Category: Bike

Components/Accessories

• Bike: Kilo TT WT in Emerald Green
• Pedals: Shimano PD-A350 SPD
• Saddle Bag: Some Old Bontrager Saddle Bag
• Basket: Wald 198
• Lights: Cygolite Streak 450 Hotshot Combo
• Bottle Cages: UShake 2-Pack
• Fenders: Planet Bike Hardcore 
• Freewheel: Shimano 18t 
• Bungee Cords: Harbor Freight 12 Pack

Initial Review

This was the first single speed bike that I have ridden aside from the old kiddy bike. It was a bit big for me, but I got used to it quickly. The single speed aspect made it feel very smooth and quick on the road. There was no noise other than the sound of the tires rolling on the road, which made it much nicer to ride on than my road bike. I tried flipping around the rear hub to ride fixed gear and it was even more fun! Unfortunately, though, it hurt my knees and hopping curbs is too difficult to do. Also the fact that school was starting too, which was when I planned to use it, I flipped it back to the freewheel side. Also, people say that the steel frame is supposed to be more comfortable and supple than my aluminum bike but, I don’t think I have enough experience to confirm this yet. In my opinion, it still rides like my road bike, but the 32 mm tires help a lot of absorbing some of the bumps. My requirements for my new bike were to be single speed, have sealed hubs, and support for wide tires. This was bike was able to fulfill all of this for under $500 shipped to my door so it was perfect.

The Basket

One of the biggest things I get asked about the bike is why the basket. I know some people think it kind of ruins the look of the bike, but personally, I do not think it is a big deal. The purpose of the basket is to solve the simple issue of back sweat. As anyone who bikes in any mildly warm day with a backpack knows, back sweat is a real issue. Going to class with a shirt drenched in sweat is no fun. The basket allows me to put my backpack in there and completely climates the issue of back sweat and most sweat in general. The geometry of the bike is definitely more orientated towards a race geometry and leaves in a fairly aggressive position. Wearing a large backpack in this position only makes the situation worse. The basket is simple in design and works well. I have even crashed once which caused the basket to indent on the right side, but after bending it back it is indistinguishable from new. It does not come with faults, however. The bolts it came with kept loosening until one day one fell out. I had to go and buy some new bolts, washers, nuts, and some thread locker to replace them. This only applies to the “legs” of the basket,  the attachment points on the handlebar are sturdy and have not had issues. Also, the combination of a basket and drop bars is definitely unusual, It renders the drops basically unusable, and the hoods can feel a little cramped, but I have gotten used to the hoods, and rarely go into my drops for commuting. The basket solves all my issues with going to class on a bike with a heavy backpack. However, this did not come without faults and in the future, I would have gone with a lower height basket, something like the Wald 137. It would make my hoods basically obstruction free and drops usable while maintaining the same functions as my basket.

Issues

My only issue with the bike was there was some noise from the drive train during high power bursts. I think it was from the frame twisting due to it being made from steel. Additionally, there was occasionally a knocking sound from what I believed was caused by the freewheel and ruined the quiet ride that I liked. The bike shipped with an unbranded, or possibly ACS, freewheel which I planned to replace anyways. The bike was set up with a 48t x 16t combination which was fine for flat road biking, but was too high for short trips with lots of stopping and going around campus. To remedy this, I went to Pop’s Bike Shop to pick up a Shimano 18t freewheel. After buying this, the issues immediately went away. Unfortunately though, after a couple of weeks, the freewheel started to slip. It happens when first starting to pedal and putting high power through the drive train. When the pedal slips, your hands loose grip on the handlebars and you slip off the seat. This cause you to slide forward and land on the top tube… Anyways, doing some online research I believe it is due to the coldness outside. I think it is due to the thickening up the grease which is causing the paws stuck in a disengaged position Then when the freewheel slips, it creates enough centrifugal force to engage the paws once again. I will have to test my theory once it warms up outside, but for now, I just have to carefully add power after stopping. It is an annoying issue, but not the end of the world. 

Gearing Dilemma

Gravel Riding

My plan for this bike was to be able to ride on some more gravel/dirt roads with this bike. The combination of steel frame and wide tires I thought would be perfect for this. I was watching Path Less Pedaled and Dustin Klein on YouTube and really wanted to start doing some gravel riding. I have ran a lot on the D&R Towpath and in the back roads of Bedminster so I knew there were a lot of trails to ride around on, I just needed a bike capable of handling the terrain. According to Dustin Klein, fenders were a must and for light rain around campus, they would help a lot. The fenders were a pain to install and took almost an hour to install themselves due to the lack of instructions and no clue what I was doing from the beginning, but they were worth it. I no longer get butt or back road grime all over myself and can go to class clean. I thought the 32 mm tires would be enough for some light gravel riding but they sink too quickly into mud even the slightest amount of mud. Once they sink in, it is like hitting a wall and very difficult to pedal. Ultimately it’s not quite there yet as a gravel bike, but is better than what my road bike could ever do.

Night Riding

The Cygolite light combo consists of one front 450 lumen light and a rear red blinker. The front light is fine for lighting up yourself to other cars, but not enough to comfortably see in the pitch black. I bought the light originally meant for going around campus which was always partially lit up by street lights and it was enough to get me by. When I began to ride out on the towpath in the fall the sun started to go down early. Until one day it caught up with me and I was trapped 15 mi away from my dorm in pitch blackness. I went to go turn on my rear red light and it was missing. So my plan was to ride back with my front light and to find it. This was a good idea until after a mile of heading back my front light mount became very loose. It was not loose in the fact that it would fall off, but in a way where it would not look forward anymore. I knew the fix was a screw in the base, but my saddle bag did not contain a screwdriver. I ended up using my spare tube and some rubber bands to try and tie down the light so it stayed straight. It worked okay and still did not look perfectly straight, but was good enough to get me back home. Somehow, only about 3 miles away from my dorm I found my little red light laying in the middle of the trail which was some miracle. Now I know to not trust the bike light mount onto my saddle bag anymore. 

Tires

The tires that the bike ships with are the Kenda Kwick Roller Sport 32 mm. The tires are perfect for mostly road and light dirt, but it does not cut it for any mud. Also, the tires are too thin for my body weight. Based on a tire pressure calculator, I should be in the 40 – 50 psi range, but the tires are rated for 75 – 100 psi. Running the tires at the suggested tire pressures ruins the feel of the bike and makes it very stiff and gives a bumpy ride. I usually load around 40 psi for the front and 45 psi for the rear. So far I have only gotten one pinch flat when I went over a sharp bump, it has been a couple of months so I am okay with dealing with occasional flat to enjoy the benefits of the increased comfort. I still ride with 75 psi for long road trips for some more flat protection.

Future Upgrades

The first thing I want to upgrade is the tires with the Barlow Compass Pass 38 mm. This would allow me to run tire pressures that are within rating and appropriate for my weight. Additionally, the increased width would allow me to ride in rougher terrain. They will also make the smooth ride on road even smoother. To be able to accommodate these wider tires, I would most likely need new fenders. My original choice for 45 mm fenders was because the maximum tire width the bike was rated for was 45 mm. After installing them, I am almost confident that I will be able to fit 50 mm fenders. This would allow me in the future to install even wider tires if I wanted to. Next, I would want to try and solve the freewheel for sure by purchasing a white industries freewheel. Less important;y, I would want to buy a new saddle. The current saddle isn’t uncomfortable but is very awkward feeling. It is difficult to describe, but it is not as comfortable as my road bike saddle.