Jon B

 

Welding up Jon B’ bike…not be confused with John B’s bike that I have ready for powder coating [just waiting for the powder]. The weather just keeps getting better around here. Not a usual Spring for New England and it is really good for my attitude, though we could use the water if it did rain.

As of today [4/26] I have 4 posters left.

Short post, just wanted to get a shot of Jon’s bike up

 

ANT Posters For Sale

 

Handmade and numbered ANT posters made by ANT rider Dave Publow [Club and a Frontal]. Dave made these for NAHBS 07 and I kind of forgot that I had them. If anyone wants one they are $70 with shipping. I have 8 of these…well 9 but I am keeping one I know Dave needs the money. He is a starving artist in Madison WI.

 

John B’s tacking video

John B’s tacking video

Originally uploaded by antbike

Trying out a Flicker video? Not sure if this is going to work, but maybe the link is on the side? I am tack welding John B’s bike today and thought I would try the video option on my camera. I can only get 1 minute on this resolution and no sound with this. It is definitely working on the Flicker page, not sure if it is going to the blog. The weatherman keep saying that it is going to be clowdy, but again a beutiful day here Betsy and I had a nice ride home last night. She will sometimes ride over after work and we will ride home together.

Right before we got home we came up on a local red tail hawk! he took a good look at us and then split.

California

 

Betsy and I took a little trip to So cal. B had a conference and I always tag along to be able to spend some quality time with my sweety. We did bring our folding bikes and rode all over and had some time in the warm sun, however I did forget to bring a camera I found this little woody wagon in the flower bed by the convention center and brought it back as my souvenir. I just took a shot of it to represent our trip. On one of the full days for B, so I rode out to the coast on my little wheel bike. Ended up being about 30 miles and then that night we went to the conference party at a local amusement park [another 16 miles]. We took our bikes out [we have lights], while everyone else rode a bus! The ride through the neighborhoods got to be pretty sketchy, so we took a different route on the way back.

 

I have been testing out some new products that I was interesting using on my bikes. First was the Sella Anatomica saddle. This saddle is great, really soft right out of the box. The only reason I bought it is because it is made in the USA. I was pleasantly surprised with the ride. Not as classy looking as a Brooks and not as many options [with width etc...], however I think this is the new way to go and will be promoting it with all my bikes [Other saddles will always be an option].

The next item is my new headlamp. I am completely sold on LED lights. No more Halogen lights for me. I bought a B&M IQ Fly N Plus [switch and standlight]. This is the best light that I have ever used [even better than my Inoled]. Great beam pattern that lights up the whole road, takes very little effort to make work [you can walk very slow with it and it works at full!] and the stand light is a real light…not just some lame glow. I will now be specifying these on all my bikes now [along with the fender mounted wired 4D Lite taillight].

The other item I have been testing are now ready to use on my bikes is the Maglight mini LED [2 cell]. I always use a battery LED as my 2nd light. I position my Dynomo light for the down the road light and my LED battery light for right in front of the front wheel and it also serves as my back up light [for road repairs etc...]. I have been using cat Eye LED lights, the latest being the 5 led HL200…a great light still, but this new Maglight LED completely blows it’s doors off! Again I just bought the Maglight, because it is made in the USA, but have been very surprised with the quality. This light is brighter than the Dyno light, but not as good as a beam pattern for going all the way up the road. However it is so much better than any bike LED headlight [battery] that I am going to buy these in bulk and use them as my new battery light on all my bikes. I will make a special pivoting mount that will fit on my new racks.

On rack and light notes. I have made and get a lot of request for making dual light racks, equipped with the Schmidt hub and dual E6 lights. A very nice set up. However I think that the new combination that I am using on a Shimano dyno hub along with the B&M IQ Fly and the mini mag LED is the better option AND will cost less too….much less.

In the coming weeks and months I will be posting pictures on new models and new equipment that I think will be a very good mix. I am out to specify more and more USA made parts on my bikes and I fell the best way to promote this is to make the bikes and post pictures of them. I have some people in the build Que that are up for this, so stay tuned for the bikes.

I have not started the last list of bikes that I posted last, but will be getting to that this weekend. So again it is John B, Jon B, Chris H….and of course many more after that, but this is that is next.

Sincerely Mike.

PS I am trying to make this blog a lot about the work being completed in the shop and not so much about bikes, parts and life philosophy, but it is hard not to want to go in that direction. I would like to, but that would take too much time away from making your bikes

 

David K’s bike fixed…I mean repaired:)

 

David’s bike is all ready now. I got to thinking about this well ridden bike [daily]. This bike was my first order of the year for 2004 [early Jan]. At that time I was still fresh out from Boston and did not have a lot of orders or money [from moving]. This bike along with another LR order in the following week really saved me. The next month the orders were coming in and have not stopped yet [Thank you]. In case you did not know before David was hit by a car, got his fork flattened, wheel bashed, rear rack mashed, front brake broken. ut best of all he is ok. Got his knee pretty sore, but he is back on the bike.

I was just interviewed by Amy Walker at Momentum Magazine. This is going to be a pod cast. I am not sure how to acces that. I went to the site and did not see any pod cast links, but anyway check out Momentum Mag…my new favorite bike culture magazine 9I still like Urban Velo too

 

Shiv’s wife’s SS Roadster

 

I took Shiv’s wife’s bike out for a test ride today. I have not had a single speed Roadster since last summer and I always forget how much I like a single speed. It is very light and handles well, just feels nice. I need to make the front basket for it and get the right saddle [ a womens brooks ] and then I can ship it out. After that I will finish up a repair for David K’s bike. David was hit by a car this winter and his fork was flattend. I made a new fork, but then discovered his front wheel needed to be rebuilt too. David ride’s most everyday, but hurt his knee in the accident and has been off the bike since. He is back to riding now and is ready for his main commuter bike back.

John B’s frame set is next. He has been waiting a long time and has since changed his mind to a fixed gear bike. He has many bikes and rides a lot of miles each year, commutes daily, ride brevets, BMB and PBP etc…

After that will be my next Jon B! Jon B in Hawaii is going to have a very interesting Roadster built with welded on plates on the rear dropouts for a banna seat struts and a 3 speed stick shift on the downtube.