Bike building

If you can't ride bikes, building them is the next best thing.

 

I sent the Travelers Check rear triangle and fork off to Alex at A-Train Cycles get the brake bosses repositioned for 650b wheels; Alex was great to deal with, does fine work at relatively affordable prices with reasonable turn around. If you need minor frame repairs or S&S Couplers installed he is a good resource, and if your pockets are deep enough for a custom frame, check out his submission to this years NAHBS.

 

 

Shutter Precision SV-8 32h front dynamo, from our friends at Intelligent Design Cycles. 

Initial impressions out of the box: the craftsmanship, fit and finish of this hub look to be top notch. 

Overall appearance is very classy and will look great on the travelers check with silver DT Competition spokes lacked to the Velocity Synergy.  Weighing in at 390g, my SV-8 is13g heavier than published weight.

 

 

Velocity Synergy Off-Set rear wheel; 

Asymmetrical drilling allows for even spoke tension for a stronger wheel.

 Velocity 135mm rear ATB hub, will keep the chain-line a bit wider to ensure clearance of wide rubber.

The hub in my care-pack from Velocity was a 36h, so the full wheel-set build will have to wait...

I was able to lace up the front successfully.  

Lemonade

My crash two days ago resulted in several minor bruises, lumps, road rash, a tear to rotator cuff, and scrotal hematoma.  Life handed me some figurative "lemons" with my bike accident; and now my testicles are swollen to the size of lemons as a painful reminder of that allegory.

Prognosis on the shoulder is hopeful: keep it immobilized through the next 3 months of summer, then go under the knife in the fall and suffer through the recovery during winter.  This recommendation of complete immobilization imposes some problems for my upcoming month long bike-packing adventures through Iceland and Spain.

In taking a solution focused approach to this problem, I was reminded of Charles Scott McDonald, the cyclocross racer with one arm. Very inspirational guy, instilling confidence in my ability to complete my tour with my arm in a sling.  All i need now is to reroute my shift levers and get a dual pull brake lever

Spring Has Sprung

700x23c tires pumped to 120 psi on a svelte single speed feels like lightning after slogging through snow and ice on the fat bike all winter.  Me evening began with a speedy ride on my road bike on the lovely Chester Creek trail that lies just out my back door and snakes it's way across the city.

 I was thoroughly enjoying the ice free pavement.

Spinning as fast as I could, leaning into turns, grinning ear to ear.

All of a sudden I'm airborne; staring down at the pavement, feet rising over my head; bike is inverted.
This can't be good.

Endo.

Abrupt speed-bump in the middle of the path, directly after a fast sweeping corner, unmarked.



This is surprisingly accurate approximation of what happened.:

Flew 6ish feet, slid a few more, left side of my body took all the impact; my bike was still attached to my feet, and rag-dolled with me.

Gathered my thoughts, no broken bones. Can't move my left arm, blood pooling in my elbow, shoulder and hip;  heavy limp. 

Brittle aluminum frame and carbon fork intact.  Both wheels bent to hell. 

Was on my way to Alaska Leather  to sell some bike parts. 

Not thinking clearly, I limped the busted bike another 3 miles to the motorcycle apparel shop, where I was greeted with a handful of Advil and a cold Sierra Nevada; trading stories for the next hour of two wheeled carnage with the girls behind the counter.  

Talked Alaska Leather into setting up a cup-cake stand for all the bike commuters this Friday!

Made $40 toward my upcoming Iceland / Spain Tour.

Not a horrible night, all things considered.  Not sure if I'll be able to bike to work tomorrow.