When it comes to our interest in bikes, obsession might not be a strong enough word. As you’re probably a regular visitor here, you either appreciate this trait or share it. We pore over mail-order catalogues even when we already have everything at our fingertips, in our warehouse, or only a few days away. We get lost on eBay. We sometimes find ourselves scouring CraigsList. We’ve even sifted through garbage in search of bike parts. Many times, we have no clue what we’re looking for. Novelty, fluted Campagnolo cranks, first generation Roval wheels? We often start thinking of the perfect part for one of our bikes and then we get sidetracked with possibilities. Yes, we’re into the idea of bikes as vehicles for self-expression, that the frame is a gallery space for us to hang our favorite parts on, and a chance to remember past glories of componentdom. But it’s that quest for the elusive perfect part for our commuter that really keeps us going. Since the bike isn’t supposed to be fast, it might as well be stylish. We recently switched brake levers, found a two-bolt Campy post from the 70s, and are still not satisfied. Maybe a StrongLight roller-bearing headset and a 1R Cinelli stem and a Concor saddle. But the stem will necessitate a search for Cinelli 65-42 bars. Our obsession isn’t healthy. We should just stop, sell the stuff to people who are even more obsessed than we, and get a simple bike. We’re getting away from the reason for having a commuter. For one thing, our idea of a commuter is something we can leave outside and not worry. A unique bike with lots of high-style lost parts we spent years assembling is great, but something we’d definitely shed a tear or three over if it disappeared. Having the antique boutique bike is also a lot of work; too much really. For another, there is beauty in well-designed off-the-shelf bikes. The Swobo Del Norte is set up pretty much the way we like it. We currently run a 42x16 fix with two brakes and BMX pedals. The Del Norte has a smarter 42x17 gear on flip-flop rear hub. It comes with a single speed freewheel, but just one cog and a flip will make this a great fix for commuting. We like that it comes with two brakes -- we're not into "suicide bikes" as one person suggested today. We like that it comes with track bars and a matte finish that looks like it got the home Krylon treatment. Going stealth is a fine thing when the bike will spend quality time with a parking meter or street sign. Actually, it has a few improvements over our current commuter. The Swobo Del Norte has a rear triangle designed for single-speed hubs, and with adjusters; you don’t have to eyeball where the tire sits in the stays every time you change a flat. Our fix is a converted road bike, so it has forward dropouts where the adjusters do squat. The Swobo Del Norte can also fit fat tires (32mm) and fenders, which is nice now that we sometimes are going places where muddy pants might unduly alarm our hosts. The flip-flop pedals allow any shoe on one-side and SPD-cleated shoes on the other. Since we already have days where we swap out BMX pedals for clipless when we have a long ride on our commuter, these pedals will be a time-saver. We find the red anodized hubs, rims, and chain an amusing touch. Reminds us of our BMX days, even if it makes the bike a little less stealth. Likewise, the Swobo badges on both the top tube and head tube are chunky and take us back to the days of personalized license plates hanging from saddles. The frame is in butted chromoly steel. The better for spec'ing large tires and fenders. The standard tires are 700x32, which not only yield a plush ride that can handle most oversized potholes, but also allow you to go further between re-inflating the tires. The bike rocks as is. We'd only like to make one or two changes, and it would be perfect. But we must stop ourselves now. Doing so will bring us back to the mania described at the top of the page. The Swobo Del Norte comes in one color: Matte Grayeen. It can be bought with or without Planet Bike fenders. If you think about riding in the rain, we recommend buying with. The bike is available in five sizes; 50, 53, 55, 57, and 60cm. The sizes roughly correspond with virtual top tube length, which is a better way to size frames these days than by seat tube length. Please note this item will require a small amount of assembly on arrival. Del Norte Price: $679.00
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configure/buy Del Norte
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