I recently explored a newly opened forest area on Whidbey Island that happens to be close to my house. After an easy 2 mile ride there on the mountain bike, I had high hopes that the trails would be single-track and awesome. They were, and it was!
Posted by Brian Hanson | Filed under Cycling, MTB, Northwest
12 Thursday Nov 2026
Posted in Cycling
Last ride I mentioned the Selle Anatomica on the Miyata was stretched about as far as it goes. Here’s the deal.
Selle Anatomica saddles are comfortable from the first mile, and that’s the whole point. The trade-off is that the leather keeps giving. Sheldon Brown’s leather saddle page puts it plainly: SA saddles stretch over time, “particularly in humid and wet conditions.” There’s a tension adjustment, but once the bolt is used up, that’s it. Add a few seasons of Seattle humidity and mine is there. The tension bolt is run out and I am at the point where I feel the top of the seat clamp on occasion. This saddle was actually a used one I purchased a while back when it was already mostly used out. As I only use SA saddles on my bikes these days, I have always planned to re-skin this guy.
The good news is the frame and rails are fine, so this is a skin swap, not a new saddle. This is in my future…
I’m keeping a few things in mind this time, mostly from Sheldon: keep it dry, don’t over-oil it, and go easy on the tension bolt. With an SA, every turn you use is one you don’t get back.
The saddle is holding up so far – no big rides on this one until I replace it, but I’ll let you know how that goes…
09 Monday Nov 2026
Tags
bicycle, commute, cycling, rivendell, hilsen, a. homer hilsen, Miyata, bike, Seattle, ballard locks, golden gardens, photography
Took the A. Homer Hilsen out Monday for the same Golden Gardens / Ballard Locks loop I rode on the Miyata Triplecross a couple weeks ago — Maple Leaf west through Greenwood, down to Golden Gardens, south to the Locks, South Ship Canal Trail to Fremont, Burke-Gilman past the U-District and Ravenna, then the climb back up to Maple Leaf.
Biggest difference right away: the Hilsen’s lower bottom bracket. At lights and stop signs I can put a foot down while still sitting on the seat. On the Miyata I’m up off the saddle more often for the same stops. Small thing on paper, real comfort on a city loop.
Parked at my usual Golden Gardens rest spot looking out toward the Shilshole breakwater. One harbor seal at the marina. None at the Locks later, so the salmon run is over.
South to the Ballard Locks. Last time on the Miyata there were two harbor seals and a California sea lion working the tail end of the salmon run. Today: empty, and the main channel was completely drained for maintenance. Lots going on down in the basin — crane, lifts, tanks, scaffolding. I took a few pics.
It was starting to rain on the way back, but I was fine in a woolly warm vest over a merino undershirt. No drama — just Seattle November.
After the Locks I picked up the South Ship Canal Trail toward Fremont, then the Burke-Gilman past the UW. Busy through campus — lots of kids back in school. Steady climb through Ravenna back up to Maple Leaf and home.
The Hilsen is dialed in and shifts well overall. Had a few skipped cogs when I started out, so I may need to look at drivetrain wear. Copper lugged steel, rim brakes, hand-taped drops, friction shifting — still the same quiet, predictable feel I wrote about years ago. Good contrast to the Miyata loop: same route, different bike under me, and a very different scene at the Locks.
Photos on Flickr: Hilsen Golden Gardens Ride.
27 Tuesday Oct 2026
Took the Miyata Triplecross out for my 17.9-mile Seattle loop (~900 ft of climbing) yesterday — out of Maple Leaf, west through Greenwood to Golden Gardens, south through Ballard and the Ballard Locks, east along the South Ship Canal Trail to the Fremont Bridge, and back via the Burke-Gilman through Ravenna Park with the steady climb back up to Maple Leaf Park and home.
After traversing the North Seattle ridges for the first few miles, the route drops right down to sea level at mile 5. Down at Golden Gardens, a couple harbor seals were bobbing in the shallows just off the rocks. I parked the Miyata at my usual rest spot looking out toward the Shilshole breakwater before heading south along the water.
From Golden Gardens I rolled south to the Ballard Locks. Spotted two harbor seals and a big old CA Sea Lion rolling around looking for the tail end of the salmon run. A lone sailboat was making it’s way through, and there was a flock of geese pillaging the hillside.
After crossing the locks, I picked up the South Ship Canal Trail heading east toward Fremont. Stopped at a good spot along the bank by the Fremont Bridge where a sailboat was circling, waiting on a bridge opening. Watched the span go up and the boat sneak through underneath.
From the Fremont Bridge I hopped onto the Burke-Gilman past the U-District over to Ravenna Park around mile 15, then made the ~400-foot climb up through Ravenna to Maple Leaf Park and home. The Miyata is dialed in and rolling great on the Snoqualmie Pass tires. I really need a new Selle Anatomica skin on that seat as it is stretched out to max. Felt good after a month on a road trip to the Midwest. Another story…
Photos on Flickr: stonehog photostream.
11 Friday Sep 2026
Tags
bicycle, bike, commute, compass, cycling, Miyata, rene herse, Seattle, tires, triplecross
Took the Miyata out for a Seattle loop: Golden Gardens, Ballard, across the locks, and into Free Range Bicycles. Picked up a pair of Rene Herse Snoqualmie Pass Endurance — the 700×44s I’d been hunting from my favorite LBS (Hi Shawna!).
Endurance casing instead of Extralight. Still a light folding tire, a bit more protection for tubes on these older clincher rims. Feels right for this bike. This will be the first bike in a while that I run with tubes. They only measured out to 39.5mm initially. This is only 3mm more than the Barlow Pass “38’s” I have on my Homer. It will be interesting to see if these stretch.
At this point I don’t mind them being a bit shorter as the top tube is touching the taint when I swing a leg over…
Good day. Bike’s ready for real miles now.
08 Tuesday Sep 2026
The Miyata Triplecross is almost ready — still needs tires. Clearance tops out around 700×44. The rims are not tubeless-compatible, so I’m fine running tubes. I’m still looking at light folding casings (including tubeless-ready models that work fine with tubes).
I have a soft spot for the Rene Herse and Schwalbe lightweight stuff. Wanted to put a short list up and hear what you’d run.
Rene Herse Snoqualmie Pass 700×44 — Exact size. Folding, tubeless-compatible, great with tubes. Standard casing is about 380 g; Extralight around 335 g if I want the softest ride. Local Cascade pass name doesn’t hurt. This is the front-runner in my head.
Schwalbe — No true 44 that I can find right now. Closest: G-One Allround in 700×40 or 700×45 (45 may be tight on this frame), or a Marathon Almotion around 700×40 for a more touring/conventional setup. Happy to hear other Schwalbe picks in this width band.
WTB Byway 700×44 — Fast center, light gravel shoulders. Folding, tubeless-ready, works with tubes. More “pavement plus a little dirt” than a knobby.
Panaracer GravelKing SK — 700×43 sits under the limit. Familiar Japanese folding casing, TLR, solid all-road option. Also scratches the old Pasela which seem to be discontinued.
Tufo Gravel (Speedero / Thundero / Swampero) 700×44 — Light folding TLR casings that also run well with tubes. Speedero if it’s mostly road; Swampero if I want more bite.
If you’ve run any of these at ~42–44 mm on older clincher rims (tubes), what stuck? Anything I’m missing that’s light, folding, and happy under 44? I’ve been out of the tire game for a bit and it seems that a lot has changed in the past 5 yrs.
Comment here or poke me elsewhere — I’ll pick something and get this bike out for real miles.
