Chameleon Cycles #4 - Bridgestone 700 650B Conversion

BS650_right_side
Originally uploaded by blovejoy.

Bill L.'s six-fifty-bee converted Bridgestone 700 originally started life as a skinny-tired sport bike, now it's a great all-purpose adventure vehicle. More later!

Chameleon Cycles #3 - The Cyclofiend's Quickbeam

Welcome to the next installment of the Chameleon Cycles series. It's week Number Three, and although this entry is a little late, it's a doozy, so hold on tight....

This week we're checking out Cyclofiend's Rivendell Quickbeam, a bike designed with versatility in mind. At first you think it's a single-speed, but it's got extra gears accessible via "Rivendell shifting": There's dual freewheels out back and two 'rings on the crank, so with a bit of flip-floppin', axle-slidin', and a greasy finger or two, you'll have access to a dizzying range of four gears. Not as fancy, perhaps, as a Cambio Corsa cog-switcher, but a whole lot less finicky! The QB frameset is also spec'd with huge tire clearances, canti brakes, and rack mounts galore (including special mid-fork rack-mount tabs). All things that make a good chameleon-bike stew!

Cyclofiend got this bike just a little over a year ago now, and it's definitely evolved for him during that time. At first, the bike wasn't too different from the stock Rivendell build (blasphemy--it did NOT have a Brooks saddle, hooray!) and was broken in on "country ramble" rides.

Next we come to a dark time, but with a silver lining. Cyclofiend was readying his Lemond Poprad for an upcoming CX race and discovered the thing we all dread -- cracks in the frame. Time to retire that bike, but what to do about the race tomorrow?!? Thinking fast, he turned to the Quickbeam, and with an easy tire change and a few other minor adjustments, hey-presto we've got a single-speed racing machine even Tarik would love! Shod with knobby work boots, the bike adopts an understated, burly attitude that isn't often seen on this model, but suits it quite well. Cyclofiend really tore things up at the races, and did it in style!

Most recently, Cyclofiend caught the randonneuring bug, and it was easy to decide which bike to spend a day (or longer) on -- his most versatile ride, of course! Like a kid with LEGO blocks, SNAP on go some fenders, CLICK on goes a rack, swap out the tires again, and we're good to go. A versatile bike makes it easy! The 'Fiend (amazingly) rode his first 200k brevet in fixed-gear mode (mostly), finished with a great time, and had one of the best-looking bikes in the bunch.

So there ya have it, three versions of the same bike, a bike which changes over time to meet the needs of its rider. What's next, Cyclofiend -- maybe morph this into a flat-barred SS 29'er with V-brakes and a Softride Suspension stem? ;)

Chameleon bike? You betcha.

Chameleon Cycles #2 - Scott's Schwinn Cimarron

Another bike in the continuing Chameleon Cycles theme.... I'd been thinking about what bike to feature next, when this excellent posting from Scott C. appeared on the iBOB list, like manna sent from heaven. His writing captures the spirit I'm trying to convey so perfectly that I'm just blatantly going to steal his words:

Last night I let a Centurion Pro Tour go on eBay. It was another
almost-perfect bike--my version; roadish bike with large clearances and
cantilevers--but I just don't have the budget to fight out these online
auctions....

Plus I kept thinking "why do I need this?" Sure, it'd be close to my ideal rough-stuff bike, but how much of that kind of riding do I really get to do?...

I'd been really down on the Cimarron commuter lately--it was always dirty, the chainrings were wobbling, it weighed a ton compared to the Univega, etc.,
etc. Almost every weekday, I'd drag the kid to school behind the Cimarron,
then toss it in the basement and zip to work on the Univega.

But this weekend I finally did the maintenance that the Cimarron desperately
needed--gave it a good wash, replaced the crank arm that I messed up (thanks, David!), installed a new Tange cartridge bottom bracket, put on a new chain,
and made various adjustments. While I had all the commuter stuff (battery, light, lock, bags, tools, pump, .....) off for the wash, I thought, boy, this thing isn't so heavy after all--it's all my crap that's heavy!

This morning, I didn't need to do the trailer run, and I almost jumped on the Univega for the commute. But, after all that work, I had to ride the Cimarron. And it was like a whole different bike. No frustrating chainring wobble; just smooth turning. It was quiet, smooth, and reasonably quick. Of course, it's still noticeably slower accelerate up a hill than the Univega, but it's a different type of bike. Not my mental ideal of the rough-stuff day-tourer I really want, but really a very good bike, and one that I can be happy with if I can just keep it maintained.

Just for fun, I may put my stashed Marathon Cross tires on it instead of the Big Apples just to accentuate the difference between my two bikes and to see how the Cimarron works on gravel and dirt with them.

And eventually, someday, the perfect rough-stuff/underbike will come along at a time when the budget is better, but I really don't need to pine for it now. I just need to get out and ride what I have. (note to self: repeat this until it sinks in...)

Perfect practicality!

Chameleon Cycles #1 - Carlos' Miyata 500

OK, a couple days ago I posted about creating a secondary blog for my favorite interesting bikes. Fellow-Bontrager-Sweater-Wearin' Tarik gave me the go-ahead, and made the recommendation that I just use the new labels feature vs. creating a separate blog. So here goes...I'll try to add one of these a week (give or take) until I run out of ideas. If you've got a bike that has "evolved" for you, let me know about it and maybe I'll feature it...

Another short ride for the Miyata
Originally uploaded by cduquenot.

Shown here is Carlos' customized Miyata Elevation 1000. It was originally sold as a rigid MTB, but now it's a commuting / touring / brevet / off-road / on-road / all-rounder sort of bike. Carlos modified things slightly with a non-stock fork, repositioned cable-housing guides, and a matt-black powdercoat with custom black reproduction "MIYATA" reflective decals. He rides this bike everywhere -- probably 200-300 miles per week -- and affectionately refers to it as "The Tank".

Although I've never ridden this bicycle, it's taught me a lot about what a bike is and can be, and continues to do so. On any given ride, it's the bike that its rider needs it to be, and that's what makes it a great Chameleon Cycle.