Quality Bicycle Products' "Frostbike"

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to attend one of my favorite bicycle industry events of the year. "Frostbike" is hosted by our good friends at Quality Bicycle Products. If you don't happen to know who Quality Bicycle Products is and if you didn't happen to click through to the Wikipedia page, QBP is the largest distributor of bicycle parts and accessories. Chances are fairly good that if the product you recently purchased at your local bike shop is one of the thousands that QBP carries, it passed through their hands. Established in 1981 in a small office in Saint Paul, Minnesota, QBP has grown exponentially over the last few decades. In addition to being a wholesaler of parts and accessories, Quality Bicycle Products also owns and manages several bicycle and accessory brands such as Surly, Salsa, All-City, 45North, Problem Solvers, Foundry, and others.

QBP's headquarters, located in Bloomington, MN. Photo courtesy of the StarTribune

This is how QBP describes Frostbike:

"Frostbike is more than a tradeshow. It's a product expo, QBP open house, and social event all rolled into one fun weekend. We provide a warm, inviting environment where bicycle industry professionals can connect, see emerging products, learn and share successful business strategies, and acquire the latest technical information.

Our goal is to create the future of the bike industry together, and have fun doing it.

Meaningful, memorable and fun. That's Frostbike."

(from the page source of QBP's "Frostbike" event website)

This was my third time attending Frostbike, and this year did not disappoint. True to Frostbike-weekend-fashion, the Midwest saw some nasty weather just days leading up to the event. Unfortunately, this resulted in my trip being postponed a day due to bad roads and interstate closures. I arrived in Minneapolis Saturday evening and was able to attend Forstbike the following morning.

It's going to take more than this to keep me from attending QBP's Frostbike!

After arriving at QBP headquarters, I headed directly to the Spokes Café, where we were treated to some nice breakfast items in the form of coffee, orange juice, breakfast sandwiches, and donuts. I was anxious to start my busy day and so I headed to the expo immediately following the completion of my meal.

I made it!

One of my favorite parts about Frostbike is the expo. It's such a cool thing to have so many vendors, industry professionals, and influential people in the industry all in a single location. The expo gives me, and many industry employees like myself, the ability to talk face-to-face with the owners, designers, customer service/sales representatives of the very products that we love, use, and recommend every day!

Other perks of the event come in the form of tours of the state-of-the-art environmentally-friendly building, tours of their massive warehouse and how order fulfillment works, demo a fatbike, seminars on helping your retail store grow, and one-on-one sessions with some of QBP's best and brightest.

Since I was at the event for a day less than I had planned, I was able to get around to doing the bare-minimum of what I wanted to accomplish. As a result, I didn't have a ton of time to snap photos of all the new and exciting products, but luckily for you, some of my friends were able to do just that.

For some additional news from Frostbike, be sure to check out this excellent photo gallery, as well a writeup from a coworker of mine on some of the exciting new things on display at Frostbike. Lastly, be sure to check out Quality Bicycle Product's YouTube page for some short videos highlighting some of the vendors' new products.

If you are curious about any of the specifics of any of the products on display, I may be able to give some input based on what I saw or heard. Be sure to ask in the comments section!

Until next year!


-Jonathan, PedalBound

My Favorite Gear: NiteRider Lumina 650 Headlight

Never before has there been as many options on the market for bicycle accessories as there is today. It can be an overwhelming experience finding exactly the product that you want. Through a series of posts, I hope to help ease the decision-making process for some of you by showcasing some of my favorite products that I've run across during my 4+ years experience in the bicycle retail industry.

I will start this series off with an accessory that I feel is absolutely necessary if you plan to be out riding anytime between dusk and dawn, and in many cases, it's the law: Lights!

Over the past few years there have been huge improvements in the light technology available for cyclists. Throughout my time at Europa Cycle & Ski, I have had the opportunity to test and own many different options from multiple brands. I've seen some terrific products, as well as some less-than-desirable products.

What Makes a Good Light?
 A light must be more than just bright. A good light must have a solid, easy-to-use, and universal mounting bracket. It must be dependable and provide convenient power/charging options. A good light must be durable and be able to withstand the occasional drop. All of these things must be present plus much more.

After searching for multiple years for what I felt was the most ideal headlight, my search led me to the Lumina line from NiteRider. The Lumina line offers incredibly bright CREE LEDs, powered by an internal, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, and available in a small, convenient form-factor, all while at an affordable price.

The NiteRider Lumina 650, mounted on my Fuji America

NiteRider has been around for decades and they specialize in lighting solutions for cyclists. They pride themselves in the design of their products, and many, if not most of their products, are designed, assembled, and tested right here in the United States.

What I like about the NiteRider Lumina:
What drew me to the NiteRider, initially, was the solid overall feel and quality of the product. Many competing products just feel cheap; poor or inconsistent button activation, unintuitive operating logic, poorly designed mounting solution, the list goes on.

The NiteRider mount also drew me to this particular product. The NiteRider mount is one of my favorite mounts that I have used. Simple and yet solid, you can trust in the mount keeping the light exactly where you want it to be and it is adaptable to virtually any handlebar diameter without needing a different sized mount.

Image courtesy of QBP.com

The CREE LED provides an incredible amount of light and the lithium-ion battery provides plenty of juice on each charge. The light charges via: a convenient micro-USB port located on the bottom of the unit. A rubber flap/seal keeps moisture and debris out of the port when exposed to the elements. I was pleasantly surprised that the new Lumina line contained a micro-USB port, a nice upgrade from the older MiNewt line which utilized a now less-common mini-USB port. This means that I am able to use my existing micro-USB cables that I have for my Motorola smartphone in order to charge the device. That being said, the Lumina line does come bundled with its own USB cable, but whoever complained about having multiple charging cables on-hand?!

Unit with USB charging cable attached

Operation:
Using the NiteRider Lumina is an absolute breeze. Like I mentioned earlier in the post, the main/power button has a very solid feel and is accompanied by an audible "click". I know that this sounds silly to even mention, but this was something that some of the competitors that I tried lacked and this really comes in handy when it's dark and you are trying to turn off the light or if you have thick gloves on and are not sure if you activated the button or not.

When you receive the light and first get it out of its packaging, you'll notice that the light shipped in "locked mode". This is to prevent accidental power-ons and is extremely convenient when transporting the light in a bag or in your pocket. To confirm that your light is in "locked mode", you'll see that when you press the power button, the button actually lights up with a red LED. To get the light out of "locked mode", simply press and hold the power button for 5 seconds and the button LED will change from red to blue. Then you simply press the button again to turn on the device. This is also how you go about accessing the flashing mode, which I don't personally use all too often, but some people find it helpful when riding in the daylight and wanting to get drivers' attentions. To lock the light again, simply press and hold the power button (in either on or off mode) for 5 seconds. The light will cycle into the flashing mode, continue to hold and it'll then go into the "locked mode".

Once the light is on, you simply press the button to cycle through the the low, medium, and high modes. The operation is dead-simple and you are already used to it after just one use. Again, this simple operation was something that I found was lacking in some of the other brands that I tested. To turn off, without locking the light, simply press and hold the power button for 2 seconds and it's off. Simple, intuitive, consistent.

Charging the device is equally as simple and straightforward. Simply plug in the unit using the included micro-USB charging cable and the LED on the top of the light will light up red. Once the battery is fully charged, the LED changes from red to blue. It's as simple as that, you will never wonder if/when it is fully charged.

My street at night, light turned off

Lumina 650 on Medium setting. Notice the illumination of the street signs

Drawbacks:

It was tough to come up with some drawbacks for a product that I feel so positively about, but if I had to come up with some it would probably be these two minor things:

The 6 hour advertised charge time can sometimes feel like an eternity, and I've even had times where it had exceeded the 6 hours to charge the unit. I am told by NiteRider that because of the nature of the lithium-ion battery, a full discharge, followed by a full charge is not always necessary, but the O.C.D. in me likes to try and keep with consistent, full, power cycles. An easy solution to this would be to start the charging process when you go to bed or to start it when you arrive at work (assuming you work longer than a 6 hour shift).

Secondly, the overall aesthetic could be prettied up a little bit. That being said, the light is a fair amount sleeker and smaller than the previous MiNewt line, but I'll take all of the other design benefits over this slight issue any day.

Long-term use:
I've found that even after 14 months of ownership, and commuting with this light almost every day of the year, the battery still does an excellent job holding a charge. It's difficult to keep real close tabs on the runtimes, as I primarily use the light for commuting and I am not religious about tracking each-and-every minute, but it definitely still seems to be inline with the advertised runtimes (High: 1.5 hours, Medium: 3 hours, Low: 5.5 hours). And when it does come time to replace the lithium-ion battery, user-serviceable replacement batteries are available, a definite plus in my book.

I primarily use the Lumina 650 (a slightly older version of the Lumina 700) for year-round commuting, but have also taken it on our local single-track mountain bike trails. The highest-end models (650, 700, and Flare 650) all include a helmet mount which can prove more practical for off-road riding. If the light will be primarily used for commuting purposes, you may be more than happy with one of the lower powered models, such as the Micro 250 or 350, but not all commutes are equal and you'll have to make that decision for yourself.

The Lumina line is offered in 5 models with prices ranging from $69.99 - $169.99, depending on the level of brightness (measured in Lumens) and can be purchased and/or ordered at virtually any bike shop in the country (may I suggest one?). Because of the high-quality nature of the headlight, and it's wide range of price-point/brightness options, this product has my full support and I look forward to many more happy miles with this light!

Stay tuned for my next post where I'll be discussing my favorite taillight!

Any comments or questions about the NiteRider Lumina line of headlights? Any corrections or requests for gear that I should review? Please feel free to leave suggestions in the comments section!


-Jonathan, PedalBound

7 Reasons Why I Commute by Bike

One of my favorite things about the bicycle is how easily it can be used as a viable means of transportation. From its low cost of entry and ownership (when compared to an automobile), to its efficiency, environmental, and health benefits, the bicycle has a lot going for itself. Below is a list (in no particular order) of some of the reasons why I love to commute by bike and why I try and do so at just about any given opportunity.

Convenient Parking
Ever been running late to an event only to arrive and find that there are no parking spots left? Sick of spending money each year on expensive parking permits? When commuting by bike, you are fortunate enough to avoid headache-inducing parking lots and more times than not, you are able to secure a spot right next to your intended location. No bike rack? No problem. With modern cable-style bicycle locks you are able to lock your bicycle up to just about anything, be it a tree, fence, bench, etc.. You'll be amazed how creative you will get.

Bike racks can be found all over University of Northern Iowa's campus

It's Fast
Commuting by bike is significantly quicker than walking. A typical commute to my classes at the University of Northern Iowa is around 10-15 minutes when walking. If I go by bike, I can usually cut that time in half and that includes getting the bicycle out of the garage and locking up on campus. This allows me an extra 5-7 minutes to finish up breakfast or to sneak a little more reading in before class. It doesn't seem like much, but over an 80+ day semester it adds up!

It's Stimulating and Engaging
Riding, when compared to driving, is a much more engaging activity. You are fully in control of the bicycle and all of its functions. By the nature of this, you are more engaged. Riding is also, on average, slower than driving. This gives you the opportunity to take it all in. You'll be more appreciative of the weather and nature, you'll explore new neighborhoods or roads that you didn't bother exploring before.

A beautiful sunset overlooking the Cedar River

It's Free
After you've made your initial investments in the bike and the gear, rides become virtually free. No worries about spending money on expensive gas, ride until your heart's content or you're too exhausted to continue riding, whichever is first. When it is time to maintain and service your bicycle after many miles of riding, you'll be pleasantly surprised to discover how much cheaper it is to maintain than its motorized cousin.

It Benefits the Local Economy
When you purchase products or services from a locally owned bike shop such as Europa Cycle & Ski or Bike Tech, you are pumping money directly back into the local economy. These locally owned businesses give back to the community in the form of charity, local groups, team sponsorships, events, the list goes on. The same cannot always be said about fuel, foreign or domestic, purchased from a large chain or corporation.

It's Much more Mobile/Versatile
One of the benefits that I've really grown to appreciate over the years is the fact that you are not restricted by the massive size of an automobile. Road closed ahead on your usual route? Just hop on the sidewalk. Fallen tree branch from last night's storm? Go under or around it. Can't get around or over a snow drift? Just pick up your bike and walk over it. All of these are things that I've run into and have been grateful for being on the bicycle at those particular moments.

A downed tree that I encountered one day on my way to work, went right under it

Want to add some variety to your mundane commute? Mix it up! In the Cedar Valley area, you have your choice of commuting by bike via:

Paved roads...

Seerley Blvd., along with several other streets in Cedar Falls, contains bicycle "sharrows"

Gravel roads...

Miles, and miles of gravel roads in and around the Cedar Valley

Dirt paths...

An extensive network of "single-track" trails maintained by the nice folks at CVAST

Paved trails...

Cedar Valley Nature Trail contains over 110+ miles of paved trails!

The choice is yours when your on a bike!

It's Fun!
And last but not least, riding a bike to get where you are going can be fun! Studies show that those who commute by bike are happier. Riding a bike puts a smile on your face!

Eileen, heading to class on her bike

What are some of your favorite reasons for commuting by bike? Feel free to leave comments below. And if you have never done it before, what is stopping you?! Give it a try, you might find that you really enjoy it!


-Jonathan, PedalBound

Winter Iowa Games: Winter Bike Race Recap

Many of my readers may not know this, but the Cedar Valley (specifically the Waterloo/Cedar Falls area, where I currently reside) has been a booming location for cycling for some time now. Thanks to forward-thinking citizens, politicians, non-profits, and of course independently owned bike shops, the interest in cycling only seems to be increasing with each new year. In 2009, Cedar Falls was the first city in Iowa to be recognized by the American League of Bicyclists as a Bicycle Friendly Community, and in 2013, their BFC bronze-level status was renewed for another 4 years. A combination of these items and the fact that Waterloo/Cedar Falls is conveniently located in central, northeast Iowa are most-likely some of the reasons why the Iowa Games Foundation decided to host their first ever "Winter Bike Race" event right here in Waterloo, Iowa. Under the director of Brent Johnson (of CVAST and Bike Tech), the event went off without a hitch.

A coworker and I were lucky enough to both have the day off from the shop and so we decided to attend the event. The initial plan was to ride and race my tried-and-true Surly Karate Monkey 29er mountain bike (shown below), equipped with wide, 2.35" studded tires, however, with the area receiving a decent amount of snow in the hours leading up to the event, a monkey wrench was thrown into the mix.

The Karate Monkey, stripped of its fenders on the eve of the event

Not fully taking into the account the reality of the recent snow accumulation, my coworker and I naively headed to the event by bike. It was when we arrived just outside of George Wyth State Park that we realized our mistake. I had not fully thought out our mode of transportation. In the non-winter months, the trail we planned on taking is a paved trail and allows for quick and easy access to part of the park that we were headed to. In the winter months, however, these trails are usually covered with many inches of snow where they are groomed for cross-country ski and snowshoe use. Because of this and the recent snow accumulation, the trails were basically not rideable on a traditional mountain bike.

Our journey started at the left arrow. Satellite imagery courtesy of Google 

We wanted to be respectful of the established XC ski and snowshoe trails, so we decided to hop off and walk along side our bikes in order to do as little harm to the groomed trails as possible. Luckily for us, a nice view accompanied us on our walk.

A beautiful winter day in Iowa, not too cold and hardly any wind.

Once we arrived at the event, we did a quick inspection of the course to be ridden for the race. Within minutes, my coworker, James, and I agreed that there was no way we were going to be able to participate on the bikes we rode. But fortunately, there is a type of bicycle that is intended for these types of conditions, and the kind folks from Quality Bicycle Products / Surly Bikes were on-site allowing participants to demo some of their bikes. With them they brought their venerable Pugsley model in a variety of sizes and spec. configurations. And as luck would have it, James, and I arrived just in-time to scoop up the last remaining Pugsleys in our respective sizes.

The steed that I had the privilege of riding in Saturday's event 

Shortly after securing our rides for the race, we headed to the shelter where registration was taking place. After filling out the appropriate waivers and handing over our entrance fees, we rushed to the starting line where the first group was about to take off.

The first group of riders taking off. Photo courtesy of Dale Waack

Immediately after the race had started, I could tell that the Pugsley was a much more appropriate tool for the job. The larger footprint that you put on the ground with a bicycle like this makes a world a difference when riding on snow. Traction and grip become much more of a reality, and once you select the appropriate low gear, you feel like you can ride through just about anything. But this type of riding does not come without a little bit of a learning curve. There is a great deal of skill involved in order to successfully ride through mixed, snowy conditions. The rider may have to adopt a different riding style. This type of riding relies heavily on a low-gear, high-cadence type of riding. In addition, the rider must remain seated for a majority of the ride, as shifting your weight even slightly in sketchy conditions, could result in a loss of traction and kill your momentum. I also found that despite the massive width of the tires on a bicycle like this, the bike still prefers to be ridden on somewhat of a packed-down line and most of the riders agreed that the course seemed to get better as the event went on because it meant more and more riders were packing-down the snow.

At the end of the event, there was a small awards ceremony, where James and I were both surprised to receive medals for 1st and 2nd place in our age-group (20-29), within our category (Citizen's race). This was mostly due to the low participation rate in our category/age-group but it was still a pleasant surprise.

Following the awards ceremony, James and I began looking for the possibility of hitching a ride home with one of the other attendees. We were getting quite cold from being outside a good chunk of the day and with the sun setting in just a couple of hours, we weren't looking to walk our bikes most of the way home. Quick to our feet, we decided to mix it up and take a detour on our way home. We decided on taking Airline Highway, a road just north of town, which added a considerable amount of distance to the route, but allowed for us to ride, rather than walk along side our bikes.

James and I riding back on Airline Highway

Once we arrived back into town, James suggested that we stop by Pablo's, which I felt was an excellent idea since we were both famished. We both consumed arguably some of the largest burritos that can be had in the Cedar Valley and then continued on our separate ways to our homes.

Pablo's is known in the area for their burritos of massive proportions

With 35 registered riders, I'd consider the first annual Winter Iowa Games "Winter Bike Race" a huge success. Smiles were everywhere at the event and there were many generous comments directed to the crew that put the event on. I, myself, am very happy that I was able to participate in the event and I look forward to what next year has to bring!

For a massive album of photos of the event by local photographer, Dale Waack, be sure to join the CVAST group on Facebook.

If you have any comments, questions, or corrections, please feel free to leave them in the comments section below!

-Jonathan, PedalBound

Welcome!

You've directed your browser to PedalBound, a blog in which I will do my best to honor the great machine that is the bicycle. For the past few years, this great invention has had a profound effect on me and I feel obliged to spread the joys associated with this fun and practical activity. I hope to offer a unique perspective on bicycles and riding, and I plan to do this through the following types of posts:

• Coverage of local cycling events and happenings in my community
• My take on local, regional, and industry-wide bicycle news
• The occasional product review
• Tips and my experiences as a year-round bicycle commuter

The ultimate goal here is to show my non-riding-readers just how fun and practical bikes can be, and to make bike-riding overall, more accessible, whether it be in your community or mine. Veteran cyclists need not fear, however, as I plan to publish plenty of original content that will surely satisfy.

So stick around, check back, add this to your RSS reader (I recommend Feedly!) and see what's in store for the future of PedalBound.

A photo of me with one of my first project bikes, an '84 Univega MetroTen (2010) 

Have some ideas for additional or specific topics? Feel free to leave me a comment in the comments section!


-Jonathan, PedalBound