I saw these bars at Scheller’s Harrodsburg Road location here in Lexington, Ky. They are selling them for $15.99. (In comparison, a new set of Nitto mustache bars will set you back at least 50 bucks.)

Adding to the coolness factor, locally at least, Wald is located right here in the bluegrass state — in Maysville. Wald has been around since 1905, when two brothers found success in Wisconsin by making and selling a tire-repair tool. They moved their operation to Kentucky in 1924. Wald’s Web site has a great page describing the history; the black and white picture in this post is from that page.

Wald is perhaps best-known for its baskets, which have an excellent reputation. I have never used a basket myself, but they fit nicely with any philosophy of practical cycling. (Incidentally, here’s a guy working on bags to fit in Wald’s baskets.)

But I digress …

I have a great Raleigh Super Course (from 1976 — in emerald green! Thanks for scanning the catalog, Sheldon, RIP!) that I hadn’t been riding much. I’d had it set up with flat bars and thumbshifters.

I was thinking of converting the bike to a single-speed, but I was daunted by the price and/or logistics. After seeing the Wald bars, I decided to reconfigure the bike, and leave the gearing alone.

In a moment of trying to be cool, I installed the bars upside down. After riding the bike on several commutes I decided to leave them that way, and added some cork handlebar tape from Nashbar (this stuff is a killer deal at $5.99 per bikesworth, by the way.)

Wow, what a difference. The bars transformed the bike!

The Wald bars offer three great places to rest the hands: On the ends; on the bends; and next to the stem. I find that I get a most comfortable fit by gripping the bends.

I think the bars work so well because of this diversity of hand-placement options, and because the rise of the bars (or the drop, if you install them like I did!), combined with the spread, is just right.

But don’t just take my word for it (although you should, of course!). Jim Almgren, excellent mechanic at Scheller’s says he’s selling a good number of these bars to people who are unhappy with the way their bikes’ fit, and he’s getting great feedback.

Jim also has some of these bars on his singlespeed, and he likes the way he can get leverage while climbing by gripping the bars at the ends.

Some of you might have tried mustache bars. The Wald bars don’t extend as far forward, and they sweep back further.

I can’t vouch for them being lightweight, since I don’t know or care about that.

These are not widely available online, although I did find them here (can’t vouch for the seller), but your local bike shop can probably order them.

Very highly recommended.

****

I bought a used Burley D’Lite trailer off EBay, and it arrived two days ago. I put it together in the dining room. Even though I’m technically challenged it took only a few minutes. The assembly is intuitive, and the design is simple.

I love the hitch. It goes on and comes off quickly, and there is no part that has to stay on the bike. It’s also a very tight connection.

I fastened the trailer to my Breezer Uptown 8. The moment of truth came when Mary (3) and Jackson (1) piled in. It was a snug fit, but they didn’t seem to mind. Mary loved it right away.

Jackson had logistical trouble with the helmet, which was too big — we had to resort to Mary holding it up so it wouldn’t slip down over his eyes. He hollered the whole time while being buckled in, but once we got rolling he quieted down (as long as he could see). Caleb (7) rode alongside and gave me updates on Jackson’s facial expression, and most of the time it alternated between neutral and a half-smile.

(G picked up a Thomas the Tank Engine infant-size helmet at Meijer that looks like it will fit Jackson a lot better, so future rides should be less complicated.)

It was in the 40s, so I fastened down the plastic rain cover. It kept the wind off of them, and kept some heat in the trailer.

Today, I hitched the Burley to the Bridgestone XO-1 and took Mary with me to the bank and the library. It was about a 40-minute errand total, maybe 4 miles. I put a blanket on Mary and she was snug as a bug in a rug — her only complaint was that her helmet made her head itch.

Side note: When Bush set up the XO-1, it turned out that the granny (smallest) chainring wouldn’t fit. I don’t usually miss it, but I did today. Going up a hill, I suffered as I have never suffered before. Or at least as I have not suffered for a few months.

I will post pictures of the trailer later. Also watch for everyday-rider reviews of the new O2 3Flow rain pants; MKS-GR9 pedals; Carridice Nelson saddlebag; and the Bell Metropolis helmet.

You might remember that AOL phone call, when the rep simply refused to cancel a poor guy’s service. It was a PR disaster.

But then there are times when a company stands behind its product — no dissembling, no waffling, simply: We are better than that. We will prove it to you.

I’m happy to report a prime, praiseworthy example of the latter in the case of the leaking rain pants.

Last month I gave a favorable review to my O2 3Flow rain pants. Soon after that, they leaked on a couple of rides. I e-mailed company owner Adam Ziskin and informed him of the problem.

He e-mailed back and asked for a little more information.I provided it.

He asked for the size. I gave it.

I will put some pants in the mail, he said.

That was it! I got the pants a few days later.

There several things to note here, and all of them speak well of Ziskin.

First of all, he’s not afraid to put his own e-mail address on the company Web site.

Second, he responded within a few days of my original message. (You might be surprised at how few cycling-related companies answer their e-mail.)

Third, after I responded, he followed up.

Fourth, he kept after the problem until it was fixed (if you’re counting, he wrote me a total of four messages — at least two of them on the same day, within hours of each other).

Fifth, he made no excuses, and he didn’t blame the customer.

Look, nobody’s product is perfect. Even the best stuff is going to fail from time to time. Somewhere, someplace, somebody is going to screw up. Quality control is going to fail. The question is, how well will a company respond when that happens?

It’s about trust.

Will the company seize the chance to keep a customer, and defend its name?

I own four Rainshield garments. Three have been excellent. The fourth failed — but it was replaced with minimal hassle.

That means I can continue to recommend Rainshield, and I will continue to buy its products. And I will do both with confidence.

Mr. Ziskin, I applaud the way you do business, and I hope you succeed wildly.

Willing to give the manufacturer, Rainshield, a chance to stand by its product, I sent an e-mail to company president Adam Ziskin, which you can read here.

Since I don’t have Ziskin’s permission to reprint his e-mail verbatim, I will not quote from it directly. He asked for more information about the leak, and asked whether I had tried waterproofing the area in question myself.

He also said he did not want to make a customer unhappy over a small issue, and assured me that he supports the shop where I bought the pants, as well as its customers.

Here is what I sent in reply yesterday:

Mr. Ziskin, thanks for the gracious response. I did some checking after receiving your e-mail, and here is what I found out:

It turns out I overestimated how long I have owned the pants. I checked with Pedal the Planet, and the purchase date is May 1, 2006.

The only information I could find on the tag that might help you says “LT 07-05.” These are the black pants with the O2 logo on the left leg; a back zipper pocket and a smaller velcroed front pocket; and articulated legs with zippers at the bottoms.

There are no tears of any kind visible on the pants. They have never been through the washing machine, and they have spent no extended time in sunlight. In fact, the only time I wear them is during a half-hour bike commute, from home to work, and then from work to home.

As I prefer to wear your lighter-weight pants when it is warm or hot, the 3Flow pants have seen relatively little use and show virtually no sign of wear.

I offer this information in the spirit of continuing the dialogue about what might be done to rectify the situation. As I own your 3Flow jacket and the Cycling Series jacket and matching pants, all of which are excellent products that I recommend heartily, I know that my pants’ leaking after fairly light use does not meet your company’s standards.

Thanks again for your consideration!

To Mr. Ziskin’s credit, he responded yesterday with an offer to replace the pants, asking me the size and writing that he would send some right away.

So far, I am impressed. I will let you know the end of the story.

I am giving the company a chance to respond properly, and my continuing recommendation of the pants depends on their response.

Below I am reprinting the e-mail I just sent to Adam Ziskin, owner of Rainshield, which manufactures the pants.

I will let you know when I get a reply.

Dear Mr. Ziskin:

I have owned a pair of your 3Flow Performance Series rain pants for about two years. (I also own the 3Flow jacket, and the Cycling Series jacket and pants.)

I wear the pants as needed, over my work clothes, during my daily bicycle commute of 3 miles each way. They did their job well, until recently.

During several recent rides to work in rain, the pants leaked water through the right leg. My pants were wet behind the knee and down the calf.

For rain pants from a company as reputable as yours, with the relatively light use my pants have gotten, this might be considered less-than-desirable performance, and I am wondering what remedy RainShield might offer.

Thanks for considering my correspondence.

This is a review of the 3Flow Performance Series pants by Rainshield Inc. of Minneapolis, Minn.

PRICE: About $70 online (1, 2, 3). They’re listed for $55 here, which would be a great deal.

BACKGROUND: I have been wearing these for more than a year, as the weather demands, on my daily commute. The pants come in five sizes, small through XXL. I have a 33-inch inseam, and the Large fits me perfectly. (There is a sizing chart on the company Web page, look on the lower right-hand corner of each product description.) Rainshield says it makes these pants out of 3Flow Performance Series fabric; the tag on them says “Outershell: 100% Nylon.” The seams are sealed. They come in any color you want, as long as it’s black.

PROS: Let’s take ‘em from top to bottom:

• A drawstring lets you adjust the waist size.
• A zippered, full-size back pocket (pictured, bottom right) and a small velcroed front pocket (pictured second from bottom) give you places to stow little stuff.
• The pantlegs seem to have extra material around the knees; they are made to fit best when you are on the bike.
• Elasticized cuffs fit snugly around the ankles.
• Zippers at the bottom of the pantlegs make it easy to get the pants on and off while wearing shoes. And the cut is roomy enough that there is no problem putting these on over my work clothes.

I have ridden with these pants in heavy weather, and they have never failed to keep me dry. They can be rolled up tightly to fit into a pannier. And the material is substantial; it looks as if it could withstand lots of abuse. I’ve worn my pants quite a bit, and there’s not a blemish on them.

I frequently wear these on cold days when it’s not raining or snowing, just to provide a windproof outer layer for warmth.

CONS: I don’t recommend these pants for riding in warm/hot weather — when it gets over about 75 degrees, I switch over to my O2 Rainwear pants, which are lighter-weight and seem to breathe better. If you’re concerned about sweating, these pants just are not suitable for summer riding, in my experience — and I don’t usually mash the pedals or ride more than 3 miles at a time.

VERDICT: I don’t consider these pants to be year-rounders, but I wholeheartedly recommend them for what they do provide: Excellent protection from rain and cold; durability; a very comfortable fit; and every feature you could want.

[MORE REVIEWS OF CYCLING GEAR]

Please let me know if you know of a bike that could be included but isn’t.

I have been using this bag on my daily commute for a little more than a year. (What’s a pannier?)

PRICE: $85 plus shipping from Breezer, also available here.

DESCRIPTION: Made of Dupont Cordura fabric, the Year-Rounder sports the Breezer logo on the flap.

The bag features a strap-handle on top for carrying off the bike; a roomy roll-top, waterproof liner; a zippered compartment in the flap; and a pouch on the outside.

Capacity is 1390 cubic inches. There is a reflective strap on the side. There are two plastic eyelets for attaching a shoulder strap.

MOUNTING SYSTEM: The bag attaches to the bike’s rear rack this way: Two rubber-covered metal hooks fit over the top of the rack, and an S-clip on the end of a strap fits onto the bottom of the rack.

A cam-lock pulls the strap tight and cinches the S-clip into place, thereby holding the bag against the side of the rack.

The system looks like it would work on any rear rack.

PROS: There is a lot to like here.

• I have ridden with the bag in heavy rain, sleet and snow (I don’t think I’ve done hail yet!), and it has proved to be waterproof.
• The zippered compartment in the flap is plenty big enough for a tool kit, and the exterior pocket is a great place to carry a bike lock.
• It’s easy to get the bag on and off the bike. All it takes is loosening or tightening the cam lock.
• The mounting system allows for mounting the bag at the back of the rack, so your heels won’t hit the bag while you pedal. (I wear size 9 1/2 shoes, and there is plenty of clearance.)
• The bag looks nice on the bike. Its color scheme and logo integrate well with the Uptown 8’s classy look.
• You can fit A LOT in there. On a recent ride I carried two bottles of wine, a stuff sack with hats and shoe covers in it, a portfolio, and a binder for business-size checks. Here’s a picture of the load. I frequently carry a lunch, all my raingear and a lock, and there is plenty of room to spare.
• Durability. So far I don’t think I’ve made a mark on it.

CONS: If there has to be one, I’ll say price. It’s more pricey than some, less pricey than others.

Maybe you are paying a little extra for the logo on the flap.

But the price is not far if at all out of line with the market for a good pannier, and there is no question you are getting what you pay for.

VERDICT: Very, very highly recommended for daily commuting.

OTHERS’ REVIEWS: I haven’t found any. If you know of one, let me know and I will link to it.

POSTCRIPT – RIDING WITH ONE PANNIER: I have found that I need only one pannier for my daily needs — the Year Rounder’s capacity is actually more than I need.

I have loaded this pannier heavily and have barely noticed the unbalanced load.

Please note that I am not charging up and down mountains, and I am not cornering fast — I’m riding more like an English country gentleman.

You might hear something else from someone else, but for me, a load on only one side is not a problem.

PRICE: $20.99-$26.99 online (1, 2)

BACKGROUND: Over the past two years or so, I have worn these mostly on warm or hot days with my O2 Cycling Series rain jacket. Check here to read about my daily ride to work. The pants come in six sizes, ranging from Small to XXL; there is a size chart on the manufacturer’s site (look to the right on the last line of each product description), but proceed with caution (see below).

PROS: I have never gotten wet wearing these pants, even in heavy rain. They pack tightly into a stuff sack that comes with them. A full cut makes the pants easy to put on over my work clothes. The material wears well: While it seems as if it might be fragile — and my O2 jacket, made out of the same material, has torn at the cuffs — I have not torn the pants.

CAUTION ABOUT FIT AND SIZING: The pantlegs ride up significantly when you get on the bike, and mine are too short. To keep my pants dry when wearing these rain pants, I have to tuck my pantlegs into my socks, or tuck them into my Burley shoe covers. If you’re buying these pants, make sure they bunch up on your shoetops. Mine just touch my shoes. I got the size Large, but I should have gotten the XL. (My inseam is 33 inches.) Bottom line: It would be OK with me if the waist were a little too big, in order for the legs to be the right length.

CONS: The dork factor. It doesn’t much matter to me how I look while riding, as long as I’m comfortable. But if you’re at all concerned about Fashion, take note: You WILL look like a dweeb when covered from head to toe in reflective yellow. If you care about this, buy some black rain pants to go with your yellow top. Also: There are no pockets. The pants’ durability might be a problem, although it hasn’t been for me. I advise against pulling hard on them, or jamming your shoes into the legs while putting them on.

VERDICT: As long as these pants fit you, I can’t think of a good reason not to buy them (leaving aside the dork factor). They could serve a purpose for just about any type of rider. I recommend them highly to those just getting into cycling and those who are just starting to commute. For everyday commuters, these are perfect for carrying in a bag just in case it rains, because they pack so well.

OTHERS’ REVIEWS: The only ones I have seen are written by walkers or backpackers. If you find another review by a cyclist, let me know and I will link to it.