Martha’s Vineyard 2008

My family and I went on our annual Martha’s Vineyard bike camping trip. For two years Betsy and I went alone and camped at a tent site [only one place to camp there] and for the last three years we have taken Betsy’s children and one of their friends too. When we take the kids we rent a small log cabin that is equipped with a small fridge and a grill with a burner [for pans]. So this is really more like car camping and this is also a family camp ground with a store, laundry, outdoor showers, rec room and a field with soccer goals.

We drive to Cape Cod and park at a lot that is on the bike trail and with about a 5 mile ride with beautiful coastal views to the ferry.

A 30min ferry ride to Vineyard haven and then about a 2 mile ride to the camp. All we have to do is unload our stuff and we are free! Since it is such and easy ride we bring a lot of stuff to have a comfortable camp.

 I have a BOB trailer which really makes it easy.

The Island has many bike trails and it is easy to ride all around with out being on the roads, however when you get to the towns it is a different story. The towns are not bike friendly at all…in fact they suck. 

We went on some nice day trips and ventured to South Beach which has big waves, but very cold. The kids really like the camp ground and want to stay there most of the time, because there are many kids there to play with.

We had some awesome soccer pick up games…at least until some punk slide tackled Betsy! She laid into him and kicked him out of the game. Betsy got pretty bangged up, but at least it did not break her leg.

This was a 5 day trip. We started with a 2 day trip and have been working our way up. Maybe next year a week. We all wanted to saty longer, however it was nice to get back to our own bed and back to my shop to get some work done.

David B’s MT

David B’s Major Taylor! He has been waiting a long time for me to get going on his frame and now it is finally moving along. David knew exactly what he wanted and gave me great info on the bike I was to build [Frame set with HS].

I have been thinking that I should let people know that I do still make bikes with the dual top tube. I just do not list it as a Major Taylor bike. I have the dual top tube listed as an option on the bike options page.

Bike Rack

I donated a bike rack to my local coffee/lunch shop [Coffee Haven]. I have been planning to do this for a few years and finally got around to it. I have been thinking of making this a regular program for me to donate a bike rack to local businesses. Rather than beat the town up for bike racks or make the businesses feel that they have to do this, just do it myself.

I bought an Allen Rack. Allen is a MA based business [used to be made here too], but now they are made in FL and I think Imported too on some models? I figured that I would support them still since the business is still somewhat local.

If anyone out there wants to buy a rack for their local shops I would be happy to sell you one at my cost plus shipping. This rack cost me $65 plus shipping to me [$20?],  and the additional shipping to you would vary, but maybe $20 to $50?] Shipping is hard to quote right now with the energy cost.

I may buy more racks this summer for a few more shops in Holliston and maybe in the town where I live too.

I just joined “Bikes Belong” another thing I have been planning on doing to promote bicycling. Bikes Belong is an Industry Lobbying group in DC to promote cycling…in fact this was a big year for me to renew all of my various memberships….Massbike, NEMBA, Rails to Trails, League of American Bicyclist [LAB], Adventure Cyclist and Trustees of the Reservations [MA]

I just added a new blog to my blog list in the bike section…Eco Velo. There are some very interesting stories and links to videos that many would find inspiring. The vidos on cargo bikes has re-invigorated my interest in making a new cargo bike like my old “Frontaloadontome” which was a copy of the German made ”Filibus” 

I had big plans to get a buch of work done Monday and Tuesday [today] before I head off for our annual family bike camping trip, but I hurt my shoulder real good and it has slowed me way down.

I have a bunch of bikes powder coated and Mike H is building all the wheels up. I will have to finish them up when I get back on the 30th.

I have welded up Brien’s Roadster and also David B’s Major Taylor fixed frame [pictures soon]. I will post some pictures of our trip when I get back and give  alittle report on that fun Then back to making bikes everyday for several weeks until the next trip at the end of July.

Jon B’s Roadster

 

Got Jon B’s bike rebuilt! The first one was too small and since I was going to build a new frame he decided that he wanted it built for center pull brakes too [so a taller fork]. This is the bike that has welded on tabs on the dropouts, for a strut for a banana seat! and will have a 3 speed hub with a stick shift on the top tube. This one will be going out as a partial build so we will have to wait until Jon sends a picture to see what the final outcome looks like.

A few weeks ago I changed my email and phone message to a rather obnoxious greeting, that was to scare away unwanted callers [by email and phone], but it had drawn some negative criticism from some of my most dedicated customers, so I have now changed it all back to just taking on all the mail and phone messages. It is very hard for me to turn people away that call or email for information and advice [on all kinds of bike related things], that is most often nothing really to do with staying in business. I have done this a few times in the past, usually at some breaking point where I get a bunch of calls from people that want me to make some kind of one off 4 seater pedal golf cart or something along those lines. [not really a bad thing...I just don't want to make it or give advice about it]. My apologies to anyone that was offended by it.

This week I made a few new links on the blog. One a Boston based blog called Chic Cyclist and a new one inspired by Chic Cyclist for SF called Velo Vogue. The thing I like about Chic Cyclist is that the people they have in their photos appear to know that are having their photo taken [and approve of it]. I have seen many blogs where photos of women on bikes are not even aware that they are being blogged? I like it that Chic Cyclist and Velo Vogue are about living by bike, but not having it interrupt their style.

Speaking of style. I have two very nice new Light Roadtsers coming through that will be my new photo bikes for the bikes pages. Both frames have the frames welde and I have all the components, so it won’t be very long before I have good shots for the LR page.

I have Bryan A’s Rohloff 29er all powder coated [a very nice mint green] and all of the parts are in now too, so that will also be up on the Flicker album soon. I usually like to make bikes one at a time of maybe have two overlap, but lately I have had several overlap and now have a lot of wheels to build. I am going to get some wheel building help tomorrow from my friend and ANT rider “Mike the Mailman”. Mike has a cross ANT and often borrows my basket bike to run the mail around Holliston. Mike worked for several years at Landry’s Bicycles before going to the Post Office and was a BMX rat back in the day [same age as me]

More pictures coming soon!

Chris H.

Sorry for the shitty pictures of Chris H’s Club Racer. It was late in the day and I wanted to get something of it before being picked up. Chris’s bike was fun to test ride…my size and light [without all the crap I put on all my bikes] It is equipped with Edward Sizzerhands shifters. I have never owned a bike with these shifters, they seam to fit well and work great.

I have Bryan’s bike in the works and need to get going again on Jon B’s bike. Jon sent some cool parts to be fitted to his roadster….a 3 speed hub and top tube mounted stick shifter.

 

Mini Maglite LED

Anouncement.

Upon further testing I have decided that MiniMag Lights are not good for bicycles. They work great in your hand [one of the brightest 3 watt LEDs], but can not take the jarring of the bicycle going down the road, which causes them to blink and then go off. At first I though it was just the battery cap coming loose. I put some electrical tape on it to hold it in place, but it turns out to be the switch [works by turing the lamp head].

I will be doing some more testing on various small LED lights for my secondary/back up light on my bikes. As far as suggestions it has to be something in the $25/30 price range.

Before the Maglight I was using the 5 LED Cateye light, but I think I will be looking at the new super bright LEDs that are in the 1 to 3 watt range.

Bike For Sale

Bike for sale $2,500.00

This was going to be Jon B’s bike, before we discovered that he needed a bigger frame. I still need to get his done, but thought I would finish this one off with components that I had in stock.

58cm seat tube, single speed freewheel and fixed gear Roadster bike. King headset, Brooks B-17, Honjo hammertone fenders, 700 x 32 paselas, Super Champion rims, Nexus dyno hub, Inoled 20 LED lamp, Spanniga fender light, Dual leg stand, alloy rear rack, Soma bars, White Industries freewheel, brass bell, Nitto stem, sugino XD crank, 38T ring x 18T cog and freewheel, KMC stainless steel chain.

All parts and frame are new with exception of the rear fender, headlight and saddle. The headlamp’s switch is broken and stays on all the time [it is easy to just unplug at lamp].

I would like to sell the bike as built and no changes, however I can build a front rack for you.

I finally got a color for Chris H’s bike, so that one will be finished off soon and built up! I will post pictures soon. I tried to get some work done this Saturday, but not enough happened. Sunday was spent putting in our vegetable garden and making it bird proof! Last year they destroyed it.

I took an order for a 26″ LR, from Bob P of Somerville this morning. He rode out from Somerville [26 miles]. Bob is one of my flicker contacts, has a lot of bikes [rides them all] and has an IF Club Racer Ti [my old road design]. Now he needs an ANT Roadster for the town!

I am in Bicycling Magazine right now [July Issue]. Nice little write up on a few builders and I am happy to be included. Many people had been telling me about it and I went to the book store to buy a copy. They did not have it, but I decided to buy the June issue anyway. I was snagged by an interview with David Bryn [sp?] and a lot of bike culture type articles [so uncommon to Bicycling]. I have to say that I was kind of impressed with the quality of the mag! I hope Bicycling continues with that kind of work, because a lot of beginners read it. When I was in high school I really looked forward to getting my Bicycling magazine and learned a lot from it.

Mike’s bike

 

Yes, lots of post this week!

My back is still killing me, so I thought I would do a little work on the blog/site while I was sitting down

I am not sure how many people actually look at my blog, maybe I should figure out how to do that? But I hope that people enjoy it and use it to stay in touch with me and my shops work.

Here is a picture of my own bike. I built it last year to be an end all do all Touring Light Roadster bike [yea right]. I just made some improvements to it and after using it for sometime now I have now made this my main bike for my bike line of ANT [or variations of it]. I am very happy with the way it rides and handles.

 

The racks on it are my new Universal racks that have a very French look to them, taking styling points from French racks I have found on Ebay with the very round look to them. The side struts are the same front and rear for a consistant look. Both racks have light mounts, the front having dual threaded mounts for headlamps of any type. I like to run small saddle bags in the back for my everyday load [lunch, cloths, tools etc... down low and evenly loaded and the front rack open for picking things up, such as groceries or other bulky items.

I am using [and will be specing on all my bikes] the new B&M IQ Fly Plus LED and the Minimag 3 watt LED. Not the best looking set up, but after you use these you will never want to use anything else. I have had many people say that they do not want lights on their bike [get stolen, do not ride at night or they are in the city and do not need lights]…well I say you do need lights all the time. I use mine on rainy or foggy days, when the sun is setting or rising [blinding a cars drivers view] and yes, even in the city when the roads are lit….with good lights you can see anytime, anywhere and people see you.

While my favorite gearing set up is the Shimano Alfine or Nexus 8 speed internal gear hub I have set up my bike with a triple crank system, because I will use this bike as my road/touring/commuting/trailer pulling bike up big climbs etc…I need that granny gear! I really miss the easy shifting of my old bike with the Nexus 8 speed hub…it is just so smooth. At some point when I can afford it I will make another bike for my self either as a an 8 speed or a fixed gear bike.

I am also sporting my new threadless ANT stem. I wanted this to look very similar to a quill stem, but 1 1/8″ threadless. It also has a bell mount. The bars are WALD bars with a little extention welded on to make more room for shifters and grips. I will now be making all the stems for all my complete bikes and will be using these bars [made in USA]. Also from WALD are the steel fenders on my bike. I have updated them with new mouting harware and a Hunt Wilde mud flap [all USA made]. I have used WALD fenders on many bikes and I have to say that work quite well, just the stock harware sucks, so that I why I am making my own. I am talking with WALD so maybe someday they will fix that? 

 

Bike for sale

$500.00 My step daughters old bike for sale. Used between 10 and 14 years old about 4′ to 5′ tall. 20″ wheels, Nexus 7 spd hub, coaster brake and two V-Brakes, kickstand. Good condition

Memorial day 08

 

Memorial day weekend was wonderful this year! Soccer and Baseball were cancelled, so we finally got to have a family ride! The Providence/Bristol rail trail is one of our favorites. It has great views of the Narragansett bay along with cool breezes and there are fun incentives long the way. Dell’s lemonade is the first stop with their frozen lemonade with chunks of lemon in it, then the Topside seafood restaurant that has great RI. clam cakes [kind of like a hush puppy] and towards the end of the ride Ice cream at the Dairy Bee. The trail is about a 26 mile round trip. A lot of work has been done this year, so most of it was smooth

The next day Betsy and I had our Anniversary tandem ride down the Minuteman trail from Bedford Ma to the Boston North End. This is about a 30 mile ride and I am still amazed that we can do this ride almost completelyon a bike trail or lane [only about 1 mile of it on a road with no lane, most of it on a trail]. Our destination is always the North End for an Italian lunch and then around the corner for Conollis and Cappuccino, then the big ride back to burn it off

Now it is Tuesday and back to making bikes! I am running a bit slow right now, because I pulled my back out loading the back seat into my van this morning! Bad timing, because I have a lot to do this week…and more! I guess it is never a good time

My scheduale is a bit off with bikes, becuase Redbones, I have had some warranty work to do and along with a new bike that I had made the wrong size [Jon B's bike], he needs a bigger frame. Luckily Jon let me know before welding the frame [he has special dopouts], so I was able to take his dropouts out and finish the bike as a random ANT for sale [soon]. I am almost done with it and will post it to be sold.