Notes from a Commuter Bike
A few things I noticed over the weekend:
1. Shimano really needs to make the Alfine parts group available for purchase in this country. I don't want to have to buy an entire Civia just so I can tear the crankset off of it.
2. Bontrager Racelite Hardcase puncture-resistant tires? Aren't.
On the same subject, I spent a good chunk of yesterday editing some video of the build -- I chopped out all the sections where I was doing things like talking to people out-of-frame and so on. Then I sped it up drastically. I managed to cram an hour and 35 minutes of video into three minutes and 43 seconds. Not too shabby. I'm creating some intro, an explanation of what you're seeing, and an outro. Maybe tonight it'll be done? We'll see.
A Glimpse
The drivetrain of the author's new commuter bike.
More information coming soon.
The Language of Frustration
As a NCOIC of mine was once fond of saying, "Ah, well, shit on a stick."
I never understood what a feces-covered tree limb might indicate (other than something anatomically improbable and most likely very painful), but he trucked that gem out when he was frustrated, and currently it seems like an appropriate time to do so.
The wheels, which were supposed to be here today, are not. Woe is me. No new bike build tonight, so I'm opting to work on other things. That reduces the frustration factor somewhat.
Really, my biggest point of contention with the day is that I can remember putting all the ingredients in the crock pot this morning, but I'll be damned if I can remember whether I turned the thing on.
Commuter Bike
This will be my final "update" post before the actual building of the commuter bike, as the final part has been ordered: the wheels. Rather than giving Tom, our service manager, $50 and a case of beer to build them, I'm using QBP's Wheel Builder service. Don't get me wrong, Tom's wheel building is nothing short of stellar, it's just that I'm trying to keep costs down on the bike. (Nevermind my choice of hubs and derailleur.)
So the wheels? Shimano XT hubs, DT Swiss Competition spokes, and Salsa Delgado Cross rims.
As soon as they're here, I'll have everything I need to build the commuter rig. That will probably be the subject for my first videoblog post here.
Cannibalizing!
The commuter inches closer to completion. I've taken the brake calipers -- Avid Shorty 6s -- off my 'cross bike and installed them on the commuter. They'll be fine on a commuter rig, but I wasn't very happy with them in competition last year. The 'cross bike will be receiving a set of the Paul Components calipers later this summer.
This will leave me with just the STI brake/shift lever and the wheelset to order, and the commuter bike will be functionally-complete.
So the cyclocross bike plans? Some minor upgrades before the start of 'cross season: Paul Components Touring Canti brakes with the Moon Unit bridges. Also, replacing my crappy Cane Creek cross-top levers with Paul's re-issue of their levers. Some blue Nokon cable housing for the brakes, and a longer cable hanger for the front end. A new seat -- the SLR is a comfy seat, but I kept bruising the hell out of my ass and thighs during the dismount. Maybe -- and that's a big maybe -- a carbon seatpost and stem to increase the ride comfort.
My Commuting Future
[If you're here for more information on commuting by bicycle, try starting with this particular entry.]
Not a lot exciting to report here. Racing season was supposed to kick off on Sunday, but I didn't make it. There's an opportunity tonight, but I don't have the energy for it. I could race on Saturday, but there's this century ride on Sunday, and it's my last ride with my friend/riding compadre, Liz, before she heads off for her medical residency in Buffalo (NY) and I never see her again.
Progress on the track bike has stalled -- don't think I'll be racing the velodrome this year due to financial constraints.
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I'm at Don Pablo's - Roseville (2700 Lincoln Dr, Roseville). [fontosaurus]
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Checked in at Don Pablo's - Roseville
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I favorited a YouTube video -- Cycles http://youtu.be/-0Xa4bHcJu8?a [fontosaurus]
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have my Friday off, so here's my Follow Thursday: @mightywombat, @veloveggies, @Scoutwell_Cat, @kilgette, @actualmiles, @DoWhatITellYou #ff [fontosaurus]
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Man, talk about enabling commerce. http://is.gd/aeKE9 [fontosaurus]
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Mmmm. Thunderstorm. [fontosaurus]
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I'm at 3M Center- Building 225 (3M Center, Building 225, St. Paul). [fontosaurus]
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Checked in at 3M Center- Building 225
