Blog

  • Cannondale crime bike

    Stripping the paint. 1 1/4” fork and shorter stem acquired. I need to source some rub-off letters to put BIKETINKER on the top tub. Ideally I’d put drop bars on here but the stems don’t work for that. I’d also love to make this a singlespeed for the lightness but I haven’t even measured the chainstay yet.

    Stripping paint is tedious
    Don’t ask me if stripping the paint was a dumb idea. It was a dumb idea.

    No Cannondale will ever be Otto

  • Paul C Miller photos of 90s Russia at Rollup

    Paul C Miller photos of 90s Russia at Rollup

    Photos from Paul C Miller’s upcoming book “Momentum”

    Direct, human, well composed photos are exactly to my taste. As is the coffee here.

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  • Biketinker’s Well

    Biketinker’s Well

    It can always be deeper.

    Something I do pretty regularly and for sure pretty recently… is make a small project a BIG project.

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  • Bike gardening

    Tinkering with bicycles is like gardening with steel and aluminum.

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  • Sturmey Archer ASC

    Well lookit this. I’ve wanted a three speed fixed gear Sturmey Archer ASC for about 25 years, ever since I read about them on Sheldon Brown’s site.

    ASC three speed fixed hub!
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  • RIP Paragon Machine Works

    In Memoriam from all Biketinkers.

    $5 for 3 stickers. Venmo @biketinker and include your mailing address.

    Biketinker rip of the Paragon skull logo
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  • New stickers

    Venmo $5 for 3 stickers to @biketinker – I’ll add some kind of sticker gallery here of new and old stickers.

    Biketinker Blowpop 4” stickers
    Glow in the dark mojo valve 3” stickers

    I sold off most of my stock of stickers and patches recently to clear the way for new and weirder designs.

    Main changes are adding the Biketinker name, and not being constrained by a bicycle theme. And I use “Sticky Brand” for production, not that old donkey brand.

  • Angel Island campout

    My friend booked a campsite in December, but had to reschedule… for the most beautiful post-time-change couple days in Bay Area memory.

    First principles: What bike? Fitz or Stooge?

    Do I take the Stooge? Big ole rack!
    Do I take the Fitz?? Supposed to be my bikepacking bike, but no racks.

    My friend says SAME DAMN BIKE, and he’s not entirely wrong.

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  • Bruce Gordon show at the Marin Museum of Bicycling

    Bruce Gordon show at the Marin Museum of Bicycling

    I had seen these Bruce Gordon show bikes before, at NAHBS, at Bruce’s shop gallery, and in David DiFalco’s storage space.

    They’re still marvelous.

    Pointy deco titanium Bruce Gordon rack with Bruce’s pointy deco titanium cantilever brakes.
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  • Voigtlander Vito BL

    Voigtlander Vito BL with half case

    UPDATE: I gave this camera back to my friend for display. While it could be fixed, a $120 repair isn’t practical for a sub-$50 camera.

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  • O to the G

    Battery / First and Market

    The slow churn of this guy’s legs easing up through the crosswalk, then weaving across and onto the sidewalk caused a double-take. “Whoa. Fixed.”

    The colored rear tire has 2001/2026vibes. Style never goes out of style.

  • Alex Pretti Ride Saturday 1/31

    UPDATE: About 150 people came out for the ride, I led it, and some deputized citizens ran sweep and kept things on track. I want you to think about stepping in and making something happen when you see a need.

    Unity poster for Alex Pretti courtesy of Angry Catfish and Champagne Rodman
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  • Velo Cosmos 2026

    Every bike in the concours.

    Jacquie Phelan with her “Columbo-Ham.” She was the featured speaker.
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  • Tried and Liked 2025 #5, #4, #3, #2, #1

    5: Brifters! My first ever brake lever shifting bike. Maybe my second ever even riding one. I thought they were genius when they came out, I was just too poor and riding fixed all the time.

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  • FaffBiking 2025

    Sayonara 2025.

    Fun couple hours riding up out of Fairfax and down into Sleepy Hollow. Gorgeous day, and I didn’t injure myself!

    I always love the Gestalt Haus jackalope sausage, but the M&G burger was really calling me. Next time.

    Nicassshhio Reservoir was beautiful, and The Mighty Kia is always fun over D Street into Petaluma.

    Oh yeah, I started my day taking a cat to the vet. Here he is interested in the toy, but not fooled by the toy.