“Here’s the new Brodie!! We couldn’t have found it without your help. The best part was that we didn’t have to go into Toronto to get it. (We live in Fergus, though, and would have gone to Toronto if we needed to) And, you should know about your fantastic Brodie Dealer in Listowel, Ontario!! The store name is <Only Sports> and they did a great job helping us and in representing your companies fine bicycles. The Pax 7 is a fantastic bike, and it is very hard to get in the GTA. Only Sports has 4 Pax models (only 3 now) the Pax 5 and 7 in both sizes. They’re a really good store. Joan Cota is the owner who helped us.

I love all the Brodie bikes, and as I mentioned I became a dedicated “Brodie guy” after buying a men’s “Ocho” last year. Great bike also.

Keep up the good work, and know that we will be singing the praises of your great bikes around the GTA, and hopefully more people will order them!

Best regards, Peter. ”

Yes, it’s that time again! Framebuilding 101 Open House will be held May 23, Thursday, from 5 -8pm. My electric bike, eBee, will be there. ElectricBike.com just named eBee #5 in the Top Ten Most Elegant Garage Built Ebikes. The 1888 Whippet will be there too! It just won Best of Show at Harald’s Cruiser Ride and Show n’ Shine May 5.

Next Framebuilding 101 course is May 27, and there is still space left. If you have been thinking about it, don’t delay! This will be course #021.

Open House address is 30645 Firecat Avenue, just left of the Tradex Building, Abbotsford Airport. Look for the double glass doors under the blue awning, and c’mon in. Refreshments will be served. If you have a cool old bike, bring it. Hope to see you there.

Paul Brodie

Paul Kreuger: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pwkrueger/

You may be wondering what that word meant: “brevet”. It’s a term used to describe a randonneur bike ride… Stay with me! This won’t turn in to a French lesson! Randonneur cycling is different compared to more popular styles of bicycle races. For starters, it isn’t a race. Randonneur “brevets” must be completed by following exact directions given by the ride organizer and within a certain amount of time. Controls are put along the route; riders must initial and time stamp their control card upon arriving at each one. The time limit is generally set to an average 15km/h speed. Some participants use these events as long distance touring and others will challenge themselves to complete larger distances and faster times. My goal was to complete the ride as quickly as I could. Not to ride as fast as possible, but to COMPLETE the ride and not dilly daddle.

Before I knew it I had put my bike together, received my control card and I was rolling away from Marina Park in Fort Langley, B.C. A group of about 32 riders, all my senior, rode out and shortly I was in a group of six of quicker riders. We rode together zig-zagging the side roads near Highway 1 until we reached the Sumas border crossing. The border guards and cyclists alike all had a good chuckle when the question “What is the reason for your visit?” was asked and the subsequent reaction to the answer “riding our bikes 300km’s”.

Now in the U.S. we were into the meat of the ride. South Pass Road was where the route would take us on our first real climb. The group of six was split into to two groups with me and another rider named Chad off the front. Chad and I continued chit chatting as the kilometers clicked along. Being that there were so many kilometers to ride there were often long gaps of silence. It is nice to get a little banter going to keep things lively and loose. That said, moments of silence are just fine. I’d rather just enjoy the ride ride and not have to force conversation. Generally, these moments of silence occur as the road’s grade inclines. When the incline gets even steeper there is a point where I become very strongly focused. Even steeper? Laser-like focus. There is no past, there is no future. There is only now, only my breath, my heartbeat and my muscles that are moving me forward.

The next uphill grind was on Silver Lake Road and a section of Mount Baker Highway. It wasn’t too steep but it was fairly long. You could even say most sections of it were “false flats”. For the layman, a false flat is when, to your eyes, the road appears to be level but your sore legs and labored breath tell you that, in fact, there is an incline. Normal leg and lung function aside, my body was also telling me that it was having some difficulty processing the large breakfast I inhaled before leaving home earlier. It wasn’t until I reached the Graham Market on Mount Baker Highway that I, um, “relieved” that problem. With my bib shorts back up along with all the layers I had to remove to access the bib shorts I was back on my way with Chad and now Peter.

The next climb was on Mosquito Lake Road. Before turning on to the road we had reached the 100k mark. I exclaimed to Chad, and Peter: “Woo hoo! We’re one third of the way there!” The reactions were pleasant although not as jubilant as mine. The climb was relatively less miserable than the last since I was no longer worried about my digestion issues. At this point I said to myself: “Your bike is fine, your body is fine, you have no excuses, you MUST finish!” I go back and forth from chit-chatting to laser-focus-zen mode. “Breathe calmly; get nice and low; smooth and efficient with the pedal stroke…” I wasn’t talking to myself saying these things. It’s just how I can describe that focus when the pace or the incline ramp up.

The next control was the Alger Food Mart located on Old Highway 99. The store was something out of a movie. It was dark, had three-high shelves that were about four feet high sparsely sprinkled with random items; chips, cookies, toilet paper, but to my surprise, no ammo. Darn. It smelled like cigarette smoke and I shortly discovered the source when the clerk’s raspy voice instructed me how to find the washroom after she had cleared a thick, phlegmy cough.

As Chad and I rounded Lake Samish and entered Bellingham light sprinkles turned into showers. Once we arrived in the heart of Bellingham the showers turned into a downpour. Fenders and rain jackets kept us from being completely miserable even though my gloves were soaked and my fingers were barely functionning. Bicycle fenders are designed to keep the rider dry. Cyclists who often ride in groups and in the rain will make or purchase fender extenders, or “frienders”. They keep the stream of water coming off of the tire from spraying the rider behind them. Chad’s “friender” was… almost adequate. This left me drafting him slightly off to the side or with my head tilted out of the spray. I saw it as a minor inconvenience. Chad is a big man and I barely had to pedal when he was ahead of me. He most definitely dragged my carcass around a lot! I’ll take a little spray in exchange.

Chad’s draft was most noticeable on Lummi Shore Road. At this point we were at over 200k into the ride with “moderate” headwinds. When you’ve been riding that long and you’re riding into a 40km/h headwind it feels like you’re in a hurricane. The wind was strong enough for an osprey to literally hover in one spot over the shore of Bellingham Bay. I watched it as it scanned for what I could only think was its lunch. The osprey and I even made very brief eye contact. “MMM! No. Too big.”, the bird must have thought. Biting off more than you can chew… Yeah, I can relate buddy.

Once we got out of the wind Chad must have made the stronger effort because I started to pull ahead. A large enough gap opened up to lose visual contact with him. I charged ahead and figured we could rendez vous at the Pacific Border Crossing. I knew the end was in sight and at this point I just wanted the ride to be over. Before splitting with Chad our conversation revolved mainly about which part of our bodies hurt. Remember what I said about everything hurting?

The border crossing was the “30k to go” mark. I had waited for several minutes but Chad didn’t show up. Hoping he was ok I continued on. Time to return to that zen mode. I gave a very strong time trial like effort for the last chunk of the ride. The following in an excerpt from what was happening in my brain from the border to Fort Langley:

-  “Ow, my foot’s cramping”.

-  “Shut up, keep pedaling!”

-  “Argh, I have to pee!”

-  “Shut up and pedal! You’re almost there!”

-  “I’m almost out of water!”

-  Who cares you fool! There’s beer at the finish!”

Almost twelve hours after leaving the same spot I arrived at the Fort Pub to find the ride organizer Barry Chase. I was internally elated, but super cool externally. Barry congratulated me on my accomplishment, I gave him my control card, he gave me the coveted 300km brevet pin and that was it. No finish line celebration, no podium, no champagne, no stuffed animals, no flowers, no large novelty cheques. You don’t become a randonneur for the glory. There is none. Satisfaction of completing a lofty goal is what you get.

I’d like to thank a few people for helping, encouraging, and supporting me: Chad Coates whose draft pulled me over a ridiculous distance. Chad, you’re a machine! My dad Keith for having “leant” me his Brodie Romax… eight months ago. I’ve since put about 4,500 km on it. Thanks dad, I’m in the best shape of my life now! Finally, my fiancée Samantha for putting up with me spending so much time out on my bike. At this point I think I owe her ten thousand foot rubs, five hundred painted toe nails, and a few fancy dinners.

Alex Dove – @Adove

Express Series – Flat Bar and Dual Sport

You’ll find bikes in this category can be quite varied, but commonly have flat bars and the ability to do dual purpose of a commuter and a pleasure bike. A little faster than a standard comfort hybrid, these bikes accept fenders, and have a more upright seating position and commuting sensibility. With easier rolling, skinnier tires, they typically go faster than mountain bikes yet have the positioning many favor for a commuter.

Journey Series – Round Town and City Style

Designed with an eye towards moving people and their goods. A comfortable, stylish alternative meant to mesh with a more laid back lifestyle. These bikes are similar in design dutch bikes and cruisers, but are often lighter, with more gearing options, including low maintenance internal gear hubs.

Lightning Series – Mountain Bikes

Mountain bikes are pretty self explanatory! There are options for suspension types and wheel sizes, and this always depends on your riding style. Cross country suspended hardtails with classic geometry and handling characteristics will meet most needs, unless you’re hitting big dirt jumps or techical downhills. The original style mountain bike, hardtails are now available with varying supsension forks for different sized wheels. 26 inch wheels are still used for most downhill, but 29er wheels and 650b are meeting the need for easier rolling, cross country trails and those who want to climb hills or ride on gravel trails.

Speed Series – Touring, Cyclocross, Road

For those looking to do some training, touring or racing, choosing a road style frame is a great idea. Road frames are built for speed and distance. Touring frames are commonly equipped to take panniers and work well as urban commuters as well; quick enough but built for the long haul. Cyclocross frames are built for doing a little off-roading, and tend to meet the needs for both touring and road training, often adapted into winter bikes (fenders, bigger tires) for those looking to put in miles in more intermittant weather. Road bikes are great for fitness, running on fast rubber and offer a quick, responsive feel, whether climbing mountains or doing the local training loop.

Ultimately, the decision is yours. You should go to your local bike shop and ask about test rides, get fit on a bicycle to see about the right size and make sure you ask about maintenance and longevity. Getting the best bike you can afford will likely help you get better quality components and keep you happier in the long run!

Hope to see you out there!

Brodie Bicycles
- Real Bikes for Real People

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Matt is a spandex wearing, craft beer loving, wood working, cyclocrosser. You can find him on Strava, working on that next unfound trail just so he might revel in the brief glory of internet notoriety, or taking Instagrams of the “epic” rides and races he’s at. When not on the road/trail, he flaunts his merino wool and skinny jeans in his community garden in Vancouver’s West End. During fall season, when not getting his beard kicked in during CX races, he’s organizing more cyclocross races on behalf of Vancouver Cyclocross Coalition and Mighty Cycling. On a serious note, he is a passionate advocate for improving people’s connections with the natural world and getting kids outside.

What I’m riding right now: Roadie Ti, Crib 29er
Where I’m riding: Epic Lillooet road trips, North Shore XC and Spring Series races.

For more depth information on the photos, check out our FB Page!

We’ve waited all week for this: the final photos of Paul Brodie’s completed eBee electric bicycle. By the time you read this, it will have been unveiled at the 2013 North American Handmade Bicycle Show, at the University of the Fraser Valley’s Booth — number #736, if you’re fortunate enough to make it along. Paul has been graciously updating Cycle EXIF with the steps he took in constructing the eBee piece-by-piece and finally completed it, after 485 hours of work, just in time to hit the road for Denver.

Now, I’ll let the photos do the talking: