Mom Bike

Finally got around to building Mom Bike. Mom Bike is a bike for mom. I wish I owned a Mom Bike:

This bike was suppose to be 3 things: step through, up-right, affordable. Success!

 

This saddle is the dopest ever. Early 70's Brooks sprung little shit.

 

Tire didn't fit at first, now it does... barely.

For some reason, the frame came with this filled-in horizontal drops on the drive side. I had to file it back a bit to get the wheel farther back in there. Doing so made the tire clear the brake bridge.

It's kind of disgusting how closely the color matches my bike.

If you look at the top photo, you'll notice the seat tube angle is hella steep. I keep running into this on smaller step-thru frames... Maybe because it has too big 27"/700c wheels. 650b 26" need to be used more often in frame design. I also made the cables hella long because I though we'd have to mess around with bar height/reach, but the first set up was the best it turned out.

Bike Nerd Spec!:

Wheels: CR 18's laced to Tiagra hubs with Wheelsmith swaged spokes. 36h 3 cross drive, 2 cross non-drive rear, 32 3-cross front. I still have trouble wrapping my head around 2 cross, 3 cross lacing patterns. I think I just need to figure out how to start correctly, then I'll get it. Sorry Ross, the spokes are the same gauge on both sides. 35mm Pasela Tourguard tires. I know tourguard no good, but she doesn't exactly like patching flats so...

Brooks B-72 Saddle

Wald steel north road bars

PDW bamboo grips

Tektro whatever brake levers

Shimano EM whatever thumbies

STX comp rear derailer

Sante front derailer

SRAM 11 to 32 8 speed cassette

Sugino 110 bcd cranks with 38, 46t combination.

MKS Slip King pedals

Kool Stop MTB brake pads

Headset, brake calipers, bottom bracket, seatpost are all stock and not so hot. 

If only I could get paid to do this kind of stuff all the time.

Center Pulls and Why They Rule/Suck

Depending on who you talk to in the bikey industry, you'll hear a lot of different things about center pull brakes and why they are awesome as fuck or the worst shit ever. I remember the first roadie bike I had was equipped with 2 Weimann center pulls and I hated them more than anything. Fast forward to today, and I love the shit out of them.

Here's ol' Jobsty Brandt's take on centerpulls. He doesn't have too many things to say that are good about them, as you'll read. The old curmudgeon has some interesting things to say about wheels and all sorts of jazz, but I think he is off here dismissing them on the whole. The first bit he starts to dig in to them is their 'large position error'; which is a fancy way of saying the brake design almost never meshes well with the rim and frame design since they were used largely on mass produced bikes. If the rim is too narrow for the center pull, then yes--the brake pads would indeedy make their way into the sidewall of the tire over time. However, if the arms are pointing straight down towards the ground at the point the brake pad hit the rim, then the risk of the pad wearing into the tire sidewall is slim to none. If this is confusing to think about, consider how you would set up cantilever brakes and how the pad should be hitting the rim straight on instead of at an angle.

Jobst then starts dissin' on the 'visual' importance of symmetry that center pulls have... But the symmetry of center pulls goes way beyond asthetics--they modulate far better than most modern dual pivot side pulls and retain there positioning unlike most traditional center-pivot side pulls.

The next thing he rattles on about is the amount of flex most center pulls have due to their long brake arms that are attached to a connection bridge. This is a legit critique for most center pulls out there, including my own. If the mechanic is truly dopey (like me) and puts some big ass brake pads on such as the Kool Stop MTBs (SHELDON SAYZ THEY ARE DAH BEST SO I MUST GET THEM,) then the brake may even run the risk of having the edge of the brake pads rubbing against the tire side wall when the brake is pull at full force due to flexiness. Luckily, those crazy French constricteurs completely minimized this problem. Alex Wetmore demostrates:

Get rid of your ugly bridge! BRAZE THAT SHIT ON.

One legitimate frustration I often hear about center pulls is that they are a headache to set up well. The main culprit of this problem isn't the brake, but this little bastard:

 

Tiny cable yolk -- aka 'The Finger Bleeder'.

When approaching this thing for the first time, most people will find themselves wanting extra hands to deal with all the shit going on. One to hold the fixed 9mm, a second to hold the adjusting 9mm, a third to hold yolk body, and a forth (maybe fifth as well) to keep the center pull shut. After doing this process a bajillion times, you eventually figure out a few tricks (3rd and 4th Hand tools (that's what they're appropriately named) plus some hand positioning kerfunkage.) But that first time will probably make you cry, or write a pissy internet log about how center pulls are thoroughly moronic. There are also many other yolk designs of different mechanical advantages which are worth looking into, so don't give up on them just yet.

All n' all, the major advantage of center pulls is the maximum amount of brake power well balanced with the amount of control you desire over the brake. Hydraulic lines and disc brakes are great if you want ULTIMATE REAL POWER, but you really don't need that on a road bike... Otherwise all's it takes is a little 'tap' and then 'CURURUGUUNNK!' and something freezes up. [Disc brakes on road bikes on a whole are problematic as someone far more neurosensical pointed out to me once. Maybe I'll write about that later, probably not though. :p] Since center pulls have a nice spongy feel, you can use the full length of brake lever's pull to adapt to the amount of brakage you need. So fuck you dad and yer side pulls, I'm going with g'pas old Mafac shit.

Different Builds

I get a lot of questions from people about how they should set up their new bike, and if they should actually get a new one entirely. Most frames have a lot of possibilities, so I pulled a bunch of photos of different builds I've seen attempted, all from the same frame model. I used the Surly Cross Check not because I think it's the ideal frame, but there are a lot of easy to find photos of it and it's pretty easy to recognize. Similar things can be done with a basic old chromoly sports touring frame of a decent quality. Tire/fender clearance is key, drop out type is important, and fender/rack eyelets help a bunch. There are other considerations regarding geometry worth looking into before you throw all your eggs in one basket, but hopefully this will help you percolate a bit.

Commuterish drop bar dealie.

More upright position with porteur rack. (oops, not actually X check...)

Touring bike.

Fixie.

 Cyclocross racer [what the frame is originally design for but not limited to.]

Cargo Kid Hauler.

Token Xtracycle...

Single Speed w/ basket.

Dave' carry-every-damn-thing-possible bike. Lotsa not stock-bike shit going on here.

Randonneur-looking build.

Too cute not to post.

Despite all these interesting variations, this is what 8O% of the Cross Checks look like when they come out of a bike shop. There are a lot of questions to be asked about accessibility, price, purpose, preference, but don't feel too defeated by a frame just because it isn't perfect the way you got it.

Outside My House

SKS Long Board Fenders

I got these Rivendelly fenders being both tight on money and suddenly finding myself without a fendered bike during the Spring time in Olympia. Got a deal on them so gave it a shot. I've used them for 4 months or so, and I'd thought I'd give my reportback on them.

They're basically like any plastic fender, except longer with built in mud flaps. They have a lot of ups and downs. First, the coverage is probably better than any fender I've had--better even than VO's fluted 45mm fenders [I think the longest one they sell.] Perhaps if I had added flaps to those, I could out-do these SKS's. Like most plastic fenders I've installed, they're pretty easy to put on. They're also pretty light weight, for what its worth. Oh, and they make my 65Ob'ed 65cm roadie look not crazy weird.

Front fender ground clearance.

But that's about all the good I could say about them. First off, there is the basic flaw of plastic fenders in that the edges of the fender aren't curled around allowing water to spray out laterally from the bike, which invariably goes back a little and gets you slightly damper. Metal fenders of a decent quality always go this going for them. The extra long design also doesn't translate well for plastic, as the amount of flex these experience is notable. Luckily I have a fair amount of clearance for my 32mm tires, but if I hadn't much room to spare, I could see these rattling against the wheel. Actually now that I think about it, the dirt road to my house causes the fender to slap against the tire side wall...

Looking at the photo above, the fender comes extremely close to the ground. What ends up happening is that the flap acts like a funnel for debris to get caught into. This happens a lot. Like crazy amounts. Maybe if I road strictly on clean roads I could avoid this, but fuuuuck that. Rivendell now sells this remedy for their ill-fated design, if you can ignore the other short comings.

The fenders also are a pain when trying to make the bike smaller for travel, but that's pretty much any fender of this coverage.

If You Ride A Bike, Then You're Probably A...

I didn't even realize this when I posted it, but if you look closely at this photo, you'll notice that both Dave and Josh's attention strangely aren't directed at the camera. Instead they're gandering at the foul mouth philstine in the junker behind them as he screams 'FAGGOT!' from the passenger window. I swear that the number one insult that gets hurled at me while riding is 'faggot'. If they find the terminology problematic but not the priniciple, then 'You are gay' sometimes is sufficent, and if they're positively old world, then you'll get the rare 'you goddamn queer!' It use to get to me, but at some point I just had to let go. So just take these professors of gender studies' advice from now on and come to terms with the fact that if you ride a bike, you're probably gay. Studies show, y'know.

Estacada to Bagby Hot Springs S24O

Finally got around to doing that ride that I've been talking about for ever, good heavens. Vancouver but Oly OG Dave invite me and Josh on a little taste of the Oregon inland, and how could I refuse? We started in Estacada, OR parking our truck at some ranger station on the edge of town and taking the roads into the wilderness. Their was a slight rising grade all the way to the finish line at Bagby, make the way there much harder than the way back.

As soon as we left Estacada, we hit our first hill. Unfortunately, it was a 2 mile long fucker with a 7% grade. I didn't have any problems on my lightly packed Schwinny dunno-what-the-hell-I-am-for bike, but Dave's full-loaded Cross Check with an 8 speed nexus hub and Avid BB-7 [mechanical disc brake] struggled trying to deal with both front and rear Surly racks with plenty o' luggage. Though probably way more than necessary for a S24O [Sub 24 hour Overnighter], one purpose of the trip was to test out this bike's capabilities full-loaded, all day riding, on pavement and trails.

Having finally reached the summit, we had a nice decent of a similar grade as the hill we just ascended. As some point, Dave's rear Vittoria 4Omm Randonneur tire blew off the rear Salsa Delgado rim... Excessive weight + way too high tire pressure + heat from long descent are some theories. The nexus is pain in the fuck bucket to remove having both the gear cable and the drum brake needing to be detached. Dave was a trooper though and replaced the tube--super lucky it didn't happen during our hill bombing.

We eventually keep rollin' till we hit the Big Eddy. It served as a good break spot being next to the water while the sun is on full blast.

The Big Eddy.

Team Ramrod.

Woohoo waterproof camera!

Dave was a fool and jumped off a perfectly good rock. As you can see, the fate was deserving.

Josh made a similar mistake. How tragic.

Heading back to the road.

Big Eddy was a big moral booster after one offensively long hill and an ill-opportune blow out. I felt pretty prepared for the rest of the 4O or so miles for that day, and got back into the pedal stroke.

Lotsa waterfalls.

I wuuuv bridges. There are a lot out here.

I would often rush ahead of Josh and Dave, and while I waited for them to catch up I'd jump on a side trail to get more dirt action or take a loser bike-nerd shot like this one. I have way more on my camera that I don't ever remember taking or where they particular are...

Josh, with the haggard appearance of an ill-washed wookie. Someone soap this baffoon, quick.

The further in we got, the more trails appeared. Mega nar.

Action shot. Me and Dave decided that our respective obsessive narcissism would be beneficial to one another, hence this mutual photo taking op shows.

 Much of the evening was well-spent as such.

 We ran parallel to a river for the duration of the ride. It was inglorious.

 This bridge was barely wide enough for bikeage.

Upon arriving at Bagby Hot Springs, us ye olde tenacious fucks set camp and ate some god damn food like a pack of starved mongrels. Josh, recognizing his dire need for a good scrubbin', led us towards the bath house... which really was more of a house of utter debauchery--as the heat from the water apparently seeped into many of tenants brains--resulting in a few tubs festooned with a squabble of horny inebriated monkey-like people. Yes, Bagby was a place covered in a haze unprotected sex, questionable narcotics, and bad consent practice [as the former two combined often amount to.] It was as if some horrid disease had over-come these poor souls, resulting in their foul behavior and even fouler smell. I was offended, greatly. Their howls and grunts still haunt this brave adventures mind, like a bad rash that refuses to go away. I went to sleep clinching my sleeping bag, as if these crazed barbarians would drag me away to their caves and eat my flesh. Or something to the effect--I was there for like 5 minutes, tops. I just remember it was kinda wet and dark, Josh and Dave gave me a reportback the next morning with all the raunchy details.

Packing up in the morning, trying to forget the night's mishaps.

 The sign for the bath house, something better left forgotten...

 A bullet hole laden sign; surely some person mistook their shot gun for binoculars, of course.

And 8O miles later, the summit again.

 Victory! I smelled of petunias and cinnamon rolls, though I can't say as much for my Sasquatch-esque companions. I've never seen a pair so badly in need of a good shaving, heavens. Me of course, was quite the opposite, oh yes. [trust me.]