Review: Cache Lifestyle Backpack by Lizard Skins

Cache Lifestyle Backpack by Lizard Skins
Cache Lifestyle Backpack by Lizard Skins

Lizard Skins introduced a new backpack in September of 2017 – the Cache Lifestyle Backpack. This bag combines all the bells and whistles you’d expect from a modern commuter or all-around backpack into a remarkably usable product. If you are looking for a new backpack for daily use, this is well worth considering.

We like to use the Ortlieb Velocity as our standard benchmark for waterproof commuter and day bags. At $109.99 the Cache Lifestyle Backpack is right at our benchmark price point, but offers a lot more functionality.

Keep reading →

Just another bike commuter

Your feel-good link of the day. The Eau Claire, Wisconsin newspaper Leader-Telegram give us a story about Tom Arneberg. Tom had been doing his short commute to work by bicycle for 22 years. But when his job was relocated to 16 miles away, things could have been disastrous. Keep reading →

This mountain bike is going to make me faster.

This mountain bike is going to make me faster.

It was one of those “Well duh!” sort of moments. The times when you suddenly realize something that, in retrospect, should have been obvious all along. And once I did I knew that riding my mountain bike on the streets was going to make me ride better on every bike. Keep reading →

Its Electric!

The “green” benefits of riding a bike are often touted by the bicycle advocacy crowd – this author included.  Despite the obvious environmental goodness of transporting yourself with leg power compared to other methods, folks still strive to “improve” on the bike’s green image.  And these improvements often involve electrification in some way. One of the more recent variations on this theme is the Yike Bike.

Keep reading →

See and be seen

Daylight savings time is an odd beast.  I’ve heard several explanations on its origins – ranging from bankers and stock brokers, to farmers wanting their children to be able to get chores in during daylight hours before school, to railroad interests.  Clearly they didn’t consult with bicycle commuters on their opinions, though, as the time shift puts the normal commute home into complete darkness.

It is a very subjective opinion, but city traffic in the mornings seems to be less hectic than traffic on the evening commute.  Perhaps it is because folks are anxious to get home – or to the pub – quickly after work, but not quite so rushed to get to the office in the morning.  Whatever the cause, I much prefer to ride in morning darkness compared to evening darkness.

Keep reading →

A view of my commute to work

It has been a while since my job switch, and things are starting to settle into a routine (which also means I’m getting back up to speed with regular posts here!)  Of course, being JustAnotherCyclist would require me to post the obligatory commute to work video.  Well, here it is folks.  This was taken with my GoPro camera mounted on the handlebars of my Cannondale R300 commuter.  I set the camera to take one shot every 3 seconds, and stitched them together into this short video.

Keep reading →

South Seattle Cyclists – Be Heard!

The Cascade Bicycle Club are not only responsible for the great Seattle to Portland Bicycle Classic, but also do amazing work throughout the greater Seattle area to improve life for cyclists.

Keep reading →

Cycling to work when work is soccer

Now all of you footballers (aka soccer players) can have a role model to inspire you to join the 15mpd movement!  According to ghanasoccernet.com, Chelsea FC midfielder Michael Essian has decided to make his 10 mile round trip to the training grounds via bike – instead of sporting the Lamborghini.

Shocked Premier League buddies have even nicknamed the £120,000-a-week Ghana midfielder “Lance”, after Tour de France legend Lance Armstrong.

While the rest park up their Bentleys and Porsches, Michael, 27, cuts a cool figure in helmet and wraparound shades as he gets off his £1,300 two-wheeled racer.

— From “Michael Essian goes into cycling

But watch out Essian!  I just happen to know of another footballer that may just be nipping on your heels – both on the pitch and the bike!

Riding across the Dumbarton

Part of my Sacramento to Palo Alto commute has me transferring to a bus that drives me across the bay into San Francisco.  Unfortunately, the company that Amtrak has contracted for the bus service has removed the bike racks from the front of their busses.   This is a little frustrating given the fact that they finally just got them on 6 months to a year ago.  It is further frustrating because they took them off so that they could install the FastPass transponders that tick when the go through the toll booths.  I’m not exactly sure why the entire front of the bus doesn’t allow for both the 8-10 inch transponder and a bike rack, but whatever. Keep reading →

Oh man have I got a commute for you!

I’ve yammered on a bunch about my 125+ mile, 3 day a week Sacramento to Palo Alto commute.  In a couple of Follow Ross to Work Day posts, I’ve detailed my use of my bike, trains and busses to make the commute – keeping me out of the car and out of I80 / I680 traffic.

But now I’m going to mix it up a bit.  August 22 I’ll be doing my Sacramento to Palo Alto commute entirely by bike! Some of the more observant among you will notice that Aug 22 is actually a Sunday.  Well, I’m not quite ready to do a 134 mile bike ride prior to a full work day, so I’ll stay Sunday night in Palo Alto or somewhere near there.

This will also be a rather big test of the bike functionality of Google Maps, which has laid out a supposedly safe bike route for me.  Of course you can expect tweets and posts here about the conditions, cursing the delta breeze, and probably some video from the Benicia-Martinez bridge.

Stay tuned!