Cycling

Cycling in Michigan  96 Pacific Coast Tour  Waterford Bike  Back

I'd like to think that I'm an avid cyclist - But where I started cycling, and used to live, St. John U.S. Virgin Islands, made it quite a task and a test of one's abilities. Anyone familiar with the terrain down there knows it's quite mountainous, combined with steep short climbs. I rode as often as my time allowed me there in effort to maintain an order of cycling shape for when I traveled to the states. 20 miles down there would be the equivalent of 100 miles of flat land in the states as far as use of energy. When ever I traveled to the states, I brought my Bike with me! I had a Waterford 1250 built with S&S Couplings which made it easy to take my bike where ever I would go. I've since relocated back to the states (Michigan) and try to maintain my cycling at the same level, but with greater distances rather than the strenuous climbing I had to do in the Islands.

The S&S Couplings make for a neat 26 x 26 package which allows the cycling traveler to take their bike with them where ever they go without the added expense ($50 & higher) charged by most Airlines. The breakdown process and packing is a little time consuming, but after you do it a couple times it becomes quite easy. Use of the proper material available from S&S makes your bike and contents safe and damage free.

These pictures are just to give you an example of how my particular bike fits into the S&S hardshell case. Options available, and highly recommended by me, would be the spreaders and the insulated tubing protector. The spreaders keep the side of the case rigid so it can't collapse in on the bike from rough handling, and the tubing protectors keep your beautiful paint jobs from becoming damaged due to movement or "Rub" from any items within the case. The average packing time that I incur averages a little over 2 hours because I'm somewhat fussy in the way I stow everything away.

After the complete packing of my bike, I also stuff in my accessories I take, cycling clothes, shoes, helmet, tools, etc. The packing of your accessories is a trial and error procedure whereas you have to keep checking to see if the case will properly close and not cause to much internal pressure on the bike frame and wheels. Assembly of the bike is usually a much faster process than the disassembly. I have the Bruce Gordon Q2s cable quick connect fittings which makes the breakdown and reassemble all the easier without worry of having to adjust everything each and every time.

The end result is worth the effort because I am able to have "MY" bike with me where ever I go at no additional charge by the Airlines. The S&S Couplings can be Retro-Fitted on just about any Steel or Titanium frame, or if you are having a custom frame built such as I did, they can be installed by the frame builder. The added weight factor is so minimal it's not even worth discussing, and the frame is actually stronger with the couplings installed than without. The only way to go in my book!

S and S Machine (S&S Couplings)
9334 Viking Place
Roseville, CA 95747
916-771-0235

qs2s.gif (13300 bytes) Bruce Gordon Cycles (Cable Quick Connects)
613 Second Street
Petaluma, CA 94952
707-762-5601

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