Okay, I must confess that when Kurt stopped in the Cave in January to fill us in on the planned adventure we both thought he was nuts. Of course some people think we are nuts as well so that is fair. Kurt and his 9 year old daughter are traveling cross country riding a Recumbent Trike and a recumbent tag-a-long. Check in with them on their blog. Send them best wishes and encouragement as the weather gods have been blessing them with quite a bit of rain 🙁
If it looks like they will be passing through your neighborhood, consider offering them a place to stay or good ideas on things to see.
I recently changed handlebars on my A. Homer Hilsen. Going from the 48cm Dirt Drop bars to the same model in the 52cm width will hopefully provide a more natural position for my arms and give better stability for the loaded bike. The clamp bolt on one of the brake levers was somehow stripped or cross-threaded and seized in the clamp, necessitating the use of the handy Dremel tool to cut off the clamp. Busted The old, broken lever is on the left. In the foreground is the clamp which slips over the handlebar and is held in place with the bolt through the lever shown on the right
I decided to replace both brake levers with Tektro’s new TRP levers. Aesthetically, these might not be everybody’s cup of tea, especially this drilled out version. The levers themselves have a somewhat tortured looking shape and the hoods have the almost obscene protrusion of STI style brake hoods. But using these levers, it quickly becomes clear that this is a case of form following function. The long, flat hoods provide a comfortable platform for the hands and the shape of the levers fits the fingers naturally. Somehow the design even manages to provide more mechanical advantage – my side-pull brakes seem smoother, more responsive and more powerful. The flared out lower part of the levers are easy to grab either from the hoods or the drops. The silver button is a cable quick release. This optional plastic shim rotates the top of the lever for a flatter hood position. (I used it)
While I was at it, I decided to try to clean up the Brooks leather bar tape which had turned almost black from accrued hours of contact with my grubby mitts. I filled the sink with warm water and a little bit of dish detergent and lightly scrubbed the tape with a dish washing brush, rinsed it off and immediately installed it. Wrapping the bars with wet Brooks tape does a couple of things: it lets the tape stretch so that it wraps smoothly and when it dries out it conforms like a skin to the handlebars. A light coating of Brooks Proofide after the tape has dried completely adds back moisture and effulgence. This is the second or third time I have removed and re-applied this wrap, wetting it each time first, so, even though the Brooks leather tape is more expensive than other materials it is extremely durable. This tape started life as "honey" colored. This is after washing the tape and re-applying it. Washed and treated - Lustrous!
A friend recently bought a “fixer” not too far from here. With carpentry and construction know how gained in a previous lifetime, helping with the remodel seemed like a good way to make some walk around money. Getting all the tools and materials to the site without the use of an automobile also seemed like an interesting exercise.
Is it eccentric to use a bike for most activities? Does a person follow a straight path to eccentricity? Or has the person always been eccentric, simply following an orbit out into the world…a life…and coming back to the same place?
This is a picture from Google Maps of an intersection I deal with on my bicycle almost daily . The two left lanes are left turn only and the next lane is for through traffic. The far right lane is right turn only.
Here’s another view coming up to the intersection in my car as I’m looking for stupid bicyclers to run over.
There is a sidewalk on the right with a “Push To Cross” button. The street we are crossing is one of the busiest in Idaho- 6 lanes.
So, how does one approach this intersection when on a bicycle and intending to continue straight across the 6 lane street? Most bicyclers I see will take to the sidewalk and push the button and wait for the light before crossing in the pedestrian walk. But click on the next picture in order to enlarge it and you can see the pick-up truck in the right lane beginning his right turn. That driver is not expecting, nor is he looking for, a person on a bicycle suddenly appearing in the crosswalk.
As I approach this intersection on the bike, I signal my intention and I ride on the right hand side of the through traffic lane, with the right turn lane to my right. If there are only two or three cars at the red light waiting to cross I will ride past them and stop in front of them (but still off to the right side of the lane) to wait for the light. The drivers see me and they know what I am going to do. I’m going to cross the street when the light turns green.
By being deliberate in my movements and signaling my intentions, using common sense and knowing my rights I usually feel pretty safe on the streets. And, in my experience a person on a loaded touring bike will generally get more respect and will be given more room by motorists. Probably because they think we are crazy and/or homeless and they feel sorry for us.
This is the final installment of our coverage of the 2012 North American Handmade Bicycle Show, and we have two,count em, two, interviews. First up is Deb Banks talking about her new saddle making venture; Rivet Cycleworks
Mitch Pryor made the trip down from Portland, OR with bikes he makes under the moniker MAP Bicycles. I have long appreciated his attention to detail and the way he can make simple look easy.
Black Sheep Bicycles is located in Fort Collins Colorado and they have some mad skills with titanium. They brought two fat-bikes to NAHBS 2012 and these had some quite unique and well thought out details.
S.S.T.T. - Super Sexy Titanium Tubing The fittings right below the growler and right behind it (not super clear in this pic), and the fittings on the chainstays -> -> accomplish 3 things; provides a way to tension the chain in a single speed or internally geared hub application,allows for taking the bike apart to pack in a small case, and provides a way to run a belt drive system. The judges recognize chops when they see them. Titanium Long-Tail Fat-Bike
I caught up with Craig Calfee before the waste encountered the air handling device on the second morning of NAHBS 2012 in Sacramento. One of the pioneers of the use of bamboo for bicycle frames Mr. Calfee uses bamboo sourced in Africa and the tubes are joined by laying up sheets made of local tree bark with resin, similar to fiberglass or carbon fiber.
The Bamboosero bamboo touring bicycle. A very clever integrated kick stand and enclosed chaincase. This is the material used in the joint or lug construction process. It comes from African tree bark
The theme for the 2012 North American Handmade Bicycle Show is fat-bikes! At least in the bike hermit’s feeble mind. First up is Joseph Ahearne’s take on the genre. I was able to squeeze in this interview when he wasn’t bombarded with customers and we talked about this bike as well as the other off-road tourer he brought to the show.
Inner tubes stretched over custom fender frames.
Carry All Joseph Ahearne's Off Road Touring Bike The double top tubes make the bike more rigid when loaded while still providing the desired ride qualities. The rack suports the fender, the fender supports the rack. Integration of parts makes for a more reliable touring machine.
