Cycling

Links:

• General cycling product reviews
• Bicycle lighting product reviews
• Steve Bauer Caurus Bike
• Campagnolo innovation

So I'm a bit of a cycling nut. I ride primarily road and on city errands, with some off-road trail riding sprinkled in to mix things up.

I've been extremely pleased with my main cycling machine, a 2007 Giant OCR1 road warrior. It's rolled over 76,000 km so far. The only blip I've had is the FSA bottom bracket prematurely packing it in at just 8,000 km. Of course, over time I've also replaced all the expected wear items, namely tires, chains, cassettes, chainrings, cables & housing, and brake pads. The midnight blue/natural brushed aluminum frame with natural polished silver rims look (which is understated and classic), has stood the test of time.

My first decent quality bike was a 1991 Steve Bauer Caurus mountain bike. Yep, many Canadians will remember the line of Steve Bauer branded bikes sold at Canadian Tire. This was the bike that got me into a lifelong dedication to cycling. It deserves its own tribute page.

I did by way of accident, end up with an unexpected addition to my little fleet of bikes - an orphaned mid 2000s-ish Arashi Celcius mountain bike. This is a CAD$150 Sport Chek special (ignore the fake CAD$200 anchor price); high tensile steel frame, single wall aluminum rims, nutted axles (non quick release), 18 speed Falcon/Microshift drivetrain, and Chang Star steel V-brakes. Thankfully, it has a rigid fork. Overall, it compares surprisingly not that far off from what I remember of that Steve Bauer Caurus I had 25 years ago.

The Arashi Celcius came as a surplus freebie. It was in very good and serviceable shape, and it deserved to be kept well away from the scrap metal recyclers. Crucially, the small 16" frame actually fit me (cheap mass market bikes are usually only offered in one or two large sizes) I opined that I could find a use for it, glady accepted it, and the rest is history.

So with the addition of full fenders and some nicer/lighter/faster slick tires for the summer, and winter tires otherwise, the Celcius has found an extremely useful role as a wet weather, city commuter, and winter bike. So useful in fact, that I'd give up my (leisure oriented) mountain bike before this modest little workhorse. I normally avoid using my nicer bikes when the roads are damp, or when there's reasonable threat of rain. So the Celcius has opened up a new world of freedom to me. I highly recommend it (any inexpensive, used bike for utility purposes).