Ride Lugged

so, i just sent a letter to rob, which he will get in a few days.  see, i do this thing.  where normal people day dream about new kitchen floors, dream vacations, hot dudes or girls, piles of money, ect, i day dream about building rad bikes for people i know.  i take into account everything i know about that person, ie daniel hates maintenance, so his bikes have to be overbuilt, with sealed bearings, and tough wheels, ect.  mark rides with finesse and likes very simple parts, like sugino cranks and 90s diacompe cantis.  john needs tandem quality stuff, he keeps knackering rear wheels, so i would say john’s ideal custom bike would have 145mm rear spacing and a tandem 40 hole hub, laced up with a mavic touring rim and xl 14 spokes.  obviously all of this is beyond anyone i know’s financial reach.  its just for fun.  sometimes i write it down.  i have done so on this blog, even.  it’s probally boring to most people.  but i am facinated by not only the beauty and quality of the possible materials, but also by how inexpensive the perfect bike generally is, in comparison, to say, a high end look frame with dura ace parts, and carbon wheels.  the obvious difference being that my build outs are theoretically meant to last for years, while the 8000 dollar Look is built for a season.

Anyway, as I said, I actually do this for my friends, or people I know, more than I do it for myself.  I have designed lots of bikes for starmer, a few for mark, 1 for john, ect.  The person I have been designing the longest for is starmer, and in fact, he comes closest to actually having built some of my designs.  (his cove, a chunky canadian freeridish bike is still going strong, despite the fact that my build ideas were less than fantastic at the time) his current ghetto white trek hybrid to crappy touring bike conversion works fine, although he wasnt into the moustache bars.  Here is my latest starmer dream bike.  its not his dream, its mine, but with him in mind, ie tough no nonsense parts, standardized everything, so that replacements are easy.  comfortable riding position with plenty of low gears, strong brakes that are easy to adjust, integrated lighting, and versatility.

here it is, my first ‘link bike’ list, so you can see what all the nah nah is about.

Frame:  Waterford lugged.  Fast turnaround, simple lines, fully customizable geometry.  I would say:  72/72 angles, 80mm bb drop, long ass chain stays, 3 water bottle cages, mounted low, clearance for 37mm tires and fenders, canti posts, eyelets for racks and fenders, 47mm fork rake.  lightish tubing, but touring solid.  $2200 ish depending on details, like paint.  Paint recommendation:  black with cream panels.

Headset:  King.  No nonsense, I know he likes them, environmentally friendly, last forever.   $125

Stem:  Nitto technomic delux.  Same as above.  Light, strong, not bad looking, japanese precision.  $44

Nitto Noodle, 46cm.  Has ‘em already, they are plenty stong and good looking.  $60

Levers:  This is a hard one.  I dont really know what he thinks of his tektro campy knockoff.  I personally like the feel of 80s levers, and also their ease of maintance: non aero levers are easy to replace cables on.  I would recommend some diacompe gran compe levers.  They are classy, drilled, and have built in barrel adjusters.  Couldnt find a direct picture, but these suntour levers, if they, uh, had hoods, round drill holes, and barrel adjusters, plus a nicer finish, would be dead ringers.   $40ish

Bar Tape.  This is easy.  Brooks leather.  Dont even ask why. cause you knows why. $80

While we are up front:

Front Rack.  He doesnt have one now, but everyone needs one, really.  Also a good place to mount a light or 3.  Nitto’s are light, elegant, and strong.  I’ll pick the Nitto m-12 because it is even lighter than the others, and has a fender mounting spot.  $60

Need a light or two for that, eh?  The german schmitt e-6 light goes nicely with a generator hub.  Need a switched version, no big deal.  $109

Why not have a back up light, or a light to turn on when you really dont want the marginal extra drag of the hub.  The B and M Ixon is bright enough to climb with, and fairly light.  It can mount on the other side of the rack.  $130

Need a bag for that rack.  I find my Ostrich bag a bit bulky and too large.  Then again, Bertound bags are way expensive.  How about a Rivendell Lil’ Loafer. Downside: you can’t stick a map in it too well.   $80

Bells are bling  $16

Seat post: I think starmer needs setback.  A nitto s 83 should do nicely.  $65

Saddle.  he likes his b-17 champion.  Just needs anouther, for this project.  $100

Saddle Bag: his carradice is nice, but not super classy.  Why not go the full potato with a nigel smyth country bag. (thats it on the back, sorry best photo i could get) More room for sundries, more bling for the ladies.  $170

Fenders:  Honjo extra long, smooth.  Hammered just seems to bling for starmer, and I dont mean that in a bad way.  $80

Wheels:  I love freewheel hubs, but I bet starmer just wants no nonsense good hubs that are easily serviced.  I’d say White Industries Racer X rear hub, which comes apart easily, and can take upgraded enduro max bearings, to last forever $150.  Shimano Ultegra level dynamo hub up front $90.  Rims:  something burly, like a mavic 36 hole touring rim, say the mavic open sport $65.  Spokes are always XL14s, unless its a race bike.  then maybe sapim cx-rays.  $80

Tires:  He’s riding 35mm Paselas now.  Lets just upgrade to Gran Bois Cypres tires, 700/30mm.  Lighter, potentially faster.  $120

Cassette: 7spd Shimano joint.  Last forever.  heavy though.  13/34 mega range.  Ugly but brutally effective.  $30

Chain.  Sram PC 68.  Nicest 8spd chain outside of the rohloff.  $34

Rear Mech:  Vintage 1990s XTR long cage.  Not bad looking, bomb proof, kinda affordable.  $60ish

Ft Mech:  Shimano double ultegra.  No nonsense, works on a wide range double.  $50

Cranks:  White Industries Road cranks.  46/26 gearing is highly versatile and still leaves you with a low Q.  $220

BB:  Phil, I guess.  Maybe an SKS, but the Phil I have works great, although it costs more than 4 shimano XT bbs put together.  $130

Rear Rack:  Park Silver Hupe (30), to support the country bag.

Sundries:  Blackburn frame pump (30), King Cages(30).

Grand total:  4510.  I always go overbudge, ie underestimate.  I bet incidentals would run anouther 50-100, plus shipping would be from 100-200.  Obviously, going with say, a Rivendell Saluki, or a Gunnar frame, would save almost 1000 dollars, with little compromise.  But this is a dream build, without regard to cost, and look how cheap it came out.  I mean, a look 585, with a fairly basic ultegra kit, costs over 5200 dollars.  The 585 isnt even look’s highest end frame.  Its not even its second highest end frame.  You dont get a pump, lights, bags, racks or fenders for that price.

Wow, that was a huge pain in the ass to compile.  Starmer, this is in no way supposed to be a pressure move for you to go out and drop a shit load of cash.  I just do this for fun, and I thought i’d share.  That’s it yo!

so here is my super quick guide to bike lighting, not really for you to read now, but more so you can ref it later, when i link to it and yeah.

our rambles end in the dark or the dusk, as a rule. people dont believe me when i say a ride is going to last 7 hours, even if it is only a 45 mile ride. you see, we eat, pant, bitch, get flats, warm up and freeze, and all that takes time. plus we are all slower than a potatoe growing spuds in a paper bag, so, we ride along at 6.2 mph, on average.

so: lighting. i think i am going to require it. because if anyone got smooshed on one of my rides i’d feel bad. and i’d have to scrape your brain up and put it in my sigg. and siggs are pricey.

next ride we do, you gotta have a head light and a tail light. one that you can actually see with. that means not a light that you cant see with. whats that mean? you need more than 1 watt o’ power, led or halogen. Also, tail lights. get a big bright one. those little watch battery ones dont crank out the jams.

what works? on the cheap and crappy end, those cateye halogen joints that eat batteries (the HL-MC200 is 2.4 watts and costs less than 20 bucks. get two?) on the high end of the led world, b and m’s new ixon light looks ugly, but is reportedly quite bright.  i have ridden with the cat eye el 50o, its better than most, but you need two to really see.  also, eats batteries.

up front, if you make, say 75000 dollars a year and have no constituents, and say, need a new front wheel, get a generator hub and halogen headlight.  super bright, on when you need it off when you dont.  90 for the hub, 40 for spokes, 30-90 for a rim, 30 for the headlight.

right.  so around back…  cat eye’s TL-LD1000 is retardedly bright, ask rob.  not that he uses one.  but his wife does.  cheaper but still good is the hasselhoff approved tl ld600.  its half the cost but bizarrely ugly and bulky.  which would explain why mark uses one.  planet bike also makes the ugly but brightest of the bright ’super flash’ supposedly the only tail light visible in the day time, and at night visi up to a mile.  30 bones to not get run over not bad…

if you do the generator thing, i can help, i’ve set up half a dozen different styles.  leave a comment and i’ll help you out.

Here’s my scoot, a semi-ridiculous ride of a fixie…
So I got this frame from John, who got it from me, who got it from Mark, who got it from Brandon…and who knows where it came from before that. I added some parts from a 80’s lugged Giant road bike and some parts from Mark and Casey. I had the rear wheel and the tires and the super comfy seat and brake levers/pads. Check it out… it rides really nice, no matter how kooky it looks.

I’m running a 80’s BMX lever through some cable that Wienmann made for Dia-Compe in 86′ and into a 70’s Dura Ace caliper with brake pads that Kool Stop made for Skyway in 87′. The seat is circa 1984. It’s fine for about 20 miles or so…and then it sucks.
I’m told I get lots of shit for having only a rear brake on a fixie…but it’s functional.
I enjoy this bike immensely and ride it all over the place now.
Including 50 mile rides that Casey comes up with.
With a Brooks saddle though.
Q

This about sums it up.

There was also some of this.

I am required to complete a ‘personal project’ on a non-academic topic that is of interest to me. I have always enjoyed woodworking and design, so I decided to build a functional wooden bicycle.

Notice how they don’t show him actually riding this death trap. You do have to appreciate the wooden ratchet and chain though.

maybe this will tempt you all into coming!

OK not only do i wanna know who is coming to the ride so i can make spoke cards, but christine wantsta know so she can make grub for post ride consumption.  So, um, 2 people so far have let me know.  Everyone else get up on it.  Leave a comment.  Yeah, Nah, or ProbablAH.

hey i am starting a music blog.  its going to be sort of like this joint, but with less bike references.  actually what i mean is, i hope to run it as a collective.  get lots of contributors, so lots of people roll through.  i want to cover the following genres: not shitty folk, bluegrass, hip hop that doesnt suck, punk they dont play on the radio, indie that contains no tight pants, electronic shit, jazz, soul, and some other shit that doesnt include christian rock, top 40 gospel, toby keith or any of his brethern, ect.

it will be super easy to contribute, thanks to starmer’s ingeniousness.  maybe it will become rad enough to warrent its own domain name and spin of merch.  get on it nick!

the address, for now:  broknrecord.wordpress.com 

i’ll be posting content tonite and tomarrow, a bit.  let me know what you think.  I havnt (starmer hasnt) hacked a way to let you down load the content yet, but maybe this will give you inspiration on bands to support and or steal from.  maybe we’ll make a monthly newsletter.

i want to say, emphatically, that this doesnt mean i will be writting less for this blog, as some of you might have been hoping.  fuck you and the horse you rode in on.

see you on side B.

Photos that bring me back to 3rd Grade that I have been ‘working’ on recently.

I wont provide lengthy explanations, because I think it’s all pretty self explanatory, ya know. Everything is availible for sale or trade, as per usual. More or less name your price, as if you want to hang any of this on your wall.  These have proved oddly popular on Flickr, although I am not sure why, except that people seem to like mini things, and apparently photos of mini amputees.

They have morbid titles and everything.  I think you can click on them and it takes you to flickr, but if not, here is the linktion.