Ah, the City Market has now become the fix watchers’ paradise. It has all the flora and fauna that attract the wild fix. At this season, the fix are about to enter mating (propogation) season, when the often androgynous fix seem to be birthed from other species, such as the road bike. Sometimes they are born from a fairly normal cross pollination, as in animal reproductive systems. More often, a Frankenstein type birthing process takes place, where the fix is born into another race….later to undergo various treatments to change from say, a road bike to a fix. On a recent pass at the Market, I saw another fix. Again, as last time, I was on my way out and had to double park for a minute or two to get my shots.
Here we note a classic conversion from old road bike to cobbled fix. After taking the profile shot and the cog shot, I noticed the brake. One of the more intriguing kludges I’ve seen. Basically avoids the big up and over loop of cable housing using the push-housing technique put forward most recently in the various versions of cyclocross top mount pass-through brake levers. I had to think about the design overnight and only figured it out when I thought about it again this morning.
The intriguing “aero routing”:
Here’s the big pict:
BFX #10
Stylish conversion for sure. I like the trim of Motobecane’s of this era. Little bits of pinstriping on the lugs and around the decals. Very continental, yeah. I like it!
The hanger hasn’t been removed yet here.
As you may know, I’m a fan of rust. It’s just a natural product of use or disuse, evidence of the bike either being ridden or left outside. I don’t necessary endorse the latter, but isn’t it still better than a bike that just hangs from the ceiling in the garage never getting ridden? All a matter of perpective I figger.
I’ve yet to hear a story of a roadie-gone-fix-gone-back-to-roadie-with-shifting yet. Perhaps those who make such changes don’t publicize them? I don’t recall ever hearing about anyone quitting the fix, save for true roadies who trained on them in the winter and rode lots of miles and got sore knees. The day-to-day ‘muter and messenger folk I know have never reported such a regression. Well, someone will write me now with just such a story.
(“…Chris decided that it was time to go and that is what he did, he was gone, I briefly pedaled away from the rest of the group, but soon was caught and passed on a steep down hill, it wasn’t the ups that hurt the most it was the downs as my legs were forced to spin at an ungodly cadence on some of the steep hills. It is here that I started to think about gearing again….”)
I found that on Nat’s blog within a half hour of publishing the above. Full text is here. Well, it’s not like he’s switched back, only considering it. -G)
Keeping on keeping on. I’ve promised a half dozen times, but can now truly say that “Cacophony” is done, the art is done and the manufacturing contract is almost ready. With a little luck you’ll be able to purchase a CD soon through my record company: One Speed Records.
Thanks for reading
Keep it locked, I’ll keep it loaded.
Over and Out.
G
Rad Routing Yo! and its about damn time, you have promising a product for like, six years!
Yea! I’m going to make millions. Oh, wait…..
Someone else did it first, doh!
G:5
fixed-back-to-gears: Never thought it was a big deal either way. I rode fixed for a few winter messengering years (91, 92, 93, 94) during college in Minneapolis. Wonderful for all the usual reasons. Brought that bike with me to SF. It was stolen within a few months (94). Eventually built a spare-parts single speed (freewheeled) road bike which I still have, and a sweet single speed MTB. Rode the snot out of both for a while. Lately, the commute has lots of hills, and I often have to travel across the city and show up looking kind of nice, so the geared road bike is just the ticket. Haven’t been on the singles in quite a while… It’s really just a matter of utility, really. Again, for me it’s no big deal either way – gears or fixed or SS is just fine as long as I get to ride. Best regards for you and your passion, of course, both for your bikes and your music! Can’t think of any better ways to be in the flow!
I always eye the bikes at City Market. Some interesting creatures there… definitely something going on with bike genetics. So many cool bikes… too little time.
You might catch my perfectly average Surly XC FG out there… or maybe my custom IF geared machine with Burley trailer. (I’ve been debating having the drop outs replaced with horizontals or building up an ENO wheel for it – I’m hooked on FG and need to remind myself that gears can be good for long distance fun…)
Nice blog.
Catch you round town sometime.
-Mike