Is there still a place for the traditional touring bike in this bikepacking world?

My Surly Long Haul Trucker at McClellan Viewpoint on Curly Creek Road in Gifford Pinchot National Forest, 14 July 2012. If the clouds weren't there, it would be an awesome view of Mount St. Helens Stasia's partner James just broke his Long Haul Trucker. He has used it as his daily bike since he got...

Revisiting the idea of practical bikes in the year 2022

Tony Hunt in St. Paul, 2016 Last week I was alerted to a new blog, The Complete Bicycle. I've known its author, Tony, for several years, meeting up with him in St. Paul when I was there in 2016. He elaborates on "What is a Complete Bicycle?" in this blog post here. For me, a...

The Bantam Rambleneur: Lucky 7

The Bantam, loaded for camping. On the Historic Columbia River Hwy, 15 June 2022. Ricohflex Dia/Kodak Gold 200 On this day back in 2015 I finally received my Bantam Rambleneur custom bicycle. It's the only bicycle I've ever owned that was specifically handmade for me, no other bike in the world is exactly like it....

Introducing: Bikes and Film Cameras Club!

I’ve been into bicycles for the last couple decades. And over the past year a passion for film photography has grown inside of me. I love taking photos on my rides. And I know there’s many of you out there who have a similar passion for bicycles and film photography. So why not a club? Introducing the...

The ends of eras

My Surly Long Haul Trucker in 2013, the last year I had it. The past week I got word that two different things were being discontinued by their respective companies. While these items are from different worlds: one a camera, one a bike, they were ironically both introduced in the same year. And the cessation...

New Sticker in Shop: “Bikes and Film Cameras”

Hello, friends! You know I've been getting into this whole film photography thing. And I've been into bicycles for a long time. It's easy to incorporate photography with bikes. And me being me, I decided to create a little sticker to celebrate it! This vinyl sticker is approximately 3" x 2" and is weather resistant....

The Bantam at Five Years

The Bantam atop Powell Butte, 12 July 2020. Ricoh 35 ZF, Arista EDU 400 film. On this day five years ago, I received my first custom bicycle. Built here in Portland by Bob K of Bantam Bicycles, it was designed to be a fillet brazed, "all-rounder" machine that would handle the more adventurous riding that...

Impending Spring

It was inevitable: After a too long February, the first tastes of spring have appeared. And not a moment too soon, as the colder than normal weather plus the off and on snow (that didn't do anything) was wearing me down. On Sunday March 10th, Steve M and I took a long bike ride on...