughout the Winooski River bottomland - a local treasure,
whether walking or riding.

After a wonderful ride on the Erie Canal Trail (where my husband's fitness put me to shame) but then we had a thwarted July adventure, due to Vermont's terrible flooding, when I badly need a vacation. In the meantime, for my peace of mind, I have a quasi backup adventure just in case my husband can't make it.

Specialized Hard Rock Ultra - a Surprise Find

Specialized Hard Rock Ultra, my new gravel tourer?

I didn't intend to add a Specialized Hard Rock to a perfect number of bicycles - four - all with distinct characteristics, but I have missed the Trek 830 Antelope's amazing utility, a bike I parted with in 2020 because of poor fit. 

I'd never seen this colorway until @Bobbinnsprocket on Instagram built one up for herself. Since then, it's been on my radar. The color and style also satisfied my goals to one day own a purple bike - half purple is close enough - and paired with pink is stunning.

Our younger son is a bike mechanic and spotted the bike soon after it arrived at his workplace. The rest is history. He stripped it, knowing (his way of insisting) I might like to build the Hard Rock from a blank slate.

The frame condition is remarkable for it's age - I believe it's a 1993 vintage. While the gorgeous frame would lend itself to a resto-mod build, I plan to reuse parts from my stash, triple crank set, and including a Blackburn rear rack with around-the-world patina. I also like the looks of Denham handlebars or VO Crazy Bars, but will attempt a DIY approach, perhaps using bar ends strategically and safely placed on a curved riser bar. It's the utility that matters the most to me.

Wide Gumwall tires should lend comfort on hand-built rims - our son's surprise gift. 

Since I'm not in a hurry, and with my son's guidance, I plan to put it together myself - first time for everything!

I envision this bicycle as a dirt road, rail trail, touring rig. Perhaps without fenders.

Cable guides need cleaning.

How to begin? Our son says he starts with wheels. In the meantime, I have specific grips and pedals in mind. I'd love to reuse the Shimano thumbshifters - so classy - but I know my hands won't tolerate the required strength to move them easily anymore. Easy to adjust V-brakes win out over cantilevers. The rest will sort itself out under the mechanic's tutelage.

The Most Versatile Bike Bag - Repurposing for the Win

It's more than a trunk bag...

Reconfiguring this old, oversized Gregory fanny pack into a versatile bike bag has been my most satisfying project to date.

The rugged Gregory backpacks from the late 1980s were constructed of Cordura material with numerous pockets, strong zippers with leather zipper pulls, and a myriad of accessory attachments. I got rid of the backpack a few years ago, but kept the removeable top pocket plus a gargantuan, overengineered, fanny pack that could be used with the backpack's hip belt. 

I decided the fanny pack, already embellished with external zippered pocket, four webbing loops on the bottom, straps with buckles that could be configured in different ways, plus a daisy chain webbing along the top would lend itself - simply by its features - to an interesting bike bag conversion. Like I mentioned, this fanny pack was overengineered and because of that I don't recall ever using it for it's intended purpose more than a handful of times. 

The Process

I slimmed the overall width (upper left photo) by cutting off the padded sleeve, opening up the side wings, removing the stiffeners, and pulling in and restitching the sides to form a shorter bag. The height stayed to same, that way I could use the zippers as is. Upper right photo shows the flaking internal coating - though the exterior is in great shape. The rear of the pack came with an internal stiffener, so the plan was to stiffen the bottom (lower left photo, a piece of ground pad) and front while also covering the peeling inside, attaching a piece of old green jacket (lower right photo). The cutting, piecing, and sewing was difficult - between wedging the pack into the sewing machine and getting the dimensions just right, I broke 6 needles, and gave up toward the end, so I hand-sewed the last two inches. I even went so far as to leave an opening in the green material so the blue piece is removable should I decide I don't want it in the future.

Bottom view - affix hook and loop to existing webbing straps to secure the bag to any rack.

The retrofit didn't cost anything - I even had double-sided hook and loop attachments from my stash, though I wondered how strong they would prove to be. Like my other projects, I think about the process a lot before starting, then often work slowly, reevaluating as I go because sometimes new ideas prove invaluable.

The water bottle holder was constructed with pieces of the large Gregory backpack.

First test was heading for a sunset picnic on the Dahon. I attached the four bottom attachments to the rack, then looped one buckle/strap around the seat post for extra measure. 

Additional views of the setup. Note the versatility with the two buckled strap attachments.

Carrying a lightweight picnic blanket under the second strap.

The pack didn't budge! Now I have a "trunk bag" for my folding bike.

The bag also performed flawlessly as a front carrier. Like attaching to the rear rack, all four bottom attachments are secured to the front rack, with the other two straps wrapped around the rack and fastened to lend extra strength.

I carried home a 4-pack without any wobble!

I had recently borrowed my husband's mountain bike front handlebar bag for extra storage and understood how useful it could be. There isn't enough storage in my small frame wedge for more than a lock, wallet, and phone - and wanting extra space on my mountain bike rides for a first aid kit, snacks, and extra clothing, etc. I wondered if the new purple pack would work.

The photo illustrates how I threaded the two straps through the daisy chain webbing and over the bars, tightly secured! I can access the exterior pocket easily, and the internal area by lifting the cables out of the way, but certainly doable.

There is plenty of clearance above the tire.

The bag efficiently fits three of my bikes - a testament to the existing, multiple attachment points, plus added internal stiffeners. I never expected this outcome - not in my wildest dreams!

Fanny packs are sold with the ability to attach to handlebars, or handlebar bags converted to a purse, but I've never seen a pack that's as versatile as this one.  (Let me know if you have. :) )