How I Take Photos of my Bikes

Anyone who has watched the GCN Show can immediately point out the errors in my photos below, and I never thought I would say this, but I am a bicycle photo snob in addition to just being a bike snob. I even started an entire instagram page dedicated to photos of bikes (bicyclesnearroads). Let’s walk through what I do to try to get the best photo possible of my bikes.

Let’s start with the most basic thing, lighting. When I start a ride looking for somewhere to take a photo of my bike, I am looking for the angle of the sun. There are a lot of fences and walls on my typical route, so I usually figure out which side of the road is going to have the sun facing toward it and use that side to take the photo. I have also found midday is the best time (if it isn’t too hot) because the higher angle of the sun helps to minimize odd shadows. The best sunlight I have probably ever gotten was with my old Madone in the picture on the left.

Once I find the spot and the sunlight, I like to take off my water bottles, because they do typically clash with the look of my bikes, especially if they’re a different color. I always have water with me, but you will almost never see it on my bikes in the photo, except some from before I considered myself a professional bicycle photographer.

Then, I get into the things you will hear if you’re watching the GCN Show, which include lining up the crank so it is parallel to the ground and making sure the wheels are straight. Another one I have picked up is lining up my wheel logos. My newer try bike has Enve wheels with white logos, and I learned with one of my earlier photos of it that it is difficult to get them right. I also found that the logos on those wheels look best when lined up horizontally.

Finally, I like to keep it fun. I have multiple bikes, so I like to get photos of the really nice road bike, and also of the single speed bike I used to get to campus in college (and the cool tie-dye water bottle).

Building a new Race Bike

I got my first bike when I was a freshman in college. It was a 2013 Trek Lexa with 8-speed claris components. I then upgraded to a 2013 Felt B16W triathlon bike, with 10-speed ultegra components, and I love that bike. Now, I like my Madone and my Domane, but I love my triathlon bike, and I think that love has helped me begin to start training more again. The only thing I don’t love about the bike is the rim brakes, so I decided it was finally time for a new bike, and while I wanted to wait for a disc brake speed concept, with covid and supply issues, I knew the likelihood of finding exactly what I wanted from Trek or Liv was unlikely, so I looked around online and found a 2020 Felt IA Advanced with disc brakes that was new and never ridden from The Pro’s Closet.

The only problem with this bike is the mechanical shifting, because when I did Ironman Louisville in 2016 I found I would love shifting on the base bars. So, like any good bicycle mechanic, I decided to buy the bike, sell the parts, and I am going to replace them with Force eTap AXS components, except the brakes, because hydraulic brakes are expensive, and I prefer TRP or Shimano hydraulic brakes that use mineral oil. I may still swap to the Sram in the end, only because of base bar shifter compatibility.

This build so far has been interesting. The Pro’s Closet did an excellent job packing the bike, but I honestly wish none of the cables were installed, because it would make taking it apart easier for me, but I know most customers probably aren’t taking the bike apart entirely. I have some Allen keys and a set of cable cutters at home, so I was able to disconnect everything myself, but it was a pain to have to take the cables out. I also borrowed the remaining tools I needed from the shop and returned them the next day while they were closed, so no one was missing the bottom bracket tool or the little star tool you use to remove Shimano cranks.

The other difficult part of working on this bike is the seat post. It is very wide and requires a special adapter to fit in a work stand, so I have been leaving it on the floor for most things, except installing the front brake, where I set the frame in the stand, but did not clamp it. Since I am going with eTap, I don’t anticipate too much need for a stand, especially since I already removed the bottom bracket while sitting on my living room floor. The bottom bracket removal made me very nervous. The IA has an English threaded bottom bracket, so first I double checked which direction it threaded in, because I am always confused by it, and then I had to take my bottom bracket tool and rubber mallet to actually remove it. In the end I was very proud of myself for getting this done at home without a proper stand.

I like my older Felt a lot, so I am hoping for a similar fit when I get around to making adjustments, but it will probably be a while. I have the Blip Box on backorder from Sram, and it will not be in stock until September, and I have wheels on backorder that are not available until January 2022. The remaining parts will come in between now and the end of July, so I am going to hold off on doing much until I can get further along, and I will post progress as the bike comes together.

I Rode an Allied Alfa Allroad

I like riding bikes, and I like riding new bikes. This past weekend I had the opportunity to take a demo Allied Alfa Allroad for a spin up the first hill on the Natchez Trace Parkway to see how it handled. You can find more information about Allied here. All of their bikes are made (frames and all, not just assembly), in the United States, and every bike is made to order. This means you have the options of crank length, gearing, components, and wheels you get only at a premium from other brands.

I honestly thought I wouldn’t get a chance to ride on Saturday, because it had been raining off and on, but they got the bikes out and ready to go so we could test them out. My biggest hesitation with the Allied was the sizing. They are an aggressive geometry (compared to the Trek H1 geometry), and I felt like I was somewhat in between sizes. This hesitation comes from testing an Orbea 51cm frame, which felt too long to me, and I felt like I lacked control. I almost requested the 49, but because I find a 52 works in most other brands (although my Madone is a 50), I went with the 52.

The demo bike was spec’d with Shimano Ultegra components and hydraulic brakes. For the demo they had a 42 cm bar, 172.5 mm crank and 52-36 chainrings, with what I am pretty sure was an 11-28 cassette. I mention this, because the first thing I noticed, aside from being pretty comfortable position wise, was the crank length. I have only ever ridden 170 mm cranks, so my quads were killing me with the 172.5 mm.

Further into the ride I noticed a few more things. First, it climbs really well, seated and standing. I’ve also ridden a Trek Emonda SL 8, and I just felt more comfortable on the climb on the Allied. The only problem climbing was that I normally run a compact crank.

The other big difference I noticed was the sprinting capabilities of this bike. Some of the stability I found in my final standing sprint may have been the wider bar (something coming on all of my future bikes), but I found the Allied easier to move under me when standing, which has been a struggle on both my Madone and my Domane. In addition to that stability on a sprint, the weight of the bike (lighter than anything else I’ve ridden), also affected the speed I took off at from a stop, furthering my enjoyment of this bike.

My overall decision on this bike is that I will be buying one in December when I have graduated, and maybe even in the same bubblegum pink as the demo.

Singlespeed Cyclocross Build (Part Two)

​I ran into some problems with the second half of this build.

Problem 1​

TRP brakes.  I’m used to Shimano, where the hose is not attached at the shifter to make for easy installation on an internally routed frame.  I ended up having to cut and bleed both anyway, but it made the routing more complicated than it needed to be, aside from the rear chainstay where Trek has made it as simple as possible where the frame forms a tube for the hose to run through.

Problem 2​

I had to warranty my rear brake after ​installing it and trying to bleed it when we found out the bolt was over tightened, meaning I could not loosen it to bleed the brake.  TRP was very good about it though and promptly shipped a new caliper, and I am able to cannibalize the first one for spare parts.  Then I had to cut the hose again, but it was not as much of a problem this time and the bleed got done.

Problem 3​

Not necessarily a real problem, but I hate wrapping bar tape.​

Overall, this build finished up well, although I do not like bleeding TRP brakes.  The brake levers actually have holes in them, so they look pretty cool in photos, and the bike is fun to ride with perfect gearing.  Learning the dropout system and setting up a singlespeed is a little new to me, but with the help of more experienced mechanics I got it all done.​

Disc v. Rim Brakes

My short answer to this question is that I do not plan to purchase another rim brake bike. I love my bikes, especially my Madone, but disc brakes would make the ride so much better.  The problem I have with the brakes on my Madone is that there’s not enough stopping power.  I have the same problem when I run carbon wheels on my triathlon bikes.

Reasons I Love Disc Brakes

1. More stopping power

2. Ability to modulate braking

3. Less maintenance

4. The 2-piece rotors look cool​

5. Easier wheel swaps​

Reasons I Waited​

1. I hadn’t ever ridden them​

2. Most bikes until this year were rim brake​

3. People made them seem significantly heavier​

4. There is a price difference​

5. I wasn’t in the market for a new bike​

More Explanation​

My first disc brake experiences were limited to test rides, so I didn’t know too much about the difference in feel until working on bikes with disc brakes and eventually riding a Trek Emonda Disc for a week.  I knew by that point the advantages of being able to modulate the braking power and the pads moving in as they wore down from working on them, but I didn’t realize the difference in stopping power until I rode them.​

Going forward, I also like not having to swap brake pads if I swap wheels.  If I plan to ride my tri bike outside this winter I will ride my carbon wheels, specifically because I don’t want to swap brake pads to ride my trainer wheels outside.  My Domane though I can swap wheels with my husband’s Domane if I don’t want to take the carbon rims through the dirt and salt.​

Overall, I see no true disadvantages to riding disc brakes on my road bikes and in the future my tri bike.  I love my Madone, but a Madone SLR 7 Disc is on my wish list too.​

Buying Your First Bike

I bought my first bike without seeing it.  It was a 2013 Trek Lexa C that was my favorite color, purple, with Claris components.  I knew nothing about bikes, and I was so excited to have a real road bike and not a Walmart bike.  Where I was in my life, this bike was perfect and the most exciting thing in my life.  Now, if you are paying this price, you do want to put some time and effort into thinking about the decision more than I did.

Step 1

Know the categories of bikes.  There are multiple categories including road, mountain, hybrid.  In road bikes, I also include cyclocross, gravel, triathlon, and touring bikes.  Mountain bikes can further be separated into cross country, enduro, and downhill.  Hybrid bikes can be separated into fitness, comfort, and dual sport.  There are other categories, but these are the most easily defined.

Determine what your goals are to know what category you fall into.  I wanted to do triathlons, and nothing else, but I wasn’t good enough with handling to go with a triathlon bike.  Your goals could be riding mountain bike trails and going out west to ride, which would need a full suspension mountain bike.  You could want a bike to commute to work or the grocery store with a rack and panniers, which could be a road or a hybrid bike.  Once you know wha you want to do, you can narrow down what category you fit in.

Step 2

Know what causes the variation in price of bikes.  When looking at two bikes in the same category the things that set them apart are material, components, and suspension. 

Frames come in a multitude of materials at a multitude of price points.  Majority of bikes sold in bike shops are aluminum or carbon fiber, but you will also find steel and titanium bikes as well.  Typically, carbon fiber is one of your lightest and can be your most expensive bike.  You can still find very lightweight aluminum bikes as well, and they tend to be more budget friendly.  Your frame material may be dictated by your budget.

Drivetrains are one of the most complicated parts of the bike to explain, so I am going to make it as simple as possible.  More rear speeds is smoother shifting on all bikes, while whether you choose to use a front derailleur can be dictated by the type of bike you choose. 

Most categories of road bikes have two front gears and anywhere between 8 and 11 in the rear.  Cyclocross bikes and mountain bikes are where the single front chainring has become popular as we can run larger gear ranges in the back and it saves weight. 

The other major part of drivetrain to consider on a first bike is the brakes.  The most common options are rim brakes and disc brakes.  Mountain, cyclocross, and gravel bikes are almost all coming with disc brakes currently.  Disc brakes don’t wear down rims and they have more braking power than rim brakes.  Road bikes and hybrid bikes still come with both options, so it comes down to if you will find value in the extra stopping power and ability to brake in more conditions.  Disc brakes also come in hydraulic and cable operated models.  The stopping power is the same, but as the pads wear down, the hydraulic brakes will move the pads in so you don’t lose and stopping power.  They may need to be bled in a few years, but they do not require the same cable adjustments of a mechanical (cable) disc brake. 

When combined with frame material, drivetrain will help to narrow down the options.  You may also find a carbon bike with 11 speed components is out of your price range, but an aluminum with it is within your range. 

Step 3

Find your size and test ride.   I highly recommend talking to a professional in a bike shop for size.  I am 5’5” and I ride a 52 cm Trek Domane, where my boss is 5’5 1/2” and rides a 50 cm, so size charts can only help so much.  I also ride a 50 cm in a Trek Madone and a 49 in another brand, so the size on the bike only dictates an estimate.

I also recommend test riding any comparable bike to what you are intending to buy.  A shop may not have the exact model, but they may have the same size in another model or another model with the same components.  This will give you a feel for the position and a feel for the components, although it may not be the exact bike. 

Step 4

Buy a bike and go ride.  I also recommend certain accessories, which will be found in my next post. 

This bike buying process should help you whether you are buying a hybrid to ride with thbike kids or a super aero triathlon bike to race at Kona.