Build Quality: 5/5

Function: 5/5

Style: 4/5

Overall: 5/5

Availability: The Burley Travoy retails for $289.00 and is available through dealers, which in Austin are Bicycle Sport Shop and University Cyclery. The Burley site has all the optional and replacement accessories available for sale directly.

Overview

Lots of people say we are on the leading edge of a cargo bicycle revolution. Cargo bikes offer a really nice alternative for hauling kids, groceries, and even furniture on two wheels. They do however have some down sides. Cargo bikes are big and much heavier than a traditional bike, and they can be pretty pricy. An Xtracycle Free Radical conversion will set you back $600 (plus you need to already have a bike) and purpose built cargo bikes can run from $1200 to over $3000.

If you do not have the coin, the living space, or security to own one of these very useful bikes, the Burley Travoy is made for you. A trailer made specifically for the needs of the urban cyclist, the Travoy offers 80% of the utility of a cargo bike at a fraction of the cost.

Build Quality and Function

When you look at the Burley Travoy, you can tell the designers really put a lot of thought into the product. The build quality of the trailer is very high with all the parts feeling very solid.

The trailer is built to attach to the most seat posts on bikes rather than the chain stays or rear axle like many trailers. There is a bolt on quick release which allow the trailer to be easily removed for taking indoors. You can get extras of these bolt on hitches if you plan to swap between multiple bikes. The hitch is relatively small (about 1 1/2″ tall) so you should not have a problem installing it on most seat posts, but you may have to change posts or seats if you keep you seat very low or have a suspension post.

The standard trailer comes with a quite large bag, though other bags and a rain cover are available as options. Burley loaned us their Upper Market set of bags which included a small top bag and a lower bag that was a little smaller than the standard bag. The upper bag had more pockets and was nice to be able to easily put small items, but I saw no advantage to the lower bag over the standard bag. Unless you know you need more capacity, I would recommend just sticking with the included bag to see how things go. All the bags and straps connect to the trailer with built in hooks and eyelets. This keeps the bags secure but also allows for relatively easy on and off.

The Travoy’s ability to do double duty as a walking cart and its ability to fold down to a small foot print sets it apart from other trailers for urban use. A flick of a handle collapses the connecting tubes to the bike and provides you with a comfortable handle to use the Travoy as a shopping cart or to carry your load on elevators to the office. An additional flick collapses the entire trailer down to a size that could be put under a desk or in a closet with ease.

One caveat on using the cart for shopping: You really have to do your shopping in a set order. The larger cavernous bags mean you can fit a lot. If you are not careful, your bread, peaches and eggs can get crushed!

Other small features like built in reflectors, a mount for a rear light, and a fold up resting foot for standing the trailer up round out a well thought out design.

Ride Quality

The placement of the trailer’s connection at the seat post does more than make it easy to connect and disconnect the Travoy. Most of the time raising the center of gravity like this makes handling worse on bikes. Not so with the Travoy. Unlike trailers that connect to chain stays, I felt almost no ill effective of adding weight (and I pushed the 60 pound limit with rebar and other supplies for our cyclocross clinics.) The swivel of the quick release joint also makes the trailer feel much more maneuverable and nimble in tight turns. When empty, I hardly knew the very light weight trailer was there at all.

My only gripe with the Travoy is how loads can shift when you hit bumps. If you do not carefully load the bags, bums can cause the bags to shift and start rubbing again the wheels. The tie down straps help this some, but did not eliminate it completely with heavy, uneven loads.

Summary

I see the Travoy as a perfect tools for the urban cyclists who wants the capabilities of a cargo bike but either does not have the space or money for one. If you can only have one bike, the Travoy opens up the possibility of owning something sporter without giving up the invaluable ability to carry things. There are limitations of course. You cannot carry children and the 60 pound carry limit is only a 1/4 of full cargo bikes. Still, its ability to carry a lot without the squirrelly nature of most other trailers and its versatility and compactness would make me question having a cargo bike if I did not already own one.

Fall riding in Texas past 4 pm calls for lights. The current laws in Austin require a front light and a back reflector. And, I’ve already heard of first hand accounts of police stopping cyclists to remind them of the laws. My favorite front light is the Monkey Light spoke light (although Monkey Electric, the manufacturer states that Monkey Lights are not to take the place of a front or rear bike light, but rather to be used along with).

I first heard about the Monkey Light after it made a debut at the Makers’ Fair here in Austin a few years back. The spoke light, as the name indicates, is mounted on the spokes of any wheel, front or back. It only takes 3 zip ties to snugly hold the light on the spoke. Along with little rubber shock mounts that prevent the light from vibrating against the spokes. It stay in place, doesn’t slide up and down, and doesn’t shake the wheel at high (or low) speeds.

There is a row of approximately 32 ultra bright LED lights that, get this, change color, a rainbow of colors, not just the traditional white and red of bike lights. The lights can make an array of patterns based on the rotation speed of the wheel. My favorite pattern looks like the clover leaf. I’ve nicknamed the Monkey Lights the Seizure Inducer: the lights are intensely bright and they continuously pulsate to create the shapes and patterns.

Studies show that there is an increased incidence of pedestrian and cyclists getting hit by vehicles right after the time change. The simple reason being that it puts bikes and cars together in the dark during the busiest traffic time. A horrible cocktail for disaster combining evening rush hour and a light-less bicycle. And even if you have lights, bike accidents tend to be T-bones. Vehicles don’t see the front and rear lights when approaching perpendicularly to bikes and crash into them from the side. Hence my gushing admiration for the Monkey Light because they make me visible from the side. The lights are so bright that it illuminates the pavement on both sides of the wheel.

When I started writing this,  I didn’t intend for this article to end up being a product review. Rather a kind reminder that it’s the season for bike lights. Although during fall in Austin I can still wear skirts in route to work without freezing, I’ve got to wear lights from work to home to make it there in one piece.

Anti Monkey Butt Anti Friction Powder comes in the Original, Lady's, and Baby (not shown or tested) versions

Function: 1/5

Product Quality: 4/5

Overall: 2.5/5

Availability: Anti Monkey Butt Anti Friction Powder sells for a retail price of $5.95 in 6 oz contains at a variety of large retailers including CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart. It can also be ordered online from the company where you can also receive a small volume discount for ordering 6 packs.

Summary

Anti Monkey Butt Anti Friction Powder claims to offer relief from discomfort caused by friction involved in all types of physical activities. While I did find the powder useful for soothing pain and irritation post ride, Anti Monkey is not up to the challenge of replacing more conventional lotion based chamois creams during your ride.

Function and Quality

Anti Monkey Butt comes in a colorful 6 ounce bottle for which it is safe to say is the anti-Rapha with a red-reared cartoon monkey on the label. The bottle has small distribution holes on the top similar to baby powder in three versions: Original, Lady’s, and Baby (not tested.) In addition to the talc powder in standard baby powder, this product also contains calamine powder, an ingredient with anti-itch and anti-bacteria properties. The smell is pleasant but nondescript in the Original while the Lady’s version has a definite flowery smell to it. Application is straight forward, squeezing out a little powder at a time and applying where you need it.

If you ride long miles, you will no doubt be singing the praise of chamois cream. The lubricating lotion applied to area where your body meets the saddle addresses painful friction and helps prevent saddle sores caused my long days in the saddle. Most endurance distance cyclists find chamois cream a non-negotiable necessity.

I started with the ultimate test of the anti-friction claims of this product by using Anti Monkey Butt in lieu of chamois cream for a variety of ride distances from 15 to 40 miles in length. At the time I started using the powder this way, I had a little soreness in the crotch region from a recent 20 mile ride I had done without chamois cream. Normally, I quickly bounce back from such soreness by using chamois cream liberally on the next few rides. On short rides, Anti Monkey Butt seemed sufficient however once I got above about 20 miles, I really started to feel the friction. By the end of one 40 mile ride, it was quite painful for me to sit in the saddle. After a similar experience on another 40 miler and a full outbreak of saddle sores, I discontinued the use of the Anti Monkey Butt powder and returned to my regular chamois cream. If I had started the trial without any soreness, maybe the the Anti Monkey Butt powder would have been sufficient, but clearly once the early stages of saddle sores set in this product will not help you through while in the saddle.

While Anti Monkey Butt powder is no replacement for chamois cream, I did find that it really excelled at helping me recover from saddle soreness with application after the ride. Knowing the powder is designed to keep the application area dry and the anti-bacteria properties of calamine powder, I decided to use it post ride for a week. After returning from a long ride using chamois cream, I applied Anti Monkey Butt after my shower to the problem region. It felt soothing and helped avoid any minor friction from regular clothing. In the past when I have continued to ride with saddle sores, it has usually taken me a few weeks to fully recover, but I found the sores completely gone by the end of the just a week with the daily application of Anti Monkey Butt.

For those who only suffer minor irritation from saddle friction, Anti Monkey Butt Anti Friction Powder might provide a less goopy, less oily feeling alternative to chamois cream, but for the rest of us, it is not up to that task. On the other hand as a general post ride soother and insurance policy against an outbreak of saddle sores, Anti Monkey Butt is worth having on hand.

My experience:

Function: 3.5/5

Style: 4/5

Build Quality: 5/5

Overall: 4/5

Availability: Stainless steel double walled thinksport bottles are available online at the thinksport store in 350 ml ($15.99) and 750 ml version ($19.99).

Summary

Combining the petroleum free design of stainless steel bottles with the double walled insulation of bottles like the Polar bottle, thinksport offers a high quality water bottle that keeps liquids either hot or cool for hours without condensation sweating or extreme temperature to the touch. While the bottle does a great job of temperature regulation, it’s unusual size make it of limited value to the cyclist wanting a plastic free replacement for bottles in their frame cages.

thinksport sells two sizes of their stainless steel, double walled bottles in 350 ml and 750 ml sizes and in a limited variety of colors.

Style and build quality

The thinksport bottle sports a classic design thanks to the shine of stainless steel. This material gives the bottle some heft and a finish that feels like a quality product. Because of the double wall design for insulation, the bottle is wider than non-insulated bottles of similar volume, however the hourglass design makes holding the bottle easy.

Function

The designers of the thinksport obviously put some thought into issues around filling and using a bottle like this. Since one of the primary uses is to keep liquids cold, it is nice to see a large mouth opening to allow standard ice cubes to be easily dropped in the bottle. Once filled, there is a wire mess cover to this opening that prevents ice from flowing out onto you when you drink from it. You can drink from the bottle either from the large screw off cap or a smaller, sipping opening with a plastic leash that keeps the lid from getting lost.

The removal mess interior cover stops ices from dumping back out on you while drinking.

The thinksport bottle is not lined in any way so there is no plastic taste or off-gassing. Conversely, there is no metallic taste either, a problem I’ve had with other metal bottles.

I was interested to see how well the bottle would do at temperature regulation as that has been my number one criticism of stainless steel bottles. While the true test will come during our Texas summers, I found the bottle did an excellent job of keeping water ice cold for 3-4 hours. This is considerably better than Polar bottles which tend to keep water cold 1-2 hours depending on ambient temperature. Also, as an added bonus the bottle is designed to handle hot liquids unlike most other sports bottles.

While the thinksport bottle exceeded my expectations on keeping liquids cool, the over-sized design of the bottle to achieve this makes it of limited usefulness to the cyclist. This size means the bottle does not fit in standard water bottle cages. The bottle also does not have a pop up drinking spigot as an option. Combined, this means on-the-bike drinking is pretty much impossible. For the cyclist, the thinksport bottle might be best used as a refill bottle for your cage bottles to keep the refill cold. Alternatively, those riding trails or riding socially may not mind stopping to pull out the bottle. (NOTE: I was sent the 750 ml version. The 350 ml, approximately 12 oz, may fit in bottle cages. It is unclear from the pictures on the thinksport site whether this would work.)

The FlashBack can be purchased online or locally for $39

My experience: Back in August, we did a profile of Brad Beneski, the creator of the FlashBak. He gave us a FlashBak to test out and review. I have ridden after dark with the FlashBak a dozen times mostly attached to the back of my Xtracycle.

Function: 4.5/5
Style: 2/5
Build Quality: 5/5
Overall: 4/5
Availability: The FlashBak is available at many Austin local bike shops or online from the FlashBak site for $32 plus shipping.
Summary
The FlashBak provides high rear visibility to riders especially in urban riding situations. While there was a quirk with the On/Off switch, it performed well it testing.

Function
The FlashBak tackles several issues with rear lighting on bikes: will people see you, how do you it’s on, how long will the batteries last, what happens if I fall off the bike? On the first one, the FlashBak handles very well by expanding the lighting area to a large rectangle with 10 LED lights instead of the usual 3-5 in a narrow plastic shell. Equipped with alligator clips, it easily attaches to your back pack or shirt or anything else you want to clip it to. Since it is intended to clip to you, you remain visible even if you are off the bike. There is also an On/Off switch with a light embedded in it that clips to your front so you can always see if the lights are working. Because the light array is on nylon strips, the FlashBak folds up easily for storage when not in use. It is also quite light and could be a good solution for the early morning runner.

The bright flashing rectangle of the FlashBak

On the road the light is quite bright compared to a traditional blinky. Part of this is the larger coverage and additional lights, part of this is the use of amber instead of red (Note: Technically, the law calls for red lights in most jurisdictions, but Beneski talk to the Travis County DA’s office which indicated the intent of the law is visibility, not color. We think it would be highly unlikely that you would ever be ticketed for this, but if you are in doubt, put a regular red light on your bike as well.)

In group rides, you might want to ride at the back as the lights can be a little overwhelming or use a solid light instead. Which brings us to one of the few drawbacks. The FlashBak has no solid light mode. Part of this is because Beneski design is milking every bit of current it can to make the lights as bright as possible and a solid light would burn them out. This is really a non-issue for urban riding where there is ambient light and you just want to stand out. In truly pitch black situations, you probably want to go with a solid as some research indicated solid is better for approaching vehicle to judge distance.

My main design gripe is with the On/Off switch on the battery box. This secondary switch in addition to the lighted pinch switch on your shirt and is intended to prevent the FlashBak from coming on when stored. The primary switch is like a CamelBak straw in that you have to really pinch hard to engage it. This makes this secondary toggle switch a bit redundant. I also had problems with the secondary switch turning off the light while in a pocket or bag. I eventually clipped it to the back of my Xtracycle which became an issue as I couldn’t see the front On/Off light. At one point I had ridden several miles before noticing the FlashBak had been turned off. I’d recommend getting rid of this secondary switch all together in future versions. It is unnecessary and causes more problems than it solves.

The only other minor gripe is that the bulbs are not replaceable. They are estimated to last 100,000 hours so I don’t think they are going to burn out any time soon, but it seems like a pity to have to chuck this in the land fill when the lights burn out. Maybe FlashBak could offer a recycling program where you could send it back in for a discount on a new one or have them replace the bulbs.

All in all, it’s kind of hard to believe no one had come up with this solution yet, and it does a great job. I’d highly recommend the FlashBak to any transportation cyclists or night time jogger.

My experience

Function: 4/5

Style: 2/5

Build Quality: 5/5

Overall: 4/5

Availability: The Helmet Lock is available for $12.95 or $19.95 for two at the Helmet Lock website.

Summary:

For those wanting to leave their helmet behind when they lock up, the Helmet Lock offers a low cost way to secure your lid. While not high security, the simple to use lock works with your bike lock to provide security in all but the most theft prone areas.

Function:

The Helmet Lock attempts to address an issue common with helmeted transportation cyclists: keeping up with your helmet. For those who don’t want to carry a bulbous piece of polystyrene around but fear their helmet will go missing, this is a good basic solution. The lock itself is fairly simple being comprised of a large steel nut with two rubber coated steel cables. Locking your helmet is easy by simply pulling the larger loop through a vent in the helmet until the nut acts as a stopper. Slip the loop through your bike lock and you’re done. The second loop aids in Helmet Lock storage allowing you to attach the lock to your bike lock through both loops when not in use.

While I think the design is straight forward, it will not provide complete protection in a high crime area. The thin metal cable is a good general deterrent but would be easily cut with bolt cutters. I also wonder how much of a target your sweaty helmet is for theft. Still, I’ve had spare tubes and half used patch kits stolen from my saddle bag, so there is no telling what is in the mind of a thief. The only other limitation of the system is what sort of helmet you have. If you are wearing a BMX style helmet with no vents or a high end road helmet with enormous vents, this system may not work for you, but for most this is a light weight, low cost theft deterrent.

The bright flashing rectangle of the FlashBak

We were sent several products to review over the summer and have been woefully behind on getting reviews written up for you. Look for reviews this week of the FlashBak, The Helmet Lock, and Global Ride: Hawaii Rides DVDs for riding on indoor trainer.

These days, though, we have diverged a bit. Elliott still uses Macs pretty exclusively and is a proud iPhone user. I don’t have any Macs at home right now, am using the Windows 7 Release Candidate on a cheapo Compaq and my phone is a BlackBerry 8900. Conflict! I like iPhones, really, they aren’t bad. I just can’t type any word with more than three letters without misspelling it on those touch screens. Especially with sweaty hands you get from things like, say, biking.

A couple of weeks ago I was browsing my usual morning news sites (courtesy of Viigo, naturally) and found this story on BerryReview about bicycle mounts for the BlackBerry Bold and Storm. Wow!

Image courtesy USBFever.com

So that’s great right? This must be what every bicycle riding nerd has been looking for. Way more useful than, say, a pocket. Confusing isn’t it? I’m glad these kinds of companies are thinking of us cyclists but I just don’t know what this is for. Obsessed texters who just have to get every second of typing in before the red light changes? Perpetually lost Google Maps addicts? Hmm.

The scariest part is actually this line on the product page:

This mount is not designed for use with aggressive or extreme bicycle riding. Decrease the risk of damage to your PDA from an accident by using a self made strap to further secure the PDA in the cradle is recommended.

Encouraging customers to use a homemade strap before they buy, huh? I bet USB Fever Customer Service has had some angry calls about this one, and I further wager that “aggressive or extreme bicycle riding” is probably not too far off from commuting to work on our pothole-laden Austin streets.

Fear not, iPhone users, you aren’t left out in the cold on this one either. Here’s your very own bike mount too!

Image courtesy USBFever.com

So there you go! BlackBerry and iPhone users rejoice! We can all join hands and share our experiences of mounting our $500 phones precariously on our bicycle handlebars!

I would actually like to hear some uses or experiences from these. Whoever posts the best use, or best harrowing phone on bike story in the comments will actually get one of these – your preference!

My experience:

Function: 5/5

Style: 5/5

Build Quality: 4/5

Overall: 5/5

Availability: Retails for $85 in Brown or Black at retailers who stock Velo Orange products or directly from the Velo Orange online store.

Summary:

Online supplier of retro bicycle components and accessories, Velo Orange, currently sells two models of leather saddles that are similar in design to a Brooks B-67, a wide saddle with springs best suited to an upright riding position. The saddles, called the VO Model 8 in brown and VO model 7 in black, retails for $85, a substantial savings over the $125 price of a B-67.

While the breakin period takes a little longer than a Brooks, the VO Model 8 is a well made, stylish saddle that deserves consideration if you are not set on the Brooks name.

Function

The VO Model 8 is a double single rail saddle that will fit most seat posts. It includes springs in the back for some suspension as well as a tension bolt for re-tightening the leather. One nice feature that is not on the Brooks is that the tightening bolt is an Allen style (hex) like much of the rest of the parts on a bicycle which means you don’t need a special tool to tighten the saddle. Brooks requires a special wrench which of course you have to purchase separately. The VO Model 8 comes with the correct Allen wrench included. The saddle also comes with a color matched string tie through in the middle of the saddle to prevent the sides from flaring out. This is an option Brooks owners often have to do on their own. Finally, metal loops on the back for saddle bags finish out this very functional, transportation focuses product.

The saddle itself feels much like the B67. I will say that the saddle does take considerably longer to break in than a Brooks. I like a firm saddle and have found the Brooks pretty much good to go from installation (others find the Brooks initially too firm and report a few week break in period.) The Model 8 took about a month of riding several times a week to get there. Now, it feels fine as it has contoured to my body.

Style and Build Quality

I found the style and build quality to be a match to the Brooks B67. The style of the leather is a little different with a more textured appearance. While I find the smoother leather of the B67 a bit more attractive, the texture surface does keep you from sliding around.

Instead of the small metal plate with the brand on the back, Velo Orange has had a larger “VO” carved into the seat. I think this was a good move as a metal plate would make the saddle look too much like a knockoff. In fact, I was riding with Marcus a few weeks ago, and he did not even realize it was not a Brooks until we started talking about it.

My one minor gripe on build quality is the occasional occurrence of squeaky springs. After about a month, I’d hear the springs squeak pretty loudly when I tried to pedal hard or I’d hit a bump. Brooks are susceptible to this as well, and a tightening of the saddle reduced this a bit.

Final Thoughts

Velo Orange has produced a quality saddle at a great price that will look great on your English roadster or Dutch city bike. As long as you can give up the Brooks cache and accept a little longer break in period, you’ll love this saddle.

As you may have read, during our review of the Axiom Transition Computer bag/pannier, we had a complete failure of the bag to stay on our standard bike rack, which caused extensive damage to my Hewlett-Packard laptop.

Now, I have uploaded a gallery of photos of the damage caused when the bag flew off the rack and landed on the road, damaging the computer. In addition, below is the response from the initial story’s comments from Axiom support, indicating that the bag was used incorrectly and stating they should “provide better instructions in the future.” You can see the photos above in the slide show, or on Flickr here.

Below is an excerpt from their support comment (you can read it in full at the original story):

Between the two hooks on this rear bag there should be a small piece of plastic, with three holes, that rotates, this is the Posi-Lock. When you put the bag on the rack and twist the Posi-Lock to the vertical position it will lock the bag into place making it almost impossible for the bag to eject off the rack, even through rough road conditions like train tracks or hitting a pothole. The Posi-Lock can be adjusted to three different positions so it will fit most conventional racks. The bungee with a hook is the quick latch and also is designed to keep the bottom of the bag from swinging out. When used properly the system has four points of connection: the Posi Lock, the two hooks and the bungee, creating a very secure system.

Thank you for bringing this to our attention; consumer feedback helps us make a better product for everybody. On the next run of bags we are looking at including a sticker or tag attached to the Posi-Lock to better explain the use of this system and to ensure that people know how to properly secure their bags.

Interesting response. Here’s what they say keeps the bag on:

Back side of the Axiom Transition bag

What the Axiom support person is referring to is the horizontal piece of plastic in the top center area of the bag. Would this work to keep the pannier in place? Maybe, but how would you know to use it?

Here are the printed materials that come with the bag:

Hm it's a "lifetime guarantee" (for the bag, not your computer) and a very basic marketing foldout.

That’s right, there are no instructions. So what’s telling you to use this piece of rotating plastic to save your computer from certain destruction? Nothing.

“we are looking at including a sticker or tag attached to the Posi-Lock to better explain the use of this system and to ensure that people know how to properly secure their bags” – Thanks a lot, Axiom.