Are non-aero brake levers making a comeback?
Well, we don't actually know. But after fitting these for one of our regular customers, we really hope so:
Non-aero levers, unlike the aero levers typically found on race bikes, allow the brake cables to be routed in a flowing arch formation on the outside of the bar tape:
We're waiting for an excuse to try out this setup on a Little Mule bike, since nobody's ever asked us before. Get in touch if you want to be the first!
Custom Bicycle Archive: Sky Blue Mule
Every now and then, a customer contacts the Little Mule workshop with an idea for something a little bit different. Michael, from Brisbane, was one such customer - and here's the result of his idea:
Looks ace, right? The thing that makes it unique among Little Mules is the finish - a custom sky blue powder coat, paired with a custom chrome plated fork:
We love the simplicity of the design - all blue and silver with a black Brooks Swallow saddle and black Michelin Pro4 Service Course tyres. The spec is uncluttered, with a single Dia Compe brake lever top-mounted on a pair of untaped Nitto drop bars:
It's one of a number of interesting builds we've been working on recently - keep an eye on our Facebook page to stay updated with the latest.
Little Mule gets naked
Here's what happens when a Little Mule bike frame meets a can of industrial strength paint stripper (what kind of stripper did you think we were talking about?)...
It took ages to get all the green paint off, turns out they put it on there pretty well. Looks cool though.
Custom Bicycle Archive: Georgia's classic blue 3-speed
Most of the bikes that leave The Little Mule workshop are fixies or single-speeds, but every now and then we venture into the world of gears.
This bike we built for Georgia, from Melbourne, is the result of one such venture, and it turned out to be one of our favourite Little Mule bikes ever:
Georgia wanted a classic looking bike with a small selection of gears to get up and down the hills, so we ended up using our navy blue frame with mostly silver components and a 3-speed Sturmey Archer hub and thumb shifter:
It was the first time we had paired the Cardiff Julian leather grips with a honey brown San Marco Rolls saddle - they turned out to be a really good match:
"I wanted something strong, simple, and a little ladylike too, hence the grips and saddle," says Georgia. "I also wanted gears so I could get up Collins Street hill. I like that they are concealed in the hub, so it is still the frame that stands out.
"The blue is rich and not too dark which I really like – when you come up closer to it the colour changes, which is unexpected. Riding is so much more enjoyable with a light frame that I am leaving the car behind more."
Cycling faster than the speed of lights
Traffic lights. Some days you can get on your bike and sweep through Melbourne CBD completely unhindered. Other days - particularly the ones where you're running late - the commuting gods just seem to conspire against you, changing every light to red moments before you reach it.
I've checked and a 'red-light day' can double the time it takes to ride to work. Granted, from my apartment on King Street to The Little Mule on Somerset Place is only 8 minutes on a very slow day, but if I've pushed the snooze button a few too many times that morning, every second counts.
In an effort to remove the element of chance, I've started mentally noting which routes offer the best odds of an uninterrupted journey. Here are the findings so far:
- Follow Little Lonsdale and chances are you'll stop at every junction. If you're willing to risk your neck (and those of dozens of shoppers) it's possible to gather some pace down the hill from Queen Street and go flying across Elizabeth, but it's really not worth it.
- On the way back, from a standing start at Queen Street, you can just about heave your way up La Trobe, across the lights at William Street, down the other side and sometimes left onto King Street, all in one go.
At this rate I'll have the entire CBD mapped out in less than a decade.
I was thinking this information could be useful in some kind of app format. The sat-nav based app knows the timing of every traffic light in Melbourne, records and remembers your average speed between junctions as you ride, and calculates your optimum route in real time.
So, are you a wealthy app developer with way too much time on your hands? Looking for a frivolous business investment with virtually zero prospect of significant financial returns? Let's talk.
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Recent Articles
- Are non-aero brake levers making a comeback?
- Custom Bicycle Archive: Sky Blue Mule
- Little Mule gets naked
- Custom Bicycle Archive: Georgia's classic blue 3-speed
- Cycling faster than the speed of lights
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