Archival Field Trip Bicycling

Archival Field Trip: Cycles Grand Bois

It’s always fun to match a fave brand to its foreign, brick and mortar store. During my recent trip to Japan, I visited Cycles Grand Bois, a venerable bicycle company known for its elegant handlebars, polished bike parts, custom frames, and 650b tires. Thanks to a rando pal who knows how to navigate Google maps in …

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Shopping From The Present

Review – Cedar Cycling Standard Jersey

In the last ten years, wool cycling jerseys have become widely available in a variety styles from classic retro reissues to microlight, itch free performance merinos. I prefer my cycling jerseys to be made from a thick wool and resemble designs which date back to the 1920s (interchangeable with shirts designed for camping, tennis or …

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Wakouwa Deck shoes
Shopping From The Present

Wishful Shopping – Wakouwa Deck Shoes

Wakouwas in the window at Anatomica (Paris) I’m heading to London in a week for London Edinburgh London, a 1400k randonnee.  I’ve just assembled all my bike gear (which includes many non archival, ziploc packed servings of powdered nutrition).  Sadly, I’m going to have very little space in my luggage for non cycling garb. At …

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Archival Permanent – PDX

In Randonneuring, a perm is a permanent route you can schedule to ride at any time. On Saturday, I rode Michal Young’s scenic Alsea 200k loop with several friends from the Oregon Randonneurs. On Sunday, I dragged my friend Bruce up to Portland for what I would consider my favorite Archival shopping perm.  The loop …

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Berthoud Bags
Bicycling

Shopping from Japan – Cyclo Tourist Bags

  Thanks to Bill Lane at Wall Bike for reprinting this pictographic feature on front handlebar bags from the Japanese magazine Cyclo Tourist.  Apart from Guu-Watanabe, Ostrich and Berthoud, many of the brands are new to me.   For reference, here is my post from 2008 showing the of the range of French, US and …

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Bicycling

Wishful Shopping – Rene Herse Randonneuse

While I don’t need another bicycle I’ve been air shopping for Alex Singers and Rene Herse randonnee frames via ebay. Here’s a beautiful 1975 randonneuring bike from the Rene Herse workshop.  If you’re a pure road cyclist and you’ve never seen a Rene Herse, check out all the bike’s unique, rando specific features: custom front …

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Lesli Larson at Paris Brest Paris 2011
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Archival Report: Paris Brest Paris 2011

PBP spectators in Villaines, France I just got back from the 17th edition of Paris Brest Paris, an ultra distance cycling event held every four years in France. I always say that I record and erase my memory of rides longer than 600k. I can confirm via official records that I successfully covered the 1200k …

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Archival Departure: Paris-Brest-Paris

Tomorrow, I (Lesli) leave for France for Paris-Brest-Paris,”the most famous long-distance randonnée.” During the ride (which covers 12oo kilometers in 90 hours), I will be off the grid and out of communication with Archival readers. In lieu of a live broadcast, I’m providing some placeholder photographs documenting my experience. Arrival at Brest On the train …

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