Lugs Chicago

I swear to start blogging again

2012-01-31T15:58:00.001-06:00

It's been really tough getting back to this page. I'm not sure what it is exactly, that prevents me from posting. I'm always reading other peoples thoughts and enjoy sexy bike photos, still. Regularly I look at the cycling community in Chicago and get upset. For so many riders, the bicycle seems like just another way to get around, a tool, a prop for some. Often it seems they don't really assign any value to the machine. Some even expect a well built bike to be cheap.(Total bullshit I say) As a person who has put countless hours in some of these machines, I get pissed off with those who have this view. So many new riders and mechanics as well, fall into what I like to call a latest and greatest mentality. They fall for whatever a bike manufacturer or accessory company might put on the market each spring. It amazes me how few can see through sale strategy corporate, bullshit. I used to argue with them, now I just smile say nothing. Inside, I'm saying what a stupid fuck.. That's better than trying to explain to them that 10 speeds is no better than 9. I'm in New Orleans currently, where their are few riders who care about weight and how many speeds a bike have. Nothing about aluminum or carbon. You hear shit like, "how are the tires" or after a test ride, they'll say "it's comfy, that's just what I was looking for". While here I met up with an old buddy, Peter Stanley. Peter builds bike trailers. Big ass bike trailers actually..

He had this hooked to a tall bike that evening. It's 7 ft wide to the outside rails. I forget the length, but it's at least 10 ft. It's weight capacity he say's is around 1000 lbs. pretty damn sweet. He will build one for you. I have his info. Oh, and it's steel, by the way.

Hope you all can make it

2011-09-24T07:03:00.002-05:00

There will be a bike swap inside the market. Hope to see you there.

This Sunday 8/7/11

2011-08-06T11:54:00.001-05:00

We will be bike swapping with other vendors at:

You don't want to miss it!

Happy Holidays Baby..

2010-12-23T11:32:00.016-06:00

Please let this be over! The Holidays, while enjoyed by many, is hated by some. The old Grinch here included. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against those who celebrate them. It's the build up that really annoys me. It seems to start after Halloween and drag on and on until the first of the New year. Seems so much pressure is put on us. There are plans to be made, family get together's, parties, presents, music, travel and so on.

I've long felt about Christmas, the way Eazy E from NWA proclaimed in a song on their only holiday album. "Merry Christmas Mutha Fucker". By the time Christmas actually arrives, I've been over it for weeks.

I've had Lot's of folks here in New Orleans, ask me to assist them with Christmas, (bicycle gifts). For the most part, I declined. It's just too much work, getting bikes shipped from Chicago. The desired bike here is the cruiser, especially vintage ones and shipping is pretty expensive, given the weight of most them.

One fellow who contacted me, Patrick is his name, was pretty persistent. He'd seen some of our work and just had to have a cruiser for his girlfriend. We went back and forth , a few times over the phone. Mostly with me just saying, yeah sure, I'll see what I can do. I suppose Patrick could smell that I'm a lazy shit. He did what many folks in Chicago do, (call me until I get my ass and my brain to make a connection.) He even called Carene and told her I was ignoring him.
Finally an impetus came over me. I got in touch with "The other Ron", over at A Nearly New Shop on Broadway. He had a bike in stock that I had shown Patrick photos of. It seemed like the ticket, from the pictures, so I had Carene pick it up, replace the chain and ship it to me.
I was a bit put off however, when I received it. The front axle was loose, which is no big deal but the axle bearings were also bone dry. This from a bike that was on their sales floor.
I figured if the wheel bearings were dry, the crank had to be as well. Sure enough, it was. The handle bars and grips were also not original. That's no big deal if this was a beater, but not something you give your girlfriend for Christmas. After all, it takes a year to make up for giving a lousy Christmas gift.
Check it out..

After going over it, I called Patrick and told him, I'd do my best to get the proper bars and grips. It test rode really well so I felt fine delivering it. Here's some pics of it after assembly.

Rear racks are the shit... Really

The fender mounted headlight has always been hot..

I have a new respect for the vintage cruiser. Probably because I've seen so many hot women riding around town on them. (yes I'm a pig)

Whatever the reason, this town is gonna get a lot more of them, courtesy of yours truly.

A View From 930 Miles South

2010-12-07T12:46:00.035-06:00

July 7th was the last time I updated this page. It goes without saying, that I suck as a blogger . It was indeed a busy summer and fall, despite how it looked to those of you who know us well. As in previous years, we again refined what we do and how we build and although we finished a lot less, the projects we completed were of much higher quality than in years past. Unfortunately it cost more money to build this way. Sadly, that alienated some people. Below are a few of my favorites.

Hard to believe that bike was 35 years old. It's an old Schwinn LeTour, that is finally deserving of the name, "tour". The fellow who requested this bike owns a hair salon. He has impeccable taste, but likes things minimal and uncluttered. I had to make him take that rear rack. He loves it now. He completed the Apple Cider Century in Michigan, late this past summer.

This next bike was also a request. This fellow favored beach cruisers, but his girlfriend, a longtime friend of ours, favors road bikes. When they rode together, she spent a lot of time waiting for him to catch up. This was our compromise.

You can likely tell I have a fondness for the color off white. I did four bikes in this shade over the past year. It's called "Platinum Smooth". It's just so goddamn elegant. We special ordered the wheels for this one. They are coaster brake, Shimano hub with Sta-Tru alloy rims 700x25. I committed to 9 pairs. We still have 5 pairs remaining. The basket is from Wald, it's called the "Woody" (bet that took a lot of thought) The tires are Schwalbe Delta Cruisers. I'm sold on the Schwalbe brand. They may cost a bit more, but with the exception of theLugano's, they are very high quality. They have a new tire available this spring that looks very good as well. Never, ever buy the Lugano's however.

Emily Taylor is co-owner of Pocampo. A company she founded. They make cycling accessories for women. Everything is done locally with no out-sourcing. I'm always happy when I see her riding around town. She even took this bike to Interbike in Las Vegas. The shipper however was not very kind to it. We may have to do a repaint. This bike is also featured in the TYK calender, along with Emily.
She's Ms. September.

I like my photo better:

Sometimes when building a bike. You're asked to do things that pain your soul. This next picture was one such bike. I'll only show part of it. This was a Nervex frame, extremely light and elegant. It was from the late 1960s. Beautiful in every way. Jaime again wanted it minimal. Not even any lug highlights. That hurt...

For some reason the bike below, took forever to assemble. I replaced everything from the bottom bracket up. The only thing original to the bike are the frame and crank. Using cross tires made for some really tight clearances. The thought process in building this was, handling Chicago's winter. I added bar end shifters, which I'm a big fan of. I also have a fondness for vintage randonneur bars. It test rode like a dream. Even though we kept its original finish, it cost as much to assemble, as some of our powdercoated bikes. The Vittoria Cross tires are among the best that I've tested. The sidewalls are really stiff enabling them to corner like no other cross tire. Quite a superb little machine.

I've had more free time on my hands than I could have ever in my life imagined. It's allowed me time to look around and to rethink bike building. Living in Chicago, I've spent much of my time focusing on bicycles that Chicago commuters want. Which for the most part, means light, quick and efficient. I personally am not a big fan of someone tearing ass down the avenues. Not only is it risky, as getting doored could make you a human catapult, but the rider seems to be rolling in a tunnel. With views to the left and right mostly obscured. There could be the sweet aroma or the sight of something grand nearby, but the tunnel often keeps the rider from ever acknowledging it.

Riding around New Orleans is nothing like commuting up and down Chicago's busy streets. I must say, I will never complain about the shitty pavement in Chicago. The streets of New Orleans, are on par with, dirt roads. I'm sure much of it is it's elevation (51 percent of the city is at or below sea level) and the fact that it's still a very poor town. Priorities first, I suppose.
The cruiser, seems to dominate the streets of New Orleans. Much of it, is cheap Walmart shit. Carene, Ryan and I serviced some vintage cruisers before we headed down here. They sold as soon as we posted them on craigslist. Wish we could have bought more. I have requests here from folks who want them for Christmas.

Yes we are in WHO DAT nation, with a Bears themed RV.
Give me the "C", over the crescent any day.

Sitting in the park in December. That's one thing this town has on Chicago.

Recent Work

2010-07-07T09:50:00.009-05:00

We often build bikes for people that never reach this blog. They usually go out the door as soon as they are finished. Here are some photos of some that got away.

This was a bike I had never seen before. "The Londoner" made in Japan in what appeared to be the 70s. Beautiful headbadge, nice color and what I liked most English threading which made for a pretty simple rebuild. Notice the long wheelbase. It rode like a dream. I.m a big fan of this kind of frame design. If you compare it to say, one of todays typical hybrids, it puts them to shame.

I'm a big fan of the old Raleigh Gran Prix frames. Very light, strong, nice lugs and pretty rear seat stays. This one went to Andy, who works at a nice bar on Division st. We used 700x 32 tires, as he is a city commuter and was looking for a quick bike, still with a soft ride. Set up as a roadster.

This bike also did not stay around long. I loved the color. Cyclepro road
bikes are pretty rare. The Wald woody rack has been a nice addition for us. They are a bit heavy, come with the cheapest screws available but look and work really well, if you mount them properly. I'm a big fan of big bells and believe all bikes should have them. This bike also was done ,using Green Grips bar wrap, which I really like. You'll need to do some heavy shellacking, however. But you can't beat how nice it looks.

This bike never made it out in the pictured setup, as the owner thought he could do a better job. enough said...

This bike, I rode this 66' Triumph for about a week before it sold. I carried a case of bottled beer to a party on this bike on a cold winter night. It was quite heavy but the basket didn't mind at all. It was purchased as a gift, by a nice girl to give to her boyfriend for Christmas. Lucky, boy.

Something we are currently working on

2010-06-26T21:27:00.008-05:00

Along with leather re-upholstered saddles, we are attempting to design and produce leather saddle bags. Since these will be cut from remnants, colors will vary. Here is one that we installed on that pretty Suteki Mixte. These would be good for storing a light jacket, plastic bag to cover your saddle, a sammich, your keys, wallet, or whatever you don't want in your pocket. I will post other colors as they are produced. Figure a leather bag in the 45.00-50.00 dollar range, handmade.

A few bags in different colors should be available this upcoming week.

Sneek Peek at the Art About Display

2010-06-19T06:01:00.005-05:00

My love affair with the Mixte continues...

Vintage Centurion Fixed Gear Roadster

Look for us at 5 Star Bar on Chicago Ave.

Naked Bike Ride - Chicago 2010 - The HD Experience

2010-06-17T17:31:00.001-05:00

In case you missed it. Big Fun. June 12th 2010. Next year be there..

What are you Doing Sat. June 19th?

2010-06-17T09:52:00.004-05:00

Carene and I will be displaying some of our work at Art Adventures, Art About. See the Map below for details.

Be there...

The South

2010-05-19T07:52:00.019-05:00

I hate to admit it. In the last 24 hours, I've spent 93.00 dollars on gasoline. A tough one to swallow for someone that doesn't own a car. I could have taken a train all the way from Chicago to New Orleans for that amount. Instead, I rode with my father from northern Mississippi to the gulf coast and then with my brother to New Orleans. Funny thing about the south. People always ask us northerners, how the hell do we put up with the chilly weather. However, touring the south in 80 plus degree weather, what I've found is mostly, folks sitting in air-conditioned homes and cars. Nice porches that are mostly house dressing. Entering into New Orleans via highway 10 is quite beautiful. There are many miles of swamps and marshlands. Being in a car you can't actually see it, at least in it's real glory. There's a retaining wall the whole 25 mile stretch leading into the city. Cars traveling at 70 miles per hour, also keep the view for the most part, uninteresting. I took these pics from the web. Since the ones I tried to shoot at 70mph, suck.

It's a shame that the car prevents people from taking advantage of this beauty. While driving along with this beauty at our side, my brother remarked, "man I really like that Buick Enclave". The car that was on a truck being hauled into the city. Go figure. As a kid and through much of my life, I too loved the car. My brother as a kid and teen, could care less about cars. My how things have changed. After arriving in the city and navigating traffic we neared our destination. Then came the hunt for a place to park. Something else i don't miss about driving. We finally found a space We finally found a space and backed in. Of course, because of the car we were immediately limited with how long we could stay in the city. Parking meters only last 2 hours and we only had enough quarters for 1hr 45 measly minutes.
People buy cars, looking for transportation. I constantly hear the term "in control" or "allows you freedom". From what I observe of most motorists, that's complete bullshit. Freedom? Hardly, restrictions? Absolutely. Control? I could hardly call sitting in traffic with thousands of other control freaks, control.
We finally, got our chance to tour and of course within 10 minutes were at the touristy, but oh so good:

Cheesy yes, but god do I wish there was a Cafe DuMonde in Chicago. Probably best it be 800 miles from since, I'd be walking around Chicago with grease stain on my fingers and powdered sugar all over me. What a pig..

There are loads of really cool things in New Orleans. I never watch live music in Chicago, as I don't care for amplifiers indoors. Or lame bands with long names, for that matter. But these guys got my attention on the street.

Opps.. video won't load

Of course being as this blog is generally about bicycles, I have to say. New Orleans truly is the land of shitty cruisers.

I love how they cover their saddles with plastic bags. Not, I'm sure because they want to protect expensive leather. More likely because those foamy bun busters can hold a shit ton of water. Perhaps they should offer them to BP?

Nothing to do Friday Evening?

2010-05-14T03:14:00.007-05:00

I'll be one of 6 Re (cyclists) displaying current work at the 2nd Friday art walk. There is a reception at 1900 Halsted. I'll be there after 6pm. come on down and browse the neighborhood as there will be much to see and do. Be sure to stop by and say hello and have a drink perhaps. I'll be there all night

Crap ass Fiber

2010-05-07T21:06:00.009-05:00

Most people who know me, already know, how I feel about how certain materials that are used on bicycles. I'm not the biggest fan of aluminum. I do think it's relatively safe however. Carbon fiber? well..that's another story. I honestly question the sanity of anyone who rides it. I'm sure some of it's out of ignorance. Many feel, If it's the latest in light materials what could be the harm? Some say, if it were dangerous, companies wouldn't use it. Boy are they misguided. Big bike companies mostly care about selling shit. In the quest to have the next new thing to trumpet, they quite often introduce unnecessary crap. For instance, carbon fiber brake levers or calipers. These are completely unnecessary and certainly no better than alloy. Perhaps worse actually, and in many cases much more expensive. Another example would be, who's faster? A guy with a 9-speed campy group or a guy with a 10 speed group? (answer) The guy with the strongest legs and largest lung capacity. A Lugs regular, Kate, forwarded me this sweet photo of a carbon fiber failure:

Ouch! I hate too see what that guys face looked liked after a few feet of pavement scraping. He's lucky he wasn't impaled.
I also have a favorite photo of a Giant TCR-1 that came into the shop recently. The kid wanted this fixed. In my mind this was, so he could go about the business of plotting his own timely demise. I told him I wouldn't be involved in that.

Photo #2

Searching around for more lovely photos, I came across the blog:
"Busted Carbon" which has tons of photos of broken carbon fiber components.
Here are a few for your viewing pleasure. I named the first one: "Balls in the Hospital"

This one is titled, " You Really Need to Get Your Facials Some Other Way "

I always cringe when people come in looking for carbon forks. My first question is, why? I've never gotten a straight answer. A common one is, I just like it better. Someone should cane these poor bastards before they hurt themselves.

New Stuff Happening

2010-05-04T05:44:00.014-05:00

Too many things going on and not enough time to write about it. The Pilsen art walk was very well received last month. The curator, Keith Hayes, was asked to again setup for Friday May, 14Th. We will have 2 new bicycles on Display. Other recyclists have also been asked to contribute their work. Should be a fun time. Bring good beer. I'll help you get rid of it. I don't mean to be a beer snob, and I know plenty of you drink PBR. I just haven't been in the mood to drink out of the toilet lately. Fun starts around 6pm. There are about 20 or more storefronts, businesses and restaurants participating in the evenings festivities. I'm uploading a flyer the print is a tad small, sorry.

New saddle options.
I've tried for months to get in touch with someone who could reupholster old saddles. I've thrown out way too many. Finally, he came in to see me. Like a saviour. Salvation for old saddles, yes! I have had about 12 or so covered so far. Beautiful work and very cost effective. So please don't throw that old saddle away. Unless it's one of those shitty comfort foam seats.

That saddle went from hard vinyl, to soft leather. As did this one, in white.

He's currently out of this color, but has dark brown and black.

I also had him cover my favorite stool. That 70s looking thing that the saddles were sitting on. It now has padding and no more holes! You can get yours done as well. Won't cost anywhere near as much as a leather replacement.

I found this kind of interesting

2010-04-22T04:41:00.012-05:00

It's funny the stuff you come across when you can't sleep. It's 4:30 AM in Chicago. I've already taken a shower and somehow, having a beer felt like a good idea. I keep a laptop pretty close to me, so futzing around the world wide web, naturally, go's hand in hand with being wide awake and having a very early morning beer. I stumble upon this little Newsweek article:
100 Places to Remember before they Disappear.
It's a list of places that if climatologists are right in their predictions of climate change, may disappear or at least be radically changed.
There are some beautiful photos of places around world. I decided to click on North America. There's a dot right around Lake Michigan, I'm thinkin wow, that's the west side of the lake so it ain't Detroit. Of course this would be 100 places to visit and no one visits Detroit unless they grew up there. Most of them only visit when the absolutely have to. I forward the photos and there it is, number 4 Chicago:

Chicago can be quite a beautiful metropolis. That's a great photo for sure. The caption go's on to mention:
4. Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.
The Windy City has been the Midwest’s center of transportation, industry, finance, and entertainment since it was founded in the 1830s on the shore of Lake Michigan. More than 9.5 million people now live in the metro area, making it the third-most-populous city in the U.S. In the coming years, the city could experience a gradual yet dramatic increase in heat waves and flooding.
I'm not so sure about industry being here. The shit mayor pretty much drove that away a long time ago.
What I do know is... lot's of people here, yep. 9.5 million. Guess how many cars? An approximate 2006 figure was 3,791,182. Almost 4 million. That's too fucking many. I can just here all the lame ass excuses people give for not cycling. Mother Fuckers, Jesus... Ahh.. can't you just taste those emissions?
Sorry, I think the beer is getting to me.

Cute Bag

2010-04-19T10:04:00.005-05:00

I'm normally not the soft type. I recently rebuilt a bike for Emily. She's co-owns a Chicago company that makes cycling bags for ladies. These can be found at a number of bike shops locally. Or perhaps, even better directly from their website. www.pocampo.com Since I'm only a fan of a few the shops that sell them. I have to admit, it really dressed the hell out of her bike. Here's a picture of what the bike looked like when I finished.

Hot for sure. I't didn't at all seem naked to me until I looked at the photo I took as she prepared to take her maiden voyage on the new setup. She had added her bag and, well...

Looks so much more lady like. Takes the raw steel look and completely softens it. I'm a fan. Call me soft.

Lately.

2010-04-15T11:59:00.006-05:00

Lot's going on right now. I submitting my entry into the "recycle greener" exhibit. If you have not been to Pilsen recently, I'd suggest doing so. The Friday art walk was pretty cool. Some of the bikes on display are quite nice. They will be there through the month of April. Mine is at 18th and Halsted, on the west side of the street.
Here's a photo of it. It's a late 70s RRB, handmade frame frame that was a rust bucket when I got. Seatpost, bottom bracket and stem were all seized. It appeared to have been left outside for many years. The photo's taken from behind the glass, so it's a not so great image.

Our good friend Billy David has an entry right next to mine. It's really gorgeous in real life. 1971 Raleigh Competition completely restored. Again the glass makes for a poor photo.

I'm finally done with my "next girlfriends bike. Kinda kicks ass, looks wicked in the sunlight. It's a Motobecane Mixte. Take a look:

This lovely bike was restored for Emily. She co-owns the ladies cycle bar company, www.pocampo.com Should look very sweet on her web page. It's a Schwinn Letour mixte.

this could also have been a next girlfriend competition entry.

If you have nothing to do Friday evening

2010-04-09T07:44:00.004-05:00

This will be a pretty cool event. Art walk in Pilsen. Friday night is the opening. I have a bike on display. See if you can pick it out from the others, without looking at the info tag. A good place to drag your friends and lovers. Drinks afterwards? Hell yeah.

See ya there.

Who can help?

2010-03-31T10:43:00.002-05:00

I'm looking for some talented person to design a T-shirt. The Shell station around the corner from me has regular gas for 3.29 a gallon. The summer driving season has not begun and I'm certain it will go much higher.

I want a T-shirt with a back that reads: 3.29 a gallon. Non- renewable... So people sitting in traffic can read it as you whiz by them. The front could have a simple drawing of a bike. Who can do this?

Why and WTF?

2010-03-18T08:05:00.006-05:00

As mentioned in a previous post. Things are heating up now. My phone is ringing so much that people think I placed a fake escort add on craigslist. The door is starting to swing open constantly and it's not just those coming in to have a cigarette. Seems to happen every year, we get a little temperature bump and some think what a great day for a bike ride. This really bums out those of us who ride year round. The bike lanes now have traffic jams, commuter cross has begun. You are likely to see more cyclists doing stupid things. Like the moron I saw cut across the Ashland/Milwaukee intersection against the light. Cars speeding at him and he just cut em off. I'm sure he thought this was cool. "I'm a rebel, my feet never touch the ground. I made it all the way home without stopping!" All I could think was, would someone please end this idiots life , since he has no respect for it anyway?
Folks like that give cycling a bad name. It makes people in cars want to stay in their cars. Since associating yourself with some smelly cyclist would be whack.

I was talking to Stephen Maiseloff, my local parts sales rep. He went out to the nations capital last week for the D.C. bike summit. I really hope something good happened there, so far I've not heard or read anything significant. (typically happens when politicians are involved) I'm of the mind that, "Laws won't keep cyclists safe. People not driving will".

Speaking of people doing dumb shit.
I had a young lady in the shop last week who had a fellow she knew, assemble a bike for her. She bought the bike in to me because I had a new crank that crank,she wanted installed. I went remove the old one and noticed it was quite loose. I know the kid that assembled this bike for her. Talks kinda fast and uses the word (like) a lot. I figured instead of just tightening the bottom bracket for her , I would disassemble and re-inspect it. As I was taking it apart my nasal passages started opening and my eyes started watering. I also noticed the grease coming from the bottom shell was runny. When I pulled the spindle out it was covered in gook. It wreaked of Vicks Vapo Rub! Seems this dumb shit thought he could use it as a grease replacement. Let me tell you, It doesn't work. amazing what some folks will do to make a buck.

I spotted another dumb shit on craigslist the other day.

Single Speed 2008 SE Lager - 56cm - Totally Upgraded! - $450 (Lakeview)

Date: 2010-03-17, 10:16PM CDT
Reply to: sale-enpgv-1649250869@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]

I recently got my first car and just don't have the time to ride my bike anymore. So, while I don't really want to, I think it is best if I sell it so someone else can get enjoyment out of it.

My 2008 SE Lager Single Speed Road Bike is in excellent condition. It is a 56cm frame. The paint is brown (lager, get it?) with adjustable bull horn handlebars, in my opinion, the most comfortable handlebar set up for street riding. There is a little scuffing on the frame from general use, but absolutely no scratches, dents, or other damage. It was tuned up in November and then it went in the bike room of my building, where it has been ever since. The tires need a little air and it is ready to go.

I bought the bike brand new from Performance Bicycle March of 2009. New, it was $650. After the purchase, I added a bunch of upgrades to the bike, including upgraded wheels for better speed and traction, front and back wheel fenders, seat converted from quick release to hex bolt, and chain upgraded to anti-corrosion material. These upgrades ran another $200. I will also throw in my U-Lock, which is another $40.

So, I just want to get rid of the bike...I have put almost $900 into the bike, and I'd like to get $450 OBO out of it (now I need gas money!)

Below is a stock photo, but my bike looks identical, but with the addition of fenders.

Please let me know if you would like to stop by and check it out or if you have any other questions!

Location: Lakeview
it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

He put $900 into a Lager? Now needs gas money? He grabbed a stock photo of a bike he claims to have upgraded? It's sad what this country has produced. Lazy, stupid...Philistines.

Here is a picture of a nice bike:
I posting it just because it makes the blog look good.

Things are Heating up.

2010-03-16T02:12:00.010-05:00

I should be on the reality TV show, The Biggest Loser. Not because I'm trying to lose my fat ass, but because I'm such a slacker to this blog. The weather is getting more to the liking of fair weather riders, so folks are coming out of the woodwork. I've never been a fan of seasonal cyclists. But alas, this year I'm ready. (somewhat).

Last time I posted. I listed the Next Girlfriend Bike Challenge. I have some challengers and I'm confident that I'll kick the balls off of all of them. The most serious challenge, I believe will be the one from Bean. She's re-doing an already hot Peugeot mixte, that will be one of the nicest rides on the street. It's Purple for gods sake. Hard to beat that color.
Ryan, got started on a bike and let Roseanna finish his project (of course), a Peugeot mixte as well. It's nice, but my next girlfriends bike should easily crush it.

I also got a challenge from Jesy G. a girl who this time last year rode a Schwinn Collegiate. Now she has a small collective of bikes. Not sure what she's gonna do. I don't think she's sure either. But as with the others, my NGB will kick her cute little ass. Mike Figueroa also sent me a challenge via email. I however see him walking and holding hands, more than riding, so his ass is kicked before he ever starts. Yes Mike thats right. Laura, is working to build her next girlfriends bike for herself. She's putting a ton of effort into it, which pleases this guy to no end. She has however asked for my assistance with assembly. Naturally, I'll assist. I will also make sure she doesn't win.

I built up this pretty Raleigh Sprite last week. The gem goes to Lane, who looks Divine in the saddle. For fans of "Chicks and Bikes" here it is:

Roseanna rebuilt this little guy on Sunday. It's a Raleigh Twenty folding bike. She even repacked the 3-speed Sturmey Archer hub. (impressive)I bought 100psi tires tires for it. They have a lot less drag than the originals. The little sucker really moves out.

Seems it needs a basket, perhaps a rear one. Gonna look in to that.

Here are some pics of recent work:

I'm really diggin the roadster setup.

This is a Nashbar frame, Bean built up.

Keep you posted.

For The Next Girl

2010-01-12T11:24:00.010-06:00

I was having a conversation with a fellow cycle enthusiast Paul Grens, yesterday. Something he'd told me a few months ago came back up and made me laugh. He came by looking for parts for a Raleigh Sports cruiser. I asked him was this his "next girlfriends bike"? We both cracked up when he said, yes.

We were looking around at things he needed to finish the project when it occured to me what a great idea that was. I'm bored this time of year, so why not? I've built and restored a ton of bikes, but some of the most difficult projects have been step-through frames. I dislike how many of them look. I understand their value and need. It's sad but I often neglect some pretty wonderful frames because they happen to be step-through.

Nothing wrong with these bikes for sure. I'm not alone in my neglect of ladies frames. Many women don't care for them. Just look at the prices, on craigslist. You can get one for a song. I've watched a lot of them make it inside the scrap yard. Shame on me.

So for the next 8 weeks, I'm going to have a contest. All are invited to participate. I'm going to build my "next girlfriends bike". Will she be tall? What color does she like. Will she be girlie? Will she be a shorty? Maybe a big girl? It has to fit perfectly, so these are important questions. To the rest of you, I challenge. Build your "next girlfriends bike. If you are married or in some other arrangement, feel free to participate. If your next girlfriend is a guy, you can get in on this as well. However, he'd better be comfortable on a step-though. Mixte frames are welcome as well. I'm not sure what my next girlfriend looks like. I do know she's gonna look good on my bike.
I also believe it's gonna look better than your bike. Hmm... where to start?

Who accepts this challenge?
You don't have to live in the Chicago area either. But time stamp your photos and show your build steps. Don't write and tell your your next girlfriend doesn't ride a bike. If they don't, keep looking. The only prize the winner gets is hopefully an appreciative girl/guy/mate or whatever. So I guess in some way we all win.

Feel free to comment or tell me, your bike, will kick my bikes ass. I just don't think so.

Chicago Xmas Mass

2010-01-07T15:29:00.012-06:00

I usually never ride Critical Mass. I feel it could be a good thing for the cycling community in Chicago. Perhaps if it were done right. Or had less Massholes. That's a term given car drivers in Massachusetts when they drive recklessly. Here in Chicago, it's a term given to cyclists in Critical Mass who act like buffoons. I figured on Christmas Day, there would be very few riders and almost no car traffic, so what the hell.

Three of us (Sven Scott & myself) who seemed to be the only people still in town on xmas, ( we're at that age where no one really has to see ya at Christmas time ) decided to head on downtown. If nothing else we could see just how many crazies would be out that night.

The ride downtown was nice, however short. I had assembled the Holdsworth, that had been hanging from the ceiling for months. I was happy to only have a short commute downtown. I lowered the seat for photos and had forgotten to raise it before jumping on. Stupid, yeah I know. The thing looked really sweet anyways.

I built the rear hub up as a 4-speed. Figured it would give me pulling options in the wind/snow. It worked really well.

Holiday Bar ends...

We met up with what seemed to be about 60 people (80 tops). There was holiday cheer, people taking pictures, smiling, talking, flask sipping, it was snowing lightly, a really pretty scene, given the day it was.

We shoved off after 6pm or so. A quick trip trough he loop with no circles around the block, cool. There were two cop cars in the procession and we were moving at a pretty good pace. As soon as we came upon Michigan avenue, pulled up to a light, there it was. MASS UP! What? there's only enough people to barely fill the intersection and some fools gotta yell mass up. I spoke up without yelling, SHUT UP. We continued along Michigan, which is quite beautiful this time of year. Tons of lights, people hurrying about, and on this night, very few cars. We ended up near the Viagra Triangle and then it happened...
Right in the middle of the little park near Gibsons. They decide to do a circle. I call it the "Circle Jerk". Thats one sure way to piss a driver off. Yeah anyone can wait for a procession, but waiting while someone completely fucks up the intersection, well...thats just rude.

We were not even halfway through the ride and I was thinking of my exit. I figured once we hit Armitage. Exit west, let's get the fuck out of here. As soon as we left the group, I could feel the night getting better. Really, as soon a we turned off. It was snowing pretty heavily and the westbound traffic did not exist.
There's nothing like a night ride in fresh snow. The bike was very quiet and so where the streets.

Heaven has no massholes...

What I'd like to see

2010-01-06T03:23:00.017-06:00

It's 3:23am and I can't sleep. I was just reading over a few of the other blogs I follow, when this hits me. What the fuck am I doing? Why is it so hard to just write shit down? Is it because I seem to have alcohol in my bloodstream most evenings? Or just fucking lazy? I believe thats it..

I'm a bit of an asshole critic. Especially when it come to bikes and the cycling community as a whole. There's lot's of things about bicycles that I love dearly. Then of course there are things that make me cringe! Things I hope would go away forever. Let me see...

Hipster Tails

Besides providing inadequate protection, coming loose when you need them to stay in place. They look really stupid and say this about the rider: Is he/she just cheap, or too dumb to realize what a terrible product that is? Don't forget to recycle when you toss this shit out.

This is what fenders should look like:

This should ruffle some feathers. Of course I don't care...

It's very much like Nascar, boring and unnecessary. I'm convinced, many racers stopped enjoying actually riding a bike long ago. Lot's and lot's of testosterone. Yuck!

Sorry westtown. I love what you're doing for the cycling community but this is silly:

I was once asked to assist in organizing a black womens cycling organization. I thought that was silly as well. Inclusion is inclusion and separation is... not community.

Call me a cranky old bastard but:

Nothing screams hipster or latfh as loudly. In ten years there will be lots of folks in chiropractic clinics all with the same problem. One shoulder longer than the other. Or for backpackers, both shoulders bent the fuck backwards. You will eventually pay for your poor fashion sense.
Something else I'd like to is an end to the thinking that single speed/fixed gear is the only way. Likewise those who believe gears belong on every roadbike. You're both wrong.

Don't hate me. My blood alcohol level is again above the legal limit...

What you can do with a hundred bucks.

2009-11-18T11:16:00.019-06:00

I regularly get bike dealers traders and scrappers, offering me older English bicycles. It seems other bicycle mechanics/rebuilders don't want them. You can easily distinguish these bikes by a few things. The color, frame design, headbadges, 3-speed hubs (often, but not always.)Many of these bikes were made in the same factory in England. You can find such names as, Dunelt, Phillips, Hercules, Royal Scot and Humber.The most popular of all at least in the US, is Raleigh.
I picked one up at our recent swap meet, for $50 bucks. The frame was pretty clean as were the fenders. The hub needed rebuilding but other than that, it was a pretty cheap deal.
A couple of friends invited me to breakfast the other day. They were both riding cruisers and dressed well. Not wanting to be the odd one, I pumped up the tires on the Raleigh, did a quick brake adjustment, raised the saddle and took off with them. We took a scenic neighborhood route, as opposed to the through streets.It was a nice morning and taking it easy on a cruiser felt so natural. We took a scenic route on the return trip as well. Upon returning to the shop, I decided to make the cruiser mine. Besides completely rebuilding it. (Which I've still yet to do). It needed a few personal touches. I hate a street bike with no bell, so that was a no-brainer. Lights, that's a given. In fact I believe only a moron would ride without lights.
What this bike needed however, was something personal.

I recently picked up a few wine crates from a local wine shop. Most shops have to dispose of these somehow so, they can be purchased for free.99 Which is a fabulous price. I've seen folks do really creative things with these crates in the past, but I'd only used them as storage bins. How silly of me. So finally, my brain powered up and I came up with this:

A few lag bolts, some shellac, a couple of rubber mounts, some wood quarter round to reinforce the corners and there it is.

I needed to strength test the box so I hopped on and road the bike over to Lincoln Park. I had a friend that owed me a few bucks so, I could make it a dual purpose trip. I took Cortland ave. east to Armitage ave. Cortland, like many Chicago streets, has it's share of rough patches. A good test for the design. The box never rattled and when I reached Clark street, I shook it to see if maybe it was loosening. Nothing, as solid as when I first mounted it. That felt great.

The friend I was to meet was working over at the zoo, so I figured what the hell. I never go there, not really a fan, but hey I'll check it out.

They have this zoo lights festival, that's opening after Thanksgiving. There must be over a trillion lights all strung up around the place. Every goddamn tree, is covered in wire and lights.

As much as I think it's silly, It's kinda cool. Something to do on a fall weekday. There was almost no one around. Just a few nannies and couple school groups.
I'd say check it out for sure. Try to avoid the animal exhibits. Most of the animals, thankfully were indoors. That would figure, since many of them are from Sub Saharan Africa, whose climate is vastly different from lakefront Chicago. Sad really. I took this shot of the Zebras that happened to be out. They looked bored to tears, poor beasts...They just stood there, looking sad, shit...

I thought this sign was ironic:

"Help us protect our wildlife". Tough to do since they are no longer in the wild.
What's that? Captivity you say?

After tooling around for about 45 minutes, I finally found my friend. This is him below. He's one of the guys hired to string all those purdy lights.

After meeting up with him, I figured time to get out this pretty, but sad place.
I jumped back on the Raleigh and headed west. What a cool bike, hipsters take note. That thing on the bottom is called a kickstand.

All this bike plus a little dress up, for about a hundred bucks.
What's really sweet about the rear wine crate? What you can bring home in it.

Nice, a toast to Raleigh cruisers!