Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Bike Expo Episode II: Attack of the Freds


(Via the Twitter.)

When last we met, I was sitting on a commuter train with this:


By the following morning, however, I had traded the Brompton for this:


Sorry, I meant this:


As you recall, I'd planned an early morning sub-epic road ride for this past Saturday, to be followed by a mid-morning café rendezvous, after which we'd meander on down to the Bike Expo.

With regard to the sub-epic, when I arrived at the super-secret meeting place at the super-secret appointed time I was pleased to find an assortment of hale cyclists, and after the dispensation of free hats I gave the order and we proceeded to cut a swath through the varied terrain and assorted real estate north of the city.  I'm sorry to report that we did lose at least one rider to some loose gravel, presumably because he was not riding a CPSC-approved gravel bike, but I did see him later at the Expo and apart from some road rash it was clear he'd emerged from his ordeal ready to ride another day.  Overall, everybody who finished the ride seemed to enjoy it, or if they didn't enjoy it then they pretended to for my benefit.  In any case I enjoyed it, and isn't that what's most important?

Yes.  Yes it is.

Therefore, given the relative success of that ride (by which I mean I enjoyed it, the rest of you are incidental), I feel semi-confident in confirming that a BSNYC Gran Fondon't will indeed take place on Sunday, May 17th.

As for what the Gran Fodon't will entail, expect to ride a bicycle on different types of surfaces for a few hours and to finish up in a place where they sell beer for consumption.

If doing those things in that order interests you then stay tuned for more instructions, either via this blog or else by skywriter airplane:


From there, the sub-epic morning ride dissolved into the second ride from the café to the Expo--which, given the more leisurely pace, attracted more disparate riders such as this one:


That's a Ross in case you're wondering:


Did you know that Ross used to be headquartered in Rockaway Beach and they made their bikes in Allentown, PA?

I didn't either until fairly recently.

Anyway, I felt a kinship with the above rider for two reasons: 1) I remember Ross bikes just like that one from when I was a child; and 2) If you think about it, riding a bike like that isn't much different from riding a Brompton--except instead of folding his bike before boarding a train he merely secrets it in his voluminous pant leg.

Oh, there was also a fat bike on the ride, and it probably won't surprise you to learn the guy on the child's bike made ample use of the fat bike's porcine slipstream:


(Cyclists: working together regardless of pant size or wheel size.)

Eat it, Portland.

After making our way down Manhattan's spine we arrived at the Expo, which was considerably more crowded than it had been the day before.  Here's what the valet bike parking line looked like at one point:


Are you freaking kidding me?!?


There was absolutely no way I was going to wait.  Not only was I due at the Walz table at that very moment, but long lines are against my religion as a solipsist, because waiting on them offends my fervent belief that only I exist.

"I mean, if it's only me, then who the hell are all these other assholes?," I wonder to myself as I wait to board an airplane or purchase a burrito from Chipotle, at which point my entire faith crumbles.

So, like any good solipsist, I abandoned my fellow riders to their fates on the valet line and headed straight for the entrance, where for the second day in a row I explained that I was an exhibitor and that I needed to take my bike in with me.

The woman at the door flashed me the universal expression for "I know you're full of shit but I'm too goddamn tired of dealing with you fucking bike dorks all day to argue," and then she waved me through.

Hey, what was I supposed to do, park it here?


Fancy-schmancy bicycle parking structures seem like a great idea until they become receptacles for rusty, long-abandoned children's bikes whose former owners have probably graduated medical school by now.

Anyway, pushing a bicycle through a crowded exhibition hall is about as much fun as you'd imagine, and in fact I bet it's pretty much exactly what "riding" the Five Boro Bike Tour feels like these days.

Upon reaching the Walz table I didn't even have time to change, and so I sat there stewing in my chamois the whole time.  Then afterwards I hit the beer tent, and finally I went "full woosie" and took the train home again because I was tired and hungry:


The end.

See you at the Gran Fondon't.

Speaking of spirited cycling, Freds love to obsess over freehub engagement, and so some enterprising Australians are attempting to Kickstart a "zero lag" rear hub:



Appropriately enough, the introductory video "locks up" at this very moment:


I know what you're thinking.  You're thinking, "There's already such a thing as a 'zero lag' hub.  It's called a 'fixie.'"

Yeah, good one.  Well, you know who's not laughing?  Australian cycling great Robbie McEwen, that's who:


He may not smile at any point in the video, but he does hold a wimpy, laggy freehub and wiggle it suggestively with his disembodied hand:


While doing so, McEwen explains that this sloppy piece of hardware has a whopping four (4) millimeters of lag!

Four millimeters may not sound like a lot, but keep in mind that it can be the difference between winning a race and still winning it anyway, only four meaningless millimeters later.

Nevertheless, McEwen is so disgusted by freehub lag that I kept expecting him to compare the one in his hands to the genitals of an aging prostitute or something equally cringeworthy.  Fortunately he doesn't go that far, though he does grab this bicycle and proceed to demean and degrade it:


"That lag!  You don't want a whole lot of nothing, you want PEAWAH*!"


*"Peawah" is Australian for "power."

After which he demonstrates the zero lag hub:


"When my foot's at twelve o'clock, I feel like I'm already generating PEAWAH!"

It was at this point I began praying to myself (I'm a solipsist, remember?) for a Mario Cipollini cameo:


("Twelve o'clock?  Meednight?!?  Dats also when-a da Cipo like-a to lay-a down da powah!  We make-a da threesome, eh Robbie?")

Alas, he never came.**

**I mean the cameo never came.  Cipollini always comes.  Always.

Ultimately, as far as McEwen is concerned, the "zero lag" hub is going to revolutionize cycling:


"Teams talk about going for marginal gains, finding every improvement in performance, nutrition, training, racing.  Well, this isn't just a marginal gain right here with the Zero Hero.  This is going to revolutionize cycling as far as drivetrains go."

Oh save it you old doper.

Still, the inventors have graphs to prove it:


Not to mention a catchy yet mis-italicized slogan which the inventor delivers like a threat:


(I think you meant to italicize "much.")

Hey, sometimes a little play is good.  My wide tolerances are the only reason I don't fall apart completely.

119 comments:

Unknown said...

7. But what is leftism? During the first half of the 20th century leftism could have been practically identified with socialism. Today the movement is fragmented and it is not clear who can properly be called a leftist. When we speak of leftists in this article we have in mind mainly socialists, collectivists, “politically correct” types, feminists, gay and disability activists, animal rights activists and the like. But not everyone who is associated with one of these movements is a leftist. What we are trying to get at in discussing leftism is not so much movement or an ideology as a psychological type, or rather a collection of related types. Thus, what we mean by “leftism” will emerge more clearly in the course of our discussion of leftist psychology. (Also, see paragraphs 227-230.)

Anonymous said...

first every comment...takes the win. All that doping paid off

Anonymous said...

podiating for second?

Anonymous said...

Robbie will be promoting.crank tip pedals next

Merlin said...

solipsist Holy CRAP! Top 3, and I even read it.

What Up With That said...

A fat bike with FENDERS?

Mike O. said...

Nice pic of the Milwaukee. Does it have a sloping top tube? It looks like it drops about 1 degree to the seat tube. Or is the wall slanted?

Nice high headset stack height too (ala Rivendell).

Mike O.

Spencer said...

Laggards!

dop said...

WTF...that Ted K is beating us from a shack in the woods with a dialup modem

Kraig said...

Our great soliptist prophet Sheldon Brown spoke on the perfect way to stop lag : "Coasting Is A Pernicious Habit"

recumbent conspiracy theorist said...

ZERO HERO

Unknown said...

I wish I was posting from a shack in the woods (instead of from an Administrative Maximum Facility.) Sometime when I get to look at a window I can see the woods on the mountain side, off in the distance....

dop said...

Ross Cycles freehub fun fact...they made ten speeds without a rear freehub. The freewheel function lurked in the bottom bracket. I discovered this after impulsively buying such a bike for 10 bucks at a yard sale. Some diligent research (ie...I asked a question on the velonews blog) revealed that it allowed the rider to shift while coasting. That would make an excellent definition of pernicious.

BamaPhred said...

What a ride, sorry I missed it.

Of course, I would still be lost somewhere north of NYC, as the pack would have long since left me behind,but it's still all good.

Anonymous said...

"Ross Cycles freehub fun fact...they made ten speeds without a rear freehub. The freewheel function lurked in the bottom bracket."

From Sheldon Brown's site:

Front-Freewheel System (FFS ®)
Shimano's Front Freewheel System. The freewheel was built into the bottom bracket, so that the chain would turn even when the rider was coasting. This was to allow shifting while coasting--a solution in search of a problem.

See also here.

BamaPhred said...

Dear Ted K
C'mon Man, you can do better than that.
Here's how it's done:
What is a leftist, rightist, socialist, progressive, democrat, republican, or conservative in American politics? All are warmongering mandarins bent on projecting their will on anyone who doesn't believe as they do, imprisoning non believers in their corporate dungeons, I mean prisons, throwing the Soylent Green to masses, and occupying the unproductive with games whilst the overlords devise schemes to robotize tasks. Once this is accomplished the resultant poisoning by GMO foodstuffs, climate change induced drought, and death by state mandated Big Pharma vaccines will exterminate the proletariate underclass. The 1% will then inherit a Mother Earth freed from mass carbon emission and will live in luxury unheard of even in the days of Roman Emperors.

dop said...

Pnin describes his arrival in America:

So they ask me,“Are you an anarchist?”
“First of all, what is meant by anarchism? Anarchism political? Anarchism philosophical? Anarchism practical? Anarchism theoretical?” “So we had a very interesting discussion, as a result of which I spent two whole weeks on Ellis Island.”

Leon Carney said...

Thanks for the signed hat!

dop said...

Sheldon Fucking Brown. He may be dead, but her's still right. Thanks Anony.

Bryan said...

What the fuck Teddie K...you left that same comment yesterday. A real solipsist would wait a year and still have the first comment, bc none of you other chums exist.
@Anon @0943...didn't Schwinn put that Frotn Freewheel System on some of its bikes in the 70s, too? I seem to remember hearing about Schwinn Suburbans with them. I'm sure it was all the rage.

Of course, if you had a Sturmey Archer you could shift while coasting

babble on said...

Clint is such a cunt. And that's a compliment.

Unknown said...

"What the fuck Teddie K...you left that same comment yesterday."

Yesterday's comment was paragraph 6, different from today's paragraph 7.

Bryan said...

Maybe not the same..but what is up with the modern leftism posts

bad boy of the north said...

first thirty?haven't worn the signed cap yet.. maybe at the fondon't.
ok,now to pick thru the food menu.

bad boy of the north said...

sorry I missed the Saturday ride.
at least I wouldn't have walked as much as I did on sunday.

McFly said...

Maybe it's Ted Koppel.

Anonymous said...

vsk said ...

Early one!

vsk

Grump said...

I would be a perfect candidate for that Zero Hero hub because I notice that when many of the guys I race against take off, I have quite a Lag before I can get my massive bulk up to speed. I'm sure that the instant response that the hub would give would make up for my girth.

Freddy Murcks said...

Stupid freds are the stupidest people alive. As evidence, I offer the following. http://velonews.competitor.com/2015/05/bikes-and-tech/technical-faq/technical-faq-drilling-holes-in-carbon-frames-and-more_369031 I best this reader's question even caused Lennard Zinn to face palm. And I have sure Lennard has witnessed way more than his fair share of the stupid.

Freddy Murcks said...

I came back today hoping that you had scored some naked pics of Yvonne Bambrick. Oh well.

leroy said...

Zero tolerance?

I know I've heard that before.

Oh WADA heck am I thinking of?

dop said...

Zero Tolerance? like a Chris King Headset?

grog said...

Do not tolerate zeroes.

Joe K. said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
PotbellyJoe said...

I think Clint would tell us, you are what you eat...

This zero-lag hub intrigues me. Why would someone care about lag in their free-hub if you are keeping a steady pedal cadence? Wouldn't a professional cyclist realize that the only time this would ever effect him is when he is going from "Lazy" to "Work" mode?

I rode into work this morning and got a flat tire. I pulled out the tube to see that my patch kit would be inadequate. So I grabbed my spare tube. As I was putting it into the wheel the valvestem tore through the tube.

So there I was 13 miles from home and 10 miles from work (And 8 miles from the nearest bike shop that would open in 3 hours) in the middle of a forest.

I had to call for a ride. Ugh.

I am not a robot. A robot would have walked.

Olle Nilsson said...

Glad the guy who brushed off certain gravel death is okay. Must have been wearing a helment. If he had worn a HEALment, his roadrash would have cleared up too. Of course, if he had a gravel specific bike, he could have just gone with sunscreen. So many what-ifs.

James said...

This winter has cursed me with wider tolerances. I will not tolerate this.

Spokey said...

38 podi woo-hoo

snobbie

you do realize as a solipsist, you have imagined all of us here. even leroy's dog. and you musta imagined that third in your rear seat.

now that's pretty sic.

Matt said...

Dammit, your Grand Fondle is the day my daughter graduates from college. Little wench expects me to be there. Poor planning on my part 22 years ago.

bk jimmy said...

What, no mention of the guy from Vermont who won the County Line sprint? Bob, I think... or was it Bill?

BikeSnobNYC said...

bk jimmy,

There was no reeling in Vermont Bob (or Bill), that's for sure.

I can only imagine he "won" the Five Boro the next day.

--Wildcat Etc.

chopper said...

Actually, the Front-Freewheel System from Shi-mah-no was built into the chainring/crank.

As someone who was paid chump change assigned to fixing them, they were terrible.

Yes, you didn't have to pedal, but you had no idea if it was really in a working gear. There were all kinds of issues with them and therefore no acceptance.

It's a good lesson in market research. "The market" doesn't know what it really wants.

Anonymous said...

PBJ - Sorry to hear about the flats. Lately, if I'm going to be far from alternatives, I'm a double tube guy. Makes it easier to give one away, too.

Unknown said...

I did not care that McEwen was Australian until I read "peawah"

Your writing brought that to life.

Joe B, Shelly S, Dean S, the List Goes ON and ON said...

Dean Skelos, and his son, are organizing a stationary bike race to be called Le Tour du Sing Sing.

ken e. said...

haven't read it yet, but as teagan and sarah say, "so jealous".

Cipo, Accept No Substitute said...

Cipo might do a three way with Babble and another babe, but I doubt he'd do a three way with Robbie as part of the triplicate.

WWotW said...

Surrender Dorothy!

BikeSnobNYC said...

Cipo, Accept No Substitute,

You greatly underestimate his bold sense of sexual adventure.

--Wildcat Rock Machine

Wile E Coyote, VP Acme Manufacturing said...

"But what is leftism?" Teddy K, in cycling it's when you want to make a left turn, you extend your left arm straight out to the left of your body, parallel to the pavement. Even if you're riding a unicycle.

P. Bateman said...

you know what i like about my Campy hub? if i want to alert a pedestrian or slow poke in front of me, i can simply coast for a second or two and the hubs launch into a powerful symphony of clicky clicky clicky clicking sounds.

this alerts the ped/poke without me having to yell "on the left or maybe right or whatever" or using a bell.

anyway, its just a nice feature is all i'm sayin'.

holy shit! did anyone else have to choose types of cakes to verify they were not a robot? that was exciting.

Fred from Milan said...

A fat bike with FENDERS? Only if you don't want to look like you've been riding behind this:
http://www.pichonindustries.com/var/ezwebin_site/storage/images/epandeur-fumier/17094-56-eng-GB/Muck-Spreaders.jpg

Cipo's Intragallactic Marketing TEiAM said...

The 'Cipo' bib short front package. Yes! An exact duplicate of Cipo's man package that will titillate the titted. $99.99

Anonymous said...

Robbie McEwen most certainly doped as a professional cyclist.

dop said...

AS per the links from anony 943, not only was the fronk free hub on the cranks (not BB as I thought)., but there was a stiff freehub in the rearhub as well, so you wouldn't get killed if your trouser cuff got caught in the chain.

Flats...I too had the ignominy of calling to be picked up after tearing a valve last month.

Worse ignominy....forgetting the mini pump, using up 2 CO2 cartridges on a spare tube that had more holes than the one it replaced...making numerous small purchases to get enough quarters to use the air pump at a gas station next to the mile square dunkin donuts where wrm saw the man driving a wheelchair....peak of ignominy reached blowing up the tube by mouth & holding it underwater in the toilet to find the leak...finally patching it wrong (I discovered 3 miles out) & making a run back 12 miles before it completely flatted...I couldn't call...my wife was with me & the kids don't drive. Thank you.

PotbellyJoe said...

@Anony 12:24,

I appreciate the condolences. Unfortunately for my commute, there is little reason to carry two tubes if I have the patch kit. I just need to be more astute when it comes to the condition of my spare.

I treated a co-worker to lunch at a cafe that was coincidentally right next door to my favorite area shop.

They had never heard of the ZhERO hub. But they did reference the old silent hub Shimano LX system. Then one guy said, "If it was that big of a problem Campagnolo would have addressed it already." But he was on a trainer, in a bike shop, on a 77-degree sunny day. So I ignored him and told the shop owner that he better get in the knowledge because the bicycle landscape is changing constantly and you're either on the peawah, or your stuck in the 4mm of lag.

He told me to get back on my softride and leave his establishment.

So I went and ate an artisan sandwich. I should be done paying off the loan in 4 months.

Ted K Critic said...

Here Ted K. dives in and makes an abortive attempt to explain what he means by "leftism." He correctly points out that the word, originally referring to a political ideology or movement, has in recent years been widely misapplied, to the point where nobody including the author even knows what it means anymore. Faced with this difficulty he quickly gives up like a pussy bitch and decides to simply redefine leftism as a "psychological type." Do I hear you complaining that that's not vague enough? Don't worry; he quickly amends it: "...or rather a collection of related types."

Thus he takes a formerly meaningful term that is now misapplied and vague, and redefines it to be even more vague so that he can continue misapplying it. "But what is leftism?" is how the paragraph starts. By the end I can almost hear Roseanne Roseannadanna saying "Nevermind!" It is the opinion of this critic that the term "leftism" was essentially irrelevant to begin with, and that the work would have been made stronger by deleting this entire paragraph, rather than endulging in distractions and openly conceding an embarrassing lack of stamina and intellectual rigor.

Yvonne Ramdick said...

Easy big fella. Let me percolate first.

McFly said...

Leftism is Tenn slang for "Have the individuals vacated the premises?"

"Leftism? I thought deys gunna stay 'til the possum was off the spit and the shine was gittin' passed round."

Anonymous said...

Is that old Ted Baxter from the Mary Tyler Moore show?

Now she could ride a bicycle!

Pathetic Old Cyclist said...

PBJ and dop,

Another Flat Fixing Failure is trying to apply a glueless patch in a driving rainstorm. nothing stays dry enough for good stickage.

dop said...

I dunno Ted. My late father-in-law, called Ted by some, was buying a suit. The tailor asked if he was left or right. The always political Theo began a long answer which the tailor had to interrupt. "When you put on your pants, does your dick go to the left or right?"

JB said...

WhoTF cares about hub engagement on a road bike? WhyTF did you stop pedaling in the first place?!

Freddy Murcks said...

I usually lay down the pea wah right after I get out of bed in the morning so that I can take a leak.

Anonymous said...

I wasn't expecting the Spanish Inquisition.

Anonymous said...

Snob, et al:
I, too, will be unable to attend the Fondon't as it's my wife's wedding anniversary.
I will be wining and dining her for the entire weekend, hopefully someplace that serves Manhattans and relish trays.
I'm looking for a special anniversary card featuring Leroy's Dog, but haven't found one yet.

Freddy Murcks said...

DB - Leroy (and his dog) could probably hook you up with a gold plated turd. It'd be a perfect anniversary gift.

Anonymous said...

Here’s a 1949 version of a front-gearing setup (and it’s for sale!): http://www.dorotheum.com/auktion-detail/auktion-11198-bicycles-from-the-embacher-collection/lot-1872837-mervil-mervilex.html

TC said...

On my ride to work today through Central Park saw the aftermath of what looked like a pretty bad bike on ped accident. Bike guy, in full Fred gear, was speaking calmly on his cell phone while bleeding profusely from the face. It did not look good. The pedestrian appeared to be a middle aged women who appeared to be immobilized on a back board with a neck brace on. My initial thought was shit, I hope they are not injured too badly, followed by just what we need another cyclist on pedestrian accident in Central Park. I have to say, I don't understand how these things can happen unless someone is being very careless. I've ridden, ran, walked through Central park probably a thousand times over the past 25 years and have never come close to hitting or being hit by someone, which makes me always suspect gross negligence or stupidity when I see accidents like the one this morning. But again, I hope that both are doing better than they looked when I rode past. Ride safely.

leroy said...

My dog tried to convince me that when solipsists duel, they are assisted by solipsistic seconds.

But he concedes they're not certain.

I can't follow half the stuff he says.

Just the Facts said...

"Here’s a 1949 version of a front-gearing setup (and it’s for sale!"

The sales description in the link claims
"Vilex' gearshift system was the sensation of the cycling world
- five speeds in a gearbox in the bottom bracket
- no other gear manufacturer before or since offered such a system"

This is not true.

Also here

and here.

Anonymous said...

vsk said ...

So this is kind of a bikey blog where they talk about bike type stuff right?

So I get an e-mail from the stand up individuals at Transportation Alternatives about adding bike access to the Verrazano Bridge. For the 3 of you who don't know, it connects Brooklyn, NY with Staten Island, NJ (let's face it, really). So the span is about 2 miles long and I think the road deck height is like 350 or so feet high? (I think the towers are 650 ft tall, I don't feel like gogling wikkapeedi... whatever it is).

So, I guess the approaches would start at Coney Island in Brooklyn and the SI Ferry Terminal in SthatAnIsland.
I don't think we'd see this level of bike infrastructure installed even if Bloomberg paid for the whole thing. Although the funky raised bike path on the Williburg is pretty impressive. I'm sure it would be pretty windy up there too.
The downhill crashes would be spectacular.
What say you? (In other words, what do you think?)

vsk

wishiwasmerckx said...

No one expects the Spanish Inquisition! Our chief weapon is surprise, fear and surprise; two chief weapons, fear, surprise, and ruthless efficiency! Er, among our chief weapons are: fear, surprise, ruthless efficiency, and near fanatical devotion to the Pope!

Anonymous said...

"What say you? (In other words, what do you think?)"

I think this cartoon seems to show room under the lower deck, between the girders. Maybe an enclosed bike path, sheltered from rain and wind, like a long corridor.

If you all in NYC get this to fly, I'm hoping I can get the DOT people down here to do the same thing on a new bridge I'm (trying to) design.

Spokey said...

pbj @1:08

you have a favorite around this area? I've tried several since wheel-life went belly-up and haven't been overjoyed.

What's yours? I am thinking of giving halters another try since they moved to montgomery.



pbatement@ 12:44

i've had to do the cake several times. and the sushi, steaks, soups, etc.

this time no pix. had to type sao joao.

you have to hand it to robot, it does have a sense of humor

Anonymous said...

vsk said ...

Anonymous 2:24 bridge designer.

A look at the lane placement shows the space between opposing directions is just a median, no gap really.
Some fun facts:
http://www.nyc-architecture.com/BRI/BR-010.htm

Each of the two towers contains 1,000,000 bolts and 3,000,000 rivets.
The diameter of each of the four suspension cables is 36". Each cable is composed of 26,108 wires amounting to a total of 143,000 miles in length
Due to the height of the towers (690') and their distance apart (4260'), the curvature of the earth's surface had to be taken into account when designing the bridge -- the towers are 1⅝ inches farther apart at their tops than at their bases.[3]
Due to thermal expansion/contraction of steel, the bridge roadway is 12' lower in summer than its winter elevation.
The bridge, because of its size and isolated location, close to the open ocean, is more vulnerable to the elements than any other bridge in the city. It has been closed, either partially or entirely, occasionally during strong wind and snow storms.

The Queen Mary 2 had to revise its smokestack height in order for it to pass under the bridge, and still has barely 3m (9.75ft) of clearance.[4]

The website has some quaintly outdated toll info.

vsk

Spokey said...

DB

early happy anniversary.

Trust me from experience though. Don't go cheap. Go for the high quality pig-in-a-blankets.

Anonymous said...

"A look at the lane placement shows the space between opposing directions is just a median, no gap really."

Not suggesting a bike lane ON the lower deck, but UNDER the lower deck. A third deck, sort-of. If the fascia girders (the ones on the outside) extend 10 feet+/- below the underneath side of the lower deck, it may be possible to fit a 8 to 12 foot wide, 8'+/- high enclosed "corridor" under the lower deck. Depending on the cross bracing.

Many (most?) long bridges have cat walks under the deck for inspection/maintenance work. A wider cat walk could be a bike path.

I'm guessing any attempt to put a bike path on one of the decks is going to take away a vehicle lane.

PotbellyJoe said...

@Spokey,

I don't hate Sourland Cycles yet. They're slow, but honest.

I never hated Halters either. They aren't cheap, but they're well stocked. They simply weren't close to my work, or an artisanal sandwich purveyor so they missed out on a sale of tubes today.

Halters is next to a Wawa though, so that's pretty good.

Anonymous said...

Thanks, Spokey.
Headed for Madison, ride the bikes around the lakes, have a few good meals.
Looking forward to it.
I expect a full video accounting of the Fondon't on YouTube or Netflix.

The Hunchback of Nostradomis said...

I've seen that Ross banana seat ride around town. I strongly suspect that it contains an internal seat post engine. That guy is also a known cat six racer.


The guy with the fat bike with fenders. My advice to you is that you kill your own self as I see for you a future filled with disrespect, ridicule and an uncurated diseased and pointless existence. On the other hand there's always politics.

Anonymous said...

These comments are funny. I fear something is wrong with me for laughing this much at them.

Anonymous said...

vsk said ...

Anonymous 3:18pm Bridge Designer.

Yes, I believe there is an inspection catwalk underneath which has been talked about as the possible solution to the bike path problem.
There would be the chance to take some really awesome pictures.
The approach would be a hell of a climb or a very long approach.

vsk

Anonymous said...

My dear Snobola: Happy to hear you've mounted a Brompton. Love the clear lacquer finish on your steed. The brass accents at the brazing sites are captivating. You really should have opted for at least 3 speeds. Also, the option of 4 EZ wheels is a must for big city commuting- you should really try this configuration before giving the Brompton your final verdict.
Cheerio old chap,
A Fellow Bromptonian

recumbent conspiracy theorist said...

If I had that fat bike with fenders I'd bolt a V-twin and a gas tank on that thing.

I thought WaterFred and his amazing aqua-cycle solved that whole crossing the waterways deal for you guys?

Cipo, No Head for 12 Hours, will I go Blind? said...

Is Babble on a jet winging her way over to Italy for a long sojourn with de Cipo?

Unknown said...

Babble likes three ways?

babble on said...

I, too, am celebrating the graduating of one of my offsprings from that venerable institution up on dem der hill the very same weekend of the Fondon't. But as I have yet to grow any wings (nor a halo, come to think of it!!) I wasn't likely to make it to the most Snobliest of events anyway.

So I will miss you guys and the ride, but not as much as I would have if I weren't so very well occupied.

anonygiggles @4:17 - we come for the content, we stay for the company. Welcome to the best little spot on the interwebs.

Robot wants me to identify the meat. I can do that.

Billy said...

So did anyone time your Brompton fold? Inquiring minds want to know.

babble on said...

I like it EVERY way. But please note the complete and utter lack of wings.

Land Rover Expo? said...

"valet bike parking" Was this expo curated by someone from Brookyn?

babble on said...

Some days I can almost feel horns growing, though. And after all, I've been called horny, amongst other things.

Anonymous said...

Ted K is boring

Spokey said...

PBJ

thanks. didn't know about that shop. will have to check them out. interesting idea to have a vending machine for tubes and such.

doesn't look they don't have any touring orientation, but i'd just like a good mechanic.

Ted the K said...

Anonymouse @ 4:55 PM ...

Please to forward mailing address. I have a package for you.

McFly said...

Oh yes. Just went to the doc for the creepin chest crud and got me some 'roids. Time to call up my weak ass buddies and crush some damn elevation.

Since it is a Reverse Gran Fondle do you get disqualified for NOT testing positive for banned substances?

four hour erection said...

Zero lag freehub? You mean like a Sprag clutch/bearing? I'm not sure exactly how much backlash, but it don't amount to she-it.

gsport george said...

@PBJ If all else fails you can always tie a knot in a tube to get you home, works amazingly well.

I invented the zero lag hub many many moons ago (more than 10 years ago, this is just when it moved site), but it was annoying going backwards so I didn't persue it:-
http://www.gsportbmx.com/2005/01/click-click-click/

dop said...

d'oh

dop said...

D'OH!

Anonymous said...

BamaPhred- What does a man profit, if he gains the whole world, yet loses his immortal soul?

dop said...

Just a brief poll for the dawn of the new century...if you had an erection that lased 4 hours, would you call your doctor, or Uma Thurman?

babble on said...

It's a question of perspective: is it a problem, or an opportunity? You already know which way I would vote.

BamaPhred said...

Anon, consult Ecclesiastes. Or maybe ask the Rabbi. Never forget you are an immortal soul temporarily inhabiting a mortal shell

four hour erection said...

dop-if I can't get Uma, the neighbor gal or the wife's sister (in that order) may have to be engaged.

PotbellyJoe said...

@Spokey,

They're only around 2 years old, and yes the vending machine is killer.

As for the touring inclination, I would assume they would be at least welcoming to it considering their location...

Riding home tonight I fear that my 105 hubs has too much wasted movement before the peawah is delivered.

Guess I'll need more dope.

Dop said...

Babble- I guess that's a yes

FHE- what evils we visit upon ourselves in the name of science

Finders Keepers said...

I found this mountain bike with no markings, it was leaning against a fence that is on the path of my daily commute to work, the frame was covered in white dross that looked like wet paint but was really mold. (I guess that's why no one took it, it sat there for days) I was told it could be a Ritchey but the serial number T90 doesn't seem to match up with anything. It rides great though, so I don't care.

Finders Keepers said...

It was oldschool but it had Bullseye hubs, XTR brakes, fork from Hippie Brothers and Crank Bro pedals. Never look a gift horse in the mouth.

The Cipo Chronicles Vol. XII Pages CCXII & CCXIII said...

The minute she said "not only am I worth 900,000,000 Euros but my clitoris is located at the back of the roof of my mouth", I knew it was true love. A love that lasted nearly the entire afternoon.

JLRB said...

"much"

babble on said...

Lol!! Some guy sent me photos of himself wanking in a gym, (With his face cropped out) claiming to be inspired by my Wreck Beach photos. He used a crossfit at hotmail account, and included photos of his stunning girlfriend also at Wreck. He called himself Al Wood, but Google kindly informed me of his real name. Not sure how his girlfriend would feel about him sending her nude photos out to strangers, but she was the best part of the whole message, so I wrote back and said "Thanks, Bob."

Heh heh. That ought to fuck with his mind. :D

babble on said...

Finders Keepers - between that and the Italian roadbike, you have the best of luck, not to mention the ability to turn somebody else's trash into a thing of true beauty.

Anonymous said...

SOLO PISS

ce said...

For all of you above that don't get it, Robbo wants the deadset, bloody duck's guts of freehubs for instant peawah because it's all about popping wheelies.

Kraig said...

I just realized what's wrong with the VISP: The bar tape goes OVER the brake hood. So wrong, so so wrong.

McFly said...

The first self-driving big rig. I assume the bra is to make the blood and guts easier to remove from the hood and cowling.

BamaPhred said...

Yeah McFly, I saw that and immediately thought that the Apocalypse is finally here.
Autopilot engaged, time to surf the net!

bad boy of the north said...

pbj,i hope your trip was easier today than yesterday.
hey,snob.haven't seen the smiling couple from the boat "just kidding" in awhile.must be on a round the world cruise.119 sandwich