Legendary Rock Lobster framebuilder Paul Sadoff just started a new shop tour series on his YouTube channel. Each video will feature a different bike, and the first bike on the list is the Dumpstervaagen! The frame was built from scrap bin tubing, and most of the parts were free or scavenged. Make sure to subscribe to his channel for future shop tour videos!

I was bummed not to make it to the Philly Bike Expo this year. We had a great time and met a ton of cool people at the last show in late 2022. I was looking forward to seeing coverage on The Radavist, but it sounds like John was thwarted by some bad weather. From Instagram, though, it seems like it was another great show, with people’s choice winners went to Memento Cycles, Básica Estudio and Significant Other. I definitely plan to make it back next year!

Even if you are a hardcore vintage/retro/used bike nerd, you will still most likely need to buy new tires from time to time. So it's nice to know that companies like Vittoria are starting to use more recycled materials. The Vittoria Terreno Pro T60 gravel tire uses 92% renewable and recycled materials, including recycled nylon fishing nets. This tire helped Vittoria win a green prize at the Taipei Cycle last week. Via Bicycle Retailer and PinkBike

That's right, a cyclist in Black Diamond, Washington rode 100 miles around the roundabout near his house.

Ride stats from Strava:
100.10 Miles
5:46:28 Moving Time
587 ft Elevation

More details from the Reddit thread:

0.17 miles per lap

~588 laps total

Why? I saw someone who did a double metric century around a roundabout and said to my neighbor that we should do a regular century around the one in our neighborhood and he said yes without hesitation

Didn't get dizzy, the oval was large enough that we weren't constantly turning left

1 bathroom break and a couple snack breaks

Went the same direction the whole time

A few neighbors ran a few laps and brought their kids out to cheer us on

We are only a little crazy

Link to the strava activity: https://www.strava.com/activities/10876442122

Would you do something like this?

On Friday I went for a ride with my buddy who has pretty burly Otso gravel bike. There is a lot to take in on his bike, but the main thing I noticed was that he was using flat pedals. He's a mtber at heart, so that made sense.



When I built up my DeSalvo last year, I went with Speedplay Frogs, which have been my default pedal for ages. For whatever reason I'd never considered putting flat pedals on my gravel bike. But I was definitely pondering it now:

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I made the swap before my ride yesterday...



...and what do you know, I like it!

Maybe flats aren't quite as efficient spinning along or on non-technical climbs, but they are definitely confidence inspiring when the going gets sketch, and much easier for hike-a-bike sections. Also, my feet stay warmer in my Five Tens than in my tight fitting Shimano mtb shoes.



What pedals are you using on your gravel bike?

Watch as BikeFarmer updates this old Trek road bike with bar end index shifting. It also get a bottom bracket and headset overhaul. Plus fresh bar tape! Gotta love 27 inch MA40s! Should be good for another forty years.

I bought the Park AWS-1 on the left sometime in the early 90s. This is the tool I always had in my front apron when working in bike shops, with the plastic sleeve removed on the 5mm for easy identification. Removing the plastic sleeve from the 5mm also made it easier to get into road bike brake/shifter hoods. This design was phased out in the late 90s and today we have the plastic version on the right (which I assume is made overseas).

So does this represent progress? I much prefer the old style. It’s more compact and feels better in your hand. You can clamp it into a vice. The new one with the bulbous plastic middle feels cheap by comparison. I’m a huge fan of Park but I think they went backwards with this change.

What do you think?

This week’s seller spotlight is on Paul Doble AKA polthedestroyer, who has sold a ton of bikes, frames and accessories on BikeList since he joined in September 2022. Currently he is selling a few cool bags like this Velo Orange bag and this Ostrich bag. You can also follow Paul on Instagram!

How did you get into bikes?

I started cycling when I moved to Los Angeles because I was broke. Everyone said I needed a car but it turns out the cycling infrastructure included buses that had bike racks attached and a subway and light rail system that let you put your bikes onboard. So I pretty much spent no time in cars. Perfect weather, wide open spaces, passing cars stuck in gridlock, it felt like freedom. But I really started nerding out about bike history and design after moving to NYC 13 years ago. The cycling community here is big, strong, and diverse. It's great.

What bike do you ride the most?

My bike Enola, photo attached, is my all season commuter. I bought it from a guy who was living out of his car 11 years ago. It was originally an 80's touring bike, but 2 years ago I converted it into the ultimate rat bike: intentionally rusted 40 year old Japanese frameset, fat tires, silver chrome components, skinny road bike saddle, flat bar, and a 3 speed coaster brake wheelset. Cyclists appreciate it, thieves think it's garbage. It's perfect. Sometimes I actually take it to other cities instead of my modern bike, an All-City Space Horse.

What is your favorite bike ride?

Crown Heights, Brooklyn, to Jacob Riis Beach. Going from the city to the sea.

Campy or Shimano?

Shimano. Campy is expensive, beautiful, and wholly unnecessary for my riding style.

Any big plans for the next year?

Planning a 12 hour ride to the tip of Long Island, NY, and a 9 hour ride to Philly. And I'm really excited to convert a 90's mtb into a touring bike. The frameset is a Giant Sedona ATX with the poison dart frog paint job that shimmers in the sun.

I first came across this bike on Instagram and now PinkBike has the full writeup. I have never really cared about light road bikes, but have always ben somewhat fascinated by light mtbs, ever since I first laid hands on a Ritchey P-21 way back in 1993. My XC bikes back in the 90s were in the low/mid-20 pound range, but my V4 Ibis Ripley is a bit of a porkey pig at over 31 pounds. So I can really appreciate the mad lengths that Dangerholm went to in order to get a version of this bike under 20 pounds. Wow! Read more at PinkBike!

If you are at all familiar with the early history of mountain biking in Marin County, then you are familiar with the photos of Wende Cragg. She was there from the beginning, and it's thanks to her that we have so many great photos of the early days of Repack and beyond.

After she went through a series of too-large Schwinn clunkers, Joe Breeze built Wende a custom bike in 1983. The Radavist has a fantastic feature on her Breezer Series III--which she still rides today--with words from both Wende and Joe. Check it out!