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Bikenstein
··· Dec 15 2011 · By ···
Accumulating bike parts makes it possible to mix and match parts from various set ups, and work them into different combinations of different bikes. It’s a pretty inexpensive way to (once you have accumulated enough stuff of course) build yourself a new ride. That is the approach I have been taking in my bike garage lately.
I have been primarily riding my blue Crystal Marubeni Yamaguchi single speed for a couple of years now, and like the tight geometry of that frame. But the kicked back seat tibe in the Univega Gran Turismo 10 speed frame, has been calling. The lugged, frame of the univega and just overall better frame build feels like a total upgrade when compared to the less than hefty built Crystal. So I yanked everything but the frame and forks from the Crystal, and patched it onto the Gran Turismo.
What’d I have to do?
- Removed wheel sets. Exchanged the araya 27″ wheels with the Weinmann dp-18s. 10 speed to single speed.
- Exchanged bottom brackets. I needed the 110 mm to match the rear sprocket. The 110 is sealed, while the 137 being removed from the GT is loose bearing. So this is an upgrade to the Univega
- The single cog cranks from Crystal, went onto the GT, chain ring mounted to the back of the crank spider thingy, chain alignment is still a couple ticks off, but it works fine with the thick 1/8″ chain
- BullMoose handlebar came over. I absolutely love this handle bar headset combination. Gary Fisher is credited with coining the name bullmoose.
- To get the Tektro brake mounted I had to drill out the back hole of the brake mount of the fork. I cleaned up and remounted the rear, dia compe center pull brake. I still need to determine if I am going to actually thread up some cable for these yet.
- Mounted the Brooks B66 saddle with springs. For a saddle that is older than me, the B66 is still kickin’ it. I also have been using the B-15.
- Finally, I took the pedals off my fisher mountain bike.
I have really enjoyed piecing the GT into a nice daily rider, although I don’t ride as daily as I would like. I even had the chance to get the nice matching Univega Mixte rolling for Dorothy. She loves riding it. I love that when we ride together we are on matching bikes
Lincoln Hill Bike Path to the Civic Center
··· Mar 31 2011 · By ···
The wet late winter weather we have had for the past month or so has really been getting to D and I, so with the sky clear and the temps in the low 80s it was easy to sneak out for a ride to see one of my favorite buildings in the world. But before I start glowing about the Marin Civic Center I am going to point out where to go to find the path, and talk about the goods and not dso goods of this bike super highway.
The Entrance
Since I live just south of downtown San Rafael, I tend to take C street up to 4th from home. 4th is a well recognized bike route through downtown, and it is kind of fun to see the people milling about and enjoying the shops, restaurants, and common spaces. There are always characters, good for people watching. But on a bike people watching is done while moving, so you don’t have time to reflect too long otherwise you might get doored or honked back into attention. Generally 4th street is a decent street to ride on. Most of the drivers understand that bikes also use the road, and there is a fair sized bike lane. Now we need to find the bike path. Once you get through the main downtown zone, you need to look for Tamalpais Ave. and turn north (left in the case of my ride here). Tamalpais Ave. is just before the unused railroad tracks. Take Tamalpais north 2 blocks to Mission. Hang a right onto Mission and just before the corner of Mission and Hetherton, to the left is a sign that notifies the entrance to the bike path. Note: it might be hairy to turn across the traffic coming off Hetherton onto Mission, so you can always break the law and cross over at Tam&Mission and take the sidewalk over, but that may be illegal so be careful.
The Path
The first stretch of the path is also a cul-du-sac street/bike path for a block. Traffic is for residents mainly so it’s easy. After that first block the path turns into the Fahrrad Schnellstraße. The north bound route is primarily up hill from this point, but fairly easy cranking until you reach the Lincoln Ave exit (yes this bicycle expressway has some exit ramps). I ride a single speed most of the time with a 46×17 gearing and I had no problem with this route, in the north direction. Once you enter the tunnel under the 101 exit ramp to Lincoln Ave, you get a bit of a respite before the last push that will bring you to the highest elevation of the path.
Before I forget, I would like to say that the vast majority of the path is directly along side the 101 with a concrete barricade and cyclone fence keeping bikes off the highway and cars off the bike path. On the west side of the path is a series of sound dampening walls that keep the tire noise from annoying the people who live just on the other side. Good for the residents, not so hot for bikers or walkers going north. What I mean is that on a hot day, with all of the car exhaust from the 101, the wall sort of keeps the exhaust fumes in the path. Bikers and walkers need to breathe, and I did notice that I had a hard time inhaling a bit. Car and truck exhaust is kind of gross. Overall this is the main (and possibly only) negative of the path.
So back to the steep chute. Once I got up to the top, I took a quick break, drank some much needed water and took in the view north toward Lucas Valley. The path at this point is near its end, just a quick downhill section that dumps you out onto Merrydale Rd. another cul-du-sac. Once off the path and on Merrydale, the hill drops off quite drastically, so you can really get some easy speed and coast down. It is worthy to note here that Merrydale is a rough road, and skinny tires aren’t very welcome. Merrydale dumps you out onto N. San Pedro rd, where I turned right and headed east toward the Marin Civic Center.
Marin Civic Center
Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, the Marin Civic Center was his last commission. In fact the groundbreaking didn’t happen until after his death. The design of the buildings and site really hold true to this quote from Mr. Wright.
“We know that the good building is not the one that hurts the landscape, but is one that makes the landscape more beautiful than it was before that building was built. In Marin County you have one of the most beautiful landscapes I have seen, and I am proud to make the buildings of this County characteristic of the beauty of the County.”
- Frank Lloyd Wright
I am in awe every time I get to walk around the Civic Center, or even speed by on the 101. It is a true Civic Center with County government, courthouse, entertainment, fire department and sheriff, even a post office. With approachable grounds that include a pond, bocce courts, and some nice hidden gems like the public scenic viewing area I visited.
As a Star Wars fan I also enjoy that George Lucas was inspired by the lines of the Civic Center and featured them in buildings found in Episodes I, II, and III. With Skywalker Ranch just a few miles away, it is easy to imagine Mr. Lucas driving past the Civic Center on his way into SF or somewhere else. Anyway, I took some pictures, left the Civic Center and headed back to the path.
South Bound and Down
With the remembrance of the uphill climb heading north still fresh in my brain, I openly welcomed an easy coast back toward downtown San Rafael. The only thing between that and me was Merrydale Rd. As I mentioned earlier, this rough dried road isn’t too skinny tire friendly. It also isn’t too single speed friendly either, at least headed south. Sure the street starts off easy enough, mild incline. But then it pitches up at an alarming rate for about a quarter mile. I almost hate to admit, but I walked my bike up to the entrance of the bike path (where the incline lessens quite a bit). Before I hit the path again, I sat on some welcome rocks at the entrance and drank a little water, took a few deep breaths and got back on the bike, and pedaled the rest of the way to the top. Once at the top I looked down the chute and started cranking. I wanted to hit those little humps and catch some air too, and I did, albeit tiny air. I don’t like the prospect of getting a flat tire while racing downhill in a concrete chute. So I got content with what air I did get and kept pedaling. Ahhh, this is why I rode up this mother in the first place. My gearing is alright in flats, and up mild hills, but downhill (and in flats) at high speed it isn’t really worth cranking too much. My legs just go so fast. I know, someone is going to read this and tell me to get some gears. But I like the simplicity of my single speed bike, and I do have some bikes with gears, I just use the Crystal as my beater bike, and I have no regrets at all for the single gearing I have on it.
So through the tunnel, up a short hill and it’s a mild downhill run for the next 1.6 miles when the bike path ends, and thus does this post. But here are a few more pictures I took.
Leather Bike Saddles
··· Nov 03 2010 · By ···
I have quite an attraction for leather bike saddles. Why? Well, they are comfortable as heck once they are broken in, they will last a long time if cared for properly, and they are just so darned cute.
My personal saddle clutch includes a vintage Brooks B-15, a Brooks B-17, and a vintage B-66. I use the B-15 on my Crystal singlespeed bike. I ride this one most often, and have been happy with the ride for the most part. I have been thinking of sturdying it up a bit by punching some holes in the sides and lacing it up. I could do it like this but I don’t really think that using a drill to make the holes is the best way. Here is a better “photographic discussion” from McBomb over at flickr. Using a punch is such a better way to work holes into leather. Anyway the sidewalls on the B-15 are pretty flimsy, and lacing it up should put some additional firmness in the seat (which it really needs).
The B-17 is mounted on my Gary Fisher Mt. Bike currently, although it is supposed to be Dorothy’s saddle. I picked it up when we were living in Boston on the sale rack at EMS. It really needs (as they all do) a good oiling, or treating, or whatever leather gets coated with to keep it nice and moist. Well, not moist, but to keep it from getting rough and dried. So that’s gotta be done so they are all good to go for the winter, which in the Bay Area means rain.
The B-66 was a bargain at $25 so I picked it up from an online auction and haven’t done much to it except find a nut for one of the spring mounts, and conditioned the leather. The B-66 has a little larger seat area than the B-15 and B-17 so it would be nice on a cruiser or maybe on the Mixte when I get that bike rolling. Dorothy doesn’t much like the B-66, she’s had it on her Gary Fisher before. I have a feeling it’s got something to do with the springs. They are kind of weak and old, and the saddle does shift around under you a lot and it finds a way to dig in a little bit. The sidewalls are a little weak on the B-66 as well, so this saddle might be improved by lacing as well. A perfect seat to for guests who want to take a bike ride around San Rafael.
I looked around a bit on the old internet, and really didn’t see a good list of leather saddle manufacturers all in one place, so I thought I would start a list of some companies, old and new, who have built, or do build leather bike saddles. Some of these companies aren’t around any longer, others are bringing Taiwanese and Chinese manufacturing know how into new versions of leather saddles. And through it all, Brooks continues to make saddles much the same way they always have. So here’s that list.
- Brooks – England
- Wrights – England – I haven’t really found a good article on Wrights.
- Ideale – France – Check this photo history of some Ideale Saddles
- Fu Jih (Tops) – Taiwan – If you have some money and want to buy a case of these, here is where you begin
- Imperial Products – Taiwan sold under the marque Gyes. You can get one at Crow Cycle, and for the price, (around $60) why wouldn’t you?
- Persons – USA – I like the saddles here. They most closely match various Brooks models, but are (or at least were) priced quite a bit less. It appears that they have exhausted most of their stock of the majority of their leather saddle lines. I still don’t know where these are manufactured.
- Selle An Atomica – USA – These guys have done their science, and have created a patented cutout and laminating process that makes the saddle comfortable for long rides, reduces numbness… Be sure to watch their video at the bottom of their home page.
I am a viewer of “How It’s Made”, and caught an episode the other day that had a segment where they went to Brooks, and showed how they make saddles. Here is a version of it with a Russian (???) narrator. Enjoy!
Univega Bikes
··· Oct 13 2010 · By ···
I was given a pair of nearly matching Univega 10 speed bikes a while back, a Gran Turismo racer and a SuperTen Mixte. These are both really neat bikes in their own right. I am in the process of fixing them up and making them roadworthy, so let me tell you a little about them as they are currently.
Let’s start with the Gran Turismo. For starters the frame is made from 1024 steel butted tubing. Some research on this type of steel indicates that it is a fairly heavy steel that is not too highly regarded by the bike snobs who like their rides light. Whatever, I like a steel frame myself, so the 1024 will do. The forks are probably the same material. Whatever heaviness that the frame has is partly made up for by having a set of Araya 27” aluminum alloy rims. These rims aren’t anything special, but it is nice that they aren’t steel. The gearing components are SunTour V-GT-Luxe and are shifted with end of bar friction hybrid (they click in one direction) shifters. The brakes are Dia Compe center pull, and are in need of some new pads.
For the most part, I like this bike. I am not sure if I am going to keep it as a 10 speed, or make it into another single speed bike.
The SuperTen mixte is a pretty cool bike. I have been wanting a mixte frame for some time, and am glad that this one dropped into my lap. Of course, the frame is too small for me, so this bike is going to become a lender bike for visitors who want to go for a bike ride, or for Dorothy to tool around on. It is a heavy one, with steel everything, from the Araya rims to the handlebars and seatpost. The tires on both bikes are dry rotted and in very bad shape, yet they all hold air (at least for a while). Obviously the rubber all needs to be replaced.
The modern mixte frame is an offshoot of the porteur frames that delivered newspapers and other things around Paris many years ago. As you can see from the pictures here, a good number of frames had a third stay in the rear triangle, even with a standard mens top bar. There are a few examples of a dropped top tube in this collection as well.
Well, enough history. I am planning to fit this bike with some different gear. The first thing to go will be the drop bars. I really can’t stand drop bars and think that some old style swept back handlebars will hook this bike up and provide the rider with a more upright posture. A leather saddle (of course), and maybe some new gearing options (like an internally geared hub) will do this bike nicely. Both of these bikes are a bit on the heavy side, with the mixte being the heavier of the two. I would like to ultimately change out the rims, but that may have to wait for a while so I can concentrate on getting an old Schwinn Jaguar built up for Dorothy.
Bike Knicker Battle
··· Sep 29 2010 · By ···UPDATE, 18 Nov. 2010
The Zoic Knicker has shown a weakness. There is a little section of fabric just above the zipper on each of the cargo pockets that has a flap. The point where that part of fabric is sewn under the top seam of the pocket flap, onto the leg of the trouser, has separated from that seam. It is pretty sorry since I have only had these things for 2 months, and this isn’t even a stress point. I am thinking about shipping them back to hucknroll. At least the seam isn’t compromised on the flap which is pretty solid.
Well, here is a shot of the shredded pocket.
*****ORIGINAL POST *****
I recently picked up a couple different pairs of knickers for biking, tooling around, hanging out, whatever. With Autumn here, and Winter just around the corner, something a little more substantial was called for, and knickers seemed the perfect thing.
I got my hands on a pair of Endura Zyme knickers and a pair of Zoic Reign knickers, and here is a brief report of what I feel about both of them.
The Endura Zyme knickers are really tough, made with the thick brushed cordura nylon. I have about a 35″ waist and usually wear pants that range between 34-36″ waist. The Large size of the Endura is dialed right in to that size. They are roomy, but not baggy, and have cinches on the waist to snug them up if I don’t feel like wearing a belt. I don’t really need a belt with them, because they fit so well, but I like to wear one because the snap on the front seems to pop open when riding if I lean too far forward. The length of the knickers for me is just about right, maybe an inch shorter than I would like though. They have two knee darts that when I ride, end up above my knee. The darts are sewn for a shorter leg than mine (I am 6’3″ BTW). This doesn’t cause any trouble, it’s just a design peeve of mine that the darts are sewn in, but don’t hit where they should. The end cuff has a velcro tab that adjusts to tighten the cuff up a bit if you like. I like that it is easy to adjust, but doesn’t get in the way. The pockets are plentiful, without going overboard. Two front pockets and two on the back all with zippers keep things where they need to be. There are also two front thigh mounted pockets that fit phones or pens, one is open the other closes with a zipper.
Overall I like the Enduras, they seem to keep in the heat a bit so they might be a bit too much in hot temps, but fall, winter, and spring these are good to go.
The Zoic Reign knickers I just got are pretty nice. Their sizes are different, and I had to get a XL. The size chart for XL ranges from 36-39″ I would say 35-36″ is safe. The cut of the legs on these are extra long, they hit just below my mid calf, and I have pretty long legs. The leg end cinch lets you easily bunch them up and wear them just under the knee, that gives a bit of play in them for pedaling or walking or kicking. The cinching cord is hidden inside the cuff though, and it is a bit hard to adjust. They are a bit skinnier than the Enduras so if you have huge thighs you might have to think about something with a more generous cut. The nylon they are made from is more of a mid weight ripstop and lighter than the Enduras. Still being nylon they trap heat, fortunately there are two leg zips that open up just below the crotch on each leg (inside thigh seam) to let a little fresh air in, there is a mesh liner there to keep things from peeking out. They came with a padded inner short, that doesn’t look terrible when worn inside these, I’m just not too into the padded inner short thing though. My Brooks saddles fit me well enough, and don’t present a need for extra padding. The pockets on the Reign knickers are as such. Front pockets cut in jean style with a little change pockette. One zipped pocket on the right side in back. 3 cargo pockets, one on the left leg, two on the right, with a spot in one for a phone or music player with threading holes for a headphone. I like that feature a lot, because I hate my phone flopping around in my bag or other pockets.
Overall, I kind of like the Endura more than the Zoic, but each are rather good, stylish knickers that you can wear tooling around town, or just hanging out having a beer in the City. I got both of these on sale, so who knows if they will continue to be around next season, since clothing manufacturers seem to be fickle and don’t like to keep styles around for too long.
The Flip the Flop
··· Aug 12 2010 · By ···
When I built my fixed gear bike, I figured that it would be nice to have that connection with the bike that you don’t get by having a freewheel. I really do enjoy that connection, but it does take away from my pleasure of just riding because I have to always pedal. So I picked up a freewheel hub from The Recyclery. I love going there because they offer a large selection of used biking gear, and their store supports a good cause, Trips for Kids.
The fixed cog gearing is 46×16 (2.875), which is a pretty decent gearing for flat with some minor hills, and what my main biking is around San Rafael. I ended up getting a 17 tooth freewheel, mainly because that was all they had. So my 46×17 (2.705) is a bit more toned down, reducing my top speed, but making starts and uphill climbs just that much easier.
I have really been digging it. I can now stand up out of the saddle and just coast if I want. The first leg of most of my rides is a mild downhill run, and it is just that much nicer to use that time to get situated on the bike, instead of having to always pedal.
Best Place to Get Around With a Bike
··· Aug 05 2010 · By ···
One of the major things that D and I have been looking for in a home is to have that home in an area that is conducive to walking and riding a bike. As we were riding our bikes back from the weekly downtown Farmer’s Market I started to explain how I really feel that for getting around, running errands, going shopping, whatever, we live in a place that makes doing those things by bike a pleasure.
This afternoon, Dorothy had some work she needed to do, but wanted to get out of the house, so she decided that she would ride over to Peets to get her chai on and do her writing. Here is what she IM’d me as she arrived:
“Easy, quick, fun ride down here. Nice spot outside w/ the umbrella shading my table.”
Nice. Meanwhile I had a desire to get on my bike and check out some video cameras at the Best Buy. In most every place we have ever lived, we have always had to use our car to do stuff like that. So I headed out, looked at cameras (they had nothing worthwhile by the way), then pedaled over and met D at Peets. We left there, and headed over to the Farmer’s Market to get some fruit and veggies, then rode home in time for some dinner.
Basically, I can’t think of much that I wouldn’t choose to do by bike first around San Rafael, with the exception of any heavy lifting things that really require some sort of car. From Fairfax, out to Larkspur there is most everything we really need and can get to on foot or better yet on bike. Way to go San Rafael.
Bike Repair Zen
··· Aug 04 2010 · By ···…or how I learned to stop worrying and tear apart my Evel Knievel coaster brake hub so I could spin my cranks backwards.
For as long as I have been able to ride a bike, I have. And almost as long I have been tinkering with my bikes to either tune them, clean them or mod them. My first mod was a pretty funny one, it was turning a coaster brake rear hub on my AMF Evel Knievel bike into a freewheel hub. Why? Mainly because I wanted to use hand brakes, wanted to spin my cranks backward, and just wanted to see if I could do it. I remember the whole occasion like it was yesterday. I got the crazy idea out of a BMX magazine. There was a step by step guide, showing how it is done, and all I needed was some form of a washer or something to keep the clutch inside from doing it’s thing. I don’t recall precisely how the part went in, but I do remember that it took a couple of tries to get it right.
How did it all go down? Well, I first had to get the back wheel off the bike, no problem. Then, onto getting inside of the hub. That one took a little more digging through my Dad’s tool drawer to find the right pliers and wrenches and the like. The magazine article had an exploded view of a standard coaster brake hub, so I had a blueprint (like the picture above) for the work I needed to do, and better, a fail-safe map for getting the hub back together. I remember confidently removing each part from the hub, and placing them neatly in the order removed on the work bench in our garage. I cleaned each piece, not because the instructions said to, I just felt it was best to have clean parts. I got to the piece that needed to be swapped out, or flipped over, or whatever, did that, and started piecing the assembly back together, one piece at a time.
This sort of thing is nothing to me now, a simple take apart and rebuild, but for a kid still in the single digit age range it was a pretty big deal. After all, this was my bike, and I needed it to get around the neighborhood, so it had to be done right or I would be out of luck.
Well, it all went together, and sure enough just as the magazine predicted I was able to pedal it, and spin my cranks backwards! It wasn’t a perfect fix by any means. In fact I seem to remember that there was sometimes a lag in pedaling forward where it would take maybe a crank or so to engage after coasting or pedaling backwards. The price you pay I guess.
I sure wish I hadn’t taken apart every unnecessary part on the old Evel Knievel bike. I am sure it would be worth a lot more than what my parents paid for it back in the ‘70s. But BMX was becoming the big thing, and all of those extra plastic parts were just not necessary, and actually got in the way and were weighing the bike down. It would be a few years before I would get my Raleigh BMX bike for racing, so I would have to make the most of it, and I did. Even if I had reduced any value to nearly $0.
Brooks B66 Gents Model
··· Jul 30 2010 · By ···
Ever since I was turned on to the concept of riding my bikes with leather saddles I haven’t looked back. Thanks for this mode of thinking go out to my friends John and Kathy Beebe. Among other things, they are bike hoarders and they have some awesome bikes in their stable. Almost all (if not every one) has a leather saddle made by Brooks. I tried for some time to take a Brooks saddle off of John’s hands but he resisted, so that made me start hunting around on online auction sites to see if I could find any deals on some old models.
The Brooks B66 is an old two spring model made sometime in the 1950s. I know this because of the unique cutout design found in the middle of the saddle. Brooks soon after went with a three hole design instead of the cutout that you see here. I am looking for an old catalog that this model appears in, stay tuned for updates.
Being an old saddle, there is a bit of wear and tear and the leather isn’t in that great of shape, but the old saddle is still a rider. Unfortunately I am having a hard time finding a bike I like to mount it on. My single speed fixie is a little too silly for this seat, it looks good with my B-15, and my mountain bike might work, but I like the B-17 I have on there right now. (More on the other saddles later). The springs make it a little squirrely, I kind of like my saddle a little more firm in the seat, and not moving around. It will probably end up on a cruiser or mixte down the road. Until then, enjoy some more photos of this saddle madeby the premier manufacturer of leather bike saddles, Brooks.
Larkspur Ferry and Back
··· Jul 21 2010 · By ···
I decided to try a little commuter loop to the Larkspur Ferry and back. I had to go up and over the Wolfe Grade one way or another for this ride, so I decided to get it out of the way first. I started out at the base of Wolfe Grade, in Gerstle Park. Using my geared mountain bike I figured it would be no problem. For the most part I was right. The hill is pretty steep, but not undoable with gears. My single speed fixed gear around town bike is great to ride, but not for this ride. Once over the top of the grade, it is a pretty quick coast to the bottom and Sir Francis Drake.
There is a nice creekside bike path and roadway that follows the wash that you see above. This shot is looking west under the 101 bridge that crosses over the bike path. Here are some more memorable photos from this area.
As you can see there were trains that used to pass through these parts, but the automobile seems to have made trains unnecessary. A little more pedaling around this area and you come into the Larkspur Ferry Terminal. At this point I have ridden about 4.5 miles, over two hills with the rest of the ride pretty flat. The well marked bike path really makes this ride worthwhile. There are good signs letting you know where to go by way of the network of bike paths, way to go Larkspur! The Ferry Terminal is a pretty cool place, with plenty of car parking and a good bike parking area too.
Heading back I decided to take Andersen Dr. as it was an easy ride the other day on my fixie. So I headed out on the bike path running along Sir Francis Drake. Along the way I came across a giant statue of who I believe to be of Sir Francis Drake coming ashore, and as I turn around, I see a pretty sun setting next to Mt. Tam, so I snapped some shots.
On toward San Quentin, lots of bad people in there. The road starts to go up hill, to meet up with Andersen. A quick left and it’s all downhill, past the sewage treatment plant, and down to the 2 mile straightaway. Winding my way through the Gerstle Park neighborhood, I get to my destination, home, ready for dinner.