Spring 2018 Bicycle Quarterly
The Spring 2018 Bicycle Quarterly celebrates how past, present and future have come together to enrich our cycling enjoyment. As we venture off the beaten path into amazing landscapes and toward memorable adventures, we take inspiration from the past, benefit from current technical developments, and shape the future of cycling.
Take the Torino-Nice Rally, which straddles the crest of the Alps all the way from Northern Italy to the Mediterranean Sea: Thomas Hassler describes the landscapes and emotions of this incredible ride. His stunning photos will make you dream of putting some wide tires on your bike, packing a lightweight bag or two, and heading into the mountains yourself!
It was for this terrain that Jo Routens designed his bikes. We bring you the full story of this inspirational randonneur and builder, whose skill with the torch was matched by his riding prowess. Studio photos of three wonderful classics complement evocative images from the Routens family archives.
With Lyli Herse we have lost one of the greats of French cycling. To celebrate her life, we take a very personal look at Lyli beyond her role as eight-time French champion and daughter of the ‘magician of Levallois.’ Discover the real Lyli through stories and anecdotes, many told in her own words.
Perhaps you’ve already seen the video of our passhunting adventure in the Japanese Alps. It was the perfect ride that played to the strengths of our test bike, a beautiful titanium Caletti Monstercross.
We didn’t just hunt passes in Japan, we also took the Caletti on some of our favorite rides in the Cascades, where we compared it to my Firefly allroad bike. Both bikes are equipped with titanium frames, wide tires and drop handlebars, and yet they couldn’t be more different. Where does the Caletti’s high-trail geometry shine, and where does the Firefly’s low-trail setup bring advantages? We took both bikes to the limit to find out. The result surprised us, and it adds to our growing understanding of bicycle geometry and handling.
It was on the roads and trails of the Cascades that the idea of the ‘allroad’ bike was first conceived more than a decade ago. When we realized that wide tires could roll as fast as narrow ones, our riding was liberated: No longer did we need to seek out smooth pavement to enjoy the sensation of effortless gliding. Looking back over 15 years of Bicycle Quarterly (and beyond), we chronicle the development of wide high-performance tires, including anecdotes like Peter Weigle (above) shaving the tread off prototype tires for our testing. This is the story behind the trend that is now sweeping the bike industry.
We take you inside Davidson & Kullaway, one of the oldest custom frame shops in the country, and just around the corner from us here in Seattle. Bill Davidson reminisces about the days when the shop made 750 frames a year, and when he traveled to Japan to have the very best lugs custom-made, which allowed Davidson to make bikes efficiently without cutting corners. He tells us why he prefers brass over silver brazing, and why it’s so hard to make the current generation of allroad bikes. Davidson’s partner Max Kullaway provides insights into the origins of titanium bikes and discusses the intricacies of welding frames.
Tubeless tires are useful to avoid pinch flats when riding in rough terrain. Our illustrated step-by-step guide shows you how to set up your tires tubeless with just a floor pump. A few tricks will go a long way toward making your first tubeless installation a success.
It’s exciting to see a BQ-inspired bike at an affordable price point. For $ 1420, the Masi Speciale Randonneur features wide tires, a low-trail geometry, and even metal fenders. How does it ride on the road? We tested it to find out.
Mountain bikes have dropped a bit out of the limelight lately, but they still have their place. Natsuko Hirose talks about her ride on a beautiful custom-made Steve Rex mountain bike, and how it feels different from riding the passhunter she uses to explore the Japanese Alps.
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