A lot of us like to ’simplify’ our drivetrains by either converting a multi-speed bike to a single speed/fixie or by building them from a bare frame. I built this Ibex X-ray Single Speed back in October of ‘05 for commuting purposes.

I’ve been wanting to convert this bike into a 1X9 for a while — this set up is more versatile and allows for my friends to borrow this bike and go ride with me.

Here are the details of my conversion:

First, I began by removing the single speed kit using my trusty Ice Toolz Cassette remover, then I installed the 9 speed cassette on the freehub.

Next was removing the chain by using a chain breaker:

then I installed the rear derailleur, yep, a Dura-ace derailleur that I scored for cheap on Ebay.

I then installed a Soulchain 9 speed chain using a method to size the chain described here.

Although I have a pair of STI Dura-ace shifters, I didn’t want to change my current setup, so I opted to go ‘old school’ by installing a Suntour Friction bar end shifter given to me by our good friend Ghost Rider.

I then had to go to my LBS to purchase the shifter cable, housing, the BB guide and a new bar tape.

Here’s how I guided the cabling:

After removing the old bar tape, I installed the new bar tape so I can conceal the shifter cable. I chose yellow bar tape so it can match the color scheme of the bike and to be more visible to motorists.

I rode the bike around the block, after a few adjustments the bike shifts very smooth and it is ready to ride to work!

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Besides riding our bikes to work, doing reviews, covering events, and writing for local newsletters (scroll down to read Jack’s article), we also like to participate in different events. This year, we are co-sponsoring the “LB Bike to Work day” and we will also be a part of the Urban Commuter Expo in Pasadena, CA and the Bicycle Bash by the Bay in St. Petersburg, FL.

What do we do at these events? We promote bike commuting by taking bikes and accessories and passing out information on who we are and what our mission is. We also give away a bunch of stuff from companies that support bike commuting such as KHS Bicycles, Bumblebar, Redline Bicycles, SweetSkinz tires and CitraWipes. So if you see this banner, come on by and say hello!

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Two quotes run through my head when I ride the bike. First, “Nothing Gold Can Stay” by Robert Frost. Second, a quote from the article on Large Fella on a Bike in the latest Rivendell Reader. He was recalling what a music teacher once told him, “We honor our instruments through use.” The bike is so pretty I don’t want to scratch the paint. However, it’s meant to be “well loved.”

Needless to say, I’ve already taken a few chunks of paint out of it so it’s getting used. However, it does hurt a little to see the pretty bits of orange flake off.

Out of the box, the Bilenky isn’t going to carry a whole lot (unless what you’re carrying happens to be larger than the dimensions of the front rack). This is where something like the Xtracycle shines with it’s bags, which I think are some of the most well-designed pieces of carrying luggage ever invented. In the pics above, I’ve used some electrical tape and old tubes to help cover the paint, but to also create a more tacky surface for loads on the rack.

In this pic, I’ve wrapped some 2 foot wide marine safety netting around the rack. It goes around the rack about four times and acts as a soft bottom sling. This stuff is actually pretty cool. Very light weight, sturdy and I can adjust the tension of the surface by either making the wrap really tight or loose. I can also slip things in between the layers. Granted, this wouldn’t carry a fistful of nickles, but for everything else it works great. I’m working on creating a new sling made out of Cordura with adjustable cam straps so it doesn’t look like Spiderman pooped on the front of my bike.

Here’s a shot of my tripod and a canvas wrap containing a lightstand, umbrella and softbox. They are a bit longer than the rack and perfectly under the sling.

On top of that goes my Pelican case, all of it held together with some nice strong tie-downs.

The view from the cockpit when the bars are turned. Notice you can’t see the front wheel at all.

Handling:
The first question I get asked is, “Is it weird riding that thing?” Yes. Like any new bike, the handling characteristics are unfamiliar. I can say, however, after 300 miles it’s second nature. It steers more like a Cadillac than a Porsche. I find it is better to lean into turns than to twist the handlebars. It is a little disconcerting at first to turn the bars and not see a front wheel turn. You realize how much of a visual indicator the front wheel is for your steering.

When unloaded, the front feels a little light and squirrelly. Once you get a load on front, the steering gets dampened and its a joy to ride. You feel like a ship’s captain.

Climbing:
My biggest concern about the bike was that I wouldn’t be able to stand while climbing. I have found that this is not the case. Granted, I was wobbly the first week, but now I can climb sitting or standing without a problem. It’s actually easier than with the Xtracycle in some ways because the load on the Bilenky is always centered. With the Xtra, I found that I had to get the rear bags relatively evenly loaded to be able to climb well while standing.

Why the Bilenky over an Xtracycle, Bakfiets, Long John?
I prefer the Bilenky over the Xtracycle because there is no flex. The “boom tube” on the Bilenky is huge and really inspires confidence as to carrying large and heavy loads. The Xtracycle wins in terms of the bags, but with some ingenuity the Bilenky can be modified with bags or a sling. I also find that I also like being able to watch my gear while riding. After doing standing climbs on both the Xtra and Bilenky, I prefer the Bilenky again for the lack of flex and also the fact that the load is always centered.

Compared to a Bakfiets and LongJohn, I prefer the Bilenky for many reasons. One of them is weight. I think my Bilenky weighs in at about 45lbs. A Bakfiets with a box is about 90lbs. Not sure about the Long John, but I am almost positive it’s more than 45lbs. The Bilenky is also made to take a derailleur system (or can be customized to whatever you want). The Bakfiets is limited to an 8spd internal. Most Long Johns are 3spd. I think the biggest advantage of the Bilenky is the ride geometry. My setup is relatively upright but not Dutch upright and also allows me to stretch out by changing hand positioning. The Bakfiets and Long John, from what I have seen and read are pretty upright and can be a bit cramped.

That’s it for now. I’ll write another review when I break a 1000 miles.

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Check out this bike from BucketBike.com. I’m looking for something like this to take my kids to school since they will be going to the same school next year. Bucket Bikes will be at the Urban Commuter expo in Pasadena, we will make sure that we swing by and get more info on their line of bikes.

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Our buddy Vince Calvillo was at the City of Angels ride in the exhibitor area and he told me that I could take any bike to test, so I came home with a KHS Flite 100.

I picked this fixed geared bike because it is very unassuming; no flashy wheels, no weird handlebars and it comes with a front brake.

I prepped the bike last night for today’s commute, I added a rear blinkie, a mirror and a handlebar water bottle holder. Yeah, I know, the water bottle holder looks kind of hacky, but I do get thirsty on my 21 mile commute.

It has been a while since I’ve ridden a fixed gear bike, but fortunately I got used to it right away… except for the pedals. The Flite 100 comes with pedals with toe clips and straps; I never liked them, so for tomorrow’s commute, the pedal duty belongs to my Crank Bros Quattro Sl.

Today’s commute was interrupted by a phone call from my daughter’s school, she was not feeling well so I had to turn around and ride back to go and pick her up. Since I was a little worried about her, I was not able to compile a lot of detailed observations on how the Flite 100 rides. All I can say is that the ride was rather smooth and fast.

I’ll be riding this bike to work primarily — come back for the updates.

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Simple shoes sent us a pair of their EcoS EcoSneaks shoes to feature on the site. If you are not familiar with Simple, here’s what they are all about :

With all the over-built, over-hyped products out there, it’s pretty hard to find sustainable shoes that you can live with. So we started Simple, your stereotypical, anti-stereotype brand offering good shoes and a big dose of reality.

About a gazillion pairs later… give or take a few… we’ve managed to learn a few things. Well, actually a lot of things. And none more important than this: HOW we make our shoes is just as important as WHY we make them. That means finding more sustainable ways of doing business so we can make a gazillion more.

Which pretty much is where we are today… at the crossroads of here and now, aware of our responsibility to the planet while trying to pay the bills. The nice little shoe company getting in touch with its inner hippie.

They use bamboo, organic cotton, recycle car and bike tires, hemp and other environment friendly materials.

Check out the specs of the EcoS EcoSneaks:

# The men’s ecoS contains no animal byproducts or even regular animal products. This shoe is vegan friendly and veggie friendly.
# Hemp uppers
# Yes, the sidewall of the ecoS is made from a recycled bike tire
# Organic cotton linings
# Recycled PET (that’s recycled plastic bottles) laces
# PET pedbeds
# Yes, that outsole used to be a car tire
# 100% post consumer paper pulp foot forms

I’ve been showing off the shoes to people, some liked the style, some didn’t care for it, but once I told them that the shoes are made out recycled materials, they all were surprised on how good they look. Since I’m used to wearing Vans, these shoes have the same feel, they have the flat sole and there’s no air cushions or gels or any of that over hyped ‘hi-tech’ stuff. I find them very comfortable to wear and to ride with.

Prices are reasonable as well, they range from $60 to $90 and they have lots of styles for men, women and children.

Check out www.SimpleShoes.com for more information.

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I had a rather dramatic Friday night and thought it would be of interest to the bikecommuters.com readers. Editors feel free to whittle down whatever you feel necessary. My name is David Bates and I comment under the name Jamis_Bater.

This past Friday I rode in to work like any other day. A group of guys took off early that day to go see Iron Man. It’s a sweet movie, two thumbs way up. Anyway, I rode to the theater 9 miles away. After the movie I had planned on riding home, but realized I forgot my garage door opener at work and had no other way in to my house. So I returned to the office to retrieve it.

About a mile from work I was heading down a hill and picking up speed quickly. I moved to the center of the lane as I was moving past some parallel parked cars on the side. As I was approaching an intersection up ahead I could see an SUV in the opposite lane slowing to take a left. It appeared that he saw me and was waiting for me to pass. There was also a red car at the intersection to my right ready to pull out across my path. I wasn’t quite sure if she could see me through the parked cars. So I had my attention on her as I was preparing to grab a handful of brake just in case. As I came past the cars I could see that she had seen me and was waiting, when all of a sudden out of my left vision I saw the SUV come right into my path.

I was traveling about 20-25 mph at the time. I had almost no time to react. I grabbed the brakes and stood up and a bit to the back. It happened so fast that all I thought was “this is gonna hurt bad.” I slammed into the side of his truck which was at a slight angle to me. He later admitted that he saw me at the last second and foolishly slammed on the brakes. That works OK if you are about to rear end someone, but not so much if you are crossing the path of oncoming traffic. I hit his truck midway, slid down the side of it, and was shot out the back. I landed on my rear in the middle of the intersection.

I’ve never hit anything so hard in my life, I was probably still going at least 20 mph. I think standing up on the pedals may have saved me from a closed head injury. I still slammed my face pretty hard on his truck, but it hit on the roof and not against the side where I’m sure I would have broken my neck. My shoulder, chest, right thigh, and right foot took most of the force against the side of his truck. In the photo I think you can see a dent in the roof-line that my shoulder made.

I never lost consciousness. I landed on the ground facing the rear of the truck. I watched the driver continue through the intersection and stop. I saw him jump out and saw a bunch of bystanders come running to help me out. I sat there on the ground for a while just slowly checking to see if everything was OK. I hurt, but not like anything was broken. Everything moved OK. So I stood up on my own, and was helped a bit to a corner. Someone took my bike to another corner, so I walked over to there. I couldn’t believe nothing was broken. I thought for sure just before impact that I was gonna break something, but nothing was broken. I’ve never broken a bone, so I was strangely thinking “well at last I’ll get to experience that.” I thought for sure I’d broken my nose or lost some teeth, but those were fine too. I was bleeding bad out the nose, but that was pretty much it for parts that were bleeding. I was hurt, but actually quite OK. I was pretty shocked. At some point I stood up and grabbed my phone from my trunk bag. I walked over and used the camera to take a shot of his license plate, and the damage to the side of his truck.

Now for the driver—I was obviously angry, but I didn’t want to get into it with him. But then he started in with the tired old “Are you OK man? I didn’t see you. I had no idea you were there until it was too late.” That’s when I laid in to him. I just looked at him and said firmly “I’m wearing a bright yellow vest, coming down the center of the lane, and was right in front of you. You didn’t see me because you didn’t bother to pay attention. You should try looking.” He was less than willing to accept his negligence and just kept saying “Look, it was an accident. I didn’t mean to hit you.” I got really hot at that. I told him I didn’t care if he meant to do it, he still did it. He wasn’t paying attention and almost killed me. He shot back with “you act like I meant to do it. I guess you aren’t the type that can accept an apology.” I really couldn’t believe it. My nose is gushing blood and he wants to chastise me because I’m not quick to absolve him of his guilt. I stopped talking to him and he went a few steps away.

One of the ladies that stopped to help me was a nurse. She took good care of me until she realized I was OK and the police had shown up. Paramedics also arrived and looked me over. I told them I didn’t think I needed to go to the emergency room. They couldn’t believe I was OK either. The police took our statements, to his credit the driver admitted to everything, and got a ticket. Everyone who saw it happen had this huge stare on their faces, like I should be in pieces. It was kind of funny and annoying at the same time.

I looked at my bike expecting the worse and found it to be in good shape too. The handlebars were headed in the wrong direction, so I straightened that out. Other than a nasty scratch on the right fork leg everything seemed to be fine. So I got back on it and rode to work like I had intended. That was one of the weirdest parts of the night. I was riding away from the wreck. People were offering me rides, but I figured “I’m actually OK, so why not?” I got my garage opener, then rode seven miles home. That was probably a good thing. It kept me loose and helped keep the blood flowing to my bruised up muscles. I’ve taken my bike to the shop for them to take a good look at. I think the right pedal got tweaked and the front derailler is bent.

For some added irony, that night on that road our city was having what is called “First Friday Art Walk.” All the art galleries and restaurants coordinate on the first Friday night of each month. It’s very popular in our town. This particular night being in May was being used to showcase bicycle awareness and advocacy. Advertisements were posted everywhere to encourage people to bring their bikes and ride the road I got smashed on.

It’s now a couple of days later and I feel OK. Any serious injury should have surfaced by now. I’m still very sore, but more like I feel when I do a heavy lifting workout or something. My neck hurts a bit and I have a slight headache which I will keep an eye on. But really with Tylenol I’m feeling good.

I’m a religious man, and I thank God for sparing me. Whether He miraculously spared me or just made me a rather flexible guy that can take a hit really doesn’t matter. I am just thankful that I was able to get up and ride away. Never let it be said though that roadies are a bunch of Lycra clad pansies. I slammed in to the side of a truck, got up, and finished my ride. I’m kinda proud of that.

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Back to the pancake breakfast. So we got there and fortunately there were a few families that actually rode bikes, cool! But if you check out the parking lot, as usual, bicyclists are minorities.

Here’s something that was kinda funny…check out the lock job on this. The dude’s wife had asked him if he should redo the way he locked the bikes to better protect them and all he said was…”eh, it should be fine…”

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Well right now I can only wish to see as many bikes on the streets as the above picture but I was pleasantly surprised at the increase of commuters I saw out on the streets today. I am not a big fan of the gas price increases but I have to say that I am happy to see more people riding their bikes because of it. On my short commute to work today I saw four other people on bikes today. That is a a new record for my commutes!

I was even happier to see another parent riding alongside their son to school on a bike today. I can only hope that the more often we ride with our kids that it will inspire other parents to leave their car in the garage and take a ride with the offspring.

Paying for gas sucks, and it sure is nice to see others catching on! I last heard gas prices will be in the realm of about $7 a gallon by end of the year and I am looking forward to seeing my streets filled with bicyclists! I am keeping hope alive!!! =D

Bike Commuter Essentials from PricePoint.com