Thursday, April 29, 2010

Pic for Thursday


I don't know where this pic is originally from. Sorry.

Saddle Sores BC presents: Mathlete's Revenge

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

"Where are the Pyramids?"



Fauber Bottom Bracket Adapter


I believe this adapter might be very useful for anyone struggling with converting or just generally fixing some older northern European bikes by companies such as Monark, Crescent, DBS, Helkama, Tunturi etc.:

"Fauber Adapter:
Converts Scandinavian 45mm press-fit bottom bracker cups to 1.37 X 24 T.P.I British thread."

Get it from Pyörätohtori here: http://www.pyoratohtori.fi/

And don't worry, he knows about these things, speaks english and will ship worldwide.

For more info on servicing a Fauber BB, look here.

Kuala Lumpur Rats

Orlando Critical Mass, February 26, 2010: "STOP YOUR BIKE NOW!"




"Orlando Critical Mass ride on February 26, 2010. A belligerent Pig tried with all his might to pick a fight but da bite has got nothing on my flight of freedom."

Monday, April 26, 2010

Cinelli X Mash 2010


Let's play a game: how many 'wrongs' you find in that build? And why is it that the Cinelli Mash is probably one of the most hated disliked street fixed gear frameset on the market at the moment?

EDIT.

All right, I guess I need to clarify this a little bit after receiving some reader feedback last night. My point above was NOT to hate on the Cinelli X Mash frameset itself but I've been just wondering why so many of the builds of that frame end up the way they do? I know there are many of you out there who agree with me on this.

Another thing; I'm quite stoked about the rumour of the 2011 model of the frame coming with two different geometries because as someone point out somewhere, if taken far enough the one with steeper geo will probably be getting closer and closer to the venerable Cannondale Track, which the MASH SF boys are known to dig too... 

Fish & Chips Fukuoka 4 GURU!



Someone might disagree with me here but I like this clip. Because.

Mr./Ms. 700CMX Tricktracker, please take some pointers from this dude here: Take those tricks off the parking lots and on dem streets. And get some speed too while you're at it and it might not all look so damn boring all the time.

Helsinki - Borgaux 25.4.2010


I've talked about road cycling in the past, right? So, yesterday we did the official annual opening of the season road trip from Helsinki to the Porvoo and back, organized by BC-Hellsinki. Bit over 120km, about 5 hours of riding to Porvoo on the main road and back along some nice winding scenic small country roads. With some Kebab & pizza in between and beers afterwards. Bunch of people, girls and boys, on geared road bikes, CX bikes and track bikes came along. In Porvoo we also climbed up and descended the steepest pavéd hill street as a part of the tradition. Great fun.

Thanks to everyone on the ride and tnts for the pics!

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Seen in Jyväskylä.


FYI: Jyväskylä is somewhere up here in Finland. And I don't think it's a polo bike. Pic stolen from Iivo.

'Are There Really No Hipsters in China?'



"Irony-resisting Chinese bicyclists have skipped the fixed-gear trend that has swept the rest of the world.
By J. David Goodman


BEIJING—A multicolored messenger bag slung over one shoulder and short-brimmed hat cocked to the side, Nie Zheng parked his brakeless bike in the corner of a trendy cafe in the Beijing Central Business District before settling into a molded plastic chair to chat about his particular obsession. "It's been a dream since I was a kid to get a bicycle like this," the 40-year-old fashion photographer told me. "But no one sold them here." It took nearly nine months, he said, to get a track bike he wanted sent from England in 2007.

Such devotion is something of a rarity among the fashion-conscious in China, where bicycles are simply not mainstream cool. In fact, this bike-saturated nation has—so far—managed to skip entirely what is arguably the biggest global bicycle fad in a generation: the fixed-gear."

...


Irony also plays a key role, as riders deliberately opt for an expensive, often custom-made ride, with hand-built components, that is less functional than what's available at Wal-Mart. 


It may be this last aspect that's preventing the bikes from catching on in China. Indeed, the anemic fixie scene seems to offer an object lesson in the difficulty of marketing fashion irony here.


"There is a saying in Chinese: 'Laugh at the poor, not the prostitutes,'" Juanjuan Wu, a professor at the University of Minnesota and author of Chinese Fashion From Mao to Now, told me. "Hipster fashion only really works by communicating your irony—in other words, someone needs to 'get it.' Hipster irony in dress would most likely be misinterpreted in Chinese society as simple poverty or weirdness."


Continue reading the full article at Slate after the jump...

Pic for Thursday

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Future Generations

5-0 Is Watching You

'Colors to brighten your day'

Say What?

The Takeover


The Takeover from AMBUSHE on Vimeo.

Cinelli X MASH SF 2011 Proto


Prototype of the 2011 Cinelli MASH frameset, as posted already everywhere by everyone, first here though. I agree with people who pointed out that the raw alu finish would look kinda neat, which makes me wish the Cinelli Vigorelli color-scheme would be reworked for 2011 too.

Also, there will be actually two different models next year:

"Our goal is to offer two separate Cinelli geometries for 2011. The current street geomerty, and an even more agressive track. The more agressive frame will offer some special details, and sit at a slightly higher price point for that design. 2011, and no sooner. This is the downside to instant internet information. It makes waiting, feel even longer… We are incredibly happy with the current production model, and want to offer something to a different customer with this additional adjustment.

EDIT:
Also want to clairify that this is just a raw sample frame, and we stickered it for filming. This will not be a production color for 2011."


Tuesday, April 20, 2010

My Old Raleigh


I don't usually bother posting pics of road conversions but this one here is bit special. The Raleigh USA Racing 'Grand Prix' frame in the photo was actually my first fixed gear bike couple of years ago and it resurfaced recently on our local discussion board, built up by the third owner after me. I have to say that the build is really nice and tastefully classic. Funnily the frame was in reality good 4cm too large for me but it never bothered me when I had it. Also props for the well-chosen backdrop of the photos... ;)

Inline Skating


TAG - Skater vs. Bike Messenger: short film by William Prouty from YETIGUZ on Vimeo.

I might have posted this already but here we go, although it's in fact it's pretty damn dull. Also, using the word 'skater' in the title... LOL.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Patrizio Rampazzo's Sannino Pista


First, it's for sale HERE NOW (and again not by me, ok?). Super nice!

"The Sannino Cycles came constituted in 1978 to Turin (Italy).

The founding associates were: Sannino, Sannicandro, Cavallito and Brusaschetto, had the scope to produce chassis for racing bicycles of high range. Mauro Sannino and Sannicandro were the “technicians” of workshop, both had had handicraft experiences in the precedence activities. Mauro was the "telaista" of the group. The Sannino Cycles had center in Via Montemagno, near the Velodrome of Turin.

The Sannino Cycles supplied bicycles to the national ones of the countries of the European east of the juvenile fields, introducing themselves to international level and exporting the Italian product also in the USA. The springboard of launch for the Sannino products, through which the same ones were known in the world, laughed them to 1981, year in which the Turin company sponsored the National Poland and feminine USSR of categories juniores male and olympic.

In 1984 the Sannino Cycles were signaled between the first manifacturing companies to insert a new model of destined chassis to the chronometer on road, a model then realized from other producers and used also from Francisco Moser and its famous Hour Records.

Some names of runners legacies to the Sannino brand of those years, that they have contributed to make to know it and to appreciate: Santysiak, that it came from the national one of the Poland, Stefano Baudino, big of the time trial from olympic to Los Angeles.


Then a decrease of interest for the wrought steel chassis by hand, and aggravated moreover from a serious familiar mourning, carried the Sannino at the close. But the ability to Mauro Sannino came recognized from Corratec, German factory for which still today it works.


This chassis was constructed for Patrizio Rampazzo, 7 times Italian Champion Tandem and Vice World-wide Champion of the Juniores Sprint."


And as it happens, there also a nice geared Sannino road bike on Ebay at the moment, check it out here.



Korean Keirin


Artwork as seen at Sir Pista's blog, who also happens to have a bunch of interesting Korean Keirin track frames for sale on his there.

The Revival in London Famous London


The Revival - DVD Teaser from Corey MacGregor on Vimeo.

Some extra material from The Revival DVD here. Everyone else is calling this 'the European Tour' but as fas as I can see, this clip seems to be all filmed in London, which Technically is in Europe of course...

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Peugeot From Outer Space


Well, not really but quite funky nonetheless.

ChopperOlli found this, for inspiration?

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Lance vs. Marco at Mont Ventoux


Yeah yeah yeah, it's road cycling, geared bikes and all that but this pic is pretty awesome. Taken by Ian Nutt and posted on La Gazetta Della Bici.

Lance and Il Pirata battling it out on the epic final climb of Mont Ventoux during the Tour de France 2000. Check out Pantani's water bottle too... And the clip below, you don't see them coasting too much there, now do you?

Affix "Free/Fix Hub"


"Now the ability to switch from a fixed to a coasting drivetrain (and vice versa) is as easy as turning a dial! The directions on the hub are pretty self explanatory; push and turn."

Man, I'm not feeling so sure about this invention but check it out at Ben's Cycle if you're interested.

The Grime: Shred-Well


SHRED-WELL from Mike Schmitt on Vimeo.

Meanwhile in Prague...


Prague April Alleycat 2010 from Micah on Vimeo.

Looking good. More HERE.

It's On! ECMC 2010 Budapest 22.-24.5.


Yay! I'm seriously considering dragging my ass there...

The official site is HERE.

Monday, April 12, 2010

Helsinki City Bikes R.I.P.


In the news this morning: the City of Helsinki has decided to drop the free city bike system because of cost cuts.

The bikes were obviously crap and the the system never worked too well, I guess, but given that the city is officially trying to increase cycling and improve the network of bike lanes etc., this sends a somewhat contradictory message out.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Friday, April 9, 2010

NS Bikes Analog Has Landed



Twice actually. Neither of which is mine, though. I don't ride these tricktrack 700cmx whatever things, not at the moment anyway.

Rapha's Northern Hell


While the real Hell of the North, Paris-Roubaix, is on next Sunday, Rapha have their own ride travelling north from London (some Brits seem to sometimes consider Essex as Hell, I guess?) on the same day.