dudes & pizza

There is always more gnar to shred.

2011-05-24T02:56:00.004-04:00

As if the recent fixed gear trickery weren't ridiculous enough, the guys at Transition Bikes have shown it is possible to get rad on a penny farthing.

Pizza technology.

2011-04-19T13:56:00.001-04:00

This is something that I can get down with.

Gilmour build progress.

2011-04-02T19:31:00.006-04:00

Put some work into the Gilmour today. Installed the bottom bracket, seatpost/saddle as well as the stem/bars.

Looks kind of funny in this picture because the saddle is angled way up. Should be ridable pretty soon here. Just need to put everything together and dial it in.

Friday.

2011-04-01T22:56:00.003-04:00

Took advantage of the decent weather to work on some projects. Finally Frame Saver'd a bunch of frames and forks I've had lying around waiting to be put to use.

The Gilmour is ready to be fully built, except for brake levers. An ebay seller screwed up and sent the wrong models. Should be done in about a week. Stoked to ride it.

2/19.

2011-04-01T15:58:00.001-04:00

Old picture from an adventure Joe and I went on in the Metro Parks. Battery ran out before I could take more pictures.

Gettin' through it.

2011-02-19T01:49:00.003-05:00

We've had some brutal weather this winter. A bit of a break this week with temperatures in the 50's has been such a treat. Still have a few more weeks to trudge through until consistently decent temperatures though.

From MikeyBrick.

45365.

2011-01-30T03:26:00.003-05:00

I stumbled upon a fantastic documentary this evening on PBS' 'Independent Lens' program. It's called 45365, in reference to the zip code of Sidney, Ohio, which is where it takes place. The story is simply about what life is like in a small rural town like Sidney.

I loved it for the fact that there is no narration or score. The story is only formed by the raw clips.

Product I dig: Fizik Blin:k.

2011-01-28T17:12:00.003-05:00

There is no question that lighting is very important on bikes used for commuting, and many lights out there exist for that purpose. But what about those rides that start off as 'a few miles' and turn out to be an all-day affair, and you're caught with no lights on the way home? I've been there, and it's scary.

I decided to try out Fizik's Blink ICS mounted light. If you're not aware, ICS stands for Integrated Clip System. It is basically a clip molded into the shell of most Fizik saddles. Fizik makes a couple different bags that clip into it, as well as the Blink light.

I bought the light sometime in the fall, and haven't taken it off my saddle since. It is so convenient to have as either an extra light or when I forget to bring my Superflash. The low profile design is sleek and unnoticeable, which is great for locking the bike up in low crime areas.

I've been riding it through tons of slush and salty spray, and it's still running strong. If you ride Fizik saddles, I'd definitely recommend checking the Blink out!

1977 René Herse.

2011-01-20T02:15:00.002-05:00

This absolutely stunning '77 Rene Herse is up for sale on ebay right now. $6,000 opening bid which has not been hit at the time of this posting.

Check out a ton more awesome photos on the listing.

I hope whoever buys it rides the heck out of it!

Friday.

2011-01-15T04:59:00.000-05:00

Nothin' wrong with it.

2011-01-08T22:58:00.002-05:00

Blog expansion.

2011-01-04T21:39:00.004-05:00

I've been toying with the idea of expanding this blog from just bike related stuff to other things that I am interested in. I feel like it's time to expand to cover some other things. I'd like to do some more writing and features instead of just pictures of things I have done while riding my bike.

One of the things I am really interested in is design, fabrication, and construction. I stumbled upon this video feature on Resource Furniture from a thread on Reddit done by core77inc. and thought it was worth sharing.

One year closer to the apocalypse.

2011-01-01T19:49:00.003-05:00

Down at the holler.

2010-12-31T18:23:00.003-05:00

Today was a freakish day with weather in the mid 50's. Richard and I took advantage of it and rode our bicycles to a neat little park. Here are some pictures:

Richard got a new gentleman's saddle in an effort to take a bit of the sick out of his sick fixie and inject some class. I feel this is a good first step.

Just got these new Camelbak bottles. I really dig 'em.

We saw this bad ass ice, so of course the first thing we thought of was how we could make it crash down. We threw a bunch of rocks, but it didn't work. Proving that we will remain single until we die.

This is probably another reason...

Good times. We can only hope for a few more freak days this winter.

A product I would love to see.

2010-12-30T23:56:00.003-05:00

There are a lot of people out there who ride with clips and straps instead of a clipless set-up, whether it be for their commuter, fixed gear, touring bike, or just plain road bike. Sometimes you don't want to have to invest in the typical clipless set-up, or sometimes you just don't want or need that type of equipment. I personally like riding clips and straps because I like to be able to get off my bike to walk around and explore whenever the mood strikes me. I also feel like the benefits of a clipless set-up are exaggerated, but that argument is for a different time and place.

In any case, there aren't many good pedal options for those who prefer to use clips and straps. Many people seem to end up with a caged pedal like these MKS Sylvans pictured below:

The problem with pedals like these is that the cages just simply aren't comfortable for the typical flat soled shoes that most people use with them. Obviously they work great for an older style road shoe with cleats, but that is not who this post is written about.

Another better option is the MKS GR-9 pictured below:

I personally have these pedals on two of my bikes. They are a nice option because they are pretty cheap (~$25) and have a nice platform on top. The problem is they have loose-ball bearings, and they do not have provisions for double straps, should the user choose to go that route. Yes, it is entirely possible to use double straps with them, but any solution is less than ideal.

White Industries has come out with a nice pedal that takes the GR-9s idea of a platform to another level.

Image from Pedal Consumption

Just from looking at these pedals, you can tell the quality is superb with a stainless steel spindle and sealed cartridge bearings. I would love to purchase these, but there are two things that keep me from doing so. They do not have provisions for double straps, and the pricetag of ~$200 is just too high for me.

What I would love to see is a platform styled pedal, like the GR-9 and White Industries offering, with sealed bearings, and provisions for double straps around the $60-80 price range. With all of the riders out there using clips and straps, I definitely think that something like this would sell extremely well, and to be quite honest, I am surprised the demand has not been met yet.

Thursday evening.

2010-12-30T18:31:00.002-05:00

Decided to take a short ride this evening since the weather was pretty awesome. Took a couple pictures with my vidjya camera.

Crappy winter wheels.

Portland is doing it right.

2010-12-27T21:24:00.002-05:00

It's really inspiring to see that at least some of our cities are working on a sustainable future. I can't imagine what it would be like to live somewhere like this.

Down by the quarry.

2010-12-19T19:02:00.001-05:00

Richard had explored an abandoned stone cutting building next to an old quarry in Amherst awhile back. I was super stoked on it and wanted to check it out for myself, so today we did just that.

Here are a few photos I took:

These are from the small brick electrical building. There is also a large stone cutting building with three large rooms. I took a bunch of video from inside that building and will probably make an art (video) of it eventually. For now, check out Richard's post with a few of his pictures.

Snow.

2010-12-17T17:53:00.002-05:00

I've been having a blast riding in the snow this winter. Having proper gear to combat the cold has been a godsend. My typical layering goes like this:

Top:
1. Under Armour "cold" baselayer.
2. Louis Garneau merino wool long sleeve jerseyish thing.
3. Flannel shirt.
4. Sweatshirt.
5. Windbreaker.

Bottom:
1. Underwear.
2. Under Armour "cold" baselayer.
3. Jeans.

Pearl Izumi lobster claw gloves and Smartwool socks.

It's not perfect, but it's what I have available to me, and it works well for up to about 20 miles.

Anyway, took a detour today through the woods, which was incredibly fun but super difficult with the completely wrong bike, hah.

New project!

2010-12-13T23:32:00.003-05:00

So awhile back I bought a new frame. Since then, most of my money has gone into guitar gear, but I have finally been able to allocate funds into the purchasing of parts needed to build the it up.

The plan for this bike is a classically styled all-day fixed gear. A bike that I can get on, ride for three hours into some farm land, stop and eat some food, then ride back home. A rambler, perhaps. Fast, but comfortable, with a few modern touches.

So anyway, here is my first selection of goodies:

Velo-Orange Model One saddle, long set-back post, and laminated toe straps.

Just gotta get some bars, stem, pedals, clips, and eventually a new wheelset.

Shred the gnar.

2010-12-11T17:24:00.004-05:00

(Random youtube video.)

Bay Village built a pretty rad concrete skatepark a few months ago. Richard and myself stumbled upon it awhile back and witnessed probably one of the most awesome things ever.

Let me set the scene for you:

New skatepark, tons of 12-16 year old kids everywhere excited and tryin' to get rad. There is a little manual pad/grind box thing that is probably like 8 inches tall if that near the front of the park. We see this kid on one of those really junky Wal-Mart type 'BMX' bikes circa early 2000's. Chicago style bars, chromed out, one piece cranks, gyro, and best of all...plastic three-spoke mags!!! SO RAD.

So anyway, this kid is riding around clearly trying to find something that he can tackle. I see him roll up to the manual pad, and I'm thinking, no way is this kid going to be able to bunny hop up this... But, he gave 'er the ole college try. Pulls up, gets the back tire up a bit and CRACK!!! Cased the curb and BROKE his fucking wheel! The entire rim cracked and his wheel now had a section that went inward. Next thing, he rolls his bike off to the side tryin' to figure out if he can fix it/ride home, and, adding insult to injury, the tube explodes as he is examining the wheel. With a look of utter disappointment, he shrugs his shoulders and begins the long journey home.

Call me a jerk, but holy crap, it was so goddamn funny.

Anyway, after that ridiculous story...

I went there last week and got partially rad, and decided I needed a manlier set-up to tackle the bowl. Pool coping in the deep section. Totally want to get on dat.

So, here's my new set-up in the making. 8.5" board, 60mm wheels. Stoked.

Get rad.

Called out.

2010-11-29T03:00:00.002-05:00

I got called out for not updating this blog recently. So, this one's for you, Eric. Hah.

I got hit by a car before I went on vacation to the UP. Here's the aftermath:

I was fine. Couple of scrapes and whatnot, but nothing serious. Definitely a crazy feeling knowing you're about to get hit in t-minus .002 seconds.

Also a bit of a life update: I went on vacation to the UP again. Went out to my grandfather's hunting cabin that he built with his own two hands ~50 years ago. Carried every single piece of it over a creek/river and about a mile into the woods. It's on 250 acres of land. Super rough terrain. Tons of rock faces and valleys. There are several creeks and even a beaver pond with three different dams.

I kinda wish I would have taken pictures, but I was too busy drinkin' beer and killin' deer. Well, at least I was trying to. Didn't see any bucks while I was out on watch. My grandfather got one prior to my arrival though.

That's what I've been up to lately.

Rickie:

2010-11-12T03:37:00.003-05:00

I feel like we need this in our lives:

What do you think?

Also, I just purchased a ton of HK goods. I'm stoked.

Getting rad on bikes.

2010-11-06T19:44:00.002-04:00

Probably every person in the world grew up riding around an old BMX bike and jumping off of curbs and skidding through puddles and whatnot. There's a good reason why; getting rad on bikes is super fun.

Enough of my shitty writing:

Recent goings on.

2010-10-29T21:56:00.003-04:00

Richard and myself went bike camping last weekend which was pretty rad. Rode out to Sandusky and pitched our tents in some wildlife reservation. This was our first time doing it, so our gear was not perfect, but it worked. All pictures via Richard's flickr.

I bought this guitar:

...but then I sold it.

Made a few adjustments and changes on my Waterford and finally took a picture of it. (Click to enlarge.)

Ramp up the jawn.

2010-09-14T03:23:00.002-04:00

Such an awesome photo.

Sorry for the lack of blogging. Haven't really cared about it lately. Maybe later.

Fettuccine Alfredo in a water bottle.

2010-08-20T19:01:00.002-04:00

Richard and I went out on our geared bikes to indulge in some country roads. Good ride. A little different than our past routes.

Sunday funday.

2010-08-08T13:37:00.004-04:00

I've been trying to go to bed at more respectable times lately and wake up in the morning as opposed to at noon, and it's been working out great. Today I woke up at 9:30. I was a little groggy, but decided the best fix for that would be to go out for a ride.

My road bike shoes are messed up currently, so I decided to just go out on the fixed gear.

It's so nice that Lake Road is repaved in Rocky River (minus one really terrible section). It used to be two very narrow and dangerous lanes, and it is now one huge lane. I wish they would have at least striped it for bike lanes, but maybe that will come with time.

The Kilo is holding up well. I keep thinking about commissioning a custom frame with a higher bottom bracket, slightly more relaxed angles, and more trail. We'll see.

Felt kind of funny being kitted up while wearing Vans, but whatever. There are way weirder dudes out there.

It was a beautiful day at the beach, so I hung out for a few minutes before turning around and going home.

I feel like my shoes have these marks on them permanently.

Thursday geared ride.

2010-08-06T15:30:00.003-04:00

Went to work and was sent home after two hours. What a waste of time. At least I was able to go riding after work for once.

I'm kind of digging the Newbaum's showing its wear.

It was a pretty nice day.

I'm an artist.

Sick skid bro.

2010-08-03T00:41:00.001-04:00

Man, if only they would invent handlebars suited for the type of riding you are doing, and some sort of mechanical device to slow you down in a controllable manner...

Saturday ride.

2010-08-02T22:35:00.001-04:00

I meant to take some other pictures, but I forgot.

Friday fixed ride.

2010-07-31T01:12:00.000-04:00

Jumbo.

2010-07-29T01:16:00.004-04:00

Cool video featuring a bike messenger that goes by the name Jumbo in Copenhagen.

Friday ride.

2010-07-19T14:08:00.003-04:00

Rickie and I were talking about a bike route that goes through Oberlin and some small townships in southern Lorain County. We decided to check it out. It turned out to be one of the best rides we've done this year. Lots of great country roads, most of which were really smooth and fast. Some rolling hills, a few really fast descents and tough climbs, and amazing scenery.

Here is a short video I put together from some clips shot during the ride.

Rapha: The 1910 challenge.

2010-07-17T02:23:00.003-04:00

One of the best riding videos I've seen on the internet. Inspiring! It is my dream to someday do a ride on a similar level as this.

Back from the UP.

2010-07-13T02:44:00.002-04:00

I'm back from my trip to the UP. Drove up Thursday after work. On Friday I drove over to Marquette to meet up with my mom, and check out some of the bike shops in town. Had a great time at Lakeshore Bike talking to one of the guys there named Matthias about the local riding. After that I did some riding in Marquette. Stopped at Presque Isle for a water break, then rode back to Marquette. The evening was spent at my grandparent's cabin on Lake Michigamme.

Saturday was a family reunion on Lake Michigamme, after which was another evening spent at my grandparent's cabin. Some great time spent with aunts, uncles, and cousins I haven't seen in awhile. Good stories, good times.

Sunday was a quick day in Marquette with my mom before driving back to Cleveland. I made the 600 mile journey in 9 hours exactly. I also learned it is entirely possible to not touch the gas or break pedals for hours at a time with a handy feature known as cruise control!

I didn't end up taking any photos while I was up there. (I hate carrying around my DSLR. Too big and awkward.) I did try out my new Kodak Playsport camera and shot some test clips while riding. I edited them up into a short video. Check it out!

Off to the U.P.

2010-07-08T03:03:00.004-04:00

Family, lakes, mosquitoes, campfires, dirt roads, etc. I'll be back on Monday.

Look forward to some photos and possibly video, eh.

Gettin' aerial.

2010-06-26T22:15:00.002-04:00

With all the new, small HD cameras out on the market, people have been getting very creative with their uses. In this particular instance, some dudes decided to mount one to an RC helicopter and film some MTB dirt jumping. It came out great!

The essence of D&P.

2010-06-25T23:46:00.005-04:00

Richard and I rode our bicycles today. He made a blog post with these same pictures, but you know, I want to get in on this glory a little bit as well.

The day started off with me goofing off on my dad's old man bicycle, which is nearly impossible to bunny hop on. Believe me, I've tried.

Then we got extremely ironic (because what's cooler than being ironic while riding sick fixies) while taking a water break. We pulled off the venerable hipster high hang (no locks involved in this situation). I, of course, pulled an Xhibit with Richard's sick fixie rims. The best part of this whole equation was when triathlete showed up later on his cyclocross bike and pulled off the hipster high lock next to our bikes! I felt like I was watching a Bike Snob blogpost in the making happen in front of my very eyes. It was inspiring, to be sure.

After watching our less hip, more professional cyclist friend great and meet his other triathletes who were swimming in the lake (that sucks), Richard snapped a photo of their coach on some sort of water bicycle device.

After that incredible bump with fate, we made our way to Angelo's and had some fantastic pizza. Richard was double fisting (the pizza, not the waitress).

We made our way down to Lakewood Park to check out this awesome spot that Brad and I had visited last time we were out this way. As we made our way down to said spot, a police officer was passing us. We decided not to chance it, since it's in a no trespassing zone. Seems like we made the right choice as we heard a mouthbreathing slob of a girl ranting about how Lakewood police were bullshit for giving her a ticket for doing the illegal thing we were considering. She made lots of other embarrassing remarks that I will not bore you with. Anyway, here is a place you should never visit:

Still getting gay, even on the ride back.

A new level of stupidity.

2010-06-25T02:35:00.003-04:00

This is quite possibly the dumbest thing I have seen regarding bicycles and art, either combined or separate. Apparently some designer thought it'd be a great idea to "curate" some spectacle of a showing, or whatever artists call it when they show their wares to the world, at a velodrome. Now, there is nothing wrong with showing one's wares at a velodrome, but it is all in presentation. This is full of pretension and false culture.

I have nothing else to say except watch this and you will realize how silly much of "art" is right now.

Moncler Gamme Bleu Spring/Summer 2011 Runway from LAT Videos on Vimeo.

Sorry for the lack of posts.

2010-06-17T02:15:00.001-04:00

I guess I realized I don't have anything that interesting or important to show the internet lately. Haven't been taking my camera with me on rides and whatnot. Maybe it will change soon. Summer time.

RIDE BIKES/EAT PIZZA.

Colorado trip.

2010-05-18T23:47:00.001-04:00

I've been hating life here in Cleveland for awhile. In an effort to find somewhere new to live, I've been reading up on Denver. Everything I read sounded great, so I decided to go out there to check it out and get away for awhile.

My mom and I flew out there for 8 days with no real agenda or plan. The first night we ended up walking around downtown for awhile. We ended up at Lodo's Bar & Grill for some well deserved food and a beer. Had their veggie burger, which was excellent.

The next two days were spent at Rocky Mountain National Park. What a beautiful place!

Some of the trails had tons of snow on them as you went higher in elevation. We definitely weren't prepared for it!

We then spent some time in Boulder. Stopped by Boulder Indoor Cycling. There was no one riding at the time, but the nice dude at the door was kind enough to let me scope out the track and whatnot. It's incredibly steep.

Drove over to Golden to tour the Coors Brewery, which was really neat. Definitely worth the drive.

We went down to Colorado Springs to check out Garden of the Gods, as well as the US Olympic Training Center and the 7-11 Velodrome. I don't have any pictures of the track or training center, but here are some from the Garden of the Gods (which is spectacular in person!).

The rest of the time was spent in Denver. What a fantastic city! I couldn't believe how many people were on bikes. Everywhere. In the mountains, in the city, in the suburbs. On the roads, on the trails, on the huge network of bike paths/lanes. It was so inspiring to me.

I was able to rent a bike for a day and get out and explore the city on two wheels, which was a blast (even if the bike was set-up pretty poorly).

I had the pleasure of enjoying many wonderful restaurants as well. Some of the standouts were Parsley (the Caprese sandwich is fantastic!) and WaterCourse.

I can definitely see myself moving out there. It's just a matter of when, and planning things out a bit!

Scraper bike scene in Oakland.

2010-05-17T23:01:00.004-04:00

I think everyone has seen the light-hearted Scraper Bike video on youtube at some point. As a typical suburbanite, that culture is something I have never been exposed to. I never really understood it. Well, the Scraper Bike dudes are back with a new video that sheds some light on what started the phenomenon, as well as it's relevancy in the area. It's always fun to see how hanging out and riding bikes with your friends varies from place to place. Definitely worth the watch!

Scrapertown from California is a place. on Vimeo.

26" fixed.

2010-05-15T18:49:00.005-04:00

Lately there has been a bunch of buzz about riding 26" wheels for fixed freestyle. People have been putting 26" wheels on their bikes designed for 700c wheels, which looks like an absolute abomination as far as I'm concerned. I knew it'd only be a matter of time before we started to see 26" fixed freestyle frames. Well, it looks like Nem Pro went and did it...

It's a prototype called the Steveland Cleaner. I think it looks bad ass. Super short chainstays and a nice standover height would make that so fun to ride!

Personally, I like seeing 700c stuff, just because it adds to the ridiculous factor that makes it so stupid/awesome. I guess we'll just have to wait and see if the 26" thing catches on.

Dead.

2010-04-27T22:03:00.005-04:00

This is, without a doubt, my favorite music video ever. I remember the first time I watched the Khanate DVD. When this started playing, my jaw just completely dropped. So awesome.

Recent inspiration.

2010-04-26T23:49:00.002-04:00

Bianchi beaut.

2010-04-25T16:41:00.003-04:00

Found these images whilst browsing digitgraphs Flickr.

Song of the moment.

2010-04-13T23:21:00.003-04:00

Joshua Fit For Battle has been one of my favorite bands since I was a teenager. They hold a soft spot in my heart. The members went on to create more incredible music after their break up. This song, off of their To Bring Our Own End album, has been one of my favorites for some time. Check it out.

New bars and tape.

2010-04-09T16:10:00.002-04:00

I finally received the final pieces I need to get my road bike back up and running. I ordered some Nitto Dream 176 bars, Newbaum's cotton bar tape, and hemp twine from Rivendell.

This is my first set of Nitto bars. I now understand why people rant and rave about their products so much. They are wonderfully done. I can't wait to get these mounted, taped, and shellacked.

I'll post pictures of the completed bike soon!

Friday.

2010-04-02T21:24:00.002-04:00

Too tired to type much. Went riding with Richard. Got lost. Ended up riding 57 miles.

Cornfields in Carlisle, I think.

Me standing on an iceberg toward the end of the ride.

All photos are from Richard's collection.

Old v. new.

2010-03-29T14:24:00.003-04:00

Saturday.

2010-03-27T23:18:00.002-04:00

Richard and I rode out to Berea today. 40 miles on the ole' fixed gear. Glad I decided to wear bike shorts under my jeans.

All photos are from Richard.

Free Chrome shoes!

2010-03-17T21:43:00.002-04:00

Chrome is doing the best promotion to ever happen! Turds for Gold! Send them your old blown out shoes for a brand new pair of their shoes!

Only today and Tomorrow. Have your package postmarked by the 18th, and send it to:

Chrome Industries
Attn: Turds for Gold/Sharkey
580 4th Street
San Francisco, CA 94107

Be sure to include sizing info and return address!

Goodbye old friends! You had a great life.

Dig into the pain cave.

2010-03-15T01:17:00.001-04:00

Awesome video. Looks like a ton of fun!

Art Friday.

2010-03-11T23:29:00.003-05:00

I came across a video the other day that really blew me away. In the age of the internet, it's really hard for me to go 'wow' anymore. Sad, but true. We get pelted with so much information and media nowadays, that it's really hard for anything to stand out and really awe you. (Note to self: another reason to live in the woods.)

This video did just that. Now, I hate art words just as much as the next guy, but I'm going to have to use them here. The composition, sense of space and time, and texture in this video are really incredible. (The part with the film strips?!) I also thought it was a really cool and interesting to portray a person photographing the architecture in a full CGI video/film/movie whateverthehell. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that this entire film is CGI and done by ONE DUDE over a year's time. Nuts!

If you're interested in more, check out the film's site: thirdseventh.com.

Down by the crik.

2010-03-11T22:51:00.004-05:00

The north coast has been hit by a ridiculous heat wave for the past week or so. Today hit around 60 degrees or so, which is absurd for this time of year in Northern Ohio. Richard and myself decided to take it upon ourselves to better our health by embarking on a bicycle ride.

We ended up riding about 20-25 miles out to the Metro Parks.

Richard was in awe of the swollen river.

The glorious thing about this image you are seeing is that most of that water used to be snow just a few days prior!

Here's me lookin' like a doofus.

All five followers of this blog should comment on Richard's green handlebar tape. It'll make him feel great. I promise.

Saturday.

2010-03-06T17:56:00.001-05:00

First D&P™ ride of 2010. Very excited for new adventures.

2010 riding.

2010-03-05T20:25:00.003-05:00

Steel bikes, riding with friends, getting stronger, level top tubes, tan lines, drafting, exploring new places, meeting new people, the big ring, no computer, riding 'til the sun goes down.

I can't wait.

Mystery videos.

2010-02-11T21:21:00.001-05:00

Snafu package.

2010-01-13T17:51:00.002-05:00

McGoo over at Snafu was kind enough to send me some parts recently.

He sent me a pair of their 4130 MTB riser bars, a Taylor track stem, some Mirracle grips and PC bar ends.

The riser bars are very unique in that they are double butted 4130 chromoly with a 31.8 clamp diameter. I have found no other bars like these before.

I have a feeling that these will hold up to a LOT of abuse, as well as taking a bit of the sting off of landings.

The Taylor track stem is beautiful and fully machined with an 80mm reach. It's too pretty to beat up, so I am going to save it for a commuter bike.

I mounted the bars, grips, and bar ends up on my bike today. It's nice to have a part that's not black!

It's still pretty frozen out here in Ohio, but hopefully it will clear up a bit in the next couple days so I can go out and really test everything out. Look back in a few weeks for a full write-up on how everything is holding up.

Thank you McGoo and Snafu! It's nice to have a BMX company that is supportive of fixed riding!

New gear!

2010-01-06T22:06:00.002-05:00

Today before work two boxes of bicycle related equipment showed up on my doorstep. I was pretty excited, as I have been waiting awhile with the holidays and all.

After work I put on a new front tire and a new chainring on my Scrambler set-up. I'm also running a Bruiser fork on it now. I snapped some quick pictures:

Once I get a chance to ride the tire, I will report back with my findings.

Frozen beaches.

2010-01-01T20:03:00.001-05:00

2010.

2010-01-01T00:49:00.001-05:00

Big changes for 2010. I hope everyone has a great new year.

Rock to fakie.

2009-12-26T23:04:00.002-05:00

Sorry for the lack of bike-related posts lately. It's cold in northern Ohio.

Today Richard and I went to Avon skatepark to ride bikes. I've been really stoked on rock to fakies on quarter pipes lately, so I did one on the four foot quarter there. Here's a clip:

Richard was working on getting them there Cab spinners to fakie. Close but no cigar. I'm sure he'll get it next time.

Christmas.

2009-12-25T18:53:00.001-05:00

My Christmas was nice. I played with my niece in her new ball pit. Doesn't get much better than that.

I hope yours was enjoyable as well!

Incredibly inspiring.

2009-12-16T01:48:00.000-05:00

A glimpse of a friend and athlete by the name of Pete Billington.

Sunday family dinner.

2009-12-14T21:41:00.003-05:00

My sister, niece, and brother-in-law came over on Sunday for dinner.

They came right as we were finishing the tree.

She put that mitten and stocking on herself. Check those slippers.

Good times.

A couple clips from the skatepark.

2009-12-10T14:06:00.002-05:00

Rickie put this together. It's a a few clips from the skatepark from last weekend. Check it out, tell us how much we suck.

New house.

2009-12-07T21:15:00.003-05:00

I recently moved into a new house with my dad. It's kept me busy to say the least. It's incredible how much crap parents hold onto.

Broken economy special.

Garage is almost cleared up for both cars.

My father's ridiculous spaceship treadmill and my queue of wheels, along with assorted junk.

Some of the crap my father continues to keep. Most of which has probably been in those same boxes for over ten years.

Sunday night.

2009-12-07T13:11:00.002-05:00

Sorry for the lack of updates lately. I just moved into a new house, which has been keeping me busy.

Last night I saw Raein play in Cleveland, which is something I never thought I'd be able to say. It was great to see.

(These photos are not from last night. From Rubén Navarro's Flickr.)

What I'm riding.

2009-11-23T04:09:00.002-05:00

These are a few photos that I took last weekend. I forgot to post them, so here they are.

Hopefully I will be riding a new fork somewhat soon.

Chicago Wig Street Straps review.

2009-11-15T23:50:00.004-05:00

Chicago Wig's Street Straps are a foot retention system made for commuter cyclists, fixed gear riders, and the new breed of fixed gear freestyle riding. This velcro strap based system is an alternative to a traditional toe clip and strap set-up.

Many people have complained about toe clips breaking and straps slipping. Over the past year or so, a few different people have been working on solutions to these issues. Most, if not all, of these new solutions involve a thick, adjustable strap that holds the foot without the use of a toe clip. I personally was a bit worried about riding a fixed gear bike without a toe clip to hold my foot from sliding too far forward, so I decided to ride a normal clip and strap set-up for awhile to see how these new products progressed.

I finally decided to make the switch about two months ago. I was trying to decide between Hold Fast straps, or the Chicago Wig straps. I eventually decided to go with the Chicago Wig straps, simply because they were $40 shipped at the time, while Hold Fasts were (and still are) $57 shipped. I also liked the fact that the Chicago Wig straps didn't have any hardware. I had heard a few people complain about the Hold Fast's metal hardware digging into the foot with thinner shoes, making for an uncomfortable experience while slowing down.

About a week after I ordered my straps, they showed up. I mounted them after viewing the video shown above to some Odyssey Twisted PC pedals, and went out for a quick ride. At first it felt pretty different than my old set-up. This was mostly due to the bigger surface area of the BMX pedal. I loved having more area for my foot to rest upon. With my old track style pedals, my foot was apt to folding over the small pedal. That is not comfortable at all.

The straps hold your feet extremely well. I feel way more confident skidding and really pulling against the straps than I did with my old toe clip and double strap set-up. I know that these straps absolutely will not slip no matter how much upward pressure I apply. I couldn't exactly say that about my old set-up.

One thing to keep in mind with a set-up like this is the inherent wear that will occur on the outside of the straps from dropping your bike, as you can see in the above photo. Most of the wear on mine so far is just through the velcro, and not the actual strap material. I try to avoid scraping them up as much as possible, but sometimes it is unavoidable.

After I ordered these straps from Chicago Wig, the price was raised to $50 shipped, which I find to be a bit high. I felt that at $40 shipped, I was getting a solid deal. Chicago Wig also introduced a 3" wide version of the Street Straps after I purchased mine. From my experience, I feel that the 2" wide straps that I am currently riding are perfectly wide enough.

Overall, I really like these straps. Although I do think the current price is a bit high, I recommend them to anyone who is looking for an alternative to a traditional toe clip and strap set-up.

Check out Chicago Wig at chicagowig.com.

Indian summer.

2009-11-14T17:47:00.003-05:00

Richard.

I made Rickie bleed...sort of.

Here for kicks!

Trekking over the highways and byways.

This kind of art is totally "in" right now. I must be cool.

Too bad I won't be able to make anymore cool art. When I grabbed my camera to upload those photos, I dropped it from about four feet and broke my favorite lens. At least the camera still works...

Good times.

2009-11-14T03:39:00.000-05:00

Richard's old mancave set-up.

The infamous Posi Ramp.

"That was... That was tough."

2009-11-09T14:03:00.002-05:00

Rickie and I went back to that ridiculous tree ride spot yesterday to get footage of our stunts. Probably the most scared I've been on a fixed gear bike so far. Anyway, check it out!

Wilderness adventures.

2009-11-06T21:23:00.002-05:00

Today Rickie and I ventured into the woods to do tricks on our ill-equiped bikes. We decided to ride up some trees. Somehow, we didn't die.

Here's me.

Here's Rickie.

These sum up my life quite nicely.

2009-11-03T23:30:00.002-05:00

Stranger: you are kinda awesome

Stranger: YOU SIR ARE ROCK SOLID

"I think it's a speed bike."

2009-10-31T19:35:00.003-04:00

Yesterday Richard and myself went to a local skatepark on our fixed gear bicycles. I arrived before him, and immediately upon arrival I was asked "Why don't you have a BMX bike?" The next question I was asked was...

Kid 1: "What kind of bike is that? Is it a mountain bike or something?"
Kid 2: "I think it's a speed bike."

To which I laughed and went on about my business. The things kids say these days...

Today Richard and myself explored a new area to do tricks on our ill-equipped bikes. We found a bunch of spots including this incredibly narrow bank in which Richard did a barspin to fakie. Here's the proof, you doubter!

Click to enlarge.

Click to enlarge.

Maaakin' moves.

2009-10-26T13:47:00.002-04:00

Here's another weekend edit that Rickie put together. The stuff at the skatepark is from Saturday. It started raining right when we got there. Metal ramps + rain + narrow tires = very slippery! We rode there until it dried up and then it proceeded to rain again.

All the other clips are from Sunday. A couple of bank spots are shown. One that we have not filmed at before, but I posted pictures of yesterday, and a couple small stair sets. We're getting better!

Some shots from today.

2009-10-25T20:37:00.004-04:00

Today was a beautiful fall day. Rickie and I took advantage of the weather and went riding. Here are a few shots from my camera.

Green Meadow Island.

2009-10-24T20:17:00.002-04:00

Fantastic music video for Jeniferever's single "Green Meadow Island" off of the new Spring Tides album on Monotreme Records.

Jeniferever - Green Meadow Island from monotreme records on Vimeo.

Sunday is funday.

2009-10-19T22:42:00.004-04:00

Here's an "edit" Rickie put together from footage we got yesterday. It was a really fun day. Started off at the banks shown in the beginning. Some BMXers showed up and were mystified by how a fixed gear bicycle works. After that we went to that bank under the bridge, where I got a flat front tire and donged my rim. Finally we sessioned the drainage ditch before a cold ride home.

Untitled from RichardLutz on Vimeo.

Adam Hauck.

2009-10-19T02:40:00.003-04:00

A few months old, but still rad.

Black Market Inc- Adam Hauck from Taylor Sage on Vimeo.

Vassago Fisticuff.

2009-10-18T01:18:00.002-04:00

As the weather changes, I have begun to think about a off road bicycle. Unfortunately I'm a bit late for 2009, but I've been thinking of gathering parts for a build over the winter.

I've always been attracted to cyclocross bikes. I love the traditional road style geometry with knobby tires. So I've been on the quest for a bike that can handle being set up in a number of crazy-person ways. I plan on riding it singlespeed most of the time, and probably throwing gears on if I ever get into racing... I'd also love for it to function as light trail bike.

In my quest, I came across the Vassago Fisticuff. Horizontal dropouts with derailleur hanger, Reynolds 520, and clearance for 45c tyres!

Look at that fork! That could definitely withstand some full on mountain biking.

Bookworm Alleycat.

2009-10-11T20:39:00.001-04:00

Nice video from a race that Fixed Gear Wales put on.

Proprietary Maneuver.

2009-10-10T22:15:00.003-04:00

Rickie and I had a really fun session today at some banks in Westlake. Some BMXers showed up and they watched in awe as we did tricks on ill-equipped bikes!

Here are some clips from the day:

Did you see that groundbreaking stunt at the end? Yeah, that's brand new, and you saw it here first! D&P: On the cusp of fixed gear stunt maneuvers in 2009.

Velo Cult dirt roadin'.

2009-10-09T00:38:00.002-04:00

This video rules...except for the last clip. The leg over skid had me laughing.

Velo Cult in the Eastern Sierras from Velo Cult on Vimeo.

Saturday.

2009-10-04T16:04:00.002-04:00

I went on an exploration ride, and ended up at this spot. Such a fun bank!

How my bike is currently looking. 23c on the front is solely because that's the only size tire I have that my bike will clear for barspins.

Loving that RiBMo in the rear.

Shiga street.

2009-10-03T01:03:00.000-04:00

Not sure of the dude's name on the black 26er, but he rules. 1:02 is so smooth!

shiga street from hiroya0515 on Vimeo.

New pedal set-up.

2009-09-28T14:22:00.000-04:00

I just got these in the mail from Isaac at Chicago Wig. They look nice. Expect a full write-up after a week or so!

Alexey Sinayko.

2009-09-22T01:54:00.001-04:00

Dude rips. Barspin catch to barspin was nuts!

AlexeySinayko short profile from Alexey Name on Vimeo.

Hell yeah!

2009-09-22T01:44:00.002-04:00

Video from the Single Speed World Championships in Durango, Colorado. I'd love to experience something that fun.

Single Speed World Championships - 2009 from Josh Stephenson on Vimeo.

Big wheeled inspiration.

2009-09-20T20:39:00.004-04:00

From yuy_ on Flickr.

From Pedalrocker on Flickr.

From N.gawa on Flickr.

New parts for my new build!

2009-09-18T16:08:00.005-04:00

I just got in most of the my parts for my new build. I'm super excited! I'm just waiting on a headset and I will be purchasing some Chicago Wig straps hopefully tomorrow.

Shadow Conspiracy Old Dirty grips.
Truvativ AKA 80mm stem.
Panaracer RiBMo 32c x2.
Odyssey Twisted PC pedals.
Truvativ Holzfeller 50mm rise bars.

I can't wait to get this thing built!

Kevin Porter bike check/ride video.

2009-09-13T14:36:00.002-04:00

I love this dude's style! So clean. There are tons of awesome tricks in this video, including some stuff I've never seen before. Crank flip to one footed manual is one of those tricks. Awesome! Check it out.

Trail riding.

2009-09-11T20:28:00.002-04:00

I FINALLY (after more than two weeks of waiting) got my Schwalbe CX Comp tires, so Rickie and I decided to do some trail riding. He rode his mountain bike, and I rode my fixed gear. Unfortunately my front brake caliper didn't fit with the new tires, so I had to ride brakeless. I would have definitely preferred to have a brake, but only a few situations got sketchy without one.

Here's my bike trailside.

We also did some exploring.

Rickie was able to tackle things no problem. It made me wish I had an actual mountain bike. Maybe someday.

Overall, it was a great day! I totally encourage anyone to take their fixed gear on some trails. It's a blast! Just make sure you have some tires with tread.

Summon the gods.

2009-08-30T02:26:00.004-04:00

Rickie and I went exploring earlier today. The sky was looking very dramatic all day. It was sunny, but there were a few large dark clouds all day. The light was incredible as the sun began to set.

Rickie pretended to be the bass player for Metallica.

The sky looked like it was about to storm.

It began to rain, so we found shelter in an old abandoned garage with many broken windows.

There were many interesting objects to look at.

We eventually went inside the house that the garage was attached to. We didn't get far, as there was an overwhelming stench of animal presence inside. I hope to go back someday and venture further into the house and perhaps photograph its interior.

After the abandoned house exploration, we rode up to the beach and watched as huge (by Lake Erie standards) waves roll in. The wind was strong. It was quite the sight to behold.

Caught in the rain.

2009-08-28T16:32:00.003-04:00

I needed to go to the bank today to deposit some money. I rode my bike over, like I normally do. I heard some thunder on the way over, but I was hoping the rain would hold off until I got home. I was wrong.

Right when I got inside to make my deposit, it started pouring. The teller mentioned that there was a tornado warning. I laughed and said "Oh well, I guess." What can you do, right? I got outside, unlocked my bike and got ready to face the rain. It was coming down in buckets. The drops were so big that they actually stung when they hit my skin.

I was laughing the whole way home. There's something about being on your bike while it's raining that just makes you feel like a kid again. I decided to take the long way home and hit up a short stretch of trail in the woods since I was already soaked.

I've been taking the long way to work just so I can hit this trail lately. It's just a short one next to a creek that has been there since I was a little kid. Something about riding a fixed gear bike on dirt is extremely appealing to me. Perhaps I'm one of those bike weirdos.

I ended up falling pretty hard one time after my front wheel locked up while braking for a steep, but short valley that is difficult to navigate. I actually almost fell in the creek! My front wheel washed out two more times, but I was able to save it each time. Riding slicks in mud is definitely a stupid idea!

This is the aftermath:

And a dirty bike!

After I got home, I decided to order a set of Schwalbe CX Comp 700x30c cyclocross tires.

The guys over at The Bike Biz have found that these tires fit in most "track" frames and do a good job off road. Hopefully they will fit my frame!

2010 Specialized Allez Steel.

2009-08-19T02:20:00.006-04:00

Wow! I did not see this one coming! Specialized has done the unthinkable by releasing a steel road bike...with down tube shifters...in 2010.

FRAME Specialized Allez steel, integrated HS Tig welded
FORK Allez Steel
HEADSET Aheadset 1", cage bearings, integrated
STEM Specialized Elite-Set, 3D forged alloy, 4-position adjustable, 4-bolt 31.8mm clamp
HANDLEBARS Specialized Elite, 6061 aluminum, short drop, 31.8mm
TAPE Specialized S-Wrap, cork ribbon w/ gel
FRONT BRAKE Light dual pivot brake, Teflon pivots, forged alloy, w/ standard pads
REAR BRAKE Light dual pivot brake, Teflon pivots, forged alloy, w/ standard pads
BRAKE LEVERS Lever pull
FRONT DERAILLEUR Shimano 2300
REAR DERAILLEUR Shimano 2300
SHIFT LEVERS Shimano SLR400, down tube shifter
CASSETTE Shimano HG-50, 8-speed, 12-25t
CHAIN KMC Z-51
CRANKSET Shimano 2300
CHAINRINGS 52 x 39T
BOTTOM BRACKET Cr-Mo axle, 68mm x 113mm
PEDALS Silver cage/black body, w/ black toe clips and strap
RIMS Alex S500, aluminum, sleeve joint, CNC machined sidewalls
FRONT HUB Forged aluminum, sealed, QR, 32h
REAR HUB Forged aluminum, double-sealed, cassette, QR, 32h
SPOKES Stainless 14g
FRONT TIRE Specialized Mondo Sport, 700x23c, wire bead, 60TPI, w/ Flak Jacket protection
REAR TIRE Specialized Mondo Sport, 700x23c, wire bead, 60TPI, w/ Flak Jacket protection
INNER TUBES Standard presta valve
SADDLE Body Geometry Rival road, w/ steel rails
SEATPOST Alloy, two-bolt clamp, 27.2mm
SEAT BINDER Integrated w/ frame

List price: $609.99

I am incredibly excited by this. I think it's a step in the right direction for Specialized, and hopefully other companies to come out with some steel offerings for commuters and lovers of simple, classic bikes. Spin, a local bike shop, has a few of these in stock. I might have to head over there and test one out!

The notion of picking up a brand new steel bike for about $600 is incredibly enticing. If Specialized, or any other companies that step up could offer a nicer groupset on a bike like this for around the $1000 mark, they'd have my money in a heartbeat!

Fixed gear cog change.

2009-08-16T15:30:00.005-04:00

In an effort to make my fixed gear more commuter friendly for school, I have decided to gear down a bit from 48x17 to 44x16. It's only a change of about 2 gear inches, but it should help a bit for the some of the winds I face off of Lake Erie.

After changing my cog, I remembered how many times I've read a thread on a forum about someone stripping their hub during or after a cog change. I'd like to point out a few things about cog removal and installation.

Make sure you have all the tools you need.

You will need a new cog, a chain whip, a lock ring tool, and grease. I also feel that aluminum lock rings are pure junk. I personally would never use one. On many forums, you'll see people arguing all day that you don't need a chain whip or grease. These are the people that will end up with stripped hubs or seized cogs and/or lock rings. Sure, it is possible to rotofix a cog on or off. It is also true that with proper knowledge, patience and tools your equipment will last much longer. Grease is absolutely necessary for cog and lock ring installation. Pretty much anything with threads on your bicycle should be greased before installation.

Tools don't cost very much. Buy them now, and have them forever. Grease is a few dollars. Buy it.

With proper tools and some patience, a cog change is a simple 15-20 minute job. Another thing to note is that this is a great time to clean up your hub and drive side spokes. After cog removal, you have great access to get all that road grime off of your wheel. Take advantage of that and clean it up. After that, you'll have a great looking wheel!