I just put a new-ish B.17 on my bike. I’m always telling people to try their Brooks saddle with the nose “up” just a little so I thought I’d show what “nose up” means to me.

This setting is my starting place. There will be tweaks as I ride and as the saddle breaks in.

When you set the nose up like this you are more likely to sit on the “seat” part of the saddle. Often we can be pulled forward, reaching for the bars, until we are more on the nose than we should be. The nose of the saddle is narrow and hard. No comfort there.

The bag is a new model from Detroit Cargo that I am evaluating.

Tags: Brooks saddles, Detroit Cargo, saddle setup

Brooks has a few different colors that could be considered ‘brown.’ Here is a picture of all the brown-ish Brooks saddles I could find right now.

The main ‘brown’ colors are ‘honey’ and ‘antique brown’. Honey is a more golden brown while  antique brown (sometimes just ‘brown’) is a darker, chocolate-like shade.

‘Ochre’ is a new color for 2013. It is kind of a yellowish brown and is offered on the B.17 and Team Pro models.

Mustard was offered on the Colt in 2011 and 2012. It is no longer offered. (We still have a couple on the shelf.)

Pre-Aged is unique in shade and finish. The color is more matte than the other Brooks models.

The “Select” saddles are not dyed but are natural leather. We are showing here a special edition World Traveler model with a special imprint.

The honey and antique brown saddles are discontinued B.66 Champion models. This was the sprung B.17 on the old style two-wire frame. This saddle was superseded by the Champion Flyer in the 2,000′s. The antique brown version here has a few miles on it.

Tags: brown

Where Ya’ Rack has been  taking on the challenge of populating New Orleans with their friendly little bike racks. Individuals and businesses can sponsor a rack and specify a location. Where Ya’ Rack will place it if they can. Wallingford Bicycle Parts has sponsored one of these racks at the Tout De Suite cafe in the Algiers Point neighborhood of New Orleans. Tout De Suite, with a funky atmosphere and good food and treats, is a favorite refreshent stop for area cyclists.

The Deepwater Horizon is the oil rig that BP blew up, causing damage that people of the Gulf Coast will be living with for generations, if not forever.

Tags: bike rack

Spade, Heart, Club and Diamond

Originally uploaded by Old-Bikes

“Old-Bikes” shows us his “butchered” Brooks rivets on his Flickr photostream. Fantastic!

Tags: rivets

racksOriginally uploaded by rack lady

The Rack Lady makes fantastical custom racks at Banjo Bicycles in Madison, Wisconsin. Don’t start on her Flickr phototream unless you have some spare time.

Tags: bicycle rack, custom racks, rack lady

Hudsonic, of the Small Wheel Society, visited the Carradice works recently and posted pictures in a Flickr Set.