The guys at FlyBikes.com have a new innertube available that allows you to swap tubes without removing your tire.
Basically, the tube has sealed off ends that, when the tube is inflated, butt up against each other. Since it’s not round, this means you can simply remove one side of the tire, pull the old tube out, and slide the new one in place, all without removing the tire. I like the concept, but I’d like to see it with road and MTB applications, on top of just BMX.
Mid-Missouri got hit with some ice and snow this week, so it looks like I’ll be sitting around waiting for it to melt once again. Fortunately, we only got an inch or so, as opposed to the 17-18" from last time. Since I have nothing better to do at the moment, I thought I’d post some random crap…
Not sure what’s going on here, but I think the guy could use a little more tubing to complete his bike:
Colnago releases their Master 55th Anniversary frame, painted gloss black, with gold accents. As beautiful as it is, I couldn’t imagine anyone ever riding it. Check out Colnago Con Brio for more info and a ton of photos from every angle.
I don’t have a reference for this one, but it’s great inspiration for learning how to braze my own frames. Most kids have to make due with heavy, crappy discount store bikes, but I’d like to give my (future) children their own custom bikes–much like this one, sans the awkward top tube. I like how they’re both pushing the same gear ratio, but I think maybe dad could’ve gone with something a little more knee-friendly for junior.
Valparaiso Cerro Abajo 2011 – my favorite style of downhill racing:
I ride a singlespeed road bike most of the time, and I’ve come to rely on 16T and 17T freewheels. Typically, that means taking one off in order to install the other. But, what if I could just have one freewheel, with the option to run either ratio? Well, now I can. Coming in at 194g, it’s about 60g heavier than a standard freewheel with only one set of teeth. I doubt I’ll use it often, but on longer rides, it’d be nice to have a couple different ratios to choose from.
They’re fairly cheap (under $20) but can be a little difficult to find online. I’d suggest checking eBay–which is where I found mine–and picking one up if you think you might want it in the future. I’m not sure if they’ll continue being available, or if ACS will eventually pull them from the market.
I have some more interesting updates on my own bike that I’ll get to in a day or so. In the never-ending quest to get it just right–while spending as little money as possible–I’ve upgraded a few components, both reducing weight, and getting a better seating position. I’ll just say that anyone that spends retail on bike parts is doing it wrong. Thanks to eBay, Competitive Cyclist, and Amazon, I was able to get some pretty great deals on parts that I otherwise would have spent literally hundreds of dollars more on.
Last Tuesday, the mid-West got hit with a blizzard, and we’re still digging out. Mid-Missouri got around 18" dumped on us, so I’ve had to trade biking for shoveling to get my exercise. I’ve probably spent 8 hours or more since Wednesday morning pushing a shovel, mostly to get out of the house and enjoy the sunshine. With another 2" or so dumped last night, and more coming in the next day or so, it looks like I won’t be riding anytime soon. On the upside, it gives me plenty of time to post crap like this:
Cyanide and Happiness, 2-5-2011:
I have no idea where this next one comes from, but it’s pretty incredible:
I have no reference for this one, either, but I think it’s called a stepper crank. Very interesting set-up, but I think I prefer to spin my pedals in circles:
Fabian Cancellara’s Specilized S-Works Red Hammer, about as aero as it gets:
And finally, one of the most beautifully simple lug joints I’ve seen. Matte gray, on a JK Cross frame, made by Kirk Frameworks:
I may be stuck inside for awhile, but that doesn’t mean I’m not still goofing around with my own bikes. For the second–and final–time, I decided to try out a drop bar and road levers on my singlespeed…
Looks good, I know. Unfortunately, due to my hand size, lever angle, and the fact that I prefer to stay on the hoods, the brakes just don’t perform with as much ease as I’m used to with bullhorns and tri levers. So, once again I’ve gone back to bullhorns, but this time, I’m trying out a Profile Design Airwing OS, with about 35mm of additional drop. It won’t get me as low as being in the drops on a proper road bar, but it’s a good compromise for better aero dynamics, while still using a brake set-up that I prefer.
I’m in no rush to get it installed, but I’ll post pics once it’s all put back together and I have a chance to get outdoors again. Until then, if you’re under a foot of snow right now, good luck keeping busy! And if you’re lucky enough to live in a warmer climate, piss off.
It’s been a while since I’ve updated, but not because I was too busy riding my bike. Nope, I’ve been sitting on my ass eating pumpkin pie and playing Angry Birds, and managed to put on 3-4lbs of winter blubber in the process. However, I think I might have a chance to get rid of it all starting next week…
The Festive 500 is a challenge put out to cyclists everywhere, to get in 500km (310.6856mi, if you want to be nerdily accurate) over Christmas, namely the 23rd through the 30th of December.
The first 100 participants to finish–and somehow prove it–get a cool patch of the logo above, but let’s face it, the real prize is getting your legs back in shape and getting rid of a few extra pounds of winter shame.
After biking in NYC, pretty much everything else seems boring to me. The city has an overall feel of bike friendliness, with the majority of drivers and pedestrians yielding the right-of-way to cyclists, even at times they shouldn’t have to. Even with all the traffic and red lights every few blocks, the speeds you can hit on the flat roads, and the distance you can cover in very little time, make you almost feel like you’re flying. Unfortunately, not everyone gets along with the bikers.
Near Times Square, a cyclist is able to get out of heavy vehicular traffic, and "safely" travel in designated bike lanes, typically painted in green. I noticed plenty of buses, delivery vans, police cars, and people blocking these lanes more often than not. Apparently, it’s not a problem I, alone, noticed: http://www.ny1.com/…/city-bike-lanes-have-numerous-safety-violations
But, cycling in NYC isn’t all bad. I toured the city with my brother-in-law who lives there and knows it well, as well as on my own a few times. But, if you’re too timid to get lost, then figure out where you are over and over, you can hook up with Bike and Roll NYC, and go on a legitimate tour of the city. They also offer bikes for rent, for those who don’t need a guided tour. Just remember to bring your camera. http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/….
Autumn is here, it’s getting cool outside, and I’m suddenly too lazy to devote a lot of effort to some posts I’ve been wanting to get up. So… get something warm to drink and check the following links on your own time.
If you take a look at either of my bikes, you’ll see my handlebars are much lower than my saddles, by as much as 3-4" on my road bike. To me, this is absolutely the most comfortable position to ride in.
Tell a non-biker how high you like your saddle, and you’re likely to hear them scoff about how your butt is too high in the air, and how it must be uncomfortable to be leaning that far forward. Most people haven’t ridden a bike since they were a kid, a point in time when it’s best to have your seat so low that you can put your feet on the ground when you stop. These people, of course, have no idea what they’re talking about.
However, there are plenty of more casual riders, such as recreational types and commuters, who do know what they’re talking about, and they still prefer their handlebars as high as their saddles, if not higher. I think both methods have their benefits, and each rider needs to determine what works best for their own body and riding style, as opposed to trying to look like Lance, when you ain’t Lance (or even close–yeah, I’m talking to you, Mr. Elderly Guy whose belly is about to burst out of that too-small, highly decorated cycling jersey), or sitting bolt upright simply because you think it looks more comfortable.
With that in mind, there’s a great discussion going on over at EcoVelo, with plenty of valid points being made in the comments section. If you’re happy with your current seating position, by all means, leave it alone. However, if you think there’s room for improvement–either racier or more relaxed–then maybe you’ll get some ideas based on others’ input.
If you’ve ever wasted time in Photoshop trying to simulate what your future bike would look like, then FixieStudio and Pedal ID will make your life a whole lot easier.
FixieStudio gives you few options to go with, but the results are far more realistic looking. It’s also quite a bit easier to use.
Pedal Mafia’s Pedal ID, on the other hand, gives you more frame types, and a lot more options, but you’re forced to rearrange the bike parts, in essence, building the bike as you go. It’s also a lot less realistic looking, but you still end up with a decent idea of what your color combo will look like.
I’m sure there are other sites out there like this, so if you know any, leave a link in the comments!
I just came across a great (and highly biased–my favorite kind) of article comparing steel and carbon frames. The author is obviously trying to make a point of durability and customization over light weight, and he gets it across quite well.
For more proof of why the typical rider might want to avoid plastic bike frames, check out BustedCarbon.com or watch the amusing video below showing a completely unscientific, but easily repeatable, comparison between AL, steel and carbon frames. KAPUT!
For the record, I don’t really have anything against carbon fiber; in fact, I love the stuff. In the years I’ve been biking, I’ve ridden carbon handlebars, a rigid MTB fork, a carbon road fork, and a couple seatposts. I wouldn’t mind building up a 13lb all-carbon bike for occasional use, either. But, I still feel that steel is the ultimate material when you’re going for a combination of strength, durability, ride quality, price, and ease of manufacture.
I want to make fun of this, but I can’t. Back in ’98, after shelling out over $1,000 for a Gary Fisher Joshua, I did something just as stupid. I was headed to a bike shop downtown, and all I could find to lock it to was a parking meter, so I locked it up and went inside without putting much thought into it.
It wasn’t until I came out and saw that I’d just locked my new bike to a post that was no more than 4" high, that I realized how dumb I was. I was just lucky no one took it.
Remember when I posted a bunch of links last Friday, and said I’d try to do it every week? Yeah, that ain’t gonna happen. Not because it’s too much work, but because I’m too lazy to do a tiny bit of work. You know how it is: you can go for a 50mi bike ride and it’s not even a thing, but picking up a pair of dirty socks and walking them over to the hamper is the biggest hassle in the world.
So, what I’ve done is made things a lot easier for both of us, but mostly for me. I’m taking advantage of being able to embed my Friendfeed stream, and every link I share gets posted on this page:
I’d normally add something to a topic like this, but Steven Elbow seems to have done an excellent job covering an issue many cyclists–including me–have with a small percent of angry/a-hole drivers.
