Unless you buy a bespoke bicycle built to your exact requirements, chances are that the off-the-hook bike you buy will not fit quite as you like. If the misfit is little more than an inconvenience, you can live with it. But if the bike’s components cause pain, chances are you can put that to rights by swapping for a different part. When Tamia bought a stock-built Surly Long Haul Trucker, it fit pretty well right out of the box. Except for the handlebars. They were too narrow. How’s that? Read on and you’ll find out.
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by Tamia Nelson | January 30, 2018<

Several years ago I bought a complete-build 42-cm Surly Long Haul Trucker touring bike by mail from JensonUSA. From the start it was a perfect choice. Right out of the box I knew I’d swap out the saddle with a model I knew worked well for me, and I supplied the pedals. (Despite the “complete build” description, pedals are not usually included with better bikes.) But it wasn’t until I’d ridden the LHT … Continue reading »

Has riding your bike become a pain in the neck? Then take a close look at the bike’s stem.
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by Tamia Nelson | January 29, 2018

Have you found that riding your bike has become a pain in the neck? (Or back? Or shoulder?) If you have, the solution to the problem could require more than an attitude adjustment. You may need a shorter, higher stem. While standover height gets most attention from cyclists when they’re shopping for a bike, reach is important, too. If you have to stretch to reach the bars, or if you find yourself forced into an exaggerated “racing crouch” when you really want to sit tall in the saddle, the answer might be a smaller frame. Or it could be as simple as swapping out your stem.

As luck would have it, I didn’t have to. My Surly Long Haul Trucker had a short, high-rise stem right out of the box. But then I changed my handlebars, and the stock stem wouldn’t accommodate the new bars’ larger-diameter tubing. So I needed to … Continue reading »

Do you have trouble finding your tools when you have to do a roadside repair? Then you need a tool roll. The good news? You can make a custom one for yourself, and it need not cost a cent. Tamia shows you how.
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by Tamia Nelson | 24 January, 2018

When I head out on trips that will take me more than an hour’s hike from home — and that’s most of the trips I take — I carry a roadside repair kit in addition to my seat-pack tools and the rest of my cycling gear.

For a long time I carried tools in my handlebar bag, tucked away inside a plastic freezer bag. This wasn’t ideal. The tools rattled with every bump. More importantly, they weighed in at 2 pounds 4 ounces — about as much as a full quart water bottle. That’s a lot of weight to add to an already overloaded bar bag. I needed to find a better way. Luckily, I always mount a rack trunk or small pannier on my bike for longer rides, and … Continue reading »