More Project Reports

The mechanical technical aspects of our pastime are, to some of you fascinating.  To others, what follows will be as dull as ditch-water and dry as stale toast.  If you are not one of those who find intriguing the "greasy bits," then please do feel free to skip today's offering.  Tune in tomorrow for fare that is less mechanistic and more lively.  Thank you ~ your most humble etc.

We mentioned recently that we would be doing more follow-up reporting on some of our equipment projects.  We also dropped a few hints about a newer “secret” project.  Today the curtain goes up, with mixed results.

The following bit is a touch technical.  If you want to skip that, feel free to drop on down to “Conclusions” and “Riding Impressions” at the bottom of each of these project reports.

PROJECT X: Modifying Shimano Groups for Super Low Road Gearing

Background:

It seems to us that Shimano have a definite opinion about gearing.  This has been a source of frustration with us for many years.  The wonderful folks at the redoubtable Japanese component maker have very strong feelings about how low a road gear-set should be.  For the longest time the lowest “authorized” Gearing was on a “road double” driveline, with a low gear combination of 39 X 27.  That yields a ratio of just under 1.5:1.  That’s okay if one is riding in the flats, or climbing the occasional hill.  It seems to work well for young racers.  But for those of us who have older knees, or weigh a bit more, or wish to climb much taller things on a regular basis, it’s just not adequate.

Eventually, Shimano (grudgingly, it seemed) introduced road “triples.”  (A lot of us were already adapting mountain triples for use on our road bikes.)  That was a little better.  Now we had a low combination of 30 X 27, yielding a bit over a 1.11:1 final.  Better, but many of us wanted more.  And besides, triples are heavier, more complicated, and less reliable.

During the 9-Speed Era it was possible to do some interesting things.  At that time, components from both road and mountain groups could be mixed and work well together.  This led to some interesting possibilities.  For instance, a road double of the 53-39 type could be paired up with a 34-11 cassette and a mountain rear derailler.  That gave a huge high gear of 4.82:1, and a low of 1.5:1.  That’s a very adequate high.  The low leaves a bit to be desired.

The road triple, combined with the same rear treatment, resulted in 27 possible combinations from a low of 0.88:1 up to a high of 4.73:1.  That’s some serious range!

All that ended with the advent of the 10-Speed Groups.  Mountain gearing was restricted to 9-Speed, and the 10-Speed road groups were completely incompatible.  The advent of the compact cranks helped some, but not enough.  For those of us desiring truly low “digger” climbing gears, or the gearing for hauling heavy loads up hills, the road groups were out of the question.

That Brings us to NOW:

Thanks to some stiff competition from another component maker, Shimano has recently introduced 10-speed mountain groups!  Ah ha!  We thought that it just might be possible to again combine the mountain stuff with the road and yield wonderful results.  Alas, this turns out not to be the case.

Shimano has deliberately engineered the crucial mountain rear derailler to be completely incompatible with the road shifters.  The “pull ratios” needed to activate the deraillers are quite different.  That means road levers just will not operate the new 10-speed mountain deraillers.  There may yet be a way around this, and research is on going, but as of this writing the two are incompatible.

We wouldn’t want to give the impression that Shimano are prosecuting some vendetta against us.  There are sound engineering reasons for the incompatibility.  But the fact remains, the road shifters just do not work with the mountain deraillers, and the road groups do not allow the sub 1:1 low ranges we desire.

Conclusion:
As of this writing, it is just not possible to combine Shimano’s 10-Speed road and mountain equipment to yield super low gearing and usable highs from the same driveline.  This project is on going, and we’ll post more news and results as we have them.

~~//~~

PROJECT SRAM APEX “WiFli”:  Super Wide Road Gearing

Possibly some of you will remember references we made to testing the SRAM Apex component group.  Apex is SRAM’s entry level road group.  For our money it performs right up there with Shimano’s vaunted 105 level of components.  But wait there’s more!

SRAM has, quite deliberately, taken pains to integrate  their products and to actually promote cross-group compatibility.  That means that absolutely anything in any of their road groups will work with the stuff in another road group.  Apex, Rival, Force, and even the top of the line Red group are completely cross-compatible.  Now that’s cool!  (But wait!  There’s still more!)

All of SRAM’s 10-Speed road equipment is completely compatible with their 10-Speed mountain groups.  (Say what?)  Yes, SRAM’s 10-Speed road shifters will operate their 10-Speed mountain deraillers, across any of their 10-Speed cassettes!  Yowza!

We evolved a pretty good setup.  There was a bit of trial and error to match things up so that they would produce exactly the desired result.  Here’s the current state.

Brakes:  SRAM Apex

Shifter/Brake Levers: SRAM Apex

Front Derailler:  SRAM Rival

Rear Derailler: SRAM X7

Crankset:  SRAM Apex Compact 50-34

Cassette:  SRAM PG 1030    11-36

Chain:  SRAM PC 1071

Changes from a complete Apex Group:

First off, we substituted the Rival front derailler for the Apex unit.  This was done to achieve a bit smoother, lower effort front shifting.

We choose the PG 1030 cassette in order to avail ourselves of the widest possible gear range, with the lowest possible low gear.

The Apex WiFli rear derailler was capable of handling the huge low gear, but only just barely.  On some bikes, with shorter stays, or somewhat more aggressive hanger positioning, there are problems with this setup.  The WiFli unit is an SG, or medium long cage derailler.  We found that rear shifting improved dramatically when we substituted the X7 SGS, long cage unit in.

Riding Impressions and Conclusions

Six month riding impressions:

We’ve used the basic Apex set for about two months, and then made the above-mentioned modifications.  Over the entire six month period we have had very little to complain about.  The initial setup of the SRAM driveline is very precise and procedural.  It should be noted that there is a bit more post-installation adjustment required than with Shimano equipment.  However, once this initial dial-in process is complete (usually in a couple of weeks to about a month and a half, depending on volume of use) the equipment performs flawlessly.

The adaptation part is simply getting used to using one lever to operate both up and down shifts.  For users who are new to road bikes this is a non-issue.  For those with experience and habits formed by Shimano or Campy, the adaptation usually takes about a week.  After that it’s as natural as walking. 

NOTE:  We routinely switch between bikes equipped with Campy, Shimano, or SRAM systems, as well as singlespeeds or fixies.  There’s always a moment or two of confusion, and then the brain just goes,  “OH!  Right!” and no further thought is needed or given.  That said, it did require about a week to become fully comfortable with the DoubleTap controls.

Additional note:

The SRAM equipment does work in a very different fashion.  Riders who are accustomed to Shimano or Campagnolo will find that there is a bit of adaptation necessary in switching to SRAM’s Double Tap ™ system.  There is also a bit of different technique required.

Some folks may find that the addition of SRAM’s Chain Spotter ™ is well worth the additional cost of approximately $35.  And for anyone who is operating this equipment on a carbon fiber frame, I’d say this is a must have!

It should be noted; one particular bit of technique is required for good riding.  When upshifting from the small chainring to the large, it is best to make one’s recovery downshift at the rear first, and then effect the upshift while spinning the “unloaded” chainring.

Conclusion:  The SRAM setup (especially with their WiFli™ options) may be for you IF…

·     You are frustrated with a driveline that does not give you a low enough low.

·     If you are a “spinner” and like lower ranges for climbing.

·     If you do a lot of mountain work.

·     If you want to build up a “mountain specific” bike.

·     If you just have some older knees and want to save them a little longer, and you just don’t care how long it takes to get to the top, as long as you are not walking before you get there.

·     If you are building up a utility bike, a commuter, or a tourist, and want to avoid the complexity of a triple while still developing the widest possible gear ranges.

The stuff works, and it works well.  Once dialed and adapted to, it is precise and reliable.  It contains possibilities for amazing performance.

New Toys

I confess.  I’ve been playing a bit.  (When a mechanic is “playing” it usually involves machinery and grease.)

I’ve re-built my Giant Defy 1, with a brand spanking new component group.  It is now freshly outfitted with a SRAM Apex set, in what they call the WiFli™ configuration.

Apex is SRAM’s latest road group.  It is their entry level group, but it borrows technology from the high-end groups.

WiFli™ is a gearing and derailler configuration designed to give the rider the widest possible range of gear choices.

I chose to set the bike up with a “compact double” on the front.  That’s a double chainring crank with a 50 tooth big ring, and a 34 tooth small ring.  In the back I mounted their 11-36 cassette.  This is a very interesting set up.  The lowest gear is lower than any conventional “road triple.”  In fact it’s down in mountain bike low gear range.  And at the high ratio end of things, the combination of a 50T chainring and an 11T rear sprocket delivers a higher gear than said “road double.”  (Typical for “conventional” doubles, would be a 53 by 12)

Interestingly, the whole package; brakes, deraillers, chain, cassette, cranks, bottom bracket, and shifters; weighs less than the Shimano 105 group it replaced.

What it means:  I now have a bike that is a bit lighter.  I also have access to really low gears to save my old knees, and things that are higher than I would ordinarily need.  Wow!  Back when 9-speed drivelines were king, I used to accomplish this sort of thing by mixing and matching Shimano groups.  I could intermingle parts from their road bike lines with other compatible parts from their mountain bike line.  That let me build up drive trains that had very wide ratios.

It should be noted that Shimano discouraged the practice of group mixing.  According to the tech literature Shimano had published at that time, these groups were not compatible.  Maybe not, but every critical measurement matched, and the result worked pretty well.  Shimano have always seemed to have a strong bias against providing those wide ratio systems for road bikes.  They were slow to adopt road triples, slow to adopt compact doubles, and actively discouraged intermingling mountain and road parts.  (I used to wonder if the Japanese had some secret agenda.  Perhaps it was a plot to wreck the knees of all mature American riders?)

So here comes SRAM, with the same kind of thinking.  More, there is a huge amount of “cross-compatibility” between their various groups.

Early Riding Impressions:

Shifting is brisk, especially on the rear upshift.  I find that the front shifter requires more authority than I like for the upshift.  (I’m still tinkering with this, and it may well improve.)  The gearing available is, in a word, amazing!  The driveline is most notable for its efficiency.  (Cool!)  And there is an unlooked for benefit; the brakes are great!  So far, I like this stuff.  It performs well above price-point and expectations.

Stuff I like: Gloves

{NOTE:  This was ­supposed to post yesterday.  Due to an oddity in scheduling software, and my fumbling with it, the post stayed “in the cue.”  So here it is, a bonus for your Thursday morning.  Enjoy!}

Gloves are wonderful!

Summer gloves, that insulate me from some of the vibrations, open on the back, hands cooler and more comfortable.  I like just the least bit of palm padding, and of course, the terry fabric over the thumb.  I’m particularly fond of old-fashioned macramé backed gloves.  I wish I could still find the kind with a leather strap and buckle.  (I’m not the much of a fan of Velcro on Summer weight clothing.)

Mountain Bike Gloves, with full coverage of the fingers.  I use a pair made by Fox.  They amount to armor for the hands.  Carbon fiber plates over the knuckles and along the fingers protect against those tree and branch impacts.  The palms are tough synthetic (good for handling briers and stickers), and they are strong, light, and breathable.  It’s nice to come out of the woods with my hands unscathed.

Winter Gloves, with the ability to layer.  I like lightweight wool ones as liners.  On really cold days I use the liners inside mittens.  (In extra cold weather, I slip a pair of those chemical hand-warmers in between the mitts and the liners.)  Mittens aren’t as dexterous, but they have less surface area to radiate heat away.  Bar Mitts are s sort of mitten that your bike wears.  What a wonderful idea!  They keep the rain and cold out, block the wind, improve dexterity.  Pure genius!

Weather gloves, are ones that protect from water as well as cold.  I’m extremely fond of “water proof” gloves, with lots and lots of GoreTex™.  Dry is warm.  And I do ride in the rain!  Hands are vulnerable.  It’s not hard to find good rain jackets, rain pants, and capes, but finding a worthy pair of rain gloves, that shed the water and still keep you warm?  That’s a lot more difficult.    

On occasion, I have used the “small trash bag over the hands and lower arms trick.  It’s worth noting.  Part of the trick is to always have two or four extra Velcro reflector bands with you.  You slip the hands and lower arms into the bags (while wearing your Winter gloves, of course), and then use the bands to secure the bags in place.  Elegant, this is not…  but it’s effective!

I like gloves.  They make my life much more comfortable.  They help me to stay “on the bike” in some of the worst weather.

What one piece of equipment do you like most, depend on, or feel most enhances your riding experience?

Looking Forward

To start with, we have firm dates for the Audax Tune Up Rides, and for the actual Audax 200K.  These dates appear on the “Tour Calendar” to the left, but we’re listing them, with times, below.

45 Mile Tune Ups:

Tune Up 1 ~ Sunday 26 February @ 1:00 P.M.

Tune Up 2 ~ Sunday 11 March @ 1:00 P.M.

65 Mile Tune Ups:

Tune Up 3 ~ Sunday 1 April @ 11:00 A.M.

Tune Up 4 ~ Sunday 15 April l @ 11:00 A.M.

Audax 200K ~ Sunday 20 May @ 7:30 A.M.

All of the Audax related rides will start and finish at Bicycles Unlimited, in Peachtree City, GA.

There will be posts in the near future with more information on these rides, and with links to previous posts about them.

Dirt Road Riding:

In last Friday’s post, I indicated that I would start doing a bit of focused work on dirt road riding.  I envision three different dimensions to this endeavor; 1) Equipment.  2)  Cue Sheets indicating where good fun dirt road riding can be had.  3)  Group dirt road rides.

What follows is a bit of an overview of my take on equipment choices for unpaved road fun in this general area.

What Bike?

As I’ve often stated, a road bike should be capable of being ridden on any road.  That said, not all road bikes are created equal.  Most likely, a high end, super light, carbon wonderdreambike, with ultra electric, computerized parts made from pure vaporware and unobtanium is likely not the best choice for this kind of thing.  Even the elite pros use different equipment for the early Spring “Classics.”  Honest, the bikes ridden in Paris-Roubaix are not the same as the ones campaigned in “Le Tour.”

Of course, a mountain bike would work well on any non-paved road surface.  But pure mountain bikes have a drawback.  At least they do, if one’s dirt road riding is going to be in north and central Georgia.

The problem is that, we do have a lot of wonderful unpaved thoroughfares, but they tend to be rather short.  It’s hardly worth the effort to load up a mountain bike, and drive to a dirt road that is only 2 to 5 miles long.  But if one is willing to ride some pavement in between dirt stretches, then a lot can be done.  Unfortunately, mountain bikes, wonderful as they are, are not suited for long over-road excursions.

Like almost all discussions of this type, there is no definitive answer.  Things that work excellently for one individual just don’t get it for others.  What follows is based on my own experience, on trial and error, on observation of others, and on a good deal of reading and research.

Probably some kind of “road bike.”  The drop bar bike’s multiple hand positions and basic geometry work well in this kind of environment.  That said, most likely the best choice is going to be something a bit more robust.  Cyclocross frames, or tourists seem to work well.  I’d pick something that has the clearance to mount fatter tires than a typical racing type machine.  The ability to mount fenders is not essential, but can be nice, particularly if the weather turns wet.

A more relaxed seating position is good.  Most will find a “race oriented” frame to be fairly uncomfortable.  Further, the position (aggressive, deep lean, and forward stretch fit of a race oriented bike) is usually not comfortable for jouncing and rattling along. 

Stability.  Longer chain stays, lower bottom brackets help here.

Comfort.  More relaxed seat tube angles and head tube angles tend allow for a more comfortable position.  In addition, consider either double wrapping the bars, or having them wrapped with a gel padding under the tape.  Frames that are more “compliant” are usually better choices.  (In my opinion, too much “stiffness” is not necessarily a good thing.)  We are speaking of a high vibration environment.  A bike that transmits every tiny jolt and buzz is not pleasant on long stretches of dirt and gravel.

Tires.  700C is good, but the width makes a big difference.  Any width tire can be ridden on dirt roads.  However, wider, higher volume skins will yield a more comfortable ride.  Sometimes one encounters sandy sections, or ones that are “surfaced” with a deeper layer of small stone gravel.  In these cases narrow tires do tend to sink in and make handling and forward progress more difficult.  I don’t like to ride our local unpaved roads on anything less than a 700 X 25, and much prefer a bit wider tire to those.  Bikes with something between 700 X 28 and 700 X 40 tires seem to be good compromises.  The wider tires can be inflated to much lower pressures and tend to roll comfortably and smoothly over a lot of uneven stuff.

One more word on tires.  Tires with supple sidewalls, and good aramid belts are a delight.  The belts decrease the chances of punctures, and the more supple construction results in a lot less rolling resistance.

I know there are several of you out there who regularly engage in this kind of thing.  How about you chime in on the discussion?  There are a fair number of folks who are interested.

Stuff I like: Gadgets

We are often asked what particular gadget we use for various applications.  So here’s a few of our favorites, along with reasoning and justifications.  This isn’t meant to be a product endorsement (although in some cases it is); rather these are things that I have found suitable and dependable for various purposes.  These are offered in the hopes that the information will be helpful, and also a bit thought provoking.

Today’s Topic:  The Dashboard

General:  I like computers.  I use them for navigation and for keeping track of time, distance, and rate.  I’m also a fan of good navigation equipment.  I like solid strong lights.  I am a firm believer in cuesheets, and like a good, weatherproof holder for them.  I sometimes need a bit more room for all this stuff, so on some bikes, I’ve arranged for extended mounting devices.

I tend to like “stand-alone” devices.  In general, I’ve found that when too many functions are combined in a gadget, it leads to several outcomes, all undesirable.

• The thing costs more (sometimes substantially more than several other devices performing the same functions.
• If one function fails, the entire device needs to be replaced to gain it back.
• Reliability and performance seem to decrease in the high dollar, highly integrated, multi-function gadgets.

In short, I like navigation equipment that navigates (only!), heart rate monitors that only monitor heart rate, and cyclocomputers that only perform time, distance, rate functions.

CycloComputers:  Before going farther, I should state this.  I’m strongly in favor of wired computers.  I have found the wireless ones to be reliability headaches.  They cost more, require more batteries, have great huge ugly sensors that are difficult to mount, and seem to have a service life of a little more than a year.  (I have some wired computers that are ten years old, and are still working quite well.)

If there is a cadence function, and the bike is to be used in a trainer, I prefer a long-wire harness that allows speed/distance functions to be sensed from the rear wheel.

I’ve found that the Sigma computers work wonderfully.  The wired ones are accurate, and reliable.  Battery life tends to depend on how many functions the computer has, but seems to run for a year to two years.  For cadence, I prefer the Sigma BC 1609.  It’s a workhorse, and with the optional longwire harness satisfies all of my requirements.

Cateye makes a very tolerable cadence reporting computer in a wired version.  I’m speaking of the Strada Cadence model.  In the wired version the harness is designed to reach the rear of the bike for speed/distance functions.  I have only two complaints about this computer.  First, its display is small, and somewhat hard on older eyes.  Second, the calibration procedure is arcane and decidedly not user-friendly.

Hear Rate Monitors:  Again, I’m a fan of the Sigma units.  They work, and are reasonably priced.

Navigation (GPS) units:  I like Garmen for navigation.  I am decidedly not a fan of the cyclocomputer/heart-monitor/navigation gadgets they make.  Seems they are very spendy, and they tend to develop positively weird reliability problems, typically within days of the expiration of the warranty.  I prefer a solid “mapping” GPS unit with which to navigate.

A note on “GPS enabled” time-distance-rate devices.  They are not as accurate as basic wheel sensing cyclocomputers.  For technical reasons, they cannot be.  Any highly portable GPS device can be pretty good at telling you where you are, but no so much in telling you how fast you are going, or how far you’ve gone.

Dashboard extenders:

I sometimes carry nav-aids, multiple computers, a cue sheet holder, and lights all on the same bike.  (I don’t do this on every bike, but for touring/randonneurring type applications, yes I do!)  On a road bike, there simply isn’t enough room to put all this stuff on the handlebar.  One solution I’ve found to be quite solid, and quite reliable, is the Minoura “Space Bar.”  The thing clamps around the handlebar, and provides a sort of Tee-shaped auxiliary bar, with space for anywhere from one to three additional gadgets.  I have one of these on my primary ride, on my tourist, and on my Spin Class bike. (Think computer, HR monitor, stopwatch, and lesson sheet!)  These things are not expensive, and they get the job done.  Yes, they have a high “geek factor,” but as always, form follows function.

What’s your story?  Is there anything that you carry on the “dash” which has proved especially useful?  For that matter, what dashboard gadgets have given you the most trouble?

The (Last Minute!) Spin Class Bike (Yike!)

So, it was a mad dash to get ready for vacation, and to get stuff prepared so that I could have a stand in instructor for the first week of class.  Then came the weekend, the return, the unpacking, the return to work on Saturday, the re-return to work on Monday, and the sudden realization that I was not ready to do Spin Class.

To be ready, I needed:

My lesson plans.  No problem.  Already in the bag, just need to print them out.

My trainer.  Just dig it out.  I’ve used it already this year, so that’s good.

Heart Rate Monitor.  Got it!  Need batteries!

A stop watch.  Yikes!  Where is it!?

A bike.  Oh smoldering sloth dung!  A bike!

You see, in the seven months since last year’s class ended, I’ve pretty well cannibalized the old spin class bike.  Bits and pieces have gone here and there, robbed for other projects, sold, traded.  You get the picture.

Here’s what it looked like yesterday morning.

Looking forlorn and bereft

So, scurry around.  Root in parts bins.  Buy a couple of things, and hastily put it all together.  Needed were, pedals, shifters, a rear derailler, cassette, a front wheel (just enough to keep the front of the bike up), a computer, a chain, cables, housing, tires (barely), and assembly.  I had most of the stuff, but needed to buy the chain, rear derailler, and computer.  Brakes weren't necessary, as this bike will never be ridden anywhere but the trainer.

And here she is!  This year’s incarnation of the Spin Class Bike!

Ready for a season of spinning

(By the way, Spin Class was great!)

Thursday Thoughts: Hats & Helmets

Sometime around the dawn of the last century (we’re referring to calendar century here, not your last big ride) the art and science of bicycling began to emerge from the primordial ooze, and then to evolve rather rapidly.

At the first, folks tended to wear the same clothing on the bike as they did for almost everything else.  But it didn’t take long for the realization to strike.  Riding a bike is better if one chooses clothing and accessories that work well with the bike.  Frock coats may be all well and good, but they don’t go so well with two-wheeled frolic.

Take gloves for an example.  If you have seen early photos of cyclists, you may have noticed that they wore these big, heavy, leather gauntlets.  There were reasons for that.  Bikes didn’t have brakes.  A rider could brace arms under the handlebar and press-grip the front tire to slow down.  Good protection was needed for this.

Hats, in particular, underwent quite the evolutionary process.  The bowler derby, or bonnet was just not all that practical.  Snap-brim caps quickly replaced derbies.  Those caps (sometimes berets) evolved rather quickly into what we now recognize as the cycling cap.  In its final form, this hat became a standard for cyclists.  The short bill kept the sun and rain out of the eyes.  It was light.  It afforded some protection from the impact of sunlight on the skull.  It could be imprinted with advertising.  It was relatively inexpensive.  It was a natural.

The cap was pretty much de rigueur for serious cyclists.  It stayed that way until sometime in the late 1960s.

Prior to 1965, the cycling world had not discovered head injuries.  But borrowing on the experience of motorsport (race cars, motorcycles), football, and aviation, the idea of a crash helmet gradually entered our world.  The first of these were not too effective.  They were heavy, hot, cumbersome, stupid looking, and didn’t provide all that much competition.  Most serious cyclists would not wear one of these things, unless forced to at gunpoint.

For the next 25 years the cycling cap enjoyed a fair amount of popularity.  Manufacturers and others printed their logos on them and practically gave them away.  (Sometimes they actually did give them away.)  Cyclist wore them.  Top racers, especially the Euro-Pros mostly refused to wear the rapidly improving helmets, and opted for the caps.

But gradually the cycling cap declined.  Helmets improved, and helmet use became mandatory in more and more competitive events.  More “civilian riders” wore helmets.  Bike shops that stocked cycling caps found that they just stayed on the pegs and gathered dust.

At this point in time the cap is enjoying a bit of a renaissance.  The urban-hipster/fixie crowd have taken to them.  Small, independent manufacturers have found new and innovative ways to make them, and to update them.  And here’s a discovery!  The cycling cap can be worn under a helmet!

In fact, the cycling cap works very well under a helmet.  It can help keep your noggin warm on cold days.  Lightweight ones will protect you from sunburn through the skid-lid on long hot Summer rides.  And in the rain, the short bill of the cap, when pulled down low, helps keep rain, and road splash from your eyes and glasses, improving visibility greatly.  I even have a Goretex ™ one for rain wear!

A cycling cap weighs almost nothing, and fits nicely in a jersey pocket.  It just may be the perfect bit of riding apparel.  There are even different ways to wear the cap, proclaiming your attitude and allegiance.

For example...

Clueless!

Or this style, made popular by pre-Lance racers...

American Style

Here's the devil-may-care attitude evinced by...

Italiano.

Or the timeless panache of....

Le Gaullic

The ever popular, and oh so....

Chic

And finially, the redoubtable...

Belgian

Oh, by the way, one last thought.  Always wear your helmet when riding, but it’s okay to wear a cycling cap under it.