Predetermined Friday jam.

If you're in the States, have a nice holiday weekend.

Quickly...

I guess if having a blog and not posting on it is lame, then I guess I'm just a big lame (apologies for the Simpsons reference).

I agreed to fill in at the radio station this week and next week, which I felt I should do since I am kindly granted access to the DSL connection here for work...plus it helps me augment the kitty for visiting my wife and mass-mailing the zine. With a 5-6 hour chunk (middays this week and the morning show next week) taken, the days are pretty long with a full day of shop time added in too - so computer time/pic uploading is the victim for now

Seatstay material is in...so lots of rear ends to wrap up (UK Rob, Utah Ben, ChrisW, and JoeW specifically). I'll be starting in on Elden's complete build tonight.

I want to write up some bikepacking stuff too from last weekend, but that will have to wait.

Back to work - talk to you soon.

May = bikepacking.

It is just stupid nice (albeit hot in the valleys) here. Lots of riding yesterday as high as I could go with all the deadfall and snow in NE Washington - glad to take advantage of it as next weekend is the Memorial Day holiday exodus and the human zoo will swarm the forests like dusty nitrate-filled locusts. Plenty to tell and talk about but I want to get going and into the trees before it starts heating up.



Back to work mode and posting on Monday...

Sunny Friday jam.

Another weak blogging week...a victim of shop time and sunshine I'm afraid. I promise to do a good pic dump or two this weekend. Visuals and text to come...

Monday late.

Seatstay material is available again! Most excellent.


No GDR for Rudi this year either, unfortunately. A recalcitrant achilles is the culprit. Maybe next year.


Photos from 2006 thanks to Aaron Teasdale of Adventure Cycling and the archiving of my old friend Tom Purvis.

Bye.

The dregs of the last "for sale" pile.

Just a quick post tonight as I'm pretty sleepy. Here's a list of what's left in the "for sale" jumble:

:: NEW TOE STRAPS :: (newly added)

I found another pair of new Cinelli synthetic toe straps. Very nicely made black synthetic leather single strap with laminate centre. Black w/ Cinelli logo + chrome buckle. Brand new. Comes with both silver and black toe strap buttons. I bought a bunch of them years ago and have kept some for myself. US$18 + shipping.

:: NEW TRACK COG ::

[1] x brand new, never used, never installed, newest generation Surly 14t 3/32" track cog. US$20 + shipping.

:: CATEYE COMMUTER LIGHTS ::

[2] x Cateye HL-EL410 lights. Silver. When I was cleaning out my Xtracycle bags I found two of these...lightly used but in perfect condition. Since I forgot I had them, I obviously don't need them. They work well as a commuter light or for a headlamp for reading cue sheets and street signs on brevets or self-supported events (Ira Ryan used one in winning Trans Iowa). Takes 3 AAA batteries, I'll include new ones in both lights.
Light 1 = US$12 obo + shipping.
Light 2 = US$12 obo + shipping.

:: TIRES ::

My last pair of Panaracer Stradius Sport 700x26c road tires. New with packaging. I'm on 35c knobbies 100%, so I don't need them. US$10/each or US$20/pair obo + shipping.

:: FRAME PUMP ::

[1] x Topeak Master Blaster frame pump (Size L) + new Jandd pump strap. Brand new in package. Silver. Size L fits gaps of 47-52cm...great for 54-59cm road/'cross frames. Pic here. Very nice. I've used a Zefal hpx for years and the Topeak has some features that I like better. They include: a nicer switch for changing between pumping and frame storage, a nicer pump head lever, and a silver finish that looks better and doesn't get beaten to hell like the black coating on the Zefal. I'm getting Topeaks for all my customers that are getting frames with frame pump compatibility, save for frames that I designed for using a Zefal hpx3 on the seat tube (like my bike). Most folks will be using XLs along the TT so I have this one extra. $US20 + shipping.

That's it. PayPal is best. Drop me a note if you're interested.

Double Friday jam.

Another 'version' of "If It Don't Work Out" (I posted this one earlier):


+ the non-Blondie original version of this one:


I'll try to be online this weekend. See ya.

Dinglespeed gearbox.

36/34t in the front. Surly steel + Sugino steel bolts = not light but definitely reliable and high mileage.


Flip: 17/19t in the rear.

So, with a 29x2.1 WTB Nanoraptor at reasonable pressure:

Trailhead ratio :: 36:17 = ~60.25"

Offroad ratio :: 34:19 = ~51"

White Industries only makes the Dos ENO freewheel in 2 tooth spreads (16/18 and 17/19). I'd be psyched if they made a 4 tooth spread (like the Surly Dingle fixed cogs) sometime to allow a pretty wide set of ratios for folks that live in big valleys surrounded by mountains (lots of people in Colorado fit this bill). I don't know how much of a demand there would be for that, especially with 29" MTB folks running some fat rubber. Those big tires make the overall diameter of your wheel pretty large, thereby making your gear inches take much more of a jump when you drop teeth in the rear. Who wants to diesel to the trailhead on a English TT gear anyway? As your wheel diameter goes down, your gearing changes make less of a difference...so guys on 'crossers and rough stuff roadies with their slick 28s can benefit a little more from a bigger tooth differential.

The two chainring setup with two cogs in the back works out well for rim brake users.

36 + 17 = 53 total teeth

34 + 19 = 53 total teeth

So with the same total number of teeth for each ratio, the wheel sits in the same position in the track ends and therefore doesn't affect how your brakes hit your rims.

One of these days I'll write up a big post on all the cool, simpleton multispeed setups you can do.


Flop: 18t Surly fixed cog.

Having a 36:18 fixed mechanical bailout gear is nice in case of freewheel failure. This is highly unlikely in the days of the mighty ENO. But all you fellow old-school onespeeders remember the black magic and tall tales spun to get more life out of lowly BMX (ACS, Shimano, Suntour, Dicta, etc.) freewheels used far, far beyond their intended usage and weather exposure. Seized pawls, unholy egging and warping, moving disassembly, etc...usually the result of fundamental neglect and abuse. But, having a truly "free" (bi-directional) freewheel when you're away from shelter isn't much fun. It is what drove me to fixed initially in my messengering days.

36:18 is a doable gear for getting out of trouble on or offroad and the tall braking sidewalls of the Sun CR-18s make the one tooth anamoly possible. The chainline is perfect with the 36:18 fixed setup and both the freewheeled ratios are within a couple of millimeters of spot on - frame building tolerances actually, perfectly good with a decent 3/32" chain and lot better than what many of FS bikes come with off the peg. Got to have room for those moving bits!

As a side note: Sun CR-18s and wire bead Nanoraptors are a good, safe(r) choice for a budget DIY tubeless setup.

Quick one for Wednesday.

My computer time has been a little limited over the past few days, but I'll get some more shop shots up tomorrow. Everything is going well. Still no seatstay material in stock, headtube and seat tube material are limited too but I'm OK there with some front ends already built and of course that group of seat tube/BB shell assemblies you saw earlier on the blog.

Talk to you tomorrow.

May's first Friday jam.