SoWa Bike

This bike was getting a lot of attention at the SoWa Open Market (Sundays in the South End). There was an Italian family touching it, I got to feeling a little bit uncomfortable with their enthusiastic appreciation - it seems that bike groping etiquette is different across cultures. Would you touch another person's bike? Most particularly, would you explore the firmness of their Brooks saddle?

Chic Geek

There are many details to love on this bike. It's clear that someone put a lot of thought into a personal and custom build and you all know that one of a kind's my favorite kind of bike.


I admit to being charmed by the light mounted flush to the level of the rims, creating the appearance of an unbroken circle. The effect is more remarkable in the total bike photo, but here's how it was done.


While I was reeled in by the light, my husband was admiring the segmented fork, an aesthetic nod to Fat City Cycles.


I took this photo for the pretty headbadge, but this bike is so shiny that if you look closely you can see me and my husband reflected in the headset (twice!).


Perfect for Boston, this bike has both internal gearing and internal braking. A bike-crush worthy bike!

Bikes and Flowers at Anthropologie

Vintage bikes and a garden of recycled plastic flowers have transformed the windows at the Anthropologie on Boyleston Street. Anthropologie's look is less sleek than that used by Jacob, or Club Monaco, in keeping with their fuzzy, crocheted, new-vintage vibe.












I admit the bikes and the bright flowers did cheer me up!

Wheel Building Advice Needed

You all know that I have wanted a dynohub for ages. I didn't end up building the SA vintage front hub for a lot of reasons, but that's ok because Santa brought me a Shimano instead!

I am *very* excited.

The remaining challenge is choosing a rim. Here's the scenario I see -

1. 99% of the time this wheel will be used for commuting in Boston. I look forward to being brighter still during our long winter (I'll keep using my battery light) and I may use the wheel year-round for safety like Velib' and others do. The rear rim I'm using is a Salsa Delgado.
2. Once or maybe twice a year I will use this wheel on long-distance randonneuring rides. My husband rode his last year for the 400k while I fumbled through with two battery lights (only because his illumination helped, and I don't suggest learning this lesson the way I did), and if I were to do a 600k or even maybe (maybe!) Paris-Brest someday then this wheel will see some distance. The rear rim I'm using on that bike a Mavic Open Pro.

So, what do you wise readers think? Is there a suitable rim that falls between those two uses - sturdy enough for a front wheel year-round commuting, but with enough performance to roll long distances once or twice annually?