f___ all the cool kids

Get a load of this:

on account of I loves me a mixte, even without the (requisite for "real" mixte status in my book, and that's the one that counts) twin lateral stays. Just check it. Locked by the front wheel only, the 1982 Ocean Pacific color scheme, worst possible rear brake cable routing, the bargain knobbies with crazy tread for days, the hoopty seat, and the jury-rigged basket. I love it!



Then it was back to the salt mines, and dealing with The Public. I am constantly amazed by my capacity to be amazed at the state of folks' bikes when they bring them in for repair. I mean, the triathaletes will hand you a bike covered in sugary drink residue and piss! like it ain't no thing. For real. I have caught on to that one, and now politely require they clean their own piss off the bike. But covered in dog hair, feathers, cobwebs, and real live spiders is pretty regular.

I hadda charge this guy for time spent cleaning his crappy bikes. If any of you buffers (keep the customers and rentals away from me so I can do work) are reading this today, I better not catch you waiving this charge because you are soft...


 Walk back out for a coffee, and:

on to the next one. Amazing. Wacky. I heart the shitty, townie mixtes all day long.

introducing the completely new

No, really. Dangit, I'm missing interbike this year. You know, on account of stuff. So. Seeing as how I'm currently- like, right now- missing out on being drunk way too early in the day for other peoples' comforts and then going on to make a ass of myself, I figure I'll point out some things I would have pointed out while hooting appreciatively and rummaging around in my truck tarp materialed bag for another ice cold beer.

1st up- we've all already seen Surly's 29+ Krampus. I'm skeptical of the 1x drivetrain's usefulness overall, but I know and am sure it is a fun bike to ride. Perfect for demoing while loaded, anyhow. Sad to miss it.

2ndly- crashing the tent at Surly during Dirt Demo has been a fine waste of time. Lots of beers and shittalking. I lik that.

Also- reaching overload with the above and wandering boozily with an eye to demoing some of the more frivolous/far-fetched wares. Like the strider bike, etc. Rallying same in ill-advised conditions.

WTF?!?! Raleigh has a drop bar mixte in my size?!? With painted to match fenders and a Brooks Swift?!? I continue to be impressed with the clear and present sensibility and True Bike Love evinced by those guys. Commitment to maintaining their (our) glorious steel heritage and whatnot. And since I am not wearing my bike shop employee hat at the moment, I am at liberty to divulge that all that carbon fibre bullshit that you want so much is throwaway- and we both know it. Ah. Feels good to be able to say that instead of smile and nod. Thanks to Bikes For The Rest Of Us for pointing out the mixte (in my size?!?! Nobody ever makes one above a 58.) and sparking in my black and shriveled heart a shiny flame of love. I really want that bike. I would have relished the opportunity to wax on about it to the Raliegh folks. Nice work, people.

 And, obviously, whatever new newness I don't know about already from the computer. Looking around at whatever catches my eye.

I don't really care about road discs, but it would have been useful to see what's going to be rammed down our throat in the next model year.

Someone would have had a bottle of rye, and that's worth looking into as well.

People complain about interbike being in Vegas, but I relish it. C'mon, it's once a year seeing old friends and blowing out the pipes. Oh! how I mean that. And on that note, it would have been nice to attend the underbike party, especially seeing as how it has come around to the Double Down- a quality dive, of which my last memory is being escorted out the door with my arm bent back during a forced moment of clarity. Good Times.

Mostly, it would have been nice to see those of y'all I only ever see there. Hi! I apologize. Have fun, ride hard, be safe.

Licensed to ill?

It is as if "they" have reached into my dreammind and brought out a picture of my deepest bicycle desires...

photo from SOMA Fabrications via the flik'r mixte group pool

BRASS FENDERS?!?!?!?!?!?!? Are you kidding me?
I didn't...well, yes-but...when....who distributes....

The fenders are tagged as Tanaka, but my searches have come up with naught. Someone help me realize my dreams of the Big Time, and all my dreams will come true. I'll be happy at last.

down with a sickness

The sickness of needing a new bike.







WANT, WANT, WANT. That Rivendell is hitting me where it hurts.

I may have mentioned before that I loves the mixtes. Well, it is true. And even though I think 650b is a STUPID idea (Ok if you are trying to make a 700c more useable- you know with a real tire, not some 23 booshee- then yeah, I can see it has a place. New bikes built around it? WHY?!? Just more incompatibility. If you have some techy opinion backed up by careful internet research, keep it to your gay forum, ok?)...still, a mixte that would actually fit me? Without some hoopty mile of seat post/stem flexing it ever which way? That will be priced at a reasonable (the Gloriuses are pretty and all, but dang! I can't see paying for one) rate? Well, I'm all knotted up over it.

The new Nigel Smythe bag looks pretty (big) tough, too. Apparently there is also an entirely new line coming down the Rivendell pike as well. Again, ouch! me tender bits. Ain't no drag...

And then, there is this guy, from Sartorialist...


Biting my style. Well, except for the hairs.

A quick fix

After the reanimation of L's old Gitane mixte, I rode it yesterday to the parent-teacher conference. The BB was loose as a goose by the time I got home. Adjusted it. Rode it for a quick spin up the hill to some secret dirt today, and it was tight as a _________ (help me out here), and just as sweet. The 40/14 was a change. Climbing the gentle grades was perfect. It's just the right gear for me to feel really on, just the right amount of power required to feel it, not too much. Like Goldilocks. The steeper stuff blew, what with the flex inherent in a too-small 1970s inexpensive unisex (Hey! men ride them in Europe) bicycle coupled with the mutant 250mm 1" stem and wiiiide WTB dirt drops (OG, too.)- but, the steeper stuff is gonna blow regardless of the gear, so I'm golden. Getting off and shuffling along is not hurting my pride. The 700/37 Paselas run at maybe 70psi added their proven touch of cushy goodness, but the forgotten gem...The Brooks B66(6)...Wow. I'd forgotten how sprung-what?sprung this thing is. Riding the Peugot was an exercise in delicacy from day one due to the crappy 7/8" pipe. No longer. The Reanimator was rock steady and smoooooth. Wow. I am stoked on this "new" rig. It's got possibilities, man. I am stating for certain here and now: If I don't break this between now and then, look for this bike at CCCX 2008 Cross Races near you. And I do mean "look out", cuz I'll have a hard time stopping or turning real sharp.

So there's that. I had the B66 from then, were I to purchase something along those (effing smooth- serious comparison to full suspension in both feel and weight penalty) lines now, I'd opt for theB67, which has the same ass lovin dimensions without the unnecessary 2nd rail. Save quite a bit of weight, too. Perfect for any Big Dummy build. Which, by the way, I got screwed out of (again). I've had that thing on Itemwatch on and off (mostly on) since it was offered there, and it popped up at night as available, only to be sold out the next day upon order attempt. And that's the 22" frame! WTF?!? I'm sour, Surly. Qbp may be the Borg.

Leo needs a new pair of shoes.

Finally, as per conference discussion I went over division of improper fractions with N tonight. Again. She has the lousiest work ethic I've ever seen. She's a smart kid. She doesn't put that into her work. Whatever work. Anything, at all. Even things she enjoys, she'll skate through. It is maddening for me. I want so much for her to grow into a kind, considerate, capable person- I see real potential for her to attempt to squeak by on looks and charm. And truth be told, she ain't that charming unless she's getting her way. Lots of whining, quick with the complaints. How to get her eyes open?
Anything worthwhile takes effort. Real, sometimes even painful, EFFORT. This plays out on rides, too. Bitch about the distance, or sand, or climbing, or blueness of the sky...then say what fun it was when it's done. Don't misunderstand, I know all about only enjoying a ride once it's over. All about it. (B___, thinking about the later sections of 35 here) N just seems incapable of connecting the overall worth of suffering. This won't be the last she hears of it, nor the last ride out upon which she's dragged. Though, I do try to balance that...within the scope of my own obsession. I witnessed too many parents in Telluride push skiing on their kids. What's not to LOVE about skiing? But sure enough, by the time they were 11-12, and they were phenomenal/sick/intuitive skiers, the kids refused to ski. They hated skiing...

Any ideas?


And, plus. Big Ride plans brewing for Sunday,Sunday, Sunday.

You shouldn't let other people get your kicks for you

So the Countyline killed the Peugot fixie for me. The fit was never even remotely ok, and even though I've come to expect/accept that mixtes have not been designed with a 6'1" MAN in mind, it had the 7/8" seatpost of death by impalement. I mean, you saw how it bent even though I was so careful with it.
So today I disassembled it, and gave it to M____ to give to a ladyfriend of his. She's prolly short and light.

And left without a beater mixte fixie, I was bereft. So I reanimated Boba Fet's old Gitane, which is also short, but has a sturdy 26.2mm post, so I can rock it. I got inspired and broke out the drill..
That's all drilled, and insertion of the lower rivnut. Because I get thirsty when I ride. See it half done:
And all pretty with the swoopy stainless King cage. (I pulled the front derailleur hardware off after the picture)

Old School, fool...This is a cup and cone BB from a stash no one wanted anymore. Works for me.
Check the clearance! Room for knobbies or fenders. Or 37mm Panaracer Paselas...Skinwall, bitches.
And again. Tektro 556 brakes accommodate 700c in a frame designed for 27". This frame requires them in the rear due to the 40/14 wheel position. Flipped the wheel on this build, and even on the test ride the 14t feels better. We shall see what the hills and dirt have to say. Either way, there's room enough in them there slots to flip flop, and those brakes are my friend there too. Chainline came out pretty good, which is nice because there's no new parts going on this bike. Even the cables/housing were swapped over. I will probably swap over the basket and rack, too.
Took it out and rode it around the block. Feels great. Test ride manana...



Today was a bike maintenance day. Days are getting longer, and it feels good. Here's the Lemond Wedge set up discussed previously. I'm using 3 shims to get the right support for my foot angle. Nice shiny new Time cleats.
After installation. The shims got all smashed last time, you can see how they extend past the cleat.
Here's a good view of the angle the shims give, and witness the dremel clean up. No more smashy mess.
...Because it's funner if you do it yourself.



Last Friday I volunteered to chaperone the 5th grade classes' overnight trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Because there weren't enough volunteers and it was in danger of being cancelled, and my daughter really wanted it to happen that's why.
No. I was not the otter.





It went like you think it did.

2008 Countyline Jamboree

Here is my well chosen race machine, pre-Jamboree...
With my well chosen race tires...

The County Line kicked off this Saturday past, and I'm pretty sure I won this year. This "race" is such a bad idea. I don't know the actual mileage, so I'll say 60 miles. Am I wrong? Divided by thirds between road/railroad track(on/within spitting distance) /beach. Santa Cruz, North to South. Wadell Beach, High Noon:

Rolling with DanO at the front...(photos from flick'r...De La Paz Coffee)


Beer stop on the tracks...

Beach riding...(photos from flick'r...twowheeledlady)


Party at Hunter Cycles' HQ...(photos from my camera)


The trophy...I forgot to take it home, so someone else may have actual possession of it...look at the FuckoRacingProducts rear brake, and fancy shifter mount on that green sled. See Woody sleeping on the floor.
My post-Jamboree beat-ass rig. Note the custom bent seatpost. I'd shown up with a little bit of a cold set bend to the cheeeeeeep 7/8' post and hoped for the best. Kept my weight on the rivet as much as possible while killing it down Hwy 1. It was Flexy Day for me, with all kinds of different shimmies going on. With the fixed/too small/mixte/whipped parts/bent crank set up I was running, it got a little hairy at speed downhill...Rode accordingly- spared the saddle on the railroad tracks (yes, between the rails for awhile) and babied it in the gravel beds. Threw the bike down gently when stopping for booze (or parking inside for the bar stop (Brady's?). And then, as I was leaving the checkpoint/beer stop in Capitola and riding down to the beach, I got careless. I guess. One little bump with my weight on the saddle, and there you go. Done and won. I won because I skipped the beach.

Real Good Time.

Though, last year was better :
KB and D. G____, missed you guys!

Town & Country Bikes

I loves me a mixte. Unfortunately, I've yet to find one that really fits my 6'1"ness, so Boba Fet reaps the benefits of my obsession. This is a Kuwahara made Nishiki from the (closing) legendary Faber Cycles in SJ. It was quite a feat getting in to the yard to find it...



It's set up as a sophisticated townie that's ready for anything. Coffee run, commuting, or light trail use. Shimano generator hub/light, 35mm Paselas (soo happy with this tire) & extra long hammertone Honjo fenders from Velo-Orange. The extra length is really noticable, as the front fender here extends down as far as regular fenders+mudflap. And the front is where the coverage really matters to the rider. Yes, the Honjos are a pain in the ash to install (count on a solid hour&half ), but worth it IMO.Git clicky above and you can see the cork spacer between rear fender and rack for support and noise reduction, and forward of that the rain bonnet for the exquisite Brooks B-18. Shown below with (shellaced) wicker panniers, also from Velo-Orange, and a Lil' Loafer rack bag from Rivendell.
Frame pump, bitches...


The cork grips are shellaced for durability. It makes them look nice too, but the feel is not as natural and grippy as the naked cork. This one has been broken off and reshellaced better than ever.





Super wide Salsa cable hanger. That clearance is toight..



Here's the spacer so as to get an even fender profile...



I say it's not a real mixte without twin lateral tubes- just look at those lines. I will arm wrassle over this. And, plus shellaced, hemp twine wrapped chainstay.


Here's the toolkit of love from Boba Fet's Brooks bag. The patchkit (you do have one right?) is from Joselyn's Bicycles, a shop I can wholeheartedly recommend if you find yourself in Monterey, CA. The staff are ugly and perverted but thoroughly knowledgeable and skilled, so it kinda makes up for the smell...