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This is a short follow-up to my original review of the Origin-8 brown racing saddle…

After I got mine last May, I quickly discovered that they were damn near impossible to find anymore.  I searched from time to time all summer, and came up blank every time, that is, until last week.  I was doing a Google search for Velo saddles (in general), and accidentally found an eBay seller with one left in stock for $16 (the brown models are specially made by Velo for Origin-8).  I jumped on it right away, and now I have one for each bike.  If I find another one, I’ll buy it and keep it as a spare.

In other words, it’s an awesome saddle, and I’m extremely happy with it, despite the somewhat heavy weight (they average around 300g).  The first one I bought has seen a lot of XC riding–and wrecking–and plenty of road and rail-trail riding, and is still holding up well.  The logo on top is slightly fading, but I won’t take points off for that, since it’s to be expected (click one the following image for a better view):

If you’re looking for a great saddle, but can live without the special stitching and color, then these are readily available on eBay if you search for "Velo fixed gear saddle" and they come in a ton of colors, with a plain vinyl cover, for around $20.  The next image is of a black one I got with my EighthInch Scrambler complete build.  It looks a whole lot different without the custom stitching, but it’s exactly the same seat.

If you’re looking for a brown one, get it when the opportunity presents itself, or you may be out of luck later.  Otherwise, the plain colored ones are a great alternative and will more easily match the colors you already have on your bike.  I’m sticking with the brown, though!

Related posts:
http://one9.us/blog/cycling/origin-8-racing-saddle-review
http://one9.us/blog/cycling/eighthinch-scrambler-v2-review-preview

I gave a first impression of this fork back in May 2008, when I got it.  Since then, I’ve put ~2,500 miles of road, rail-trail and singletrack riding on it, so it’s about time for an update.

I mentioned in my initial post that it gave the impression of riding on plush carpet, all the while giving you direct feedback of the surface you’re on.  With the proper front tire (I typically used a 2.35" Kenda Kinetics Stick-E) set at less than 30psi, I often forgot that I was even riding a rigid fork.  The carbon legs do a great job of damping vibration, and have just enough flex to absorb some of the initial shock of hitting roots and immovable rocks.

I only weigh about 150lbs with all my riding gear on, so I can’t give feedback on how well the fork will handle over time if you’re a larger rider–say, 210lbs, which they state as the weight limit for the fork–but I can say that I gave it a decent beating and it never once showed signs of fatigue.  At less than 2lbs, and with carbon legs, it doesn’t sound like it could stand up to hard riding over time, but it definitely impressed me.

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I thought it’d be a good idea to do a short review of this saddle since I can’t find any others.  By the looks of things on Flickr & Google, it seems to be getting pretty popular, so I hope others find this handy.

I originally intended to put this seat on my Mamba project bike, which is used as a spare for friends to ride.  Of course, I couldn’t force others to ride it without first trying it out on my own bike, so I put it on for what was supposed to be a single ride.

(first photo of the seat on my bike)

Seeing as how Origin-8 markets this as a racing saddle, I wasn’t surprised when it had very little padding.  In fact, compared to the SDG Bel-Air RL I’d been riding for the previous year and a half, the nose felt painfully hard (and pointy), and there was very little padding where I sit.  I’ve ridden racing saddles before, so I knew I’d eventually get used to it–at least to a point, assuming the seat fit my body properly–but I figured the initial ride would be pretty painful.  As it turns out, it wasn’t too bad.

Back to my initial impressions for a moment:  When I first took the seat out of the box, I was pretty astounded by its appearance.  It’s wrapped in fake leather–which often looks as fake as it is–but it’s hard to tell by looking at it.  The stitching is absolutely beautiful, and gives it the look of a much more expensive item.  In fact, when I showed it to my wife, her eyes popped and she asked me how much it cost (I have a reputation for spending stupid amounts of money on bike parts, so I can’t blame her for thinking I dropped $100 on this, which she did).  I told her $20, plus $8 to ship (eBay).  Since it was still at that time intended for a cheap project bike, I spent as little on it as I could, but it sure doesn’t look like I did.

     
(photos taken right out of the box)

One downside to spending so little on a saddle is, you end up with chromoly rails, as opposed to lighter titanium rails.   In this case, it puts the weight at just under 300g, which is about a quarter-pound too heavy to be a legitimate racing saddle, in my opinion.  It’s still lighter than my SDG Bel-Air RL, but not by much (318g vs 299g).  The only way I see them as getting away with calling this a racing saddle is the low profile and lack of padding.  In fact, I see them mostly on fixed-gear bikes, not on anything intended for a race course.  So far, mine is the only one I’ve seen on a mountain bike… but I like being different.

Overall Thoughts

Like I said earlier, this seat was intended for my Mamba project bike.  Take one look at that bike, though, and you’ll see my old SDG saddle on it.  As it turns out, I liked the Origin-8 so much that it’s now become my full-time saddle.  Over the last couple months, it’s seen a lot of road riding (due to the trails being mostly wet and, therefore, closed), an equal amount of gravel rail-trail time, and a small amount of single-track.  Since pretty much any seat feels fine for single-track riding–since you’re standing about half the time–the real test was a combination of road and rail-trail.

On the road, it proves to be pretty comfortable, even to the point that it disappears as I ride.  I’ve had saddles in the past–a Specialized Alias for one–that felt like I was seated on nails throughout much of the ride.  When it gets to be that painful, the saddle becomes your primary focus, when what you should be doing is enjoying the ride.  The Origin-8 stays very comfortable up to the 20-25mi point on the road, and only mildly irritating over 30 miles (though, I’ve found that’s the case with most).  Even as much as 40 miles at a stretch is really pretty tolerable, and doesn’t leave me sore the next day.  I haven’t yet had an extended ride of 50 miles or further at a time on it, but I don’t think it’d be any more uncomfortable than any other saddle I’ve owned over the years.

I’m lucky in that my city has a few miles of local rail-trail covered in crushed shale gravel.  It’s pretty much entirely flat–which means you never have reason to stand and pedal–with small ruts from time to time, and the occasional bump where it joins to a bridge.  No amount of road or single-track riding will let you test out a saddle like the rail-trail will.  As I said, you never have reason to stand, which means you never even think about doing so.  Add the small bumps, dips, and constant vibration due to the gravel, and you can end up in all sorts of pain if your bike seat sucks.

The Specialized Alias was good up to about 15 miles of rail-trail, after which I pretty much wanted to kill myself rather than ride any further.  The SDG Bel-Air RL got me through a 63mi round-trip ride from Columbia to Jefferson City, MO and back last year, without too much discomfort.  So far, the Origin-8 has proven to be nearly as comfortable as the SDG, although I haven’t had a chance to do the CoMo-Jeff City ride yet this year.  I still think the SDG may end up being the better choice for such a ride, but probably not by much.

Conclusion…

So, would I recommend this saddle to others?  Yes, and no.  If you’re fit, male, and have ridden–and enjoyed–race saddles in the past, then I’d highly recommend it.  The faux-leather finish seems to be pretty durable (although the ‘8′ logo is fading after just 2 months, but paint tends to do that), the rails are beefy steel, and it’s light enough for all but the most avid weight weenie.  It also looks extremely good on just about any bike you could put it on (I think it’s spoiled me enough that I won’t be able to ride black seats ever again).  If you’re new to biking, female, or prefer a more padded seat, then definitely skip this.  The nose is hard as a rock, and it really does feel like you’re seated on a contoured brick most of the time.  Some like that, some don’t.  However, for less than $30, it wouldn’t be bad to at least give it a try and see if it works for you.

If you’re looking for one, try eBay first.  They usually sell for less than $30 with shipping included, from most sellers.  You can also find it at random online ratailers for slightly more, if you do a Google search.

Positives:

Cheap
Reasonably light for a daily saddle
Durable
Beautifully finished
Comfortable for some
Rare, if you like that sort of thing

Negatives:

Not light enough for true racing
Might not be on the market for long (so if you like it, buy an extra)
Low-profile rails can make mounting it on a seatpost difficult
Uncomfortable for some

My wife and I went for an early morning walk down the new Sinkhole-Springbrook connector trail to take some pictures.  The local Boy Scout troops did an excellent job on the trail, even if it is a little too easy to ride.  A couple logs or roots along the trail would have added a little extra fun, but I’m not going to complain.  Hopefully, it won’t take nearly a decade for the next trail to be put in!

Click the thumbnails to check out the gallery.  I’ll add to it once autumn arrives and the leaves change colors.

Click thumbnails for larger images, or click here to start slideshow

Related post:  http://one9.us/blog/cycling/new-trail-at-rock-bridge-state-park

Rock Bridge has officially opened a new trail… the first major new one since I began riding the park in ‘98.

It’s basically a connector trail for Sinkhole and Springbrook trails, with moderate hills and curves.  At about a half-mile in length, it makes for a great, flowy ride.  Roots and rocks are at a minimum, so even beginners could ride without much trouble.  Personally, I prefer much more technical trails, but this is a great addition to the park.

More information:  http://www.mostateparks.com/resourcecenter/nr08/300.htm
News article:  http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2008/05/28/rock-bridge…

Click the map below for a larger view.  The connector can be seen in red, and is not straight, as I’ve portrayed it.  I just wanted to give you an idea as to it’s location, but it’s actually a pretty windy trail.

Related post:  http://one9.us/blog/cycling/pics-of-new-trail-at-rock-bridge

Yeah, I know, disc brakes are pretty much the thing to have nowadays for mountain bikes, but they’re still not the standard.  Even today, the majority of bikes are sold with rim brakes, although discs do seem to be closing the gap as prices drop.  Still, that doesn’t mean you have to put up with crappy braking, and with a few simple steps, good quality v-brakes can easily brake as well as discs under most circumstances.

The first thing you need to do is clean your rims, since this is half of the overall braking system (the other half being the pads).  Take a close look at your rims, and you’ll likely see a lot of residue from your brake pads and whatever else you’ve ridden through lately.

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I typically use a CamelBak to carry my tools and water along on rides, but for shorter rides, it isn’t always neccessary.  However, I hate strapping a seat bag onto my bike because it’s too time consuming messing with the straps, and seatbags are usually wedge-shaped, so cramming everything inside can be difficult.

So, for a short evening or morning ride where you may need just a few essentials, and especially if you have multiple bikes and never know which one you may take with you, I thought I’d pass along this tip.

This first thing you need is a spare water bottle, preferably with a large opening; a 24oz. size works just fine.

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I found this article from a local paper discussing how many people and families are turning to bikes for fitness and to save money on gas.  It’s definitely worth a read, but I wonder if it will still hold true in a few months.  It’s easy to have great intentions when the weather is nice and the sun is up during the morning commute, but once fall and winter arrive, will most people just go back to driving?  My guess is, yes.

Another issue with bicycle commuting in my community (and many others) is the vast distance from home to work.  I live exactly 3 miles from my work, with very little hills in between.  However, that’d involve riding along a busy State highway for about a mile.  The alternative route would increase the distance to about 5 miles and be much safer, but mid-West weather is totally unpredictable, and we don’t have many dry mornings that also lead into dry afternoons.  Oh, and the distance between work and home for me is quite small; most people in this town live much further from work, and most aren’t dedicated bike riders.

Will is work?  Maybe, at least for a while.  But I think weather, congested primary and secondary roads, and large distances to ride each morning will keep the trend from growing much.

I just found this older post from a guy who calls himself Guitar Ted, about the resurgence of the rigid mountain bike fork.  Thought I’d share:

http://g-tedproductions.blogspot.com/2007/01/rigid-fork-rides-again.html

He didn’t really go into a lot of detail as to why it’s once again become the trend to ride a rigid fork, however.  Personally, I always thought it was pretty stupid to ride rough ground without some sort of suspension, but since I’ve been riding a couple rigid forks these last few months (aluminum and carbon), I’m a believer in fat tires and rigid forks.

Yes, it’s bumpier, to say the least.  But with that, I’ve gained a better sense of the ground as I roll over it, no longer wondering where my front tire is.  I descend a little slower, obviously, although I make up for it on the climbs due to zero energy being lot through suspension bobbing.  I can definitely see why so many 29er and 650b riders are ditching the suspension forks in turn for larger-diameter, smoother rolling wheel/tire combos.  For the time being, though, I’m more than happy riding rigid on 26" wheels and 2.3" tires at sub-30psi.

If you haven’t given it a try yet, find an inexpensive steel fork and go for a ride.  It just might change your mind about needing suspension to make up for your riding technique.

Or, "Why It’s Important to Take Care of Your Parts"

I bought this Shimano XT cogset back in 2004.  It’s lasted me through two chains (about two years each) and now I’ve just begun breaking in a third.  I average 2k-3k miles a year, so I’ll just call it 10,000 miles on this one cassette, through dirt, gravel, dust, streams and even a little road riding.

What’s the secret?  I clean it regularly and keep the chain well lubed with Pedro’s Ice Wax.  That’s about it.

Click thumbnails for larger images, or click here to start slideshow

One of the most important things to own for your bike is Park Tool’s Polylube.  Buy it in the tube and it’ll last for years.

With that out of the way, this is my story:

On both of my rides last weekend, I kept hearing a creaking/popping noise with every pedal stroke.  My bike is usually pretty quiet, so this was annoying the crap out of me.  I finally discovered the sound went away when I stood to pedal, which gave me an idea as to what it could be.

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I’ve been cooped up inside my apartment for weeks now, pretty much unable (or unwilling) to ride because of the extremely cold temperatures and bad weather outside.  I wouldn’t say this video makes up for not being able to ride, but it’s definitely fun to watch and dream about warmer weather.

It’s been freezing cold outside for weeks, and I haven’t been able (or willing to be honest) to ride.  Instead, I decided to kill some time indoors by making a set of system icons, and I thought I’d share.  Right-click, Save Link As… to download the ZIP file.  See pic below for samples.

Performed entirely on bicycle parts:  http://www.specialized.com/bc/microsite/holiday/index.html

"Delta 7’s Arantix bike frame is see-through and weighs just 2.75lbs but is so strong there’s no rider weight limit. It’s made of Isotruss, a material consisting of carbon fiber strands bent into a wide mesh to emulate the sturdy geometry of steel truss structures. That tech ain’t cheap: Expect to pay $7,000 when it ships next spring."

read more | digg story

I’ve been meaning to do a write-up about this for awhile and never got around to it.  Fortunately, someone else already did, so here’s a link:

http://sheldonbrown.com/saddles.html#adjustment

When I built my bike, I had to do tons of research to find parts that were not only light weight, but also strong and durable enough to get me by for years to come. However, pretty much any bike can be made lighter for relatively little money, and sometimes without spending a dime.

If you wonder what the point is in going light, there are actually a few reasons. For one, the lower your bike’s weight, the more efficient it becomes. Less effort has to be put out by the rider to accomplish the same amount of work; that also means you can accomplish more putting out the same amount of work. As weight lowers and your output remains the same, you’ll ride faster and your bike will be easier to maneuver. And easier to maneuver also means that it will be easier to put into your car, or onto a bike rack, or up the stairs of your apartment complex.

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I saw this tip in Mountain Bike Action magazine awhile back and I thought I’d share it:

If you have an old innertube laying around, cut off a small strip of it and slide it over your handlebar to rest on your grip, or somewhere else out of the way (pic 1).  Then when you’re leaning the bike against something and wanting it to stay put, stretch it over to the brake lever to keep contant tension on it so the bike won’t roll away (pic 2).  I tried it the other day when I was re-assembling my wife’s bike and found it worked really great.  It’ll also keep your wheels from spinning in the wind when it’s on your car’s bike rack.