What I Liked

Made in the U.S.A.

With so many products mass-produced and made overseas, it’s a pleasure to see a product that is neither. Waterhshed products are designed, tested and handmade in North Carolina. As a result of this commitment to quality, expect your Watershed product to take up to two-weeks before it can be shipped.

Outstanding Durability

The Watershed Mckenzie Handlebar Bag is made from polyurethane-coated Cordura fabric to make it highly abrasion-resistant and environmentally friendly. Seam joints are triple-layered and welded instead of sewn.

Waterproof

Watershed takes the concept of a Ziplock bag to the extreme with an airtight and waterproof seal called the ZipDry seal that can sustain up to 300 feet of underwater pressure.

Secure Handlebar Mounting System

Mounting is simplified with an adjustable bungee cord and two substantial Elasto-Lok Ice Axe buckles that fit any width of handlebars. A Velcro loop on the back attaches to the stem for extra security and stability.

Performance

I did not find that a fully-loaded Watershed McKenzie Handlebar Bag detracted from my bike’s handling. Where it can detract, however, is when the McKenzie isn’t fully loaded. As a result, it bounces on the handlebars and is distracting. I mitigated this by adjusting the side buckles to secure the roll top (a la roll-top drybag style) and tighten the compression buckles.

Reflectivity

For cyclists who ride at night, the Watershed McKenzie offers a high visibility 3M reflective tape that reflects headlights and street lights. It also has a webbing loop on the front to attach a blinkie light.

ZipDry Seal Opening

The ZipDry seal, the pizza resistance on all Watershed drybags, will not snag, break or get caught on fabric, like standard zippers. It’s also glove-compatible, even with bulky winter riding gloves. However, there is an art to opening the ZipDry seal. Although it’s instinctive to grab the two tabs on each side of seal and pull apart in opposite directions (like opening a bag of chips), don’t. Even if you do manage to open the ZipDry seal this way, it requires strength and could tear the tabs. Instead, simply grab each tab and pull them towards each other in an “S” motion along the length of the seal until a small opening appears. Then pull to open all the way.

What Could be Better

Lack of Internal Organization

For bike commuting, I like separating items to make them easier to retrieve. A tool pocket would be a nice feature on future iterations. It’s possible that this could add to the weight but I would be fine with reducing the size to maybe ten or twelve liters to off-set the weight.

Time-consuming to Open

The McKenzie has two side buckles, two front buckles and the ZipDry seal. Entering the McKenzie in a hurry to retrieve a wallet or a phone is a three-step process. In future iterations, an enhancement could be to simply omit the two side buckles or add a slash pocket for carrying items like a phone or wallet.

Final Thoughts and a Parting Shot

As a sea kayaker, I’m familiar with Watershed products. Specifically my Watershed Aleutian deckbag. The deck of a sea kayak is never a dry place. From waves that continuously slap the deck to the full submerging when rolling, I’m always impressed with its performance and the thoughtful details and quality craftsmanship that Watershed added for the sea kayaker.

In a market that is flooded with waterproof cycling bags, the Watershed McKenzie’s outstanding handmade in the U.S.A quality and durability gives it a definite edge as Watershed emerges into the cycling accessory market. It’s not perfect, it has its two annoyances which I stated above, but it’s a great start and I’m look forward to/hoping to seeing more cycling products from Watershed. Panniers maybe? Come on, Watershed! You got this.

The post Watershed McKenzie Handlebar Bag Review appeared first on gritandgearonline.com.

I recently saw a Civia Cycles Parkway step-thru e-bike cruising down the Midtown Greenway in Minneapolis. I was camped out at the outdoor café at Freewheel Bike sucking down a mango smoothie. It was a needed rest break after 32-miles on a 56 lb Royal Dutch Gazelle Tour Populair.

A cyclist (road tool with matching kit and carbon fiber Italian race bike) sitting at the table next to me chirped, “Ha! Look! An e-bike.”

He said it like it was a bad thing, like riding an e-bike is some kind of cop-out or cheating. For lazy, out-of-shape riders.

“Hey, if an e-bike will keep me riding if I make it to my 70’s I’m on board,” I replied.

Predictably, he said nothing.

Here’s what the roadie in matching kit didn’t bother to see:

1. The cyclist was an elderly woman.
2. The cyclist did not have a gut.
3. The cyclist was pedaling.
4. The cyclist was enjoying herself.
5. The cyclist would encounter her share of hills on the Midtown Greenway and when she did, the Civia Parkway’s electric assist would help her keep pedaling.
6. The cyclist represented who I wanted to be and what I wanted to be doing if I make it to my 60s and 70s.

Civia Cycles Parkway e-bike diamond frame

At Interbike last year, I got to ride at least a dozen e-bikes (mountain bikes, commuters, cargo, fatbikes, etc) and they are really cool; I admit I knocked them until I tried them. There was something really freeing about tooling up a hill without over-exerting myself.

I also saw the possibilities and purpose. Not everyone who rides bikes are road tools in matching kits who ride 100 miles in an afternoon on a carbon fiber Italian race bike and have quads the size of Redwoods. Cyclists come in all shapes, sizes, ages and ability. I mean, WOW. Why does everyone have to be of the Tour de France mindset?

But back to the Civia Parkway. I ride a Civia Hyland (not an e-bike) as my commuter bike so I’m familiar with the brand. They have an easy simplicity to them with an attractive price point. Indeed, Civia’s mission is to “help more people get out into their own cities and towns with confidence and style.” Which is exactly what the Parkway e-bike cyclist on the Midtown Greenway was doing.

When I Googled the Civia Parkway e-bike model, I was impressed. For $2,799, the Parkway features an e-assist system from Bosch’s Active Line with a 5.5 lb PowerPack 400 frame battery. The Bosch motor offers four levels of acceleration support from Eco to Turbo. Oh! How I would love to have the turbo option to ride over the chocolate malt-sucking cyclist with a gut’s smug face!

It also has a 9-spd rear derailleur and maxes out at 20 mph. A control with an easy-to-read-and-use screen  is mounted near the handlebar grip to allow the cyclist to adjust assistance levels without letting go of the handlebar. Looks to be a simple turn it on, press a button and go. Again, Civia Cycles is keeping it simple because cycling shouldn’t be complicated.

For those who wonder how long the Civia Parkway e-bike runs on the PowerPack, the answer is that it depends. Civia states that a fully charged battery will last from 30-110 miles depending upon selected terrain assist modes, wind, total weight on the bike, and other elements that vary by rider and by ride conditions. When the battery depletes, you pedal home and recharge it. According to Civia, a fresh charge from empty takes 6.5 hours and the Civia Parkway comes with a Bosch compact charger.

So, yeah. In a world where e-bikes can run upwards of $7,000, it’s nice to know that one can be had for much less.

Other reasons I would never dis an ebike (and neither should you):

1. They’re great for no-sweat commutes (important to cyclists who don’t have shower facilities at their workplaces)
2. When it’s easy for people to ride a bike, they ride bikes further and more often.
3. Even though an ebike is a steep initial investment, it’s still cheaper filling a car’s gas tank, insuring it and maintaining it.
4. e-bikes aren’t for everyone, but then is any one bike perfect for everyone is there?

I don’t expect for a moment that I’ll be as fit as am I now when I’m in my 60s and 70s (assuming I live that long). But what I do expect is to keep on riding because I love it. Bikes are a big part of my identity.

Thanks to companies like Civia Cycles and their snappy Civia Parkway e-bike for under $2800, I (and the e-bike hating road tool) can keep on riding.

The post Why E-bikes are not Stupid (specifically the Civia Cycles Parkway e-bike) appeared first on gritandgearonline.com.