You know you’ve been there. You’re supposed to install fenders on that bike with the internally geared hub, coaster brake, and, in this case, those big chrome domes of the Shimano Coasting bike. The fenders retail for $25. The actual time it would take to install the fenders because you have to take the rear […]
Filed under: Working on bikes
Years ago when I first got a real bike after graduating from college, I picked up an issue of Cyclist magazine in 1985. It’s one of two issues of Cyclist I saved from that year. In it, was a story about Charlie Cunningham written by famed cycling writer, Owen Mulholland. The sub-title of the story […]
Filed under: Visitors
We are supposed to get rain on Thursday. It’s about time because the area really needs it. Water rationing is a very real possibility and a current reality down in Bolinas. However, the summer-like weather brought out the cyclists in droves to West Marin. I definitely attribute my January sales to the weather. Compared to […]
Filed under: Rides
With apologies to Guitar Ted, I really can’t help it when bikes like these “just show up” for work. The first is an early 90’s Salsa ala Carte with the trademark rasta jelly bean paint. It only needed new tires. The second is a Steve Potts CCR (Cross Country Racer) from about 1990. It’s brakes […]
Filed under: What's in the stand
Boy, it’s been non-stop titanium at the shop. It seems like every bike that comes in for repair is a titanium frame. Within the past few days, it’s been: Airborne, Morati, Seven, Dean, and Moots. The Airborne was a down tube replacement that Steve Potts performed. The Morati was a disc brake mount that Steve […]
Filed under: What's in the stand
Yesterday was spectacular. About 55 degrees, clear skies and no wind until the last 14 miles or so and then it was a really nice tail wind. I had initially planned to ride out to the lighthouse and back after reading aboug JimG’s 200k brevet, but upon checking the weather at the lighthouse and finding […]
Filed under: Rides
Wow! I don’t think I’ve ever had anything like this published about me at any time. I’ve written some pieces that have been published in magazines, but nothing about me. It’s kind of an odd feeling reading something that is about you. But I think I can live with it. Read the interview on bikeradar.com. […]
Filed under: Uncategorized
The WTB SST seat has long been a favorite of mine. There were several variations of this seat. Starting with my favorite, the original SST, there was the SST-X without the droopy nose. The SST 98 was a very nice Italian made version with a cut-out in the shell to relieve pressure in the “sensitive […]
Filed under: New in the shop
Pretty historic day today. There’s a lot of hype, for obvious reasons, surrounding this election. From my perspective, though, I see the election of 44 as the best man for the job and not the election of someone simply because you don’t want the other guy to win. The only thing this election was about […]
Filed under: Uncategorized
A group of seven vintage bike kooks met up in Fairfax to take advantage of a holiday and the incredible weather we’ve been having. I spent the prior day getting my Ibis SS ready to ride. The one thing I wanted to do was get the Suntour XC Pro rear derailleur and right side Suntour […]
Filed under: Rides
You know when you’re working on something and a small part falls? You train your eyes on the approximate location where it’s going to fall, listen for it hitting the ground, and then, hopefully, your eye notices movement making it easy to find? Well, sometimes it doesn’t happen quite like that. I’m adjusting a first […]
Filed under: Uncategorized
We’ve been having unseasonably warm weather. The thermometer topped out at over 70 degrees yesterday. I set out on a ride to take advantage of the weather and my day off. I had set up the Rawland with the 700×45 wheels for the mixed-terrain ride I was planning. The burly knobs of the Panaracer Fire […]
Filed under: Mixed Terrain, Rides