Unlocked and Over the Shoulder | BICYCLIST Magazine – Issue 157 : Spring 2019

Greetings! 2019 marks the 25th year our organization has published a free magazine for the public… To ramp up the celebration of our 25 years, we’ve put together some photos from the archives in the Last Page to tease your BICYCLIST nostalgia.

We take a look at the bikes making waves around our roads and trails with John Woodson’s profile of the Yamaha Wabash electric gravel bike in this issue’s Electric Age. The Belgian Waffle Ride short-course made for testing grounds, and the mix of surfaces leads to a perhaps obvious conclusion: bikes like the Wabash allow more people to participate and be included in this community of like-minded individuals, all driven by the same spirit of adventure and personal independence a bike provides. That is something we can get behind.

In the same vein, we’re excited to share with you something that Jones Bikes has been working on for the past year, released over the dark of winter, in this issues First Look. Jeff Jones and his team of builders have taken all the metrics they’ve gathered from years of building custom frames and launched their Plus SWB Complete bike with standardized sizing and ready-to-ship. Don’t let the fat tires fool you, it’s a surprisingly fast and nimble adventure bike. It opens up the world of touring, bikepacking, and adventure riding possibilities with a steel frame that checks the ‘buy it for life’ box. There are no proprietary standards, hard-to-find parts or designed obsolescence, and it will accommodate whatever wheel size is in vogue. Out of the box, the part and component selection covers the needs of most anyone looking to get outside with bags packed.  Even if that journey is limited to commuting to work, the surety of  ‘big meats’ on potholed streets will greatly elevate the experience.

In ‘Destinations Within Reach‘ we take a visit to the Rancho Guejito Winery. One of the original vineyards of California, the 150-year operation is parked on 36 square-miles of private land, unencumbered by the suburban sprawl emanating from the San Diego county coast. Kelley takes us through the fascinating history of the Ranch and how they’ve got to where they are today.

Be sure to take in the fun that was had on our BATventure #002, a visit to an event that highlights the benefits of collectivism and membership. The San Diego Mountain Bike Organization (SDMBA.com) partnered with the winery to open the private-lands to their members for a truly magical day in Southern California for their inaugural (and sold out) ‘Ride the Rancho’. With permission slips signed, invite in hand, we assembled the BAT leadership. Truth be told, we ‘flew the rancho’ opting to follow the ride in a helicopter for the aerial view. It was my first experience in such a machine and an opportunity to capture the event in a unique way. That being said, after seeing the route and majestic wilderness riders rode through, we hope for the opportunity to join the trail-party on two-wheels next year.

Lastly, if you enjoy this magazine, or if you would be disappointed to find out it was no longer available in print, please pledge your support on Patreon. In exchange, all supporters receive early release of the magazine, delivered as a digital PDF, ready for import to your favorite reading device along with full episodes of the podcast (+4 hour each month of additional bike tips, tricks and the latest in bike news). Summaries of the most recent episodes are detailed in Analog/Digital. Higher levels of support rewarded accordingly, including delivery of the print edition of this magazine. Huzzah!

Safe travels. See you on the route. Peace,

– Chris Reynolds
(@chrsrnlds)