Bubbles that Daft Punk would be proud of.
EDM Jellyfish.
This is how you make bubbles.
And this is how you photograph them 😀
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Crawfish Etouffe, my all time favorite dish
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The Quickest and Stickiest Rubber You Can Buy for the Road
You can just keep moving on, we’ve seen all the reviews about how great this tire is, but hey, if you have a couple minutes, stay on my page and read my experiences with it too. This is coming from an avid commuter and lay-man bicyclist that just enjoys going as fast as I can or as slow as I want. I’m a city cyclist with an occasional taste for the finer things in life, sometimes I like to use what the pros use and the Continental GP4000s ii is one of those items. Now that they supposedly fixed the “1000 mile blow out” problem of the version I, this is even more reason for me to use them. The version 2’s are exactly the same the version 1’s. The only difference now are the new color options and sizes. With the version 1’s, the tires had to be all black. It was the only way Continental could get the black chili compound in there. But now they’ve figured out how to include Black Chili and make the tires in different colored trims. This isn’t a big deal for me, but for people who wanted a 700×28 tire, they have that option now.
Is this tire overkill for my needs? Probably, but if I’m going to be biking over a thousand miles on my bike a year, I think safety and comfort are worth the $100. I’d rather buy the best that I can afford when it comes to tires. Like cars, you can’t skimp on tires because they’re the only things touching the road.
The GP4000s ii is the 2nd version of the acclaimed GP4000s I. Both tires have the special black chili compound mixed in which gives the rubber a really soft and tacky feel to it. This tire throws up all sorts of debris when it goes over small rocks or when I’m riding in the gutter, the rubber just latches onto whatever touches. I have ridden through heavy rains without fail for over 800 miles so far except for a flat in the rear tire. That was mainly my fault caused by riding through an awfully large mound of broken glass just to see how well these tires would hold up in wet conditions. As great as the GP4000s II is, it’s not quite up to snuff as the Gatorskins or 4Seasons when it comes to rear puncture protection. Because of that I changed my rear tire to a Gatorskin Ultra to withstand the extra weight since I usually ride with about 15 lbs of stuff on my back.
I have leaned heavily into corners on slick cement (as far as a Bianchi Pista can let me lean, which is a a lot since it has a really high bottom bracket) without fail or feeling skiddish in the rear. The tires roll very smoothly and I can definitely feel a difference when starting from a stop. As far as the bike feeling faster overall, I doubt there is much difference. You’d have to get much lighter wheels or just work up your cadence and muscles if you want to go faster.
The GP4000s ii on the front holds up very through extremely poor road conditions, light pavement gravel, small rocks, pebbles, craters, bumps and the occasional piece of glass and metal. I would be extra careful on the rear if you using these. There’s a nice amount of protection in the middle of the tire with Conti’s Vectran belt and I’ve ridden 800 miles before i got a flat in the rear, but still this tire should last a lot more than 800 miles. I am also quite light at only 155lbs. If you’re over 200lbs and riding with back full of gear than perhaps some 700x28s would be in order instead or at least a tire with a bit more protection. If you’re heavier and want to stay with the 23 or 25s, then you should be a a litte cautious going over too much debris and try to the stay on the smoother parts of the road. If you’re using this mainly on bike trails then you should be ok either way.
People have complained that the rubber is softer and that it wears a bit faster in the GP4000s i & ii, but for the performance, it’s something that I can live with. If you’re a “i don’t need your opinion, I need hard facts” kind of guy, than check out Slowtwitch’s in depth data analysis of the GP4000s ii’s rolling resistance and power needed to propel, compared to other tires.
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Looking Glass Falls in Transylvania County
Last weekend, I was able to tag along and head out to Asheville, NC for the first time. The vibe of the city reminded me of Berkeley and Santa Monica, except that it was nestled in the valley of the large mountain range. I would say that it’s one of the most liberal and free-thinking community in all of North Carolina.
On the outskirts of the Blue Ridge Mountains is Looking Glass Falls. Transylvania and Brevard, NC which is only a few miles away from Asheville is home to 249 waterfalls. Looking Glass is one of the most beautiful.
I definitely want to come back here in the summer and take a dip in the waters. It was too chilly even at the end of September.
Kayaking on the French Broad River
If you’re an outdoorsmen than Asheville is the place for you. It’s surrounded by beautiful forestry that experiences all 4 seasons. If we came in October, we would have seen brilliant oranges, reds and browns in the distance. The trees were still quite lush in September. We followed the river for about 8 miles and even saw the Biltmore Estate over the right bank.
Miles of trails to hike on. This was like heading into the Shire, by the time we reached the peak it was just too foggy for good photos. But Craggy peak has some of the best views of the Blue Ridge and I hope to come back when the skies are clearer.
And of course it’s great to go with someone who enjoys nature and photography as much as you do.
Travelers in this area add their stone to the pile as they pass. i managed to sneak a small one on top without disturbing the equilibrium.
It’s nice to have my picture taken too sometimes.
That’s it for the photos taken with my old Nikon FE. I rarely shoot film but I thought it would be a nice touch for a vacation like this. All shots above were shot with a Nikon FE and a roll of Kodak Portra 400NC. This isn’t exactly the best film for landscapes, but I love the muted and neutral tones that it gives the scene. The following photos were taken with a Canon 60D and the brilliant Sigma 18-35mm f1.8.
After a mild hike, we found ourselves a little plateau hidden in above the rest of the trail for a breather.
And we found this awesome looking tree stump overlooking the creek below.
But there are some trails where you just have to drive to get to…after the pavement ended, this gravel road went on for another 8 miles, which felt like an eternity to get back onto the Blue Ridge Parkway. I was surprised my trusty C230 even made it up on this climb. We stopped to take a look at another waterfall below us.
And the countless trees in the canopy above us.
We made it to the top of a lower peak on another part of the mountains when the sky cleared up. It was a gorgeous site…but it wasn’t as gorgeous as seeing the mountains going 60mph down a zipline.
This was definitely the highlight of the trip, I just wished these zip lines lasted longer. In front of my was my girlfriend…but to the right of me was this…
Holy shit…and to the left of me was this…
Simply gorgeous. There are no words, just look at the photos.
Of course, there were the shops in Asheville itself which basically was just one big ole cute Etsy shop.
Before heading out for some fancy dinners.
Asheville will be missed, I hope to return soon.
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I bought an awesome Mission Workshop Rummy Messenger bag made from waxed canvas last year. Rode through many rainstorms with it strapped to my back with all my important papers, electronics and a 17 inch Macbook pro inside of it. The contents inside never got wet. In the last downpour I rode through, I discovered that it started to leak a little bit on the inside with the inner lining getting a bit damp. Some of my papers were damp as well. This was due to water penetration on the outside, through the cotton fabric. But this wasn’t any type of cotton, this was a nice 10 oz. wax cotton from Mission Workshop. This means that the cotton is impregnated with a type of parrafin/linseed oil wax that creates a water resistant barrier. I didn’t quite know what to think of it but soon realized that the wax from the factory was starting to deteriorate and dry out over time. This was probably due to the fact that the wax cotton fabric was sitting in the factory for a while before it was purchased and turned into a bag, or maybe because I tend to beat up my gear from heavy use. Either way, I needed to remedy the situation fast because when it rains in the South…it really comes down hard.
Mission Workshop itself does not sell any prodcut for you to rewax their cotton bags so I had to do a little bit of research on the internet. I came down to 3 choices. Otter Wax, Barbour Wax or Filson’s Oil Wax. From what I’ve read about Otter Wax, it comes in a bar and doesn’t go on very well even if you use a blow dryer. I wasn’t so sure how well things would work by just rubbing a dry bar of wax onto a bag. I didn’t want my bag to have a light coat of wax, I wanted that stuff to soak through the fabric and really get in there. Barbour was an excellent choice, but it’s made in Britain, would take a long time to get here because multiple vendors didn’t have it and I just wanted to go with American made. Filson’s was a bit of an anomaly. I’ve never heard of Filson’s and the name “Oil Finish Wax” made me a bit reluctant because I was afraid their wax would give my bag a permanent oily touch, you know, like those old school wind jackets that sailors would cover themselves with back in the day that constantly looked wet even when dry. After more research, I decided to give Filson’s a try just because they’ve been in the business for so long and they’ve been making all sorts of waxed cotton/ water resistant items since the 19th century. I’m glad I did, Filson’s Oil Finish Wax worked like a charm on my messenger bag. I would say that it went beyond “water resisting” the fabric, it waterproofed it.
That water stayed there for hours upon hours. It did not seep through the fabric, that’s how great Filson’s Oil Finish Wax is!
I’m going to run through how you can reproof your waxed cotton once the existing wax has worn off. It’s a very simple process but a bit time consuming because there are certain steps you must take in order to get the process right.
Here is the bag, a can of wax and a cotton rag. If you can, take the strap off the bag in order to make it easier to work with and get into the nooks and crannies of the bag with the wax. Give yourself a nice flat area to work with either on a floor or a nice big table.
First, you’re going to want to use some cold water to wipe the bag down and clean off any dirt or caked on gunk from your adventures. You don’t want any abrasives on the bag while reproof it, the surface needs to be completely free of debris before you start. Think of it like waxing a car, you always clean your car before you wax it!
Next you’re going to want to heat the wax in really hot water until it is completely melted. What I did was place the tin of wax in a plastic bag and placed the entire thing in a pot of boiled water for about 20 minutes. You want the wax to be completely liquid so that it can absorb itself into the fabric. Preferably, the fabric should be heated to in order to really open up the pores and microscopic spaces within the cotton for even better absorption. The pros at Barbour and Belstaff use a heated table heated but who has one of those at home? I simply used a hair dryer at semi close range and went over the messenger bag a few times to get it warm and toasty.
Now, dip your rag into the wax and start rubbing the wax into the messenger bag, a small section at a time in a circular motion. Be sure to overlap because wax can’t really be spread easily once it’s in the fabric, you’ll have to overlap your sections in order to get every part of the messenger bag to absorb the wax. This is the most time consuming because you’ll have to get the wax on and then also use a hair dryer to insure that the area you’re around is warm. Liquid wax begins to harden very quickly. Even after a few minutes of taking it out of its tin, the wax starts to become a bit creamy. Even after I took the wax tin out of the bag, I kept it in a shallow bowl with hot water. If you do this, be sure the water doesn’t get into the wax. Keeping everything hot and liquid might be overkill, but I wanted the wax to really get in so that I didn’t have re-wax my bag every few months. The fabric will become significantly darker and look almost oily because of all the wax that it is absorbing. This is completely normal and that dark wet finish will eventually go away after a few days of drying.
I was a little shocked at first by how oily the thing looked. At this point I was thinking…man, maybe I should have gone with Otter Wax, ha! When you’re done waxing, hang the bag up in a warm room and let the bag naturally air dry over 24 hours. Immediately after waxing, the bag will be sticky to the touch and just overall, a bit gross but like I said, that is completely natural. Don’t attempt to take it out immediately into the rain or drag it through the mud.
This was 24 hours after the bag has dried. It still has a little bit of sheen to it, but it’s well on its way to drying completely and looking like how I got it from Mission Workshop…only a little better. Filson’s wax will give your bags a slightly darker look to with a bit of sheen, like leather.
After a couple days, the bag will basically be back in brand new condition and fully weatherproof as before.
This is how good Filson’s wax is! The wax is so strong that if this cotton material were larger, I could use it as a rain tarp for camping. Before waxing, water soaked into the fabric after a few minutes, but now it just sits there. These are 2 truly great products used with each other. Keep in mind that for ultimate water protection, I don’t think anything beats Gore-tex or Cordura, these are just simply fabrics made with newer technology. But if you have an appreciation for how things were done during days gone by, wax canvas bags and jackets can offer equally good protection as long as it is maintained properly.
Leave any comments if you have any questions about the re-proofing process. Thanks for reading!
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I’m not quite sure if bicycle commuting was ever about saving money on gas. Not really. It’s merely a net transfer of costs from one thing, gas, to another, food. Let’s be real, everything needs energy to move. Your car needs gasoline, your body needs food and lots of it if you’re going to be biking 14 miles a day between work/school/home. All bicycle commuting is, is a net transfer of cost, in the end you’ll be spending money, regardless of what it’s on. The positive externalities that result from you biking though, that’s what matters. You’re making yourself less reliant on a scarce resource. You’re saving the environment, you’re being a lot healthier, and you’ll be saving some money on car upkeep. So in a way, you’re indirectly saving quite a bit of money on other things. I’m not a gungho bicyclist where I would ever get rid of my car though. Hell no. I love driving, the individuality my car gives me and road trips on the weekends way too much for that, but by cutting down on city stop n’ go miles, you’re actually prolonging the life of your engine and transmission with less wear and tear. Just by bicycling 3-4 days out of the week, you’ll notice that how many miles you’re not racking up on the odometer. If you’re getting rid of your car all together and don’t have to pay parking cost, then yes, you’d be saving a ton of money. If you live in Boston, bike and don’t need a car, then yes you’re saving a ton of money but if you’re living in Boston, you have a much higher cost of living anyways. Sigh, there really is no free lunch except saving the environment and exercise. Those are definitely things you get for free, if you bike.
There are downsides that I’ve realized. Some places where it’s always cold and windy as hell such as San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Maine, Vermont are good for bicycle commuting. I’m in the South where it’s horrifically humid up to December…well then, I think bicycle commuting only works for a select few. You’re either a student, where you can just arrive to class sweating your ass off and looking like a wet turd or you’re the boss, and have your own private shower to refresh yourself. Commuting just doesn’t work in weather like this if you need to arrive somewhere presentable because I guarantee you by the 2nd mile, you will be drenched. I don’t care if you’re riding fixed gear, single speed, 25 gear etc, you’re gonna get soaked in sweat. I can do it because I don’t really care how I look when I arrive to class but I guarantee you if I have anyone to meet for an interview, I’ll be driving. Over the summer while i was interning full time, I was still able to get away with biking because there was a pretty relaxed dress code. But if I had a full time office job, than commuting would not be a possibility unless I lived a couple blocks away from work.
These are all things that you must decide upon if you decide to commute. Plan to eat at least 2 extra hearty meals a day if you commute via bike. Eat breakfast and always get a good night sleep. When you commute, you really need a routine to stick to and you need to plan very carefully how you will go about your day’s objectives. Random trips that go out of the way are no longer possible since every extra trip will take longer on a bicycle.
Bicycle commuting isn’t for everyone. A lot of cities in the United States still don’t have the infrastructure to accommodate bicycle commuters so it’s important to map out routes in potentially dangerous or hilly areas in order to maximize and efficiently use your body’s energy.
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Shot with a Canon 5D and 50mm f2.5 Macro
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For those who choose to travel on the road less traveled
I commute on some of the worst roads possible, rocks, pebbles, pot holes, glass shards, minute car parts strewn around and uneven pavement for about 60% of the way to school. Some spots are downright treacherous since there are no bicycle lanes which forces me to be on the very right edge of the road where all the gunk is. You know that off-white color path that is right next to the curb? Yeah, that’s where I find myself when the roads get really tight and i don’t want to be hit by a car.
After my stock Kenda tires got completely shredded up over a 1 month period and then eventually getting 2-3 flats the next month, I decided to upgrade to something with a bit more protection. I bought a pair of Bontrager R1s, but I did not have too much luck with those either, plus they were heavy and slow even when pumped up to the maximum, for some reason they always felt a bit mushy despite being hardshells. After getting the same results with a guaranteed 2 flats per month, I finally resorted to looking online and scouring the forums for suggestions. What the internet giveth…it also taketh away. There were so many suggestions and conflicting accounts that I just didn’t know what to make of it. Specialized Armadillos? Gatorskins? GP4000? GP 4S?? Michelin Ultras? Thickslicks?? The thing I realized that these are all excellent tires for commuting, but there was one that stood out for being rather light as well for speed. I own a road bike for a reason and I want it to be nibble and fast. I didn’t want anything larger than 700×25 either. Of course there are larger 28/32 tires that could withstand a direct nail probably but tires like that wouldn’t give me the handling and lightness that I wanted.
Enter the Gatorskin, they’re relatively cheap costing around $40, easy to find and contain soft rubber protected by a really durable inner anti-puncture strip. They are a pair of tried and true commuting tires. The only other tire I think that beats it is the Continental GP 4seasons which is quite a bit more expensive. Continental is renowned for for their black chili rubber compound which they put into their premium line of tires, the GP4000s. Despite the Gatorskins not having black chili, the engineering used to create their tires is more of less the same so I knew I was getting a quality tire for my needs. GP4000s most likely has marginally more grip than the Gatorskins, but not enough for me to tell the difference.
I’m not going to get technical with TPI and cross stitched membranes etc, I’m just going to tell exactly what you need to hear in order clear up all the uncertainty on the internet. Ride the Gatorskin Ultra (folding bead) or Gatorskin Hardshell with confidence. There you go. If you decide to choose the Conti Gatorskins, know that they will not let you down. Period. They’re grippy (it’s hard to fool around and skid with these tires because they’re so grippy), can withstand very tough roads and they’re light, taking off from a start is not difficult at all with them. They’re also very smooth and quiet.
And overall, they’re just damn good looking tires! Go get them and don’t even think about tires again for another 3,000 miles!
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…and sore groins as well
I prefer the bespoke aesthetic of olden days, I’m just not a huge fan of the saddles that looked like they came from an alien ship or bloated ones that have discolored gel inserts for comfort. Nowadays, you can’t really have comfort and the vintage look, or inversely, the vintage look and comfort. I’ve tried Selle Italia saddles but they just didn’t fit my style despite how comfortable they were. Then I tried buying some vintage “look-a-like” faux leather saddles off Ebay, but they made my balls numb after a short ride. Now I love bicycles and riding, but I’d prefer to keep everything in working order down there to avoid complications. Most saddles I have used caused a scrotum and thigh inducing numbness where I felt like my balls would just eventually fall off due to lack of circulation. I thought that maybe I had a bony ass? Or maybe my sit bones were awkwardly shaped? I felt like I didn’t need to pay $250 for the top of the line Selle Italia saddle for comfort even though I had no interest in the looks of those new fangled things.
So I discovered Brooks. After 150 years of being in the bicycle saddle making business, I was hoping Brooks seats would relieve my pain and also satisfy my taste in vintage items. Brooks England satisfied both. Their saddles ARE vintage. Nothing much about them have changed over these 15 decades, they provide brochures and photos of their old seats made in the 1800s. They look virtually the same as the seats they make now. Obviously these seats are not completely hand made nowadays, but the formula is still the same excepted automated because Brooks saddles are used everywhere in the world now, that’s how awesome they are.
When you first take it out of the box, the saddle is going to be very firm and will require a break in period in order to, more or less, mold to bottom. I’ve read testimonials where they had to break their saddle in for over 500 miles…Well for me, mine was nice and comfy after the 40th mile which was just about a weeks worth of commuting. Even when it’s broken in, it’s still quite firm but that is a good thing. Those ultra comfortable mushy gel saddles? Well they’re actually not very good for you, your sit bones or your posture. In the end, you will be in more long term pain with those gel saddles. The Brooks saddle is firm but most importantly supportive in such a way that it isn’t uncomfortable, nor too comfortable. Imagine yourself sitting in a chair, upright, versus lounging on a couch. Another example which is analogous to this are Mercedes car seats compared to Lexus car seats. Often times, Mercedes seats are very firm and people complain of discomfort compared to the more lush seats of the Lexus. Again, the cars seats of the Mercedes are designed in a way to be supportive and comfortable instead of just comfortable.
Some people recommend getting some “Proofhide” to condition the leather every few months. I haven’t done that yet, but I know if you don’t take care of leather every now an then, it will deteriorate. I wish I took care of the leather seats in my car more, now they’re just cracking and wasting away. I definitely don’t want that with this beautiful Brooks saddle.
But back to how awesome this bicycle saddle is, It’s very comfortable. It’s like sitting on a sort of…firm leather bar stool? I don’t know how to explain it, it’s just very firm and supportive with no numbness or pain anywhere in my thighs, legs or nether regions after hours of heavy riding. That’s my definition of comfort. It looks like a million bucks, it has class, style and hardware that harkens back to days where quality was expected and not a premium you paid for.
There is a tensioning bolt to laterally tighten the saddle if it ever begins to sag or get loose. I would not recommend tampering with this bolt unless your saddle has really become that soft because you risk over stretching the leather. On the B17 Imperial (which has an anatomical cut out…you know to uh…release tension on my crotch), there are also eyelets on the side for you to tie a lace around. This allows you to also tighten the saddle. Because there is a cut out on the Imperial version, there is less tension on the leather over time, compared to the Flyer and Standard B17. On the supports, there are 2 rings for you to attach a saddle bag to.
Often times I ride without hands and I just plop myself and shift all my weight directly onto the B17 and it feels great. I could ride the bike like a unicycle for an entire day easily with a Brooks B17 Imperial saddle.
The only remote downside I can think of for the B17 Imperial is the weight. It has chrome bars as support and the thick leather can be quite heavy compared to your usual run of the mill seat. The B17 Imperial easily weighed 200grams more than the existing saddle that came on my Bianchi, or over 300 grams more than sleeker Titanium seats. You can definitely feel it when you pick up the bike. Everyday of my commute, I have to carry my bike over my shoulders to traverse difficult terrain on foot for about 100 ft or so and I can definitely feel this seat add on a lot to the my already semi heavy steel bike. Also heavy rain will damage this saddle and make it sag prematurely due to its leather construction, be wary about riding in heavy rain.
I may give the Brooks C17 Cambium a try due to its much lighter and waterproof design as well, stay tuned for that.
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Is it really the hipster’s fixed gear?
It really just depends on how much you paid for it. I paid $350 for mine, which is a rather beat up version with gunked up wheels and peeling clear coat. Once you get over the hype and didn’t overpay and realize what the Bianchi Pista is ( an Italian designed bike made in Taiwan, a poor man’s foray into a world of finer bicycles,), there really is no shame in using one. I bought one because I’ve always immensely enjoyed the look of the bike. Hell even if this bike was made out of crap hi-tensile steel, I would probably would have still bought it. I mean, look how beautiful this bicycle looks. Shiny Chrome, classic track geometry, 1/8 silver chain on a brushed aluminum Shimano crank that was infinitely stiffer than whatever came on my old Gravity. Look at those drops, this bike really just calls to the elegance of Italian design.
Due to it’s Chromo 4130 steel construction, this bike is BUTTERY smooth on pavement and absorbs bumps very well on more jarring surfaces such as cracked/dented concrete, pebbly surfaces and gravel. Yes, I’ve ridden this bike on extended gravel paths and it handles it with aplomb. It has a pretty short head set so the bike is also very nimble and maneuverable with a very small turning radius.
It’s a simple bicycle, but very solid in its construction. There isn’t anything too special about it as far as details. It’s your basic track bike. One gear, fixed and power grip straps to keep me connected to the ground. Crank is very smooth and ultra responsive. The Pista has your standard track drop outs so adjusting for larger gear ratios is a cinch. I enjoy skid stopping, but I value the wear of my tires so I put a front brake on it for those long descents and emergency stops. I’ve got 25mm Continental rubber on the wheels, a GP4000s ii on the front and a Gatorskin Ultra folding on the rear. I’d say it can fit up to 28mm, but save the 32s for your wide tire bike. The Bianchi Pista akin to a sleek and sexy race car.
It doesn’t pick up speed quite that well though. It is a heavier bike with all that steel. The stem and handlebars, despite looking so good, are grotesquely heavy. I think if I swapped them out for aluminum bars and stem, the bike would easily shed 3 lbs!. Not to mention the old school brooks saddle on the rear, this bicycle really doesn’t pick speed as quickly as my old aluminum track bike. But speed isn’t the most important thing here. It really is the look of the bike. If you’re really important, people will wait and trust me, you’re going to want to ride a bit slower because this bike is a head turner.
Traversing difficult terrain, sometimes this bike is a little overbearing on the shoulders especially when I’m carrying a backpack full of my every day carry and the bike over dirt and rail road tracks. Don’t even ask me why I have to do that. Road closures till December can be a bitch, so I had to find a slight detour through some foliage and backroads in order to get to my destination now. Perhaps in the future I will change out the handle bars, stem and get some lighter wheels. Doing that alone would shed at least 5 lbs off the bike and make for an easier commute. But for now, the looks of the bike is honestly enough to keep me from complaining. Besides, I’ll just look at it as exercise, my legs have gotten stronger and more muscular already just by riding this bike. All i have to do is look at it, even with its semi peeling clear coat and faded wheels, and realize that I’m owning a piece of gorgeous piece of machinery.
What a beaut and it rides wonderfully too. Until next time!
Audley Yung 