We've started our own shop brand. Meet: the 365.
People frequently come to Old Spokes Home in search of a "winter beater," but we don't think of winter as an excuse to ride lesser quality bikes. We think winter is an excuse to prioritize simpler, tried and tested parts and accessories. We love building über utilitarian bikes that are the perfect bike for the job 365 days each year.
So, the 365 Bike is born.
What makes the bikes able to be ridden 365 days a year? They're built with components that function well in winter and with certain touches that provide year-round versatility.
365 Bikes are built from the frame up. Mountain, road, and hybrid frames in the 80s and 90s featured solid steel tubing, braze-ons for racks and baskets, and a relaxed geometry that lends itself well to city biking once adorned with swept back handlebars -- or in the case of this Rock Hopper, bullmoose bars.
The main ingredient of a 365 bike is the Sturmey-Archer 3-speed internally geared hub (IGH).
With IGHs, the mechanism that changes your gears is inside the hub and protected from ice, salt, and the elements that often effect the quality of your shifting when you're running derailliers. Sturmey-Archer IGHs were invented in 1902 and the patent has only changed a few times over the past 115 years, which tells you that the technology is sound and here to stay.
Three speeds may not seem like enough, but for short jaunts around Burlington we think it's a worthy trade-off for the simplicity and low maintenance. Most people report feeling like they have the gears they need for 95% of the rides they take.
A mechanic overhauls the hub and builds the rear wheel. Handbuilt wheels are love.
The bikes are fully fenderizied, so whether you're riding through dirty snowmelt on after a summer thunderstorm, you'll be protected from wet splatter.
Want one? A 365 is $365.
That's right: for a .99 cent bottle of Polar seltzer a day, you can get outfit for year-round riding.
Here's Dan talking about the origins of the 365. Please mind the screeching of packaging tape in the background.
Meet: the 365 from Old Spokes Home on Vimeo.