Alistair enjoys his new bike

UEB
Originally uploaded by Duncan Cycles

This is all sorts of awesome!

Rack Dreams

Last night, I went to bed thinking of porteur racks. Regular readers here might've noticed that I've been quite obsessed with racks and rackufacture of late. I've been bugging Alex and Alistair with too many questions, and I've been on the cusp of ordering brass rod and flux from Henry James, tubing from Aircraft Spruce, and a tubing bender from Toolup for about two weeks. Every time I start to create an order, my rational self takes a breath and remembers that I've got other projects in the queue that really need to get finished first, lest I start a second mess on top of the existing one.

At any rate, what's really set me off lately is I actually, kinda/sorta, found a local source for steel tubing. I recently discovered a small metals selection within the hardware store near my house, and they have 0.5 x 0.35-inch steel tubing at about $10.50 per 4 feet. Not ideal for rack-making, but perhaps worthwhile for experimenting. They also sell MAPP gas, thick brazing rod, powdered flux, and other implements of destruction. Again, none of it ideal, but maybe enough to cut your teeth with.

Biggest problem is, I don't have any way to bend half-inch tubing, not even as a hack. So last night, I drifted off to sleep thinking that I could practice building a rack deck with this stuff, using all straight-cut pieces brazed together, with no bends. Wouldn't look as nice and would be heavier than needed, but probably would function okay.

That thought led to more thoughts about jigging and fixturing, since I'd end up
with several pieces that'd need to be oriented correctly during brazing. Alex
and Alistair have come up with a nifty rack-deck jig built from 80-20, and I've been thinking of something similar, but lower-budget. Last night, I had a dream in which all the pieces clicked together, and I now know now I'm gonna build this thing. I woke up at 6am, and laid in bed for an hour thinking more about it.

I then also decided that I might as well just step up and get the proper chromoly tubing and bender. If I'm gonna burn hours building anything, it might as well be the best I can make it, and the cost differential is, in reality, not that huge.

It must've been that cup of coffee I had last night...

Dreams on Wheels

Dreams on Wheels
Originally uploaded by jimgskoop

Spotted this while riding MUNI last night. Apparently there's some urban/sustainable/BLATHER Danish-bike-culture exhibit opening soon somewhere in downtown SF. I wanna say "city hall" but that just doesn't sound right. Of course my photo of the poster is too blurry to read, and their website doesn't have the SF info published yet, even though it's just 2 weeks away. Looks potentially interesting. Anybody know more?

Of course, it's already happened in Portland...

ARGHHHHHHHHHH.

All's I'm gonna say is, this not-riding nonsense SUCKS.

For Sale: 1994 Bontrager Race Frame

I'm selling my 1994 Bontrager Race frame. Original paint and decals, very good condition! $200. Full details on my Craigslist ad.

Japanese Mini Cargo Bikes?!?!

Via the Box Dog Bikes Blog...

There's a new film by Brian Vernor called "The Cyclocross Meeting". Go to BDB Blog above to see trailer. Check out the mini-cargo-bike goodness within!!!

Worst Fears Confirmed

Visited the doc yesterday, he confirmed what I already knew/feared: RHOIDS! Even though I had surgery five years ago to rid myself of these beasties, in the memorable words of Carol Anne: "They're Ba-ack!"

Among other things, I've now got a packet of butt-bullets and am enjoying some R&R. Good thing I bailed on the brevet this weekend (though I will be volunteering at the finish control)!

Looks like it'll be another weekend off the bike. Though I did ride to/from the doc appointment, and it wasn't as horrible as I'd imagined, so there is hope.

And oh yeah, the Bonty Race Lite got a new seat. Someday I'll see if it makes any difference...

LMAO!

(tip o' the hat to Salim for the pointer)

Taking the Weekend Off...

After riding my Bontrager last weekend, with its ass-hatchet of a seat, I now feel like the monkey in the photo above. Obviously, I'm not riding this weekend. The soonest they'd let me see my doc is next Wednesday. What fun!!! I just hope things are back to normal by next weekend for the SFR Point Reyes Lighthouse 200k!