NEW PAINT

Before Hank was born I wrote him a couple of old-time songs about trains, and they turned out to be prophetic; he came flying out like a steam train out of a tunnel, big and heavy as could be.  So now, four months later, I though it was only appropriate to get a tattoo commemorating the event, and what could be better than an old locomotive? Jake at Traditional in SLO sketched up the design and did a fantastic job, especially on the shading. It's about 24 hours old in these pics, so it's still a bit swollen and red. Any red or purple is just leftover swelling- the whole thing is black and grey. It's hard to see in the pic, but the placard on the face of the engine says "HANK". Jake also did the tattoo just above. I highly recommend him if you're looking to get some work done.

EXTREME BIKE MAKEOVER

After a week of great anticipation, my new wheelset finally arrived, and after replacing a bent spoke (thanks, USPS) I got everything up and running this afternoon. They are the Wienmann Deep V style rims with a track/track flipflop Formula hub so you can run 2 different size fixed cogs- pretty cool for longer rides with varied terrain. I got a good deal through Fly Bike Shop's Ebay store: $174 with free shipping. I also bought some new Vittoria Rubino tires (23's) and replaced my old Fizik tape with some black RAV-X Wrap. I have never heard of this brand (the guy at Art's said it's newish) but I have to admit that I am sold on its comfort and affordability ($14). My bike looks like a bumble bee. It's never had an official name before, but now I'm thinking of something along the lines of Buzz!Kill! or Stinger, etc. I put about 10 miles on her this afternoon and, apart from a 25 mph headwind, everything felt great!  It's nice to have new, good quality gear.

NEW PEDALS!

All the bike stuff I have been selling on Craigslist lately has started to pay off, and so I decided to invest in some new/higher quality components for the Peugeot. For some reason when I first built this bike about a year ago, I installed mountain bike pedals. They still work just fine, but I don't like how hard it is to get my feet into my clips because of the serrated cages. So after looking around for a while, I bought a set of Origin 8's in yellow, of course. These were relatively inexpensive (around $33) and after putting a few miles on them I have to say that I am pleased with their performance. They turn smooth and needed no adjustment out of the box, which is nice, seeing as how most other inexpensive brands seem to need an overhaul before you install them for the first time. Origin 8 makes pedals and cranksets in a ton of different colors, including this super sick "Anti-Freeze Green" color that momentarily made me consider changing my whole color scheme. The best prices I could find were at the Wheel and Sprocket online ebay store here. I also just ordered a set of yellow Weinmann Deep V rims with a track/track rear hub. Currently I'm riding a good, durable set of Windsors that I really can't complain about, but it was just time to make the upgrade if only for added style points.

FIXED = MACHISMO??

Today I was bouncing around on the intarweb trying to find a track frame for my dad, and I came across a San Diego Union-Tribune article from 2006, about a hazardous new cycling trend: fixed gear bikes. This article, written by one Hannah Karp, is totally unresearched, and I encourage you all to check it out in its entirety here. Here is a brief overview of the main points (and my commentary in response):

- "Fixed-gear models have pedals chained directly to the rear wheel." (Hmm, that sounds dangerous!)

-On a fixie, "because riders can't stand up in the saddle to coast, long rides can result in reduced blood flow to the reproductive organs, which studies suggest may lead to impotence." (What about all the time spent standing up in the saddle to climb hills?!)

-"Macho types... revel at riding a bike they can stop only with their own brute strength." (yup, if any word describes fixie kids, it's 'Macho'!)

-"Don't go ride it in traffic. That would be suicidal." (Ever driven 80 mph on a rush-hour freeway in LA? That's suicidal!)

Thanks, Hannah Karp, for that insightful look into the terrifying world of fixed gear outlaws and all those Macho kids chasing death on bikes with their pedals chained to their wheels!

The Mongrel SS

Today I finished the Ross single speed that I have been working on this week.  I had intended to sell it, seeing as the frame has just been sitting around gathering rust for about 6 months in my shed... but when I got it all together and took it for a spin I kind of fell in love. It's truly a mongrel of a bike- completely Frankensteined together from the mangled limbs of other projects.  There is something about the geometry of the frame that I really dig. It's not the best handling, lightest, or smoothest ride ever (although I would like to take credit for a particularly fine hub overhaul,) but it moves like some dark beast bred of forbidden bike love. 80's Ross Steel lugged frame, SR stem, short chopped Diamondback bars, Oury grips, Pyramid Cranks (44t chainring), SR racing pedals, blue KMC 1/8" chain, 16t Dicta freewheel, DiaComp Bulldog BMX front brake with modified calipers, wheels randomly selected from the pile in the shed. My buddy Rog is selling me a white seat to top it all off. I can't lie.  It's a beautiful creation.

USE YOUR SOLE BRAKES!

I included the option "Portland Stick Stop" in this week's poll on brake preference, so I thought I'd post a video demonstrating this phenomena for those of you who are unaware of the legal ramifications of riding fixt without the proper stopping mechanism, at least in Portland, Oregon.  So here it is!  Enjoy.

LOCK DOWN

Lately in SLO it seems like there is an epidemic of bike thefts. Craigslist is littered with reports of stolen bikes. All these disappearing bikes have got me worried, even though i am always careful lock mine up. The last theft alert I saw, though, was posted by a guy who had his cable cut in broad daylight, right in the middle of the Cal Poly campus. That did it for me, and I decided that it was time to ditch the decently sturdy cable lock I usually use in favor of something much more heavy duty. The problem is, I'm not made of money, and the burly chain/lock combos sold by companies like Kryptonite are pretty expensive- they run anywhere between $30 and $75. So I did what any man worth his salt would do: I went to my local hardware store and bought 3 1/2 feet of big ass chain, and then hit the fabric store to pick out something for a home made protective sleeve. Total cost, about 15 bucks. My wife is pretty handy with the sewing machine, and she stitched me up a chain covering that rivals anything you can buy at the bike shop. I took it on a test ride this evening and it works great, although I think I might shorten it by a link on each side so it fits more snugly around my torso as I ride. It already has some chain grease on it, which is the bike version of the champagne bottle on the bow of the ship, I guess. Also, don't forget to vote for your favorite braking system in this week's poll in the right hand sidebar!