Post all your bike-related, non-bike-related and completely random topics on here and get flamed on by numerous people! the bike is a Specialized Shiv on the showroom of Surf City Cyclery.
Submitted by Wes
Track, Fixed Gear and Single Speed Bike Gallery









(114 votes, average: 5.48 )
Post all your bike-related, non-bike-related and completely random topics on here and get flamed on by numerous people! the bike is a Specialized Shiv on the showroom of Surf City Cyclery.
Submitted by Wes
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409 Comments Received
April 13th, 2010 @1:41 pm
Does this transform into a Deceptacon or an Autobot?
April 13th, 2010 @1:51 pm
Cheers Wes. Now we can have even more fun posting random stuff!
Just one question- Specialized Shiv? My Specialized catalogue 2010 (I was considering buying a Sirrus sport before we found my frame) only goes up to the Transition. Is the Shiv the next model up? It’s the first I’ve heard of that bike
April 13th, 2010 @3:24 pm
You mean like a prison weapon formed from a sharpened spoon? Shiv? Joking.
Question: How bright are knog frogs? My area is way better at night (running red lights) so I kind of need a light. I tested one in the bright store but not in action in the dark at 25mph. Cheers.
April 13th, 2010 @3:35 pm
Luftie;Not too up on the latest light technology. Most of it seems way out of my price range anyhoo. I got a wind up 3.L.E.D head torch that I use when I get caught out in the dark now.Not bad light, but you do need to keep winding the damn thing up coz it’s tiny.Hope thing good in your world mate.
April 13th, 2010 @3:36 pm
Specialized Shiv, i think, is going to be the next TT bike from s-works; banned by UCI hahaha http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?sid=10Shiv&eid=4338
April 13th, 2010 @3:41 pm
i wonder if it’s possible to make the frame into a track bike… it does have rear facing dropouts.
April 13th, 2010 @3:52 pm
It’s a fantastic piece of engineering. I wonder what it would be like as a fixie on a nice smooth road???
I was looking at Specialized’s Sirrus Sport hybrid bike a while ago. It could make for a nice fixed, but it has vertical dropouts which is a bit of a pain (and yes I know a half-link would probably solve that).
April 13th, 2010 @3:57 pm
It is a truly amazing looking frame. I just had a look on the link. Superb engineering design. Looks more like it was grown in a tank of green juice with wires and lightening conductors et al.Rather than built.Not going off on a Frankenstein theme here. Just mean to say it looks organic rather than mineral. Just couldn’t remember the word “organic”. It’s got too many veg grown in B.S. overtones these days and it’s wider meaning is being lost to the ad men.
April 13th, 2010 @4:08 pm
hah, if i can get enough money to even get a Shiv, i would make it a track bike. never going to ride it on the streets though.
April 13th, 2010 @4:19 pm
Get a tank of green slime and a mate called Igor+wait for the thunder. Job done. Cheers Wes.
April 13th, 2010 @4:31 pm
hoping to get some action pictures of serve cold, red underpass and raleigh: grand prix soon
April 13th, 2010 @4:39 pm
Yay!! Me+MJ tried takig action pics for our last repost. We were crap at it.Missed! Try again? Missed! Try from the other side. Missed! ect. Think we ended up track standing half the time. Look forward to seeing yours Wes. Hope you have better luck than we did.
April 13th, 2010 @6:06 pm
yeh!free at last to dispense wholesale diss and dat,hither and yon,here and there ect.I hope they change header bike often.Specs are such easy pickins,no sport.cheers
April 13th, 2010 @6:19 pm
have fun sloman ~
April 13th, 2010 @8:38 pm
luft those knogs are pretty damn bright you should get the larger one w/ multiple leds.
April 13th, 2010 @9:11 pm
Dante’s bullfrog is pretty decent for $20
April 13th, 2010 @9:19 pm
alan – how have you been taking your action photos? one person stationary and one moving? try both moving, that way the photo won’t blur due to the speed of the rider. here’s something i took awhile back, http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad126/iRideFixed/Bike%20Porn/IMG_0257.jpg i was riding as well
April 14th, 2010 @5:26 am
The bullfrogs aren’t quite in my budget. Even the frogs aren’t but I need lights if I’m night riding, especially with how few street lights there are around here, and the knog frogs seemed the best bang for the low buck, about $30 a pair.
April 14th, 2010 @5:52 am
i rock the bullfrogs but on well lit streets don’t think i’d trust them on a dark road.
April 14th, 2010 @6:36 am
a $1.99 torch tiewrapped to the stem.rechargeable batterys.but real men don’t need lights or brakes(file under famous last words)enjoy
April 14th, 2010 @7:25 am
I’ve used CatEye front lights for years. Not exactly cheap but I find that it’s worth it. My usual commute includes 2, 1.5 mile sections that aren’t lit (living in a country village has some drawbacks). One of the best lights I got was really cheap (£10 I think), by a company called Zero (?), has 8 LEDs and has an output of about 800CD
April 15th, 2010 @6:38 am
maybe this is the right place for gear querys,eh?try to keep the bike threads clean.Have it marked on Favorites List for east access.cheers
April 15th, 2010 @10:42 am
East or easy access Sloman? Cheers and what have you been drinking. ? I need a fork for a Raleigh Record, old one bent>.. Raleigh has loose ball bearings vintage 70′s and old part off others can’t be done. inner races are too big to shove into Raleigh’s headtube. Hard to find fork for less than around 75 with shipping. My excuse to buy another 58 cm. Raleigh ? whole bikes are cheaper than parts individually. How to sneak bike into house and avoid bossy wife with 88 pairs of shoes ? any advice appreciated.
April 15th, 2010 @10:58 am
LBS? Parts bikes on craigslist? The wife is a tough one. Either talk her into it or just keep your bike locked on the side of the house she never sees. I’ve been drinking negra modelo and coors light. Cheers.
April 15th, 2010 @11:14 am
Thanks Luftmensh, I like my bikes too much and keep them in the Office basement. Wife has not yet taken inventory. Have not tried Coors light, Negra Modelo si . One a day usually like a vitamin pill. Did you sell the Raleigh to the 6 6 giant? It is his size for sure, too bad they don’t elongate the top tube along with the seat tube. Makes tall riders top heavy with the same wheelbase. His legs will flex with the 52/13 better with 18 and a front brake. or recumbent ?
April 15th, 2010 @11:19 am
I got it….Hide a gift for her in the opposite end of the house from the entrance you plan on sneaking the bike through. Make sure it’s stashed really well and while she’s looking through everything, do your thing. Eh?
April 15th, 2010 @11:26 am
NG , I see you’ve been there. I must let UPS know ahead of time too. Excellent Idea. or I could line up her 80 or so pairs of shoes around the bedroom hall way and slow her down some. The daughter’s Quincanera is this summer so that will cost more than my dozen or so bikes. Women, dogs and kids rule I always say. thanks (Raleigh Marathon or Fuji ?)
April 15th, 2010 @12:05 pm
the trick is to have so many she doesn’t notice one more.when I had 16 or 17 it was easy(not east this time).”What bike-oh that old wanker.been there for years you blind beauty.care to share my beer?”.With only the 5 now I must do it Piece by piece.
April 15th, 2010 @1:09 pm
Good one Sloman, excellent ! I do have 16 or 17 I tossed a frame or two recently after stripping off parts. Must start selling or build an ambush bike decoy for the thieves in the neighborhood. i.e. no brakes fixed gear loose bars and grease on the saddle.
April 15th, 2010 @1:43 pm
Find the heaviest frame, .parts+knock it together. I seem to remember a type of saddle they had on kids bikes that had a sort of padded cover over horizontal springs that were attatched at the nose and the back of the saddle. Really uncomfortable once the padding wore out and the cover got split.Could work as an epilator for any post pubescent teen wearing baggy shorts that tried to swipe it. Wsb; not sure how mant “p”s in eppilator+daren’t ask the wife at this time of night. I heard men had p problems when they turn 40. Not sure if this is what they meant.
April 15th, 2010 @2:58 pm
No problem with the pee or anything else so far except the knee occaionally. The Huffy is real heavy and I have old bmx hard ass saddles which will hold grease nicely or tar may be good, roofing style.
April 15th, 2010 @4:39 pm
I do a lot of night riding. My light of choice: http://www.niterider.com/prod_minewt200.shtml . My girlfriend got one for me for my birthday last year and holy shit its amazing. It’s brighter than car headlights so there’s no way people are going to miss you at night. The thing about the knog lights is they flash and that’s great, but I haven’t seen one that will show you that pot hole right in front of you before you hit it. If you’re riding in a well lit city all the time it may not be an issue, but there are a lot of unlit streets around my neighborhood. As far as the shiv, man I don’t think I’d ever turn it into a fixed gear if I had one. I feel like if I’m going to spend that much money on a bike and I want it fixed, I’ll just get the track equivalent. Man I would love to ride it though. I’ve never been on a tt bike before. It would be awesome to go out and race around on one.
April 15th, 2010 @4:44 pm
I get back ache just looking at it. Rather just stick it on the wall than ride it. Get neck ache from too many miles on the drops in tts over here. Still a wicked bike though.
April 15th, 2010 @5:03 pm
Where is Luftie tonight? Wait. You are 5 hrs behind us, so maybe he’s out riding. Gone 1am here so I’ll bid you all goodnight.
April 15th, 2010 @7:14 pm
Hey guys… I’m almost finished with my second build. The frame is a mid 80′s Cilo. Anyone familiar with this Swiss brand? I’m trying to see if anyone knows about the BB threads on these frames. CS was talking about the French threading issue with some bikes….I was told by a LBS that it may be French threads. Before we start trying to screw things in I thought I’d ask. Thanks.
April 15th, 2010 @7:45 pm
All of my french bikes came with their original parts and were well well cared for so part replacement wasn’t necessary luckily. I know that vintage french threading is normally 35mm by 1mm (I believe, I haven’t searched around for french parts for a while now). I know that swiss bikes also had their own measurements for a while, but I think the thread pitch is the same as the french. The difference as far as the bottom brackets went was that the threading direction might be different. Actually, here’s a much better source than I’ll ever be: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/velos.html
April 15th, 2010 @8:37 pm
came out of an event last night rode home woke up too find a f’n huge dent on my toptube don’t know if someone tried to pry my u-lock (on busy street early eve just locked frame to street sign) or if someone purposely dented my frame. i’m so negative. never had to get a frame dent repaired anyone know what the cost should be?
April 15th, 2010 @8:49 pm
If it is anything like my bent fork, IMPOSSIBLE . Manganese molybdenum tuff stuff. Wrap with leather Brooks wrap or similar. Sorry to hear about it. At least you still have the bike with its war wounds.
April 15th, 2010 @10:59 pm
The place I used to go to get frames sprayed also did work on old motorbikes, I saw them filling dents on bike petrol tanks using plumbers lead. Maybe a similar trick would work on bike frames? It’ll mean a respray though. If the frame is just done with a rattle can then it’s cheap enough, but stove enammell cost about £85 over here now(u.k)for a basic flat colour. You could D.I.Y. it with car body filler. Dented top tub not as critical as a crease behind the headtube on the down tube. That usually indicates it’s had a head on+will fail,,eventually. Steel is tough stuff.
April 16th, 2010 @5:06 am
Oh man freshher, that fucking sucks. Honestly, if the dent is pretty deep I don’t know if its going to be recoverable. A deep enough dent would hurt the overall integrity of that tube. Even if you could repair it with a weld or something, I still wouldn’t trust it with my body weight. The tubing material wouldn’t be even all of the way through so some parts are still going to experience more force than others. The last thing you want is for your bike to fold in half while you’re on it in traffic. When we get bent, dented or cracked frames in we strip and scrap them no matter how nice they are. It’s too much of a liability to try to sell them. Sorry about your bike. I hope karma comes back at the would be thief.
April 16th, 2010 @5:42 am
Not sure about Karma, but if there is a God I have seen some people get a curse or plague others don’t get. Not too spiritual but their punishment will come around like a smokers emphysema .
April 16th, 2010 @8:57 am
Sorry to hear that Spokely. They’ll get what’s coming to them. The universe always takes care of people like that. F’n parasites.
April 16th, 2010 @3:02 pm
I wish bad knees on the lot of ‘em.
April 16th, 2010 @4:51 pm
What’s with all the furniture pics on here. Has the U.S run out of trees and walls to lean bikes up against? I’m gonna have to drag some chairs out in the garden for future shots.
Maybe get some beers in with a teen couple being teens on the sofa, oblivious to all the bike parts and the camera ect. Could be art? Discuss.
April 16th, 2010 @5:13 pm
Furniture, concrete wall, empty bottles, garbage. A few have nice backdrops with cactus plants and rivers and bridges and such. We need some models with the bikes too. Fatty was popular for its energy and Bob Jackson . Some don’t migrate too far from the TV and fridge and one wonders if the bikes are used much.
April 16th, 2010 @5:40 pm
Just did a really fun comment and the net failed. Bollocks! Hate repeating myself. It’s bad enough retyping stuff coz I keep leaving caps lock on. Duh! All cities have parks, don’t they? I thought of doing a bike with bullhorns, just so I could take pics in a field full of cows. See who gets it. You got any off the wall ideas? It’s time we moved the boundaries. I don’t ride my bike in the sitting room, so why take a pic there. I don’t get it. I want to take a pic of the Wasp back in the river we found it in. Call it Homecomming or something like. I like the circular feel of that. Maybe I’m a Budhist?
April 16th, 2010 @7:11 pm
If the Wasp came from the river, why not call it Carp or Catfish or something. CS do you have a design for the stools made of bike parts? I have four or 5 forks and a frame and an old Mesinger saddle. Thanks
April 16th, 2010 @7:25 pm
WSB- the Wasp is so called because the first bar tape I saw in the LBS was yellow, so I decided to do the black frame with yellow lug lining.
I’m now considering having it re-enamelled the original colour (gold, red and white- see the original stage on here), with a honey Brooks B17, matching tape, and I’ve seen brake hoods that match
April 16th, 2010 @7:38 pm
Wasp looks real sharp and the colors are cool looking. It’s a lot of quid or gulders to re enamel, how much do used quality bikes cost in your neck of the woods? Is wasp a lite frame or plumbing pipe ?
April 16th, 2010 @7:47 pm
Most used bikes round my way are MTBs.
Have to use ebay or (hopefully) LBS for decent road frames as they seem to be pretty rare, unless I haven’t found the right place yet.
Wasp is pretty light when stripped- 23lbs. The paint I used reacted to the laquer finish, which gave a crackle effect and had caused some to peel off already. So I might just have it enamelled flat black and redo the lining anyway
April 17th, 2010 @4:47 am
took my bike to this little guerilla bike shop near my place. dent was a lot bigger in my head than reality the guy looked @ it then put a sticker over it. i’m pretty sure i’ve lost all street cred there. plus my girlfriend was kinda pissed @ me @ that party i’m starting to think she dented my bike she was out there smoking a cig, has a really bad temper, and the 90lb wooden wedges she had on could definetly dent a frame.
April 17th, 2010 @6:01 am
It’s hard to believe but Women can be MEANER than men. And I have had over 50 years of observation . Ride hard !
April 17th, 2010 @6:03 am
What does the sticker say ? OUCH ?
April 17th, 2010 @10:53 am
these new bikes here are intimidating to me,
April 17th, 2010 @11:45 am
All you need is a space suit and Daft Punk to ride these types of bikes.
April 17th, 2010 @2:23 pm
I prefer the chrome and the longer wheelbase of Racing Wasp over the Humble Bumble
April 17th, 2010 @2:34 pm
Luftmensh, did you sell the Raleigh GP to the giant?
April 18th, 2010 @6:18 am
wsb lol it should have said ouch for the frame and my pride. he definetly gave me the you’re a hipster look of disgust. i had to go by yesterday post ride on my road bike in full kit to pick up some tubes. it was just a front to remind them i’m a serious cyclist. as for women i don’t have 50 years of experience but i know they can be meaner than any man. that dent is driving me crazy though it wasn’t there when i locked it up but it was right in front of this gallery and there were lots of people around. i mean thieves can be bold so who knows. got yelled @ walking her to the train, rode home didn’t notice anything (it was dark) then she comes over yells @ me some more. early next morning i see the dent. oh well the sticker did the trick out of sight out of mind.
April 18th, 2010 @7:25 am
Yelling is one thing, depends if it is over quick. The silent treatment (and lack of P…) is worse and can go on for days even after you try to be agreeable and solicitous. Some claws don’t retract for days. Have you read about the anti-rape condom designed in South Africa ? Too Crazy . 90 pound wooden wedges ? check shoes for damage and paint rub off.
April 18th, 2010 @7:46 am
that was the weird thing no paint damage thats why i thought someone tried to brake the lock. it an old trick thieves use where you put a 2×4 or heavy broom handle through the lock and twist like a tourniquet which would explain the lack of paint damage but i leave my bike by my front door and she took off her shoes and left them there too. they were wood wedges with a thin rubber bottom which i’m thinking would be heavy enough to dent but wouldn’t scratch the paint. i need to get my hands on them and see if they match the dent i feel like i’m on csi.
April 18th, 2010 @8:54 am
i need help. http://lh6.ggpht.com/_dNxi8h53r7s/S8prEo7h9wI/AAAAAAAACMw/sWEe5HbKA4U/s1600-h/Track%20frame%20lime%20green%5B2%5D.jpg Is there anything wrong with this frame or is the geometry just like that? Answers needed; especially like from CS or someone of cycling knowledge.
April 18th, 2010 @10:16 am
theres you answer i’ve seen these before from a shop in philly (link below) they used to branded “alpha” don’t know where the frames are made but the quality looks decent never ridden one although it does look like some stuff haro used to do.
http://frankinstienbikeworx.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_3&products_id=1&zenid=8dc9b14cc67f631197093978d5a269bc
April 18th, 2010 @10:20 am
dam that looks ugly. maybe if i put a 24in wheel in front i can get a straight top tube.
April 18th, 2010 @10:49 am
Spokely, guess what after you get married things get better and also worse. But of course,it is all my fault. Ride hard when you can, ride fixed.
April 18th, 2010 @12:44 pm
that frame looks like it got hit by a car.
i recently had to sleep on the couch for two nights and had three silent days between my wife and i. seriously sucked. and i didn’t even know what i did, that’s the worst part.
WSB: didn’t sell it yet. had another guy flake out and not even show up to see it. the giant wants to see it tomorrow. here’s hoping he’ll show up.
Cheers fellas.
April 18th, 2010 @2:31 pm
never said they were pretty the guy that owns the shop is a lunatic too; so maybe that explains it. luft you just can’t when w/ women but thanks for reinforcing my belief in a no marriage policy.
April 18th, 2010 @4:58 pm
But what about a Spokely Junior ? They can be fun and then when they get older they can snarl at you too. To be alone is to be alone. I have not slept on the couch but we have extra beds and three or four nights separate happens here too. I need a time delay between my brain and my mouth. Short fuse and wife knows how to light it . Remember they have their lawyer on speed dial and the cops or judge gives women the benefit of the doubt. couch is better than ? ?
April 18th, 2010 @5:31 pm
Yeah well, there’s a cost to having someone cook, clean, love you, laugh at your
jokes, and put up with your bike obsession, so I think the occasional night on the couch is worth it.
April 18th, 2010 @5:54 pm
http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad126/iRideFixed/Bike%20Porn/IMG_0794.jpg
hello all, I’m Wes
April 18th, 2010 @5:57 pm
Check Serve Cold Update and Red Underpass for more pictures. my comment on red underpass is under moderation though. serve cold update is fine.
April 18th, 2010 @6:49 pm
luft thats the problem i don’t think they have those girls out here cook occasionaly clean not so much.
April 18th, 2010 @7:05 pm
Haha. Where’s here, West Coast? I live in Portland and I know Wes lives in CA.
April 18th, 2010 @7:06 pm
mmhm, SoCal…
April 19th, 2010 @5:19 pm
Ah,cinnamon coffee! Fresh ground and piping hot. Thinking of adding chilli next time. Well it works with chocolate. Could be a pick me up for next winter. Maybe with a tot of Sheepdip single malt.Sounding better the more I expand it.
April 19th, 2010 @9:19 pm
eastcoast ny/phila/dc in the last 10yrs. nyc has had the best women by far beautiful, smart, fashion forward, cultured, down to earth(ish) but domestic eh not so much. it’s cool i know how to take care of myself.
April 19th, 2010 @11:49 pm
by that rationale west coast women are domestic? weird logic. joking. i’ve never been to the far east. i grew up in daytona beach florida. been in outer portland area for more than ten years. may go to school of art institute of chicago to pursue mfa in creative writing, surprise surprise.
alan you crazy git. you take advantage of all the great scotch over there? i love whiskey. yes i know the difference.
Cheers.
April 20th, 2010 @12:20 am
west coast girls domestic i don’t know about portland but i’ve been to so cal and definetly didn’t get that vibe. although i was in the bay area and they is alot to be said for a nice granola girl. if you consider the ability to intergrate pot into food domestic.
April 20th, 2010 @12:57 am
Word has it that the chineese invented whiskey. Scotch was invented so you could add water to it without it going cloudy. I love a straight single malt. And there are so many to choose from. You guys should get together and do a cycle tour of the highland distilleries. You may want to use a flip/flop with a big ratio difference coz it can be a bit hilly though. Or go for a lowish free set up. It’ll be the holiday you wish you could remember. Haha.
April 20th, 2010 @5:29 pm
alan, did you get an action pictures of the Wasp or Morris?
April 20th, 2010 @5:48 pm
Whisky or whiskey? The difference between whisky and whiskey is fundamental: whisky is the one traditionally produced in Scotland whereas whiskey is the one produced in Ireland. There are other differences as well. In Scotland barley is dried with peat’s smoke, which also gives malt smoky aromas and will be found in the final product. In Ireland malt is being dried in closed ovens, therefore its taste is not contaminated and keeps the typical aromas of malt and honey. Another difference is that in Ireland whiskey is distilled three times in order to have a more pure and round beverage, in Scotland whisky is usually distilled two times.
April 20th, 2010 @7:39 pm
Like i said scozzy, I know the difference. I like whisky but it’s pricey, but a fifth of Evan Williams whiskey runs me $9. Classy. A tour through the highlands sounds amazing. Got your pilot’s license? I had a glass of Laphroaig (luh-frayg) when I was totally gone and it tasted like band-aids. That’s what i get for drinking an islay (aye-luh) scotch. When I have a choice of better whiskey I go for green label Jack or Bushmills. Cheers.
April 21st, 2010 @1:09 am
http://vimeo.com/channels/mash
April 21st, 2010 @5:38 am
Nice video and they are on top of the drops most of the time. Cut the unused parts off.
April 21st, 2010 @1:05 pm
Killer terrain in that vid! THAT is some serious fixed riding. Spinning like mad! I love that they’re riding fixed where most people wouldn’t dare be without gears. I think that kind of riding is so cool because it shows what we’re capable of if we’re determined enough. \m/__(“_”)__\m/
April 21st, 2010 @2:07 pm
fixed doesn’t really mean faster.Spinning like mad may be fun but a geared bike (ridden correctly)will be faster downhill.If it wasn’t so,the TDF would be on fixies.It ain’t.Fixed is more fun though.
April 21st, 2010 @3:07 pm
i’m sure you’ve all seen this but to me it just captures what i love about riding. no barspins just bombing through the streets.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBKtk9Y8904&feature=related
April 21st, 2010 @3:13 pm
Aah… Laphroaig… I have fond memories of that particular nectar. It tastes better when you’re sober to start with. Several large glasses later you love everyone and everything, in my experiences of it (and that’s probably way too many).
As of tomorrow i’ll be running 48/17 fixed or 48/16 free on my bike, just because I can
Been building up a beater based on an old mtb frame. Alan found a bike with the district nurse bars so I’m planning to use them, and it will probably end up with 700c wheels with 35 tyres and fixed/free rear hub. Looks shite atm but it will be fun
April 21st, 2010 @3:18 pm
The tough thing with fixed is to find a gear that you can handle up the hills, and live with down the hills. Who hasn’t wished thier gear was a bit lower going up and a lot higher going down. Gravity will get me up to 30 mph really easy, but my knees don’t want to live with that rpm for too long before I have to tap the brake and drop it down to a more steady 18/20 mph.I’ve hit more than 50 mph on geared bikes. Very exiting when you look down and see a 20mm tyre and have a “what if” moment.Scozzy; I am no Whisk(E)y expert. I have tried various malts. Also tried some Welsh water(what you may call moonshine) on a paintball weekend.It was very good for getting the fire going.Distilled by a chap called Big Malc from Camarthen in South Wales. Wes;Action shot? The one on the last Morris post is fairly typical. Me upright on a bike going slow. Ha,ha. I’ll see if me+MJ can escape to set up some shots to put on here at the weekend. I need to dirty my new bar tape and As Bad As It Looks has had some fundamental changes to Wheels,chainset and bars that need a bit of road testing.Luftie; I can’t drink JD. It just tastes like it should be powering my lawn mower. I’m keen on Ouzo and Metaxa though. But not both on the same night. Got one of my rare hangovers doing that in Thassos last year.
April 21st, 2010 @6:32 pm
I hit the brake a lot going down hills. No speedometer but fast enough is fast enough. No helmet either. For me Beer forget the high test stuff. My brain is already underpowered no need to slow it down further.
April 21st, 2010 @7:10 pm
yep, I’m outlawed to drink liquor in three states. I stick to beer. “Wine is fine but whiskey’s quicker, suicide is slow with liquor.”
April 21st, 2010 @7:17 pm
Mongrel is faster downhill as a singlespeed than as fixed.I think it has to do with holding a tuck and steadyness with out the furiously pumping legs.The geared Bianchi has a good ten mph on it though and that one I always wear the bucket.Just wish we had more hills here.
April 21st, 2010 @7:55 pm
Sloman you are a Fastman. Have you ever lost control and crashed or slipped out. I rounded a corner reverse banked on a city street and there was a little gritty/sandy dirt and I went down quickly. no injury but I was 18 and flexible.
April 21st, 2010 @7:58 pm
AHHH nice! not fixed… but i can beat you in a straight.
April 21st, 2010 @8:30 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkG89lusv4w these boys are mashing with lance armstrong in texas. looks f@$#ing fun. /the tank is beautiful uphill, and i’ve learned to spin well and tuck in low on the risers. /these days i’m drinking coors light and blue moon, whatever whiskey’s available on rare occasions. my brother’s wedding/bachelor party is this summer and we’re planning on an irish pub with a cigar bar and the largest collection of single malts in the northwest, followed by a scottish pub. cheers.
April 21st, 2010 @8:54 pm
that one is the best. i love emi w/ the mini keg.
April 21st, 2010 @9:05 pm
Holy Mackerel Spokely, the guy only braked once with his foot on the rear wheel and skid stop etc. Wild ride but he may catch a door and go airborne and know the ride in a wheelchair. Cuidado mi amigo, tengo miedo. No quiero morir!
April 21st, 2010 @9:14 pm
this one is cool to emi/jason it reminds me of a summer session in college we used to drink md 20/20 or 40′s of oe and ride all through philly in the middle of night jumping stair sets bombing the “rocky” steps @ the art musemum on mtb’s fox shorts, no shirt, big sony studio headphones blasting massive attack and mobbdeep.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlWkVHOubvs&feature=related
April 21st, 2010 @9:28 pm
very true WBS these guys take alot of risks, i love the energy of weaving through city traffic you definetly develop a 6th sense. that being said i know people who have been riding for years and gotten doored it’s always in the back of my mind but the key is creating space for yourself not letting cars bully you into riding to close to parked cars. also making eye contact with drivers and pedestrians and anticipating they will do something stupid. i love riding brakeless, but i try and only do it when the weather, traffic, neighborhood, and my focus give me the ability to minimize the risk. it isn’t hardcore but whatever i like staying in one piece.
April 21st, 2010 @9:30 pm
I love that massan video. That guy has some crazy fucking bike handling skills. I’m not one for riding brakeless, but it is really awesome to watch someone who is that in tuned, controlled and overall comfortable with their bike (or any other tool for that matter). You want to see a real awesome bike video though, check this shit out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBBU0dMMNn4
April 21st, 2010 @10:00 pm
that guy is an idiot, it’s funny i hate to date myself but i remember the first a rode a fixed was 2000 i was super wasted and hanging outside a bar @ like 3am we were trading bikes and i got on this dudes fixed took off full speed down the street got to the corner and realized no brakes and no coasting barely avoided getting throw over the bars. when i ended up getting one a few months later @ least back then it was like you didn’t even have the option to have a brake it sacrilege. i loved riding it because w/ the bolt on wheels no gears it look cheap was easy to lock and i didn’t care if it got stolen so it was my goto bar hopping bike. but after a few drunk close calls i got rid of it.
April 21st, 2010 @11:13 pm
Riding brakeless is a wonderful trembling ride of freedom. But I never was quite that crazy. You’ve got to admit that guy is like a phantom shooting between those cars. Entirely in tune with the machine he controls or rather has become a part of. I’ll purposely stay away from the brake and use it only when I have no choice but that’s hardly the same. Otherwise it’s backpedalling, long distance skidding, and whipping, though I’d love to learn how to skid stop.
Sup–I’ve found myself most at peace after losing track of how many drinks I’ve had and whipping through the dark streets at all hours. I did my first and only complete backward circle after sixteen shots. But for now it’s just a few beers on sunny days, at least until the summertime (devious grin). Cheers.
April 22nd, 2010 @12:09 am
yeah i slowed down significanty in the last few years,@ the bars at least although i always felt i was a better cyclist w/ a few drinks in me or a couple or 4 jay’s. it’s just funny how this time around i’m so more into my fixed i just get off on that look of disbelief in peoples faces when you go from full speed into cars stacked @ a light skid from one lane in between bumpers into another slowing down enough to figure you line through opposing traffic or pedestrians take it break into a sprint and disappear. my mtb hasn’t seen the light of day in well over a year and my roadbike feels like a stepchild it just isn’t the same.
April 22nd, 2010 @2:59 am
I was never a great tricky rider. Can’t hold a wheely for more than two revs.I admire the guys that can ride thier bikes like a scateboard. Amazing skill and death defying control which I guess comes with the experience of getting it wrong many,many times. I’ve crashed aplenty in normal riding. Drain cover in wet weather, pedals hitting kerbs when slicing through traffic ect. I’ve even done the clasic but pretty dumb, looking to see why my gears are making funny noises and ending up amongst the furniture in the back of a removals truck.That was embarasing to look up from the wreckage to be asked by a chap in a flat cap “Were you intending to go to Kent with us or were you just feeling tired?” I’ve never fallen off when drunk though. I do find that strange.
April 22nd, 2010 @12:00 pm
yep crashed a few time.worst one broke my glasses,helmet,Technium frame and collarbone.lots of road rash-only about 15mph.but to me that last bit of speed is so good-and aero is free!Fixed is sure fun and it definitely loosened up the legs this spring.and toshi lou,I hope you can beat a 58 YO crip case(I walk with a cane but ride with the wind)just stay right on the downhillsLOL.enjoy
April 22nd, 2010 @2:22 pm
I don’t remember many drunk crashes, although i’ve probably had a few. I have bent a few wheels though, but they were cheap pressed alloy mtb wheels.
Hardly any bad crashes, worst was just a sprained wrist when a 4×4 (Porsche Cayenne) pulled out of a side road right in front of me, and I was doing 30 on a 35lb mtb. I flipped over the bonnet (hood for you Americans) and somehow landed on my feet, with a rather sore wrist. The poxy driver was already shouting at me for hitting his “beautiful car”, but I calmly picked my bike up, straightened the bars, then noticed that the car’s wing was completely bent and hanging off. I just grinned and told him to fuck off, then flew off down the road. Never seen the bastard since.
All I got from the experience was a sore wrist for 2 weeks. Ho hum
April 22nd, 2010 @3:50 pm
I like this race to see which post will be first to out comment cheap but bling. I think the message board post is going to be a cinderella story.
April 22nd, 2010 @4:25 pm
CS Luftmensh’s Raleigh is also very active as a message board. Regarding Mike’s accident it seems car drivers think bikes are not capable of moving right along and they hate like hell to put the phone down and concentrate and some even smoke at the same time.
April 22nd, 2010 @4:55 pm
that was the initial appeal of MTBs for me-lots of exercise and no cars.trees don’t move and up on LI we only had to watch out for deer,dogs ,cows and there was a man eating Rooster ih Cathedral Pines Trail.Thing would chase you !
April 22nd, 2010 @9:10 pm
http://img135.imageshack.us/i/10081ji.jpg/
4 bolts?
April 22nd, 2010 @10:29 pm
@Wes: weird!!
@crashing: I’ve been a lucky sob compared to you folks. Nothing more than bruises. But I’m still in my twenties so I spose my horror stories haven’t yet been written. Well, time for a ride, smile wave and exit. Joking.
@drunk riding: i wish there was a hydrating beer or alcohol so you could get your buzz, go for a ride, and come home without your head pounding from dehydration.
April 22nd, 2010 @10:40 pm
Take more food with it. A favorite of mine was a cheese ploughmans with a slow pint of Guinness. A ploughmans as a plate with a thick slab of bread, similar quantities of cheese,some pickle and a bit of salad. Takes an hour out of the ride(more if you go for a 2nd or 3rd pint) but it keeps you going til 8pm easy.
Time to get shaved and showered before I go have a row with the bosses. Think I may even drag the union in with me this time. See you all later.
April 23rd, 2010 @10:27 am
@Alan: sounds heavy man but yeah if it avoids a headache I’m game.
You guys gotta check out this crazy frame I saw on FGG: http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/2010/apr/1/AdrianScales/AdrianScales.htm Its seat tube is split in two by a mid-mounted downtube. Crazy stuff. Gotta be an interesting ride. Cheers.
April 23rd, 2010 @10:40 am
nice color and lugs and saddle, but the frame looks weak to me because of the saddle tube and bottom bracket detours. one of a kind ?
April 23rd, 2010 @1:13 pm
I think it is one of a kind. I googled Paris and couldn’t find anything on it, if it was an actual manufacturer. Alternative frames always sketch me out a little bit because you’re altering a design that’s worked for more than a hundred years.
April 23rd, 2010 @1:52 pm
Guys, extra info on that crazy frame. Built by Condor who have the license for the Paris Galibier frame. they were originally built by Tom Board, who also built a frame for Alan. the Galibier is still being made in London, as far as we know
April 23rd, 2010 @2:10 pm
Quick correction. Paris was the name Chosen by a chap called Rench in 1942 to avoid people thinking he was too German. Condor have the rights to the Paris name now. 1 of the frame builders they used in the 80s was making Galibier frames for them about the time he made my crit frame. Will try to post a link to a clasic frame site that has the full history lesson for those of an inquiring mind. Cheers.http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/Paris.html
Got some lovely lugwork on these frames. Enjoy.
April 24th, 2010 @5:16 am
my fingers are sure doing a lot of talking this morning(or is it still last night)going for a ride now .later.
April 24th, 2010 @5:21 am
Sloman you commented but forgot to rate the 68 Schwinn. Sometimes I wait and check the average and try to bring it up or down. I give more 10′s than anything else. some 1 rarely anything in between. Watch out for cacti as pictured in your photo. North Carolina ?
April 24th, 2010 @10:09 am
lucky sloman, going on a ride. i hope i could, but i have Saturday school. i’ll ride on Sunday with a pack of 10+ heading up to Newport Beach for the day. 10 miles one way, not long but a lot of fun. i’ll take pics for the men here.
April 24th, 2010 @6:56 pm
I had a lucky find today. Alan, my bro & I (along with other friends) were helping other friends with moving house.
Checked the garage & found what looks like a low spec Raleigh Record 5 speed and spare wheels. I’m hoping to get my hands on it and do either a restoration job on it, or maybe convert it as a spare fixie. Either way, I’ll have a nice finished (except tweaking) project in The Wasp, the beater project (Cudgel) I mentioned, and another road bike to play with.
We’re going to run out of space at this rate!!
April 24th, 2010 @11:44 pm
Can we run out of space? This is the internets. Surely Al Gore prepared for unlimited space when he invented the internets…Damn that Al Gore friggin’ forgettin’ to allocate enough space for this here thread for tha dang ol internets.
April 25th, 2010 @5:08 am
Haha, yeaha I think we’re good on space scozzy. When Al was building the internet he specifically said ‘… and I want there to be limitless space for people to critique bikes. Well, unless the bike is a POS, then they only get 30 comments.’ I see his limit didn’t work for cheap but bling :/
April 25th, 2010 @7:52 am
Wes,nice ride.My little brother lives in Laguna Beach and sails out of NBch .lots of traffic.did they ever put the bike path system in?
April 25th, 2010 @10:18 am
this is to CS:
you mentioned in the comments of a beater bike of mine (schwinn racer) that you were thinking of building a 700c coaster brake bike…
just thought id mention these guys: (http://coasti.es/)
they make nice deep V wheelsets in different colors with coaster brake hubs!
just thought i would throw that out there. peace!
April 25th, 2010 @1:14 pm
Takes a long time to scroll this message board. Good idea though. thanks Wes.
April 25th, 2010 @2:49 pm
Alan, when pedaling freewheel and fixed are identical and Biopace feels almost the same as concentric chainwheel. I have one on one of my bikes. You can hear a rhthmic sound related to the eccentric chainwheel and the forces bearing on the chain. Sheldon Brown had a few Shimano Biopace on his bikes also and has a detailed article on the subject. Thanks
April 25th, 2010 @8:18 pm
For anyone who lives close to Aliso Viejo and is seeking a cheap Cinelli Alter… http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/bik/1710018192.html
April 25th, 2010 @9:07 pm
@illdthedj, cool thanks for the link. I’ll look into them. I skimmed the site really quick and saw that they do the urban assault ride. Urban Assault did an even in our town last year and we helped run a couple of stations. It was an awesome event. I’ll probably end up building the wheels myself because I’m learning how to build wheels from the ground up this summer and need the practice, but I’ll def keep their site in mind in the future if I’m wanting a complete set. Thanks for the link!
April 25th, 2010 @10:13 pm
sloman – don’t think they did, me and Quinnton took the San Diego Creek trail behind my house all the way to Newport Back Bay, then we took the East Coast Highway, and went down Newport Blvd. to the beach… picking up a bag of Cookies on the way.
April 26th, 2010 @4:06 pm
Here’s a good topic; what’s everyone’s dream frame.
Mine is Zullo’s pista:
http://www.zullo-bike.com/products/pista85.html
I saw this at nahbs two years ago and god damn its beautiful. It reminds me of my dad’s old racing road bike. If only I had the money :/
April 26th, 2010 @4:51 pm
a steel ,lugged,celeste,RP Bianchi track frame.Can I have Campi pista parts,27″tubulars,cork tape and leather saddle(like my ass would put up with that again).I’m talking 70′s here so don’t even mention those chrome things.I’m talking Italian go fast.
April 26th, 2010 @4:54 pm
im kind of a bike frame newb, but ive always liked these 80s peugeot frames…mint condition, of course
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3250/2671389103_e7c9538126.jpg
http://static.lfgss.com/attachments/16626d1256385503-img_1202.jpg
http://www.bikerecycle.org/images/bikepics/frame_handover/small_DSC00881.jpg
i prefer the white one.
April 26th, 2010 @5:44 pm
That Zullo makes me salivate. Gorgeous ~
April 26th, 2010 @6:28 pm
my dream frame is either: 1) Custom funny frame made by my design 2) Cinelli Supercorsa Pista or 3) a frame that has a 1″ fork and/or a negative sloping geometry such as the Cinelli Mash
April 26th, 2010 @6:41 pm
@sloman & wes, nice and nice!
@wsb, I agree, i’d have to wear a chin guard to keep the drool off the frame. What’s your dream bike??
April 26th, 2010 @10:08 pm
i like this dream bike thing. mine: frame 3rensho or nagsawa(silver or green), stem (quill), bars (set of risers & drops purple ano),strong v track grips(black) & nitto seatpost(purple ano), gran comp rims(silver)/phil wood hubs/cog/lock ring(silver/purple ano hubs), campy record cranks/bottom bracket/headset, mks nuevo peadals/mks double toe clips/toshi double straps (black), kashimax aero saddle (black/ostrich), and black fyxsation tires
April 26th, 2010 @10:27 pm
oh and if brakes campy delta w/dia-compe double shot lever, in reality dream bike i may build up over the next few months: cinelli gazetta/bare knuckle/ milwaulkee frame (best deal), silver thompson post (i’ve been sitting on doesn’t fit current frame) keeping my black(reissue)turbo saddle, B43/formula wheelsw/eai cog & lockring, mks slyvan pedals and clips (adding all-city straps) plus answer risers & black ourys i have on ice, and adding sugino 75′s or rd’s/ all-city if i can’t get a good deal on some 75′s.
April 26th, 2010 @11:22 pm
forget the new school stuff, it’s so over-stylized. this is what i’m talking about. super tight.
http://fixedgearcapetown.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/eddy-merckx-bike.jpg
April 26th, 2010 @11:30 pm
i like that luft my dream bike is actually similar aesthetic no deep v’s, classic track frame, threaded stem, old school saddle maybe a little funky w/ the purple ano nitto stuff and risers but i would ride it everyday.
April 26th, 2010 @11:48 pm
yeah definitely no deeps. mavics? yeah i love drops aesthetically but my neck doesn’t agree with them. maybe a straight bar, drop stem, chrome fork and lugs, comfy retro saddle, single straps and mks clips.
April 27th, 2010 @5:27 am
Luftie, nice bike. How tall was Eddy Merckx ? drops are like tits : nice to look at but seldom used.
April 27th, 2010 @9:49 am
Nice analogy. He was my exact height, 5’11″ 165lbs. He’s got 20 pounds on me but I’m toned not muscular.
April 27th, 2010 @10:04 am
ya,nice analogy.and they can be too low too.
April 27th, 2010 @12:41 pm
Ha, I don’t know. I don’t use them all of the time, but I use them pretty frequently in both cases.
April 27th, 2010 @1:17 pm
ok, im going to start an argument lol:
WHAT IS THE DEAL WITH ALL THESE UNWRAPPED/NO-GRIP HANDLEBARS??
i get some people just like the looks of them.
that is fine, everyone is entitled to their subjective opinions on aesthetics.
BUT are there any real FUNCTIONAL reasons for not taping handlebars? I am super hard pressed to think of any.
Honestly, it seems like people are doing it because they saw someone else doing it. i can understand if you like the looks of them, but what i cant understand is decreasing the functionality of your bike by a large amount just for looks.
handlebars are designed to be gripped and held onto. handlebars were also designed to be wrapped or grips added. Not doing this decreases severely the function handlebars were designed for: to be held onto!
i can already hear “i can ride my handelbars no problem without grips”…but wouldn’t it be even less of a problem with grips? and what if you forget your gloves on a hot day, and your hands are moist, and you are going fast down hill? that just seems really dangerous….even with gloves on.
anywho i look forward to your arguments, sans-handlebar tape riders
April 27th, 2010 @1:58 pm
I have grips on my North Road bars, and flat bars, only plugs on the drops. My hands don’t sweat that much when cycling, air movement and so on. I don’t ride a 100 miles, if I did chances are my butt would suffer so much I would not notice sore hands.
April 27th, 2010 @2:14 pm
Bare bars are a bit of a pose maybe. Most of the bars I’ve used have been so scratched from having brakes put on+taken off that It’s just as well I like them covered. Nothing beats the look of some well applied bar tape though. Also I find bare bars too cold in winter and a pain on long rides. Even in my unfit state I consider 20 miles a short outing.Parts of me would argue that, but the brain is running the show. Hah!
C.S. Dream bike. I love that Zullu frams. So clean. I wish I’d never had to sell my Tom Board in my old club colours. Had that frame built from the ground up including choice of lugs,fork crown,bb height,clearances et al. That was a real tight handling bike. Will have to sort through the pics in the loft to see if I can find 1 to copy on to here for general apraisal.
April 27th, 2010 @2:30 pm
dj, I’m in an argumentative mood….so…. I have Ourys on the top of my drops where I hold 80% of the time. They’re super cushy and comfortable and fill out my grip perfectly. My hands don’t sweat and actually I’ve found I get a nice grip on the bare metal when I’m in the drops or grabbing the underside of the bar when climbing. I can imagine this sweaty palm, bare metal dilemma could be more of an issue with chromed bars and people who sweat profusely. My bars have a satin finish. I love the way the cold metal feels when I switch up my grip. Trying to argue that anything should be one way or the other when it comes to different people, applications, riding conditions and any number of other variables is pointless. There’s no right or wrong. Ride what’s most comfortable and allows for the most riding time. By the way…do you have stock in bar wrap or something?
April 27th, 2010 @2:57 pm
Well said ng. For me it’s all about function and comfort, but I ride far. Others may just want a trick looking bike for posing round the bus terminus, or where ever the “yoof” meet these days. Each to thier own. Don’t stop us ripping the crap out of a bad bike though(badness being in the eye of the beholder here.) Just sorted out a 20inch folder 3 sp sturmey archer for a friend. Nothing like the sort of bike I’d ride, but still a lot of fun and very comfy. Who woulda guessed?
April 27th, 2010 @2:58 pm
i do have stock in bar wrap, but that is besides the point
so you say you have ourys at the top of your bars and they work great…
you also say you have traction in the drops WITOUT grips or tape…BUT have you tried putting grips or tape on your bare drops for comparison?
i think it would be safe to assume that those bare drops, although grippable now, would be much more grippy with something there.
Also, you say there is no right and wrong, but i would also think it safe to assume the people who designed the handlebars you use would argue that point.
you also say ride what is most comfortable and allows for the most riding time. i think people who say bare metal bars are more comfortable than say grips or tape are either fooling themselves, or in the extreme minority and have special hands lol…as for riding time, EVERYONE sweats from their hands, some more than others, after extended time riding…in which case riding on bare metal, no matter the finish, slippery conditions are going to arise. perhaps not so much with gloves, but if we are talking long rides moisture will still permeate thru gloves and decrease amount of grip.
anywho, to each their own i guess!
but i still think there are no functional pluses to sans-tape or grip, only negatives. perhaps if your bike is meant more for aesthetics and your rides are minimal in amount of miles, then negatives associated with bare metal bars are not so prevalent.
ps not trying to piss anyone off lol
April 27th, 2010 @3:21 pm
dj, I ride almost every day. My longest fixed ride so far is just under 40 miles. That was with bare drop bars, Ourys on top, no gloves. I PERSONALLY enjoyed the ride very much and was quite comfortable. I didn’t slip off my bars once. And along the way there where all these people cheering and asking for my autograph because they’d never seen anything so shocking and unusual as handlebars that weren’t completely covered in some type of wrap or grip. It was pretty wild. Then a news team caught up with me in their van and asked me where I came up with this insane idea to leave me handlebar partially exposed….They said they wanted to do a story on it. I said sorry but I’m way too cool to be on the evening news giving up all these “cool guy” fixed gear secrets. So I flipped them off, stroked my bare metal bars like my lovers nipples and took off in super cool guy fashion while beautiful women threw confetti made of bar tape down from roof tops. It was pretty awesome…You should try taking the wrap off your bars and see how cool you’ll be.
April 27th, 2010 @3:25 pm
LOL
well played good sir, well played.
April 27th, 2010 @3:27 pm
wait…so it was YOU who started this whole naked bar thing!!!
btw whenever i unwrap my bars to stroke the bare metal, i do that in the privacy of my own home, you pervert. im getting sweaty palms just thinking about it (fap fap fap fap)
April 27th, 2010 @3:56 pm
You two are a pair of supreme piss taking bastards. I applaud you both equally. People pay for this kind of entertainment in the real word. Play up chaps!
April 27th, 2010 @4:16 pm
ng, that was FUCKING HILARIOUS!
I’ll save my extended comments on bar tape because I know I’ve already run the subject into the ground and just say I like bar tape. I actually wish I had stock in it because the good stuff is so fucking expensive.
The only time I really rode tapless was when I was switching out bar tape and riding to the shop to get new tape. I had gloves on and it still made my hands sore. It wasn’t a pain sore, more of a ‘I normally don’t feel anything on my hands and now I can tell I’ve been holding bare bars for several miles’ sore. I can’t imagine going on a large ride without tape or grips honestly. I want all of my points of contact with the bike to be as comfortable as possible so its tape on my bars, good seat under my ass, and cushy soles in my shoes.
April 27th, 2010 @4:37 pm
Hahaha.. Thanks for the laugh! Truth is I ended up with bare bars and rubber grips because wrapped bars didn’t fill out my grip enough. Also I was tired of the failing adhesive, chewed up, worn out bar tape that I’d have to replace every few months. I’ve used Cinelli tape, Fizik tape and others. I have nothing against bar tape. I actually love the way a quality wrap job with nice tape looks and feels….Rubber grips just fit my hands better. Cheers fellas. Time for a beer… Ride hard!
April 27th, 2010 @4:41 pm
Mr. Magnethands McNoSweat is much cooler than I…i tried riding home today from work without my coveted brooks tape, you know, thought i would see how much cooler i would be…at first i was appalled staring at the shameful nudity of my bare bars…how could i let the public see such hedonistic disregard? but i soldiered on…
but instead of being chased by news vans and busty women with confetti, a rogue group of road bikers dressed in neon yellow lycra, riding in a flying V formation, swarmed me and beat me unmerciful with SRAM chains and hoses from their camelbaks for the travesty that was my naked, shameless bars.
i was forced to ride home clutching the stem because their leader, a grizzled gray bearded man in a solid gold recumbent, ordered his roadie henchmen to strip my nude bars as their trophy.
it was a sad, sad day….never again will i ride without tape (least i feel the wrath of the Roadie Warriors)
April 27th, 2010 @4:50 pm
You fit in so well here. Welcome friend. Ha,ha,ha.
April 27th, 2010 @5:52 pm
Good Show. ! Well done .
April 27th, 2010 @6:43 pm
anyone know if Fuji ever made an aluminum track or single speed frame?
April 27th, 2010 @8:11 pm
track pro?
April 27th, 2010 @8:53 pm
http://blogs.salon.com/0001490/images/2003/01/01/GT1.jpg <- most aerodynamic frame built?
April 28th, 2010 @9:44 am
Wow! I love this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVbwngNoHm0&NR=1
April 28th, 2010 @10:20 am
Wes, I’ve seen that before. Isn’t that a championship bike or something? Looks like it’s wearing a visor, pretty lame. It’d get blown over by another bike’s tailwind.
April 28th, 2010 @12:16 pm
i just filled the “Recent Comments” box. what do i win?
April 28th, 2010 @12:25 pm
you have won a Tank.See Lufty for details!actually I was asking because some one said Mongrel looked like a Fuji.He was a stranger so ?Just curious.Would like to know.
April 28th, 2010 @1:26 pm
Woah!! Easy there. You can have The Tank but I want $1000 for it. Kidding. I’d never part with it. It’s just plain stupid to sell a fully built fixed gear. That’s half of what’s on craigslist, totally built and asking $900, the other half are ’09 Langsters, Pistas and Madisons with the caption saying something like “haven’t ridden since Spring,” “couldn’t
get into it,” or “need to pay some bills.” Just hang onto the bike and start a conversion build.
April 29th, 2010 @8:46 pm
anyone starting another build?
April 29th, 2010 @11:19 pm
Uh, hoping to this summer. Another barn Raleigh oddly enough.
April 30th, 2010 @5:12 am
I am working on a Raleigh Marathon 1985 which used to be a 12 speed , now fixed after throwing a cog on a disassembled original wheel off the 70′s Raleigh record a 630 steel chromed. Did not redish simply removed the cassette crap and spun on the 18 cog . Chain is 9 mm offset due to orig. dish. Waiting for pedal upgrade and must get cord for camera and batteries for the digital which “eats ” power real quick. labels are painted on the Raleigh Marathon which had a small removable label way down on the seattube clear with very small letters which I removed and it is made in Taiwan. but frame is straight and light. CS has a Marathon and I wonder where his is made. The clear patch decal could only be read with it on a dark background after removing it. Luftie said his label was also painted on the Tank. I hate labels other than WASP .
April 30th, 2010 @5:15 am
Just kidding about White Anglo Saxon Protestant label WASP I dislike all labels and generalizations. Looking forward to the Fixed Rally in St. Louis this summer.
April 30th, 2010 @6:01 am
Sloman, Fuji make a few single speed bikes, search for Evanscycles.com and go on the single speed complete bike tag.
Wes, I’m already working on 2 more builds- an old Peugeot road bike, and a 90s raleigh mtb. I’m hoping to run fixed on both, but will have them as single free if not
April 30th, 2010 @12:00 pm
my friend is giving me a KHS frameset: frame, BB+crankset, chain, maybe headset (i dont know), and drops for $100. that’s my next build, but im selling that or my raleigh grand prix. im going to try to give it a vintage look, black and chrome or silver. suggestions? everything’s black.
April 30th, 2010 @12:03 pm
Black, silver and brown leather is a nice combo.
April 30th, 2010 @4:44 pm
Or the really dark Green Brooks leather color. Some of the old black leather saddles give off black stain for ever when they get older from my experience with a Brooks B72 . Hopefully brown will not do this as much.
May 1st, 2010 @12:20 pm
i like those dark green brooks allot.
maybe mostly black, some silver, dark green brooks…and maybe 1 to 2 other components in a dark green….
although just black and silver is nice too, but a bit played.
black and silver with brown leather (brooks saddle and tape or equivalent) is very nice too. with maybe a leather chainstay protector (have it on my tommaso)
May 1st, 2010 @5:11 pm
If Father gets me the deal, i’ll take the Brooks Team Pro. off of my Raleigh and put it on the KHS instead. Get some low profile wheels (mavic open pros?) and deck it out with chrome/silver components.
May 1st, 2010 @5:13 pm
extreme depression out till 5am woke up @ 11 missed my am sat. road ride on the nicest day of the year. plus work to do staring @ 2 monitors while the rest of the city plays.
May 1st, 2010 @5:28 pm
Spokely you Dope, you played and made Havoc and now you MOPP
May 1st, 2010 @5:34 pm
hope ya had fun anyway.but the piper always gets paid.
May 1st, 2010 @6:35 pm
WSB that was hilarious, Slo you’re right. not a drinker so no hang over just no sleep. lost a beautiful day because of a beautiful girl fair trade?
May 1st, 2010 @6:48 pm
Sounds like maybe you got in a NightRideHer Studly Crankster.
May 2nd, 2010 @8:17 pm
CLIPLESS PEDALS – My friend mite give me his Look Carbo Lites (or something like that) over the summer, should i go clipless? how is it and how do i clip in and such.
May 2nd, 2010 @8:41 pm
once you get used to it’s better. the sideways motion of clicking in & out is counter intuitive @ first especially in high stress situations. personally on my fixed i don’t use them because it’s my everyday street clothes get around ride and i don’t want to have to wear specfic shoes. but i would suggest you get mtb shoes & pedals if you go clipless(i use eggbeaters on my mtb) easier to clip in and out and the shoes are more comfortable to walk in.
May 3rd, 2010 @7:12 am
clipless on fixed is a bad combo for most.(this is where the”expert riders”claim thet “they never have problems ’cause they are so good”.clips are hard enough.combine that with special shoes(walk around on Looks in a store for a while if you want to be noticed-not in a good way)and the concentration required to start fixed rides and for me it got to be no fun,so they went back on the Bianchi .Loose clips to start and tighten them as you feel comfy.Or Power Grips,right Lufty?LOL
May 3rd, 2010 @10:49 am
slo i agree and disagree. if you are used to clipless pedals you have more control, better power transfer, etc… and clicking in & out becomes second nature. i his case having never used them learning on a fixed may be harder because you have less of a margin for error but not that difficult. totally agree w/ what you said about shoes i hate clicking around in a store it sounds like your wearing heels. i had the oppisite problem after only using clippless pedals for so long i hade to get used to clips (kept trying to click out).
May 3rd, 2010 @1:38 pm
analogous to manual trans in cars,some people find it easy and others never get it.I still go for the clutch in wifes minivan.Just saying it takes a lot of concentration to start fixing and same goes for clipless.Mental overload is a dangerous condition.I’m still waiting for the day of the stop fall(can’t clip out fast enough).Mine is coming I’m sure.
May 3rd, 2010 @2:11 pm
hey bros check out my new bike:
http://www.instablogsimages.com/images/2008/09/30/modolokronotech_pUkRT_7071.jpg
May 3rd, 2010 @2:56 pm
I did a stop/fall a couple of months ago. Was on a cycle path that crosses a busy road. Got to the junction and slowed right down to press the button to get the light to change/stop the traffic and allow me across. Idea being to press button and rest hand on the box to save wriggling out of the straps and sit there looking cool. I got the button, but hit it a bit hard so I’ve sort of bounced a bit more upright than expected. My hand slipped off the box and I’ve landed in a tangled heap just as the lights changed. The traffic stopped, but I couldn’t do much as I’d dissolved into giggles at the look on the drivers faces. Too funny to feel embarassed.
May 3rd, 2010 @3:17 pm
lol i totally pulled something similar the other day trying to trackstand like a cool guy. fell on the ground still in the straps lol…only thing you can do is laugh at yourself!
i got asked if i was OK by 3 different people and said “i think i broke my pride” and laughed.
May 3rd, 2010 @3:29 pm
Maybe I should stick with my old simple platform pedals afterall. Thanks
May 3rd, 2010 @5:32 pm
Illdthedj-your new bike needs drops.shame on ya
May 3rd, 2010 @8:31 pm
are you in that new tron sequel ill?
May 3rd, 2010 @8:45 pm
the italian tron actually
May 3rd, 2010 @8:48 pm
Father brought home a Motebecane Jubilee Sport with all the original components except for a new back tire. Everything was still there: the derailleurs, shifters, brakes, everything. Cannot convert into fixed gear due to vertical dropout, but it will make a nice single speed.
May 3rd, 2010 @10:01 pm
http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad126/iRideFixed/Bike%20Porn/IMG_0810.jpg
http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad126/iRideFixed/Bike%20Porn/IMG_0811.jpg
http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad126/iRideFixed/Bike%20Porn/IMG_0812.jpg
http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad126/iRideFixed/Bike%20Porn/IMG_0813.jpg
Pictures of Motobecane Jubilee Sport
May 3rd, 2010 @10:50 pm
don’t do it.how old is that Motebecane?very nice bikes,ride it geared for a while anyway.the older ones(Gitane tubes)are as nice as P-10s with fancy lugs.Mid 80s up are mass produced -nothing special.Look for Huret groupo.Cottered cranks-spare that classic.thanks
May 3rd, 2010 @11:30 pm
i co-sign slo i wish people would stop converting great old roadbikes. you can get decent track frames cheap build one up.
May 3rd, 2010 @11:37 pm
If the motobecane is pre 80s I’d be hesitant to convert. Those French bikes
are hard to find over here in good condition.
Sloman, as you know, POWER GRIPS SUCK. I know first hand. Rode once around the
block skidding like mad and my feet slipped out every time and getting back in was a great big FAIL. If one wants an alternative to clips and straps try holdfast (from nyc but which unfortunately use platform pedals that won’t be good for pedal strike) or aurora (from Germany and are the only FRS which can be used on track pedals!!!) and I’m ordering a pair of these as soon as budget allows. Cheers fellas.
May 3rd, 2010 @11:38 pm
I understand what you guys are saying…but as long as you don’t hack off the derailleur hanger and cable guides, what’s the problem? Can always hang the parts again.
May 3rd, 2010 @11:44 pm
co-sign on those holdfast. power grips are from what like 95′ those things are horrible maybe ok for like my mom’s gt palomar but that’s about it. personaly love the look of a mks/mks set up altough thinking of switching to some all-city plastic doubles may be easier on my sneaker collection.
May 3rd, 2010 @11:52 pm
true ng. but why convert. keep it ride it spend 200 on kilo or agusta frame (or less on a del paso or used) with the right geometry. pluse if i see one more “rare” converted shwinn or raleigh fixed on craigslist i’m chocking them w/ my skinniest jeans.
May 4th, 2010 @12:07 am
Ha! I hear ya. But so where to draw the line then? What road frames are too nice to convert? Colnago, Ciocc, Pinarello, Mercx, Guerciotti etc? I mean I understand the interest in keeping a classic a classic. Are you saying all fixed gears should be either track frames or low end road?
May 4th, 2010 @12:21 am
all of those sound abpout right. i mean if i came along one of those as a frame maybe it’s cheaper to convert then try and rebuilt year specific. but even then i’d probably sell it. and get a track frame. when there weren’t 8 million available fixed or single speed frames it made sense but now, i just don’t get the point.
May 4th, 2010 @6:02 am
I bought a 1985 Raleigh Marathon complete 10 speed (Taiwan) working complete 10 although I never rode it as a 10. Around 175 bucks including shipping on ebay. It is now a fixed, lite weight tubing Raleigh 575 cho moly. I like it and kept parts in a box and left hangers and brake bosses on top tube. I don’t use or enjoy derailers, crime or not I like it. I prefer the looks of the longer wheelbase and curved forks without toe snag problems etc, I also like the Raleigh Twenty fixed and am looking at a Raleigh Shopper 16 wheel job for variety. Some golf, some chop and flop. Sounds like Sloman has more experience and bikes than Sir Walter Raleigh or even Luftmensh.
May 4th, 2010 @8:53 am
Luftmensh: your comment about holdfasts: they actually work on standard track pedals, i have them on my origin8s
May 4th, 2010 @9:46 am
Yeah Wooden, ever since I built my fixed I’ve had no desire to ride a geared bike. I appreciate the classic road bikes and their beautiful components, and I would never ruin a good frame by hacking anything off…but unless I’m going on some major miles ride with insane climbs or something I can’t see needing gears. One of the first things I did once my fixed was built was take all the same rides I used to on my geared bike. I realized it was way more fun and even easier in some ways. I dunno…no disrespect to the history of road racing but taking a beautiful frame, freeing it from wires and hanging parts seems like honoring it in another way to me.
May 4th, 2010 @10:00 am
CS on TV:
http://www.fox2now.com/videobeta/ff4e816d-8c34-42c2-b614-345a5de958f4/Entertainment/Bicycling-For-A-Cause
May 4th, 2010 @10:20 am
Nice CS. A natural on camera. When will you be launching your clothing or cologne line?…. It’s not about CK anymore, Calvin Klein has had his day…. It’s CS now. I’m thinking something like ” CS Snakebite ” cologne. Maybe smells a little like a bike shop and beer?
May 4th, 2010 @10:35 am
ng wsb, i’m not trying to be a nazi about it if you want to convert go for it. especially if you keep the parts. and don’t get me wrong i’m not even particularly into vintage bikes. i probably get more of a kick out of a 80′s hutch trickstar than an old colnago. co-sign to a degree with you ng on not needing gears i ride my roadbike alot at least 2-3 days a week but only to work out, & train, or for group rides etc… i haven’t been on my mtb in almost a year. i wouldn’t want to do a 30+ mile ride on it but for my daily grind i love my fixed.
May 4th, 2010 @10:48 am
Spokes, you’re in NYC right? I’m from Baltimore originally. Been to THE city more times than I can count….LOVE it there! It’s been a while…think my last trip up was to see Cristo’s “Gates”….wow I miss it. Are you on the island? Where do ride for training etc?
May 4th, 2010 @10:51 am
impressive cs, nice program. i need to stop being a loser and get involved w/ something like that. btw in my head i saw you as a nuevo hippy dude w/ a ponytail go figure. now about those two “reporters” april was giving me too much “rayneesha” from reno 911 and tim is super annoying and amazingly unfunny. nice comment about the “segment ender” give tim some one liners.
May 4th, 2010 @11:26 am
yeah in manhattan, i ride west river drive, central park of course. out of the city up into nyack,ny is great ride. but my be moving back to philly for a min. or brooklyn.
May 4th, 2010 @11:30 am
5 boro’s tour is fun too. they have a nice ride called city to shore out of philly to it’s closer and cheaper to stay for you but it would be rough on a fixed. you could do 5 boro’s on one though.
May 4th, 2010 @11:40 am
jGood work CS, now you are famous not anonymous / !
May 4th, 2010 @11:43 am
Ha thanks NG and Freshher. My cologne line will be coming out in the summer and I’ll be teaming up with a popular bike manufacturer to produce CS Colnago Cologne for Cyclists. And yes it will smell like bike grease and beer PLUS we’ll include a snake since it will be an injection cologne.
Its interesting how your mental image can be so different from what someone’s online typing personality can be. When wes posted his picture he looked completely different from what I expected. I for one am glad that I’m not a hippy pony tail wearer.
Yeah, both of the reporters were a bit much when on camera. It was really weird because they were both way more reserved when we were talking briefly before the segment. I’m sure they encourage them to be over the top in the morning to grab viewers in their pre-coffee state.
The program we have going on here is awesome. We get to work on a lot of bikes, mainly adult bikes, and we get to give kids free bikes. A lot of times its the kids first bike too so that’s pretty cool. The shop nights are great because its mainly come down, volunteer, work on bikes, and at the end of the night sit around and crack a beer. Not too much else you can ask for. Plus we do a lot of rides and events around town and its fun to have a big group to go with.
I think the segment ender and the ‘don’t fall’ were the only two smart ass things I got in. I told them ‘it was nice knowing you’ as they rode off but by that time they had cut my mic, which is fine, the focus should be on the message.
May 4th, 2010 @11:46 am
Thanks wsb. Yeah, well if it spreads the word about our shop then I might as well take off the e-mask. Really I think forums like this would benefit from a bit less anonymity, it would keep everyone a bit more honest and a little less snippy.
May 4th, 2010 @11:49 am
That’s cool. I’m jealous. We almost moved to Brooklyn a couple years ago… I was tryin to figure out the best ride to the beach. Looks like Flatbush runs all the way….I dunno what kind of ride that’d be like but it was my plan. I’ve never ridden in the city…it’s on my list.
May 4th, 2010 @11:51 am
Hopefully the kids take care of the bikes. I gave a kid around 11 years old a chrome 20 inch bike and he leaves it outside most of the time. It was outgrown in my family but still nice. After he outgrows it maybe I’ll make it fixed if it isn’t stolen first from his yard. Thanks
May 4th, 2010 @11:56 am
You are a thoughtful person and keen observer CS with good comments however more F usage than necessary. When will you open your own shop ? Unless you give away too much you should be successful it seems to me. Thanks for not wearing a ponytail or dreds. You look good on Camera. (Better than Tim or April also on the TV )
May 4th, 2010 @1:06 pm
i’ve ridden back and forth to brooklyn a ton of times (brooklyn bridge and williamsburg br.) to go to & from park slope (used to live there), prospect park and williamsburg (of course). i’ve seen people biking on a path near the verrazano i think thats bayridge off the belt prkwy and that goes all the way around to queens but doubt the path does. where did you want to go coney island? becareful though there’s a hipster vs. hassidic beef going on in bk now.
May 4th, 2010 @1:24 pm
Yeah..I read about that beef on Bikesnob. Funny and ridiculous. I also saw some videos of some guys painting the lanes back in themselves at night… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19oo7Ejq9WI
When we were considering moving back from San Diego I knew I’d need my coastal fix often and google mapped the route to the closest shoreline in NYC….looked like Flatbush Ave. Anyway…it never happened….Not yet anyway. One day….
May 4th, 2010 @1:34 pm
Thanks WSB, I try to make my comments mean something most of the time (although sometimes I just shoot my mouth off). I won’t open my own shop. Bikes are the passion, computers and databases are the job. I don’t think I’d ever want to work with bikes for a living because I think it would make me enjoy them less (I know it has with computers). I’d much rather just help run stuff at the bike shop, waaaay less stress!
May 4th, 2010 @2:30 pm
CS you are a super star. You came across way cooler than the two overpaid dopes. Me and MJ have been doing a bit of volunteer work on bikes lately. All our friends and friends friends bring thiers to us to fix. Of course they have no cash. That’s why they bring them here I guess. May be getting a car rack for the next job. MJ got an 80s Peugeot the other week. Sometimes it’s just fun finding “engineering solutions” to the misuse people do to the bikes. We want 2 of those T shirts. Hell, we may even offer to pay postage. Email, alonafixie63@hotmail.co.uk if they are available.
May 4th, 2010 @3:25 pm
http://s928.photobucket.com/albums/ad126/iRideFixed/Bike%20Porn/Motobecane%20Jubilee%20Sport/
Pictures of the Motobecane J.S.
May 4th, 2010 @3:47 pm
ok-secure from defcon 3,from the plastic badges,internal brake routing and lack of lugs(looks like butt welding on my monitor)_it’s only a late eightys-early ninetys Mote.Still a nice ride but nothing special.Pervert to your hearts content.Shimano budget pieces right?just don’t lose them OK?enjoy
May 4th, 2010 @3:51 pm
Butt welding? Is that when you mistake the superglue for lube? Ha,ha. Sorry, wrong sort of website for that kind of comment. Made me crack up though.
May 4th, 2010 @3:57 pm
Good one Allan, the couple of cuties in my overly liberal church should use some crazy glue and go straight.
May 4th, 2010 @4:01 pm
Woah. Wes do those downtube shifters say “suntour symmetric” or just “symmetric” on them? If they do hold on to them. The symmetric shifters are fucking awesome. When you shift with the rear lever it trims the front lever for you so when you’re getting to your high or low gears in the back you don’t have your chain scraping on the front derailleur. They’re pretty cool. I’ve only seen two of them pass through our shop. I would have grabbed one myself but I don’t have a frame that has a downtube shifter mount like that.
Alan. I know what you mean. I like the trouble shooting aspects of working on bikes a lot. I’m the same way with friends about bikes (as I’m sure all of us on here are). I end up doing trades with friends for bike and computer work a lot. I’ll shoot you an email later tonight about the shirts. If we have some in inventory still (I’m sure we do and if not we’ll be re-ordering them pretty soon) I’ll find and let you know. How much is postage from US to UK?
May 4th, 2010 @4:09 pm
Thanks CS. Me and MJ want to wear them when we get round to posting our next bikes. I keep changing my ideas on bars for the denim clad Claude. I really like the inverted north road bars Mike has on his mtb. So comfy. Got a shop in Girton that hass ally pairs. Abit lighter than steel and more give.
May 4th, 2010 @4:11 pm
cs,have you ever gotten those shifters to work?I never have (and I’mnot knocking Suntour-some good stuff in their day).
May 4th, 2010 @4:16 pm
WSB. You’ll never get them straight. Gay guys are just born that way. Gay ladies seem to be made that way by knowing too many shit men. I daresay there are those who start out that way, but generally I think they’ve had some extreme “aversion therapy” that’s made them that way. Just my theory. Not trying to upset or annoy anyone. Everyone is different. Would be a boring world otherwise.
May 4th, 2010 @5:31 pm
Drinking cheap french wine and watching Long Way Round on dvd. Anyone seen it. Ewan McGreggor and Charley Boorman going round the world on motorbikes. On the 2nd disk now and getting daft ideas. Maybe 1 day I’ll do Lands End to John ‘O’ Groats. The record is over 4 days, so a couple of weeks should cover it. But, and this is a biggie, how do I tell the Mrs?
May 4th, 2010 @7:19 pm
Is she as daft as you ? She married you so maybe that answers the question. Does she ride bikes ? Not sure where Land’s End is but it sounds remote. Go easy on the Liver.
May 4th, 2010 @7:24 pm
just do it.she’ll understand.If not,she’ll get over it.
May 4th, 2010 @9:27 pm
Suntour Symmetric shifters sir. The derailleurs(back is bent out of shape, but the front one is fine), and shifters are Suntour. Brakes and grip are Weinmann and i have yet to see more
May 4th, 2010 @10:35 pm
@ill: They really fit on track pedals? That’s cool. Now only if they were in stock, black, and twenty bucks cheaper. I’ll try Aurora and if they don’t work I’ll be pissed, save my money, and buy some damn holdfasts. The pedals I’m using came with my failed power grip experiment and I think they’re all city or possibly o8.
CS: that’s awesome dude. Didn’t picture you like that but that’s cool, man, help those rugrats. If I ever have nice weather on my brothers day off I’ll try to show my Jewish face too. Cheers.
May 5th, 2010 @2:13 am
jewish face? Mazal tov.
May 5th, 2010 @2:20 am
WSB: Lands End to John O’Groats is basically a route that takes you from the southernmost point of England, all the way to the northernmost point of Scotland. So it’s the full length of the UK. I’m not sure on the mileage but it’s quite a lot. I quite fancy the idea of doing it myself.
Going back to older posts, my dream frame would be a custom built, Reynolds steel, lugged, road style with track ends. Threaded 1″ forks, Cinelli quill stem and road bars, Mavic rims, Campag super record hubs, and everything else Campag. Saddle would have to be a brooks b17n in green with Chrome rails. As for colours, it’d have to be a metallic British racing green with Chrome lugs, dropouts and silver components. It would be vintage style with a nod to the modern look, and fast
May 5th, 2010 @2:28 am
british racing green classic i going with that when i get my first aston.
May 5th, 2010 @3:01 am
just changed my mind about the saddle. I think a dark brown brooks saddle and matching bar tape would compliment the brg frame better.
Something else I want to add to: bar choice. I love my drops, I’d fit to everything given the option. I only rarely use the top of my drops, maybe 15 to 20% of the time. I’m usually on my hoods or just on the curve- probably 45 or 50% of the time, and the rest on the drop position. It’s just what I find comfy, not everyone would be the same.
Keep an eye out for PUG, my beater I was given for fixing a friend’s bike. Only cost was a new brake cable, inner tube and about 8hours tinkering time to get it road ready. I’ll be including a final update of the Wasp as it looks great with the brooks saddle
May 5th, 2010 @5:57 am
Luftmensh, a Jewish face looks like a Protestant face. I still think of religion as a faith not a culture or nationality. If I convert to Islam my Nationality , or country of birth or face will not change. We are all monkeys.
May 5th, 2010 @4:44 pm
Inspiring stuff, I would love to get involved in that program; if i could.
May 5th, 2010 @5:23 pm
Well said WSB.We are all mongrells of 1 sort or another. I’m part Norse,part Irish and god knows what else.Mum came from Geordie land up north and Dad was an East London metalsmith. Just think of all the too-ing and fro-ing that went on in Europe before America was even settled and it’s a wonder anyone can claim to be one thing or another. All human, some individuals nicer than others. Welcome Brothers and sisters all. Ha,ha.
May 5th, 2010 @10:59 pm
ng saw this thought about you wanting to that nyc trip.
http://vimeo.com/11217689
May 6th, 2010 @9:09 am
Spokely, That’s fuel on the fire for sure. I’ve been out west for a few years. It’s crazy how different it is. It’s funny what you end up missing after a while. Love all the history and culture back east…. There’s absolutely no place like NYC. And in contrast upstate NY is awesome too….very beautiful. Ithaca/the finger lakes region is a favorite too. Big ups for NY.
May 6th, 2010 @10:20 am
this site should have a simple message board forum. not like this where its just constant comments under a picture….a REAL message board! you know, with threads and stuff.
May 6th, 2010 @1:00 pm
yeah i don’t know if i cpould really leave the the north east. i’ve been to most other parts of the country w/ the exception of san fran i can’t see living anywhere else. although i did hear san deigo was pretty dope. i was hanging out for a bit w/ this girl from l.a. and she’d lived there. i’ve hear that it’s such a big car culture out in cali or is that mainly so. cal.?, and contrary to recent posts i actually don’t like to drive. she asked me if i’d ever consider moving to l.a. and i swear my answer was “could i get around on my bike?”
May 6th, 2010 @1:19 pm
Yeah, I’ve heard LA is awful if you’re a cyclist. I don’t like LA at all. Too many plastic people. The few times I was there I just wanted to come back to Diego right away. It’s super bike friendly in Diego. There are some gnarly hills but drivers are definitely not much of a problem. I haven’t been lately, but Critical Mass had topped out at over 2 thousand people I heard….so there’s a pretty strong biker presence on the road here. I guess like anything it’s a trade off. The weather here(which isn’t really weather) is perfect….Sun, sun, sun….so almost always great riding conditions. But it lacks the history, culture and art scene of the north east. Guess you can’t have it all.
May 6th, 2010 @2:01 pm
i was a history major and am a museum nerd and my dad was and artist/curator. so i love that. when i was in europe we partied like idiots, but i could have spent a month in the british museum or the louve. you’re right the over all amount of culture as far as art, music, history etc… in the relativley small space between boston & dc is mindblowing.
May 6th, 2010 @2:03 pm
but then again people in general here tend to be dicks.
May 6th, 2010 @5:12 pm
Oi! Sups. I resemble that last comment. Ha,ha.(said he leaning over his shoulder and gazing at a water colour of a red and white Triumph Herald car in front of some Norfolk flint cottages that he painted 15 years ago)Just coz I can paint don’t mean I’ve relinquished my right to be a dick. I bet Dali was a right dick, and he COULD paint. Leonardo+Michaelangelo were anal with the attention to detail(among other things) but I bet they were a nightmare to deal with. I’m a thicko from Hackney East london, but I appreciate skill and artistry. That shows in what I like in bike frames too. Tig welds are crude and ugly too me. So too are these mass produced Surly frames ect. I like lugs on a frame and I like them filed and finished.I do also like that filet brased frame on here that has been taken back to bare metal and clear laquered so you can see the colour of the steel and brass. Beautiful. It’s a shame to cover it with paint. I’m still on the lookout for a nice old frame with pretty lugs. My Morris has fairly plain workmanlike lugs on it. All filed to within an inch of thier lives though. No heavy lugs on a handbuilt of this type. I read somewhere that Morris only did about 600 frames under his own name. Some of them were real works of art. Wish I knew where Tony Norris is now. He had 1 of the last built. Dick did the hearts,clubs,spades,diamonds cutouts on the lugs of that one. Very tidy. Cheers.
May 6th, 2010 @7:01 pm
Irvine is fine! every single street in irvine has a bike line + the San Diego Creek Trail.
May 6th, 2010 @9:19 pm
Wes, from your photos it looks like Irvine is nicely paved too. San Diego has some of the most brutal roads I’ve ever seen. Where are my tax dollars going!? Irvine maybe.
May 6th, 2010 @9:52 pm
Maybe, Irvine is in budget crisis though… (OH NO!), schools have 4 furlough days and are going to have 8 days next year. I don’t really care, for the fact i won’t have school, but i do feel bad for the teachers. My adviser says that 4 furlough days mean a 5% pay cut.
The roads here are smooth for the most part, and are everywhere. i still take actions pictures just for the fun of it and for that “oh my gosh that’s so beautiful i just wanna show it to everyone” moment. Maybe some scenery too, more photos of myself and stuff, CS has a good idea about not being anonymous on forums. Something to ponder about.
May 6th, 2010 @10:21 pm
That sucks that they’re getting a pay cut. Teachers don’t make enough as it is.
May 6th, 2010 @10:27 pm
mmmhm, how is it in San Diego? anything new at the Velodrome. I recently found out a seventh grader at my school is going down there to ride in the summer, and i’m coming too (surprise!) maybe i’ll see you.
May 6th, 2010 @11:42 pm
Teacher pay cuts, that’s the story of America isn’t it? Or at least it is in Portland. The roads are generally smooth here too but there are “rougher” neighborhoods. If I ever
have a free day to ride and shoot some pictures I’ll try to un-anonymize myself (if that’s a word).
Side note. Weird bike I saw. http://www.google.com/m/search?site=images&source=mog&hl=en&gl=us&client=safari&q=campagnolo%20sheriff%20star%20fixed%20gear#i=83 Cheers.
May 7th, 2010 @5:56 am
Wes, I predict more free days for students equal more births out of wedlock. It is a different world now than when I was in school. 454 students in my High School class and no one that I was aware of pregnant . Now Jr. high school ( 8 th graders are getting pregnant). Around here teachers make way more than 40 years ago and retire around 55 years of age with a sweet pension unheard of in private industry. retirees live into their 80′s or 90′s and the system isn’t used to that. people used to smoke like fools and eat bacon and eggs a lot and die on time in their early 70′s . Also 40 percent of the babies born these days in the USA are out of wedlock (bastards) and who pays ? I worry about my own daughter a freshman in high school who knows pregnant girls and wonder when someone will talk her into it or vis versa. She dresses way too hot etc.
May 7th, 2010 @6:21 am
That’s why I’m nervous to have a girl.
May 7th, 2010 @6:32 am
boys make me nervous too, girls don’t make girls pregnant . Things have not changed that much have they ? Immaculate conception only exists for Catholic people maybe. It would be interesting to see the religion or lack of regarding the perpetrators of this plague on morality .
May 7th, 2010 @3:37 pm
WSB keep your daughter away from lawrence taylor.
May 7th, 2010 @3:43 pm
Lawrenc taylor, anything like havoc / MoPP ? I’m out of it.
May 7th, 2010 @3:49 pm
WSB. I’d be worried if she started following the golf tours. Don’t think they’ve tamed the tiger. Hehe.
May 7th, 2010 @3:57 pm
Even churches are not safe havens today. Can’t trust anyone in a Robe. And of course all bikers are horny and in Great Shape.
May 7th, 2010 @4:00 pm
Any one of you chaps heard about this guy. He was 1 of my all time heroes. He beat Chris Boardman without any of the financial or medical or technical backing. A real athelete and innovator.
The Obree Position (mk1)
——————————————————————————–
Graeme Obree and the hour record 1993
In 1993 the hour record was broken by Graeme Obree, an relatively unknown rider, at least outside Great Britain. In the past years the hour record had been attacked by well known road racing stars. Even more surprising was his “home made” bicycle and his position on this bike. His unique, compact riding position allowed him him to rest his torso on his tucked forearms. In this way, folding his arms under his chest, he eliminated them from the aerodynamic equation.
——————————————————————————–
The Early Years
Obree invented the crouched (or tucked) position in 1987, using a standard bike, just flipping the handlebar upside down. He won national championships in the following years and broke the British hour record. Look at his bike with flipped handlebar on the left picture (from http://www.chrisboardman.com).
In the winter of 1992/1993 he decided to attack Francesco Moser’s hour record and designed a special bike for this purpose.
——————————————————————————–
He wanted to have a narrow bottom bracket, and since normal bike parts did not allow that, he used the bearings from a washing machine. Because of the narrow bottom bracket (68 mm), he rode almost knock-kneed which reduced the drag also, but a normal frame with standard top tube would not allow that – so he invented an X-frame design. Since he was on a low budget, he built the bike by himself, using cheap or used parts wherever possible. The cranks contained a piece of metal found roadside, the handlebar was from a BMX bike, but the overall design was just brilliant and perfect for his needs.
Though this position was not very comfortable, wind tunnel measurements showed that it reduced the aerodynamic drag about 15 %, giving a theoretical speed gain of more than 2 km/h at 50 km/h!
——————————————————————————–
Track World Champs 1993
With the same bike Obree won the 4000 m single pursuit world championships in Hamar/NOR a few weeks later, improving the world record to 4:20.9. In the semi-final he beat Chris Boardman and in the final Philippe Ermenault.
——————————————————————————–
In the major time-trial competitions on the road he was not that succesful. Though the low position is a disadvantage on the climbs, where a more upright body is needed, his results were probably just due to bad shape.
——————————————————————————–
Francesco Moser: january 1994
During the fall and winter a lot of people where experimenting with this position.
The famous Francesco Moser was fascinated, built his own version of Obree’s bike and added a chest pad for more comfort. With this bike he attacked the hour record in january 1994 and reached 51.84 km/h, but failed to break Chris Boardman’s mark. But the chest pad gave much more comfort, it was possible to ride longer distances without any problems.
The “Jolly” road racing team, sponsored by Moser, was thinking of using this bike for the road time trials in the 1994 season.
Another picture of Moser’s attempt.
——————————————————————————–
Graeme Obree’s second hour record 1994
On the 27th of april 1994 Obree improved the hour record to 52.713 km/h, with almost the same bike he used in 1993.
In may 1994 it is to read that the UCI bans the Obree position, but I have no further information which rules exactly apply to this. There was to read that the saddle nose must be 5 cm behind the bottom bracket, but nothing about “folded arms” or something like that.
——————————————————————————–
My own invention 1994 …
Because I compete in triathlons, where UCI rules are not valid, I made my own little invention and installed an “Obree Add-On handlebar” plus “Moser chest pads” on my triathlon bike.
On hilly terrain I used the normal aero bar, with the narrow Obree handlebar between my arms, on the flat I used the Obree position. Though I could not reach the same low position as Obree, I still gained about 3-5 seconds per kilometer. This picture is showing me at the Ironman triathlon in Jümme, Germany (flat course), where I rode 5 hours in the Obree position without any problems.
——————————————————————————–
The world champs 1994
At the world championships Obree showed up again with his famous bike. For the qualifying round he had to change his saddle to match this “5 cm behind bottom bracket” rule. His time qualified him easily for the next round, but after the ride he was disqualified by the UCI officials.
As far as I know the reasons for this were not clear: ” Between arms and body the daylight must be seen” was to read in german magazines. Because this rule was not in the UCI rule book before, it was quite clear that the UCI officials invented it quickly to ban Obree. Obree planned to file a lawsuit against the UCI (which he would have certainly won, if my information is correct so far), but nothing has happened to this time. (After winning the world championships in 1995 with his new “superman” position, it was to read that an english lawyer would do it for free)
This was the official end of the Obree position in cycling, the most innovative invention since the aero-bar. As for many sports, when stupid officials have the power, a genius athlete like Graeme Obree has no chance.
——————————————————————————–
PS: My Obree-handlebar was banned in the 1995 Ironman Jümme, because the german triathlon union DTU had added a new rule: “Extraordinary equipment is illegal” One could ask how any of the innovations of the past years (disc wheel, aero-bar, etc.) could have made with this rule, but as said above: Stupid officials have the power…
——————————————————————————–
Update: Sydney Olympics 2000
I was absolutely surprised to see Antonella Bellutti ride in a position which was quite similar to the Obree position. She used a tiny aerobar with armpads and a bullhorn bar for the start. She did not fold her arms under her chest (I guess thats the famous UCI rule which they used to ban Graeme Obree in 1994), so her elbows are pointing outside. It is clearly not as aerodynamic as the original Obree position, but it is nice to see that people are still trying to create something new.
——————————————————————————–
Personal Update 2001…
Only recently I found out that the austrian triathlon rules still allow extraordinary equipment like my Obree-bike. So I used the Obree-position again in the Podersdorf Austria triathlon (Ironman distance). After a very promising first lap (1:12 for 45 km, that’s very fast for me…) I got (again) sick on the bike and needed more than five hours for the 180 km. Shit! But it was really fun to ride the Obree position again!
——————————————————————————–
Back to hour record page
EmailGästebuch / GuestbookImpressumObree-Position mk1Superman-PositionMotion Of A CyclistHour Record At AltitudeHill ClimbingLinksHour Record Main PageRecords from 1956 – 1972Records since 1984News ArchiveThe UCI Hour RecordFrancesco MoserGraeme ObreeChris BoardmanGraeme ObreeMiguel IndurainTony RomingerChris BoardmanEddy MerckxChris BoardmanOndrej Sosenka
May 7th, 2010 @5:49 pm
Wow. Good for you Alan. And good for the Scotsman. Hey, I’m part Scottish, maybe I stand a chance at competetive biking afterall. Now back to my dilemma of drop bars…
http://cdn.mos.bikeradar.com/images/news/2009/11/13/1258133065519-1vtg3zjdzfb0t-500-90-500-70.jpg
May 7th, 2010 @9:22 pm
i don’t know about those drops, but i have a problem about that chainring; what is that, 70/16?
May 7th, 2010 @11:14 pm
That is a HUGE chainring. Must be some sort of track special.Maybe it was some speed record attempt. There was a chap im my club called Arthur Bouchard who used to do time trials on a 54/13 set up. He would do the 25 in under the hour every time AND he was in his 50s then. I looked at how this bike is set up and thought “Morris” before I changed the stem. It calls to me.
May 8th, 2010 @5:47 am
You realize that this “MyFixedGear Message Board” essentially disables the bike comments section. Its nice you guys like each other and found a way to do it in one place –too bad there isn’t a general comments area on this site.
May 8th, 2010 @5:55 am
Look around JQ comments general and specific all over the place, like cogs and handlebars and wheels in my basement.
May 8th, 2010 @6:13 am
I am looking. I’m looking at the 10 comments in the recent comments section –eight of them are to this post. Yes, I can see. You can go into the archives and poke around but only in the order of the bikes post. This string monopolizes the potential string of 10. This section is called “recent comments” not “recent comment”. AT THE RISK OF REPEATING MYSELF: Its nice you guys like each other and found a way to do it in one place –too bad there isn’t a general comments area on this site.
May 8th, 2010 @6:31 am
Allen.Maybe you can post one of your mates rides to start a comments post?this one is getting tediously long.Or anyone else have a WIP to show ?
May 8th, 2010 @11:02 am
JQ:NYC now I see your point, a set aside area for chit chat. The problem is no new entrys. I have not submitted and have not taken the time to enter camera work and get the cord for camera and my laptop has missing parts for the camera chip. So no new entries and we pick apart the old stuff and it’s a convention of nit pikers as you once accurately pointed out. Gabriel keeps building without commenting that’s his choice. Luftie the other way around. How are your knees feeling , I am right behind you in age as I recall. Hopefully the sperm whale scrotum saddle comforts you. Thanks, and we all miss the likes of Snipertoe.
May 8th, 2010 @11:33 am
i’ll try to make a new posting board.
May 8th, 2010 @11:40 am
Wes , did you make it to the track yet ? sounds exciting. How many yards are they. meters whatever. I ran on a wooden banked track once, very different.
May 8th, 2010 @11:50 am
thanks for asking WSB but i have 2, maybe 3 problems with going to the track. 1) how am i going to get there? closest on is San Diego, i might take the train. 2) who wants to go with me? all my friends are just the lazy bunch who sit around watching TV, eating donuts while playing Magic (no joke, this happened once) 3) My parents don’t let me go down alone. the track is 250 meters long. and also, i’m not sure if the people there will let a young’n like me on the track, haha.
May 8th, 2010 @12:04 pm
Jq; It does seem to me that there is a small number of people, myself included, who post the most comments. This isn’t any attempt to exclude anyone I am sure. Certainly not on my part. It is good to see people commenting on other peoples remarks and directly to each other. As I am to you. All be it in a slightly hit or miss way. i.e. You won’t know about this until you stumble upon it in your general searching on this site. It would be good to reply more directly, but that would be maybe too much like Faceache or Booboo, or whatever. As it is, anyone can post a comment about any bike(and we do)but so as not to leave too many comments unrelated to whichever bike we are looking at(you may have noticed the thread does go off in odd directions at times) The message board was created. Here you can put any comment you like. Got a sofa to sell, want to talk about small block Chevvy engines ect. It can go here instead of upsetting some chap who has lovingly posted pics of his favorite iron with totally unrelated prattle.(I am really good at that stuff) See above. To any readers out there who never comment I say ” Come on! Let’s hear what you have to say? Don’t sit in the background. Give it a go.” Cheers for your time. I’m sure I’ll be taking up much more of it with future remarks and annecdotes.
May 8th, 2010 @12:38 pm
Last 3 posts and now this all by me. I’m getting typists tendonitus(writers cramp for the 21st century) Feeling guilty after above comments. Come on everybody! Stop me feeling like I’m taking up too much space.
May 8th, 2010 @12:48 pm
I’m sure the Syndicate of Single Cycling. IE: Wes Wooden, lufty, ng and yes… myself would very much enjoy a new and seperate general single/fixed gear comment panel. I can only speak for myself but the success of these postings is based on the ability to comment and review several bikes at once. I might go in and comment on one bike that I found deep in the archive. but, as most comments come back here to this string… it goes back… deep into the archive within nine comments …it disappears… back into oblivion. Hence the term monopoly. I would love a single stop message board for the three (or six, or eight) amigos who post often and let the bikes rise and fall. in the recent comments section. There is PLENTY of material to jab at –including the slow but often new entries.
May 8th, 2010 @1:14 pm
Just uploaded a series of pics of asbadasitlooks from it’s bastard conception to where it stands now. Feel free to use it as the new message board when it pops up on here. Cheers.
May 8th, 2010 @6:09 pm
JQ has a point about comments getting buried with prattle. Still a mystery who started this site. Time for another modification if possible. It would be interesting to be able to pull up all the comments by one person to get the feel for character or lack thereof.
May 9th, 2010 @5:00 am
It is strange how you do get an idea of what some one is like reading the comments then when they do put a pic of themselves up it’s like “Woah! I wouldn’t have put those comments with that face.” type of thing. I always liked the old style posed shots they used to do of sportsmen. All stripey jumpers,arms folded defiantly in front of thier machines, and handlebar moustaches. Whatever happened to handlebar moustaches? Did they get too much of a gay overtone in the 70s and it’s killed them off?
May 9th, 2010 @6:40 am
It is like a phone voice, some sound really sexy and are hogs!
May 9th, 2010 @10:24 am
Denim should be original , Allan, contact paper in teak has been done. You may want to throw it back in the hedge if it doesn’t work out to your expectations.
May 9th, 2010 @1:38 pm
Yeah, I like the phone voice annalogy(not sure if I’ve spelt that correctly) What we’d call a double bagger. On for her and one for you in case hers falls off. Ha,ha.
May 9th, 2010 @1:42 pm
Denim burns. I’ll just take a blowtorch to it like you would an old door. Have to decide if I’m going for the fur fabric on the lugs or if I’ll hand paint the leopard print. I bet the shop has sold the saddle that is the inspiration for this before I get paid on Friday.
May 9th, 2010 @2:01 pm
Mikey caught a crab with his pedals tonight. We’d been up the duck pond taking a few pics of the denim bike and his pug. We blatted back after the txt for tea(dinner gong isn’t loud enough and it’s the butlers day off).We both earholed it round the bend into our road. Me on the inside and his pedal hit loud enough to make my head snap round. I was pedaling as quick as I could,banked over.But thanks to the Claude being a mtb frame(horizontal chain stays=high bottom bracket) I never came near to scraping the tarmac.I think I could have a lot of fun on Claude in the town.
May 9th, 2010 @3:42 pm
My father and i went to the swap meet today… guess what we got. A rear Mavic CXP22 with Shimano HG cassette on a Ritchey Zero Hub with gatorskins, perfect condition with a front wheel, 20 spokes no idea what it is. We’re going to sand down the front wheel to a polished aluminum and put it on Serve Cold.
May 9th, 2010 @3:42 pm
* For $100
May 9th, 2010 @8:00 pm
Sounds like a good buy Wes, but are you going with gears or removing the cassette and fixed cog, never mind the lockring and dish? Is that a run on sentence or what?
May 9th, 2010 @8:04 pm
Serve Cold is finished, or was, buy another frame and build it from swap sale parts and sell one of them. Get your friends interested and create a market.
May 9th, 2010 @8:17 pm
the gears stay on and are now on my dad’s Motobecane S.S. as a back up ride. i need to sell the Raleigh Grand Prix fast.
May 10th, 2010 @6:25 am
yes,make a fine ride out of to Moto.Dad’s getting a good deal.
May 10th, 2010 @10:26 am
anyone have a clue how long it takes for a bike to be uploaded? i submitted an update to my bike like a week and a half ago :/
May 10th, 2010 @10:44 am
Last time for me it took almost a week. It seems like the more content this site gets, the slower everything goes. Go ahead, take a vacation, maybe travel half way around the globe and maybe by then…
May 10th, 2010 @11:34 am
I think the webmaster is just taking longer to do updates. This thread should have one permanent spot in recent comments so as to allow other non-message board comments to show. Cheers fellas.
May 10th, 2010 @12:22 pm
oh hey two new bikes but not mine lol
oh well.
HEY, i have a question:
i friend just bought a velocity wheelset. i believe he asked for a flip flop hub, but got a hub with fixed on both sides.
he mainly rides singlespeed, and i was of the opinion he should ask for a refund/exchange.
he called them back, and he was told that “oh yah you can run a freewheel on a fixed hub no problem”
but i sort of think thats not a good idea.
just curious, is running a freewheel on a track hub fine, or is it unsafe and may result in a stripped freewheel/hub because the freewheel’s threads arn’t completely on the hub?
May 10th, 2010 @12:26 pm
Should not be a problem. Enough threads I’m sure. No need for a lockring with freewheel and 4 threads is sufficient.
May 10th, 2010 @4:04 pm
my second message board wasn’t posted in the update ):
May 10th, 2010 @9:59 pm
hopefully, next update will include both of my submits: my dad’s motobecane and the new (M)y(F)ixed(G)ear(M)essage(B)oard (MFGMS)
May 11th, 2010 @1:11 am
Ill: a freewheel will thread onto a fixed hub with no problem and be pretty secure. Just talking from experience of fitting one to my ride.
I’m still waiting for my latest build to show up too- project PUG.
Just as a question about saddles: how long does it take to break in a Brooks, in everyone’s experience?
May 11th, 2010 @5:49 am
No time at all to break in a Brooks, my B17 seems as comfy as the old Wrights w3n off the 70′s Raleigh. In fact the Wrights took a little while, old and seldom used when I got it . Of course most of my ride are 2 miles one way. One 15 mile ride on the B17 on a 3 speed Raleigh was no problem . Had a 10 mile ride on son in laws old crap seat on a crappy mtn. bike and it was a hatchet job from the get go , get off sore.
May 11th, 2010 @5:51 am
How is dad’s garden, any radishes yet. Looks like a bean plant in the pot with asbadasit looks.
May 11th, 2010 @5:53 am
I would like a London taxi, a diesel, Fiat ? Nice small size and cute. One guy here had one and modified it bigtime.
May 11th, 2010 @5:53 am
Austin ?
May 11th, 2010 @4:11 pm
so the next message board wasn’t posted…
May 11th, 2010 @4:31 pm
WSB: I don’t find my b17 uncomfortable, but I was just wondering when is is likely to soften up. I’ve had it about a month, doing between 12 and 20 miles a day on it with no rest days.
It could be anything growing in the plant pot- we’ve got loads going on: peppers, garlic, potatoes, lemon tree, gooseberries; just loads really. Will check the pic and take a guess lol. Cheers
May 11th, 2010 @4:42 pm
Holy shit!! Trying to read through this is nuts!!! Man it would be nice if the person who builds the website added a message board. I selected half the page and had my computer start reading it while I was making food. I left the room and forgot it was reading came back in and it was still going! Crazy!
May 11th, 2010 @5:22 pm
Take a 5 mile ride on asbadasitgets and compare the difference. How is the tension on the screw adjustment? You should not have it too tight. The saddles with the plastic trays are usually awful buttbusters.
May 11th, 2010 @9:52 pm
I posted MFGMB V2 but it got skipped…. lol webmaster skipped, or i didnt post it at all and it was a dream
May 12th, 2010 @8:27 am
comments to ASBADASITLOOKS anyone?
May 12th, 2010 @8:41 am
lol my update on my tommaso is going on 2 weeks since submitted. oh wellz…
May 12th, 2010 @9:06 am
When I submitted “Oh Yeah” it took three tries. It was obviously a joke….maybe the management didn’t think it was funny the first two times…I dunno. It finally made it up, but it took over a week. Sooner or later we’re going to break this website with all the stuff we put up here. I hope not though…cuz then we won’t be able to rib each other and waste valuable work time.
May 12th, 2010 @12:09 pm
I was at the velodrome last night and some guy was there with one of those walmart ‘fixed-speed’ bikes. With all the amazing track bikes there and that walmart thing in the same place it was like some kind of paradox. It made me feel weird… And then I felt bad for the guy. I try not to be a snob and I’m generally accepting of anyone on a bike but my instincts told me to stay far, far away.
May 12th, 2010 @12:33 pm
It’s not about snob or eliteism,it’s knowing whats good vs whats great.A Wally-world bike is fine if you accept it for what it is.A Bob J is also a fixy but they are not the same.If you can understand that on a fundamental level that’s cool.
May 12th, 2010 @12:49 pm
I hear ya Sloman. Or in this case what’s great vs. a pile of junk. But hey I guess at least he’s into bikes and not cars… That’s how I’m trying to look at it. And shopping at walmart…that’s a whole other problem. Don’t even get me started. Still I felt bad for the guy….Surrounded by all these people who know what’s what and tons of experience. Hopefully someone will take mercy on his ignorance and point him in the right direction.
May 12th, 2010 @1:43 pm
The tension on the adjuster nut is practically perfect- only just tight. I’ve been using my beater for a couple of days while I’m respraying Wasp. “Project Pug” has an old gel saddle which is reasonably comfy but isn’t as nice to sit on as the leather, so the brooks is on Pug for the time being (and the wheels from wasp made it too cos I prefer fixed over free now).
I keep bumping into the local cycle club atm- well I say bumping into. I see them in a big bunch, obviously pacing themselves on their lightweight £3k race bikes, as I fly past on my £400 self built fixie. Oh how I laugh as I hear repeated clicks and clunks of gears changing as they try to keep up!
May 12th, 2010 @2:01 pm
Great, I don’t miss the sound of a derailer at all. Don’t miss looking down trying to figure out what gear it made it into or not.
May 12th, 2010 @2:31 pm
Cloggy; That’s a courgette in the pot, Tomatoes in the grow bag above. Taxis used to have Austin engines in the old days, I think. God knows what they run with now.Probably something far eastern.Asbadasitcouldpossiblybewiththeexceptionofbeingbuiltbygabe has a bit of a harsh rear end. May be rectified by fitting larger section tyres. I intend using it as a paths and pub bike mainly anyway. Afew pints and some sticky mud should help slow the waspman up a bit. Damn fool is too young and strong to keep up with on the black stuff sometimes. haha.
May 12th, 2010 @4:07 pm
OK what is a courgette, do you smoke it or eat it? Too bad you can’t grow lager and lime. How about hops ? When do you get the denim saddle for your Gabrieleske bike ?
May 13th, 2010 @2:44 pm
You’d call then zuccini. Long,green bit like a cucumber. Saddle will have to wait til tuesday. It may have to wait longer than that if I get co-opted to go kill brambles at my step daughters.Got a lot of driving about on Saturday and a race to marshal in the afternoon.
May 15th, 2010 @6:09 pm
Still no sign of project pug, damn it. resubmitted today so fingers crossed.
Saw some SWEET bikes today, but none were fixed. Al, Nat (his actual son) and I were helping marshall a 10mile tt near us. About 200 riders on mainly carbon frames with aerospoke fronts and disc rears, or both aeros. All very nice bikes, even the racing tandems with tri-spoke aeros front and rear.
I love seeing components being used exactly what they are designed for
May 23rd, 2010 @2:03 am
Sorry not Zefal. It’s Soma that do the chrome jobs. Found them on Sheldon Brown.
May 29th, 2010 @8:41 pm
I gotta get me 1 of these!!!
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I am joking by the way.
May 29th, 2010 @8:54 pm
My kinda toNew From ShelBroCo!
Sheldon
Brown Proudly
Presents:
The Ultimate Torque Wrench
Note: Conventional torque wrenches only work with expensive socket wrenches, and usually only with one size of those. Not so with the new TORK-GRIP Universal Torque Wrench!
This tool is complete all by itself, and will attach firmly to any non-recessed fastener, nut or bolt.
Compatible With All Of Your Existing Fastener Tools!
For recessed fasteners, such as recessed crank bolts, Allen bolts of all sorts, Phillips and slotted-head screws, the TORK-GRIP Universal Torque Wrench can grab onto any 1/4″, 3/8″, 1/2″ or even 3/4″ drive socket, any Allen wrench, or any screwdriver-type handle!
An Indispensible Tool for All Bicycle Repairs
It is well known that it is absolutely impossible to do any bicycle repair more complicated than oiling the chain without a torque wrench.
Unfortunately, the old-fashioned torque wrenches available in the past have been useless by themselves, requiring an expensive set of ratchet socket wrenches to make them work. Not so with the revolutionary TORK-GRIP Universal Torque Wrench! Fully compatible with S.A.E., Metric, Whitworth systems!
“Real World” ® Calibrations!
Not visible on the prototype shown in the photo, the TORK-GRIP Universal Torque Wrench features the Real World ® calibration system!
Old-fashioned torque wrenches from our pitiful competitors are calibrated in meaningless numbers. The TORK-GRIP Universal Torque Wrench, however is clearly marked in easily understandable calibration marks instead:
Inertial Impact Alignment Tool
Works as an inertial impact alignment tool (also known as a “hammer”), too! The TORK-GRIP Universal Torque Wrench is a solid, hefty tool, and can serve as a hammer in case of need. If the bulk of the tool itself isn’t sufficient for your hammering needs, you can clamp any heavy metal object into its powerful curved jaws to increase its heft and hitting power!
Great for Self Defense Too!
The TORK-GRIP Universal Torque Wrench is also extremely useful in medium-duty hand-to-hand combat, due to its superior reach and ruggedness. You can even clamp a knife blade into the jaws when needed for that extra “edge” over your opponent.
The Inventor of the TORK-GRIP Universal Torque Wrench,
Real MAN Saddles, Symmetrispokes, the Geomagnetic Booster, and
POWerwheels, Sheldon “Genius, But Modest” Brown
George Brown photo
Order Yours Today!!!
This product is so new that we have not yet determined the actual retail price. Whatever it turns out to be, you’ll certainly want at least one. Send us your actual credit card (not just the number!) along with a sample signature, and when the price has been finalized, we’ll charge your card accordingly.
TORK-GRIP Universal Torque Wrenches are not available in any store,
only on the Internet!
Unconditional Lifetime Guarantee!!!*
*Guaranteed for the life of the tool, or two weeks, whichever comes first. This guarantee does not apply to any TORK-GRIP Universal Torque Wrenches that has been used in the inertial impact alignment tool mode, nor to any that has been used on fasteners not specifically designed for the TORK-GRIP Universal Torque Wrenche, nor for any TORK-GRIP Universal Torque Wrench that has been dropped from more than 18 inches. Void where prohibited, prohibited where void, keep away from children and animals, use only with adequate ventilation. Note: Misuse of this product may lead to death or even serious injury!
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Fine ShelBroCo Products:
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May 29th, 2010 @10:52 pm
Haha.
June 20th, 2010 @7:33 pm
damn
June 23rd, 2010 @9:17 pm
Oh. My. God. I must have one. Can I just give you direct access to my bank account to speed delivery. Actually! Can I buy stock?
June 27th, 2010 @6:49 pm
Ask the man Sheldon. Only he alone knows.
June 28th, 2010 @10:44 pm
that shiv looks like an imperial stormtroopers weekend bike,if I were a speeder bike rider I would paint my speeder those colors,pimp my speeder
June 30th, 2010 @9:50 pm
http://espn.go.com/action/bmx/blog/_/post/5342677
July 1st, 2010 @3:29 am
as much as love my this is why i can’t get down w/ the nyc fixed crowd notice the glaring lack of hot girls this is horrible
http://prollyisnotprobably.com/2010/06/2010_bicycle_film_festival_nyc.php
July 4th, 2010 @12:09 am
Anyone see the prologue? Your boy Lance did well to get 3rd. They have over 200k to ride today. C’mon The Tour!!!
July 10th, 2010 @5:48 pm
Any reason why all the top bike votes went to 6.66?
July 11th, 2010 @5:09 pm
oh and BTW -the BFF in NYC this year was fantastic – especially the outdoor day. And it’s MUCH more of a trickster feet than a fix fest, even if you couldn’t find a rear brake if you killed someone. And yes, very few hotties. Perfect 80 degree day on east 3rd sweet was a great way to spend a Saturday (it was pissing in recent years). And frankly there were some really amazing truck riders.
—
Oh and 6.66?
July 11th, 2010 @5:11 pm
^^^
oops -*trick* riders – even if they were jumping into a U-haul…
July 11th, 2010 @5:28 pm
Hi Fabbio. I admire thos stunt riders. Never had the balls for tricks myself. Seeing how far I could lean the bike at speed on a wet corner is thrill enough for me. You watching the tour or isn’t it the thing?
July 12th, 2010 @4:46 pm
I love the Tour – even if the slightly lower key aspect of the Giro d’Italia makes the Tour a second love (and it doesn’t seem to help that it conflicted with the World Cup). I agree – I have no balls for tricks. As I was watching these guys I was thinking about how many times they must have biffed to actually nail some of the tricks. Amazing to watch and the cool thing about the BFF is that you are right ontop of them. It is SO well organized.
July 22nd, 2010 @12:16 am
bloody ozzies headbutting our kiwi rider.
July 22nd, 2010 @1:05 am
fab was almost perfect timing with world cup unless like me you watched it @ various bars/parties/living rooms drinking ale/lager/rum/vodka a month of that would required a break def. slowed my enthusism. btw giro’s a great race little brother to the tour
July 25th, 2010 @1:38 am
Hi All,
Not wanting to dissuade any of you from commenting on My Fixed Gear, as it’s your comments and discussions that make this site great. However I’ve set up simple news sharing site/message board that you may find more useful for general bike chatter than this unofficial message board.
http://www.PedalJunction.com (I know some of you are already members – thanks) allows you to quickly and easily post topics//bike news/links and also tag your post. You can comment on posts as well as voting posts up and down.
Of course, if you’d like to continue using this unofficial message board for random bike stuff, please do, but hopefully you’ll find Pedal Junction more flexible and useful for that sort of thing.
Thanks,
My Fixed Gear team
July 31st, 2010 @7:26 pm
Question:
I want to have my bike re-painted soon and I want the lugs chromed. Does this mean sanding the entire frame, then chroming the entire frame, taping off the desired areas, and then painting over everything else?
Also, can badges be taken off and re-applied? I’m not sure what’s held it on for over 30 years but I’d hate to take it off for the painting and break it in the process.
August 2nd, 2010 @7:51 pm
how do we add a profile picture to our name?
August 2nd, 2010 @9:22 pm
Fab, just in case you don’t see the answer on Troy’s track post, here’s the website for the profile pic:
http://en.gravatar.com/
Just sign up for an account with the same email address you use here. Now all of the bases should be covered
August 3rd, 2010 @5:15 am
you are awesome CS – thanks mate
August 3rd, 2010 @8:56 pm
why isn’t pedal junction getting any love?
August 3rd, 2010 @10:33 pm
I tried to register yesterday seeing that this message board was a pain in the ass and that no one read it. But I still haven’t received the authorization from the admin. So….I’m kind of dead in the water. If I don’t get it tomorrow, maybe I’ll try a different login, etc.
August 5th, 2010 @6:20 pm
Drew. Chroming is expensive. The frame needs to be shot blasted then dipped to apply the chrome(often over a coat of copper to give better adhesion) The more chrome you want, the dearer it gets. Then the areas you want to remain chrome have to be masked up for the spraying process. Undercoat, baking, topcoat,baking,clear laquer, baking. It takes a bit of time, but done well, the results will draw glances. Head badges are usually held on with a couple of rivets on older frames, or glue with the newer stuff, since glues have got better and it’s less time,less processes and therefore cheaper. Let’s face it. All these companies are trying to find any way to simplify and cheapen what they do and make a buck. Has to be that way or they go to the wall and jobs go too. And you’re left with a product you can’t get parts for when it breaks.
Go for the chrome, but sit down before asking prices. Cheers.
August 5th, 2010 @6:42 pm
I registered with Pedal Junction a couple of days after its creation and was authorized the next day. Maybe they were hard up at that point. Not much action over there. It is hard to switch Churches during the sermon. Some may have been excommunicated. Still a mystery who Jon is.
August 6th, 2010 @12:49 am
Drew – to give you a sense – on chroming a custom fork, I am being the charged the same amount as if I had painted it with two colors. So $50 more than what the same fork would have cost with 1 color.
August 6th, 2010 @12:53 am
While I am here – and I going to post this on both message boards – and IMPLORE Wes – to launch a third – EVEN if I know that Pedal Junction is the future (I am still waiting to be approved…argh).
–
Would people agree that there is something fishy about some of the top rated bikes in our group? 300-500 votes easy on many of them and 700+ on a few? I just do not believe that this number of people has been voting on bikes here. Some of Gabe’s bikes had hundreds of votes, and not a positive comment in the house. Not that I really care because many of these are classic examples or our trade, but I think something isn’t quite right. MORE than happy to hear otherwise. Whattya guys think?
August 12th, 2010 @10:08 pm
I took a couple of pictures of our bike shop tonight. We actually may be moving locations soon so I want to get some documentation of the shop before everything gets sorted out. If you’re interested in taking a peek check the link:
http://picasaweb.google.com/schmitz.chris/TheShop?authkey=Gv1sRgCNqF69u6hJ7C2gE&feat=directlink
August 13th, 2010 @8:50 am
Also, in the pics you can see our stock of rev-x wheels that will NEVER sell b/c of how risky they are
August 13th, 2010 @3:12 pm
@CS- Whoa! you fancy swapping jobs? cos your shop is my bike-addled brain’s idea of heaven! looks like a fun place to work, bits everywhere but kinda organised, loads of frames and misc parts. I could easily walk in, start working on 1 bike, then realise that I’ve lost several months of my life in there. lol
btw, if you need to shift some rev-x wheels, I’d happily take a set- the new olympic track in London is calling me
August 13th, 2010 @4:10 pm
Ha, if you come over here you can work all you want. It’s an all volunteer organization so all are welcome. The time trap is very very real. A lot of times I’ll be down at the shop only intending to stay for an hour or two and end up staying all night. The other nice thing is that we sell everything for ultra cheap and we help people teach people who come in so you can easily build up a decent bike on a budget and get help with it too. It’s been a cool way of helping get our city more into cycling.
Ha, with the overseas shipping I don’t know that they’d be all that cheap. Most things are ultra cheap, but the rev-x are still around 250 each. If you are still interested shoot me an email. I can see what it would take to ship a set over. chris@willcycleforcharity.com
August 13th, 2010 @4:29 pm
Hello There, You may remember me. I posted a few pics of my Bianchi Pista a month or so ago, before my son took it to the Japan high school nationals. The black and celeste one? I posted some pics of it back home but still waiting for it to show. I was poking around and spotted you guys here. Mind if I join you?
August 13th, 2010 @5:07 pm
@CS,holy shit man if I set foot in that shop I would never leave,my family would have to send out a search party,amazing,I can see why you would spend more than an hour or so there,I would be like a kid in a candy store,awesome
August 13th, 2010 @6:01 pm
CS- that’s about 1/4 the retail of over here for an aero
with shipping, I reckon I’d still be getting a bargain
August 13th, 2010 @6:48 pm
been changing my gravatar and cant seem to get diffrent pics up,and I have been clearing my cache,anyone else been havin probs when changing pics?
August 14th, 2010 @6:18 am
Ryan, is the account tied to the same email address you use for your profile on here?
August 15th, 2010 @2:01 pm
yer it is
August 15th, 2010 @6:00 pm
Hello There, You may remember me. I posted a few pics of my Bianchi Pista a month or so ago, before my son took it to the Japan high school nationals. The black and celeste one? I posted some pics of it back home but still waiting for it to show. I was poking around and spotted you guys here. Mind if I join you?
August 15th, 2010 @7:52 pm
I have issues with on some computers and others I don’t.
–
Frank – this is your bike right? http://www.myfixedgear.net/bianchi-pista-3 . lovely if you ask me. I am not sure I get your question but if it’s can you post here, of course you can. Open to all. Probably the only reason most of us are tolerated here anyhoo.
August 15th, 2010 @8:10 pm
@frank, please do join in! I love the pic of the bianchi both on the track and at home.
@Ryan, There is a check link on the gravatar site under your select email thing, have you tried that?
@all, we just had the STL Urban Assualt ride today. It was pretty awesome. Lots of fun and free food and beer is never a bad thing. I’ll post a link once we have pics in.
August 15th, 2010 @8:16 pm
Hey fellerz, I was browsing some vintage single speeds and came across this rare beauty. Can you say rust never looked so good?
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_S-Jgc68F08o/TDxzEC6uIdI/AAAAAAAAAD0/FgYuA9IT8dc/s1600/rusty_3.jpg
August 15th, 2010 @10:49 pm
knogs got locks now, they look cool. i wonder how secure they are though
http://www.selectism.com/news/2010/08/12/knog-bicycle-locks/
August 16th, 2010 @12:59 am
@CS,tried but no go,I may start from scratch soon
August 16th, 2010 @4:34 am
@sup – the hard locks look pretty cool. Hopefully they don’t use circular keys, but I guess all of the lock manufacturers know not to do that now. I’m pretty sure the hard ones would do fine here, I wonder if they’ll cut it in nyc though. Bike theft here is nowhere near as bad here.
Also, did you see the the shop pics I posted a few comments up?
August 16th, 2010 @5:35 am
@CS – killer bike store bro. Really nice – lots of room on the shop floor. I love how functional it looks.
August 16th, 2010 @12:55 pm
@cs just saw the shop i want to jump in there and dig thru all that stuff. what size is that klein frame (attitude race?)btw?
August 17th, 2010 @5:39 am
Thanks Fab and Sup. Yeah we love it. Several of us core volunteers practically live down there considering how much time we spend in the shop.
I haven’t measured the klein but eyeballing it it’s prob a 53 or a 54. The head tube on it is broken (which is why it got donated). There were a lot of good components on it but the frame may be done for. One of the volunteers is trying to do some kind of an epoxy fix to it, but there’s no way you’d catch me riding a post crash jury rigged bike. You’d be riding it all the way to the scene of the next accident!!
It’s hard to see in the pic but there’s a white vintage quinta roo frame right next to the klein. I haven’t measured it yet either, but it looks to be about my size. Now I just need to justify getting another bike and further crowding my living room
August 20th, 2010 @2:35 pm
Hi, I am building my first fixie, and I have all the parts except for a rear wheel, cog, hub. Should I build one or buy one, I really don’t know what to do! What do you guys do when your building a fixie?
August 20th, 2010 @2:45 pm
if all you need is rear wheel,shop around for it.lots of advice here (some of it good)about pitfalls re:chainline,ratios,straps ect.no need to buy other peeps problems just be careful of chainbite-right Wes?
August 20th, 2010 @3:37 pm
yeah, chainbite… -relapses event- How much are u willing to spend on a rear wheel? What purpose is your rear wheel going to accomplish rather then to complete your bike? (i.e. reliability, looks, big baller) First, check Craigslist. good place for cheap parts. you might even score some very expensive wheels for low cost.
August 20th, 2010 @3:50 pm
yes,they MUST match!!LOL.or else.
August 20th, 2010 @3:50 pm
yes,they MUST match!!LOL.or else.
August 20th, 2010 @4:51 pm
else somebody’s guna get a hurt realy bad.
August 20th, 2010 @5:07 pm
Wheels must be round with axle thu the middle with some facility for attatching to the frame, oh and a cog on the back. After that the choice is vast. I ride whatever I can lay my hands on. I don’t get hung up on style or colour. Explains the lack of my bikes in the top tens though. But, on the plus side. They get ridden every day in any weather and they work. I get the feeling some of these bikes on here get a lift home if it looks like rain. Ha,ha.
August 20th, 2010 @7:12 pm
@ Alman: if you have the skills and basic equipment to, you could build a wheel. I want to, but I’m planning to practice on old wheels I have knocking about before I even consider trying to do one for my fixed. There’s such a vast choice of new and used wheels out there, you will probably spend many hours online or trawling local shops until you find what you want.
I got lucky and found a really nice rear wheel for a very decent price, but then spent nearly a month searching for a matching front wheel- I had to get it custom built eventually.
My bikes get used and abused, even raced in the pouring rain if I get the chance, but then again I’m related to Alan
August 20th, 2010 @7:35 pm
I agree with Wes. Craigslist is an incredible resource for second hand parts.
August 23rd, 2010 @8:40 pm
Hey I want to see more of these bad ass bikes I ride by everyday here in Portland. The weather is nice and everyone has dusted off the frames, removed the fenders and is riding in style!! I f’n love Portland!!! I see at least 10 bad-ass fixed gears every day, everyone better than mine. Where are you at? Why am I seeing bikes from here on Pdx’s Craigslist? I’m beginning to see your bikes around town guys!!
Who’s the Cat with the rear brake on his TT near the seat post? I knew that bike look familiar!
August 23rd, 2010 @10:20 pm
I could run the half mile in less time than it takes to scroll down to the bottom of this message board. Regarding rear wheel, if you don’t skid stop and lock it up a 10 speed cassette can be removed and cog screwed on, break and adjust chain length and give it a go.
September 1st, 2010 @11:50 am
Hey im trying to Trade my Thomson Seatpost and Stem… I have a Thomson Elite Setback Seatpost in black (31.6 i think) and a Thomson X2 90mm Stem.
Id like a straight seatpost and a shorter stem. Let me know…
kevine17@hotmail.com
September 22nd, 2010 @6:45 pm
6 bikes posted on 16 Sept. and none since that date. Somethings not working .
September 22nd, 2010 @7:51 pm
Yes Wood. I agree. I sometimes wonder if we have broken MFG. I became restless and visited other sites.
September 22nd, 2010 @11:52 pm
Im not clued up on storage space on sites,could there be too much pictures,you know like how you can have so much on Dropbox,but I aint a copuda gek so dont really know
September 22nd, 2010 @11:53 pm
I better save all the bike pics I like before sumink happens
January 10th, 2011 @8:52 am
it’s Monday,snowing a ton,stuck in the studio and the internet is going in and out,coffee is terrible.sucks squared.thanks for sharing. oh I might have a line on a Steel Bianchi for coaster project.if it ever stops snowing.blaaa.
January 10th, 2011 @8:54 am
it’s Monday,snowing a ton,stuck in the studio and the internet is going in and out,coffee is terrible.sucks squared.thanks for sharing. oh I might have a line on a Steel Bianchi for coaster project.if it ever stops snowing.blaaa.
January 11th, 2011 @6:41 am
My Daughter in Atlanta has 5.5 inches of snow and ice. Nothing is open as of yesterday and nothing much is moving. She says they only plow the majors. You need studded snow it sounds like. I need them too but only 1 inch of snow down. Even 1 inch can be slick if packed and polished and too cold for the wretched chemical to work. It a few miles a bike can look like a mess and in a few weeks the chain is rusty ad stiff. Need lots of lub and paper towels etc. enjoy the view out the window Slowmensh.
January 11th, 2011 @8:29 am
rained on top of the snow!Froze!Slick as a NYC lawyer.Not on the meno when I moved here.yuck!
January 11th, 2011 @7:40 pm
No Sweat, chances are in 5 or 7 days it will be gone and We in the Chicago area will get more and it will stick around for 6 or 7 more WEEKS. enjoy the beach soon. ( get a trike with studded snows if it doesn’t melt in 6 days )
March 27th, 2011 @3:56 pm
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hrqv qzksr [URL=http://www.amateurporn234.com]Little bitch Dayhsha gets bush hammered[/URL] yhjmgw g cf z mqw
July 10th, 2011 @7:15 pm
Toe overlap, anyone get into real trouble making a turn in traffic and get all crossed up. I thought I had it under control and learned to live with it…
July 15th, 2011 @7:46 pm
Heads up shop jocks-question for ya all!Have they changed the way that Bottom brackets are measured? My measure comes out at 107mm .Manufacturer recommends 120mm. This looks like an end to end measure,mine is contact to contact area on the square. Been a while since I bought a BB(did you know they don’t have loose balls anymore LOL). So I want to get the right width.Thanks
July 15th, 2011 @7:49 pm
What kind of crankset slo?
July 16th, 2011 @9:55 am
most likely some generic.the only specs so far are new,square taper,144 bdc(so I can use the Campy copy rings I’ve had hanging around for years) and under a hundred bills(art market is in the crapper here. No Pistas in my near future). Building a servicable,no frills,multi purpose-coaster,fixed,SS-on a budget. This measuring thing has got me postal-senior moment? It won’t be lugged-old school-clssic,well maybe a little. Cartridge BB’s are new to me-don’t laugh-.
July 21st, 2011 @2:29 pm
I would think the manufacture would give you all the dimensions. end to end and thread start and stop etc. When you buy a window they give you the rough opening and finish and width etc. Any shops around ? bring your micrometer and boley gauge and measure it up. As for me give me loose balls and leave it at that. By the way, the Archives have been purged here. Bob Jackson ? Raleigh Pathracer, Instant Karma, can not find them today.
July 21st, 2011 @2:38 pm
ya WSB,loose balls are the way to go-especially in hot weather. Think I have it figured thanks to a reread of Brown and the tranquility of Jose. Slowed down,remeasured,thought ,drank,drank some more and sanity returned. Just overthinking it I think I think Thanks.
July 21st, 2011 @2:40 pm
Oh ya the archives are shortened aren’t they? So Mongrel is safe from the snipers and nerdowells.
July 21st, 2011 @2:49 pm
Jose Cuervo ? Medicine they tell me. I more of a Beer person Pilsner Urquell and such.
July 27th, 2011 @6:57 pm
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August 2nd, 2011 @11:30 pm
I rate bikes drunk
November 23rd, 2011 @8:41 am
Jeez,we rally need a fresh mess board. maybe for Christmas? Anyway,off to the feast and Happy Thanksgiving to all. And thanks to MFG folks.
November 23rd, 2011 @9:39 am
Good call. Thanks to those who run this inspiring site.
November 28th, 2011 @1:12 pm
Hi! I know Sloman called for a fresh message board, but I’m not sure how to accomplish that, so I’ll just add this question…
Has anyone heard of the Magneet bikes? Apparently they were made in Holland and were bought by Batavus back in the 60′s.
I saw a Sprint model in a thrift store for $20–I’m thinking either convert to a fixie, or restore to the original.
What are your thoughts?
January 1st, 2012 @12:20 pm
Well,any interesting resolutions? One of mine is no more E-BAY. Everything comes out of LBS(if 20 miles can be considered local).Everything! LBSs will be gone if we aren’t careful. Yes,some deserve it but most are OK. Have a new one in town that doesn’t seem to suck even if they don’t carry Bianchi.I only buy parts so service doesn’t matter too much.
January 2nd, 2012 @8:28 pm
hi to all at http://www.myfixedgear.net i thought i had sent this newyears eve but it didnt send so i have sent it again happy new year to you all
– matt-gent
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