The Craigslist Shuffle: Ultegra Shifters And A Girvin Sighting

A few weeks ago I told you about my latest addition and things are moving right along. I just rolled down to Georgetown and picked up a set of Ultegra STI 9 speed shifters through a Craigslist ad. I just need the appropriate bar tape and they will be good to go. Bar end shifters, your days are numbered. You know every step closer to my Ultimate Cross Check goal makes me feel a little more like Mr. Burns... hmm?

yes... excellent...

Shout out to Dan from Big Wheel Bikes in G-town. Thanks for the hook up, and props on the Girvin rental bike!

This fork will be around long after you're dead.

Crank Brothers Candy Rebiuld, A Rambouillet And Safetyness

I am a destroyer of bikes and bike parts. I'm the cthulhu of all things that make bikes go. That's where the irony lies, for I have a deep deep man-gear love for every little piece of my bikes. Most of the destruction comes from my belief that if you ignore the problem it will just go away. This is never the case but I continue to hold to it. I have been getting a squeak in one of my Crank Brothers Candy pedals for a few months and ignoring it was not working. So I ordered a rebuild kit from these guys and let it sit on the shelf for a few more weeks just to make sure the problem wasn't going away. Finally the squeak had reached a volume than couldn't be ignored and last night I got to work. 

Much like Chris King, Crank Brothers have very cool DIY videos on their website.

The first thing I noticed was that the sealed bearings seals had disintegrated and the bearing body had rusted to the inside of the pedal.  After some WD-40 and elbow grease the rusted bearing body gave way and the rest of the rebuild went swimmingly. 

Sealed bearings should never see the light of day, very sad.

New                              Old

The rust damage to the spindle body was pretty bad. I don't think this pedal will ever run smoothly again. It should however work slightly less than smoothly for a very long time. This is an easy fix that I recommend to anyone for do at first sign or sound of trouble.

Next up,  I saw this Rivendell Rambouillet in Silver Spring yesterday. I was noticing the Carradice saddle bag and thought it might look nice under my B-17. It may be too big though.

Finally, I got another batch of stickers from the Safety is Sexy bunch. 

Cheer up, your Monday is almost over.

Like A Garbage Truck, Dropped Off The Empire State Building

Translation: Tell em' Large Marge Sent You...

Just a little creative outlet.  Here is a bike shop design I did in memory of Alice Nunn as Large Marge.

Bike To Work Day - 2009

Historically, it will rain on Bike To Work Day as it has I believe for the last 3 years, but that's no reason not to participate.

Register @ WABA

NAHBS WTF? Award

There were some amazing bikes at NAHBS this year. Tig welds and lugs all covered in spectator drool as usual. There was one bike in particular that has me scratching my head. This bike made by Cherubim Cycles and showcased by Urban Velo definitely wins the WTF? award.

The craftsmanship is undeniable. It's a beautifully built bike with amazing attention to detail. I am guessing though that this design was purely for the sake of fashion as I don't see any practical or aerodynamic benefits, (let alone the lack of steering capability). Drafting would be especially difficult as any cyclist would swerve to the shoulder at the sight of that thing coming up behind them. The rider would also have to continuously tilt his/her head to read the vertically mounted cyclometer. The only purpose I see is an homage to the Ambiguously Gay Duo Cycling Team. 

If that is the case then well done Cherubim Cycles!

A New Addition To The Family

No not her! She's been around for months now...

It's my new Surly Cross Check. As you may have read, (probably not), I have been trying to figure out what the perfect multi purpose beat-down machine would be. I landed on this puppy and I am stoked!

I put the Brooks B-17 Special on last night and after the ride today I have a few more mods to do to make this my Ultimate Cross Check.

• New shifters as the bar end shifters make me cry.
  
• Maybe a longer stem with more rise to put me out a little further.
  
• Fenders
• Some Avid Shorty cantis

All in good time.

Snow Commuting Photos

I had to stop and hit the links before work.

Showing off to the Malards in the background.