Published inShifter·Dec 21, 2020Does your city hate you because you ride a bike? Mine kinda doesDo you ever have those moments on a bike when you feel like the city doesn’t really want you there? I decided to document some of those feelings on a recent ride. Originally published at Shifter.Bike1 min readBike1 min read
Published inShifter·Nov 9, 2020How many gears should you have on your urban bike? Three. Or maybe eight. But no more!Originally published at Shifter.8 Speed1 min read8 Speed1 min read
Published inShifter·May 13, 2020Carbon-belts, internal hubs and everything else about drivetrains you need to know for your bike commuteYou’ve no doubt ridden a bike driven by a chain. But have you tried one that’s powered by a carbon-fibre belt? Both power a bike using the same principles, but there are some fundamental differences between them, including the fact that most bikes in the world — in fact, nearly…Cycling2 min readCycling2 min read
Published inShifter·Apr 16, 2020Finding my way on a bike through the COVID-19 lockdownI, like most of you, have been stuck at home for weeks now because of the COVID-19 lockdown, and I’m glad to be doing my part to help stop this virus. But it hasn’t been easy. Being stuck home for weeks, frankly, sucks. But thankfully, I’ve still got my bike…Cycling1 min readCycling1 min read
Apr 9, 2020Why I don’t use a fat bike for my winter bicycle commutePerhaps the most common question I get from winter cyclists these days is simple: Why don’t you ride a fat bike for your winter commute? It’s true, I don’t. I ride a built-for-winter commuter bike that has non-rusting parts and skinny tires. But fat bikes are pretty amazing winter machines, and I’ve ridden plenty of fun miles on one. So here I lay out my case for why a fat bike isn’t my commuter choice, but maybe for you.1 min read1 min read
Published inShifter·Feb 21, 2020My perfect winter bike has been upgraded — is it better?My winters changed forever with a smiling dude with curly hair standing behind a bike in the lobby of a conference centre in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was an early edition of the Winter Cycling Congress, an annual event that brings winter bike lovers from all over the world together to…Cycling5 min readCycling5 min read
Published inShifter·Dec 16, 2019Add lights to your bike for the Christmas seasonI’ve always wanted to do this, but never quite got deep enough into Clark Griswold mode to get it done. But this is the year I decorate my bike with Christmas lights. This is mostly for fun, but being more visible on the roads during the dark winter months isn’t a bad thing! Check out my video below to see how I did it (spoiler alert: It’s super easy!). Please subscribe to my YouTube channel. Follow Tom Babin on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or Medium.Christmas1 min readChristmas1 min read
Dec 5, 2019The best bike lights for winter 2019As the days get darker, it’s important to be well lit on your bike commute. So I’m testing three lights to see which ones stack up the best. The new Biolight PowerLight Mini. The Beryl Laserlight, my favourite light from last season. And a $15 wraparound handlebar light. Which one is best? Thanks to both Biolite and Beryl for sending me the lights to try. Please subscribe to my YouTube channel. Follow Tom Babin on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or Medium. You can also follow Shifter on Facebook or Medium. Tom Babin is the author of Frostbike: The Joy, Pain and Numbness of Winter Cycling.Bikes1 min readBikes1 min read
Published inShifter·Dec 5, 2019The best bike lights for winter 2019As the days get darker, it’s important to be well lit on your bike commute. So I’m testing three lights to see which ones stack up the best. The new Biolight PowerLight Mini. The Beryl Laserlight, my favourite light from last season. And a $15 wraparound handlebar light. Which one is best? Thanks to both Biolite and Beryl for sending me the lights to try. Please subscribe to my YouTube channel. Follow Tom Babin on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or Medium. You can also follow Shifter on Facebook or Medium. Tom Babin is the author of Frostbike: The Joy, Pain and Numbness of Winter Cycling.Cycling1 min readCycling1 min read
Oct 31, 2019Member-onlyUrban transportation is being disrupted, but it isn’t big tech that’s doing itThe cry went out as soon as the news hit Twitter: “No! Now I’m going to have to buy a second car!” That was the response from a co-worker when the news broke recently that Calgary, where I live, was among the handful of North American cities being abandoned by…Transportation5 min readTransportation5 min read