Rack's been sold.

My third Selle An-Atomica should be here in a week or so.

It's like the N+1 rule, but with saddles...

My ramblings about mixed-surface riding and whatnot:

http://www.gravelbike.com/

Took 'em for a short ride, and I like 'em. 

J-Bar 1 by justridingalong, on Flickr

Found one.

Could a mod delete this thread?

Looking for a M/L Rawland dSogn or rSogn frameset.

Thanks for all the info.  Titec J-Bars are en route, as well as some dead-stock Avid Ti brake levers.  Already have the Thumbies and Shimano bar-cons.  Really looking forward to giving these bars a try.

If your frame geometery is designed for drop bars, you might want to do some calculations before switching to a flat bar dervative,  you might need a stem with a super long reach stem so that you have the appropriate bike fit.

Right now, I'm riding a SOMA Saga that has a 58cm effective top tube.  Since the STA is pretty steep (i.e., steeper than the claimed 73d), I have to shove my saddle pretty far back (even with a Selle An-Atomica).  That makes the Saga's effective top tube even longer, and I ended up with a 70mm x 35d stem with the current drops.  Definitely not optimal.

I'm seriously considering replacing the SOMA with a 56cm Surly LHT, which has a 57cm effective top tube (and an STA much closer to the stated 73d).  I figure the effective top tube on the LHT will be approx 14mm shorter, so even if I wanted to replicate my current saddle-to-bar reach, I'd end up with a pretty reasonable stem length.

plenty of time on my ss / fg cross check and then soma juice.
will be currently moving to my pugsley.

eyeing building up something for the fargo build for winter / studded tires.
but i love the woodchippers, so they would be a seasonal thing.

Cool, thanks.  Any photos of the Cross Check with those bars?

I'm considering converting my commuter's drop bars to Titec J-Bars because I find that I only use the ramps/hoods, and I want more control for un-paved riding.  Shifters would be Shimano bar-cons mounted to Paul Thumbies, and levers would probably be Avid v-brake jobbies.

Anyone used the Titec (or gen-u-ine Jones) bars for extended on-road use? 

[CODA Tarantula]

CODA Tarantula crankset.  Used less than 50 miles.  29/44t, 170mm arms, 94mm BCD.  Compatible with Shimano Octalink V1 bottom bracket.  Really nice crank (light and stiff), but the q-factor is just a little too wide for me.  $30/shipped.

Shimano 5500 (105 level) Octalink bottom bracket.  Used less than 50 miles.  109.5mm spindle, BSC cups.  Includes crank arm bolts/washers.  $20/shipped.

I only ship to the Continental US, and accept PayPal as payment.

Pictures of the crank here:
http://reviews.bikewagon.com/product-reviews/Drivetrain/Cranksets/Mountain-Cranksets/p/7919292-Cannondale-CODA-Tarantula-Mtb-Crankset-44-29T-170mm.html

I ordered a second Selle An-Atomica today so that I can have one on my commuter and one on my adventure/gravel bike.  Not cheap, but cheaper than all the expensive plastic saddles I tried (which was a lot).

I swore by the WTB Pure-V for several years.  When I started doing more and more paved miles on a Brooks B17, I found that the Pure-V wasn't all that comfortable (it felt like it lacked the 'support' of the B17).  Because I couldn't get the B17 back far enough (it has really short rails), I tried a Selle An-Atomica (clydesdale version).  Talk about 'aha moments.'  Comfy right out of the box, and I can adjust the tension when I feel like I want something harder/softer.

You may wish to check out the Sally Ride:

http://theporcelainrocket.wordpress

Scott makes NICE stuff!!

Broken link.  Needs .com at the end.

I really like the Ortlieb seatbags, but I've been unable to get the mounts to fit my Selle An-Atomica saddle (same problem with Sci-Con and Topeak, too).

+1 for Dumonde Tech.  I'd also used Rock n' Roll Blue and found it OK as far
as rejecting dirt accumulation.  It just didn't seem to keep the chain quiet as
long as I'd like.  (I gave up on the mfr. recommended application of squirting
half a bottle onto your chain at the cassette and instead did the drop-per link
method.)  Still using that on my commuter bike.

The dumonde seems to lubricate really, really well - and, with just a wipe after
every ride, the chain stays cleaner.  

I've also read that dumonde works well in cold weather applications where other
lubes can be too viscous (or frozen in the case of RNR) to apply.  I don't have
experience with that apart from leaving the RNR out on the porch by mistake
and finding it frozen the next morning!

RnR is really difficult to apply at colder temps.  When I attempted to apply it below 50f, it basically became so viscous that it "sat" on top of the chain/cogs rather than penetrating the links.  And since I live in Colorado, much of my riding is done (well) below 50f.

Dumonde Tech, on the other hand, seems to work just fine (even below freezing).  Boeshield T9 does, too, but it doesn't last as long as Dumonde.

I've been largely unimpressed with Squirt.  I followed the directions, and ended up with a chirping chain in less than 20 miles of off-road riding.  Same with Rock N Roll Extreme (blue).  The only lube that seems to last (for me) is Dumonde Tech.  The drivetrain doesn't look clean, but it's quiet, shifts well, and doesn't need re-lubing every 25 miles.

I've found that most of the gel cork tapes tend to stay "tight" better than the non-gel versions.  Bontrager and Salsa's gel cork have been the best with respect to not slipping, IME.

Do you have it wrapped in the correct direction? With your hands on the bars, in the drops, or on the tops, the leverage from your hand to your arm around the bars should be in causing the tape to actually tighten around the bars. At the transition from the drops, over the hoods and onto the tops, it is sometimes easy to get started in the wrong direction when wrapping around the hoods such that with your hands on the tops, it will actually unwrap the bar tape. The direction of the tape edges on the left and right side of the bars should make a "V" with the point being towards your stem or top tube, and
No need for extra adhesive or double sided tape, they will just fight you when you want to change the bar tape and make a mess. Sometimes there just comes a time when the tape is stretched and worn and time to replace.

Hope this helps

+1 on this.  I always wrapped my bars in the other direction, after following Park Tool's instructions, no more unraveling.