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.

Crazy for S'luki - Jack Courtney's Rivendell Saluki

Gotta say up front that I have a soft spot for this model in general,  as well as the name and orange bikes in particular...

The Saluki was a really interesting bicycle, coming as it did in the first wave of 650B resurgence. At the time, no one seemed to consider using large volume tires on 700C frames (well, aside from us crazy 'crossers, but even then a 35cm tire was pretty wickedly large.)  In addition to one of the coolest bicycle names every, it had a lot of smart details. First and foremost, it paid attention to how well a bicycle can ride when you use a decent amount of air to cushion the ride and provide an ample footprint on the road and trails.

Between the time this bicycle came out and I had the resources to buy one, Rivendell had brought out the A. Homer Hilsen, which is the geared/coastable bicycle I ended up with.  Of course, since that time, the Saluki became the smaller sized AHH's, which ended the model.  But with every 650B wheelsize Hilsen I see, I know there's a lithe coursing hound underneath, chucking a bit...

Jack Courtney's Rivendell Saluki

Jack's bike is pretty much exactly the way I'd think about my own.  Fenders and racks so you can ramble long and not be phased by weather or distance.  Smart gearing for a variety of terrain.  And, it's orange.
 

Updates to the Current Classics Bicycle Gallery

#805 - Jack Courtney's Rivendell Saluki
#806 - William Spencer's Rivendell Bombadil
#807 - BP Hague's Sekai 2400

Current Classics Update: Lucky Seven on the Seventh

It's really gratifying when the randomness of submissions line up with the tenets of the Cyclofiend.com galleries.  Back in 2005 (the waning dour days of dialup?) when these Galleries started coming together, one of the ideas was to highlight the really well designed but reasonably unappreciated bicycle frames which seemed to be fading from people's perception.

While I certainly love the continued expansion of new builders who understand that the strength of a bicycle design stems from its simplicity, I've always said that reinvigorating an older model was an honorable task.  The bicycle which landed at the Milestone spot of 800 seems to epitomize that.

Current Classics #800 - Mike Hauptman's Trek 614
Mike has taken a really nice frame design from probably the golden age of Trek steel and set it up with the parts and accessories which really compliment it.

From the superb coverage of the Honjo fenders to the classic art nouveau of the font on the seat tube, it's classy and useful, yet Mike's not afraid to use the shifting system he prefers.  Best of both worlds and a wonderful addition to the gallery!

Updates to the Current Classics Bicycle Gallery

#798 - Rudolph Luciani's Dave Moulton FUSO FR-1
#799 - Byron Kerr's Surly Long Haul Trucker
#800 - Mike Hauptman's Trek 614 - Milestone!
#801 - Tad Broussard's Jamis Aurora
#802 - Tad Broussard's Schwinn Tempo
#803 - Tony K's Curtlo MTB
#804 - Bob Stoltz's Rivendell Custom

Site & Blog Update

First, I wanted to thank all of the visitors to this blog and the Cyclofiend.com gallery pages who have emailed wondering what was up with the updates. It's nice to know that people miss this stuff when it's not getting updated.  I appreciate all the questions concerning health & life and all that, as well as the sincere offers to help.  It's really heartwarming to get that kind of feedback.

Of course, the main issue is simple - time.  As some folks who know me well are aware, I've been developing a new career as a voice actor, which requires time - for workshops, classes, auditions and the jobs themselves. I also have been working as an audio engineer for some of the voiceover classes at the school - Voicetrax. 

I also - and this should come as no surprise - really, really enjoy riding my bicycle.  Which means if I have enjoyed a sliver of time this summer, I've tried to ride.

A lot of the efforts for voice acting - particularly the auditions - require me to be inside, staring at a computer screen. This time definitely has taken away from time to process people's images, post them to the gallery, and update the listings.  Quite frankly, after I've spent the morning doing auditions, blazed down to my day job and maaaaaaybe snuck in an extended loop on the commute home, the last thing I've wanted to do is sit down in front of the computer again.  In short, I've gotten a bit out of the habit. 

It's also compounded by the fact that the venerable G4 Cube - wherein all the software lives which runs the cyclofiend.com site - has started getting a bit senile of late.  Crashes, quirkiness... that sort of thing.  I happen to feel it's always a copout to blame the hardware, and we've been saving to update that part of the home network.  So hopefully, that variable will go away soon.

Certainly, a "gee I'm sorry I haven't posted" post always sucks.  They are lame.  And I'm writing one, so it seems.   But, this past week, I did have a talk with the production department (me) and did process through a slug of images which have been patiently waiting for addition to the galleries.

So, thanks for your patience and look for some updates*.  We're back in gear and slowly pulling away from the dock.

*and, if you have a business that has voiceover needs - gimmee a holler.

Cyclocross Gallery: Paul Germain's Bontrager Cross

To be quite honest, the Cyclocross Gallery really doesn't get a whole lotta love. Which is humorous to me, as way back in dialup days, the whole Cyclofiend.com website, really came into being around things cyclocrossy (cyclocross-ish? cyclocross-esque?... anyway...).

It does point out that however large the cult/tribe/band grows, no matter how many cheering viking-throng photos filter out of Portland, SF or Seattle, it's still a subset of bicycling at large, and an off-seasony, oddish one at that.

Which is fine. Wouldn't have it any other way.

But, it does tend to impact the number of images which folks supply of dedicated CX bikes. Plus there's probably less opportunity, as most cross bikes live short, brutish lives, aging many years in each season, if actually raced.

That does make the cross bike images a bit more special, and when you get a chance to enjoy something as unique as Paul Germain's fillet-brazed Bontrager Cross bike, it is indeed a treat.

Cyclofiend Cross Bike Gallery #57

As Paul points out in the description, a fillet-brazed Bontrager is reasonably rare. (And you know that the Bontrager Cross models are not all that common.) I've never seen one with the nickel treatment on the stays and fork, and the addition of the Steve Potts stem just ties this bike off very nicely.

Three more additions over in the Cross Bike Gallery as well:


Paul Germain's Bontrager Fillet-Brazed Cross
Daniel Cuellar's Scattante XRC Cross
Michael Gibian's Haro Mary XC
Andrew VonSeggen's Salsa A La Carte


- Enjoy!