When you’re a kid waiting for Christmas, that last week or two takes for damn ever. As you get older, the passing of time seems go faster at an increasing rate. I hit two milestones this year. I guess they’re milestones. That’s what people tell me. I hit 50 years of age and Black Mountain […]
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It’s the little things that you don’t notice that sometimes make the biggest difference. Or they don’t really make any difference at all, but the way it goes together and sets up gives you infinite pleasure. Once upon a time, steel frames were made with 1 1/8″ diameter down tubes. They also had shift bosses […]
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It’s all relative. A fat road bike tire is a 28. A fat cross bike tire is a 40. A fat mountain bike tire used to be a 2.35. Then these bikes came out that pushed the fat envelope. Made the envelope bust at the seams. To someone used to the sleekness of a classic […]
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I’m not a big fan of this time of the year. Burning Man is coming up and bikes that are used only one time per year are brought out of their dungeon, caked with playa dust from the previous year(s) Burning Man(s). If you have been to more than one Burning Man do you say […]
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This Sunday, August 12, there will be a gathering of some of the hep cats of the Nor Cal frame and parts makers at the heppest of eating establishments, Una Pizza Napoletana in San Francisco. A Ruota Libera Due (that’s two in Italian), will happen at 1:00 p.m. It features many of the great area […]
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Some shit is just that. However, some shit is good shit. Take the 1970’s Free Spirit bike, for example. I had one when I was in high school before I could drive. It was a 10 speed. I turned flipped the bars up on it. I could ride wheelies all the way down the street […]
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There is a fantastic exhibit that just opened at the San Francisco International Airport. The good news is that it is before security in the international terminal which means that anyone can go – no need to be flying. “From Repack to Rwanda: The Origins, Evolution, and Global Reach of the Mountain Bike” is on […]
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Weekend Schedule Friday: closed at 3:00 to attend the reception for “From Repack to Rwanda: The Origins, Evolution, and Global Reach of the Mountain Bike“ Saturday: Probably open around 2:00 until abuot 5:00. Need to ride with some buddies coming in to town. Sunday: Open between 1:00 and 2:00. Hope everyone can get out and […]
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I like to tape bars. I’m pretty good at it. Consistent, even wraps. I don’t like to tape my own bars until they really, really need it. Because I tape bars with just the right amount of tension on the tape, just he right amount of overlap, and because I don’t “worry” the tape (more […]
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I sometimes neglect the blog because I have been posting quick photos and simple posts on the Black Mountain Cycles Facebook page. I realize that there are some folks who aren’t on Facebook (and for that, I applaud you). So, I need to try to remember that and post some more here. With that in […]
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Finished the build on this beautiful Steelman last week. The owner has several other single-speeds from some of the Bay Area’s finest builders: Soulcraft, Rock Lobster, Steve Potts. The builds on all of them also give the nod to the area’s component makers: White Industries, Phil Wood, Paul Components. Having multiple bikes with pretty much […]
Filed under: What's in the stand
Been a long time since I rock ‘n road. There’s been a lot of great new tires coming out recently. The Clément X’Plor MSO 40 came out a month or so ago. Before that, the Panaracer Fire Cross 45 was (and still is) a hot tire. Vee Rubber came out with a 47 and a […]
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