Keith asked for it, so here it is: the evolution of the Steamroller.

The bike started as a stripped down hipster track bike. This is right after the initial build:

It stayed this way for roughly a year or so, with a few slight variations. I rode bullhorns periodically, got a new wheelset (Miche Primato hubs with Mavic MA-3 rims), put keirin grips on the bars, and rode with clips and straps rather than the clipless pedals. Then a new job and hilly commute to the suburbs meant the bike needed to change a bit to better suit the terrain. So, a bar and stem swap got it here:

This lasted for nearly a year, until I decided I could quite tweak the fit of the Midge bars properly thanks to a too-short steerer tube. So, thanks to the magic of the interweb, I promptly found someone willing to trade for a set of Marys:

My growing interest in randonneuring has lead to another tweak or two, namely the addition of a Carradice saddlebag:

With a full rando/touring bike on my horizon, I doubt I’ll make many more changes to the Steamroller. In fact, once I get a new bike, the Carradice will probably move there. I’ve considered re-kitting the Steamroller as an urban track bike again, but the current setup is, frankly, just too comfy.

Posted on 9 October 2006