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Specifications Frame and fork: 6061 Bottom bracket drop: 58 mm Gearing in inches: Novara MadronA 29er aluminum, SR Suntour XCR Saddle: WTB Pure V Sport unisex 22 32 42 LO 29 fork with lockout and 80 Road Test saddle 11 57.32 83.37 109.43 Price: $799 mm of travel Seatpost: Kalloy 13 48.50 70.55 92.59 Sizes available: Extra small Rims: Weinmann Taurus 2000, Brakes: Tektro Gemini hydraulic (368 mm), small (400 mm), silver anodized, single eyelet 15 42.03 61.14 80.25 disc medium (455 mm) Spokes: Chung Nan 14 gauge 17 37.09 53.95 70.81 Pedals: FPD Alloy platform Size tested: Small stainless steel with brass 20 31.53 45.86 60.19 Bars & stem: Kalloy riser bar and Weight: 30.59 lbs. with pedals) nipples 23 27.41 39.87 52.34 stem Hubs: Joytech, 32 hole 26 24.25 35.27 46.30 two, but no built for women. Contact: rei.com, (800) 426-4840 TEST BIKE MEASUREMENTS Tires: WTB Nano Comp, 29 in. 30 21.02 30.57 40.12 It wasn’t until 1985 when Georgena x 2.1 Seat tube: 13.8, center to center 34 18.54 35.40 26.97 Terry began designing and building Effective Top tube: 22.4 in. Crank: SRAM S600 3.0, 42/32/22 bicycles specifically for women. In the Head tube angle: 71° Front derailler: Microshift M50 1990s, Novara began offering women’s Chainstays: 445 mm Rear derailler: SRAM X5 Fork rake: 46 mm frames — and I don’t mean frames Shift levers: SRAM X5 Wheelbase: 42.2 in. that were simply painted pink or Cog cassette: SRAM PG-950 Stand-over height: 29 in. assembled with down-sloping top tubes 11-34, nine-speed Novara Madrona 29er A with a female-friendly geometry to accommodate flouncy skirts. These Chain: KMC Z99 were actually bicycles built for female athletes. And this year, Novara added by jill janov the Madrona 29er women’s mountain bike to its extensive line. ➺I AM NO DIFFERENT than most Making a built for a woman women in that I spend a hefty amount involves designing a specific frame that of time thinking about chocolate. But matches a woman’s body proportions. for me, chocolate is not an obsession. This tends to be a shorter top tube and It’s not even an infatuation. It’s more taller head tube for a woman’s typically of a long-term commitment — the shorter torso and longer legs. same type of relationship I have with Based on my height of five feet my bicycles. My affection toward five inches, I selected the size small chocolate and has endured for Madrona 29er to test. According to more than 25 years. the size chart, the small frame fits In the early days, I would ride any women five feet three to five feet six bicycle and savor all chocolate, even inches tall. I could reach the handlebars white chocolate — the chocolate easily, allowing more control on snob’s worst nightmare. I remember it technical terrain. as a time when genuine extravagance The bike passed the just-right called for eating a Cadbury milk Goldilocks test even the first time I chocolate bar and pedaling a Schwinn pedaled it up and down steep-sloped Paramount with Columbus SL tubing. hills and sandy arroyos in the foothills Back then, I had no choice but to of the Sandia Mountains east of ride men’s bikes with top tubes the Albuquerque, New Mexico. length of Tennessee and handlebars I later rode on concrete bike paths wide enough for NFL Hall of Famer to work, on multi-purpose trails and Dick Butkus. dirt roads, on single track, and even Cycling jerseys, by extension, on paved highways with the bike fit any professional linebacker, performing well on all surfaces. and it seemed evident that cycling On weekdays, I pedaled on road shoemakers conducted market to my office. I’m the only cyclist research with only one demographic where I work as a writer at a medical in mind — men in bowling alleys. association. When my co-workers saw Clothing labeled unisex — whatever the bike parked by my desk, they had that is — wasn’t even a twinkle in typical co-worker things to say. “Nice anyone’s eye. bike.” “Is it heavy?” “Can I try to lift it?” Essentially, there were bicycles “How far do you usually ride?” built for men and bicycles built for Whenever I tell co-workers about

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my true love for cycling, they look at challenge me on a mountain bike with 1,000-feet in just two miles to reach me like I’m crazy, so I stopped revealing 26-inch wheels. the popular La Luz trailhead north of Scenes From the Saddle how far I ride and focus instead on how On pavement or cobblestones, Albuquerque. long I ride. It somehow sounds more especially for longer distances, I opted Because the fork lock on my old TransAm Navigators 1976 Photograph by dan burden reasonable. “Oh, it depends how much for a smoother tire — one with less mountain bike never works, imagine time I have. I just like being outside,” I rolling resistance such as a Michelin my surprise when I turned the lever minimize. City 700C x 38 or any rubber that is and the fork suddenly became solid and While the adventures I seek during both flat resistant and slow wearing. prevented me from absorbing valuable my free time might be different than SRAM’s X5 trigger shifters, X5 rear momentum. I found myself using the the experiences my co-workers enjoy, derailler and Microshift front derailler lever frequently. they are no different than what I’ve ridden up to La Luz male cyclists want. All cyclists dozens of times on my road bike, have similar desires when it each time trying to break my comes to riding — they want to own record. It obviously took enjoy the ride and be comfortable longer on the 29er with knobby, on bikes that perform well, even lower pressure tires. But ample when there is no finish line. gearing options, big wheels, and It’s true that not as many a 74-degree seat tube angle made women are motivated by the climb comfortable, efficient, competition, gears, and gadgets as and fun. men, but women make up half of On the way down, the hydraulic the cycling market and are willing braking system smoothed out the to purchase high-quality cycling corners and allowed me to stop equipment that fits and works abruptly at various trailheads to well. ride off road and explore paths The Madrona 29er and views I never see from the accomplishes those goals. It is saddle of my road bike. an ideal bike for any woman On a longer tour, I would who wants to start or never mis-shifted. I whizzed up and choose the fail-safe nature of a cable- training for an overnight adventure. downhill with a wide choice of 27 gears. actuated braking set up like the Avid With its bent top tube, the frame I gained extra confidence, momentum, BB-5/BB-7 instead of the hydraulic presents a unique look and creates a and speed on the straight downhill system, which could be difficult to friendly stand-over height appropriate sections as braking was effortless repair in remote locations. And on any for women. Its shape is both rugged because the brake levers are adjustable adventure, no matter how long, I would and feminine with mondo wheels that for smaller hands like mine. swap out the equipped alloy platform roll efficiently and a hydroformed Tektro’s Gemini hydraulic disc pedals for a basic, lightweight SPDs. aluminum frame featuring sharp angles brakes modulated impeccably and Because the Madrona 29er was and painted in a pleasant sea foam outperformed typical mechanical intended for mountain biking and green. systems that I am accustomed to using. one-day adventures, it did not come The complete bike weighs 30.64 Even in the rain, the stopping power equipped with any eyelets for water pounds, reasonable given its front was solid, although the discs screeched bottle cages. REI designers said the bike suspension, hydraulic braking like Screamer, my uncle’s parakeet. was created for single-track riders who system, beefy tires, sturdy SRAM X5 The SR Suntour XCR LO 29 typically wear hydration packs instead componentry, robust Weinmann rims suspension fork with 80 millimeters of carrying bottles. Also, the small frame with double-wall construction, and of travel and lightweight springs are with its unique shape and angled tubing WTB Nano Comp knobby tires. perfect for female riders with less left no room for a bottle cage. However, On the trail with low pressure, the upper-body brawn. And the magnesium it is possible to clamp a water bottle tires rolled easily over rocky surfaces lowers in the fork save weight while the cage to the seat tube. and maintained firm contact with dirt fork’s plushness softens the ride over Finding appropriate racks to install and gravel trails. obstacles. on a front suspension bike with disc ➺ THE SHADOWS tell us that it was early morning or late afternoon when this photo was taken along the The knobby tires on single track with The lockout feature on the fork brakes is rarely trouble-free, but the TransAm Trail during the Bikecentennial summer of 1976. These two were studying their Bikecentennial maps and 29-inch wheels felt astoundingly stable called SpeedLock proved valuable on continued ON page 50 locating the route on a state highway map. They were among the 4,000 riders that rode all or part of the Trail in its in technical situations that typically steep pavement as I climbed nearly inaugural year. Much of the equipment in the photo has improved since 1976, especially our TransAm Trail maps.

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continued from page 38 not recommended when riding with No. 531 loaded panniers. I hooked up a BOB Madrona frame does have eyelets on the Ibex trailer to haul my load for better dropouts and seatstays for fenders and stability. rack mounting. Even so, installing racks As I rode the Madrona, I couldn’t on this bike was not easy. stop smiling even while going uphill Protection for I attempted to install the Old Man with heavy load in the BOB. The bike You, Peace of Mountain Sherpa Rear Rack, which was simply a joy to ride. I undeniably Mind for Your has disc standoffs on the rack where it had more fun than a true roadie like Family. mounts to the dropout for disc caliper me should be allowed to have — on any clearance. mountain The rack bike. mounted And that easily with a thrill came not Supplemental Accident skewer, but only because Insurance for cyclists the strut that I knew there came equipped was chocolate with the rack waiting for me was not long at the end of enough to each ride. It reach the is a common To learn more and purchase coverage seatstay eyelets. principle visit us at To install the among my www.BalanceIns.com rack properly, female cycling I needed an friends that Underwritten by Zurich American Insurance Company (NAIC # 16535), 1400 American Lane, Schaumburg, IL 60196, extra-long bicycle rides A Quarter of a Century Ago 1-800-987-3373. May not be available in all states. rear rack strut such as the Avenir 405 are never officially over until we shower Photograph by GREG SIPLE Story by madeline mckiddy millimeter version for an additional $6 and eat chocolate. to reach the eyelets. Or I could have For $799, the Madrona 29er is an ➺ KERRIN CRIDDLE was 23 years old and just finishing two years of teaching English in Japan when used Old Mountain Band Clamps for $13 excellent bike to ride around town, cruise she joined the 1988 Bikecentennial TransAm tour. It was the Australian’s first bicycle tour and her first to make it fit. on single-track, or take on an overnight time in the U.S. When asked how her trip was going, she said “It’s a terrific first impression of the USA! Other racks that could work on the adventure. If only the bike came with a I’m writing home regularly to a friend who told me about Bikecentennial two years ago; ever since I’ve Madrona include the Topeak MTX lifetime supply of chocolate. been planning my big trip to America. My friend and I will soon be partners of a traveler’s hostel and café in Fremantle, Western Australia — which is a new, promising avenue for us both.” Explorer Disc or the Blackburn EX 1 Kerrin journaled prolifically throughout her three-month journey and the entries give a great picture Disc Rack because they mount closer of the emotional swings that are commonplace during such a long trip. There were good days: “I’m Jill Janov has been working as a bicycle journalist to the seat stay eyelets and to dropouts. sleeping outside under the stars tonight. The moon is waxing. Had a glorious shower at the pool. And since 1996 and road racing since 1986. She formerly One problem with having the rack hard days: “I got up at 5:30 am today to make flippin’ pancakes! And now it’s 10:00pm . Where does the served as managing editor of Bicycle Retailer & mounted on the skewer is being forced day go? Today was a tough day — I need more sleep.” There were also days wherein nothing notable Industry News and wrote the outdoors column at happened. The entry for June 17 read simply, “Made it to Berea.” to remove the entire rack with every the Santa Fe New Mexican. She has written for rear flat. numerous other publications including VeloNews “As we reached Portland, Oregon,” Kerrin wrote, “I had a huge rush of emotion. Relief, tears I must The Old Man Mountain Sherpa rack and Mountain Flyer and was a founding have been holding onto the entire trip.” Between Japan and the TransAm she had been traveling for three years — and now it was time to go home. in the front works with disc brakes but member and All-Star Rider of the first Women’s When we caught up with her 25 years later, she told us that, sadly, the hostel project never got off also requires special mounts and a bit Little 500 Bicycle Race at Indiana University. She is the founder and current president of the the ground. She does still have her TransAm bike, which she used as her main form of transportation more work to install. And with no mid- New Mexico Spokettes Racing Team, the premier for many years. These days, she enjoys sailing trips with her husband on their boat Sirocco. fork eyelets to install a front fender, a women’s cycling team in New Mexico. She lives with And the friend who told her about Adventure Cycling? 25 years later, he is still planning his own mudguard attached to the down tube her boyfriend and her dog in Albuquerque where TransAm tour. More portraits at she works as a freelance journalist and marketing adequately sufficed. From Adventure Cycling’s National Bicycle Touring Portrait Collection. © 2013 Adventure Cycling Association. adventurecycling. The high bottom bracket on promotions manager. org/gallery the Madrona was perfect for trail riding on uneven surfaces, but is

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