Tag Archives: fixed gear

56cm Black 2-Speed Snow Bike

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Black2spd_DS1

This is my latest build, a 57cm touring frame converted into a tough snow bike with 700c x 32mm mountain bike tires and a rare Sachs Torpedo 2-speed coaster hub.  The hub has an automatic transmission!  When pedaling 0-10mph, it sits in a low gear.  When you break 10mph, it automatically (and very smoothly) switches into a higher gear.  No need for a shifter!  These hubs were made in the 50’s – 70’s and a relatively rare.  I had it overhauled at B’s Bikes in Greenpoint, and the mechanic wanted to buy it from me.

The frame is an un-branded lugged steel touring frame with lots of clearance for big tires.  Interestingly, it has an oil-port in the bottom bracket shell.  I added a pair of SR cranks with a 42T chainring and a brake up front for extra control.  Risers with BMX grips and Brooklyn Machine Works caps finish it off in style.  This bike handles great in any weather but is perfect for all the snow and ice we’ve been having.

More pictures after the jump…

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SPD Shoe 2010 buyer’s guide Pt. 2 – Sneakers

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Here is the second installment of my clipless / SPD shoe round-up.  This bunch are all sneaker-style shoes, typically aimed at BMX riders.  None of them are quite as cool as the Nike SB Dunks, but they do offer a better shoe than my home-made SPD Dunks and are probably a little cheaper.  I hope more companies (hint hint Nike) offer SPD sneakers this year!

So if you’re not ready to whip up your own SPD Dunks or Adidas Shelltoes, check out my round-up after the jump: Continue reading →

SPD Shoe 2010 buyer’s guide Pt. 1 – Casual Shoes

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spd_casual

Following up on my last post, I recognize that not everyone wants to make their own SPD-compatible shoes.  So what are your “off the shelf ” options?  Well, I’ve done a lot of research and here is the first installment of my two-part “2010 buyer’s guide” based on the coolest shoes I have seen that are currently for sale.  My criteria here is to list shoes that would look and feel good at a casual office or social occasion, the kind of shoes you can wear all day, anywhere, without looking like a total bike dork.  This first list is of leather low-profile shoes that have a European style.  Part Two of the buyer’s guide will focus on sneakers that are SPD-compatible.

Check out the rest of the 2010 buyer’s guide after the jump: Continue reading →

Nike Dunks with SPD cleats

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For a while now, I have been searching for cycling shoes that are fashionable and comfortable enough to wear every day.  A while ago I got a pair of 611 Filter shoes (reviewed here) that have become my favorite every day shoe.  However, I still felt like I hadn’t attained the holy grail of sneaker cool – Nike Dunks.  Nike did this themselves a year or so back with the Gyrizo shoe for the Beijing Olympics, but only a small number were made and they sold for around $300.  Even if you can afford that price tag, you can’t find them for sale anywhere…

…And so this past Sunday, I busted out my tools and made good on my dream to create an unholy alliance of Nike Dunks and SPD cleats:

Read on for a complete tutorial on how I made them.

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Vintage Colnago Super Pista

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Scoooooooooooooore!  Scooped this beautiful Colnago Super Pista from a gentleman up in Harlem yesterday.  I’m still unsure of the exact year and model, but I believe it to be a late 70’s – early 80’s Super Pista, probably one of the Colnago Mexico series.  It has a Campagnolo C-Record gruppo; 165mm Pista crankset, hubs, headset, seatpost, and bars.   Rims are Mavic sew-ups with Wolber tubular tires.

Overall the bike is very clean considering its age and the fact that the previous owner rode it often.  My only complaint is that some dummy drilled the fork for a brake (arrgh!).   I am planning on giving it a complete disassembly, cleaning, polishing, and lubing.   And some fresh bar tape, of course.   The stem is a Nitto Jaguar that I will probably replace with a period-correct 3TTT Colnago pantographed stem, and I plan swapping the saddle for an official vintage Colnago one, and maybe even splurging on some vintage C-Record track pedals.  This is a truly rare bike and I’m kind of in awe of it.   It will likely take me a few weeks (maybe months) before I accumulate all the correct parts, but I can’t wait to post the “after” pics when I’m done.

Check out more photos after the jump!

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Kilo TT OS – retro fixed on a budget

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I just saw this new “experimental” frame from the folks at Bikesdirect / Bikeisland.  They added a second top tube to their popular Kilo TT bike frame, and widened the front fork and rear triangle to accept 700×38 wheels.  It’s based on the vintage designs of the early 20th century, sometimes referred to as “scorchers.”

Looks like a lot of fun to ride offroad, in the snow, etc.  Or perhaps re-paint it and make a modern-retro townie to match your tweed jackets.  It should be available for sale by the end of this week, a limited run of full bikes at Bikesdirect for $450 and framesets for $250 at BikeIsland. Sizes available are Small – 53c C-T, Medium – 56c C-T, and Large – 59c C-T.

53cm Origin8 Del Pasado

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delpasado_frontangleDS1

I just finished up this new fixed-gear, based on Origin8’s Del Pasado track frame.  The Del Pasado is a true urban / street frame, built of sturdy chromo-steel and with comparatively relaxed geometry (not much toe overlap) and mounting points for racks and fenders.  The front wheel is an Aerospoke and the rear is a Velocity Deep-V with an IRO fix/fix hub.  The crankset is a Suntour that I polished up, with matching Origin8 track pedals and Soma double-gate toe clips.  Race face stem, Tektro front brake & cross lever, and a Vitesse saddle.

I took the Del Pasado for a spin last night and it is a very easy rider; the geometry gives you a stable base and the thick chainstays deliver a smooth ride on rough streets.  With a set of riser bars, this would also make a good trick rider.  The Del Pasado frame is one of the best deals around right now (selling on eBay for around $180 for the frame & fork, with shipping) and I think my build shows that you can make a pretty sweet bike out of it.

More pictures after the jump… Continue reading →