Jim - love the site - lots of really great bikes!

I don't know if mine will qualify along side these beauties but I'm really excited about it and maybe some of your readers will appreciated it for what it is. It is the bike I use daily in the winter for getting around and doing stuff. Maybe not a true work bike but whatever.

"Slushy" is made for the particular kind of winter conditions we get here in Toronto, Canada. SLUSH! I specked it out just based on my previous winter-riding experience and also with advice from Carey at The Urbane Cyclist - my LBS. Slush is that mixture of salt and snow that corrodes everything it splashes against. Initially, I was looking for a reliable but cheap bike to ride in winter. Something I wouldn't care too much about. But after some consideration I decided to just build what I felt was an optimum machine that would be as impervious to the conditions as possible - and one that I would enjoy riding.

So here it is:
"Urbanite" steel 26" commuter frame (house brand of the The Urbane Cyclist) Shimano Nexus 8 speed rear wheel with roller brake - and rapid fire shifter Sturmey Archer front hub brake Hebie "Chain Glider" chain case teflon-lined cable housing to prevent icing Ortlieb roller classic waterproof pannier(s) plastic fenders (aluminum fenders ice up) - with lots of clearance! Schwalbe Land Cruiser tires - (I specked out studded tires but Carey talked me out of that idea - and he was right. We sometimes have ice - but then the salt goes down - and turns into a big brown slurpy. Water proof boots and gaiters (not shown) - necessary to protect trousers from the corrosive slush kicked up by cars)

The ordinary appearance is a conscious effort to discourage theft! Really.

That's the theory - how does it work in practice? Incredible! fantastic! We just got 30cm of snow this weekend and so the roads are are really snowy and sludgy. The tires slice through almost anything. Braking is smooth, consistent, and strong - no gritty squealing, freezing or slipping. The drive train is also nice and smooth - and nicely protected from the grit and sludge. The upright stance is frowned upon by the couriers in the shop but I'm not racing anywhere - and still doing better than the car traffic (which is a little less patient with cyclists this time of year). The bike is very nicely balanced and is a joy to ride. Track stands seem uncommonly easy - I think the sludge actually helps. Anyway - I've never felt great about cycling in the winter - until now! This bike is a revelation to me.

Sorry about the pictures - these are the only clean pictures I got before getting it mired in grime...

Hope you folks get a kick out of this,
Phil Strong

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

vacuvox@6q.com