The route the dog and I took last weekend and this. This one was shorter, but I did more pushing. The sun was out, but the mud didn’t know. It thought it had been raining for the past week. Extremely sketchy singletrack downhills, and slippy bike-shoving uphills. Pretty, though!
Category: rambles
Jedi Rust
Grant Petersen is coming to Powell’s for a Book Related Appearance on May 12, at 2pm. There will be a ride afterwards.
Grant’s book is controversial, he says, but I will bet <a small amount of money or art I can do quickly> that it boils down to “bicycling is not an extreme activity. ” That thesis could get some people into uncomfortable territory, though.
One of the things I enjoy about Grant’s writing is the wordplay – not puns or double entendres (he tries to make his writing as single-entendre as possible), but just playing with words for the fun of it, and the mental excercise. Writing with no “e” (I mis-said: “without 5th unit”), for example, which is why I’m looking forward to getting the bookmark.
Bafflingly, Powell’s doesn’t allow linking directly to events. They just pop up in a lightbox over the calendar. Book Link: Just Ride
BikeGuard?
I got an unsolicited email promoting “BikeGuard,” a free online registry for bicycles. My eyes are narrowed in suspicion as I write this (literally), but I think I’m going to try it out. I’m suspicious because it’s free, and also because someone got paid to send out emails about it. I’m sure the email is a template that includes hooks for <blog name here> (I hope it does, ’cause don’t waste your life) but it had to take someone some time to even find me, right?
Anyway, I think I’m going to try it (eyes are narrowed again), firstly because it’s free, and secondly because they send you free sticker-tags for each bike, and damn I love stickers. Sometimes I even BUY stickers.
unintended consequences
That last post on the Google Ads was the most effective BikeTinker post ever. For me. Someone here bought Patrick’s Herse, so that worked for him, but I think this is cooler.
As a direct result of a non-bike post (“hey, lookie the ads”), I got an offer to guest-blog for a company I really dig, and another offer to trade some design work for the creation of the Tire Pressure App. Dang. Unexpected and cool. I am 100% on board with both of these projects!
Overall I’ve had a busy week (in a good way), that’s kept me off the bikes. That’s all I’m saying. Knock wood for me, okay? And if you have things you want to accomplish – let people know. You never know what other people are planning, and it might dovetail perfectly with what you want.
Google Ads
There are a couple of reasons for the new ads you may have bleeped over. I wanted to see how Google Ads work, since it’s been a few years since I tried them out (after 4 years, I have $27.50 in credit, and Google doesn’t pay until you hit $100). The people who read my blogs are usually too savvy to click the links. Most of that $27.50 came from a blog about the town I live in, that I stopped updating in 2008. THOSE people click links!
The ads may not stay, but if I make any money off them, I want to hire someone to turn the Pressure Calculator into a real app. It’s a trifle tiring to check the Google Doc daily; I often have to repair the functions and re-type labels that people save over. Mostly it would be nice to design the UI for it, and make something attractive and useful.
Baggins Bags SOLD – Banana and Little Joe
Baggins Little Joe and Banana Bags SOLD- $XXX for the set
These are a good match for each other, and make a good impression. Plus they’re beausaged, which is the bike equivalent of burying your kilt in the bog for a year before being seen in public with it.
They both hold a fair amount for small bags, and look better full than empty. The Little Joe includes a spare cord lock (you might figure out a better way to run the drawstring), and there’s a wallet pocket on each end.
Both have the Baggins Bags leather disc, “Duluth Pack,” and Made In America labels. The Banana Bag I bought new, and it has the original long bag-loop strap and a short seatpost strap. The Little Joe saddlebag I bought recently, online, with no original straps. I’m including the straps I made, and also some pale leather straps from the Swedish Army pants I’m selling*. Seriously, the straps are worth more than the pants, and are easier to ship. Who ever heard of parting out clothes?
See Below – The Banana Bag has a place where the wrapping on the edging has come up, showing the cord it’s wrapped around. Non-structural, invisible on the bike, but a flaw. It’s been that way since shortly after I got the bag new, and it hasn’t gotten any worse.
Buy the set, shipping included, for $XXX (Paypal).
*(Psst! If you want the pants with the ankle straps, act now!)
Some of my camera items are on eBay. A couple of Canon lenses, a Sony f505 and f828, and a Leica ZX3. Cameras are gone, I’m relisting the lenses as real auctions, and throwing a few more lenses and cameras into the mix.
Bicycle Quarterly Issues SOLD
These are the BQ issues I’ve got SOLD. I’m kind of regretting the decision pleased to sell them to a new reader; they’re really good. My favorite articles are marked with an exclamation point. Full info on each issue: http://www.bikequarterly.com/back_issues.html
There are 21 issues, but Vol. 6 No. 1 is no charge, due to the puppy damage. All the content is legible, but it’s a drag. $XXX takes the lot, shipping included. I will include the Jacquie Phelan postcard that came in one issue. :^)
Vol. 3
No. 4 Summer 2005 (Grant Petersen interview, Quickbeam review!)
Vol 5:
No. 1 –
No. 2 Winter 2006 (Velocio vs the Tour de France)
No. 3 Spring 2007 (#19 Bicycles are Transportation)
No. 4 Summer 2007 (British Lightweights!)
Vol 6:
No. 1 Autumn 2007 (Aerodynamics!) RIPPED COVER AND FIRST PAGE :^(
No. 2 Winter 2007 (Goodrich, Pereira)
No. 3 Spring 2008 (Comfort leads to speed)
No. 4 Summer 2008 (Planing test)
Vol 7:
No. 1 Autumn 2008 (Toei, Touring in Japan)
No. 2 –
No. 3 Spring 2009
No. 4 Summer 2009 (Jack Taylor!)
Vol 8:
No. 1 Autumn 2009 (Jacquie Phelan! Charlie Cunningham!)
No. 2 Winter 2009 (Oregon Manifest!)
No. 3 Spring 2010
No. 4 Summer 2010 (Bikes for kids, Trek Madone)
Vol 9:
No. 1 Autumn 2010
No. 2 Winter 2010 (lots of French post-war randonneuring pics)
No. 3 Spring 2011
No. 4 Summer 2011 (Herse Restoration)
Vol 9:
No. 1 Autumn 2011 (High Wheelers)
No. 2 Winter 2011 (Oregon Manifest!) SCRAPED TOP OF FRONT COVER (current issue)
Bike Knickers for sale – price drop
bike knickers, originally uploaded by BikeTinker.
Knickers for sale
All knickers and wool items are another 10 percent off.
Fancy dress “Plus Twos” – Premier Designs black cotton (38): $50 shipped
Chicago Wig converted American BDU knickers (38) velcro knee closure: $20 shipped
Chicago Wig converted Chinese BDU knickers (38) string knee closure: $15 shipped
Bicycle Fixations khaki HEMP knickers (38): $45 shipped
Military Surplus non-wool knickers (38): $24 shipped
Military Surplus Swedish wool pants (32 inseam, 38 waist): $15.00 shipped
Banana Republic light wool sweater, brown check (L): $10 shipped.
I’m also selling these matching Baggins Bags from Rivendell – I’ll put up a post, soon. $110 shipped.
The Bicycle Wheel, by Jobst Brandt – $15 shipped
Bike Snob’s first book – $10 shipped
And on eBay are some old camera items. A couple of longer Canon lenses I’ve been using with my Sony Nex (legacy glass on a digital camera), two old Sony prosumer cameras (f505 and f828), and a Leica ZX3 35mm camera.
Rivendell propaganda SOLD
If you know what this is, you probably have it. If you don’t, it’s great stuff. Temple secrets of bike riding kung fu. Frankly, you should pay me $250, and I’ll send you one a week for the next year.
Special Offer!
For $250, I will mail you one item every week, in chronological order, for the next year! Just $5/week will give you leisurely Saturdays and Sundays over coffee, reading the wisdom of the ancients for a full year! The no-fun, bulk-rate, “whatever” offer is below.
No takers on the Riv-Of-The-Week Club, but everything’s sold. Thanks!
Almost 30 Rivendell Readers – $XX
Issues 19 through 43, with a couple gaps, a couple extras, plus issues 3,4, 7, and 8.
- Issue 1 – THIS IS A PRINTOUT
- missing 2
- Issue 3
- Issue 4
- missing 5, 6
- Issue 7
- Issue 8
- missing 9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18
- Issue 19
- Issue 20
- Issue 21
- Issue 22
- Issue 23 (2x)
- Issue 24
- Issue 25
- Issue 26
- Issue 27
- Issue 28
- Issue 29
- Issue 30
- Issue 31
- Issue 32
- Issue 33
- Issue 34
- Issue 35
- missing 36
- Issue 37
- Issue 38
- Issue 39
- missing 40 (really??)
- Issue 41
- Issue 42
- Issue 43
20 or so Catalogs, Flyers, and Extras – $XX
- No. 5 summer – winter 1999
- No. 7 fall-winter 2000
- No. 9, summer 2001 (2x)
- Spring ’02
- Spring -summer ’03
- Summer -Fall ’03
- Spring -Summer ’04
- Winter ’04 – ’05
- Fall – Winter ’05
- – Holiday Flyer ’05 -’06
- Catalog 2006
- Catalog 19
Flyers
- Fall – Winter Flyer (? pic of lugged crutch)
- Spring Flyer (2002)
- Summer Flyer (2002)
- Fall-Winter Flyer (2002) (2x)
- Summer Flyer (2004)
Extras
- Color frame flyer/poster
- Hiawathan Holidays (2000)
- Hiawathan Holidays II (2001?) – has notes in pen on the back, bike-related and otherwise
- Atlantis brochure on cream paper. Big sheet, folded in half to make 4 pages
- The Rivendell Frame (slow frames)
Bridgestone Catalogs $XX – SOLD
19921994
Paypal is good, or cash.
Nice Bike Knickers for Sale
Knickers, some Swedish long wool pants, and a sweater. All size 38 waist, or “XL,” except the sweater, which is a Large. I’m 6’2″, 230 lbs. Shipping is included in these continental United States.
bike knickers, originally uploaded by BikeTinker.
See all the pictures on Flickr
Fancy Duds:
Premier Designs – black cotton, with silver knee buckles “Plus Twos” (38): $60 shipped
Banana Republic light wool sweater, brown check (L): $15 shipped.
Bicycle Fixations charcoal wool knickers (38): $60 shipped
Bicycle Fixations black wool knickers (38): $60 shipped
Casual Duds:
Chicago Wig American BDU knickers (38) velcro knee closure: $25 shipped
Chicago Wig Chinese BDU knickers (38) string knee closure: $20 shipped
Bicycle Fixations khaki HEMP knickers (38): $50 shipped
Military Surplus cotton(? blend?) knickers (38): $30 shipped
Military Surplus Swedish wool pants (38): $20 shipped
MUSA butternut knickers XL: $30 shipped
My First Work Stand
I’ve been tinkering with bicycles since about 1986. I’ve never owned a work stand. It kind of boggles my mind. So, for my 19 anniversary, my wife got me a Park PC-10 workstand. She says when she’s rich, she’ll get me the Henry James universal frame jig that mounts on it…
I’m excited; maybe I’ll inaugurate it by cleaning all my bikes!
Rivendell is having a Sale
Grant says it’s their first sale ever, which I think may be correct. Who would know better than him? These items are 30% off, which is a big savings, but the thing to note is that these are discontinued items that they’re clearing out, not to reorder. It goes until January 6th, but many of the goodies are already gone.
- Redundant bells. Non brass bells are going away. If you like copper or steel bells, get them now. I don’t need a bell, but when I did, it was invaluable.
- The SimpleOne. This is the successor to the Quickbeam. $800 for frame, fork and headset. I love my Quickbeam. It is a fantastic-riding bike, and I think the SimpleOne has a little more tire clearance, and a sweeter paintjob. It’s going away, it ain’t coming back, and it will never be cheaper.
- The PlatRack. The PlatRack is a rack platform that attaches to an already-installed mini-rack. I love this idea. I believe it is my own original idea, but I never made one. This is a factual rack, honed by Mark Abele and Mr Nitto Himself.
- The PlatRack’s sister sack the SlickerSack. This is a fancy flat-mounting bag like a big briefcase that mounts to thePlatRack platform, fitting perfectly. In a couple of years the PlatRack/SlickerSack combo will fetch $300 on the used market.
- The ShopSack. A big simple bag for baskets. $45?? This may be the item I buy. Except they’re all gone.
- The orange wool longsleevie. I’ve got one of these. I love it. I love the orange, I love the warmth. My cuffs got stained greenish, but that might just be me. Wool. Today was the first day in 6 weeks I didn’t wear one of my wool Rivendell jerseys under a tee shirt. I wore a giant wool sweater, instead.
Some of these things may be gone by the time I finish writing this (they are), since my friends are piling on, and report that things are disappearing before they can check out.
Rivendell Sale
Muddy Bontrager
I took the dog out through the orchard on the Bontrager, because the Utopia fender mudflap scoops up leaves. This is one of only two bikes in the house without fenders, and the other one has been retired.
The dirt was just this side of mud, and exactly tacky enough to create a rolling explosion off the front tire as little earth clods got thrown up and out.
If I went fast enough, the rear tire would flip them over my head! Hours later I touched the back of my head, and came away with something nasty my fingers – agh! agh! Oh. Mud.
I think I should shift the levers up a little for a better ‘hoods’ position, but I don’t want to unwrap the bars. I’m pretty good at rewrapping, but it’s work. The shifter cables should be rerouted a little bit, too, since I can feel them through the cloth tape. The cork tape made a little ‘shelf’ over them, which worked, but now they’re just a ridge.
I might like my dog blog better…
quickbeam and dog, originally uploaded by BikeTinker.
You may not have seen this (why would you), but I save my dog pictures from flickr over to PitMix.com.
I stopped taking pictures on bike rides for more than a year, since it was always the same two bikes, the same dog, and the same trails, week after week.
Now I started again, and I’m glad. Looking back, I like how the small variations in season, setup and doggy age make each ride and each picture unique. It’s why I take the ride, why not make the picture?
Gravel Road test ride
I took the dog out on a few miles of gravel road as a test of the gravel roadster setup. Getting this bike on the road has had some silly setbacks, including two broken rear spokes at the beginning of two separate rides. There are other silver spokes mixed in with the black, so I bought three spokes when the last one broke. That should ensure that no more break!
We had a great run, up some brief hills, and along orchards and blueberry farms, looking out over the valley to the West. The sun only cracked through the overcast a few times, but cold gray is weather I like. We rode out a couple miles, and I goofed around taking pictures of the bike. We turned around to head back, since I didn’t want to stay out too late, and you never know what might happen.
Such as the rear wheel making a weird noise and sliding around on a descent! When I stopped, I saw that the tire had unseated, and the tube, still inflated, had doubled in size, looped out like a giant intestine, and herniated itself. A loop was bound up in the stays, and two feet of it jabbed out in the air. The tire had rolled off the rim somehow, and wouldn’t go back on.
I can put it on, but it just falls off. No matter how I try to mount it, I can see an air gap between the rim and the tire. I think the wire bead may have broken. I shlepped the bike back about a mile; sometimes carrying it, sometimes rolling it, but it didn’t roll that well.
I had a good laugh at my own expense, and I was out having an adventure in the countryside, so it was fine.The dog was a little non-plussed, though.
I did find a half-mile stretch of unharvested rose hips. They’re already withered, but they might be a possible gleaning site next year.
PAUL vs PIL
In the singlespeed rap song that’s going around (my circles, at least), I totally thought the guy was wearing a Paul Components tee shirt. Makes sense – fine singlespeed hubs, all the bikey goodness. You know, “Paul Components!“
Nope. He was actually wearing a Public Image Limited tee shirt. 
Then I realized that the Paul logo actually looks more like the Black Flag logo than anything else. How did I never notice that?
PIL + Black Flag = Paul!
