Category Archives: Bikes & Cycling

Everything to do with bikes and cycling.

Touring Bikes for Short Cyclists

Short folks who are looking for a touring bike don’t have as many attractive options as cyclists of average height. But they DO still have choices.
______________________________

by Tamia Nelson | February 3, 2018
Originally published in different form on February 3, 2015

If you’re short, you’ve probably had trouble finding a bike that fits. Which is probably why many times over the years I’ve been approached by other cyclists that I’ve owned and written about my 42-cm Surly Long Haul Trucker. The most common question? “Will it—or a bike like it—fit me?” Other questions usually follow, and I’ve done my best to answer the ones I’m most frequently asked in “Small Talk About the 42cm Surly Long Haul Trucker.” But the initial question is the hardest to answer by far. Will a 42cm LHT fit you? I simply can’t say. No, not even if you give me a complete set of your measurements.

I can say this, though: You’re not condemned to an ill-fitting bike just because you’re short. Surly and … Continue reading »

How to Safely Help Turtles Cross Roads

It’s the season when turtles go a’wandering. They’re not lost. Instead, they’re looking for a good place to lay their eggs or to find a mate. Often, this means they attempt crossing roads, and too many are killed by motorists. Do your bit to help turtles get to the other side, but don’t put yourself at risk. With the help of an expert, Tamia shows the way.
______________________________

by Tamia Nelson | February 1, 2018

When driving and cycling the roads each year, I’m discouraged by all the dead animals I see, and I do whatever I can to prevent them from being killed by motor vehicles. Most of the time, this means saving snakes, frogs, or turtles. It’s easy to lift snakes with a stick or bike pump and carry them to safety. Frogs are more difficult, but generally I can herd them to the sidelines. In many ways, turtles are the easiest to move. They don’t move as quickly as frogs, and they’re not slithery like snakes. But that doesn’t mean you can … Continue reading »

Getting a Grip on Handlebars: Why I Like ’em Wide

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.
______________________________

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 »

Prescription for Relief: A Short, High-Rise Stem

Has riding your bike become a pain in the neck? Then take a close look at the bike’s stem.
______________________________

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 »