August at Cool Bikes North
Technically, it’s still August.
I know, I’m not ready for summer to end either. But it looks like it might. You never can tell with summers.
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This issue! Tern’s newest e-cargo bike will be on our floor soon and I want to tell you all about it. First though, I thought we’d take a look at a couple superstars of the Saddle Library.
Meet the saddles: Ergon ST Core EVO
Let me start this off by saying you do not need a special saddle to ride an ebike any more than you need a special mouth to drink oat milk. Let me follow that up by saying if you do have an ebike, this saddle will probably feel awesome on it. So too will it feel awesome on your non-e (“Acoustic”!) touring / city / hybrid / other-kind-of-bike with flat handlebars and a gently inclined riding posture.
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This saddle is designed to keep its rider comfortable for longer duration trips, and is aimed at the European “Trekking” market. If you imagine a weekend spent riding a crushed limestone rail-trail out to a campground, spending the night, cruising some local flavor the next day, and making it home slightly grungy and much-refreshed, you have a handle on what Trekking is. And if you’ve ever done that sort of thing and had an ouchy posterior or experienced back pain the next day, this saddle might be worth a try.
Ergon’s approach to comfort over longer distances includes, in this case, a layer of highly engineered squishy stuff sandwiched between two firm shells. The squishy stuff is made by BASF, who have named it “Infinergy.” This floating layer of compliant material offers built-in suspension that absorbs impacts from the road while also allowing the two hemispheres of the saddle to flex independent of each other. Germany’s Aktion Gesunder Rücken (Campaign for Healthier Backs) has certified this saddle.
Maybe it will even feel *too* awesome, and you’ll say “that’s not the saddle for me.” Which is E X A C T L Y W H Y we’re doing this whole saddle library thing, folks. Ride before you buy; ride before you don’t buy.
I didn’t mean to do this, but…
I think I have to get back to everything else going on in the shop. Thanks for keeping me busy!
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Look, the Tern Quick Haul Long is an awesome bike, and it will be here for your test riding excitement next month, by which I mean September. If you guessed “I think it’s a longer version of the Quick Haul that can carry up to two kiddos, one adult, or my Costco run,” well, you’re right, and you can bet September’s email is going to be alllll about it.
Happy riding, and enjoy SUMMER while it’s still here!
Your pal,
Zach
