Monthly Archives: February 2008

Whilst I’m on the bike thing (I promise to get to other things too!) I thought I’d post up some links to great sites which I’ve bookmarked over the past few weeks.

Velo Orange
Chris runs a very focused small business. I love pretty much everything he sells from the funky leather chainstay protectors (I’ve got one on order!) to this very elegant water bottle cage.

Revolution Cycle Jewelry
Jen makes some beautiful bicycle head badges. I can’t wait to design my own one and get her to craft it up for my beastie (though this design would already be pretty damn perfect!).

Swobo
Love the stuff these guys make. The Folsom is just awesome. I love the sexy gusset and quirky bottle opener under the seat. Fresh!

defgrip
Cool blog that covers BMX culture, which I love as it’s very much similar to skateboard culture (which I love). Pick up a skate magazine and a BMX magazine and you’ll realise a lot of it’s got to do with style and dynamic photography.

Rodafixa
Great Hong Kong based fixie focussed blog. Although most other cycling cultures are far from BMX and Skateboarding culture, fixie culture is pretty much there. Also check: funny article on being a fixie clone, fast boy fenders make very nice wooden fenders, Cadence makes nice things.

BikeCAD
Toy around with designing your own bicycle with BikeCAD which works online if you have Java installed. Lots of fun and Jing and I are contemplating making out own bikes as we have the right contacts in the automotive industry to make it all happen.

OK so the Hardrock, despite being powder coated white, is looking more Death Metal at the moment, which is kinda the look I was going for. It’s got a new skool front end, lucky for me the old Hardrock had a 1 1/8th steerer so it allowed me to go from threaded to non threaded. New skool suspension (I’ve never owned suspension on a bicycle before!) and new skool brakes up front.

I’m still waiting on some parts as you can see in the picture above. A new crankset is on (though not in the picture) and so too a single speed kit (I know it’s a trend at the moment, I’m loving the moment though!).

Also, I’m converting the rear end as well now into a disc brake set-up. I’ve bought a cheap disc brake adaptor on eBay (as my frame has no rear disc mounts), a new fatter rear tyre and I’m already trying to hunt down bargain basement 2nd hand parts (disc hub rear rim and rear disc brake).

Expenses to date:
06 WTB CXC riser bars $20
Wellgo C002 MTB Cleats Bike Pedals $33.52
FSA Pig DH-Pro Headset 1-1/8 $32.95
Maxxis High Rollers 26×2.5 60A $24.95
Hayes HFX Nine Front disc brake $70
DMR Chain Guide $43.70
Weinmann 26″ front disc wheel $46
Marzocchi Dirt Jumper 2’s $150
Imperial iGrip2 $15
BiLT Busta stem $19
Tioga MC Lite Saddle $28
Fire Eye Single Speed kit $50
Shimano Hone Crankset/bb $146
Total: $679.12

I’ve been meaning to get fit. I’m not the kind of person who has the discipline to go to the gym (Fitness First? No thanks, maybe if it was called “Fitness Second” I’d be keen!) so choosing a “sport” that I could “get into” was cruicial. I tried to get back into skating again a few years ago with Ash, but after falling on my tailbone real hard at Maroubra Skate Park I called it a day.

A few weeks ago I found this under the house (literally). It’s not THAT old, a 1996 or 97 Specialized Hardrock. I do remember buying it from Woolys Wheels and I always intended to use it just to get around but I never did use it that much. I used to be super into bikes as a kid. I did the Sydney to Wollongong twice (4hrs 14minutes was my best time) and I also competed in the Bell Nationals (Mountain Bike comp) so getting back on the bike seemed like a good idea.

I cleaned up the Hardrock a little bit and decided to take it to the local bike store for a service, when they saw it they were more excited than I was! I thought it was pretty dead, rust here, there and pretty much everywhere but they thought it was in mint condition for it’s age. They even called it a “vintage” (which made me feel vintage).

Whilst it was being serviced I found myself doing what I do best… getting obsessive compulsive with it! A new hobby! Yes of-course! Those who know me know that I don’t do things in halves. I found that new bikes have come a long way since the 90’s. I couldn’t even get a new stem for this bike as the systems have totally changed. I started hunting down vintage parts on eBay and at the same time I started planning something different.

When I got the bike back it was riding well, but of-course I wasn’t happy with it as is. I love modifying cars, and modifying a bicycle was going to be a natural process for me so I bought a bike stand, some bike tools and got busy dissmantling (now that was fun!) and more importantly researching.

Whilst I knew that I could buy a decent modern bike new for $500, none of them appealed to me, if anything I’d buy one and put another $500 into it to make it my own. So I decided to spend about $500 on the old Hardrock, have some fun on the way and see what comes out of it.

And fun it’s been! I think about bikes when I put my head on the pillow at night. I’m driving Christina crazy. I have a mate Jing who’s just as obsessive comulsive about bikes at the moment as I am (always a good thing to have a mate to dive into a new hobby with), I’m active on a bicycle forum and the bike itself has turned into something else.

It’s a true juxtaposition. It’s old and new, built up from many 2nd hand garage sale goods, eBay junk and a few new bits in there too. It’s a work in progress which I am documenting here. I’m also up to my usual shit stirring, a vent always helps to release the pressure and have a laugh :)