Bates Crates And Updates. 8.October.2009

First I’d like to give my congratulations to Cole of 1 Less Car (www.1lesscar.com) for his success in creating a great porter crate and having it published in Trek’s new catalog! They’re great and I might have to get myself one with my wooden Cetma rack .

I feel like someone trying to follow a fad but I don’t care. That stuff is useful and I find them to look pretty cool. Call me a hipster, I don’t care.

Anyway, I also have some pretty good news for myself. I received an email today from Eric B. of Bike Pittsburgh (www.bike-pgh.org) asking me if I wanted to help out with a new bike program called PA Walks and Bikes. I would be able to help be a sort of correspondent from here in State College. This is great because it helps me get even deeper into this lovely bike scene I have opened the door to, as well as helping me get good contacts to help me along the way. More information is hopefully coming soon. I’ll keep you posted with everything as it happens.

How’s that for getting back online? Chea. This is fun.

So yeah, check everything out. I need to get back in the know and read up on my bicycling news.

Take care!

Late Late Updates 24.September.2009

Well I’ve been too lazy/busy to update. Sorry for anyone who actually reads this thing (please leave a comment if you do; the feedback would be appreciated ). Anyway, here are some updates (you might want to get some coffee):

• The New Bicycle Project:

I have been riding the Raleigh I found quite a bit lately with only comfort modifications; a new saddle and new bar tape. The old bar tape was basically regular tape on metal. I had some really funky sore spots on my palms because of it. The seat was just really hard and uncomfortable especially since I’m used to riding on cruiser and hybrid saddles I finally got motivation to get upgrades for my bike and I’m really happy with the results:

I took apart and cleaned the rear brake caliper and installed a new cable with white housing . Now the next step is to get new cables and housing for the rest of the bike…in due time of course.
I am going to confirm my first idea and once this bike is done it’s going to have all new components with the frame and fork to be unchanged (maybe except for a new coat of clear coat).

I also added a brake upgrade considering how I pretty much don’t have any brakes on this thing haha.

Told you I haven’t really worked on this bike. I was too excited, what can I say?

• The Bike Trip Across The Country/Life In General:

I’m glad I set the date for this trip to 2 years from now because I am definitively not ready in any way for it. I don’t have the bike for the trip, nor the parts for the bike, nor the means of getting such items. Also my friend Leon has convinced me to move to Pittsburgh so I’m going to hopefully be getting a new job and such which I’m planning on using all the money towards all things bikes. As soon as I get down there I’m joining Bike Pittsburgh (www.bike-pgh.org) so I can get a nice kick start into a formal biking world. The hardly existent bike advocacy/culture in State College (and SC in general…) is a real drag so I’m going to go to where it is already in full swing and try to thrive in it

Even More Updated Updates:

Ok so those are one set of updates that I started a draft of in July and never printed till now (September). Like I said, I’ve been lazy and busy. The plan to move to Pittsburgh is still in full effect. After living there for a while (and hopefully not being sucked back into the black hole of State College), I plan on making my permanent home in Portland, OR.

Other than that, I’m pretty much just working all the time. And if I’m not working, I’m playing pool, drinking, or partying. Yeah, pretty boring life ’till Pittsburgh. Anyway these have been choppy updates I know, I’ll organize it some time. I’ll actually try doing updates and such as I was doing before. I also plan on doing some reviews and such, like the new Chrome bag that I just got and absolutely love!! Well that’s all for now. A start in the very least.

Take care.

The Start Of A New Bike Product Series. 10.July.2009

The bicycle iPod holder…

Click the picture to check out his site.

I was thinking about making this myself. My plan was to mount something onto my bike so I can play music through speakers on by bike and to use the bike computer applications I downloaded for my iPhone. On his site he asks for feedback so if you are interested in this it is definitely worth it to check out his site to read more about it and give him some ideas or what have you.

New Build Update 8.July.2009

Raleigh status: rideable.

To my surprise, this bike is in pretty decent condition. My hypothesis seems to be right in how I figured that this bike was ridden often enough, it just sat for a while and whomever had it just threw it out once their lease was up.
Sucks for them, awesome for me.
Basically all that needs to be done are a full tune up and new components. The rear wheel needs to be trued badly because it rubs on the brakes a whole heck of a lot and when walking the bike, the back wheel tends to lock up and just skid. Riding the bike however allows it to run as it’s supposed to but you can feel it hitting the brakes which is annoying and inhibiting me from seeing the true speed of this bike

My plans for this bike as of now are to just tune it and ride it as is until I can get the parts I need to fix it up properly. Here’s a quick list of what I need so far:

• New wheel set I put a newer front wheel on the bike but a matching pair would be better especially with matching tires…
• New chain Though the existing chain is in pretty decent condition, I don’t want to have to trust it when I’m riding around town, especially with idiot drivers who hate bikers.
• New brake and shifter cables I might even get new break levers and try to go for bar end shifters but the old school look and feel of the respective systems now are keeping me from doing so as of yet.

One of the reasons why I’m just going to ride the bike as is for a while is so I can become more comfortable using friction shifters, seeing as how I’ve never ridden a bike with them before. Overall, I can tell this bike is going to be a lot of fun and definitely a great commuter bike. I’ve decided to just use my ‘cross bike for joy rides, adventures, and other bicycle shenanigans

Total bike build cost: $0.00

Until next time,
Have fun riding!

New Commuter 5.July.2009

So, since my ‘cross bike decides to have something wrong with it at least once a week, I’ve decided to retire it for the time being and build myself a new commuter.

I’m going to build this dumpster find up

Raleigh Sportif Road Bike

It will also help me to get on good terms with the guys over at Freeze Thaw because I know they will LOVE this bike . Plus I still want to try to get a job there…forever my goal I suppose. Anyway, keep riding and I hope you had a happy 4th! This year was my best year ever!

One Of The Best Ways To Bike Cross-Country… 24.June.2009

By charity!

I got an email the other day from the Centre Region Bike Coalition (CRBC) mailing list that requested donations of food and supplies for this group of people crossing the country. They are part of this organization called Bike and Build (www.bikeandbuild.org) that helps to raise money for housing across the country! They hold rides throughout the summer every year so I would be able to catch a ride or 2 or 3 . This may just be the ride I do and just stay out West. I would be able to go on an assisted tour, do some good deeds along the way, and have a cool bike to keep afterwards hehe!

So check them out, sign up, and go ride!

42 Below Takes Off Soon! 21.June.2009

For anyone who hasn’t heard of it, here’s the recruitment poster:

If I didn’t already have plans this summer I would have done it in a heart beat. If it happens again before I make my trip over I’m doing it. Best idea ever. Great job BFF.

Ready? Go! Bicycling 18.June.2009

For anyone interested, I have created a bicycling group called Ready? Go! Bicycling. The name comes from a commonly used phrase between my friends and I and works quite well for our crazy love for biking. The group is based in State College, PA but with some help from my friends, we hope to expand the group to every corner of the planet. This is not another bike facebook, this is a common ground for people to join together and do what they love the most: bicycle.

For more information, visit the blog at http://readygobikes.wordpress.com.

I Found My New Bike 6.June.2009

Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love the bike I have now. It’s light and fast and it handles like a dream. I’m getting a new bike for a couple of reasons

1. Brand new parts so it won’t break down on me (my bike has been having that problem as of late)
2. Disc Brakes
3. Better touring capabilities

Which bike did I find? This stack of beauty:

It is the Vassago Fisticuff and it is amazing. I have come to the conclusion that my style of biking is definitely only suited with ‘cross bikes and this sex machine will suffice all of my adventures. Here is the description from it’s site:

“Jack of all trades, master of none. Like all things Vassago, (except maybe our beer glasses) the Fisticuff is not for everybody.Think of it as a ‘cross bike with a bit of a ‘roid problem. In this case, that’s a very good thing. We beefed up the frame and fork in all the same places where a 29er trail bike experiences torsional forces. The result is a ‘cross style bike that responds like a mountain bike in the rough stuff.

More than simply adding tire clearance to a ‘cross frame, the Fisticuff fits the monstercross nomenclature by way of it’s trail-bike tubeset, drop bar geometry, straight blade fork and all around badassness. Yes, it is a word.

So build it up to fit your needs. 650b or 700c wheels. singlespeed, fixed, geared, skinny tires, fat tires, disc, V-brakes, cantis, drop bars, flat bars… Whatever toots your whistle.
Whether you’re looking for a drop-bar trail bike, a burly commuter, or a touring rig, the Fisticuff is your huckleberry.” http://vassagocycles.com/fisty.html

Basically, whatever I want on this bike or whatever I want to do with this bike is possible, more so than my bike now. Vassago also has a rack specifically made for the Fisticuff that has a max load of 60 pounds, more than I’ve seen for a rack, which is perfect for my trip. I cannot wait to have this bike! Getting this bike also gives me the opportunity to have a bike fitted for me for the first time ever. I was saving up for a Macbook Pro but, bikes are better. This bicycle company is also available from 2 of my local bike shops so I can get this bike sooner than later and have great recommendations for what I should put on it. And since I found it on Freeze Thaw’s site I’m going to them. Plus they have the rest of the things I want like Chrome bags and hopefully they will have the new Warsaw bag so I can get it .

On a side note, I’m going to go see if I can get a summer internship/job/learning type thing through them. I doubt they’ll let some kid that is just starting bike mechanics to work there but, it’s worth a try and I can deal with the answer ‘no’.

Well that’s enough from me. I just went on a bit of a “bicycle/internet/research” kick because it’s raining and cold outside. That and chores are so boring haha!

Findings While Training pt. 2 1.June.2009

Last night was another great ride especially since my friends came along for this one. I still have to see how many miles we went (I will put a map up as soon as I can make one on bikely) but, it was a great ride no matter how far it was. We had a really fun drag race which was the best warm up ever. After that we had a nice relaxing ride through some woods that met up with a highway that lead to a bike path. This bike path is connected with a good bit of places in and around State College and I am going to explore all summer long. I’m glad my friends came along with me this time because that just helped me go farther and faster than I normally do alone. Great training ride. Hands down. Well anyway here are the training lists which are pretty much the same:

Things To Do:

• B.B. overhaul (I need to go out a buy the tools since Frank lost his)
• Install drop bars with a shorter stem (I found I basically crunch my body down into a ‘drop’ position when I go fast anyway so these bars are going to be great!)
• Install new cables and shifting system

Things I Need:

• Better saddle (still)
• Better fenders (still)
• Pedals with more grip when wet (and actually use the shoes I got for biking (nice diesels))
• More water while riding (and get friends to bring their own…)
• Batteries for my tail-light (front light back in full swing)

Hopefully another bike ride like this tonight. We shall see. Anyone local who wants to go on a ride with us email me at theaquanator@gmail.com and have the subject “Ready? Go! Bicycling sign-up”. Otherwise it’s trash, sorry.

http://readygobikes.wordpress.com