nippleworks

Why fixies are good for cycling

2011-05-06T21:53:00.000-07:00

Cross California

2011-05-05T23:47:00.000-07:00

Note what Tim Johnson is riding:

2011 Tour of California — Intro from RAPHA on Vimeo.

What? I didn't see anything...

2011-04-02T17:53:00.000-07:00

So I was out riding today and a guy riding a recumbent flew by me on a climb, then flew by the women in front of me, and smiled and nodded at each of us. He had a big electric motor, but was still pedaling. Kind of fun to watch. Anyway, when I passed the women, I said "That was cool, huh?"

What?

The guy on the electric bike!

What?

The guy on the electric recumbent that just zoomed by us?

Huh.

Holy crap, you didn't just notice a guy fly by you on a crazy looking contraption? (I didn't say that).

StemCaptain - getting recognized

2011-03-23T17:05:00.000-07:00

Friend of nippleworks - StemCaptain, just got a blurb in Gizmag. Check it out: http://www.gizmag.com/stemcaptain-stem-cap-with-clock/18213/

Gravel Grinders

2011-02-25T14:35:00.001-08:00

Apparently there's a bunch of low key bike races on gravel roads in the midwest called 'Gravel Grinders'. One is called the 'Heck of the North' which is a play on the 'Hell of the North' which is the nickname for the Paris-Roubaix cobblestone race in northern France.

http://heckofthenorth.blogspot.com/

There is even an emerging class of bicycle for this type of riding. Existing cross bikes and touring bikes would work perfectly, but these specialized rides tend to focus on drop bars, wide tires and steel frames, perfect for driving your rig over unpaved roads and soaking up the bumps. Many have disc brakes.

http://www.vandesselsports.com/?page_id=17

http://www.rawlandcycles.com/about/index.php?strWebAction=gallery_detail&intGalleryID=774

I guess this is middle America's answer to the strade bianchi.

http://www.gazzetta.it/Speciali/StradeBianche/2011/it/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montepaschi_Strade_Bianche

Rear wheel steered bakfiets

2011-01-17T19:02:00.001-08:00

Usually, steering with the single wheel on a tricycle is a good way to make it unstable. However, some folks in Amsterdam don't seem to mind. Check this out - rear wheel steered bakfiets.

Cross is too trendy to live

2010-11-19T02:52:00.000-08:00

In the US at least. I just thought I'd throw that out there. We've started to see it in men's magazines that tout awesome scuba diving trips to Bali and the best designer lugged sole shoes for 2011 like Outside magazine. Participation is outstripping promotors ability to provide infrastructure. The guys who put on the races say to themselves - "Do I keep doing what I'm doing, and pissing off the people who get lapped two laps into a 100 racer category, or do I invest money to take this to the next level?" I know what will happen if they make that investment. The next hip outdoor sport will come along and they'll be left with thousands of dollars worth of course equipment and a paid staff. Remember whitewater kayaking, windsurfing and competitive rock climbing in the 90's? Remember the urgent need for whitewater parks and your investment in zebra print spanex climbing knickers?

It's getting too big for its britches folks. Its only cool if it's cult and it's only cult if it's low key. Every major bike manufacturer now makes one, two or three cross frames, putting them in the shops and under the noses of consumers all over the US. You can now go into any Performance bike store and buy a competent cyclocross bike for under 1000 bucks. Luckily, these bikes will serve their owners long past their flirtation with the racing scene. They can commute, tour and tow a Burly with a cross bike. Kind of hard to do that with a whitewater play boat. Race series are appearing or expanding in every metropolitan area, and with those come beginners sessions and clinics. But, what this means is that the barrier to entry has dropped. Whereas before you had to apprentice for a season, watching, learning, building your bike from parts you had to mail order or hack from old MTB's and road bikes, today you can jump right into a race and bring your lack of respect for the sport, the participants, and the laid back American cross ethos with you. Fist fights, aggro mid pack racers and mailing list flame wars are the result.

If my friends are reading this, they may feel despair. Why's he saying these things, doesn't he love the sport? More than you'll ever know. Every September I bid my road and MTB goodbye, my club rides get put on hold, weekend projects go undone and I become a monk who eats, breathes and lives cross. Waking up early every weekend morning to spend tons of time, effort and $$ to drive around the state chasing the races with my spare wheels and a recovery sandwich packed. I just had to say it because I think it's true. I think I can predict the future. I give the sport two or three more seasons at present participation levels. Maybe this season or next is the peak. I think we'll know the answer for real in Madison next year. But, this year, enjoy it, race your series, race nationals, cheer for your friends, buy Belgian beer. Savor it. If I'm wrong, you'll have lost nothing. If I'm right, and you had fun, you'll have lost nothing.

Disco Stu

2010-11-06T23:32:00.000-07:00

I saw this bike parked on the train on a Friday night commute. I snapped the picture, then got ready to hop off at my station, as did most of the other passengers. This dude, however, came up to his bike and saw that, gasp, a battery cover had fallen off one of his lights and the batteries had dropped out. Someone had seen a battery roll across the floor of the train. What did he do? Bust another flashlight out of his pocket (bringing the luminaire total to something in the triple digits) and start searching for the missing battery. You know, in case he needed a light to get home.

A e-tailer gripe

2010-10-15T09:39:00.000-07:00

I recently bought a new front derailer from Performancebike.com. This is the kind of thing that an experienced cyclist who does his or her own mechanical work does all the time. You know what you need, you find it for the lowest price you can get it, and you order it. I checked the specs, and really, there aren't many parameters on a thing like this. Make and model? Clamp diameter? So it arrived, lo and behold, it's a braze-on model. Not the 31.8mm clamp-on model I expected. I emailed customer service, with a PDF printout of the page from their website showing that what they were advertising was different from what they were shipping and got this response:

Performance is not responsible for printing errors or other errors appearing in our catalogs or Web site. All orders are subject to acceptance by Performance, Inc.

Rad. So, if you advertise that you're selling a pair of cycling shoes and I order them and get only one in the mail, you can blame it on a printing error and I'm just screwed?

What to bring to a cyclocross race. A rebuttal.

2010-10-08T09:49:00.001-07:00

Many have seen, read, applauded, derided and linked to the recent VeloNews article on what to bring to a cyclocross race. Even BSNYC got in on the fun. Here is the nippleworks rebuttal:

Item #	Velonews Necessity	nippleworks Reality
1	Coleman™ portable stove to cook bratwurst	Nut butter and jelly sandwhiches, wrapped in tin foil so they don't get mashed by your gear
2	GSI™ Glacier French Press to make coffee	A paper cupful from the local café, whatever came out of the urn at the race or your beat-up thermos
3	53x11™ Coffee	The industrial supply coffee that the race promoter could afford
4	Crazy Creek™ Leisure Chair	The bumper of my pickup.
5	Mountainsmith™ Deluxe bike cube duffel bag	Canvas shopping bags. One for the clothes, one for the food and bottles.
6	www.cowbell.com™ race noise creation device	My voice or the sheetmetal cowbell I got at as a freebie at a road race a couple of years ago.
7	www.lionofflanders.com ™ Belgian flag	Club tent?
8	Craft ZERO™ extreme base layer	A polypro undershirt that smells like campfires.
9	Specialized™ Equinox Glove	Any mountain bike gloves will work. Many pros race without gloves.
10	www.thestick.com™ warmup massage instrument	My thumbs?
11	Schlamm™ Portland Rain Suit	My yellow commuting rain jacket
12	Kurt™ Kinetic Road Machine wattage computing trainer	A few warmup laps and a sprint or two on the roads around the course.
13	Sixtus™ Start Oil embrocation from Germany	Non Belgian knee warmers. You know, the fabric kind that don’t burn you if they touch your junk.
14	3M General Purpose 45 Spray Adhesive for putting on your race number	Uhh, the safety pins they give you for free when you registered?
15	Nomad™ Portable Pressure Washer	A squirt from a water bottle, a sharp stick or the hose at my house.
16	Park Tool™ Four Brush cleaning set	See line item 15 – a sharp stick.
17	NathanSport™ Power Shower Body Wipes	A wet rag, the inside of my jersey, or if I’m feeling fancy, a baby wipe.

So, I hope this article is informative and helps you decide what to bring to your next cyclocross race. Really all that's required is a bike, a helmet and a good attitude.

Thin steel, fat rubber

2010-10-07T21:18:00.001-07:00

A problem searching for a solution?

2010-09-29T21:57:00.000-07:00

Or a solution searching for a problem. The string bike:

http://blog.sierratradingpost.com/video-posts/meet-the-string-bike-no-chains-attached/

Mountain Hardware Puzzle

2010-08-30T00:29:00.000-07:00

I love the idea of a bike touring tent like the Mountain Hardware Ghisallo but... wouldn't it be impossible to get into the tent then put your bike under the vestibule? Conversely, wouldn't it be impossible to get into the tent once the bike is there? It appears that there might be two doors, one on the bike side and one on the other side. However, how does the bike stand up once it's under the canopy other than leaning it's greasy, pokey self all over the white fragile nylon? Better to bring a regular tent and a $0.05 trash bag slit open to cover the bike.

Photo from www.rei.com

Airframe

2010-08-06T17:56:00.000-07:00

No, not the fantastically suspenseful Michael Chrichton novel, but this thing:

Certainly an audacious design. One asks - how can thin axle possibly resist the torque created by the upwards forces of the wheel and the downward forces of the seat post? Well, it doesn't. Look carefully at other pictures in the article and the frame is suddenly not so elegant. There's a rear fender (not shown at first) which is welded into the frame, acting as a stressed member and and a de-facto seat tube.
As the title of the article suggests... almost genius.

Photos pillaged from fastcodesign.com: http://www.fastcodesign.com/1662064/almost-genius-a-beautiful-bike-frame-that-requires-less-metal

Salsa Front Rack

2010-07-23T13:11:00.000-07:00

Still no sign on the Salsa web page of the sweet front cargo rack that I saw way back at Sea Otter. I'm waiting and watching because I'd like to buy one. Not only should it be a little less expensive than similar racks from Nitto through Velo Orange and Rivendell, but it looks like it also might be aluminum or "alloy1" in bike industry parlance, making it lighter. Still burly enough for me. I've never had an aluminum rear rack fail on my after miles of commuting and touring (although no MTB or 'round the world type stuff).

1 I think that bike companies call aluminum parts "alloy" or "scandium" even though they're mostly aluminum because aluminum reminds people of soda cans and alloy reminds people of science.

Schwinn Montague = Ritchey Breakaway - 20 years - lots of class

2010-07-19T22:08:00.000-07:00

Saw this locked to a lamp post near the train station today. Apparently the Schwinn Montague had a two joint seat tube based break-apart mechanism which was functionally the same as the modern Ritchey BreakAway but, from the looks of it, less secure. I say less secure because the seat post joint uses more or less a bathroom stall hasp which can probably rotate and creak and contributes little to frame strength or stiffness. Anyway, someone still makes the Montague, albeit with a different, novel break-apart mechanism.

Floppy chopper got no stopper

2010-07-13T14:28:00.000-07:00

Ok, so it can wrap around a pole (not terribly useful) and can fold (pretty useful) and goes from flaccid to rigid with a ratchet system hanging from the tube (has he taken out a patent on that?) but what interests me is that he has absolutely no brakes. No rim brakes front or back and a single speed conversion kit out back that eliminates the possibility of a coaster brake or fixed gear. Easily resolved with a front caliper or a fixed rear hub, but I suppose he was so intent on making his bike floppy that he's forgotten the one component that will keep him from wrapping it around a pole on accident.

Photo swiped from http://www.core77.com/blog/object_culture/kevin_scotts_bike_design_gets_around_the_theft_problem_16903.asp

New Specialized Anti Chatter CX Bike

2010-06-28T22:46:00.000-07:00

Further vindication of my cyclocross engineering treatise. The only reason I don't design bikes is because it's too easy :-)

Life in the fast and wobbly lane

2010-06-08T10:01:00.000-07:00

This is the sort of thing you see when you commute on the bike path that goes past Google headquarters. Way to go man. It's probably easier and faster to walk, but then, where's the adventure in that?

Hard workin' panniers

2010-05-27T13:51:00.000-07:00

So I had these panniers. For several years. Commuted with them all the time, took them on at least one overnight trip. Rain, sun, wind (no snow), all sorts of wacky loads. Worked pretty fine. Cheap too. I wrote them up almost a year ago now.

Well, last week, they started to give up the ghost. The stitching is coming apart at the point of the greatest loads (where they hang over the rack). I stitched the snot out of them by hand but they're still unraveling. Besides my best suturing skills, I'm afraid the patient can't be saved. Hopefully they hold out until my new JANDD panniers arrive in the mail. I'll let you know how the new ones work after a little riding.

Crazy mountain people

2010-03-28T20:08:00.001-07:00

And their crazy welded bicycle fences with headsets for hinges...

Racin' what he's makin'

2010-03-12T15:32:00.001-08:00

Richard Sachs style:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/photos/north-american-handmade-bicycle-show-2010-part-six/109184

Via Ferrata for Bicycles

2010-01-14T08:21:00.001-08:00

http://gizmodo.com/5447253/kolelinia-gallery/

It will never happen in the US, but some crazy ass Dutchman may build it.

(BTW, Via Ferrata is a cable system that allowed soldiers to climb rocky terrain in N. Italy without ropes in WWI)

Bike Lanes in Slovenia

2009-12-18T14:02:00.000-08:00

Separated from cars by a curb, separated from pedestrions by pylons. Lucky European cyclists.

Rotor copied K-Edge?

2009-12-17T12:10:00.000-08:00

Isn't this Rotor chain catcher recently announced through Velonews an exact copy (with some drillium speed holes) of the K-Edge chain catcher which has been on the market for some time now?

The Copenhagen Wheel

2009-12-17T03:59:00.001-08:00

Pretty sophisticated little creation: http://senseable.mit.edu/copenhagenwheel/index.html

One ring...

2009-12-14T21:44:00.000-08:00

As you may have read, keeping the chain on the front ring of your 1x9 or 1x10 setup is not easy in bumpy conditions. Nippleworks has been futzing with it for two seasons of cross racing now. Read about it here, here and here. Well, James Huang @ Cyclingnews tackled the problem head on in a good article that covers most of the available options including some innovative homebrew stuff.

Sponsorship smonsership

2009-12-13T08:46:00.000-08:00

In this photo of Ryan Trebon's cyclocross bike, you'll notice that there is a Clement tires sponsor sticker on the top tube and a Dugast tire on the rear rim.

What does it mean to for a bike equipment company to 'sponsor' a rider. Does it merely mean to pay them in order to have them sport a logo on their clothing or bicycle. Like a skinny rolling billboard? Or does it imply some sort of endorsment?

Websites like cyclingnews.com with a huge readership of avid cyclists regularly show things like logos taped over with electrical tape to conceal the name of manufacturer that conflicts with an in-place sponsorship. Sometimes, mechanics will even re-badge something (like a tire for example, they're all black tubes). This implies that riding the sponsors equipment is important, but the media articles probably have a negative effect on customer perception. Or at least, a positive effect on the customer's perception of the chosen equipment. I mean, what's more powerful advertising for Dugast than showing that a pro rider, who could get all the free Clement tires he wants, spends money on Dugasts?

BTW, Trebon's Kona isn't even made by Kona, it's made by Caribou.

Cyclocross Fork Chatter

2009-12-09T18:41:00.000-08:00

Great minds think alike. Lennard Zinn just published a diagram of the causes and an article on the solutions to cyclocross bike fork chatter that looks very much like ours.

Donkelope

2009-11-12T20:18:00.000-08:00

I saw a Donkelope bike last week in Portland. Hammered fenders, wooden rims, file tread sew ups. Definitely not what you're getting these days in the stores.

DIY hitch rack

2009-10-24T16:25:00.001-07:00

As seen on Yurtle the Turtle

+3 Network

2009-10-18T20:32:00.000-07:00

Met +3 Network at a cyclocross race today. They gave me a Garmin to borrow to track my race and then uploaded it for me. Interesting company. I chose the Project Rwanda as my charity.

http://www.plus3network.com/

Google Street View goes off-road - San Jose Mercury News

2009-10-17T21:58:00.001-07:00

Google Street View goes off-road - San Jose Mercury News

Shared via AddThis

Got some place that you want Google streetviewed? Is that someplace a bike can go but a car can't? Let Google know. They've got a new off road capable streetview tricycle.

2009-10-15T21:54:00.000-07:00

Just did my first race with a timing chip. The race promoters used an RFID chip from Times-7 strapped to our forks. The chip is clearly meant to strap on to your left fork blade, but since this was cross, it had to be put on the right fork blade resulting in the text on the unit being upside down. I'm sure some users got it backwards and had that thing dig into their backs or fall off while shouldering the bike. The mounting process was simple and the double sided tape left no residue and was easy to remove from my carbon fork. Not sure how the timing function worked though since the posted results had only placing, no times. I'm guessing they just used it to back up the spotters or resolve podium disputes.

Either way, as cross racing gets more popular (and there has been record attendance at every race I've been in so far this year), we may see more and more of this.

Something to think about from time to time...

2009-10-15T21:50:00.000-07:00

"Technology has passed me by, and I will forever be at a disadvantage just like my friend Slaughter, who rides a steel bike with downtube shifters and clips-and-straps and won the Derby this summer against a bunch of actual pros and aspiring pros half his age and national-caliber riders from all over the world all on carbon wonderbikes. If he’d had the sense to upgrade to a carbon bike with clipless pedals and convenient shifting, he would have won the Derby by several more feet."

http://bicycling.com/blogs/sittingin/2009/10/09/ive-cracked/?cm_mmc=BicyclingNL-_-2009_10_16-_-blog-_-sittingin

Bike parts are shiny, beautiful, functional and fun, but don't forget that the better rider will be the guy (or girl) who rides the most, complains the least and keeps his head up and off the gadget on his handlebars.

New CX Disc Brake Configuration

2009-10-11T23:09:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed, but I have a small fascination with disc braked cyclocross bikes. They're not UCI legal, but I'm more Graeme Obree than Lance Armstrong so I'd run it. I saw a Fixie Inc bike this weekend that has replaceable derailer hangers on both sides to swap between geared and single speed configurations. This allows the force loading to be communicated through the derailer hanger to the seat stay and chain stay in a more controlled manner than a mountain bike style disc tab which usually requires a gusset to be welded in the crotch of the triangle you see below. This is all well and good as long as the hanger and it's connections (two M6 bolts it looks like) can bear the loads of braking. It looks aluminum and it looks quite cantilevered so I'll give it one, maybe two seasons. However, its owner knew the guys that made the bike and had a ton of confidence in it. More interesting, is that Fixie Inc is making their own road disc hubs. That could be huge. Their web site is a little avant-garde for me. If you find the hubs, let me know.

Scattante on the Morgul Bismark

2009-10-07T21:33:00.000-07:00

For Front Range cyclists, the budget bike brand, Scattante, is using what looks like a scene from the classic Morgul Bismark course as their advertising banner:

I'll give it to them, that's a pretty authentic backdrop for a bike parts ad.

For the love of the game

2009-10-04T21:25:00.000-07:00

I heard on the radio the other day that Chicago lost its bid to host the summer Olympics to Rio. Too bad for Rio. I vistited Barcelona a couple of years back and the enormous infrastructure they created for their Olympic games is now a crumbling hulk with rusty fixtures and herds of stray cats. I'm assuming that Salt Lake City had to somehow dispose of a curling arena, unless taxpayers wanted to keep it open for some reason...

Anyway, the Olympics used to stand for sport. Well, that's what they stood for anyway. Even in the pre-pro era they were plauged with politics, violence and intolerance. Today, doping and commercialism.

But anyway, my thoughts lead to sport and why we do it. Then, I had an idea.

No more professional sports.

None.

Not even cycling.

Imagine a world where the only athletic events you could watch were the ones happening in your local town. A high school football game on Friday night, a senior citizen's track meet, or a fall cyclocross race. These events would bring communities together and I doubt anyone has even been trampled to death at an AYSO soccer match. The athletes would be people you know. Your coworkers, neighbors. The butchers play the bakers with the winner playing the candle-stick makers for the title. I'm more inspired by a working mother of two who gets back into shape to play her favorite sport than a football player with a multi million dollar contract who's biggest achievement is overcoming a hamstring pull in college. Who would you rather root for? A guy who takes up a sport to stay fit and teach his kids about sportsmanship, or this guy? No more obesity epidemic. Public money would go to build playing fields and gymnasiums that all of us could use instead of giant stadiums that benefit team owners and concession conglomerates. No huge wads of cash at stake, no more cheating. No more cheating, no more doping. No more doping, no more ruined lives. Who's going to dope to win an after-work softball game?

How do we do this? Ban the advertising of goods or services through sport. Just like we banned cigarettes commercials on TV. Then all sports would be self supporting. You either have to make it interesting enough for people to pay to watch or gather money from the players like in a local league, keeping things real small and the athletes really dedicated. Quite frankly, college football is a joke too. There's just enough ad and merchandising money in it to make it corrupt. No more college football, no more 'sympathetic professors' and 24 year old freshman in bullshit majors who graduate with a bachelor's degree and can barely read.

It's a pipe dream, but one that I think would make the entire world (or at least the USA) a better place. Thanks for letting me rant.

Giant TCX Cross Bike

2009-10-03T23:00:00.000-07:00

You know how I was ranting about tapered cyclocross forks? Well, I tried one, and it wasn't half bad. In fact, it was mostly good. This thing was so stiff, it carved like a scalpel. I bet it could really rail a grass corner with the right set of tires at the right pressure.

Unfortunately, it had an integrated headset. The beating that a cyclocross fork takes on a jungle-cross course drive the bearings into the soft (relative) aluminum head tube, eventually yielding it, resulting in a throw away frame. For this reason, traditional headsets are the best choice for longevity since most of the stresses of riding are internal to the headset itself and when and if it fails, it can be replaced.

Other details about the Giant TCX cross bike that may be of interest to our readers:

It came with Kenda Small Block 8 tires which seemed to work great during a limited ride

All top tube cable routing

A nice flat spot for easy shouldering

Of course, all that stiffness comes at a cost in the form of less compliance on rough terrain. Less compliance results in more bouncing which means lost energy. So, if you're used to riding hard and fast trails, this bike and fork would make an awesome rig. Roots rocks and other such things? Maybe steel with a traditional straight carbon fork.

BTW - this bike I rode had a ~60cm frame and the name Vanessa on the top tube. Vanessa, whoever she is, is a big girl.

Budget Bike Mount Video

2009-10-01T20:54:00.000-07:00

As done with thi s...

The maker says this:

"I did a full lap, plus a little bit to show how it performs on different parts of the course. It's really shaky on some of the rough stuff, but I think it does pretty well for most of it. My camera does 1280x720 res video, so it gives a good fullscreen to watch while I'm riding my rollers.

The mount is just a reflector mount with the reflector removed, a 1/4" thread bolt and a couple of steal washers and a couple of neoprene washers. I got the reflector mount for free, so the total cost was about $1.50 at Home Depot."

Sweet.

Helium Bike Case

2009-09-30T23:26:00.000-07:00

When I saw this on the Boulder Report I thought - that's the ticket. That's the bike case I need! I've been in the market for one for a while since I'd like to travel with a bike. Maybe this fall, definitely next summer. The air filled bladders of the Helium Case allow it to be deflated, saving valuable storage space when it's not in use, protect the bike, and make it luggage-like enough to ease you by the ticket counter Gestapo at the airport. So, I emailed the maker and got the following response:

Thanks for your interest in our product. The Helium bike case will be available for purchase at many locations as well as online dealers by the end of January. We will email you or you can visit our web site for the official release and dealer locations.

Not exactly vaporware, but not exactly hardware yet either. I can't wait that long. So, I'll probably get something hard sided and see how this thing pans out in the market.

Scott Breakaway

2009-09-30T20:54:00.000-07:00

Confusing title. Ritchey makes the Breakaway cyclocross bike with the seat clamp cluster coming apart, allowing you to pack the bike into a small box and get it on an airplane. People seem to like them and one woman I met recently said that she toured across Scandanavia on one. So, I'm sure they're durable.

Scott is apparently trying to compete:

From http://www.scottusa.com/us_en/product/8294/45036/addict_cx_rc:

"The Addict CX RC and Addict CX framesets feature an integrated seat tube to shave approximately 100 grams off the complete bike. These are the kinds of details that produce the lightest cyclocross frame on the market."

Also, the first all carbon frame with carbon seat-mast cyclocross bike that will dissasemble itself when you re-mount it, allowing you to pack the remining carbon shards into a little tiny box and send it back to Scott on an airplane.

You hear that, Ahmedinejad?

2009-09-27T21:41:00.000-07:00

Midget Cross Bike

2009-09-27T21:32:00.001-07:00

Someone's frame building experiment: A midget single speed cyclocross bike. Impossible to shoulder but fun to take to the BMX park and school the kids with.

Homebrew camera mount

2009-09-26T21:02:00.000-07:00

Why GoPro when you can GoKodak? This guy mounted his point and shoot camera to his handlebars using a reflector mount and what I think is a 1/4-20 screw. It held for a whole cyclocross race and got some decent if slightly shakey footage of the start until the camera gave up at 3 1/2 minutes.

Carbon flesh core tool

2009-09-26T20:42:00.000-07:00

If you learn one thing from reading this blog, let it be this: choose the right tool for the job. For example, choose an alloy seat post with a robust clamp for mountain biking and cyclocross racing. When you choose a carbon seat post and it snaps on your remount, and you're left hovering tubing shards that threaten to eviscerate you, you'll need something good to get it out of your frame. For example, here is a fellow using a cable cutter to yank the remnants of a poor component decision out of an otherwise nice bike: (sorry about he crappy focus)

The rider who owns the bike snapped the post on his first remount of a race and twisted the now useless top section off like the stem of an apple, throwing it to the ground. He then ran to his team pit where one guy went at it hammer and tongs to get the old post out and swap an alloy post from another guy's bike. Meanwhile, his teamates and buddies taunted him with cries of "must have gone to 6 newton-meters man!" (referring to the 5 N-m torque limit on most carbon clamping bolts).

This rider now knows not to use a part that fails catastrophically in planned use. Specialized, for all the cyclocross riders they sponsor, still doesn't get it. They're still selling the Tricross with a carbon seat post that has a big gaping hole right in the middle of it filled with a gummy bear known as a 'Zertz' vibration dampening insert.

Airing out the undercarriage

2009-09-20T22:16:00.000-07:00

Way back in 2008 we wrote about really firm saddles like the Tioga spider web creation seen at a race last weekend:

BTW, this was on a rigid carbon framed 26er. Although you'd do a lot of standing on descents, the bike is probably so light that you don't get very fatigued in technical sections or on ascents.

Vindication

2009-09-20T21:54:00.000-07:00

According to Campagnolo (through Lennard Zinn):

Why didn’t Campagnolo react to BB30?
Campagnolo, like Shimano, has stuck with a 24mm integrated spindle on its cranks. According to chief media officer Lorenzo Taxis, it would have been easy to make a BB30 crank, but it offers no performance advantage.

Read the Velonews article here.

Read the original nippleworks post here.

A little artwork for the wall

2009-09-14T22:46:00.000-07:00

Just picked this up at a Friday night track race. Looks about a 100 times cooler in person.

Changing Kilt

2009-09-13T21:20:00.000-07:00

A friend and mountain bike riding buddy who is also a first-rate seamstress made me a sweet changing skirt/kilt/wrap (if you can think of a great name, email me). It's got velcro and a soft lining and lets you strip off your bike shorts behind your truck after a ride or race with a little dignity:

Check out the sweet bicycle embroidery around the pocket (good place to stuff the things that just came out of your jersey pocket).

I promise to get some better pics as the season goes on. I just feel a little self concious about photographing myself in a public parking lot while changing. Maybe I'll need to stage a photo shoot.

Anyone else want one of these?

Tapered Cross Forks

2009-09-13T19:10:00.001-07:00

I noticed at a cross race this weekend, that Van Dessel is now making cross frames with a tapered head tube. Looks like a 1 1/8" bearing on the top and a 1 1/2" bearing on the bottom, as is becoming popular in pro level road race bikes and suspension forks. Although it may stiffen the front end of the bike and result in more precise steering, the improvement has to be negligible given the amount of lateral flex that results when 700c road wheels are ridden hard off road. Still, I haven't ridden one, so I can't say, but I'd like to know more. The Van Dessel fork must then be proprietary, because to my knowledge, no one else is doing this with their cross frames.

Photo stolen from http://www.vandesselsports.com/

Beer Season

2009-09-12T23:05:00.000-07:00

As the cyclocross season heats up (or cools down, depending on how you look at it), I find myself interested in fine Belgian beer once again. In this country, that means buying super expensive imported beer, or looking into one of the many quality American based Belgian style breweries. Fortunately, one of them has hit it big and is available almost everywhere. Yes. New Belgium.

They're one of the few companies for which I really enjoy the marketing. This ad above is from a magazine. Except for the part where they describe the Twin Cities and Chicago as part of 'The Western Land', I love it. I also noticed that they are following the lead of Oskar Blues and putting their craft brew in a can:

I also noticed this woman, who I've decided to call the Good Beer Witch. Who is she? Where did she come from? Did she arrive by bicycle?

And now, for your moment of zen:

Typo, right?

2009-09-07T21:16:00.001-07:00

I mean, we're talking about two little rectangles of nylon, some straps and a zipper. Which, on the right person is priceless, but this is not what I had in mind.

Does not compute

2009-09-06T22:30:00.000-07:00

Why would you sepnd $300 on a set of Zero Gravity GX cyclocross brakes when you could spend $100 and get a lighter set of TRP Eurox Brakes or a $200 pair of Paul Neo Retro's, made in the USA, still lighter. It just doesn't add up.

Habanero Ti

2009-09-05T21:31:00.001-07:00

Custom geometry, Ti frames, 8-10 weeks delivery, low prices. Habanero.

Made in China, , straight gage tubing, that's how. Still, no one seems to complain about them.

Business Socks

2009-09-05T16:11:00.000-07:00

Don't you know that's why they're called business socks? As seen at the first cyclocross race of the season.

Incredibly nifty little bike trailer

2009-09-03T22:56:00.000-07:00

One more from Gary F at Eurobike. A mini cargo trailer that folds up onto your bike rack. Very cool. Very wiz-bang.

Gary F at Eurobike

2009-09-03T22:46:00.000-07:00

Gary Fisher has been feeding the web some fantastic photos from Eurobike. For example, this one of a beautiful cargo bike and this one of an adult sized push-bike. Warning, the women love a sharp dressed man, and as such, Gary has found some scantily clad groupies to take his photo with. Not everything this man does at his job is safe for yours!

Enjoy.

Bike Sidehack

2009-08-30T14:16:00.000-07:00

Image swiped from Speedgoat

Saw one of these for the first time this weekend. A bicycle sidecar from Chariot. Besides being more complicated to connect, and making bike parking a hassle, I suppose the main effect is that you can look at your kid. If that's important, time to get a bakfiets. Has anyone out there ever used one? Does it allow you to take left turns like this?

Fork Chatter Solution Proven

2009-08-27T21:50:00.000-07:00

nippleworks reader Matt from Vermont implemented one of our suggestions to minimize cross fork chatter and had good results. Read Matt's report here. Read our suggestions here.

Cross on.

Blue Frames - Trigon Made

2009-08-26T22:14:00.000-07:00

This craigslist post answers a question asked by this blog some time ago - who is Trigon making frames for? Turns out, Blue of Norcross, Georgia.

There you go, if you think Blue bikes are nice, go straight to the factory and cut out the middle man.

Cyclocross, France, 1940's

2009-08-25T22:14:00.000-07:00

http://www.ina.fr/sport/cyclisme/video/AFE85000719/cyclocross-a-montmartre.fr.html

Fantastic video of cross on the cobbles, up and down the stairs and around the town in France, 1940's.

Lugged Cyclocross Frame Creation

2009-08-22T23:42:00.000-07:00

It's nice to see a craftsman at work, even if just via digital photos:

http://www.kirkframeworks.com/jk_cross.htm

Circumnavigation

2009-08-17T19:15:00.000-07:00

I rode around Lake Tahoe last weekend. I had done this once, probably 17 years ago, so my impression of the ride is totally different now. For one thing, it was a lot flatter than I remembered. Probably because many of the rides in my area begin with a steep climb to get out of the valley. Don't get me wrong, there's some real elevation change, it's just not really steep. Also, You don't spend as much time looking at the lake as I remembered. The scenery is all fantastic, but there's more mountain meadow, hillside and housing than I remember. The meadows and hillsides aren't new, but maybe the housing is. Anyway, I thought I'd write down some advice, partially to help myself remember, and partially as a trip report for others wishing to do the ride.

-Ride on a weekday. Summer weekends in Tahoe are very crowded.

-Ride on the lake side (go clockwise). In the steep sections around Emerald Bay, drivers are more likely looking at the lake than the ditch on the other side of the road.

-Start early. Beach traffic and thunderstorms are more likely in the afternoon.

-Bring a rain jacket and some arm warmers. I didn't need them, but as with any alpine travel, the weather can get exciting.

-There are lots of state parks and beaches where highways 267 and 89 meet the lake. Good spots for toilets and water.

-Incline Village has some city parks for water and the Nevada scenic overlook south of that is the last water source until the Cave Rock Area. You can avoid the highway for a bit on Lakeshore Blvd. in this area. Wish I'd known.

-There's a really fast descent down Higway 50 on the East side of the lake. This is an interstate but you can go really fast. I took up the right lane since there was another lane to pass me and no shoulder.

-Forget Stateline (South shore). It's a shoulderless, confused, drunken, gambling addicted urban driving scene. There may be a better way to go through the Tahoe Keys, but I couldn't find it and the bike path system is confusing and worthless. Make your stops before or after town and blast through.

-There's a cool historic site just past Stateline with water fountains, a nice beach and some giant stone and timber lodges built by rich San Franciscans at the turn of the last century. Good place to stop and snack before the big Emerald Bay inclines.

-The bike path on the West shore is a mess of strollers, kids with training wheels and people walking 3 abreast. Hardly good for riding. If the traffic is light, stay on the narrow shoulder, if not, the path crosses the road many times and you can get back on it. People appreciate it when you shout 'On your left!' more than being buzzed.

-There is a mile marker system that begins in Tahoe City and goes clockwise.

-Round trip, minus side routes ~72 miles. I averaged 15 mph and had a late lunch in the grocery store parking lot in Tahoe City. Total fuel consumed - 1/4 lb of G.O.R.P. and a Cliff Bar

Everything old is shoe again

2009-08-12T15:58:00.000-07:00

Wow, with a Look compatible three bolt cleat pattern, these Marresi leather cycling shoes would work with any modern road bike pedal system and look really fantastic. They'd probably break in and wear quite nicely, just like the Brooks saddle they could be used to match:

Of course, you'd have to polish or wax them for water resistance, but the perforations would make them better summer shoes.

Mongoose Cyclocross Bike Dropouts

2009-08-12T11:26:00.000-07:00

Mongoose has a somewhat elegant, neat looking aluminum dropout on the rear of their cyclocross frame which allows for both a disc brake (it's coming, oh yes, mark my words) and a rack + fender mount. If only I could read Hungarian.

Many companies have tried this with varying levels of slick-ness. For example, here's Voodoo's attempt at making the rear dropout that is all things to all people:

My take on putting a disc brake braze-on on a non mountain bike is that you want to localize the stresses of braking in the forged, stamped or CNC'd dropout part instead of transfering them onto the slender, flexible seat stays. Niner places theirs there, but then has to beef up the joint with a welded-in gusset.

I particularly like the Mongoose approach because it keeps the disc brake out of the way of the fender or rack, which prevents this giant kluge:

Sweet Electric Bikes and New Things From Trek/Fisher

2009-08-11T10:21:00.001-07:00

Gary Fisher has been using his Twitter/Yfrog account to display some radical new bicycles. Most of the concepts center around urban riding with an emphasis on transportation.

Belt drive electric storm trooper bike with fenders and disc brakes:

Retro motorcycle style derny-esque steampunk machine:

All photos swiped from http://www.yfrog.com/froggy.php?username=gary_fisher

Rock the Bike - The Fossil Fool

2009-08-09T21:16:00.000-07:00

I met the Fossil Fool, proprieter of Rock the Bike a few weeks ago in SF. There's way to much going on here to type about, check the pictures:

One step forward, two steps back

2009-08-06T14:04:00.000-07:00

Deep form the heart of North Central Colorado, Rossitron sends us this:

Apparently, this 1933 bicycle photographed in a café at the top of the Tourmalet climb in France is a two speed. Pedal forwards for high gear, backwards for low gear with two cogs running two separate freewheels. HammerSchmidt eat your heart out.

TTDOE

2009-08-05T10:37:00.000-07:00

Who here has heard of DOE? Design of Experiments is a method that allows an optimal solution to be found in a quick manner involving a little math and some statistics. For scientists/engineers/R&D types on a short schedule with a bunch of crap to try, you can use this method to narrow down your options.

First, pick your responses. These are the qualities you want to maximize, minimize, optimize. Then, pick a slew of factors. These are the things that you can adjust or choose to give you a desired outcome. Say you were a triathlete or stage race cyclist on a budget. Say you were a college cycling athlete for example. Or this individual, looking to improve your ride split time and add the structure and focus you so desperately need in your life through statistics and rigorous science:
Here are some examples I thought up:
Factors:

Aerobars vs drops

Aero Helmet vs Road Helmet

Skinsuit vs. Road Kit

Aero Wheels vs. Road Wheels

Responses:

Cd / Course Time

Total Gear Cost

You'd want to minimize both coefficient of drag (if you have iBike / Powertap combo or course time if you don't) and also minimze total gear cost. Total gear cost would be easy to figure out. Bust out a catalog and add up the total cost for the gear combo under test. Ideally, you'd have some statistical software to randomize the test runs and crunch the numbers like JMP or Minitab but if you're a science/enginering/business school student, you should probably be forced to figure it out using a mechanical pencil, quadrille pad and formula tables :-) The software though, would help you to spot interactions. Like, does an aero helmet make a difference if you don't have aero bars? Maybe not. The results could be very influential to all levels of competitive cyclists.

So, anyone got some free time and a desire to try this? Caltech Velo I'm looking your way...

photo shamelessly stolen from http://www.elizabethkreutz.com/

Disposable Crankset

2009-08-04T17:13:00.000-07:00

A coworker of mine recently purchased a Giant townie bike for getting a little fitness riding in. He decided that he needed longer cranks. Taking into account his bottom bracket type and current chainring configuration, I recommended these from the QBP catalog:

They arrived over the weekend and we installed them today.

Totally offensive. The chainrings are riveted onto the crank arm. For that matter, so were the nameless ones that came with the bike. That means, if any one chain ring becomes bent or worn, the whole right crank assembly must be replaced. How much more effort would it be to throw fasteners instead of rivets in there?

Review - MUSA Knickers

2009-07-29T10:32:00.000-07:00

I finally bought myself a pair of MUSA Knickers. They had gone off the market for a while but when a coworker's search for authentic fabric handlebar tape brought me back to the Rivendell web site, I saw that they were being sold again. I snapped up a pair, not knowing how long the current run would stay on the shelves. I thought about taking a picture of myself wearing them, but not having a convenient tripod, and also not willing to become a groin and thigh model, I chose to steal one from Rivendell:

Please keep in mind, I'd never wear them with those sneakers. The fabric is a light nylon that will be wind proof in winter, quick drying in the rain and not too heavy for spring/fall. The only complaint so far is that the fabric is a little slippery on my faux leather WTB saddle. I'm sure Rivendell would tell me to switch to a Brooks cow hide saddle, but I imagine that be even more slippery. They're less technical and also much less expensive than Chrome Shins and also more outdoor worthy than the Sheila Moon Cotton Britches. However, unlike the Britches or Shins, I will definitely not be stylish enough to ride to the Goldsprints in SF with them on. Up until now, I've been wearing a pair of Endura knickers and have an issue with the sizing. Apparently the British are a little thick in the midlands because my size large fits like a size XL. One other benefit, MUSA stands for Made in the USA. While you can feel good about buying products from Chrome or Sheila Moon, I can't say the same for Endura products. Just read these excerpts from the slip of paper that came with my new drawers:

Very cool.

Wireless Fetish

2009-07-27T14:37:00.000-07:00

Why put a wireless cycle computer on a road bike? The front wheel doesn't move much in relation to the handlebars as on a suspended mountain bike, and the thin wire can't possibly weigh more than the battery required to run the transmitter. Trek is now integrating wireless transmitters into the forks of their road bikes. It seems wrong to have to use a screw driver to change the batteries on your bike. Bikes don't need batteries. However, Shimano seems to think so.

I do dig that Gary Fisher road bikes have fender mounts now...

And, what is this? A stealthy pie plate?

Give George Yellow

2009-07-24T12:51:00.001-07:00

Hey, I love fair play as much as the next guy, and that's why I can't endorse this project to make a big deal out of George Hincapie not obtaining the yellow jersey on Stage 14 of this year's Tour De France.

Racing's racing and the clock doesn't lie.

I'm reminded of a mountain bike race I entered not long ago where a pro level woman chose to race in my (male, non-pro level) category. She took 3rd, bumping me off the podium. It was a non sanctioned race though so there wasn't much I could do about it except choose not to participate in the next race in the series. Well, spurred on by that disapointment, I trained hard and came back to win the next event. Hincapie has had a long career full of opportunity, being on great teams, surrounded by great talent. Plenty of chances to prove himself.

nippleworks usually covers bike technology, but we've been posting more road race related info on the twitter feed: http://twitter.com/nippleworks

Smart Company for Smart Buyers

2009-07-22T21:29:00.000-07:00

I love it when a business treats its customers as intelligent clients, rather than 'consumers'. Cattle are consumers.

Case in point - Look. The page on the KEO pedals gives real details about the reliability testing they perform. It feels good to buy a critical component from a company that brags about reliability.

Lawyer Lips in the TDF

2009-07-21T11:21:00.000-07:00

What's this? Do I see Lawyer Lips on the fork of Alberto Contador's Trek Madone? What's going to happen when the Mavic Neutral Support mechanic jumps out of his Saab estate car or off the back of his BMW GS bike, front wheel in hand, and kneels down to quickly change Contador's puncture just to find the wheel caught behind some stupid metal tabs? Lost seconds, that's what.

Proof the 650 area code is a road cycling haven

2009-07-18T19:41:00.000-07:00

As seen in the office window of a construction company.

sent from Gmail for Android

Big idea - mini fender

2009-07-16T23:06:00.000-07:00

I saw this on the web site of former frame builder, Dave Moulton:
What is that little black tab on the underside of the touring fork crown? I think it's a mini fender meant to keep road gunk out of your headset. These days, you could make it out of a tab of carbon fiber and still be cool. Maybe. Anyway, something to think about.

Photo from http://davesbikeblog.squarespace.com/gallery/

Heavy Metal

2009-07-13T10:45:00.000-07:00

I love the Competitive Cyclist web site for its enthusiasm, weatlh of knowledge and slick design. Today, however, I found something I question. Shopping for a new chain for my Campy 10 speed bike, I checked out the Wipperman ConneX 10 Speed Stainless model. It's got a quick link which Campy branded chains don't have, and the stainless should last longer and be easier to clean. They claim, however, that:

"One final bonus is that stainless is light"

Not true. Most stainless grades have a density of 8 g/cc while mild steel comes in at 7.85 g/ cc. This stainless chain might be lighter however if they're using a heat treatable grade that could be stamped then hardened, allowing for thinner wall thicknesses, lightening the assembly.

I went to the Wipperman site to see if they publish what grade of steel the chains are made of. Not that I can tell. Sprechen sie Deutsch?

Tire Iron Failure

2009-07-12T15:34:00.000-07:00

This, I think, was 1/3rd of the first bike tool I ever owned. Purchased for me at around age 13, I've kept the same set of three tire irons quite a while. A couple years ago I lost one in some tall grass at a roadside tire change and the second one snapped on me recently, leaving one lone tire iron. This was a set of Dremefa tire levers from The Netherlands that came in the little red bracket with a rough patch on the side for tire patch installation. At the time, these were the only tire irons sold in bike shops. I found their maker on the web and they remain unchanged:

Photo from www.bobike.nl

If you look in the image at the top of the page, it seems like the crack initiated at one of the many grooves worn into the lever face by running the lever around the rim of a wheel I probably no longer own. Godspeed little tire iron.

Nice Panniers

2009-07-10T09:21:00.000-07:00

I was riding to work this morning and a woman in an SUV rolled down her window and said "excuse me...". I thought, oh no, driver/cyclist confrontation. But the next words out of her mouth were "nice panniers". I assumed she was talking about my bike luggage and not my saddlebags. I was flattered. She knew just what to ask next - "how much?". Well ma'am, have I got a tip for you. These Nashbar Daytrekker Panniers have seen me to and from work day in and day out, in rain sun and wind for a measly $40. Sometimes you can even find them for less on sale.

They have a plastic lining and an overlapping top to keep the contents dry and two straps to put your rolled up work clothes under in the middle. I have put a split keychain ring between the straps so as to create an X-pattern to better hold down cargo. I also know two other people who use these and are quite happy with the value. Great commuter cargo, but a little small for touring or grocery shopping. Also, not a quick and handy way to dismount them and take them with you, so they are good if you want to leave them on the bike day in and day out.

Happy commuting.

Wheel Overhauling

2009-07-08T10:43:00.000-07:00

About a month ago, I posted about overhauling the front hub on my touring/commuter bike. The bearing cone was deeply pitted and in really bad shape. Last weekend, after ordering the right bearings (but the wrong cones since there's almost no good way to buy stuff like that if you're not a shop), I took the axle out of my rear hub for bearing replacement and repacking with grease. Bad news- the cones were wrong so I couldn't complete the job. Good news- I didn't have to. Cones were in pristine condition (as you can see in the picture above). Why? Both wheels had seen the same mileage, through the same weather and road conditions. And, the rear wheel sees much more load due to my center of gravity location and panniers always on the bike.

Differences that might explain why the rear wheel bearing races are lasting so much longer:

-Larger bearings (1/4" vs 3/16" for a larger contact patch, less stress on the cone)

-More braking load on the front wheel

-Occasional front fork chatter which may stress the hubs

Anyway, I packed everything with grease, buttoned it back up and lubed the drivetrain. Now she purrs like a kitten.

Cross bike fork chatter

2009-07-05T20:22:00.000-07:00

Every year as cross season dawns, this subject becomes a major mailing list chatter. Why does my very expensive, carbon fiber, heavily engineered, modern cross fork chatter under braking load? Answer - it's an inherent flaw in the design of traditional cross bikes with cantilever brakes. Although cross season is a few months away, I've seen some traffic on the question, so I'll discuss it.
The diagram above shows what's going on when your braking with the front brake.

1) The brake cable comes under tension
2) The brake pads apply braking force to the rim
3) The ground applies backwards force to the tire
4) The fork deflects backwards
5) Fork deflection causes brake cable tension to increase
6) Brake pads apply more force to the rim

At this point, something has to give way:

a) The brake pads stop the wheel cold and you go over the handlebars
b) The ground gives way and you have a front wheel skid
c) The brake pads slip on the rim and the vicious cycle of (1 to 6 + c) repeats

The rapid repetition of that cycle is 'chatter'.

How do you solve it?

Decrease free brake cable length by mounting the hanger on the fork (like older front suspension mountain bikes: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/images/tektro1257.jpg
Install linear pull brakes which don't promote this behavior: http://nippleworks.blogspot.com/2008/12/linear-pull-brakes-with-drop-bar-levers.html
Monkey with toe-in and otherwise change the mechanical advantage of the brakes to minimize the effect
Install a really compliant cable hanger to deflect under cable tension?
Disc brakes?

Happy Remounting

Dura Ace Electronic Debugging

2009-07-05T08:06:00.000-07:00

The only diagnostic tool I need to debug my drivetrain is a small screwdriver:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/photos/time-trial-tech-from-the-streets-of-monaco/77815

Yakima Quick, but not Smartback

2009-07-03T09:48:00.001-07:00

Many mountain bikers love beer. Every mountain-town around the west has a micro brewery now and about half the new bike components have a bottle opener integrated into them. But, how smart is it to integrate bottle openers into cars? The guys at Yakima seemed to think it was a good idea.

Photo from http://www.yakima.com/racks/bike-racks/

Nothing seems dicier than a long dehydrating bike ride followed by a couple of beers followed by a drive home.

Some first time frame building tips

2009-07-02T23:33:00.000-07:00

More ideas from my conversation with Joanna, someone I know who is contemplating recycling the components from her old road frame onto a cross/commuter frame:

The Competitive Cyclist fit calculator is a good place to start when trying to find the right size frame.

Measuring your existing bikes also helps. As a woman, you're going to want a shorter than average top tube. This is always a challenge for women looking for a cross bike since there aren't women specific cross bikes yet and a female specific frame tends to be built for shorter torsos.

Another tip - a pair of touring tires is probably good for a cross/commuter. Cyclocross tires are expensive and wear out quickly on pavement. Touring tires have a bit of tread and wear like iron.

Budget some money for frame building tools and expenses:

-cable cutter
-bottom bracket tool
-headset installation (that's usually a job for a pro mechanic)
-a new set of cables and housing
-a new chain as your chainstay length may increase
-a new cassette to go with your new chain, budget cassettes are heavy but durable
-odds and ends like handlebar tape and cable donuts
-a set of good ball-end hex wrenches, don't rely on a multi-tool. Bondhus offers a lifetime warranty, I've used it, it's worth it.
-a cheap, maybe 2nd hand work stand. It will save your back! (this is something you can usually borrow)

Also, most assembly steps require grease. A tube of plain old grease from the auto parts store will be good enough. Get some latex or nitrile gloves, maybe some industrial q-tips.

Also, put the cell phone number of your favorite bike mechanic buddy on speed dial, to call when the going gets confusing.

Frame replacement advice

2009-07-02T15:33:00.001-07:00

A friend is looking to replace her dented aluminum road frame with one of the many high value, low cost frames available today. I thought I'd reprint the advice I gave her:

-p-

to Ross, Joanna

I recall the dented Specialized, and even how it got dented.

The brakes are short reach caliper brakes. If she wants to save those (and save $50 or so in the process) she will want a road frame. Note that the Surly Pacer takes long reach calipers. I think the SOMA road bikes do too. Of course, a pair of cantilever brakes will only set her back a little more money and will work with her existing Ultegra 9 speed levers. Something to note- fenders will not fit under her short reach calipers. Full fenders make commuting during a rain storm almost pleasant, and the bike and all its parts cleaner so there's less maintenance.

For the best price on a frame/fork combo, she can always go with some of the discount models from Performance and Nashbar. I have been racing for 2 seasons now on a Performance XRL cross frame and have found it to be pretty decent. It also came with a carbon fork and a headset. A Colorado commuter is going to get wet, I strongly recommend Frame Saver for inside steel frames.

She should watch eBay and craigslist (particularly in Boulder and Fort Collins) as cross season comes around and people start upgrading their frames. With the new carbon frames out there, lots of racers are trying to sell aluminum frames. Steel frames are hard to come by second hand, although a complete steel touring bike may be a good buy since she's going to replace the components anyway. When buying a second hand cross frame, check for frame damage from crashes.

PS, The stickers should be there soon. I expect pictures to post on the blog.

-p-

On Thu, Jul 2, 2009 at 3:09 PM, Rossitron wrote:

Paul,

I’m not sure why but I have been asked to ask you about new frames for Joanna’s old road bike. It’s some sort of aluminum Specialized with 9-speed Ultegra bits, and the frame has a big dent in it. After looking at my Surly and reading through some of your eloquent musings on nippleworks she now proclaims to be interested in assembling something new out of something old. Her current thought is a cross/commuter/get around bike -- any thoughts on frame choices? Price is important and she is intrigued by the $420 price tag on the Cross Check frame, if that helps with frame of reference, so to speak (I know, lowest form of humor).

Well?

Ross

Ross-check

2009-06-29T13:49:00.000-07:00

Friend of nippleworks, Ross-i-tron, just finished his Surly Cross Check touring / Colorado winter commuter. Hell, given how it rains many afternoons there, the full fenders make it a good year round commuter. Gonna put studs on that thing? I've asked him what's up with the rack stays that go down to his canti brake bosses, since it looks like he has seat stay rack bosses. I'll post his explanation when I get it.

Update: according to Rossitron, the rack is an Old Man Mountain model that was originally meant for his mountain bike (which didn't have seat stay bosses) and it got a new lease on life as part of the Surly.

Mobile blogging from the track

2009-06-27T19:12:00.001-07:00

Big time racing comes to Hellyer Velodrome. Picture is of the warmup.

World Class Customer Service

2009-06-25T12:15:00.000-07:00

Back in April I blogged about the fantastic service I received from Blackburn regarding a failed tire pump hose. The quicly honored their warranty and sent me out a replacement hose. Well, they've done it again. Read the emails below. I had a Blackburn tail light whose clip failed to keep it on the light strap of my seat bag and caused it to slingshot into traffic, turning it into tail light kibbles and bits. They're going to send out a replacement. Easton Bell is a great company with good products. If you need a bike accessory, buy from them because they invest as much in customer service as you invest in the purchase.

Tire Slits and Patch Kits

2009-06-24T14:43:00.000-07:00

Got a slit tire on Sunday, I think I hit a piece of glass. The tube slit was easy to find and patch, but I was worried that the tire would open up on me before I got home. Stupid me, I didn't have a tire boot with me. Not even a dollar bill to put in the tire as a boot! (I fixed that by throwing one in my seat bag last night). So, I put an instant patch on the inside of the tire and blew it up just enough to keep the rim off the ground. What do you know, it held. I replaced the tire before riding it again, this time with a Mr. Tuffy installed. Better safe than sorry on a touring bike. I would have liked a 25mm Kevlar belted tire, but non in stock at the LBS.

More Bamboo - @ Nevada City

2009-06-23T20:30:00.000-07:00

Saw another bamboo bike, this time under an Organic Athlete chasing Lance around Nevada City.

Sex and the Sidi

2009-06-23T09:14:00.000-07:00

Women in the city love their shoes. They're out on the streets, sitting at sidewal cafes, their shoes get noticed. Not so for the country girl in her cowgirl boots or the suburban woman in her practical footwear. This urban rider snapped by the SF Examiner is no exception. Although she's riding a department store mixte bike that she probably bought second or third hand, she's sporting her Sidi Genius women's shoes which probably cost her double what her bike did.

Go Ped brand bike motor

2009-06-20T22:53:00.000-07:00

The people from Go Ped were also at the Tour de Nez (exhibiting in the somewhat slim expo area). You may be familiar with their powered push scooters. This product looks much like the deck and battery of their push scooter driving a friction wheel and is attached to a bike via a beefy seat post / seat tube clamp. It's a much more compact and elegant solution than some of the kluge bike motors out there, and creates a rack that (I'm assuming) could be used for some light cargo. As with any bolt-on solution, it faces integration and fit issues. Unless you have two fist-fulls or more of seatpost showing, you're not going to be able to get this thing mounted. Also, to disengage the friction wheel from the tire, you must reach back and pull it up (as demonstrated to me by a company representative). Reaching your hand under your butt towards an unseen high torque motor mechanism seems dicey. But, there's too much namby-pamby business keeping alternative transportation off the roads already. Good on them for this attempt at something different.

By the way, I heard something profound on NPR the other day. If a European and American see a Smart-Car demolished by a Hummer in a crash, the American will say that the Smart-Car is unsafe. The European will say that the Hummer is unsafe. Totally different paradigm in a place where people have lived in close quartered civilization for several centuries longer than we have here in the USA. Of course, Hummer is a business failure right now whereas Smart-Cars are seeing success. Maybe the capitalist way of sorting out the winners and the losers is working.

Smooth Moto Official

2009-06-20T22:36:00.000-07:00

Just got back from the Tour de Nez finale at Northstar ski area near Truckee, CA. The racing was pretty good with a slighly smaller field than I expected. Well, it was the third day of the Omnium, maybe some racers dropped out. Besides the expo and the racing, I enjoyed watching the moto's, particularly this guy:

Besides perhaps Mario Cipollini, this guy is the most suave character I have ever witnessed in a bike race. During the Men's P12 race, every lap he carried a different woman around the course on the back of a classic looking BMW boxer motorcycle wearing a buttoned up blue blazer, white slacks, white leather gloves and a cardigan.

Almost like a character out of a Wes Anderson movie.

Pro bike intrigue

2009-06-18T10:54:00.000-07:00

Lance Armstrong, Levi Leipheimer and an assortment of pros and friends of pros have been riding in the Colorado Rockies, training fo the upcoming Tour De France. I've explored some of these roads in the Roaring Fork Valley myself and would be riding there now too if I could. Lance has been documenting his rides on Twitter and in one of his latest pictures, I noticed that he and Levi are riding completely unbadged, all black Trek Madones:

-Is this a due to acrimony over the Astana team finance issues?

-Or just to look really, really cool?

Great reading

2009-06-17T19:05:00.000-07:00

If I were working for a great internet bike shop and getting paid to do this blogging stuff, I'd aspire to write blog posts like this:

http://www.competitivecyclist.com/road-bikes/whats-new/the-two-sweetest-words.292.html

Each post is hours of cycling entertainment. Racing news, classic bike stuff, tech info, intrigue, it's all there.

Restored Bianchi

2009-06-16T09:12:00.000-07:00

Reader Mark recently restored a Bianchi road bike with decals he acquired through us here at nippleworks. Mark, it turned out brilliantly. He used a powdercoater for the new red finish and also polished the lugs. Note the Brooks saddle and pro style front downtube shifter. Here are some before and after photos for your enjoyment and edification:

Monkey Lights

2009-06-08T12:18:00.000-07:00

Brought to our attention - Monkeylectric Bike Wheel Lights. I'd buy just for the name.

Looks like the designers have put a lot of thought into making them waterproof, probably hoping that they become all the rage in Portland.

Photo from http://store.monkeylectric.com/

Self inflating tire invention

2009-06-05T09:16:00.000-07:00

-D- came across this a while back and forgot to send it out. A company has developed a self-inflating tire consisting of a peristaltic pump between the rim and tire and as the wheel rotates if forces air into the tire, with a valve dictating the pressure. Good use of existing movement and maybe a way to keep your commuter bike tires constantly inflated instead of having to break out the pump every few days. Too heavy for a road bike, probably not durable enough for a mountain bike. How much power does it sap? I don't know. I'm sure a sports car company will want to figure it out though.