Weekend Videos for you

A few videos for your errr.... enjoyment this weekend....

Safety First... always...

After watching this video a few reasons came to mind why one does not mix these 3 cycling aspects: tandems, fixies, velodrome

Knog. These teaser for their 'KNOGuMENTARY' seems to explain why they are called hipster-cysts

A little Lance for you...

And a none cycling related one just for fun... Still can't get over this one...

I'm not happy with you right now... Red

Tonight was to be a big night and it started out great. I got out of work and headed over to the barber shop to get a haircut and shed the beard that I've been sporting for the last year and a half or so. It was big step for me, I realized that I have friends in my life that have never seen me without the beard and if I do say so myself, I pulled the beard off well.

In the last few weeks, I've felt like I wanted to shave it off. If only to be able to grow it back but I knew if I didn't, the beard might be a life long addition to the face much like my fathers. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but I have no memory of my father without a beard and I am convinced that his chin only exists in beard form. Much like Chuck Norris, if he shaved it off there would simply be another beard underneath of it. I needed freedom from it. In a way my beard had become much like a horrible girlfriend that you can't break up with. You know you should end the relationship but the familiarity and although it's bad you know what it will be like, as compared to the unknown of flying solo.

So was my beard, I had attempted to shave it off myself a few weeks ago but ended up just looking at myself in the mirror unable to do so. This time, I paid someone to do it because I knew I couldn't go through with it. When I told the barber this story, she laughed at me as she allowed me to sport a killer mustache for a bit.

Clean shaven and a haircut I decided to take Red out on her maiden voyage. It started out great. The normal sounds of spokes popping as I rolled down the street as they found their place. I headed downtown to meet up with some co-workers before the weekly Wednesday Night ride. Up until this point, it was good but like so many things what started good ends bad. I left Founders to head to the start of the Wednesday right when...

My chain broke. Yes, Geoff you were right, piecing together to chains together link by link does make for a weaker chain. It broke on my first climb and I was suspecting something was up because the chain was making unusual noise. No carnage though! Thankfully. Because I had feared that the chain might do this, I had a spare chain with me in my seatbag. It was already cut to length and all I had to do was push the pin through with my trusty Crank Brother Multi-tool.

I was able to throw it one without any major issue but still was very frustrated with what had just happened. The ride leaves the start at 9:30, I finished the change over at 9:28 and made a sprint in the direction that I hoped I would intersect the ride. Fortunately it's still getting dark around 9pm so I was able to track them down with all the red flashers.

The route was good and ended up swing back to around my place so I broke off from the group and headed home. I wasn't happy about having to leave the ride earlier but in all honesty I didn't trust my bike at this point. I soft pedaled home just to make sure I wouldn't have any other issues because the last thing I wanted to do was to have to walk home. As I rounded the final turn home and road up the neighbors driveway Red decided to take a dive. I still don't know what happened all I know is that I had to bail on her and fortunately I caught the bike before I went completely down and only had the pedals scrape the concrete.

Note: Concrete beats anodized metal.

I'm not too happy with Red right now. The last thing I need right now is more girl problems in my life and needless to say it was unexpected to say the least from her. She's been my pride and joy since I got her together last year and always worked flawlessly. I'm a bit frustrated to say the least and am looking for some thing to blame... which I might blame to Salsa stem on it sense the last fixie it was on, I crashed on. The stem is totally fine but I think some bad karma might be wrapped up in it.

[Sorry no pictures of Red until I decide what's next... she's being punished for her vanity now]

R2...do you?

Now here's a story...

At the end of last year, I had the privilege of going to Trek World's Backstage with a few of the guys from the shop that I was at. It was a great event put on by Trek and was geared towards shop guys and not so much the shop owners and managers. The reps and the Trek employees were a bit more laid back and we were able to learn up on all of Treks products, go out and test the new bikes and then hang out a bit.

Part of the festivities involved were having a band play, and few beverages, which had nothing to do with one of shop employees deciding to take the ice cream trike over some of the BMX jumps that were set up. Another interesting thing that Trek set up was a tattoo shop to come in and do FREE Trek themed tattoos [and if you look closely at the top picture, who's in the corner of the picture? That's right, this guy!]. Yes, real tattoos. There were some crazy enough to get Mirraco permanently placed on their bodies

Well, one of the co-workers with me was Ryan aka R2 [seen on the left]. Ryan and I were really in quite an outgoing mood for those few days. We were able to find a loop hole from getting a Trek logo stamped on us... We both loved the 1 World, 2 Wheels biker logo which is a Trek design and decided to sign up for the pain. But in working this loophole and getting the design, we went from being 4 and 5 on the list to 12 and 13. Because of that we lost out on getting them for free because the shop was only able to punch out 5 sessions in the time that the band played. We were a bit disappointed to say the least.

Ryan just moved out to Colorado to start some thing new and fresh with the wife but before they headed out, Ryan totally beat me to the punch and got the tattoo done. Pretty stellar to say the least.

On a personal note, Ryan has been a great co-worker, roommate, riding partner and friend since I moved up here to the glove over 2 years ago and although I am extremely happy for R2 and his wife Jen but I do selfishly wish they were still around. In the few weeks he has been away... getting the Saturday rides together hasn't been the same or having someone to bounce off crazy bike projects off of or simply sitting at Founders for a drink or two just solving all the problems of the world are all things that I'll definitely miss. I'm already thinking road trip!

But if you're in the Denver area you must hit him up at his new shop, Littleton Cyclery. He'll take care of you. Which might have the coolest shop website I have ever seen.

She pur-deee....

It's getting close... real close...

The 'Next' Project...

Just as one project closes... another always begins and the many others remain unfinished. I've stumbled onto this gem a number of times on Craigslist and honestly. I want it. BADLY.

I mean, really, how many people have a spare rickshaw floating around? I don't know of anyone who does, so why not me to fill that void in the universe.

Think about it. Strip it down to frame, get it repainted, new seat and canape [which is a funny word by the way], hook it up with some sweet Velocity B43's, fix the brake and shoot girl! $4,000 later and that's a hot bike. Cruise around downtown GR and make a buck or two.

Now, I just need to find an investor or a sugar-mama!

Seriously, I did just get my hands a Surly Karate Monkey via a trade with Brent [the Head Wrench at the shop] for a Dahon Folding bike and a few other things a couple of days back.

It's the Coleman green that G-Ted's is... but the goal with this bike is to make it the dream commuter/winter bike. I know, we are far from winter but judging how long it's been taking me to get these projects done, I've given myself JUST enough time to completely before the first snow.

This project will be code named 'Night Monkey' in a throw back to the old night crew at Europa in the days of Carl, Jeff, Bottke and a hand full of others. Unlike other projects, less secrecy on this one...

I'll be lacing up some hoops that I've got floating around, the Salsa Delgados. The rear will have a 7 speed internal hub with drum brake and the front will have an Ultrega hub and using rim brakes. I'm undecided on the crank and might transfer over the Race Face that was on the Ferrous that has been taken back down to frame. I also have a Thomson stem and seatpost with an extra B17 on it... so I'm pretty close.

I'm debating on getting it repainted but not for sure on what color might really make it pop and original. So I guess I'm in the market for a headset and that bike might be up before the dog days of summer hit... stellar? I think so...

The Cyclist

Just a short post today. I know that I have mentioned this site before but the Cyclist site has been a favorite of late. It's a combination of what was the Crooked Cog Network but with what I'll call a little bit more 'user-friendliness'. Check it out... Enjoy it.

Cross your fingers but some full teaser photos of Red should be coming this weekend...

Red's getting close.

Now, I must first start off by apologizing for my lack of posts in the last two weeks. Honestly, I was extremely excited to write this month, which hasn't been the case for some time. But as life happens, and when I'm completely honest, I get overwhelmed. And well, life has happened. It hasn't been the greatest of times lately but I've saved you from that until now and so I will continue to do so now...

But with the persuasion of F2 [aka Michelle our resident spell checker,editor, and dedicated Saturday Night Ride rider; and good friend] I've gotten back on the horse a bit. I've had a few bike projects that have been completed in the last few weeks if you've been following my twitter. The first was a good friend of mine's single speed project for his wife. Then it was Michelle's fixie which is HOT!!! [and will be featured here soon hopefully]. Then my roommates bike transformation... this to this.

Needless to say, I've had things going on to write about... then add on bike to work week and day last week, the ride of silence today in Grand Rapids. There are plenty of issues and topics that I should be writing on. But thank you for your patience and understanding that, well, as much as I hate to admit it there is often more drama in my life than I would like and after 27 years, I just now have discovered I don't respond well to that.

Today was a day off for me though, which always helps serve as a time to come up for air, regroup and hopefully shut of the ol' head of mine. Since I've been waiting on a few parts for Red recently I've had time to think about other ways to make her shine... This was the latest...


Now, I am be generous. Normally I have only teased at what has been done to her. But today I gave you as atonement for my lack of posts a full picture of my wheelset. They are Velocity Fusion rims, that I had earlier this spring put red nipples on and now have added 8 white spokes on the non-drive side of the wheels to for a 4 pointed star of sorts... Why you might ask? Because I can.

If all goes to plan, I will have the bike together FINALLY, next Wednesday, just in time to take her on the Wednesday Night ride that happens here in Grand Rapids each week. I might be making a last minute change to the pedals but you will have to wait and see for that....