Tuesday February 2, 2010
oh, the chainguard
An inspring bicycle. I am working on ripping off that chainguard style with the help of my friend Thomas at West Coast Weather Vanes. Anybody know anything about this bike? It’s origins?
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Thursday January 21, 2010
Slow in coming
Bikes have come slowly lately. Challenging custom orders, and the challenges I present myself with each project.
The Supermax Mill is up and running at last. It feels great compared the little grizzly mill/drill. The spindle bearings make a bit of a racket, and it would be nice to get to those soon; and the phase-a-matic has been a mess of trial and error, but otherwise, I’m quite pleased.
Here it cuts a Smallhaul subassembly.
And here is the mixte that’s been hanging around the shop for a bit, finally getting the finishing touches. Off to paint soon.
Some headbadges are tougher than others. This one slowed me down- I had to set it aside and come back. This isn’t finished and is just taped on for the photo. Hopefully it works. Does it? I plan on adding some more interior line work.
I ran with the split tongue/leaf motif on the small tube miters. Fun, organic, lots of contact and only a bit more work.
Friday November 27, 2009
bike expo follow-up
I took my camera to the Expo, but a short in the power switch of my D70 has been shortening the life of my battery and despite the fact that I had charged it recently, it was dead at the show. I may have actually gotten one photo, but i haven’t checked it out yet.
In preparation I made the following postcards and handed them out at the event. There was a well attended cross race that passed thru the Cow Palace right in front of our booth. When one rider crashed on his warmup lap, we could unfortunately hear his collar bone snap (or so it seemed). This turned out to one of three broken collar bones for the day which seems particularly terrible. There were also boys out back doing back flips and incredible combination tail-whip 360’s etcetera off of large consecutive ramps launching them 30 feet in the air. I didn’t ride at all that day and said to myself: “next time.”
Saw lots of friends, and actually, have gotten some fine contacts and at least a fork order and a frameset order out of the deal.
Okay, Postcards:
This is the artsy promotion for the smallhaul- It’s really a pretty great bike if you want to go far and haul a bunch of gear. If you want to haul furniture, you need a bigger cycletruck or a tadpole trike of some sort, but I haven’t made those postcards yet. (If you want a large utility trike or a longjohn, just place an order and i’ll make it happen).
The small haul is my quick touring cycletruck equipped with cable steering. Fully built bicycles weigh under 40 lbs and handle well on a variety of terrains. The front basket is rated to 80lbs. This doesn’t include rear rack loads, so you can put your touring gear back there.
And now the Bici Corta
In 1999 or so, I saw my friend Willow from the Santa Cruz Cycling Club at the downtown Farmer’s Market. She was carrying this rusty unpainted frame. “Hey, I had this thing in my garage and I wanted to give it to you” as if she expected to see me at the market. It’s the split seat tube track bike that Quentin rides now. It came with vertical dropouts. 78 degree seat tube and 75 degree head tube modeled after a bicycle introduced by Rigi I think around 1980 (?), but I forget.
I rode it as a road bike and it brutalized me. I lasted 3 weeks on that bike. I rode it out of the shop and pulled up on the bars to test the center of gravity and ended up on my back wheezing and hyper-ventalating.
With a little research Paul told me that it was built by Richard Di Amore. Paul had sold him the tubeset and it is the only frame he has ever built.
I commuted to Watsonville and back with Quentin for a carpentry job on it for a week or two. It was dark when we’d ride home and we both had bright lights for once. One night riding fast down the Soquel side of Freedom Blvd I saw something in that bright light, just a flicker. A phone line was down across the road. It looped my right hand and bar- left a burn on my wrist and pitched me into Quentin who shouldered hard into me and kept me upright until we slowed- he rode out of it, I crashed- broke my camera. .. .
Then, riding out to Soquel Village, a kidney dialysis patient in his 70’s turn left slowly in front of me headed downhill on Soquel ave right by Jefferies. I was riding sewups and the rubber just disapeared when I locked up those tires and the casing on fast pavement was like hydroplaning sideways. I jumped into the air and kicked the door panel with my rear wheel and a projectile yell going very fast. A kid on the street said “nice skid!” I was injurred. the frame was bent. The driver actually didn’t notice that had impacted his car.
Yes, cursed bicycle. All in 3 short weeks- I went back to riding my Faggin and had no problems.
It took a while, but I eventually put some track ends on that frame and straightened it out.
Exorcism.
So here it is for your riding pleasure. I think Paul Sadoff himself said it best: “You like scary bikes.”
I have mellowed the angles and created a highly rideable machine. Chainstays are generally about 375 to 385mm.
Thursday October 29, 2009
SF Bike Expo here I come
I sent in my registration and money to the SF Bike Expo; they responded with a flattering write up.
I’ll be there in a 10×10 booth with my Mom, some friends and bikes to show, just to let folks know that I’m here, taking orders, building bikes.
Saturday, November 21st at the Cow Palace, South San Francisco.
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Tuesday October 13, 2009
A sweet note from Aryeh
I received this on the email from Aryeh, regarding the Platypus, which you may see riding around town:
I’ve been commuting on the “Platypus” every day for 6 months now and wanted
to let you know I am very pleased with the bike (although my drivetrain
selection still isn’t quite right). I haven’t owed a car for 6 years and had
wanted a bike to handle all my around town traveling, this bike is it.
It’s made a few trips up thru De Laveaga and Campus and performed well.
I receive many compliments on the bike and do my part to spread the name of
Frances Cycles.
I really like the bike you took up to the Oregon Manifest.
Take care,
Aryeh”
Of course, words of support and satisfaction are always good to hear. Thanks!