My Broad Ripple SUV was decidedly down-market out front of Twenty Tap the other day...
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| Nice Surly with Brooks saddle, brass bell, and bar-end shifters. Tastefully retro. |
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| Harvey Cycle Works frame build. I knew it looked nice, but I didn't know that I was looking at $2k of hand-built frame. There's more money in that bike than I paid for my Subie. And it's obviously well-used. I approve. If you're going to shell out that kinda dough for good gear, an actually bespoke frame, then it deserves to get the piss ridden out of it. |
16 comments:
How about the belt drive Trek Soho you mentioned a while ago?
That looks like a perfect one.
Forget the frame - the brakes on that Harvey are more money than I have on my whole bicycle, to say nothing of the luggage!
I recognize the tail light as something I've been thinking about doing on my bike. I don't like what's currently on it - a cheap blinky on the cargo rack which works, but constantly bends out-of-true. I like the fender light more-gooder-less-worser. May end up having to spring for that this year.
gvi
Forget the frame - the brakes on that Harvey are more money than I have on my whole bicycle, to say nothing of the luggage!
I recognize the tail light as something I've been thinking about doing on my bike. I don't like what's currently on it - a cheap blinky on the cargo rack which works, but constantly bends out-of-true. I like the fender light more-gooder-less-worser. May end up having to spring for that this year.
gvi
I've been down the rabbit hole of his website, looking at the gorgeous flickr pictures of bikes under assembly.
Turns out he only does hand-built bikes nights and weekends. By day he's too busy being the chief machinist for Andretti Motorsports. :D
These guys make penny farthings and other replicas, but the one I can see getting for myself is this one:
English Roadtser
Price is reasonable too. When I retire I'm planning a road trip down the West Coast and can see stopping there to pick one up.
Having a couple of million dollars of machine tools on our floor means the couple hardcore mountain biker types at our office never buy anything when they can make it better. One guy rides a fixie on which he made everything but the frame, rims, spokes, and handlebars. Whether it's cars, bikes, guns, computers, or whatever, it's always cool to see someone who works at the very top of the game.
O/T but i saw that motorcycle from your twitters on craigslist. It said "Ran when stored. Should be an easy fix."
After a bunch of others, I've got an H500 Cannondale that I've put about 7K miles on, and I'm still looking for the perfect bike. I've reached the conclusion that, should such bike exist, I'll never be able to afford it, nor will I be able to recognize it, having been corrupted by everything else less suitable.
So, I'll just keep pedaling.....
>> ... never buy anything when they can make it better.
I used to work with a machinist who decided he needed a titanium front sprocket. He called the supplier for a quote on a 9 inch square 1/4" thick titanium plate. When he got the number, he replied, "You don't understand. I don't want to buy your whole store, just one 9 x 9 x 1/4 inch plate." Then he decided he didn't need a titanium sprocket after all.
Alien,
Just for the metalworking porn, you should go look at the guy's flickr pages.
It's... obsessive. Like a Best grade Holland & Holland double rifle, I don't know that I'd ever be able to afford one, or would have any use for one even if I could, but it's just nice to know that such things exist in this world.
That's the third Surly shown on the blog, two of which were Long Haul Truckers. Is there some sort of cult in your burg?
Alien,
Unfortunately there is no "perfect bike". It is easier to have a stable than to have one that is supposed to do everything.... kinda like guns.
I'm currently riding an Intense Tracer 29er, and a Trek single speed 69er. I smile when riding either, but for different reasons.
Lotek
Tailwind, Surly bikes are common anywhere that has a healthy bike culture. Having owned two myself, I seem to notice them all the time around here (Northern VA). It's a rare ride on some of the more popular routes where I don't see 2, 3, or even 4 LHTs or Crosschecks.
We now live in a golden era of biking when it comes to building your own bike. Back when I bought my first "good" bike in the late 80s, there were no companies offering just frames except for the bespoke builders. No Surly or Soma. If you didn't want a complete bike off the floor of some bike shop, you either spent a grand or more (in early 90s dollars) on a bespoke frame or found a cast-off at a shop or someone's basement. These days, even fully bespoke frames can be found for good prices. There are several builders out there than will build a frame to your spec for well under $1000. Then you have all of the wonderful frames from Surly or Soma that run $350-$500ish NIB and are just as good as the full custom frames of a decade ago (and equal some of the "custom" frames available today).
Chris
Several-thousand-dollar bikes secured on the street with U locks?
And they're still there?
Broad Ripple presumably must not have the bike theft problem e.g. Portland does.
Fortunately.
I love my Surly LHT, but I always wanted an old Chrome-plated Schwinn Paramount when I was young. But, I am old now and a 24 speed does me fine in the hills of North MS. Although, a Bob Jackson Touring frame might be interesting...
Tam, have you ever heard of the framebuilder Richard Sachs?
Clean, beautiful lugged frames. Been at it since '74 or so.
Columbus tubes in Italy builds steel tubes to his own personal specification(in conjunction with the crazy/beautiful Italian framebuilder Dario Pegoretti.)
Sachs races his own 'cross bikes at professional level. Interesting fellow, that one.
He actually links to the H & H website on his own, though his wife thinks guns are an abomination.
Lex Luthier
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