Product Review: Nitto B-125 Steel

I got the replacement in the mail for the defective bars I had first received and they looked great. No screwy uneven shim on this pair.
The first pair I ordered had a defect where the shim was skewed 1/4 - 3/8" to the left. It was whack but since Ben's Cycle has good customer service I got them swapped for new ones. Compliments to Ben's Cycle! Check them out here.

The new bars are mounted on my bicycle now and they feel nice and balanced. They ride great too.
I definitely recommend these bars. They have a 152mm drop and a 92mm reach. It's not so intense as the B-123 but you still get a super forward positioning when riding the drops (depending on your frame's geometry). I find that the steel also feels better because there's some weight to it. I have some alloy bullhorns and sometimes it felt a bit feathery in the bars when climbing hills.
The weight of the steel feels much more reliable to me and they're not heavy enough to weigh me down negatively.

Cheers!

- RideaBicycle

California Whip

Since I'm living in Washington and going to school up here, I brought my bicycle with me. But every visit home I wish I had a bicycle to ride so I got this one in California. It's unusual to find an inexpensive fixed gear bicycle without it having some issues, so this one needed a new bottom bracket, a new rear wheel, and some toe cages. After a bit of sanding and a handlebar trim, it was ready to ride. Oh, and Benson lent me a spare front wheel because the 27in front paired with the 700c rear rode awkwardly.
I've had this bicycle for a while now, and it's been great so far. I've been able to ride as much as I've wanted. I do still prefer the fit of my Mercier. The geometry is a bit more to my liking and the steel frame on my Californian is a bit stiff compared to the aluminum Mercier frame. But of course, I am happy to have a bicycle that works when I'm down in California.

Frame: Nishiki Sport 58cm steel
Rims: Solo ACLASS (front),  Dimension Track (rear)
Hubs: Bianchi 28H (front), Formula 32H (rear)
Spokes: Bianchi stainless, brass nipples (front), stainless, brass nipples (rear)
Cog: 17T
Tires: Forte GT2 (front), Duro Elimin8er Kevlar Shield, white (rear)
Saddle: Black Vinyl Diamond Pattern
Seatpost: unknown
Headset: unknown
Stem: Custom
Bars: Icon risers
Grips: OURY white
Bottom Bracket: unknown tapered square
Cranks: Sugino VT 170mm
Chainring: 52T
Pedals: unknown road type
Toe Cages: MKS Silver L
Straps: Origin 8 white leather (double straps - cut in half for each pedal)
Chain: unknown

The drop bars on this bicycle in previous posts are Nitto B-125s. They had a defect and I just got them replaced, but those are the defective pair before I sent them out for a free replacement. (Thanks to Ben's Cycle!)

- RideaBicycle