Monday, March 29, 2010

Globe trottin'

The folks at Specialized hooked us up with a killer fleet of Globes for the UAR season.
First up - the LIVE - a beautiful ride with a built in front rack.
...and not just any rack. Check it out - a wood base with tubular tray. The whole bike is a really nice shade of creamy red. Very classy.
I also like the chain guard and chain ring set up. This way, your pant leg will never get caught in your chain and it makes for a super clean look.
Here's some nice attention to detail. Check out the spring between the frame and the fork. With a loaded front rack, the steering can be a bit squirrely. But not with this spring steering dampener. This keeps you steering straight when loaded. You'd probably never notice this little touch unless you built the bike. Nice work Globe product managers!
There are very few logos on the Globe line, which is nice for the city line since a lot of folks want subdued looks when around town. Another nice touch is the head badge which allows you to slide in your own personal touch. It can be a photo, business card, or a one of the designs that the Globe folks send with the bike. All the bikes in the line have this feature.
Also check out the integrated headset. It makes for a nice clean line along the frame.
You've probably seen the ROLL. Without a doubt, one of the best designed, coolest fixies out there. I really dig the whited-out color scheme. The frame is actually powder blue. Check out this front drop out. A couple cool things: 1. it's flush and integrated - no other bike has this. 2. It uses an allen wrench to take off. This way you don't need to bring a big 15mm wrench with you. A normal multi-tool will do. Other nice touches: the rear hub is flip flop (so you can run it fixed or freewheel), deep dish rims, high flange hubs, and an old school plastic seat which reminds me of my BMX days (surprisingly enough -it's pretty comfy!)
The bar/stem is totally flush and integrated. If the brake levers were not on it (which you can remove of course if you ride it as a fixed gear), it's a perfectly flat line. A nice modern design and a work of art.
Another beautiful bike in the line, the HAUL
It's the cargo bike of the line - thanks to this beefy frame with built in wood rear rack. It's set to run dual panniers. Also part of the rack is a blink that molds in perfectly (there's also a blinky on the stem). There are two models of this bike. One has disc brakes (which I think is the way to go since you could be carrying a heavy load). Both models have integrated headsets, internal cable routing (very clean looking) and very comfy grip and saddles.

I'm going to be doing a thorough test of the Roll very soon and I'll give a report! You can test out these Globe bikes at any of the New Belgium Urban Assault Rides this year!

If you're reading this before April 4th, you can win your choice of one of these Globes in this contest!

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