Bike Tinker

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  • 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.

     

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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…

  • angelina and max with the steyr

    angelina and max with the steyr

    There was roll of film in one of the cameras I sold last week, and there were some amazing pictures from 2002.
    This is Max in the Bobike front child seat on the Steyr. He grew up in that seat.

    This was before we put in recycled French doors instead of the busted-ass garage door.

  • 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!

  • Rivendell All Rounder – knobbies

    Rivendell All Rounder, originally uploaded by jinx4.

    Jinxed had a great story of trading his frame straight across for this All-Rounder. It looks so good with the fat knobbies! Super-nice XO-style monstercross. I have some envy. It makes me happy Schwalbe is sending me a new 60mm Big Apple for the Gravel Roadster!

  • State of the Belleville 3-21-12

    State of the Belleville 3-21-12

    One last “State of the Bikes” post: Angelina’s Trek Belleville. She still loves this bike, and wants me to get the Steyr gone.

    bellville frestanding

    Ritchey Cranks, white rubber-block pedals, large basket (thrift store bin of some sort), Brooks B72 that I re-mounted, vintage black grips, Wald fold-out rear baskets.

    belleville side view

  • Baggins Bags SOLD – Banana and Little Joe

    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.

    Baggins Bags from RivendellThey 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.

    Baggins Little Joe interiorBoth 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?

    Baggins Bag leather patchSee 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.

    non-structural Banana Bag edging flawBuy 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.