Singlespeed Tuesday - 5 "New" Entries

"New" in quotes because I'm sure the folks who sent in these fine images have all but given up hope that their submissions would ever see the light of day.  To further mock my efforts, the five singlespeed bicycles which got posted today precisely equals the total number of singlespeeds which got added to the Gallery in 2011.  But, hey, as I said, it's time to just keep taking small bites and pedaling...
 

#331 - Cat Daddy's Specialized Hardrock
This one catches my attention for three reasons -
First, there's something wonderful to my eye about a large-tired rigid fork mountain bike from the early 90's.  In the days before suspension became prevalent, the design teams focused on getting the best out of the a simple system. The frame tubes were not overwhelmingly huge or formed and the lines remain clean and strong. The Hardrock wasn't as fancy as it's sibling the Stumpjumper, but a lot of the differences at this point had to do with stem size/angle offerings and componentry - the Hardrock was a tremendous value. 
Second, it's one of the types of bicycles which I actually lament not having nabbed when I worked in the industry (actually, my specifically egregious failure to snap up an amazing value was not getting one of the last steel Stumpjumpers - we had bought the last of the runs of these maroon, rigid-forked models which IIRC was destined for the European market. But, I digress).  When the quality steel mtb's started to dwindle, most of us just didn't notice - overcome by lust for titanium, exotic aluminums and the just-appearring carbon fiber.
Third, Bill managed to get his neighbor's rescue dog into the final photo.  Now, I ask you, how can you not feature an entry which does that?

New Entries to the Current Classics Gallery -
#330 - Shawn Mullenix's Schwinn Continental
#331 - Bill/Cat Daddy's Specialized Hardrock
#332 - Kenny Sargent's KHS Urban Soul
#333 - Laurent Savard's Cambio Rino
#334 - Brad Ingermann's Schwinn World Sport

Current Classics Gallery Updates

Cyclotourist's Rivendell Road
One of the more prolific photographers of "ride shots" has got to be Cyclotourist - aka Dave in Redlands.  He's one of the few folks who has actually made me mildly nostalgic for the winding fire roads in the Southland (that's the greater Los Angeles area, for those of you who aren't familiar with the term).  If you haven't run across his images on Flickr, you owe it to yourself to follow his stuff.



He's also managed to put together some very appropriate bicycles - finding some truly pristine examples of early Rivendell models.  Here, he shares his Road model.

The "Road" was made during the first generation of Rivendell models. I'm currently developing a bit better documentation of bicycles from this period.  The Road model arguably became the branch which begat the Rambouillet/Romulus, then the Hilsen.  At the time the Road model came out, finding decent reach brakes was an exercise in NOS patience - the commercial offerings were pretty minimal. But, even so, this bike was spec'd for maximum clearances with the components at hand, and staked out the idea of good clearance, stable and versatile "road" bikes that didn't need to stay on pavement.




New Entries to the Current Classics Gallery -


#839 - David Horne's Mario Vicini
#840 - John Tsataros' Schwinn World Tourist
#841 - Ted Town's Gardin
#842 - Robert Hill's Raleigh Professional
#843 - Cyclotourist's Rivendell Road

Kickstart / Restart

As I mentioned over on the Cyclofiend.com blog, this past year (2011( was going to be a crusher, with things getting exponentially complicated as the year drew to a close and shuffled through January. I pedaled my way through it and seem to have popped out the other side.
Now it's time to attend to all of the odds and ends which have accumulated around here.
Order of Business #1 - Cyclofiend.com T-Shirts:
I've got a few left in all three styles. I think for this year, it's time to redo the most popular design (which was, hands-down, the original "One Cog - Zero Excuses") in a new color. And while we did sell through most of the other two designs, they were a bit more sedate in their sell-through, and thus will be retired.
So - if you've been hankering for a new t-shirt and aren't looking for 2XL or Small, there's something for you here. (I've reworked the buttons and they seemed to work correctly, but if paypal insists on adding shipping, I'll refund it as soon as I process the order.)
Order of Business #2 - Galleries:
Backlog, Backlog...who's gotta Backlog? Yep - that'd be me. I have a chunk of images from 2011, and even though the Galleries have been dormant for way too long, folks have continued sending photos and descriptions of cool rides my way. My plan is to take small, regular bites beginning soon. So "Thank You" for your patience, and an even bigger thanks to those who had sent in images.
Order of Business #3 - Ride More
Yeah, that one's kind of for me. Last year was a little underwhelming, mileage-wise, and as the final bits of mywork project played out, I had to quit cold-turkey in mid-December, not clambering back aboard until the beginning of this month. 
Yikes!

Suffice to say, it was good to pedal again.
Here's to more, soon!

Queueing Up

Well now, that was quite an effort for the past couple months. The specifics are immaterial, though I may dig into them a bit more completely on my Cyclofiend Ramblings blog. Suffice to say that we've reached the last control in a long ride, and I've sat and rested a bit. It will take a while before I've worked the kinks out, but I'm easing into a pretty significant backlog of images and submissions to the Galleries.

There are a number of projects on the Cyclofiend.com site which have lain quite dormant over the last year or so, and I've leafed through notes and scribbles, emails and messages which relate to tweaks and revisions. 

Before I delve into all of that, I just wanted to thank those of you who took the time to email or ask if things were going OK.  Thank you too for the donations and support of the site while there was little visible activity. 

I'll roll out a little easy this week, try to set a reasonable pace, and see where it leads me.  Thanks for reading!

Quick, Short Update

I'd mentioned this in passing over on the RBW Owner's Group list which I moderate, and just wanted to clarify the status of this blog, and the Cyclofiend.com site in general.  The galleries on the site have been reasonably dormant this year, and a number of people have taken the time to email to find out the status.

The short answer is "Yes, things will continue in the Galleries and on the site in general".

Unfortunately, work demands have been significant this year (both voice work and day job), culminating in a pretty full month here in January.  After that, it looks like things will be a bit more balanced, which should mean - well, after I get my own mileage back in order - that I can again dig into the backlog of submissions for the galleries.

To be honest, there are over 50 bikes which have been waiting, gathering digital dust on my hard drive, so there are plenty of new bicycles to enjoy.  Hang in there!

If you have been one of the people who's bicycle I haven't yet gotten to - thank you for your patience!  Things should start rolling again in February.

Current Classics - Raleighs and More

Four Of A Kind - Well, four Raleighs out of seven new entries to the Current Classics Gallery - I guess that would make a good poker hand.  It's always funny how these things work out sometimes.  But, the interesting thing is what a variety of models have rolled out of Nottingham. (And if you want more background info on Raleigh - AASHTA - http://www.sheldonbrown.com/retroraleighs/history.html)

But, even with all of these Raleighs, it's hard to pass up showcasing a classic Bridgestone MB.


Jim Roselle's Bridgestone MB-5
I've got a soft spot for the MB series - it was the first Bridgestone which ever rolled through my life (a purple MB-3, if you are keeping tracking) and it is still a bicycle model which has a perfect mix of style and performance.

The late 80's/early 90's mtbs are certainly some of the best riding 26" trail bikes.  Responsive and stable, quick and lively.  I'm lucky enough to have an MB-1, and everytime I hit the trails on mine, it reminds me how well realized this series of mountain bikes was.

Jim's photo of his really captures the spirit of far horizons and wonderful trails.

New Entries to the Current Classics Gallery -

#833 - Michael Hensley's Raleigh International
#834 - Jim Roselle's Bridgestone MB-5
#835 - Branko's Raleigh Grand Prix
#836 - Michael Baczkowski's Raleigh Touring
#837 - Dominique Fernandes' Centurion Accordo RS
#838 - John Bunnell's Raleigh Pioneer Trail 2000

Four Current Classics for a Four Day Week

The process of organizing and cleaning up can be a little ugly - found a nested folder on the computer that had a bunch of things which folks had sent in late last year, that "I was gonna get to..." but didn't.   Within that unremarkable digital repository is a goodly chunk of cool bicycles.  I may end up threading them into the newer submissions, or just try to do those sequentially (which may in turn build up the backlog for more recent entries.....) We'll see.

Again for those of you who have sent stuff in and have yet to see it represented, patience please! (And Thanks! - both for the images and descriptions and for the patience!) Hang in there, subscribe to the feed and enjoy these fine bicycles.

Nick Roth's Schwinn Superior

Along with the early Trek bicycles, another set of bicycles which I've always secretly lusted after has been the fillet brazed Schwinns.  This under appreciated segment of Schwinn's lineup seems to be largely unknown to folks.  It first caught my eye when I read about them on Sheldon Brown's site -  in Mark Rother's article posted there.

Now, certainly,  I like lugs.  But, there's something really beautiful about a fillet brazed frameset - a smooth, seamless quality to the work that flatters the elegant simplicity of a bicycle frame. The Schwinns such as Nick's Superior just seemed like really undervalued framesets.

Hopefully (since we presumably ride in the same county) I'll cross paths with this bicycle one day - but in the meantime, enjoy these images of this bicycle.

New Entries to the Current Classics Gallery - 
#829 - Nick Roth's Schwinn Superior
#830 - Gernot Huber's Raleigh Woman's model
#831 - Angus Lemon's Rivendell Atlantis
#832 - Tyler Los-Jones' Miyata 1000

Three for Thursday

I know everyone is hunkered down, trying to get out of town for the big holiday weekend, but if you have a moment in your busy schedule, please enjoy these three fine examples of Current Classics.  A fine example of a Japanese-crafted lugged frame, a venerable Bridgestone design (with it's hallmark of extreme versatility) and a Trek from the classic period of US framebuilding.

It was really hard to pick one to highlight, so I finally just tossed my three-headed dart (or was that a three-headed coin?  Anyway...) and came up with Randy's Trek.

Randy Pugh's Trek 620

Randy has three other bicycles  in the Gallery (Randy's Trek 1500, Trek 600, Trek 660) - all Treks and none made from carbon.   I've mentioned in more than a few posts and online commentary that the early Trek models are one of the bikes I've never had but always wanted to own.  Good, simple, smart builds, with attention to detail that isn't obsessive.  This one is from the "ideal" period and has a lot of the details which really make it prime in my mind: the "marquee" decal design (with the contrasting background wrapping around the tube), the externally routed rear derailleur cable (for a while they put it through the right chainstay), and the excellent clearances and braze-on's. 

A useful and versatile bicycle. Great to see it being enjoyed!


#826 - Vann Hughes' Bianchi Professional
#827 - Matthew Dearing's Bridgestone MB-1
#828 - Randy Pugh's Trek 620

Five Singlespeed Bicycles

I feel like I've shown up at a group ride well after the time agreed upon, only to find that everyone waited rather than just rolled out.  A little shame, a bit of embarrassment.  That sort of thing.  Suffice to say that if you are among those who have patiently waited for new updates, or the few who took the time to send a polite email, I truly appreciate your patience. 

While there have been a number of internal updates and pruning of the underbrush, this is the first Gallery update of the year.  As you might guess, there's a pretty decent backlog of images, and a few submissions from later last year which got stuck on a hard drive for a while. My plan is to hunker down, take small bites and keep chewing. We'll see how that works out.

So... with no further delays.  Here are five singlespeeds for your enjoyment.

Three of the five are Raleigh-labeled, which should not really be a surprise given the length and reach of that particular bicycle crafting dynasty (even more).  In fact, I have a Raleigh in the rafters, though it's most likely destined to becoming a grocery/farmer's market bicycle - might end up as a singlespeed, but I digress.







Philip De Ritis' Gazelle

Philip De Ritis' Gazelle on Cyclofiend.com

Now "Gazelle" is not a brand which you encounter quite so frequently - at least stateside.  It's one of those brand names, like Ibis and Kestrel, which embodies speed and nimbleness.  In my mind, there's something very art deco and 1930's about those names - in the sense of appropriate imagery and dynamic claims.

In addition to some very dramatic images, Peter has built up this frame using a strong "early days of cycling" aesthetic - "scorcher" style handlebar setup, stripped down components and a beautiful polished look to the parts. There's a lot to catch your attention with this bike, and it looks like it would fit in rolling slowly along a promenade or heading for the horizon at high speed kicking up a cloud of dust.

New Entries to the Singlespeed Gallery - 
#325 - Richard Sheets' Raleigh
#326 - Peter Van Dine's Bianchi
#327 - Leon's Retro Raleigh
#328 - Philip De Ritis' Gazelle
#329 -  Scott Taylor's Raleigh Sportif

A Good Helping of Current Classics

It's much safer to stay out of the post-Thanksgiving retail scrum and enjoy some great looking bicycles. Between gorgeous images of pre-fall mountain bike vistas and the details of resurrections and renovations which are contained within this batch, my hope is that you'll find some enjoyment and respite from the pending holiday craziness.


Eric Bagdonas' Miyata Ninety Mixte

Mixtes seem to be enjoying a bit of quiet resurgence.  Appearing in  more advertisements and articles to be sure, but it does seem as though I'm seeing them more frequently on my commute and locked up around town as they quietly go about their day being useful and stylish. 

Starting with a well-rendered Miyata mixte frame, Eric has created a sure-footed, weather-resistant bicycle for real world use on the streets of Portland, OR. It's funny to consider how many features I would have poo-poo-ed a decade or so ago - basket, fenders, IGH (Internally Geared Hubset)... indeed, the very notion of a "drop-bar" bicycle itself.  But, now, there it is, with just enough glimmer and glint from the silver fenders to catch your attention as it goes about its way each day.

New Entries to the Current Classics Gallery - 
#817 - Bob Hague's Motobecane Grant Touring
#818 - Justin Becker's Rodriguez Tandem
#819 - Kevin Mulcahy's ALAN Guerciotti CX/Road
#820 - Tris' Fort Touring Audax
#821 - Michael Kullman's Surly Karate Monkey
#822 - Don Genovese's Rivendell LongLow
#823 - Nick Roth's Raleigh Commuter
#824 - Mauricio Orantes' Trek 1500
#825 - Eric Bagdonas' Miyata Ninety Mixte