Well, lack of posting can be one of three things - either I'm riding my bike, work is crazy busy, or I'm lazy as hell.
Mostly a mixture of the last two. This awesome Spring weather has
brought tons of people into the shop, so we've been pretty busy. And
I've been pretty slack on the posts. I have some posts started, just
trying to finish them, as well as get pictures taken.
On
the news front: nothing much. Commuting is going fine, only two days
driven this year so far. Mostly on the Tradesman, but occasionally on
the Hunter FixieMonsterCross. I have good faith that in the sometime
near futrure (maybe this week) my long awaited matt chester
will be here. When that gets here and built, the webisphere will be
some of the first to know. Expect lots of pictures and stories. Also
thinking of a lighter kick around town bike for the kids, something I
can use with a Burley trailer and for the possibility of the Allegheny Passage with a cargo trailer this Fall.
Along with the mc, I have started to get together a plan of attack for bike rides to be done this year. I definitely have an overnighter bikecamping
trip planned with the wife and kids for this Summer, as well as two
longer trips planned for myself. Just need to figure out times. I also
am going to sign up for the Ohio Gran Fondo
this September. I really don't like big group rides, but this could be
a fun training ride - and I could get a cool water bottle.
Well, until next time, hopefully with some good news and numerous posts.....
3.22.2012
3.06.2012
more tradesman
Been riding the Tradesman almost everyday here - feels weird riding a coasting bike with gears - and really enjoying it.
Here is the latest incarnation of the bike:
I decided to go with a basket on the front platform for right now, it was relatively inexpensive - so if I don't like it, no biggie. The basket I added to the front is a Wald 157 basket.
It's freaking huge. Designed to carry a lot of stuff, it makes just shoving things in really easy and simple to get out. The dimensions at the top are 21"x15"x9", and taper slightly to the bottom. The platform is slightly larger than the taper of the basket, but the top matches the dimensions of the platform almost exactly. The basket came with brackets to attach to the front end of a regular non-suspended bike (and I kept the other brackets in case I switch it to another bike), but here I just zip tied the crap out of it to the platform.
Things are kept in the basket by strategically loading things in stuff sacks, and kept in with an elastic net that hooks on the grid pattern of the basket.
That's is a big bucket of pretzels, as well as my lunch, rain gear for the ride home, lock, and a waterproof bag for my phone and i-Pod. Still plenty of room for other things, shopping load to be tested later.
I also added a rear rack to the bike, last years version of the Backrack I.
Why last years? It fit better on the frame, lower above the rear wheel, and to accomplish I had to use the same mounting holes as the fenders.
Not as clean as I like it, but because of the way the seat stays come down, it was something that needed to be done to get it to work properly. I tried the new rack on the Tradesman, and it stood to high above the wheel - the threaded height adjustment of the older one allowed me get everything at an acceptable height. The rack allowed me to get my Radbot 1000 off the seatpost and far back out of the way.
The addition of the rack, and the reposition of the light, allowed for the OLD Jandd Mountain Wedge 1 seat bag for 2 tubes, a mini pump, multi-tool, and tire lever. I'll try a smaller bag, once I get my frame pump attached to the front rack.
The other reason for the rear rack, is to put on panniers or a rack top bag or basket to carry more thing. Especially a set of grocery getter panniers.
More to come.......
Here is the latest incarnation of the bike:
I decided to go with a basket on the front platform for right now, it was relatively inexpensive - so if I don't like it, no biggie. The basket I added to the front is a Wald 157 basket.
It's freaking huge. Designed to carry a lot of stuff, it makes just shoving things in really easy and simple to get out. The dimensions at the top are 21"x15"x9", and taper slightly to the bottom. The platform is slightly larger than the taper of the basket, but the top matches the dimensions of the platform almost exactly. The basket came with brackets to attach to the front end of a regular non-suspended bike (and I kept the other brackets in case I switch it to another bike), but here I just zip tied the crap out of it to the platform.
Things are kept in the basket by strategically loading things in stuff sacks, and kept in with an elastic net that hooks on the grid pattern of the basket.
That's is a big bucket of pretzels, as well as my lunch, rain gear for the ride home, lock, and a waterproof bag for my phone and i-Pod. Still plenty of room for other things, shopping load to be tested later.
I also added a rear rack to the bike, last years version of the Backrack I.
Why last years? It fit better on the frame, lower above the rear wheel, and to accomplish I had to use the same mounting holes as the fenders.
Not as clean as I like it, but because of the way the seat stays come down, it was something that needed to be done to get it to work properly. I tried the new rack on the Tradesman, and it stood to high above the wheel - the threaded height adjustment of the older one allowed me get everything at an acceptable height. The rack allowed me to get my Radbot 1000 off the seatpost and far back out of the way.
The addition of the rack, and the reposition of the light, allowed for the OLD Jandd Mountain Wedge 1 seat bag for 2 tubes, a mini pump, multi-tool, and tire lever. I'll try a smaller bag, once I get my frame pump attached to the front rack.
The other reason for the rear rack, is to put on panniers or a rack top bag or basket to carry more thing. Especially a set of grocery getter panniers.
More to come.......
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