Bicycle Revolutions

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

SsCxWc Philly: Friday Night, Bandit Cross!

Born from the cold heart of Minnesota, All-City Cycles and Bicycle Revolutions present Bandit Cross Philly to help kick off the SSCXWC13!

Details HERE

High Low Gift Guide - Gilets

Alright, so this isn't so much High vs Low so much as Hardcore vs Convenience. Gilet is just a fancy french word for vest, and gilets have a pretty solid place in any cyclist's repertoire. Let's see how many more french words I can sneak into this post...

Endura Windchill II gilet - $100

The Windchill II gilet is just about as sturdy and utilitarian as you can find. It has a wind and waterproof softshell front and thermal sides and back making it great for keeping your core warm. On the front is a zip chest pocket complete with a tethered glasses cleaning cloth and an internal media port aka hole for your headphones cord.

On the back are the standard three rear pockets along with a small waterproof zip pocket for keys/phone/what have you. Last and most amusing is the reflective strip right on your rear because let's be real, your backend is 90% of what anyone behind you is going to be seeing. Good thinking Endura!

Endura Pakagilet - $60

Now for the Pakagilet. Endura knows that weather changes and no one wants to be caught out with too much or too little gear, so they made a gilet of super lightweight showerproof ripstop fabric that can pack into a tiny attached pouch and fit in your jersey pocket or bag (see model's right hand). Smaller than a pounder of Narragansett, it packs a punch but won't give you a headache in the morning. Also, I know what you might be thinking "Yes, my entire winter coat was supposed to fit into its own pocket, we all know how that turned out." Untrue with this, it actually functions really well and easily. If you stop in you're more than welcome to try it for yourself.

It has side vents, a nice mesh panel on the back to help regulate body temperature and hidden jersey pocket access. And let us not forget, a reflective strip on the rear. Available in both high viz and more demure colors, as well as in women's sizing. All in all, I have to say it has a certain je ne sais quoi, plus it rates pretty high in stocking stuffability.

Saturday, November 30, 2013

High Low Gift Guide - MultiTools

It happens to the best of us; we think about how great the people in our lives are all year round, then around comes gift giving season and we're at a complete loss. They have everything. They like cycling and you don't know the first thing about it, you like cycling and they're just getting into it, your incredibly stylish daughter just won't buy herself a helmet... well, we're going to take care of you this year guys. From humble stocking stuffers to the toughest take everywhere/everyday cycling bags, we'll be here to support every kind of cyclist you may know and make your shopping a little easier... maybe even fun because, you know, we're about that. So here goes, High Low Gift Guide #1 - Multi Tools!

Brooks MT21 - $70

The Brooks MT21 multitool is 21 useful tools packed into one classy, leather wrapped package. Designed for "the traveler", it has 7 allen keys, 3 screwdrivers, 3 torx wrenches, 4 spoke keys, a chain tool, a Brooks saddle spanner, a knife and of course, a bottle opener because not everyone is down to open a brew with their teeth. It truly is the tool for adventure because while you're out in the wild world you never know when you're going to have to slice open a Tauntaun a la Han Solo. The Brooks saddle spanner built in is great because you'll never lose it again, and with the various spoke wrenches and allen keys you'll be able to help yourself or any fellow cyclist that's run into a bit of bad luck. The tough leather wrap, which comes in Black, Brown and Ochre, will keep everything tidy and looking incredibly good, who can argue with that?

Crank Brothers Multi-10 - $20

This light and sleek Crank Brothers multitool just may be the perfect combination of minimalism and functionality. With just 10 tools and weighing in at a mere 125g it's not going to slow you down but it just might save the day. With 7 allen keys, 2 screwdrivers and one torx wrench this tool is the perfect bare necessities, live-in-the-pocket-of-your-bag multitool. No muss no fuss, no blowing your credit limit. Put a bow on it and maybe you'll get a story about how it saved the day down the line sometime.