Sunday, June 28, 2009

but I digress

We just came across this ad inside an old book:
Mead Cycle Company

I like to ride the 'Ranger' in my "spare time hours," so my "admiring friends can be easily induced to place their orders through [me]." Then I induce them to come to my house when my parents are at work and induce them to help me consume a line of daddy's factory-direct cocaine. But I digress.

Saw this a few weeks ago:
Tanjor Bicycle Trailer

And loaded this up a few days ago:
Hot and Humid

Hot in the city, the box fan helps out. I spent the extra 5-bucks for the "wind ring system," which I have to say looks a lot more convincing on the box than it does on the fan itself. 30% more air velocity my ass. I think I'd get even better air velocity if I were to take off the fan guards altogether; hmmm, weekend project.

street safety 101

I've seen a lot of cars in the neighborhood driving the wrong way down a one-way; look both ways before you cross that street.

As for this, you'd think you wouldn't hit flip-over speeds driving through residential areas, but then you don't know MPLS drivers!
Extreme 4x4'ing!

Friday, June 26, 2009

tgi the weekend

It's been an unexpectedly crazy week. Things to do this weekend: count how many backwards mounted forks you see, enjoy a cool beverage, not end up in jail (fingers crossed.)

On that note, Al and myself both give a big thumbs-up to the potential of what is the upcoming weekend.

Cheers.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Find Carrie's Bike!

This here Kona mountain bike done and got stolen from Carrie's garage last Thursday (the 18th of July, 2009 - what a timely post, eh?) This photo shows the bike down in the hills of Arkansas, now it's under some fat cowards ass in the MPLS area. It's got a gold Chris King headset. Get on it. More info as soon as I can hit a scanner.


Yep:

Andy Knapp - master of human powered adventures

I can't say I was fortunate enough to have known Andy, but have friends who were aquainted with him and are mourning his loss.

This blurb from his web site is enough to win over my respect and admiration:

For over 47 years, I have had the opportunity to engage in many different human-powered adventures, including bicycle touring and commuting, hiking and backpacking, mountaineering, running, cross-country skiing, canoeing, and sea kayaking. Over the years, I have logged in over 159,000 self-propelled miles of these activities, highlighted by a 7460-mile bicycle trip to Alaska and back, a 502-mile solo backpacking trip along the length of Alaska's Brook Range, and a 1136-mile sea kayak circumnavigation of Lake Superior, among dozens of others.

Andy also had a blog, Distant Horizons, which details his adventures as well as his final fight with cancer.

Thanks to Melissa for sharing with me his story.

Monday, June 22, 2009

Bike Night at the MIA: July 16, 2009

Start out at OOOBS for free Surly beer from 1630-1800, then ride to the MIA for a buncha other stuff. Thanks to Elizabeth for the sweetest flyer design!

From the MIA site:

Third Thursday: Tour de Force

Thursday, July 16, 2009
6 – 9 p.m.

museum-wide

Bike on by for a rousing good time. Enjoy free bike valet service at the Third Avenue entrance. Create your own "vintage" French bike poster. Take a self-guided tour celebrating all things transit. View the 1948 Italian Neorealist classic The Bicycle Thief. Check out Ruby3 bike-friendly fashions by local design maven Anna Lee. And gear up for a fabulous alchemy of rock, folk, and country by acclaimed local band Kid Dakota.

Also, enter to win a Surly bike, Twin Six gear, and Nutcase helmets!

Film: Free for MIA members and for those who sign up for a Member-for-a-Day pass.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

get your Tuesday on

To keep up with the bikehugger guys, who upload content in real time, I'll need an iPhone, a video camera, a few more digital camera outfits, a new laptop; oh heck, I'll just settle for a few beers and update things a few days after the fact.

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Uptown Crit - photos this time

Friday night bicycle races; a block from my home.

The Women head out from the start into the first corner:
Women's Race Start

Down the straightaway on Lake Street:
In the straightaway east on Lake Street

Again on Lake Street:
Women's race

The men were faster, but had too high a proportion of former doper athletes for my liking.
Men's race

A few more here.

Uptown Crit

Inside the first corner.

Friday, June 12, 2009

Specialized Globe Bike Launch in Minneapolis

Full disclosure - the Specialized Globe team did purchase for me a plate of donuts and several Belgian beers, for starters. [full Globe site to launch on 28June2009.]

[update - News brief in Momentum; full print article to follow.]

We spent the past few days meeting with Specialized Globe people and riding their new line of bikes intended to bring people into the "cycling lifestyle."

One of the new bikes, the Roll, a single speed with a flip-flop hub will certainly be welcome amongst the urban fixie set. Seen here is a the front fork & hub detail, one of many touches that prove out the attention to detail given to these new bikes; that's a customized keyed washer providing the clean lines, take it out and any front hub will do.
Roll - fork & hub detail

Further detail is highlighted in the very strong custom fork crown of the Roll 02 model. These details should not merely be over looked; it's quite an effort and an expense to cast your own crowns, and these were done right and designed from the ground up, based on my conversations with the lead engineer, Amber Lucas.

Single piece stem/bar. Note the grips and bars share the same diameter; standard grips also fit for those who want customization options. Stem has a slight bend and the assembly can be reversed for a more upright riding position.
Roll handlebar detail

This is the Roll 02 cooling off along the Mississippi in the MPLS. Brad of Urban Velo has a similar shot of this ride.
Roll 02

The Haul (02 model shown here) is a welcome addition to the cargo category of bikes, for when some of the competition seems to be a bit of overkill; and you can get this one up a set of stairs. I rode this bike for the day and it handled great, though I didn't get a change to load it down with more than a pannier or two.
Haul

The Live (02 model here) is being introduced as a high quality light duty cargo bike, though it's clearly engineered to withstand more than most people will attempt to deliver. The frame also comes in a Mixte, and with an 8-speed chain or belt driven internal hub.
Brad and Nic - baby carrier

Detail of the custom front rack fork mount on the Live 02:
Live - custom fork and rack detail

The Bike Hugger gang showed up, always nice to meet more of the BH team:
Bike Huggers

More from my photo set here. Expect to see a full write up in Momentum magazine in the near future, as soon as the Hurl and I get around to it that is.

Another update: I test drove the Live 02 a week after this initial report and loaded it up with some weight in order to see how it handled loaded, as I was a bit skeptical. This thing gave a solid ride with no wobbles up front; sure the steering was a bit heavier, but I figure this is about 25 lbs [11 kg] so not a lot of surprise there. I've ridden this to the liquor store, to work, to the dentist, to the local bike shops, the grocery; and while it rides slower than what I'm used to, I want one.
Loaded up and truckin

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Busy Week It Is

The Nature Valley Grand Prix is once again in full swing, with the start of the 4.5-mile time trial this morning on the riverfront in St. Paul. Tonight is the Criterium race in the same city, get over there if you can. I'll be missing the weekends events, unfortunately, as I'm on the 150-mile ride from Duluth to Nowthen, MN - I still don't know where the hell that's at.

For those of us who didn't quite qualify for the individual time trial of the professional sort, we organized our own time trial, of the 3-person flavour:
Tuesday Night Team Time Trials

All was well until a 4th body was added; that's when things took a turn sour.

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Suitable for fixie conversion


Peering around this morning I find an article in The Times about "beater bikes" and ways to find them. The article links to a do's and dont's of bicycle selling on Craigslist, on Craigslist nonetheless. I have to admit I rarely hit the ebays or Craigslist places for many of the reasons on the list, but mainly people out of the know selling crap for a lot more than it's worth. The Times article also links to some snob guy, whose blog I've never visited and I'm not sure I want to - sounds a bit too snobbish just by the title alone, I think I'll leave it at that.

Here's Lake Calhoun a few nights ago. My dog jumped/fell off the end of the dock a few minutes after I took this picture. 2200 and faint light in the sky, cool.

Monday, June 8, 2009

some days are diamonds


Marks Handsome Devil
Originally uploaded by handsomecycles
Someone saw me parked alongside Lyndale. The mustache on the head tube must have given me away.

Stolen bike & Burley trailer NE MPLS

Stolen Bike and Kids Trailer, NE MPLS

Stolen from a garage at 11XX NE 4th St, Minneapolis

 

Surly brand bike.  Unmarked Long Haul Trucker model, with braze ons on fork, chainstay, and under down tube.  Mostly black parts include XT/Alex Adventurer rims, XT deraileurs, ITM stem and drop bar, Continental Contact tires, WTB Siverado saddle, Ritchey seatpost.  Silver Sugino triple crank. Bar end shifters.  Black Planet Bike fenders.   Black rear Surly Nice rack w/knog light attached.  A black and orange Kryptonite u-lock was on the rack.    The frame had non-standard “surly’ decals on the downtube and a black and white face decal on the seat tube.  2 water bottles, one plastic, one stainless steel.  The frame was a prototype, no may have had no serial number (would be located on the underside of the frame, on the bottom bracket (crank axle casing).

 

Attached to the bike was a Burley Encore child trailer, black, yellow and blue.  It had no front or rear reflectors (it did have wheel reflectors), and there were no wheel guards installed in front of the wheels on the frame.  Inside were 2 glass baby bottles, a coil lock and a red target shopping bag with a pump, bicycle tube, and small tool kit.  This trailer belonged to Max, and he used it all the time.  This is a real bummer.

 

Stolen sometime Saturday night June 6/7. 

 

Call with any info: Andy 651-373-2500

Monday, June 1, 2009

Weekends-R-Us

So Friday night at about 11pm my friend Tom calls me up asking if I'm going on the ride Saturday morning - sure, I guess - it's the 3rd annual Crofut Wine ride.  The first 2 were sort of put together as a way of me hitting my MS-150 goal, but this time I was simply along for the ride.

Head up to the CRC meeting point with Melissa on her new 1988 T-Rek SS:
Melissa on her 1988 Trek 360

Tom rides to the MPLS from Chaska to give me moral support on the ride out.  Here's Tom on his chrome Pista; fixed rider, no car, and pushing 55 - not too shabby.
Tom on his Pista


The wine ride was swell, hauled ass out to Jordan, but the ride back to Chaska was country riding with no tree cover and direct headwind - sucked the energy outta me through a silly-straw.


Riding back to the MPLS I have to stop and catch a photo of a Money-Puking Richie Rich - if it were so easy, I'd be rich too:
Richie Rich Puking Money


Nearly home, Hurl passes in the opposite direction saying he's headed to the liquor store. I tag along and find the best selection to date of malted beverage in the city at the MGM next to Whole Foods - please challenge me if you have an opinion on the matter. The guy proceeds to deplete the store of their Belgian Budweiser 12-pack bottle supply:
Hurl with 120 bottles of Stella Artois

Meanwhile I grab a sixer of the new Boulevard Single-Wide IPA, my preferred IPA at this time.

All in all, 80 miles for the Saturday.

Sunday - dog park, planted some flowers, ate a few times.

That's it - be careful out there.