cyclofiend

Queueing Up

2012-02-07T09:30:00.000-08:00

Well now, that was quite an effort for the past couple months. The specifics are immaterial, though I may dig into them a bit more completely on my Cyclofiend Ramblings blog. Suffice to say that we've reached the last control in a long ride, and I've sat and rested a bit. It will take a while before I've worked the kinks out, but I'm easing into a pretty significant backlog of images and submissions to the Galleries.

There are a number of projects on the Cyclofiend.com site which have lain quite dormant over the last year or so, and I've leafed through notes and scribbles, emails and messages which relate to tweaks and revisions.

Before I delve into all of that, I just wanted to thank those of you who took the time to email or ask if things were going OK. Thank you too for the donations and support of the site while there was little visible activity.

I'll roll out a little easy this week, try to set a reasonable pace, and see where it leads me. Thanks for reading!

Quick, Short Update

2012-01-06T06:59:00.000-08:00

I'd mentioned this in passing over on the RBW Owner's Group list which I moderate, and just wanted to clarify the status of this blog, and the Cyclofiend.com site in general. The galleries on the site have been reasonably dormant this year, and a number of people have taken the time to email to find out the status.

The short answer is "Yes, things will continue in the Galleries and on the site in general".

Unfortunately, work demands have been significant this year (both voice work and day job), culminating in a pretty full month here in January. After that, it looks like things will be a bit more balanced, which should mean - well, after I get my own mileage back in order - that I can again dig into the backlog of submissions for the galleries.

To be honest, there are over 50 bikes which have been waiting, gathering digital dust on my hard drive, so there are plenty of new bicycles to enjoy. Hang in there!

If you have been one of the people who's bicycle I haven't yet gotten to - thank you for your patience! Things should start rolling again in February.

Current Classics - Raleighs and More

2011-07-28T09:00:00.000-07:00

Four Of A Kind - Well, four Raleighs out of seven new entries to the Current Classics Gallery - I guess that would make a good poker hand. It's always funny how these things work out sometimes. But, the interesting thing is what a variety of models have rolled out of Nottingham. (And if you want more background info on Raleigh - AASHTA - http://www.sheldonbrown.com/retroraleighs/history.html)

But, even with all of these Raleighs, it's hard to pass up showcasing a classic Bridgestone MB.

Jim Roselle's Bridgestone MB-5
I've got a soft spot for the MB series - it was the first Bridgestone which ever rolled through my life (a purple MB-3, if you are keeping tracking) and it is still a bicycle model which has a perfect mix of style and performance.

The late 80's/early 90's mtbs are certainly some of the best riding 26" trail bikes. Responsive and stable, quick and lively. I'm lucky enough to have an MB-1, and everytime I hit the trails on mine, it reminds me how well realized this series of mountain bikes was.

Jim's photo of his really captures the spirit of far horizons and wonderful trails.

New Entries to the Current Classics Gallery -

#833 - Michael Hensley's Raleigh International
#834 - Jim Roselle's Bridgestone MB-5
#835 - Branko's Raleigh Grand Prix
#836 - Michael Baczkowski's Raleigh Touring
#837 - Dominique Fernandes' Centurion Accordo RS
#838 - John Bunnell's Raleigh Pioneer Trail 2000

Four Current Classics for a Four Day Week

2011-07-05T22:39:00.000-07:00

The process of organizing and cleaning up can be a little ugly - found a nested folder on the computer that had a bunch of things which folks had sent in late last year, that "I was gonna get to..." but didn't. Within that unremarkable digital repository is a goodly chunk of cool bicycles. I may end up threading them into the newer submissions, or just try to do those sequentially (which may in turn build up the backlog for more recent entries.....) We'll see.

Again for those of you who have sent stuff in and have yet to see it represented, patience please! (And Thanks! - both for the images and descriptions and for the patience!) Hang in there, subscribe to the feed and enjoy these fine bicycles.

Nick Roth's Schwinn Superior

Along with the early Trek bicycles, another set of bicycles which I've always secretly lusted after has been the fillet brazed Schwinns. This under appreciated segment of Schwinn's lineup seems to be largely unknown to folks. It first caught my eye when I read about them on Sheldon Brown's site - in Mark Rother's article posted there.

Now, certainly, I like lugs. But, there's something really beautiful about a fillet brazed frameset - a smooth, seamless quality to the work that flatters the elegant simplicity of a bicycle frame. The Schwinns such as Nick's Superior just seemed like really undervalued framesets.

Hopefully (since we presumably ride in the same county) I'll cross paths with this bicycle one day - but in the meantime, enjoy these images of this bicycle.

New Entries to the Current Classics Gallery -
#829 - Nick Roth's Schwinn Superior
#830 - Gernot Huber's Raleigh Woman's model
#831 - Angus Lemon's Rivendell Atlantis
#832 - Tyler Los-Jones' Miyata 1000

Three for Thursday

2011-06-30T10:04:00.000-07:00

I know everyone is hunkered down, trying to get out of town for the big holiday weekend, but if you have a moment in your busy schedule, please enjoy these three fine examples of Current Classics. A fine example of a Japanese-crafted lugged frame, a venerable Bridgestone design (with it's hallmark of extreme versatility) and a Trek from the classic period of US framebuilding.

It was really hard to pick one to highlight, so I finally just tossed my three-headed dart (or was that a three-headed coin? Anyway...) and came up with Randy's Trek.

Randy Pugh's Trek 620

Randy has three other bicycles in the Gallery (Randy's Trek 1500, Trek 600, Trek 660) - all Treks and none made from carbon. I've mentioned in more than a few posts and online commentary that the early Trek models are one of the bikes I've never had but always wanted to own. Good, simple, smart builds, with attention to detail that isn't obsessive. This one is from the "ideal" period and has a lot of the details which really make it prime in my mind: the "marquee" decal design (with the contrasting background wrapping around the tube), the externally routed rear derailleur cable (for a while they put it through the right chainstay), and the excellent clearances and braze-on's.

A useful and versatile bicycle. Great to see it being enjoyed!

#826 - Vann Hughes' Bianchi Professional
#827 - Matthew Dearing's Bridgestone MB-1
#828 - Randy Pugh's Trek 620

Five Singlespeed Bicycles

2011-06-27T07:22:00.000-07:00

I feel like I've shown up at a group ride well after the time agreed upon, only to find that everyone waited rather than just rolled out. A little shame, a bit of embarrassment. That sort of thing. Suffice to say that if you are among those who have patiently waited for new updates, or the few who took the time to send a polite email, I truly appreciate your patience.

While there have been a number of internal updates and pruning of the underbrush, this is the first Gallery update of the year. As you might guess, there's a pretty decent backlog of images, and a few submissions from later last year which got stuck on a hard drive for a while. My plan is to hunker down, take small bites and keep chewing. We'll see how that works out.

So... with no further delays. Here are five singlespeeds for your enjoyment.

Three of the five are Raleigh-labeled, which should not really be a surprise given the length and reach of that particular bicycle crafting dynasty (even more). In fact, I have a Raleigh in the rafters, though it's most likely destined to becoming a grocery/farmer's market bicycle - might end up as a singlespeed, but I digress.

Philip De Ritis' Gazelle

Philip De Ritis' Gazelle on Cyclofiend.com

Now "Gazelle" is not a brand which you encounter quite so frequently - at least stateside. It's one of those brand names, like Ibis and Kestrel, which embodies speed and nimbleness. In my mind, there's something very art deco and 1930's about those names - in the sense of appropriate imagery and dynamic claims.

In addition to some very dramatic images, Peter has built up this frame using a strong "early days of cycling" aesthetic - "scorcher" style handlebar setup, stripped down components and a beautiful polished look to the parts. There's a lot to catch your attention with this bike, and it looks like it would fit in rolling slowly along a promenade or heading for the horizon at high speed kicking up a cloud of dust.

New Entries to the Singlespeed Gallery -
#325 - Richard Sheets' Raleigh
#326 - Peter Van Dine's Bianchi
#327 - Leon's Retro Raleigh
#328 - Philip De Ritis' Gazelle
#329 - Scott Taylor's Raleigh Sportif

A Good Helping of Current Classics

2010-11-26T09:13:00.000-08:00

It's much safer to stay out of the post-Thanksgiving retail scrum and enjoy some great looking bicycles. Between gorgeous images of pre-fall mountain bike vistas and the details of resurrections and renovations which are contained within this batch, my hope is that you'll find some enjoyment and respite from the pending holiday craziness.

Eric Bagdonas' Miyata Ninety Mixte

Mixtes seem to be enjoying a bit of quiet resurgence. Appearing in more advertisements and articles to be sure, but it does seem as though I'm seeing them more frequently on my commute and locked up around town as they quietly go about their day being useful and stylish.

Starting with a well-rendered Miyata mixte frame, Eric has created a sure-footed, weather-resistant bicycle for real world use on the streets of Portland, OR. It's funny to consider how many features I would have poo-poo-ed a decade or so ago - basket, fenders, IGH (Internally Geared Hubset)... indeed, the very notion of a "drop-bar" bicycle itself. But, now, there it is, with just enough glimmer and glint from the silver fenders to catch your attention as it goes about its way each day.

New Entries to the Current Classics Gallery -
#817 - Bob Hague's Motobecane Grant Touring
#818 - Justin Becker's Rodriguez Tandem
#819 - Kevin Mulcahy's ALAN Guerciotti CX/Road
#820 - Tris' Fort Touring Audax
#821 - Michael Kullman's Surly Karate Monkey
#822 - Don Genovese's Rivendell LongLow
#823 - Nick Roth's Raleigh Commuter
#824 - Mauricio Orantes' Trek 1500
#825 - Eric Bagdonas' Miyata Ninety Mixte

Singlespeeds For a Short Week

2010-11-22T08:58:00.000-08:00

Everyone is supposed to be tying off work quickly this week and gathering for contemplation around an unfortunate bird. Which means you're probably stuck in some airport, listlessly overhearing folks complain about the TSA intimate frisking they just endured. Hopefully, the addition of eight new entries to the Singlespeed Gallery will help you divert your attention to something fun and healthy...

It seems to be getting more difficult each time to choose one entry to highlight, mostly because each and every bicycle has something unique and intriguing about it. This selection of single speed bicycles is particularly diverse - including purpose built commuters, repurposed mountain bikes, and stripped down road machines. The wonderful thing is that these bicycles are all getting enjoyed and used now.
In the end, the nod went to a fine example of early mtb history...

Jeromy Hewitt's Fat Chance Buck Shaver
As I've mentioned before, it was from the writings of Mike Ferrintino back in the inky newsprint pages of California Bicyclist that first made me aware of single speed cycling. At that time, I recall thinking "why would you want to get rid of the gears?"

But, somehow as I read through the article, in which he talked about the weight which would be jettisoned and the simplicity which would be attained, there was an attractive kernel of resonance. At that time, even seeing a singlespeed was a rare thing.

Since that time, I've always thought of mountain bikes first when someone spoke about singlespeeds. On the roads with a single geared setup, you do sometimes have to accept the multi-geared folk whisking past you now and again, when you are spinning along at just under the butt-bumping cadence. But, on the trails, there's that sublime flow and near-silence, the simplicity of knowing that speed comes only from effort, and momentum must be maintained.

The Buck Shaver came from the east coast, and was a move to bring out a less expensive offering from the workshop of Chris Chance and company. At the time, hard to remember now, there was the talk of "east coast geometry" - a tighter wheelbase and sometimes higher bottom bracket which gave those relatively unknown bicycles kind of a bad rap out where the sun set. We liked our 44" wheelbases and slack-angled frames.

Of course, looking at that bicycle now, none of that comes to mind. The Fat looks like a lean and ready trails machine. The TIG-welded steel and jaunty straight fork promises nothing other than a ready companion to help you get lost on the trails for hours.

Additions to the Singlespeed Gallery:
#317 - Allan James' Schwinn World Traveler
#318 - Vince Santiago's No Name Singlespeed
#319 - Guiseppe Rosalia's Assiolo
#320 - Lee Chae's Rivendell Quickbeam
#321 - Jeromy Hewitt's Fat Chance Buck Shaver
#322 - Mark Elam's Schwinn Moab
#323 - Gilles Landry's Raleigh
#324 - Joe's Univega Viva Sport

Also, there were some Updates to these previous entries:
CC #656 - Don Genovese's Miyata 1000 Touring
CC #654 - Randy Pugh's Trek 1500

Catching Up - CX, Working Bikes & Updates

2010-11-21T15:21:00.000-08:00

Finally put on the headlamp, took a shovel and pick, and started digging into the morass of confusion which are the "Updates & Revisions" to previous gallery submissions. At some point a year ago, I figured out something clever, then promptly forgot about it until a few months back. By then, things had gotten relatively confused and out of synch, so I've had to chip away the grunge and refind them. Which has occurred. So, here's the first batch:

Singlespeed Gallery Revisions:
John Busteed's Rivendell Quickbeam
Jim Mather's Rivendell Quickbeam
Gary Passmore's Trek 420
Joe Huddelston's Nishiki Sport
Bert's Bianchi

Current Classics Gallery Revisions:
Mark Rosenberg's Rivendell Road
Stu Wemhoener's Raleigh Resurrectio
Stu Wemhoener's Burley Tandem
George Dickerson's Motobecane
Robert Hill's Richard Sachs #16

So, if you sent in a Revision to a previous Gallery Submission, hang in there! I've got them queued up and am starting to move through them. (And if you are thinking of sending in a Revision or Update, please take a second to reference the Gallery Number of the original submission - that helps me find it more quickly.)

In the past week, there were also updates to the Working Bicycle Gallery and the CX Bicycle Gallery.

Working Bicycle - Daniel Dahlquist's Robin Hood

Now, I'll admit that I've kinda got twin top tubes on the brain - with the evolution of Grant Petersen's Rivendell Sam Hillborne, Hunquapillar and Bombadil models all acquiring additional and entirely non-trendy tubing. When they've appeared on various bicycle designs, whether taller framesets or more load-bearing-oriented models, I've tried to consider what the tube does, how it does it, and how it will be viewed in another 5 years or so.

Needless to say, Grant is not the first frame designer who has taken this approach. This laid-back Robin Hood brings a stylish sweep to the genre of Working Bicycles. Robin Hood was a brand originally acquired by Raleigh back in 1906, and was part of their bicycle manufacturing empire.

Here, Daniel has added a stylish front Porteur-style platform rack and simple but functional VO chaincase. The additional racks allow him to use this as a camping bicycle, and it looks like it's ready to roll out into the woods.

Additions to the Working Bicycle Gallery:
#130 - Daniel Dahlquist's Robin Hood
#131 - J. Tackett's Trek Loaded Fuel 80
#132 - Lee Chae's Kogswell P/R
#133 - Robert Clark's Brompton

CX - Kevin Mulcahy's Bruce Gordon Rock-n-Road

Bruce Gordon has been steadily designing and building bikes for over a quarter century. He has always crafted framesets which were more than happy to roll offroad, or carry whatever you asked of them. Whether passing out pocket protectors with the phrase "Bruce Gordon Cycles - Where the Touring Nerd is King!" or engaging in the Interbike pranksterism which was SOPWAMTOS, he was making quality bikes when most people didn't care or notice, and every current builder owes him an acknowledgment of thanks.

Ooops - how did I end up on this soapbox...

Anyway, this Rock-n-Road has all the aspects of what I like in a CX bike - a stripped down robustness, the clearances which can only be found in a steel frame and an understated finish. Plus, there's a chicken on the stem. Can't beat that!

Updates to the Cyclocross Bicycle Gallery:
#64 - Esteban Diaz's Trek 700 Conversion
#65 - Kevin Mulcahy's Bruce Gordon Rock-n-Road

A Set Of Current Classics from A Couple Weeks Back

2010-11-15T07:35:00.000-08:00

Missed getting this posted when I made the last round of updates - ahh well.... better late than never, eh?

Martin Gierke's Trek TX500

Martin's Trek TX500 hails from the time when frames were steel and designs were versatile. Yes, the heady days of 1977 when punk rock was slipping into people's awareness and the Talking Heads were just an obscure art band with a day-glo cover album out. Regardless of the musical tides of the time, the renovation of this bicycle today is really gorgeous.

Starting with the proud simplicity of the frameset, Martin has chosen some very tasteful current parts from Paul Components, Sugino and Honjo to come up with a build that is truly timeless - the epitome of the ideals which started this collection of "Current Classics".

Truly a pitch perfect example, and one of the reasons that I always seem to have "Steel Trek frame, pre '83" on my want list of bikes.

Additions to the Current Classics Gallery -

#808 - Ray Shine's Rivendell Bleriot
#809 - Michael Hechmer's Bilenky Tandem
#810 - Even Elliots Univega Viva Touring
#811 - Jan Levine's 3Rensho SR Export
#812 - emor's Univega Grand Rally
#813 - Jason LePree's Rivendell Rambouillet
#814 - Jason LePree's Carrera Andromeda
#815 - Lee Hogan's Paramount PDG
#816 - Martin Gierke's Trek TX500

Seven Singlespeeds

2010-11-04T07:43:00.000-07:00

Kind of a crazy start to a week that is now almost over. Between the San Francisco Giants winning the world series on Monday, those wacky elections on Tuesday and the resultant political hangover and celebratory national pastime parade in the city, I guess it was easy to forget I'd posted some updates to the Singlespeed Gallery Monday morning. I mean, here it is all Thursday and everything...

The updates also include an "oopsey!" on my part - sometime in the delay of receiving Jeffrey Brodersen's email with information about his 1974 Raleigh singlespeed project and actually getting it posted to the Gallery, his description got separated from his images, and I'm left with no way to contact him to ask for his text again. So, Jeffrey, if you are reading this, zap me an email with the specifics and I'll get it updated. Cool ride, by the way.

Also, a special mention for John Spurny's Fuji, which includes a great image of two happy dogs:

There's been a dearth of dog-buddy pix in submissions recently, and they are always appreciated when included.

This set of seven new bikes really had a nice assortment of projects and rides, with a number of countries represented. It seems like all of them had a compelling reason for appreciation, but I said I'd only pick one each update... So,

Ian Roop's Saronni

There's really something about clean hardware and a fresh powdercoat...

There's a simplicity about this build which is fairly deceptive, but captures a great deal of the allure of this type of bicycle. A bike with a single gear setup, whether fixed or coastable, has stripped away the confusion of extra cables and wiring, the complexity of on-the-fly gear choice and now reminds us of that easy and direct act of getting on and going.

The high flange hubs are gorgeous, the newly updated powder coat smooth and creamy, but below it all lies the promise of the bicycle - easy and simple freedom.

New Additions to the Singlespeed Bicycle Gallery

#310 - Jeffrey Brodersen's '74 Raleigh
#311 - Balu Ramananda's Dahon Jetstream
#312 - George's Big Red Singlespeed
#313 - John Spurny's Fuji Grand SE
#314 - Ian Roop's Saronni
#315 - Paul Popescu's Prophette
#316 - Dean Watkinson's Schwinn Voyager 11.8

Also Updates to the following Singlespeed Gallery entries:

#106 - Bert's Bianchi
#301 - Joe Huddleston's Nishiki

*A quick word about "Updates" - these have been languishing significantly, and honestly, they are a little cantankerous in terms of the workflow. I'm making a concerted effort to include a couple with each update now, so if you sent in new images of your existing entry, hang in there! Also, if you are sending in an update - please reference the Gallery # of your original in the email - that will save me a bit of time and make it more likely to see the updated version more quickly.

Crazy for S'luki - Jack Courtney's Rivendell Saluki

2010-10-11T13:57:00.000-07:00

Gotta say up front that I have a soft spot for this model in general, as well as the name and orange bikes in particular...

The Saluki was a really interesting bicycle, coming as it did in the first wave of 650B resurgence. At the time, no one seemed to consider using large volume tires on 700C frames (well, aside from us crazy 'crossers, but even then a 35cm tire was pretty wickedly large.) In addition to one of the coolest bicycle names every, it had a lot of smart details. First and foremost, it paid attention to how well a bicycle can ride when you use a decent amount of air to cushion the ride and provide an ample footprint on the road and trails.

Between the time this bicycle came out and I had the resources to buy one, Rivendell had brought out the A. Homer Hilsen, which is the geared/coastable bicycle I ended up with. Of course, since that time, the Saluki became the smaller sized AHH's, which ended the model. But with every 650B wheelsize Hilsen I see, I know there's a lithe coursing hound underneath, chucking a bit...

Jack Courtney's Rivendell Saluki

Jack's bike is pretty much exactly the way I'd think about my own. Fenders and racks so you can ramble long and not be phased by weather or distance. Smart gearing for a variety of terrain. And, it's orange.

Updates to the Current Classics Bicycle Gallery

#805 - Jack Courtney's Rivendell Saluki
#806 - William Spencer's Rivendell Bombadil
#807 - BP Hague's Sekai 2400

Current Classics Update: Lucky Seven on the Seventh

2010-10-07T09:19:00.000-07:00

It's really gratifying when the randomness of submissions line up with the tenets of the Cyclofiend.com galleries. Back in 2005 (the waning dour days of dialup?) when these Galleries started coming together, one of the ideas was to highlight the really well designed but reasonably unappreciated bicycle frames which seemed to be fading from people's perception.

While I certainly love the continued expansion of new builders who understand that the strength of a bicycle design stems from its simplicity, I've always said that reinvigorating an older model was an honorable task. The bicycle which landed at the Milestone spot of 800 seems to epitomize that.

Current Classics #800 - Mike Hauptman's Trek 614
Mike has taken a really nice frame design from probably the golden age of Trek steel and set it up with the parts and accessories which really compliment it.

From the superb coverage of the Honjo fenders to the classic art nouveau of the font on the seat tube, it's classy and useful, yet Mike's not afraid to use the shifting system he prefers. Best of both worlds and a wonderful addition to the gallery!

Updates to the Current Classics Bicycle Gallery

#798 - Rudolph Luciani's Dave Moulton FUSO FR-1
#799 - Byron Kerr's Surly Long Haul Trucker
#800 - Mike Hauptman's Trek 614 - Milestone!
#801 - Tad Broussard's Jamis Aurora
#802 - Tad Broussard's Schwinn Tempo
#803 - Tony K's Curtlo MTB
#804 - Bob Stoltz's Rivendell Custom

Shaking Off The Dust - Beth's "Stompy v2.0"

2010-09-27T23:23:00.000-07:00

It seems appropriate to reinvigorate the updates with bicycles that share a simple design and construction. Until we decide to take the big step back to the Draisine, the singlespeed is still about as simple as you can go. And as anyone who tries it may (well...sometimes begrudgingly) admit, simple is often times good.

I know that a single drive sprocket keeps calling me back - even when I might curse its inflexibility as the pitch of the climbs increase. Tonight I scooted out after a day too long rooted in front of the computer, and as the solid, windless heat lay upon the earth, the fixed drivetrain of my ride made no sound. A tangent onto some narrow trails supplied the perfect challenge to momentum and balance. Single geared bikes rock.

And speaking of rocking, long time contributor to the Galleries, Beth H. has gotten a good chomp from the singlespeed bug. Her first rig of recent years was a singleated mtb which somewhere along the line I seem to have dubbed "Stompy". After shaking that down on the Portland short track and cyclocross scene, she has ended up with a more purpose built model, a Redline Monocog with snazzy bits of pink for accent. Cool bike!

In addition to wrenching at CityBikes up in Portland, she keeps an interesting blog - bikelovejones

Updates to the Singlespeed Bicycle Gallery

#306 - idotel's Raleigh Grand Prix
#307 - Gina's "Milk Runner" Nishiki Custom Sport Mixte
#308 - B. Saul's Motobecane Touring
#309 - Beth Hamon's "Stompy 2.0" Redline Monocog

Site & Blog Update

2010-09-26T12:21:00.000-07:00

First, I wanted to thank all of the visitors to this blog and the Cyclofiend.com gallery pages who have emailed wondering what was up with the updates. It's nice to know that people miss this stuff when it's not getting updated. I appreciate all the questions concerning health & life and all that, as well as the sincere offers to help. It's really heartwarming to get that kind of feedback.

Of course, the main issue is simple - time. As some folks who know me well are aware, I've been developing a new career as a voice actor, which requires time - for workshops, classes, auditions and the jobs themselves. I also have been working as an audio engineer for some of the voiceover classes at the school - Voicetrax.

I also - and this should come as no surprise - really, really enjoy riding my bicycle. Which means if I have enjoyed a sliver of time this summer, I've tried to ride.

A lot of the efforts for voice acting - particularly the auditions - require me to be inside, staring at a computer screen. This time definitely has taken away from time to process people's images, post them to the gallery, and update the listings. Quite frankly, after I've spent the morning doing auditions, blazed down to my day job and maaaaaaybe snuck in an extended loop on the commute home, the last thing I've wanted to do is sit down in front of the computer again. In short, I've gotten a bit out of the habit.

It's also compounded by the fact that the venerable G4 Cube - wherein all the software lives which runs the cyclofiend.com site - has started getting a bit senile of late. Crashes, quirkiness... that sort of thing. I happen to feel it's always a copout to blame the hardware, and we've been saving to update that part of the home network. So hopefully, that variable will go away soon.

Certainly, a "gee I'm sorry I haven't posted" post always sucks. They are lame. And I'm writing one, so it seems. But, this past week, I did have a talk with the production department (me) and did process through a slug of images which have been patiently waiting for addition to the galleries.

So, thanks for your patience and look for some updates*. We're back in gear and slowly pulling away from the dock.

*and, if you have a business that has voiceover needs - gimmee a holler.

The Imprecision of Identification

2010-05-24T10:56:00.000-07:00

Back in 2005 when starting the whole Current Classics Gallery, it struck me that three genres of bicycle were underrepresented - "Current" Classics, Cyclocross and Singlespeed bicycles. (Working Bikes came along a little later.) I figured that Singlespeeds would end up being mountain bikes for the most part and that Classics would be "road" bikes.
Certainly, the definitions have changed since then - there is little in the way of topography and surface that I wouldn't take my "road" bike onto, and more people have begun to appreciate what a simple and appropriate drivetrain can do for their enjoyment of cycling. Nothing like getting on a bike and just pedaling to remind you of the ease and freedom of that first solo bike ride.

Ritchey Mountain Bikes occupy a certain special place for me. It is (again) one of those bicycles I've always wanted but never owned. (Though my Gary Fisher Montare did state that it was "Designed by Tom Ritchey"). But, back when mountain bikes were oddities, I remember crossing paths with my friend Eric. He was zipping through town on his new Ritchey and the coolness of that bicycle cannot be overstated. Anything from the early days through the P-19's still catch my breath.

Jeromy Hewitt's Ritchey Outback

Singlespeed Gallery #302

The Outback comes from the initial period of mountain bike design when looooong wheelbases were favored, as the design blueprint grew from the Schwinn Excelsiors and similar models which hurtled down trails in Fairfax, CA (see SeeKay's site for more info on that period). There's something about these long frames which make them ride exceedingly smoothly and hold their lines in the sketchiest of terrain.

That also makes them one of the more stable and comfortable bikes to ride on road. It's one of the reasons mtb's caught on so widely in places where there were no mountains. They were - wait for it - comfortable and fun. Like bikes are supposed to be.

And so, what we end up with here is a Classic, converted to a Singlespeed, so that it can be used in a Work Bike role... blurring the lines between each with style.

Updates to the Singlespeed Bicycle Gallery

#301 - Joe Huddleston's Nishiki Royal
#302 - Jeromy Hewitt's Ritchey Outback
#303 - Ted Burnell's Nishiki Prestige
#304 - Michael Gibian's Zebra
#305 - Dan Artley's Surly Steamroller

Working Bikes on a Wednesday

2010-05-19T09:56:00.000-07:00

Over the past couple years, I've read with interest the development of the Velib system in Paris (more), and the attempts to implement and refine such a system in the US. (more, DC program snags) This self-service transportation network system should allow a quick and seamless use of the bicycle in urban areas. Obviously, there are maintenance and logistical issues to overcome, as well as theft. But, it's hard to move forward without trying some things.

I was going to say "new things", but as this bicycle will tend to support, maybe nothing is new under the sun. As fast as the old Chicago-built Schwinn Varsity models could be electro-forged, I reckon that this model from Legnano could get bent and formed pretty quickly as well. The Varsity may have beaten it with sheer industrial momentum, but I don't think I've ever seen a bicycle like this:

David Beattie's Legnano Rental Bicycle

Working Bicycle Gallery #129

Now, there's a bicycle which was designed to be ridden hard and put away wet. David doesn't mention in his writeup which components have been upgraded or replaced. Given the condition, I would tend to suspect the cranks and wheels are newer. (Though the hub appears to be a Sturmey-Archer, and there's certainly no derailleur tab.) He does refer to it as "very original", so maybe it's all original spec.

I love the use of the perforated metal stock for the seatstay and downtube. The simplicity of the fork legs is both elegant and frightening - looks like they just hammered the ends flat to create tips.

It does lose points for lack of a rack, but the fact that there's only a mild bend in on the rear fender stays suggests that they were built to last.

Working Bicycle Gallery Updates -

#127 - Lane Kagay's CETMA HALFrack
#128 - Lane Kagay's CETMA Cargo Bikes (and Accessories)
#129 - David Beattie's Legnano Rental Bicycle

Countdown to Cross Season

2010-05-18T13:09:00.000-07:00

I don't know if it was the mucky, rain-filled stage of the Giro the other day, but all of a sudden, I'm thinking about CX season. Realizing that my running shoes are a bit crackly and threadbare. Thinking that if I run smooth tires on the trails this summer, I can probably get another season out of my Mud2 tires. Looking forward to hanging out with the hooligans from Team Paul at cross races here and about.

In other words, "Hi, I'm Jim, and I'm powerless over cyclocross..."

(It's considered polite to say, "Hi Jim!" at this point.)

Now, a good addiction always has enablers, and - while some may argue that the Cyclofiend Galleries are exactly that (or possibly a Gateway Drug) - the lust-worthy submissions from other mudders serve just that purpose.

Jim Mather's Rivendell Legolas

Cyclocross Gallery #63

Certainly, the sharp-eyed among you may be crying "Foul!" as Jim is running smooth tires on this bicycle. But, to that criticism, I would suggest a closer look - there's a decent rim of mud at the sidewall. And, as I've stated a few times recently, tire placement and weight distribution handles about 87 - 93% of the issues you face on unpaved surfaces. I expect this bicycle will continue to see a fair amount of dirt.

The Legolas is a rare bird, indeed. I'd be surprised if there are 50 of them. They were delivered by Rivendell back in fall of 2006, and have been made by Mark Nobilette and possibly Waterford. A couple have cropped up on Rivendell's "Frame Specials" page, but luckily for my finances, those have been 62's. This may have been one of those, as I do recall the stunning copper finish - a memorable color choice for such a fine bike. (A deep red seems to be the most common, but I've also seen images of blue versions.)

Jim has set it up nicely - a good combination of new and used parts - and the bike looks ready to rumble. Hopefully, I'll even get a chance to see this bike in person someday.

Additions to the Cyclocross Gallery -
#61 - J.D. Kimple's Mongoose Croix Comp
#62 - Rick's Motobecane Cross
#63 - Jim Mather's Rivendell Legolas

The Mystery of the Sphinx

2010-05-17T11:00:00.000-07:00

Gernot Huber's Gary Fisher Sphinx

Current Classics Gallery #797

Now, here is a Gary Fisher bicycle model that I'd never heard of before. According to his entry, this bike was from 1990, which is kind of the "awkward" period in the history of that brand. During that time, Gary Fisher Mountain Bikes was sold to Anlen (Taiwan) in 1991, distribution reworked with assistance from Howie Cohen through 1992, before finally becoming owned by Trek in 1993.

Some of the designs from that era, like the RS-1 were definitely out in front of the existing technology. Other's, the like the e-stay Montare are better consigned to the slag heap (though the idea of kicking the rider back a bit came back on the Genesis Geometry models - which I always liked the ride of.)

Whatever else you might think about Gary, the man loves to ride, and I've been lucky to share a few interesting and thought-provoking conversations with him now and again. The fact that two of those were sheer moments of serendipitous on-the-road connections gives credibility to the fact that he's out there, riding more than most, and thinking about what goes into bicycle design.

The Sphinx really fascinates me. It reminds me of the Bruce Gordon Monster Cross frames - good clearance 700C (622) bicycles ready to ramble anywhere. Gary certainly has returned to embrace the idea of "29er" (622) mtb's. It also has a fairly compact frame design, something I generally attribute to Ibis bicycles.

Now, it does have some, uh, idiosyncrasies - most notably the "evolution" series headset (1 1/4") and bottom bracket (88 mm) are reasonably incompatible with anything being made, and the seatpost is 28.6 (shim-able, of course).

But, I have to agree with Gernot's assessment of this as a unique and overlooked design.

#745 - Matthew Dearing's Schwinn Paramount
#746 - Jon Grinder's Bridgestone XO-2
#747 - Gernot Huber's Gary Fisher Sphinx -

Another Classic Dawes

2010-05-14T12:13:00.000-07:00

It's actually pretty hard to pick one bike out of each of the day's entries. For example, today I had to pass over an interesting Follis tandem and a phenomenally well color-coordinated commuter... It isn't that I like those any less - more that some tiny little thing in another Gallery post strikes a chord or catches a memory.

As I've commented more than a few times, there's honor in getting a disused bicycle up and running again - whether it's been sitting out under the eaves benefiting from seasonal weather and annual disuse or it's been forgotten out of the elements in some sort of Tomb of Tutankhamun manner. The second thing about today's featured entry is the manufacturer - Dawes.

Sharp-eyed or long term followers of the Gallery might know that the first bike in it was my Dawes Double Blue, which was scooped from a dusty and forgotten pile at a garage sale. It got resurrected, cleaned up and readied again for use. It was the second bicycle I made into a fixed-gear (thanks again to the late, great Sheldon Brown!), the second road bicycle I purposely fendered and the first bicycle which I ever broke a crank on. It rides with a stately, yet nimble gait which is different than any other bike I own.

Dawes used to be a UK manufacturer, but faded into disuse. Their name (along with others) got scooped up and is now slapped on a line of down-market bikes imported into the US (and probably other places). They have nothing to do with this era. Although Dawes was never a higher-end British maker, they had some excellent models. The Dawes Galaxy is one of those.

Chris Tolbert's Dawes Galaxy

Current Classics Gallery #792

This was one of those attic finds that lent itself extremely well to a refurb and makeover. Looking at this bicycle, you realize how many nice touches mark its crafting - the double edge of the forward seat lug shape, the brazed-on loop which acts as a cable guide to the rear brake, the chromed fork and rear triangle and the significant head badge. (The paint job is gorgeous, but was added in the restoration).

It appears to have similar dimensions to my Double Blue, and it's funny how we both ended up with bikes that have a more "French" dimension, leading to a small amount of seatpost showing. Nice to see it getting newer components and being ready to ride again.

New Current Classics Gallery Entries:
#789 - B. Saul's Raleigh International
#790 - B. Saul's Raleigh International
#791 - Daniel Artley's Jack Taylor (Daniel, if you are out there, can you send more info on this bike?)
#792 - Chris Tolbert's Dawes Galaxy
#793 - Bruce Gutman's Lynskey Pro Cross Commuter
#794 - William Lockmiller's Follis Concorde Tandem

Working Bikes Gallery Into Gear Again

2010-05-11T10:03:00.000-07:00

The Working Bikes Gallery was actually started most recently. It began when I snapped a quick image of a cycletruck delivery bike up in Oregon, which got me thinking about this mostly invisible segment of the bicycle world. It's easy to over-glamorize these machines, perhaps. But, I think it's better to acknowledge how well suited the basic design of a bicycle is for these purposes.

Even though it's easy to get transfixed by low forward cargo bikes, or specialty haulers, the fact is that a basic, diamond frame bicycle can be an incredible tool. If you have only perused the Current Classics, Singlespeed or Cyclocross galleries, take a while to see the diversity of design and use that can be found in the Working Bikes Gallery.

Jason's Schwinn Heavy-Duti

Working Bike Gallery #125

Across various airports, ridiculously large warehouses and assembly plants, you can reliably find bikes like these. They are the mine mules of our time; used interchangeably to get somewhere, get something done, and not have to fuss about it. They are load-carrying beasts, ready to roll with little preamble.

What inspires me about this bike is that it seems to have made a break for the daylight and kept running. Now it gets to roll around on the roads, breath in the fresh air and enjoy the elements. Because of its tough past, there's little now that can faze it.

Roll on, Heavy-Duti!

#124 - Eric's Indianapolis Trailer Rig

#125 - Jason's Schwinn Heavy-Duti

#126 - Michael Gibian's Ritchey Aspen Xtracycle

Single Speed Gallery Reaches 300 Bicycles!

2010-05-10T11:33:00.000-07:00

With today's update, the Single Speed Gallery has notched itself up to 300 entries. A pretty impressive number of one-speeds. A quick shout out to Mike Ferrentino, author of the Grimy Handshake column in BIKE magazine. It was his article some mumble-mumble years ago back in California Bicyclist which made me actually aware of the focused and self-flagellatory world of single speed mountain biking. Taking gears off your bike? That seemed crazy talk when I first heard of it, and yet it was oddly enticing. That article was one of the things way back when which gave the weather vane a good and hearty spin away from the normal and accepted practices.

It's been interesting too, to see the number of singlespeeds which would be considered more "road" bike oriented. As readers of my main blog know, a comfortable and reliable frame designed for good clearances and large tires blurs the distinctions between on or off road, but the trend of this gallery has been more towards drop bar equipped models than a traditional mountain bike setups.

But, enough about trends and theorizing...

Ron Hampel's Rivendell Quickbeam - Gallery Entry #300

Singlespeed Gallery #300

I was really pleased to see this bike come into the queue at #300 (though I was equally chagrined that it wasn't Paul Germain's stunning custom Ellis). As most folks know, I own a Quickbeam as well, and consider it to be one of the best riding and most versatile bicycles I've ridden.

But Ron's has some unique aspects to it - first of all, it reminded me of some of Grant Petersen's writings about how he sees Rivendell designs in the bigger scheme of things. He wrote some time ago that he hopes that his bikes stand the test of time, specifically that they will be recognized, sans paint and decals, in the future. That there are certain hallmarks of design and philosophy which will make people say, "...hey! That's a Rivendell!"

And here, underneath a gorgeous clear powdercoat, is evidence of just that. The clean and simple lug lines. The good clearances. The useful braze-ons. Those robust and cleverly angled rear fork ends. Yep, that's a Quickbeam.

New Singlespeed Gallery Entries:
#297 - Ana Semijalac's Unis Sprint -
#298 - Paul Germain's Ellis
#299 - Evan Wilson's Spicer
#300 - Ron Hampel's Rivendell Quickbeam

Tim Fricker's Goshawk Touring

2010-05-06T11:18:00.000-07:00

Over the year's I've taken bicycles and their bits down to the last nut and bolt. It's always transfixed and challenged me - pulling things apart and considering the thought and trial/error that went into the development of a given component, or looking at the bearing races in a hub and thinking about the hours and miles that went into honing that groove. In that pursuit, I've broken stuff, reassembled things wrong, tweaked bolt heads, stripped threads and generally made about every mistake that could be made.

That's one of the reasons I have such respect for anyone who decides to take up a torch and go about creating a bicycle frame out of a bunch of steel tubes. Pondering over a pile of loose tubes takes some planning, confidence and commitment. Which brings us to today's highlighted entry:

Tim Fricker's Goshawk Touring

Current Classics Gallery #785

Tim took the design of his 1986 Miyata and then ramped up the clearances to cover 42 mm tires. He's already had the chance to do some light overnights and other short trips on the bicycle, and seems pretty pleased with it. The closeup of the seatstays show a good sense of stability and reliability. The choice of lugs and sloping fork crown pull it together nicely. All that he needs is a headbadge to finish things off.

#785 - Tim Fricker's Goshawk Touring
#786 - B. Saul's Nishiki International
#787 - B. Saul's Nishiki Continental Touring
#788 - B. Saul's Nishiki Continental "Raleigh"

Cinco Por Cinco

2010-05-05T10:35:00.000-07:00

One of the really funny things about processing all of the Gallery entries is how diverse it is - everytime I think "wow, that's a lot of Rivendells in a row...", I get a set like today's.

When you get this diverse a set of bicycles in such fine condition, it's really a shame to pick out one of them to focus on. I would have loved to just talk about Peter Vieira's Schwinn High Sierra - a gorgeous, near-stock example of the first wave of production mountain bikes. The long wheelbase and slack angles of that frame still ride well for so many applications. I even managed to bite down my reflexive regional-centric preference for west coast mtb steel from that era...

Then, there's Anton Tutter's Shogun - wow. When I saw the images, I thought it was a Toei, and to read his description of the restoration/conversion of this rig was pretty impressive. After that, a couple examples of gorgeous Italian steel classic lightweights - Frank Paxton's Basso Gap (racy, chromed lugs, three-tone paint - what's not to love?) and Clive Standley's DeRosa Neo Primato (a race rig made stylish and useful with the tasteful addition of new parts).

In the end, though I ended up with Randy Pugh's Trek 660, for...well... reasons I'm about to mention.

Randy Pugh's Trek 660

Current Classic Gallery #784

Trek road bicycles from this period (1980's) have always struck me as tremendously underrated and generally overlooked bicycles. They are the bicycles which I've probably always wanted to have one of, despite never having actually ridden one. Yeah, I know. That makes no sense.

But, hear me out. They were mostly production bicycles, crafted in the USA. They didn't have the panache of the Italian thoroughbreds, lacked the racing pedigree of the California Masi's, Peugeots and what have you. They were good, simple, lugged steel frames. They seemed a dime-a-dozen at the time. They had lighter gauge race-oriented frames and they had canti-brake and braze-on rigged touring models. They were, to be blunt, often regarded as the bikes you upgraded from.

To look back on them now, it seems like they have so many of the things which are generally gone from bike models today (though, arguably, that is thankfully starting to return.) Good clearances, clean lines and useful braze-ons.

With this bike, Randy has added on some newer bits, which also strikes a chord with me. When you see so many riders today turning over "last year's" model on Craigslist or eBay, selling the whole thing - frame, fork and components - at fire sale pricing, it's encouraging to see a good, useful frame being used. I think it helps remind people how a well designed bicycle frame can continue to evolve and be enjoyed.

#780 - Peter Vieira's Schwinn High Sierra
#781 - Anton Tutter's Shogun 2000
#782 - Frank Paxton's Basso Gap
#783 - Clive Standley's De Rosa Neo Primato
#784 - Randy Pugh's Trek 660

Friday Fast One: Karl's Kogswell

2010-04-23T09:40:00.000-07:00

Got a little behind last night and this morning, so if this is a little brisk and choppy, I apologize in advance.

At the top of this blog, I've added in a random slide show from my Flickr sets - planning on periodically choosing one from my feed. Actually, had just done this to show another blogger how it works, but upon reflection, felt it was a nice addition.

Today, Karl's Kogswell P58 is the lone addition to the Current Classic Gallery -

Current Classics Gallery #779

Kogswells have always been interesting bicycles to me. Back when this Gallery was gaining momentum, they populated the entries and much of the conversation on the iBob list. To my perspective, they were one of the first steel, lugged production frames to gain visibility after Rivendell. As a value proposition to the Rivendell, it let many riders get contemporary lugged steel within their monetary constraints.

Kogswell probably helped the connection between Rivendell and Maxway, who was the Taiwan-based company which built the Kogs. This led to the Bleriot, and now the current Sam Hillborne, Betty Foy/Yves Gomez and upcoming Hunqapillar models.

The P/R (Porteur/Randonneur) in 650B really seemed to put Kogswell on the map, staking out an area which no production bicycle seemed to exist. The idea of swappable forks, different fork rake/trail and front-end-load specific geometry still spurs lots of debate, and really revved up participation in the Kogswell Owners Group. (Ride buddy JimG also maintains an interesting and informative page of Kogswell info, and puts some serious miles on his 700C P/R)

But, it's these earlier bikes - the D, G and P series - which got them going.

#779 - Karl Littner's Kogswell P58