Category: Fine Bikes

DSC_4699_1183_resize, originally uploaded by krashkatze.

I like this bike. It’s like a steel production version of a Matt Chester.

And Chester’s bikes and the Gryphon are both spawnlings of Charlie Cunningham. I shouldn’t have to mention that, but I’ve talked to people who love Flogging Molly and never heard of the Pogues…

If you disagree with that assessment, bring it.

Speaking of Matt Chester, it looks like he failed to renew his 700see.com domain.

Oops. I hates me the linkfarmer registrars.

I feel like I’ve sent Matt a couple of envelopes over the last 10 years with $5 inside for the kickoff issue of his 700see blog. Maybe it’s time to send another one… Or the first one. Jeremy has the link to Matt’s new blog: http://5metresofdevelopment.blogspot.com/

I’ve taken over some moderation duties at the “Renaissanced Bicycle google group.” It’s a group to discuss and show off your renaissanced bike projects. On the top of the right >> column is a signup form if you’d like to subscribe. There are some great discussions already (deep Raleigh info), but to really make the group great, we need your help. Please join us and share your own Renaissanced Bike projects!

Here’s Renaissance Bicycles’ explanation of the term “Renaissanced Bicycle:A “renaissanced” bike is an old bike updated with new components. It may be to get them back on the road, or to fit the needs of the rider better. In some cases the old stuff is just crap (steel rims), and the renewal makes a safer bike. In other cases you might have a fine older frame, and either you like modern components, or you have no desire to camp out on eBay for 6 months to get the ‘period correct’ parts.

A renaissanced bicycle is meant to be enjoyed.

Bryan at Renaissanced Bicycles started the group, and is now focusing on other things. He’s asked me and Montclair Bobby B to take up the torch. To keep the embers burning, so to speak.

To fan the flames a little, and extend the metaphor, here is one of Bobby’s Bikes, a cruiser-style Rockhopper with full Pimp Kit that he built up in 2010:

Blue Rocky, originally uploaded by montclairbobbyb.

I saw this fully faired bike at Tommy’s, when the builder brought it to show off to Mike. This is a local, homebuilt velomobile, built around a tadpole trike. It has an electric assist, regenerative braking, and GPS. The interior shot shows his waterbottle, pump, dashboard and instrumentation.

The raised portion behind the driver’s head hinges up to access the trunk (a storage box). Think how much stuff you could fit inside that shell with some well-placed packs!

The only improvement I’d imagine would be fenders on the wheels, so they didn’t throw road spray up inside the machine. Might not be a problem in practice, but this is Oregon…

The whole shell was made of pink foam, cut into shape and glued. You can see some of that in the picture of the inside of the trunk lid.

Cold Iron says: “A leaning trike with three wheels on the ground. Not possible with other cargo trikes. Stable like a three-wheeler (because it is), maneuverable like a two-wheeler. Very cool.”

Cool? Or super-cool? How do they do it??

Onya Cycles in San Francisco… says they’re ramping up production of these leanable trikes. And they appear to be affiliated with these geniuses who can turn a 3D structure into a set of flat, stitchable (able to be sewn together) panels for hot air ballons and the like. OtherLab. Holy Cow these guys are cool: HowToons.

The machine itself was fabbed (bike lingo for ‘made’) by Joel Hirschfeld at Hirschfeld Fabrications.

Well color me impressed.

This bike has haunted me, ever since OHBS.
The English Cycles bikes were beautiful, different, super-light and had extremely interesting engineering details.A  belt-driven singlespeed 29er, with internal hydraulic line routing, full-height seatmast, and integrated bar and stem that attach to the fork with a topcap under the fork crown. I saw several belt drives at the show; they’re starting to grow on me.

The seat stays look like bird bones. Rob English assured me they were plenty strong enough, but they’re the lightest-looking I’ve ever seen. The thin wishbone is an English trademark – his 10.5 lb roadbike is even more spare. I like wishbone seatstays – it’s the Bontrager fan in me.

The seat mast is dead sexy. The other ones I’ve seen (Gordon, Speedvagen, Tsunehiro) use top caps, I think. Rob English’s design uses an internal wedge seatpost, similar to a quill stem. He says you need to remove the seat to adjust saddle height, “but how often do you change your saddle height anyway?” Mm. Depends. Maybe I’d drill a 9/16″ hole in the seat for access.

The “one-piece” (two, I guess) bar/stem and fork setup was impressive. I love the fork style, and I’m a big fan of integrated stem-and-bar combos. Kind of like a seatmast, they preclude adjustment, but if you know your size and your setup they look really slick, and can save some weight. This 29er is 18.5 lbs.

The headset top cap is actually under the fork crown, and it’s the stem that has the steerer tube (if I have that correct). The fork has two bolts on the back to clamp it on.

I keep fantasizing about what an English Cycles snow bike would look like, and how light it would be. Perhaps a Schlumpf two-speed carbon Gates belt drive… *sigh* The breakthrough thought I had was that with the massive air cushion of a 4″ tire, you could build a very delicate machine on roadbike lines, instead of the overbuilt machines that snowbikes tend to be.