I ride a 2009 Rivendell Sam Hillborne. I can thank the old lady who didn’t see me for this bike. Her insurance paid for it as a replacement for my trusty Miyata 1000 that lasted little over 3 months before the crash. In a month or two, when my budget allows, I plan to finally get her fixed up to running capacity and maybe I’ll submit some pictures of her as well.

But right now, we are talking about my Sam. Despite being Rivendell’s budget bike, it’s the nicest, most expensive bike I’ve owned. Until my Miyata, I was a mountain biker, but I’ve since turned skittish of the dangerous trails I once traveled. But my love of cycling has not gone. And the Sam epitomizes my ride. I’ve fallen right in sync with Rivendell’s philosophies. Freeing my wheels with Grant and MKS’s wide and grippy new pedal, getting my handlebars above my saddle for a mixture of an athletic yet leisurely ride, friction shifting for that connected feeling to my bike. And my Sam can stake it all, along with the varying loads to and from work, the store, or anywhere else I deign to go.

I’ve also fallen in love with that throw back to older styles. With a couple Swiss Army Ammo carriers turned bike panniers, a Brooks B17 saddle and Brooks handlebar tape, hammered Honjo fenders, a Riv designed Keven’s style bag, and a good old CroMoly basket in front. And Rivendell lives up to the details. The beautiful lug work, the carefully selected paint and decals, and the perfectly set angles. It both looks good and feels good to ride.

Do I jump onto Rivendell’s site and long after the A. Homer Hilsen? Do I imagine going bike camping on the Altantis? Yes. But my Sam is already a perfect little slice of heaven.

— Jon

[Visit our Bicycle Gallery page to add your bike to the collection. —ed.]

Ergon, makers of (arguably) the world’s most comfortable flat-bar handgrips, is introducing their first-ever line of saddles in 2012. The SM3 series is being marketed for mountain biking, but some of the saddles look promising for all-around utility and commuting use.

Ergon SM3 → [2.9mb PDF]

New York City has chosen Alta Bicycle Share to run its much anticipated bike sharing system. Dubbed NYC Bike Share, the system will boast 600 stations and 10,000 bikes, making it the largest such system in the U.S. Similar to other bike sharing systems administered by Alta, 24-hour, multi-day, and annual subscriptions will be available. The system will be funded by commercial sponsors, with profits shared between Alta and the City. NYC Bike Share is scheduled to debut in 2012.

NYC Bike Share →

Name: Torben Lauritzen
Location: Thorsager, Denmark
Started bike commuting: 2010
Commute distance (one way): 30 km

Describe your commute: 15 km along the bay of Aarhus (countryside) and 15 km suburban from Thorsager to the northern part of Aarhus in Denmark. Some hills, and almost always windy (headwind when going to work, backwind home). A very nice trip, which I usually do in one hour and a few minutes. I usually do 3-5 commutes a week, working from home the other days, or driving with a coworker, if I have to.

Describe your bike and accessories: Koga Signature with Rohloff Speedhub 500/14, Magura hydraulic HS33 brakes, Schwalbe Marathon Racer 35 mm tires, Brooks Swallow saddle and SPD/platform pedals. It weighs 14 kg, but is almost as fast as my old racing bike. I use an Ergon BD1 backpack, which is quite small, but almost not noticeable when riding.

What bit of advice would you like to share with new bike commuters?: Ride every day! That will make it much easier to get on the bike, even if it rains or it is windy. The first seven kilometers are warm up – the rest is pure joy :-) So do not be scared to commute by bike, even if you have to ride 10-15 or even 20 km. Use mudguards! Use cycling shoes and matching pedals (I use SPD pedals, because the shoes can be used for walking short distances). Ride in cycling clothes, and have a shower at work (if possible). Also when riding in the rain – if you are working hard enough, you will not be cold.

[Visit our Bicycle Commuter Profiles page to add your profile to the collection. —ed.]

Soma →

Civia is introducing a new city bike this week at Interbike. The Twin City will be offered in either a step-through or diamond frame with either a single-speed hub or 7-speed internal gear hub. Standard features include upright bars, integrated rear rack, chain guard, and kickstand. Fenders are optional for an additional $45. Retail will be $795 for the 7-speed and $495 for the single-speed.

Civia →