Compelled to post this because:

“Sometimes the cosmic tumblers turn just right and the universe opens to possibilities never before imagined.”

So I met some of the kids from Outlier on Friday, then I found out they sponsor the blog Prolly is Not Probably, that has a weekly “Merckx Monday” post. Just seemed like a lot of coincidences related to a tiny little niche that my life is in.

Relatedly, it feels great to be back on my Merckx, getting “nice bike, man” hollar’d at me in the street again.

The frame is a 57cm lugged DBS (Den Beste Sykkel – “The Best Bike”) which is a well known Norwegian bike maker. This frame however is an “Internazionale,” an early 80′s made in Italy limited edition. The frame was made by Daccordi and has Daccordi dropouts.

The components are as follows:

Handlebar: TTT Grand Prix
Stem: TTT
Brakes: Campagnolo single pivot (front & back)
Brake levers: Shimano 105
Cranks: Shimano (42t)
Bottom Bracket: Shimano Dura Ace
Front Wheel: Campagnolo hub, MA40 rim
Rear Wheel: Surly flip-flop hub, Mavic Opensport rim (Handbuilt new in June 2009, at Cykel City Stockholm)
Cog: Surly (16t)
Saddle: Avocet Racing
Tires: Michelin Erilium 2
Pedals: Crank Brothers Mallet

Please Note: Bike includes Kryptonite New York City U-lock w/3 keys.

This bike is available for immediate pickup or delivery in the greater Stockholm area, price: 2800kr.

More Pics Here & here!

Pass this post to your friends!

In 1903 the Wright brothers flew for a few seconds in a heavier than air craft of their own design. They worked outside of typical aeronautics thought, reworking and recalculating established thought. The wooden propeller they developed, hand hewn from laminated wood, was 83% efficient. Modern Propellers, the most advanced among them, are a mere 2 percent more efficient. The Wrights had no computer models, no expensive wind tunnel testing facilities. They were just bike mechanics from Ohio with some spare time on their hands.

In the early days of the century, racers looked down on 3 speed hubs and derailleurs with pulleys. It was thought that the bend in the chain and the rotation of the pulley wheel added friction (with requisite loss of efficiency) to the chain. 3 speed hubs, with their complex internal workings, were indeed less efficient than derailleurs, although they certainly had advantages including a straight chain-line, sealed against the elements, no derailleur to snap off. Fortunately this paranoia of friction had some good outcomes: the invention of the quick release (to change cogs in the back by flipping from one fixed gear to another) and time. Time for the tourists to perfect and explore the concept of multispeed shifting without the undue influence of racing.  Racers in those days prized simplicity and low friction over all other factors.  They were willing to sacrifice ease of use, smooth shifting, and even low weight in this quest for the cleanest, slickest (friction-wise) and more durable gear changing equipment.  This often lead to ridiculous shiftering systems like the Campagnolo Paris Roubaix, the Vittoria Margeita, and the Egg Super Champion.  In fact, there were numberous durable, low friction derailluers on the market, being used by tourists daily.  These cyclotouriste derailleurs saw a range of conditions, and endured incredible distances.  The Cyclo Standard was used on four and seven thousand mile tours, with only oiling and adjustments needed.

Interestingly, hub gears have regressed in efficiency over the years: pre WWII Sachs 3 speed hubs, lubricated with oil have an efficiency of around 95% averaged across the 3 speeds. Contemporary hubs are about 3 percent less efficient. Oddly, the Rolhoff, with its precision machining, is only 88% efficient on average. (Berto, The Dancing Chain: 351-352)  This is mainly because of the sheer number of planetary gears it contains.

Tourists, from say, 1900-1985, knew another established fact of efficiency that has been lost to contemporary cyclists: Bigger cogs are more efficient. The current trend towards eleven and twelve tooth rear sprockets not only prematurely wears chains down (and cassettes and chainrings by default) but also has an adverse effect on efficiency. 12 tooth cogs are 2-3 percent less effiencent than 14 tooth cogs. This is why the old french tourists ran 14-16 tooth cogs as thier smallest cogs in the back.  The current micro-drive rage has come to its logical conclusion in the world of the BMX drivetrain.  Eight tooth cogs and 22 tooth sprockets are the norm on contemporary bikes, and the resulting strains on the chains is seen in the ridiculously overbuilt chains that are needed to withstand the added stress.

plus they found someone who did one better than my broken and repaired record rear mech:

Bicycle Ambulance

the apex of synergy between classic and high-tech!!

check it out at velo orange and velo news.
(unfortunately they opted out of the extra set of seatstays of the true mixte.)

Ultimate Collection?

Here’s a teaser pic.

The best part was when the offending employee came in to install some tape on the bars so he could go for a quick ride…., it took him over an hour to remove all the newly installed safety features.

I don’t think I’ve ever had so much fun putting reflectors on a bike.