Innehållsförteckning för August 2018 från Bicycling

In the fall of 2016, Nick Keane and Jean Padilla, two delivery guys for my bike messenger company, TCB Courier, asked me for advice on soliciting sponsors and event planning. When they told me they were planning a new, unsanctioned race series, I was stoked. They wanted to rally the tight-knit yet dwindling bike messenger community around a fun, competitive, and inclusive environment. Sweet. When they mentioned it would involve track bikes on cyclocross courses, I paused. I wasn't sure "tracklocross" would be a hit; for the most part, messengers rally around alleycat races (a.k.a. illegal street races). But the more I thought about it, the more I figured at least a few locals would come out-many of us in San Francisco have ridden our track bikes in the dirt…

RALEIGHR EDUX 2 PRICE: $680 / WEIGHT 25 LB. (M) THE BRILLIANT NEON chartreuse paint and wide gumwall tires of this sleek urban bike make it stand out, but the Redux’s true strengths are its excellent performance and strong value. The aluminum frame and fork and lack of fenders, racks, lights, and a kickstand make it lightweight and keep costs down, but you’ll need to factor in the costs of those accessories if they are important to you. The Redux 2 is compact and laid out for a head-on-a-swivel position. It’s quick and pleasant riding, with well-balanced steering, but doesn’t have the caffeinated feel that some riders prefer for moving with traffic on busy city streets. The smooth-shifting Shimano Acera 1x9 drivetrain is geared on the low side—a welcome change…

I’ll always commute by bike, rain or shine, and always have. There are worse things than rain. In June of 2009, I set out on a cross-country ride from New York City to Los Angeles with 41 others, supported by 42Below Vodka. I’d never ridden more than 30 miles. On day three, after two 60-mile rides, we faced 103 miles. I stayed with the pack in the morning, but after lunch I got dropped on the climbs. I was exhausted, and with almost two months of riding ahead, felt defeated. I pulled over to a shaded patch of grass and cried. A lady came out of her house bottle-feeding a newborn. “Ya thirsty? Would ya like some water? It’s hot out here, I have air conditioning inside.” Something about her…

SWRVE BLACK CORDURA SLIM JEANS PRICE: $1,499 Made from ultra-durable and stretchy Cordura denim, these slim-fit jeans from Swrve feature subtle reflective details, a slightly higher rear waistband, and a gusseted front panel for added functionality on the bike without sacrificing comfort and style. I’ve often struggled to find denim that fits both my cyclist body and the demands of a commuter lifestyle. The search is over.—Trevor Raab COPENHAGEN WHEEL PRICE: $1,499 It took four years for the much-hyped Wheel to make it to market, but the good news is, it delivers. The self-contained e-wheel converts almost any existing rim-brake bike to a 20mph (in the U.S.) e-bike—no wires, no external batteries, no kludgy controllers—with a 350-watt pedal-assist motor that is as smooth as any purpose-built e-bike. Just bolt on…

THE AETHER IS GIRO’S NEW TOP-OF-THE-LINE ROAD HELMET. Even at $325, you can see why it might appeal to riders who like to go fast: There are gaping vents, flowing organic lines, and barely there weight. But it’s what you can’t see that makes this helmet so intriguing. Hidden between its two protective foam layers is a new iteration of MIPS (multidirectional impact-protection system). Press on the helmet’s rim and you can see the shells slide over each other and then snap back when released. That motion, Giro claims, can better protect your brain. MIPS, if you haven’t bought a helmet in the past couple of years, is a lightweight system that uses a slip-plane insert that allows your helmet to “roll” on your head during a crash, reducing the…