Pashley Poppy Review and Some Thoughts on Its Modifications

I've now had the Pashley Poppy for a time (a couple of months), and while I did briefly discuss some changes that were made to the stock Poppy bicycle, it feels as though enough time has passed to provide a bit more detail about the changes that were made to the bike, as well as to better evaluate how it's working for my needs.

While our current living location isn't exactly ideal for any type of city bicycle, it has been useful for short rides, and the move to a new place looks as though it will actually come to fruition in a few short weeks. For now, it's useful on trips to the market, or to the very few close by places, but I think it's going to become much more useful after the move. When I think about being able to ride just about everywhere (except, of course, the trips to school), I find it difficult to believe that this is actually about to happen. It must seem strange to most people that I'm excited about moving to a place that's less than 10 miles from our current home, but truly, it's been a long wait and the convenience of the new location is quite exciting!

But, I digress... The Poppy has been a welcome addition to the fold, and with the changes that were made, it's been pretty ideal. The stock set up has short, close to flat handlebars with cork grips. I knew when the bike arrived that, at minimum, the grips would need to be replaced as they were both severely cracked, but after my initial ride with the original handlebars I felt like an adult attempting to ride a small child's bicycle.

Original cork grips, showing one of the smaller cracks

It was completely uncomfortable to me because it felt far too close between saddle and handlebar. I had no recollection of the Princess Sovereign model feeling this way. I don't think at that time I realized the difference a set of handlebars could make in the way a bicycle feels. I really didn't enjoy the ride on the Poppy the first time because of that crunched in feel, and I thought briefly that perhaps this bicycle would be another to go by the way side. However, after obtaining the mustache handlebars for the Hillborne, and realizing that the stretch was just too much for me on a bicycle that has an almost too far reach as it is, I thought it was worth trying these on the Poppy.

I hadn't seen a Pashley Poppy with mustache bars before, and while I initially thought it might be a strange look, they turned out to be a great option. The stretch the mustache bars provided between saddle and stem was just what I needed. The reach isn't so far that I feel overly stretched, but it provides enough room to feel comfortable, and even a bit racier than the standard set up (in my opinion). The ride itself feels more comfortable as well, though I suspect this is just a by-product of being in a more comfortable position.

Mustache handlebar set up on the Poppy

After the handlebar switch, I wasn't sure I liked the standard brake levers, nor the location I'd likely have to place the levers. While typically people who put mustache handlebars on a bike tend to use a similar style of brake levers, I really wanted to keep the upright feel of the bicycle. This was resolved by purchasing a set of inverse brake levers (Note: I didn't buy mine from Velo-Orange, however, they are the same brand) to be placed at the bar ends. This brought its own set of issues, as I didn't understand at the time that the levers wouldn't adjust the brakes, so there was absolutely no tension, or in other words, there was no ability to stop. This problem was resolved with a small tensioner Sam constructed to work with the other end of the brake cables. I have to say, I love these levers! Braking somehow seems easier, and while it may be entirely in my head, the set up really seems to be working.

Tektro inverse brake levers up close

The next decision was in regard to transporting goods via bicycle. For me, it is pointless to have this set up work so well if I can't carry anything with me. Initially, I thought I would put a rear rack on the Poppy, but after some thought, I decided that perhaps a large front basket made more sense.

Wald Woody front basket on the Poppy

Thus far, the basket has provided what I need. I can put two large reusable grocery bags in it, or a slew of other items, and the depth of the basket doesn't cause things to fall out while riding. I have still debated whether or not a rear rack is necessary, but thus far, this particular set up seems to be quite functional.

As for the ride with this set up, I am extremely happy. The ride is comfortable and functional. If there is anything that might feel strange for some, I would say that some might find that the basket is too close to the handlebars, making it a challenge to utilize every possible hand position. It hasn't been bothersome to me, however, as I mostly ride with my hands in the upright position. The brake cables are also to the sides of the basket, which, in super tight turning instances could create a bit of a tight squeeze.

Cables surrounding the sides of the Wald basket

Thus far, the Poppy has been a joy to have and to ride, and I look forward to a lot more riding... who knows? There could be even more modifications to come!

Pashley Poppy First Impressions/Revisions

Since posting about the new bicycle obtained a few weeks ago, I've been busying myself with a variety of things... one of which has been making some revisions to the standard Poppy. Nothing has dramatically changed as of yet, but I thought I'd post some of my initial impressions and a couple of quick photos of the bike.

Stock image of the Pashley Poppy in blue
*Image from adelineadeline.com

When I received this bike in shipping, it was fairly well assembled, however, it did require some mechanical aptness to finish up the process. Luckily, there is a mechanically-inclined individual in house here, so it worked to my advantage. The worst part about the process is that the fenders were bent in shipping. While they have been somewhat straightened, I'm not sure they will ever be what they should have been in their original form. This is sometimes the price paid to have an item shipped over distances that are not realistically traveled in a timely manner by vehicle. Beyond the fenders, it was simply fitting and tightening the seat post in the seat tube, attaching the front wheel, and sliding the handlebar stem into place and securing it. Not too bad, considering.

When the mustache handlebars didn't seem to be working out on the Hillborne, I thought that perhaps giving them a try on the Poppy would be a good way to go. When I initially rode the Poppy I had a feeling of being too close in reach, so that extra stretch that was far too much on the Hillborne, might actually work out on the Poppy. To my absolute glee, they were a perfect match. After riding around on the bars with just bare metal for a time, I decided they were worth keeping, and went to work using some cloth tape, twine and shellac.

Poppy with mustache bars, cloth tape, twine and a coat of amber shellac

As you may have also noticed, I opted to get some inverse brake levers, as I thought they would work better with this style of handlebar. What I didn't realize with this small purchase, is that the brake cables were not set up to work with this style of lever, and there was no tension to the brakes at all. After a few rounds of conversation with local bike shops (which were not horribly helpful), Sam came to the realization that there was a simple fix with a dollar purchase at the local hardware store. Now, they are tensioned and work perfectly. We also shifted the gear shift lever down, so that when riding in the brake position, the gears are more easily shifted. It's definitely a different look, and I haven't seen one quite like it, but I think it works.

Here is more of a full picture of the Poppy with the new handlebars (I apologize for being on the "wrong" side of the bike while taking the picture, but it was a hurried moment in time).

Full view of the Poppy with new handlebars, brake levers, and cloth tape/twine

I am so happy with the ride on this bike now! In speculation stages, it seems so unlikely that a handlebar can feel so foreign on one bicycle, and yet be the perfect fit for another. I understand it has to do with the geometry and set up of each bike, but I am happy that while the original intention didn't work out, the situation balanced itself and the perfect match came together. The ride is thus far what I had hoped for, and it feels a little "racier" as Sam put it, a bit like the Raleigh Lady Sports. It will still not be a record speed breaker, but it feels good, and I'm anxious to put it to some tests to see how it feels over slightly longer rides.

While I'd still like to find some crocheted skirt guards, I think I may skip the rear rack for now, and see how the Wald basket, currently on Fred looks and works on this bike before making any more purchases. Until then, I'm looking forward to more rides on the Poppy, and putting those mustache bars to good use.

A Day of Firsts

Today I decided to ride to the grocery store. It wasn't the first time (nor will it be the last) that I've done so, but normally when I go it's only to pick up one or two items that are easy to carry on a bicycle. I always figure there's no reason to drive the 2.5 miles to the store if I can ride for just a couple of items. Today was different though, because my hope was to be able to carry everything that we actually needed without the use of a car.

I got to the grocery store and intended to take a picture of my bicycle all locked up (merely because I just like taking pictures of it), but when I pulled out my point and shoot camera that I carry in my purse, I realized the battery was dead (guess that's what happens when one doesn't check these things before one leaves the house). I went through the store picking out the items we needed, and as I got toward the end of my shopping, a bit of panic swept over me. What if I couldn't actually carry all of the groceries on my bike? As the clerk was checking me out, she asked if I had another bag, or if I'd prefer that they stick everything in together. I told her it was fine to just put it together because I was on my bicycle. You would've thought I just said that I had shot my brother and my dog out in the back forty with the look she gave me, and then she said, "You're on your bicycle? ... And, you're going to be able to carry all of this?" In my head I was thinking that it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it was when I'd been shopping, but I assured her it would be fine. I joked, "Hey, maybe I'll have to leave a bag and come back for it." She just kind of looked at me strangely and said, "Do you have a car?" I just smiled and said, "Yes, I have a car, but I like riding my bicycle." Things like this amuse me. It's as though some people think it's some great feat to be able to peddle a couple of miles with some bags on your bicycle.

The great thing was, this actually gave me an opportunity to test out my new Wald rear baskets, and I have to say that they did quite well. The ride home was a bit squirrelly, but it wasn't too bad at all!


As you can see, I don't think much more would've fit on the bicycle, unless I strapped it to my back, and I think I'm starting to understand why some people have cargo bicycles to haul things around, but it is absolutely doable, even with an every day bicycle.

Another cool thing was that I had the opportunity to try out my new Bern helmet. I have to admit, I am not at all a fan of bike helmets, but I think enough people have scared me into wearing one now, as I spend a lot of time riding on the busy highways. Plus, we're taking our camping/bicycling vacation in just a couple of weeks, and goodness knows what the laws are throughout the various states we'll be hitting. So, better safe than sorry, and I might as well get used to wearing it now.

I also wore a skirt for the first time riding today, and while this is a horribly unflattering picture, it's not easy to take a picture of oneself without using a tripod. Unfortunately, I got a lot of splash back on me because of all the rain over the last few days that hasn't quite dried completely. While I realize wearing a skirt is no great accomplishment, I just thought it was an interesting and different experience, though I could've done without the wind while I was riding. I felt as though I kept having to pull the skirt down. Ultimately, I just ended up letting it do what it wanted to, and finally became comfortable with the idea.

Overall, grocery shopping was a success. I think it's something I can handle on a regular basis, which definitely makes me happy. I think that I realized that if I don't build things up to be a bigger deal than they are, things will go just fine. Happy riding!