Product reviews: Jersey and trunk bag

A recent ride between Santa Rosa and Sebastopol, via the Santa Rosa Creek and Joe Rodota trails, was an occasion to utilize two items in my cycling gear collection: my new Xingrass women's bicycle jersey, and my do-it-yourself backpack rigging for the Topeak MTX Trunk Bag. Here are my reviews of the jersey and the trunk bag.

Xingrass short-sleeved women's bicycle jersey
I really like the colors and the pattern of this women's cycling jersey. (I love damask and paisley patterns, and rich colors like dark green, blue, and brown.) I ordered a size Medium, according to instructions to use the sizing chart and to order by chest, height, and weight. it fit as expected, very comfortable to move in.

Topeak MTX Trunk Bag
As a cyclist, I often rely on my Topeak MTX Trunk Bag. I just slide it onto the MTX Quick Track rack, it locks into place, and I am ready to go.

The panniers are great to fold down and stuff with groceries (or books purchased at a local store or found in a Little Free Library).

This is my second purchase from Topeak; the first trunk bag did not come with the panniers, and my husband and I (both Topeak trunk bag users) have found that the central pocket of the trunk bag seems to have less carrying space in the model that has panniers.

One design concern of mine is the single carrying strap that comes with the Topeak bag. I have a smaller frame, and the bag gets heavy to carry when I am walking around.

The single carrying strap does not relieve the weight when I carry the bag by the handle, and when the bag hangs free, the weight just bears down uncomfortably on my shoulder. I end up carrying the bag two-handed.

My solution, or "hack," was to take a second carrying strap with me. I shortened one end of each strap so that the shoulder padding falls to the right location, and I attach both straps to the trunk bag I'm using for a makeshift "backpack." A backpack is much more comfortable, plus I prefer "hands-free."

I can't use the water bottle pocket when I convert to a backpack, but I can put my bottle directly into the trunk bag. The water bottle is upright inside it, when I wear the Topeak trunk bag as a "backpack."

Hat from ‘cycle-hacked’ garments

Talk about a win-win situation: I chop the hemline of a dress or long tunic so that I can wear it, paired with pants or leggings, while I ride on my bicycle. This saves garments that, while loved, might otherwise never be worn because they weren’t biking-compatible. Here, leftover fabric from recent alterations found purpose of their own when assembled into a “newsboy” hat. The crown, band and brim of the hat were assembled out of fabric from a sunflower-print dress, an embroidered long tunic and a long lace skirt. Shown with it are “cycle-hacked” garments that contributed its fabric.

Pockets, lots of ’em, essential for bicyclists’ clothing

If essential bicyclists’ clothing could be summed up with one word, that one word would be, “pockets.” And lots of ’em.

Tossing assorted belongings into the trunk of a car is not an option for us, so we have to think about storing and transporting what we need for the day.

Here are Jonathan and me wearing “RFID Travel Vests for Men,” manufactured by SCOTTeVEST. We purchased our vests from Travel Essentials, a travel store in downtown Ashland.

Cargo shorts redeem cargo skirt’s cycling ‘fail’

My transition into a full-time cyclist came with a learning curve, specifically concerning which clothes work, which clothes don’t work but can be made better and which clothes will NEVER work.

In the case of clothing that will NEVER work, I have to simply start over.

A cargo skirt from an online retailer fell into the NEVER-work category. The skirt was great! It had plenty of pockets, which were definite pluses to a person who does not want to be encumbered by carrying a bag. But the skirt also offered too little room to move in, for me to safely ride my bicycle.

If it was simply a matter of length, I could have worked with the skirt by wearing it with leggings or such. But being difficult to move in, sealed the skirt’s fate.

I sent the skirt back to the online retailer and opted instead for shorts that came with all the same wonderful features: My favorite color! Plenty of pockets! But in contrast to the skirt, the shorts provide an advantage of being easy to move in on a bicycle. And that makes all the difference.

Appliqued bicycle jerseys

Applique designs give exciting new appeal to second-hand bicycle jerseys. On the mint-green V-neck, the peace medallion was made of T-shirt knit fabric layered onto brocade.

Long skirt shortened, divided for bicycle use

Cycle-hack: A three-paneled long skirt has been shortened and divided for ease when riding a bicycle.

‘Penny in Your Pants,’ for bicycle riding in a skirt

While on the subject of independence ... Check out this “cyclehack,” an idea that solves a barrier to riding a bicycle. “Penny in Your Pants” involves pushing a penny from back to front, through both layers of a skirt, to form a button and then using a rubber band to secure the button in place.

Caturday project: Starfire ‘helps’ with Sharrow jacket

Starfire ‘helps’ me work

Assisted by my “helper” Starfire, I upcycled T-shirts into a “Sharrow” Share-the-road bicycle design on a hoodie jacket.

My first step, with a paper template, was to cut out the sharrow pattern. Starfire was highly interested in the proceedings and I had to watch her carefully lest, when batting at the sharrow template, she end up with a pawful of pins.

Back view: The finished jacket

As I began assembling pieces for the sharrow design on the back, Starfire burrowed into the discarded T-shirt.

Starfire managed to shove her entire face into the sleeve. She reared up and was surprised by the effect.

Once free from the shirt, she was oh-so-dignified as I continued with my work.

The back of the jacket features an appliqued sharrow design against a floral background. I also attached a floral sharrow motif to one side on the jacket front.

‘Sharrow’ design: repurposed shirts

My latest upcycling project has a tie-in to goRogueValley.org’s Go by Bike Week. I found an Ashland Food Co-op sack filled with T-shirts at my apartment complex giveaway box. The shirts have been assembled into one garment with a “Sharrow” shared-roadway design. The beautiful model is Miss Starfire.

Sharrow template