Bike Tinker

Category: Projects

  • iPad Bar Bag Design

    Title, originally uploaded by BikeTinker.

    This is the bag I want to make for my iPad. I used it for tracking a ride, which was pretty fun, and I listened to music on the downhill (closed logging roads).

    I think it would be great to have a bag that mounted the iPad on the top, just like a cue sheet. You could use it AS a cue sheet, cue up music, consult your map, have a video chat with someone… some of that is actually stupid (sweaty facetime calls), but it’s what I’ve been thinking about.

    The top would be a ‘cap’ style to keep out water, and it would be angled up about 25 degrees for ease of view and for scary low-angly panda photos from the front camera.
    The thing I really want to make is a periscope-style adapter for iPhone lenses, so I can take photos and videos straight from the bag. Basically so the back-mounted camera shoots out the front.

    Anyway, that’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it. This was also drawn on the iPad, which I’m really enjoying.

  • Clear powder coat



    Serotta 1985 Nova Series, originally uploaded by m6hm.

    Serotta 1985 Nova Series, powder coated by Robert at Powder Tech Services (PTS).
    I’d like to have a clear powder coated bike one day.

    I think this is a great picture, too.

  • Vertigo Cycles Titanium Fat Bike

    Bundokbiker has the best collection of bikes I have ever seen. We have congruent tastes, so I’m always jealous excited to see his new bikes.

  • English Cycles Review



    English Cycles Review, originally uploaded by J Ferguson.

    Someone losing their religion…

    English is amazing.

  • “hey your beer matches your bike!”

    Ahh… I remember this! Back when I drank Sierra Nevada instead of Bridgeport!

  • Beautiful Rivendell SimpleOne



    image (6), originally uploaded by jlimouze.

    I love this bike. Someone is very happy…

  • Obey the Hypnotoad…

  • Crank Bros. broken spring Warranty = $39

    Crank Bros. broken spring Warranty = $39

    So… when I talked to the Crank Bros. person, and she said, “we can’t sell you the wings for the pedals, but it’s covered under warranty,” I actually thought, you know, the broken wing/spring/thing would be covered under warranty, where they would replace it for free. This is more like the Canon “replacement program,” or the $5 promotional bottle opener with a lifetime warranty to be replaced for $5.


    eggbeater-1, originally uploaded by BikeTinker.

    I had to mail in the part, and since the pedals were stuck in the cranks, I mailed the whole thing in, crank arms and all, mostly to see what would happen. Maybe they’d be forced to remove the pedals from the cranks, which would be worth something on its own.

    Crank Brothers’ warranty is actually an offer to rebuild the whole pedal for $30, plus $9 shipping, along with the opportunity to upgrade to the new Eggbeaters or Candies for about the same price as just replacing them on eBay.

    Warranty Email From Crank Bros:

    Hello Rider,

    I have your pedals here and it looks like they are in need of a Wing and installation of a rebuild kit and we call it the Spa1 and that consists of a rebuild kit and pedal cleaning and the cost is $30.00 for the service.

    The pedal tech. will Machine Clean your pedals getting them spotless and then install a Rebuild Kit that includes seals, o-rings, bushings, bearings, nuts, end caps and re greasing.

    Or we can offer you an upgrade to the NEW Egg Beaters with the redesigned springs and prices are below:

    EB 2 $55.00 – http://crankbrothers.com/pedals_eggbeater2.php

    EB 3 $70.00 – http://crankbrothers.com/pedals_eggbeater3.php

    Or we can offer you an upgrade to the NEW Candys with the redesigned springs and prices are below:

    Candy 2 $55.00 – http://crankbrothers.com/pedals_candy2.php

    Candy 3 $70.00 – http://crankbrothers.com/pedals_candy3.php

    MARCH PROMO

    For the month of March you can purchase a set of Tread Contact Sleeves for just $.99 (regularly $10.00) With every Candy or Egg Beater upgrade!! (one per upgrade and must be processed in the month of March)

    S/H $9.00

    To take advantage of our Upgrade Program or the rebuild service PLEASE CALL our Rider Service Center at 949-464-9916, Monday – Friday, 9am – 4:30pm Pacific Time and we will take care of you!

    Thank You for riding crankbrothers!

    Enjoy,

    Cheers,

    Warranty and Service Dept. Crank Brothers 310 Broadway Laguna Beach, CA 92651 949.464.9916

    *Any product left at Crank Brothers for over 30 days becomes property of Crank Brothers and could result in loss of item.

    I talked to them, and I’m taking the $39 option of a full rebuild with new wings.  The “wing-only” option costs $15 plus shipping anyway, and the rebuild kit is $14 by itself. Plus they already got at least one of the pedals out of the cranks, which I couldn’t do. $39 isn’t a rip-off, but it’s not what I would consider “replaced under warranty.”

    What I would have prefered: getting the above email before shipping the pedals in, or an option to buy just the wings for $15, based on the photo I submitted. More like Schwalbe, even if there was a cost involved.

  • LDs Ready For Paint

    From Clockwork bikes. Joel Greenblatt rollin’ the LD stems.

    Joel is an even more prevalent bike aficionado name than “Philip,” and… one of my middle names.

  • Schwalbe Come Through with a New Tire

    Schwalbe Come Through with a New Tire

    I’m pleased and impressed. The Big Apple tires I bought from an internet acquaintance were covered under Schwalbe’s “yep, that’s a broken bead” warranty. They were pretty new, and I didn’t DO anything to them, but still – I like that they replaced it with a fresh one. New tread, and it appears smaller than the old one, both things that are fine with me, since I filed the front derailleur stop to make the old one fit.

    schwalbe big apple - new tread

    I’m very excited about the new tire – I think I rode the Gravel Roadster twice in the two months it had a temporary rear tire. It’s just really satisfying to roll on giant cushions of air. Next up – gears!

  • Make a coroplast handlebar bag

    The front end, originally uploaded by Hillbubba.

    For about $10. Total genius. And slick! Someone suggested putting a light inside of it for a Chinese lantern look. I saw a wooden-shelled cargo bike at the Oregon Manifest that had Velcro material inside the ‘hull.’ The guy said it damped (not ‘dampened’) the rattling of cargo, and also, stuff stuck to it, like tool rolls! Sounded good to me. It would probably triple (“TRIPLE!”) the cost of the bag.

    Look to Hillbubba’s Flickrstream for the step-by-step… steps.

    The layout, originally uploaded by Hillbubba.

  • Kid Haulin’ Wagner



    Kid Haulin’ Wagner, originally uploaded by 54 canoe.

    What a great DIY kid seat!
    A wooden seat on your rear rack, with wooden pegs zip-tied to the rack struts. Stem (tandem stoker stem?) and a mini-handlebar.

  • Frances Seat Cluster



    seat tool bag, originally uploaded by J.Muir from Santa Cruz.

    And “sweet small bag” from Paperfork.

  • guu watanabe bike saddle bag



    tan1524, originally uploaded by guuwatanabe.

    Possibly the prettiest bike bag I’ve ever seen. Pretty isn’t my style per se, but I do appreciate it when I see it.

  • Grip King vs Grip King Supreme



    Grip King vs Grip King Supreme, originally uploaded by Hillbubba.

    Friend Hillbubba / Tapebubba mods the Grip King pedals for more… grip. And support. Nicely done.
    He’s selling the modifiers for $25 a pair – get in touch via Flickr to see if he has any left.

  • Soma Tradesman Cargo Bike



    Soma Tradesman Cargo Bike, originally uploaded by somaflickrations.

    Cool new bike I didn’t know about. It looks like you could carry a fridge on that. I’d like to see a Cargo Bike Challenge at the next Oregon Manifest!