Fast Commuter "Dutch"

• Here's the next iteration of JO's custom steel fast commuter. We've added custom powder coated Honjo fenders (now rattle free!), a Tubus Cargo rack ($120), and Ortlieb's excellent Office Bag ($120).

  I rode it around in the snow and slush this morning, and was shocked at how much fast it rode in the rough stuff: faster and perhaps even stabler than my cyclocross bike! Best of all, the fenders prevented my backside from gaining a muddy stripe.

  If you've ever installed a rear rack on a bike, especially a road bike with fenders, so know how much improvisation is needed in order to ensure a secure, tight fit. It must clear the brakes and cables. The bolts mustn't interfere with the drivetrain. It should allow for plenty of feel clearance, and it should be silent and feel rock solid. In all these respects, Tubus shames all other vendors.

  But as nice as the Tubus Cargo is, the Ortlieb bag is even more intriguing. Impossibly waterproof, with a simple and adjustable mounting mechanism -- this is simply the finest bicycling office sack I've found for office dwellers who commute in crummy weather. Most interestingly, this bag, due to its size, and unlike other Ortlieb bags, mounts at an angle in order to maximize heel clearance. It looks a bit odd, but is a genius touch.

  Dutch