If you're in the States, have a nice holiday weekend.
mc ti fab.
custom titanium bicycle design + fabrication :: single/fixed specialist since 1998
offerings.
common sense road//fast touring + rando//winter training :: My personal favourite. Common sense = reasonable clearance + dirt road capability. 3Al-2.5V titanium tubing. Custom geometry. 700c wheels. 1 1/8" headset. Multi-speed, single speed, or fixed gear. 68mm English BB shell. 130mm or 135mm rear spacing. Vertical dropouts (replaceable hanger as an option) or track ends. Long reach sidepull brake bridge or no rear brake mounting for fixed if desired. Other "weld-on" options too (e.g. pump peg, eyelets, extra bottle bosses, etc.) :: CDN$2100. (US$ accepted at par until move)
cyclo cross//fast touring + rando//rough stuff :: Dirt don't hurt. 3Al-2.5V titanium tubing. Custom geometry. 700c wheels. 1 1/8" headset. Multi-speed, single speed, or fixed gear. 68mm English BB shell (73mm shell available for "monster 'cross" + MTBish frames built for 700c x 40+mm or 29" MTB tires). 130mm or 135mm rear spacing. Vertical dropouts (replaceable hanger as an option) or track ends. Cantilever bosses or no rear brake mountings for fixed if desired. Other "weld-on" options too (e.g. pump peg, eyelets, extra bottle bosses, etc.) :: CDN$2100. (US$ accepted at par until move)
Simple + functional.
New work will not commence until previous backlog is complete. Ordering information up soon.
New workshop in Hamilton, Ontario or surrounding area sometime in 2008, depending on immigration.
More details to follow: 'FAQ' section in progress!
answers to faqs. [in progress]
- Current wait times + current frame queue. [coming soon]
- Thoughts on frame design + implementation. [coming soon]
- Thoughts on setup. [coming soon]
- Warranty + titanium repairs + later owners. [coming soon]
- On "sponsorship." [coming soon]
- Ordering process. [coming soon]
- Communication + visiting 'mc ti fab.' [coming soon]
- My own bike + riding interests. [coming soon]
contact.
*e-mail [note new address]
mctifab [at] gmail [dot] com
*current post [until late 2008]
Matt Chester
PO Box 1345
Sandpoint, ID 83864
USA
post [tbd sometime in 2008]
Matt Chester Titanium Fabrication
TBD, ON
Canada
telephone [tbd sometime in 2008]
+(905) xxx.xxxx
visit [tbd sometime in 2008]
tbd in Hamilton, ON or surrounding area
23 May 2008
22 May 2008
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.
18 May 2008
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...
16 May 2008
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...
12 May 2008
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.
10 May 2008
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.
09 May 2008
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.
08 May 2008
Dinglespeed gearbox.
Flip: 17/19t in the rear.
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.
07 May 2008
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.
02 May 2008
- mc.
- Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- mctifab [at] gmail [dot] com // +(905) xxx.xxxx [tbd sometime 2008]
archive.
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2008
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April 2008
(13)
- Wednesday's wisdom of the past :: Bottecchia and t...
- Tuesday + long distance.
- Friday jam.
- Post-visit Wednesday.
- Early Friday jam.
- Wednesday comeback.
- Tuesday + Phyllis Dillon.
- Sunny weekend pedaling jam.
- Final sale redux.
- Slack blogger Friday jam.
- Quickie Friday jam.
- [the return of] Wednesday's wisdom of the past :: ...
- Not sick anymore [maybe] jam. No fooling.
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►
March 2008
(17)
- I spoke too soon.
- Back-at-it Friday jam.
- Wednesday afternoon coming down.
- Short pic drop.
- Bonus holiday jam.
- Sweet Friday jam + Final gear sale.
- Seat tubin'.
- Super macro mode.
- Quickie.
- Late night pic drop.
- Early Friday jam.
- Spreading the sickness + zine shots.
- Some pics-n-stuff.
- Monday tip :: Setting up Power Grips properly.
- The trip + blasts from the past.
- Back in the saddle Friday jam.
- Back to ID.
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