Things I Want, Edition Two

Man oh man, the cycling goodies just keep a coming, right? It’s an avalanche of cool stuff that few bank accounts could stand up to. But we can dream big even if the Significant Other has hidden the credit cards and forbidden us on pain of dismemberment and divorce from buying any more gear.

Here’s what is high up on our latest crave list. And would somebody please consider giving me a small loan so I can take care of this endless grasping and satisfy my needs? Oh, and here is Edition One of Things I Want.

Catlike Whisper

Thing 1: Catlike Whisper cycling shoes

OMG, when I saw the pictures of the blue version in the Road.cc review I almost went berserk with desire. These might be some of the coolest shoes I’ve ever seen that click into pedals. Sure I wouldn’t mind trying a pair of Bonts and who wouldn’t like that insanely priced new pair of high end Mavics? That said, the fact is for $299, these Catlike Whisper shoes rock.

Now this Spanish company has been slowly but surely ramping up their presence in the United States and their Mixino helmet — we reviewed it here — is one of our faves. A few years ago they updated their Whisper helmet, launched the Mixino, developed a new line of eyewear and now, they’ve dropped this gem of a shoe on us. It perfectly matches all the design cues from the Mixino and reeks of beauty. Must have.

Thing 2: Kalkhoff Integrale 8 Electric Bike

There are now scads of cool electric bikes that would cut my 16 mile bike commute into San Francisco by perhaps, roughly calculating here, about 25 minutes. That takes it from an hour and twenty is just under an hour. Why the Kalkhoff? Because I’m big and it’s big, too, The XL is 60cm, still a tad too small for me but workable for an electric.

In terms of style, it actually looks like a bad-ass bike with the battery nicely tucked in the downtube. I could also go for the Specialized Turbo but I struggle to buy anything from a company run by a guy who is just not a nice person. “Nuff said” on that subject. The K8 would be a sweet ride and yes, it’s nearly $5000 but nothing good is cheap these days. Except, well, posters.

Thing 3: Societe La Francaise Poster

The website bicyclingart.com has loads of awesome vintage and vintage preproduction posters. You really can’t go wrong because they’re all classics, super cool and wall-ready. I’d buy ten and put them all over the house but the wife would get really mad.

So I’d have to settle for just one poster and it would have to be in colors that matched the rug and furniture. I’m killing two birds with one stone on this selection: retro sassy babe and bicycle. Her thighs are a little on the heavy side but lets not ever forget how scary hot track cyclist Victoria Pendleton looked in that black lingerie and high heels. Do yourself a favor and go to this website immediately. The original ones can be three grand but the reproductions like this one are just $29.

Thing 4: Enve Carbon Road Handlebars

Yes, at a $350 price tag, it’s not likely I’m picking this handlebar up anytime soon. But I can still drool and dream. Like Zipp, Enve is high end carbon artistry and it would look really, really good on my Calfee Manta. I like everything from Enve but since I already have a super dooper carbon wheelset that I really like — the Rolf Prima Ares 4 — I’m now craving the Enve handlebars. Bonus points: made in America, Utah to be specific.

Thing 5: Cafe du Cycliste T-shirt

Now, in Edition One of Things I Want, I listed Cafe du Cycliste. Can I help it if they keep hitting it out of le park? This is Rapha if Rapha was French and moved to Nice, France. Their unique spin on updated retro is really taking off. This is a company I would buy stock in.

So today let’s stay on budget and just grab ourselves a cool cycling t-shirt for the pool and beach and coffee shop so people know just how much savoir faire we have. In fact, the guy in the picture looks exactly like me if I had been born in France 26 years ago instead of in the US 60 years ago. Oh well. Forty bucks and in purple because it’s the color of royalty. King me, bro.

Thing 5: Ornot Grayskull House Jersey

First, I would buy this just for the name, knowing the immediate pleasure I’d get when somebody asked me, “Who makes that jersey?” Why, it’s the Grayskull House Jersey, my friend and yes, I am more stylish than thou.” Love the color, the subtle dot pattern, the super cool designs on the sleeve.  This needs to be mine right now. Designed in San Francisco where I work, sewn in California. Love their whole esthetic from outerwear to bibs to socks. I am licking my tongue on the website homepage.

There, that’s Edition Two of Things I Want. I feel better just for having spread the word on these lovely things that for now elude me. Someday I shall have them and call them my own and revel in their greatness. But for now, just looking …..