0 Degrees and Riding / My New Trek Earl Update

Our blog has moved! Check out this post on the new home of our blog here:
http://blog.villagecycle.com/2013/01/0-degrees-and-riding-my-new-trek-earl-update/

This mornings commute with 0 degree temps and windchill sitting at -15, creates the most peaceful time of year on the lake front. Usually full of runners, joggers, rollerbladers, cyclists, tourists, and other fun bike path adventurers, the frozen breeze of 0 degree day clears the waters edge of all but the hardcore. Today I was one the four cyclists, and two runners that occupied the lake front path during my ride in.

It has been over a week now with my new Trek Earl, and I am loving it more and more. Especially after a few changes I've made. Added some fatter rubber, 45c wide tires replaced the 28c stock tires, and swapped the 17t stock freewheel with a 21t. I traded higher top end speed for quicker acceleration, and in the city, for the bike I am looking for, this is splendid. The wider tires are a softer ride and suck up some of the vibration that is produced by the bumpy city streets. Also, they look a bit snazzier. My next planned change is the handlebar, I would like it wider then the chopped down stock bar. So much for getting a bike and not changing it, but what would the fun in that be?

Chicago River - Needs to be colder than 0 degree F to freeze this saucy waterway

Chicago River

A day for goggles and SRAM scarf

One other feller on the lake front path

Chicago

Chicago

Trek Earl

Added some fatter rubber

Changed the gear ratio up to a 21t in the back.

Bar Mitts! Didn't even need gloves with these.

Chopped chain guard, no more clank clank clank.

Demon llama!

My New Trek Earl

Our blog has moved! Check out this post on the new home of our blog here:
http://blog.villagecycle.com/2013/01/my-new-trek-earl/

I was in need of a lock up bike. Something simple, low maintenance, fun to ride, and cheap. I did not want something too flashy, bike thefts are going up around these parts, and I wanted my lock up bike, to stay, locked up.

Enter, Trek Bicycles, Earl. Single speed, urban goodness, with chain guard, and bottle opener. Yes, there is a built in bottle opener.

My goal was to not upgrade anything, but I couldn't help myself, and tossed on a stronger pair of metal platform pedals, two bolt seat post, and Bontrager Evoke saddle. Aside from my little changes, I also modified the fender a bit. Cut off some of the front of it so it does not rattle up against the chain ring. Easy peasy. Done.

Trek Bike Earl. ABUS Futura. Side view. (lock not included)

Chain guard. Boom. With a slight modification.

Off on the maiden voyage we go...

What a fun bike to ride!

Just push pedals, and enjoy your ride.

One gear leaves no thinking about shifting. Easy riding geometry with a rise bar, reminds me of big bmx bike. The only things I am going to change after the first ride is add fatter tires and a slightly easier pedal gear ratio. I would like more cushion in my rubber, and be able to accelerate easier off of objects or jumps.

That night when I got home, I welcomed Earl home properly, by using the built in bottle opener.

Trek Earl sports a built in bottle opener.

Tossed my lock on the frame, and took Mr. Earl to the grocery store last night. No special bike gear required.

Built in place to store your lock and open your beverage of choice.

Earl locked up.

The Trek Earl is available from Village Cycle Center!

Here are some more pictures of my sweet Trek Earl.

Here is some technical stuff about Earl you may want to know.


Frame - Trek chromoly, with double top tube that holds U-locks and has a built-in bottle opener
Fork  - Trek steel
Rims/Wheels  - Bontrager aluminum
Hubs - Aluminum, sealed bearing ( actually, they are not sealed bearings, the spec is off.)
Tires - Bontrager H2, 700 x 28c
Crankset - Aluminum 3-piece
Chainrings -  44T
Rear Cogs  - 17T freewheel
Handlebars - Steel
Tape/Grips  - Kraton flanged BMX
Stem -  Bontrager
Brake Levers -  Tektro aluminum
Brakes - Tektro dual-pivot
Pedals - Nylon platform
Saddle - Earl BMX style
Seatpost - Steel


Updates and Further Review of my new Trek Earl:
0 Degrees and Riding / My New Trek Earl

World's Most Interesting Man Rides Trek Bikes

Our blog has moved! Check out this post on the new home of our blog here:

http://blog.villagecycle.com/2012/11/worlds-most-interesting-man-rides-trek-bikes/

2013 Trek Bikes CrossRip Elite

Our blog has a new home. You can check out this post at http://blog.villagecycle.com/2012/10/2013-trek-bikes-crossrip-elite/ as well.

2013 Trek Bikes CrossRip Elite

Trek's CrossRip Elite is the one bike that truly does it all. This machine loves long rides on the road, cruising along dirt paths, commutes in the city and even down-n-dirty cross racing. Its light aluminum frame sports s carbon fork, making it lively, fast and ridiculously fun to ride. Shimano gives you a 27-speed drivetrain with triple cranks up front that are perfect for the steepest hills. And since you have fender and rack mounts as well, you'll have some gear-hauling capacity. The do-it-all nature continues. The Hayes disc brakes give you all-conditions stopping, so go ahead, commute all winter long and race in the sloppiest cross courses, you've covered. The tires are Bontrager Hard-Cases, so flats are pretty much a thing of the past, too.

Colors - Paramount Grey
Frame - 100 Series Alpha Aluminum
Fork - Bontrager Satellite Plus, carbon disc w/lowrider mounts
Sizes - 50, 54, 56, 58, 61cm
Wheels - Formula alloy disc hubs w/Bontrager Nebula Disc 32-hole rims
Tires - Bontrager H5 Hard-Case Ultimate, 700x32c
Shifters - Shimano Sora STI, 9 speed
Front derailleur - Shimano Sora
Rear derailleur - Shimano Sora
Crank - FSA Vero, 50/34 (compact)
Cassette - SRAM PG-950 11-32, 9 speed
Pedals - Wellgo track-style alloy
Saddle - Bontrager Evoke 1
Seatpost - Bontrager SSR
Handlebar - Bontrager Race Lite IsoZone, alloy, VR-CF, 31.8mm
Stem - Bontrager SSR, 10 degree
Headset - Cartridge bearings, sealed
Brakeset - Tektro alloy levers w/ Hayes CX5 mechanical disc brakes, 160mm front, 140mm rear
Grips - Bontrager cork tape, IsoZone inserts
Extras - Fender & rack mounts

Printable version Featuring products from the following trusted brands: We reserve the right to make changes to the product information contained on this site at any time without notice, including with respect to equipment, specifications, models, colors, and materials.

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Trek CrossRip Internal Routing

2013 Trek Crossrip

Our blog has a new home! You can check out this post on our new site at http://blog.villagecycle.com/2012/10/2013-trek-crossrip/ as well.

2013 Trek CrossRip

If you're searching for one bike to do it all, look no further than than Trek's CrossRip. This machine loves long rides on the road, cruising along dirt roads, commutes in the city and even down-n-dirty cross racing. Its light aluminum frame teams up with s carbon fork, making it lively, fast and ridiculously fun to ride. Shimano gives you an 24-speed drivetrain with triple cranks up front that are perfect for the steepest hills. And since you have fender and rack mounts as well, you'll have some gear-hauling capacity. The do-it-all theme continues. The disc brakes give you all-conditions stopping, so go ahead, commute all winter long and race in the sloppiest cross courses, you've covered. The tires are Bontrager Hard-Cases, so flats are pretty much a thing of the past, too.

Details:

Colors - Matte Trek Black

Frame - 100 Series Alpha Aluminum

Fork - Bontrager Satellite Plus, carbon disc w/lowrider mounts

Sizes - 50, 54, 56, 58, 61cm

Wheels - Formula alloy disc hubs w/Bontrager Nebula Disc 32-hole rims

Tires - Bontrager H5 Hard-Case Ultimate, 700x32c

Shifters - Shimano 2300 STI, 8 speed

Front derailleur - Shimano 2300

Rear derailleur - Shimano 2300

Crank - FSA Vero, 52/42/30 (triple)

Cassette - SRAM PG-850, 12-26, 8 speed

Pedals - Wellgo track-style alloy

Saddle - Bontrager Evoke 1

Seatpost - Bontrager SSR

Handlebar - Bontrager Race Lite IsoZone, alloy, VR-CF, 31.8mm

Stem - Bontrager SSR, 10 degree

Headset - Cartridge bearings, sealed

Brakeset - Avid BB5 mechanical disc brakes, 160mm front, 140mm rear, Tektro alloy bar-top levers

Grips - Bontrager cork tape, IsoZone inserts

Extras - Fender & rack mounts

Featuring products from the following trusted brands:

Trek reserves the right to make changes to the product information contained on this site at any time without notice, including with respect to equipment, specifications, models, colors, and materials.

Trek Bikes CrossRip

Trek Bicycle Corp CrossRip

Trek Bikes CrossRip Drivetrain

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Trek Bikes Cross Rip will be gone fast!