Over the past three years of bicycle commuting, I’ve experimented with panniers (front- and rear-mounted), backpacks, and traverse-style saddlebags for carrying daily necessities (clothing, lunch, repair kit, wallet, cell phone).  Many thousands of miles later, the British-style saddlebag has proven to be my luggage of choice.

Traditional saddlebags are not for everyone, though.  Most require a saddle with bag loops, and larger-capacity bags benefit greatly from the addition of a secondary support (or a conventional rear rack).  These limitations became glaringly apparent when testing new saddles for an upcoming article.  Between the lack of bag loops, and rails that wouldn’t accommodate a bolt-on support, I began searching for an alternative to my Carradice/Bagman combo.

Thankfully, I didn’t have to search far–the Carradice SQR line of saddlebags don’t require saddles with bag loops, or any additional supports.  Instead, the company’s SQR bags utilize an integrated frame that attaches to a seatpost-mounted receptor.  The included clamps are compatible with seatposts up to 32mm in diameter, and larger clamps are available for seatposts up to 40mm.  Installation only requires a 5mm hex key.

Carradice SQR bracket mounted on the author’s commuter. The spring-loaded (red) lever allows easy bag removal.

Once the SQR bracket is installed, attaching or removing the bag is quick and easy (and doesn’t require any fiddling with straps, etc).  That convenience doesn’t come at the expense of security.  I rode over many miles bumpy singletrack (and broken pavement), and even with a full load, the bag (or bracket) never once budged.

The frame’s mount is bolted to the internal stiffener.

Carradice provided GRAVELBIKE with samples of their SQR Slim and SQR Tour bags.  Both feature a 16 litre capacity, and have a max load rating of 10kg.  Like their more-traditional saddlebags, the Slim and Tour are constructed from waterproof cotton duck.  A mudguard strip on the underside offers additional protection.  If you’re wondering just how weatherproof cotton can be, my gear remained dry during rain so heavy that it took three days for my shoes to dry completely.

The Slim and Tour share the same total capacity, but differ in form factor.  As the name implies, the Slim has a more compact profile, which improves clearance on smaller bikes.  My Vaya’s saddle height is 73cm, and while there was sufficient room for either bag, I found that the Slim was easier to attach and remove.  For sheer convenience, however, I preferred the Tour’s external, quick-release pockets (both bags are equipped with an interior, envelope-style pocket for wallet, keys, or phone).

Carradice’s SQR Slim saddlebag.

Carradice SQR Tour saddlebag.

To avoid the “droop” often encountered with Carradice’s traverse-style bags, the SQR line features internal stiffeners that help maintain the bags’ profile even when empty.  Instead of leather straps and traditional buckles, the SQR bags utilize nylon straps with quick-release buckles.  Reflective logo badges offer additional visibility, and LED blinky lights can be attached to the lid via nylon straps.

How do the SQR bags compare to Carradice’s traverse-style saddlebags?  Heavy loads have less of an effect on handling than a conventional saddlebag and (Bagman) support.  I did detect some contact between the SQR bags and the backs of my thighs, but it was still less than with a conventional saddlebag attached without a support.  Weight-wise, you save approximately 100g over a Carradice Nelson and original (steel) Bagman.

The SQR Slim has a suggested retail price of £75.00, and the SQR Tour retails for £79.00.  Additional SQR mounts are available for £14.00.  Note that all prices include VAT.

Disclosure: Carradice provided review samples for this article, but offered no other form of compensation for this review.

Over the past couple of years, I’ve been on a Goldilocks-like search for a seatpost that was just right.  Some posts had plenty of offset, but were difficult to adjust.  Others could be easily adjusted, but their tolerances were inconsistent.  Frustrated with seatposts that were lacking in one way or another, I decided to try the Tall & Handsome seatpost from Paul Component Engineering.

Unlike most forged alloy seatposts, the Tall & Handsome’s shaft and head are machined from two separate pieces of 2024 aluminum alloy. The offset, two-bolt head is bonded and screwed into the precision-ground shaft.  While this may not result in the lightest post on the market (the T&H weighs 320g), my digital calipers revealed a consistent 27.2mm diameter over the usable length of the shaft.

The two-bolt clamp can be adjusted to +/- 7.5°.  The clamp’s two bolts sit on spherical washers, which allows the hardware to self-align with the clamp/cradle assembly.  Setting my saddle’s angle was a breeze, and once it was dialed-in, the clamp remained secure (and silent) over bumpy dirt roads and trails.

Riders who are looking for additional setback will be well served by the Tall & Handsome’s 26mm offset.  An added benefit of the dual, separate upper clamps is that the effective setback is increased by another couple of millimeters (while the 40mm lower clamp still offers plenty of rail support).

Paul Component Engineering offers the Tall & Handsome only in 27.2m diameter (length is 360mm).  Suggested retail price is $112 for black or silver anodized finishes, and the polished silver version sells for $118.

Manufacturers of wider (clincher) rims claim many benefits–improved aerodynamics, better handling, and the ability to run (wider) tires at lower pressures.  I, myself, have ridden wider rims for many years, but they have typically been heavier, and less aerodynamic than the rims currently on the market.  Recently, however, I was given the opportunity to test the new Pacenti SL23 rim.

The Pacenti SL23 rim with Schwalbe’s 700×28 Durano tire.

Kirk Pacenti–the man behind the SL23 rim–is a 20-year veteran of the bicycle industry, working with the likes of Keith Bontrager, Giro, and Manitou’s Doug Bradbury.  The SL23 is not Pacenti’s first foray into the rim market–has been one of the driving forces behind the industry- and consumer-adoption of the 650B (27.5″) wheel size, and lead the charge towards wide-but-light rims by designing Velocity’s P35 rim.

Exactly how does one test a rim?  If you have a huge budget, you spend time (and dollars) in a wind tunnel, or you develop machines and fixtures that can measure deflection and other esoterica.  But if you’re an enthusiast-run blog like GRAVELBIKE, you ride them, think about them, ride them some more, and then share your thoughts and findings.

Due to the fact that I possess the wheelbuilding skills of a chimpanzee (apologies to any wheelbuilding-chimps reading this), I enlisted the services of Ergott Wheels‘ Eric Gottesman.  He spent several months riding and testing pre-production SL23 rims, so I was able to take advantage of his familiarity with the new Pacenti hoops.  I gave him a summary of my riding style, weight, and tire/gearing preferences, and told him to build whatever combination he thought would best highlight the SL23s’ features.

Ergott Wheels paired the SL23 rims with White Industries T11 hubs and Sapim bladed spokes.

One week later, a pair of Gottesman’s GT Signature wheels arrived at my doorstep.  The SL23 rims had been laced to White Industries T11 hubs using Sapim bladed spokes and alloy nipples.  While the majority of my wheels tend to be fairly conservatively, the GT Signature wheels are anything but.  Gottesman chose to go with 24 radially-laced spokes for the front wheel, and 28 spokes in back (using slightly thicker spokes for the drive side).  Weight for the front wheel was 671g, with the rear wheel coming in at 871g (weights include rim tape).

Constructed of 6061-T6 aluminum, the SL23 features machined sidewalls with wear-indicator “dimples.”  The Pacenti’s 24mm outside width is paired with an inner-bead width of 18mm.  For comparison, a Mavic Open Pro rim has an outer measurement of 20mm.  By increasing the rim’s width, the tire’s profile opens up, and it takes on more of a “U” shape.  This reduces the tire’s “lightbulb” profile, and increases the tire’s effective width.  That translates into the ability to run lower pressures (without increasing rolling resistance), which means more traction and comfort for the rider.

Wear indicators make it easy to determine when rims need to be replaced.

During the course of my testing, I rotated through three different sets of tires: Panaracer Pasela (700×28), Schwalbe Durano (700×28), and Vredestein Fortezza (700×25).  With two layers of Stan’s yellow tape installed, I could mount (and remove) all three tires without the aid of bead lubrication or bead jacks.  Inflated to 100psi, the Duranos measured the widest at 28.65mm, but it should be noted that the 25mm Vredesteins plumped out to 26.5mm wide.

Over the past few months, I’ve ridden the SL23-equipped wheels over a range of terrain that’s included lots of broken pavement and dirt roads and trails.  The wheels are as true as the day I unboxed them, and aside from the buzz of the rear hub’s freehub, they’ve been blissfully silent.  I’ve been unable to detect any “pulsing” or vibration from the welded seams or wear indicators, and braking has been smooth, quiet, and predictable.The end result is a pair of lightweight-but-sturdy wheels that I can ride hard over a wide variety of surfaces, without having to baby or constantly true them.

At 450g each, the SL23s are anywhere from 25g to 50g lighter than the rims I normally use, but the rims’ light weight doesn’t come at the expense of durability or compatibility with wider tires.  I’m no speed demon (especially at 195 pounds), but I really appreciate the wheels’ liveliness when climbing (which there is no shortage of here in Colorado).

Disclosure: Pacenti, White Industries, and Ergott Wheels provided review samples and services for this article, but offered no other form of compensation for this review.

Compact road cranksets have been a boon to riders seeking lower gears without the added complexity of a triple chainring setup.  The ubiquitous 34/50 combo has proven popular with racers and recreational riders alike.  But what about the rest of us?  Not everyone wants–or needs–a 50t big ring, and the compact crank’s 110mm BCD (bolt circle diameter) can’t accommodate anything smaller than 34t (33t if you use T.A.’s Zephyr).  Alternative solutions have been available in the form of vintage setups such as the T.A. Cyclotouriste and Stronglight 49D (and their copies), but they lack the ramped-and-pinned chainrings necessary for compatibility with modern integrated shifters.

For those riders seeking to break out of the 34/50 box, Sugino introduced the OX801D crankset.  Instead of a 110mm BCD, the Japanese company designed their new crankset using 74mm and 110mm BCDs.  The dual-BCD design enabled the use of inner chainrings as small as 24t, and the ability to run large chainrings much smaller than the ones usually found on compact-double cranks.  To the delight of mechanics everywhere, Sugino spec’d their new crank with ramped-and-pinned chainrings, as well as making it compatible with external bottom brackets such as those from Shimano and Chris King.

There were a couple of gotchas, however.  First was the price–over $500 when it was initially introduced.  Contributing to the high price were the highly polished finish, and cold-forging and machining the units in Japan.  The second gotcha was the extremely limited choice of available chainring combinations in the US (34/50, and later, 34/48).  The latter limitation could be circumvented by ordering directly from one of the specialty retailers in Japan, but the price put the OX801D out of reach for many riders (including yours truly).

Sugino OX601D crankset (34/48) on the author’s Campagnolo-equipped test bike.

Then, in late 2012, Sugino brought the OX601D crankset to market.  This new model featured the same cold-forged arms as the OX801D, but with a less-costly matte silver finish.  To satisfy the pickiest gearhead, the OX601D can be ordered with the customer’s choice of chainring sizes.  With a suggested retail price of just under $400 (including sealed bottom bracket and all necessary hardware), the new Sugino crankset is on par (price-wise) with similar offerings from Rene Herse and White Industries.

One of the first things you notice about the OX601D is that the outer chainring mounts inboard of the spider.  Positioning the outer chainring this way allows the use of the 74mm BCD for inner chainrings smaller than 34t.  On setups where both chainrings utilize the same (110mm) BCD, the inner chainring is attached to the outer chainring via spacers and the large chainring’s mounting hardware.  If the smaller 74mm BCD is used, the inner chainring uses a separate set of mounting hardware.

The 74mm and 110mm mounting patterns accommodate a wide range of chainrings.

Installing the OX601 cranks and bottom bracket was is easy as any other two-piece unit.  The external bearing cups install using a standard, Shimano/SRAM-compatible socket (such as this one from Pedro’s), and the cranks themselves require only 4mm and 5mm hex keys (although I did use a torque wrench to insure that the left arm’s fixing bolts were properly tightened).  While the MB-608-II bottom bracket seemed to have less seal drag than a comparable Shimano unit, I couldn’t detect any actual difference once the cranks were in place.

Sugino MB-608-II cupset weighs 93g with sleeve.

For this test, I installed the Sugino cranks on my Black Mountain Cycles bike, replacing the Shimano R4550 cranks that I normally use.  Weight-wise, the OX601D came in at 925g, compared to 900g for the aforementioned Shimano cranks (with Dura-Ace cups, 34/46 chainrings, and alloy chainring bolts).  Where the Sugino cranks really shine, though, is their q-factor of 145mm (the Shimanos measure 150mm).  Riders who want to maintain a narrow(er) pedaling stance without having to sacrifice modern drivetrain compatibility will be well served by the OX601D cranks.

The left crank arm is secured with two opposing pinch bolts.

On the road (and trail), the ramped-and-pinned Sugino chainrings meshed perfectly with my Campagnolo 10s drivetrain.  The only necessary adjustment involved raising the front derailleur to clear the larger 48t chainring.  Shifting up and down was quick, reliable, and didn’t require any babying on my part.  Climbing out of the saddle didn’t induce any unwanted flex (that I could notice), and everything has remained silent.  Because the OX601D doesn’t rely on the spider’s width for determining chainring spacing, the crank is compatible with 9-, 10-, and 11-speed systems simply by using different spacers.  And while it’s too soon to comment on chainring durability, the 74mm and 110mm mounting patterns ensure a wide range of compatible replacement rings.

Hardware and spacers used for mounting the 48t outer and 34t inner chainrings.

Currently, the US importer offers Sugino OX601D cranks in 165mm, 170mm, 172.5mm, and 175mm lengths.  Inner chainrings are available in 30t, 32t, 34t, or 36t.  Ramped-and-pinned outer chainrings come in 44t, 46t, 48t, or 50t.  Shops can order the cranksets through Merry Sales, or you can purchase them directly from SOMA Fabrications.

Disclosure: SOMA Fabrications provided review samples for this article, but offered no other form of compensation for this review.

Over the last two-and-a-half years, BikeHubStore.com of Chapel Hill, NC, has made a name for itself by offering great deals on hubs, rims, and spokes.  For the past couple of months, GRAVELBIKE has been testing two of the company’s latest offerings–the SL218 rear hub, and the SLF85W front hub.

BikeHubStore.com’s SL218 and SLF85W hubs.

Both hubs feature CNC-machined 6061 alloy bodies, 7075 alloy axles, and roll on Enduro sealed bearings (which are easily serviced with common hex keys).  Our samples came in a 28/32 configuration with a Campagnolo-compatible freehub (130mm rear spacing).  Weight was dead-on at 85g (front) and 218g (rear).  For this review, the hubs were laced to H Plus Son Archetype rims by local expert Peter Chisolm of Vecchio’s Bicicletteria.  Sapim spokes completed the build, with 2.0/1.5/2.0 Lasers being laced 2x in front, and 2.0/1./8/2.0 Race laced 3x in back (both using brass nipples).

The heart of the SL218 rear hub is a six-pawl, alloy freehub.  The hub is available in Shimano- or Campagnolo-compatible versions, and both drivers are fitted with two Enduro sealed bearings.  Engagement is solid (even below freezing), and the axle’s drive-side end cap features an additional rubber seal that does an excellent job of keeping water and dirt away from the bearings.

The SL218′s freehub is well sealed and easy to service.

For this test, I used a Campagnolo Veloce cassette with separate cogs, and couldn’t detect any excessive gouging or notching of the freehub body’s splines.  One thing to note, however, is that the SL218′s freehub positions the largest cog very close to the spokes.  Extra care should be taken when adjusting the rear derailleur’s inner limit screw so that there’s no contact with the spokes when the chain is on the large cog.

One of the highest compliments I can bestow on the BikeHubStore.com hubs is that I basically forgot about them.  They worked (very) well, and didn’t require any babysitting or tweaking whatsoever during the test period.  Whether I was exploring dirt roads or riding pavement, they became “invisible” and let me focus my energy on enjoying the ride.  And in all honesty, you really can’t ask for more than that.

Disclosure: BikeHubStore.com provided review samples for this article, but offered no other form of compensation for this review.