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

Catching Up - CX, Working Bikes & Updates

Finally put on the headlamp, took a shovel and pick, and started digging into the morass of confusion which are the "Updates & Revisions" to previous gallery submissions.  At some point a year ago, I figured out something clever, then promptly forgot about it until a few months back.  By then, things had gotten relatively confused and out of synch, so I've had to chip away the grunge and refind them.  Which has occurred.  So, here's the first batch:

Singlespeed Gallery Revisions:
John Busteed's Rivendell Quickbeam
Jim Mather's Rivendell Quickbeam
Gary Passmore's Trek 420
Joe Huddelston's Nishiki Sport
Bert's Bianchi

Current Classics Gallery Revisions:
Mark Rosenberg's Rivendell Road
Stu Wemhoener's Raleigh Resurrectio
Stu Wemhoener's Burley Tandem
George Dickerson's Motobecane
Robert Hill's Richard Sachs #16

So, if you sent in a Revision to a previous Gallery Submission, hang in there!  I've got them queued up and am starting to move through them.  (And if you are thinking of sending in a Revision or Update, please take a second to reference the Gallery Number of the original submission - that helps me find it more quickly.)

In the past week, there were also updates to the Working Bicycle Gallery and the CX Bicycle Gallery. 

Working Bicycle - Daniel Dahlquist's Robin Hood

Now, I'll admit that I've kinda got twin top tubes on the brain - with the evolution of Grant Petersen's Rivendell Sam Hillborne, Hunquapillar and Bombadil models all acquiring additional and entirely non-trendy tubing.  When they've appeared on various bicycle designs, whether taller framesets or more load-bearing-oriented models, I've tried to consider what the tube does, how it does it, and how it will be viewed in another 5 years or so.

Needless to say, Grant is not the first frame designer who has taken this approach.  This laid-back Robin Hood brings a stylish sweep to the genre of Working Bicycles.  Robin Hood was a brand originally acquired by Raleigh back in 1906, and was part of their bicycle manufacturing empire.

Here, Daniel has added a stylish front Porteur-style platform rack and simple but functional VO chaincase.  The additional racks allow him to use this as a camping bicycle, and it looks like it's ready to roll out into the woods.

Additions to the Working Bicycle Gallery:
#130 - Daniel Dahlquist's Robin Hood
#131 - J. Tackett's Trek Loaded Fuel 80
#132 - Lee Chae's Kogswell P/R
#133 - Robert Clark's Brompton

CX - Kevin Mulcahy's Bruce Gordon Rock-n-Road

Bruce Gordon has been steadily designing and building bikes for over a quarter century.  He has always crafted framesets which were more than happy to roll offroad, or carry whatever you asked of them.  Whether passing out pocket protectors with the phrase "Bruce Gordon Cycles - Where the Touring Nerd is King!" or engaging in the Interbike pranksterism which was SOPWAMTOS, he was making quality bikes when most people didn't care or notice, and every current builder owes him an acknowledgment of thanks.

Ooops - how did I end up on this soapbox...

Anyway, this Rock-n-Road has all the aspects of what I like in a CX bike - a stripped down robustness, the clearances which can only be found in a steel frame and an understated finish.  Plus, there's a chicken on the stem. Can't beat that!

Updates to the Cyclocross Bicycle Gallery:
#64 - Esteban Diaz's Trek 700 Conversion
#65 - Kevin Mulcahy's Bruce Gordon Rock-n-Road

Shaking Off The Dust - Beth's "Stompy v2.0"

It seems appropriate to reinvigorate the updates with bicycles that share a simple design and construction.  Until we decide to take the big step back to the Draisine, the singlespeed is still about as simple as you can go.  And as anyone who tries it may (well...sometimes begrudgingly) admit, simple is often times good.

I know that a single drive sprocket keeps calling me back - even when I might curse its inflexibility as the pitch of the climbs increase.  Tonight I scooted out after a day too long rooted in front of the  computer, and as the solid, windless heat lay upon the earth, the fixed drivetrain of my ride made no sound.  A tangent onto some narrow trails supplied the perfect challenge to momentum and balance. Single geared bikes rock.

And speaking of rocking, long time contributor to the Galleries, Beth H. has gotten a good chomp from the singlespeed bug.  Her first rig of recent years was a singleated mtb which somewhere along the line I seem to have dubbed "Stompy".  After shaking that down on the Portland short track and cyclocross scene, she has ended up with a more purpose built model, a Redline Monocog with snazzy bits of pink for accent.  Cool bike!

In addition to wrenching at CityBikes up in Portland, she keeps an interesting blog - bikelovejones 

Updates to the Singlespeed Bicycle Gallery

#306 - idotel's Raleigh Grand Prix
#307 - Gina's "Milk Runner" Nishiki Custom Sport Mixte
#308 - B. Saul's Motobecane Touring
#309 - Beth Hamon's "Stompy 2.0" Redline Monocog

Countdown to Cross Season

I don't know if it was the mucky, rain-filled stage of the Giro the other day, but all of a sudden, I'm thinking about CX season.  Realizing that my running shoes are a bit crackly and threadbare.  Thinking that if I run smooth tires on the trails this summer, I can probably get another season out of my Mud2 tires. Looking forward to hanging out with the hooligans from Team Paul at cross races here and about.

In other words, "Hi, I'm Jim, and I'm powerless over cyclocross..."

(It's considered polite to say, "Hi Jim!" at this point.)

Now, a good addiction always has enablers, and - while some may argue that the Cyclofiend Galleries are exactly that (or possibly a Gateway Drug) - the lust-worthy submissions from other mudders serve just that purpose.

Jim Mather's Rivendell Legolas

Cyclocross Gallery #63

Certainly, the sharp-eyed among you may be crying "Foul!" as Jim is running smooth tires on this bicycle. But, to that criticism, I would suggest a closer look - there's a decent rim of mud at the sidewall.  And, as I've stated a few times recently, tire placement and weight distribution handles about 87 - 93% of the issues you face on unpaved surfaces. I expect this bicycle will continue to see a fair amount of dirt.

The Legolas is a rare bird, indeed. I'd be surprised if there are 50 of them. They were delivered by Rivendell back in fall of 2006, and have been made by Mark Nobilette and possibly Waterford.  A couple have cropped up on Rivendell's "Frame Specials" page, but luckily for my finances, those have been 62's.   This may have been one of those, as I do recall the stunning copper finish - a memorable color choice for such a fine bike.  (A deep red seems to be the most common, but I've also seen images of blue versions.)

Jim has set it up nicely - a good combination of new and used parts - and the bike looks ready  to rumble. Hopefully, I'll even get a chance to see this bike in person someday.


Additions to the Cyclocross Gallery - 
#61 - J.D. Kimple's Mongoose Croix Comp
#62 - Rick's Motobecane Cross
#63 - Jim Mather's Rivendell Legolas