And Now For Something Completely Different

From last post's show pony to this post's workhorse.

Full blown touring rig.

There really is a lot more going on with racks than it would seem. A lot to keep in mind when designing and building them. How are you going to mount them? Are the mounts going to interfere with the function of any of the components like brakes and their cables, quick release skewers, fenders, etc. Can you mount them in such a way that if disaster does strike, the owner can walk into any bike shop and buy a rack off the wall that will fit? Can you keep the weight low and within the wheelbase, and on the the steering axis, over the contact patch, so you're not fighting the weight, so the bike will steer light? Oh yea, can you make them look nice too?
Tall order.

Decided to go with a very straight forward frame design and racks that follow the lines of the bike. Tried to go traditional, but not boring.

This bike is getting finished just in time for a trip to France.
Baptism by fire.

I had a really good time making this bike, thinking about all the good times that will be had aboard it. There is something pretty amazing about a touring bike.

Today's music pick is the Weakerthans.
Nestled somewhere between folk and punk.
Good stuff. 'Nuff said.

Goin' to Vegas

Yo gang, here we go again. Today's fresh one.

I was asked by the folks over at Syncros
to build a bike frame to show off some of their new goods
for Interbike, the trade show in Vegas.

Very flattering to have people out there who want to
associate their work with mine.
Thank you.

If you will be lucky, or unlucky,
enough to be at Interbike this next week,
come check out the bike and let us all know what you think.

There are bikes to be built here at the shop, so I won't be attending.
No rest for the wicked.

Several posts ago I referenced Pinback.
Worth revisiting, I reckon.
They are one of the few out there that I can just
turn Ye Olde Ipod to "all" and happily listen
to for hours in the shop until the songs run out.
The writing is fantastic, the musicianship is excellent,
and it's just the right tempo to lose yourself in the task at hand.
Check them out.
Barnes
Tripoli
Fortress
Penelope
They always seem to speed their songs up a bit live,
so I thought I'd add some live songs and some studio.
More standout music from San Deigo...

Mustaches Wild

Hey y'all. Here's the latest black cat to roll out the door.

Curvy, butted True Temper top tube meets curvy,
butted Dedachai seat stays.
Custom bent by yours truly.

I'm pretty attached to this shade of green.
I know bright colors are all the rage right now,
and really, that's fine with me. I even like some of those colors.
Really though, give me an olive green bike to ride through the trees.

Nothing says "classy" like a neatly trimmed mustache.
There are some out there who have bugged me relentlessly
for a black cat head badge. Well folks, here it is.
I really think the best reason for going to an oversized
head tube is more real estate for your mustache.

Quicksand anyone?
Their first record, "Slip", is an amazing piece of work.
I wore out several cassette tapes listening to it.
There might be a digital groove worn
into my ipod playing it these days.
There are very few records out there
where all the songs are so good.

The second (and final), "Manic Compression",
is also a very good record
but it didn't have the advantage of being as
mind blowing-ly ground breaking.

I remember seeing this live video about 10 years ago.

All the segments are pretty good.

Ashton's Uber Custom Machine

Hey there folks.
Here's the newest bike to come out of the factory.
Its got some details to it that required a lot of time on the
machine tools.

A Campagnolo Hiddenset head tube, a custom slip fit bb30
bottom bracket shell, internal hose routing,
and a split-able belt drive dropout.

The part that the pivot bolt runs through is separate
from the rest of the dropout. The original dropout had the
top of the flange shaved from the eyelet, and it now nests
within the part attached to the seat stay.

The paint turned out pretty slick too.

The manufacturers of the belt drive said that it
wasn't possible to have a 16 1/2" chain stay on a
29er and run their belt. well, here it is.

I'm not making another one though.
Don't ask.
Seriously.

For the last week I've had, not just a song,
an entire record running through my head.
Good thing its a really good one.
Karp's Self Titled LP (yes, it's called "self titled lp")
is either one of the best records you've ever heard
or its just unintelligible noise and screaming.
you'll love it or hate it, if you don't love or hate it already.

Sorry none of those were moving pictures.
If that's what you demand, then here is 29 1/2
minutes of live action.

Factory Works Racer 2

Black Cat's hotshot racer, Greg Martin, asked for two bikes in his campaign for glory this year. He ended up with a "regular" Black Cat (short stays, snappy handling) and this, something a bit more subdued for the 24 hour style racing he does.

On this frame we stiffened up the front end and over sized the head tube to allow one of those new fangled forks with a tapered steerer using Cane Creek's new headset. Slightly longer, and more comfortable chain and seat stays will give his mind and muscles a break at hour 23.


Ample clearance for tires, mud, sticks, broken spokes, or anything else one might encounter in a 24 hour grovelfest. I'm usually loathe to make a bicycle that is so specific, but since he's got a frame that takes care of the usual duties, and because he does do so many extended days (and nights) in the saddle, I figured I'd make Greg a bike that lets him do what he does, and get out of the way. Good luck Greg.

There are many dichotomies present in building bicycle frames. Finding swoopy, flowing, eye pleasing lines for a frame, but keeping the results to tolerances measured in thousandths of an inch. Finding an aesthetic that is yours but allows for seamlessly mating others' components. Etc, etc, etc...

I like to explore these dualities in paint. Rigid, hard lines requiring some technical savvy, juxtaposed next to something that seems to happen more spontaneously. Somehow the parts that seem to be the most "natural" are the hardest to pull off.

It's fun to try and walk that line.

This last Wednesday night, the Obits
and the Night Marchers played. These guys,
ladies and gentlemen, know how to write
good rock and roll music, no doubt.It was a
Wednesday night and the crowd was well,
a crowd on Wednesday night. Too bad, as
the potential for greatness with those present
was through the roof. I, personally, have
witnessed greatness involving these same people.
I could start an entire weblog devoted
to the greatness stemming from the San Diego
punk scene. Thinking about it, I could
start a weblog for each band individually,
there is so much greatness.
I won't so I'll have something for future
posts, though.

I will mention Drive Like Jehu.
Members of each of the above bands were involved
and the results were above and beyond
what would be fair to compare anything else to what
those people did in the past, or will do in the future.
Too many good ones to list, but here's some favorites.
I was lucky enough to see the greatness in person
several times. That sparkly silver Les Paul mesmerized
me. Shrieking and squealing one second, belting out
some of most unlikely catchy loud chords the next.
I don't care what you say, Danny, Yank Crime's (the second
album of two) ten minute long songs are brilliant,
and wonderfully loud.

White on White

One of my favorite painters has always been Jasper Johns, so i was very happy to tip the hat to Jasper for Julio Rodriguez, in Austin, Texas. Julio wanted something that suggested a watermark.

Word of the day is: subtle.

I don't do a very good job of brand identifying via logo recognition (or sometimes logo visibility for that matter). It's a bit more interesting to change it up. After a run of logo stencils is used up, its kinda nice to retire that font. Everybody goes through fazes, right?

The translucent squares overlapping was Julio's idea. It took a couple tries to get it right, but in the end came out rather splendid. Thanks Julio.

White finishes are pretty hard on fillet brazers. It's the color that shows everything. No place to hide. The most minor flaw in the sanding can result in a shadow that immediately draws the eye. Gotta be on your game when you're finishing a bike that'll be painted white.

Hey gang, are y'all interested in the music I post here at all? Not that I would stop if you weren't. This post's pick is My Bloody Valentine. My favorite, by far, of the "shoegazer" bands of the early nineties. I listened to Loveless a lot back then and continue to these days. Not exactly subtle, mind you, but there are so many layers to the music that it almost becomes nuanced noise. Does that make sense?
Here and here are couple videos with reasonable audio. "Reasonable audio" may not be the word for it... for some folks out there.

Summertime Lime

I'm never quite sure what to say to you, dear reader. Pretty sure you're not here to read a blow by blow account of each and every build. It's really pretty boring. I had a friend, Brian, hanging out in the shop, taking some pictures. He asked several times over the course of the week, "When are you going to do something interesting?"

Good question.

The bikes I've been making the most of may all look very similar at first glance.
When designing them, however, everything is definitely specific to the person riding the bike.
From body measurements, to where they live and what their hometown roads and trails consist of. Everything is a one-off. No cookie cutters here.

I'm trying to keep things interesting for each and every bike. Hopefully its interesting for y'all.

Kyle Ness will be getting his hands on this just as his shoulder relocates.

Remember kids: Skate and Destroy

How about some Two Gallants?
How about some more?

Calico Cat

Jon Lewis has been waiting patiently for his new bike.

Head badge and paint scheme to match a favorite cat.
I'd say that cat has good taste in colors.

He's getting a 29er one speed with the swinging single dropouts and a curvy seat tube to keep the chain stays as short as 16 1/2 inches.

My terrible taste in music seems to wander. Some days it's all metal.
Some days it's more deliberate and quiet.