My new commuter

[d2creative]

I ride to work a few days a week (11 miles each way), usually fair weather rides unless i get caught unexpectedly. I just built up another commuter. I bought the frame/fork from Rivendell Bicycle Company and had them paint it to my specs. The model is the A. Homer Hilsen. Then bought a whole slew of parts and built it up over the course of a week. Had a few parts like the seat that I transferred from my last commuter. I love riding, and I like doing creative things and building up bikes like this is a cool combo. A couple interesting details you might (or might not) be interested in are... the front light is powered by the front wheel's generator hub. The kickstand I wrapped in hemp twine and applied amber shellac to match the seat. And the handlebars are wrapped in a harlequin pattern using two different colors of cloth tape. Never did that one before, so had to learn it on the fly. Took hours, and multiple attempts, especially since these moustache bars are all curves. The bike rides like a dream, just like their other model that I had, called the Atlantis. And this one has 650b size wheels/tires which is inbetween 26" mountain bike tires and the bigger 700c road tires.

Anyhoo, thought some of you might appreciate my new rolling art. I call it "bike porn". I thought I remembered seeing a couple other cyclists here at TPF??? Oh and these pics were just taken with my Ricoh GX-100... to stay on topic.

Full gallery of the new ride with some captions here...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bluelem...7606322427028/

[groovyone]

Very retro.

[afrikaner07]

How much did the bike in total end up costing you? It looks fantastic, and the effort you put into the handle bars really payed off, looks great. I definitely like the color and the seat too. Very very cool.

[toverman]

Mustache handlebar, Brooks saddle, generator hub, shiny fenders, awesome paint color and a hemp-wrapped kickstand? You are the man!

It doesn't have a chain guard, though, does it? Do you change into nicer pants when you get to work?

Right now I'm making do with my really old GT mountain bike-turned commuter. Still need to get some nice fenders, and I've toyed with getting a Brooks saddle with matching leather bar tape. But then I will have put more into the bike than it's worth. The thing got me through the Hotter N'Hell 100 last year, though, having passed a lot of riders on lighter, fancier rigs who had breakdowns or just tuckered out.

I don't have the time or patience start with a frameset, so I've been looking at the A.N.T. light roadster. Love the thought of having a steel bike again.

Happy riding!

[d2creative]

Originally Posted by afrikaner07

How much did the bike in total end up costing you? It looks fantastic, and the effort you put into the handle bars really payed off, looks great. I definitely like the color and the seat too. Very very cool.

Heh, thanks! Cost more than some people's cars.

Originally Posted by toverman

Mustache handlebar, Brooks saddle, generator hub, shiny fenders, awesome paint color and a hemp-wrapped kickstand? You are the man!

It doesn't have a chain guard, though, does it? Do you change into nicer pants when you get to work?

Right now I'm making do with my really old GT mountain bike-turned commuter. Still need to get some nice fenders, and I've toyed with getting a Brooks saddle with matching leather bar tape. But then I will have put more into the bike than it's worth. The thing got me through the Hotter N'Hell 100 last year, though, having passed a lot of riders on lighter, fancier rigs who had breakdowns or just tuckered out.

I don't have the time or patience start with a frameset, so I've been looking at the A.N.T. light roadster. Love the thought of having a steel bike again.

Happy riding!

Thanks!
Nope, no chain guard... yet.
I ride to work in baggy mountain bike shorts and some kind of smartwool t-shirt or long sleeve shirt depending on the weather. I'm lucky enough to have a shower at the office to freshen up and change when i get there. For now I just throw a velcro strap around my pant leg if I need to do a short ride in jeans or whatever. I've been looking on and off for some time, but I still haven't found a great generic chain guard solution, although both rivbike.com and velo-orange.com have a couple things worth looking at.

Something like a new seat (brooks) could always be transferred to the next bike... that's one way to validate the purchase.

Those ANT bikes are very nice. The wait is up to about a year now, isn't it?
My all-time favorite builder is vanilla bicycles in portland. OMG! His detail is amaaaazzzzing. Last I had checked his wait was up to about 5 years and then I heard just recently he stopped taking orders all together! That's INSANE! But man are they gorgeous.

[studiocygnet]

Do you get to take the bike inside with you, or do you have to lock it up outdoors? Those Brooks saddles don't like getting wet and then drying out in the sun too often. I had one crack all the way across from one corner rivet to the other from exposure like that.
Do you frequent any specific shop in Houston? I know some of the folks there.

I don't have to commute, but to do errands I always have to choose between my cyclocross bike, single speed, or old Salsa frame that I made into a tourer with rack, fenders, and some old Scott bars that sweep around the front. Or sometimes I take my wife's Bianchi Milano. Or if she's going, we might take the Ibis Cousin It tandem. Or on occasion maybe even the old 40's B.F. Goodrich (built by Schwinn). Oh the dilemma - which bike to ride?

[studiocygnet]

Oh yeah, one more thing. Is that a real canvas seat bag? Looks like the old T.A. touring bags from the 60's.
By the way, have you seen the wooden fenders out there, they would match your kickstand, saddle, and seatbag trim. The brand I'm familiar with is Sykes.

[d2creative]

Tom, I can bring it into my office with me.
If I had to leave it outside all day I'd have to have a different bike... i'd be too paranoid.

My favorite houston shop is probably West End Bikes, followed by Daniel Boone's and Blue Line Bike Lab.

My wife has a milano, too! Have you looked at an Xtracycle conversion for errands? I think it would be cool to have one of those someday... or a prebuilt Surly Big Dummy.

I've seen those wood fenders, that would look pretty cool. I just didn't like that most of them seem to be flat and don't wrap around the tire at all. I would think that would give more outward spray, getting my feet wet? These are handmade hammered Honjo fenders from www.jitensha.com

The bag is from acornbags.com
Real cotton duck fabric. Haven't gotten caught in the rain yet. I expect them to have some water resistance but not be water proof. But they fit the part. Sometimes ya gotta go form over function.

[AndrewCCM]

If I rode a bike to the office, I'd need a shower and a cot... On the way home at 5pm, I'd need an ambulance in this dang 105 heat.

Interesting bike you have there for sure.. I just bought one recently, but it is nowhere near as retro as that! WOW.

[ShutteredEye]

I love it!

[Daniel Bates]

I'd love to ride a bike to work, but I wouldn't last more than a few hours on Fayetteville roads. These people can't drive.


I'm not kidding. I haven't been involved in an accident yet only by pure, dumb luck - just today someone was driving the wrong way out of a gas station and nearly ran into me, and yesterday somebody in the straight lane decided to turn left all of a sudden, right through my lane. And of course - turn signals? Brake lights? Right of way? What is this madness of which you speak?

[d2creative]

Originally Posted by Daniel Bates

I'd love to ride a bike to work, but I wouldn't last more than a few hours on Fayetteville roads. These people can't drive.

You should try Houston.
I've already been hit!
Amazing how resilient the body is when t-boned by a Mustang. Can't say so much for the bike. R.I.P.

[Daniel Bates]

I've been to Houston - the drivers are the same, but the roads are worse here.

Sorry to hear about the bike; at least you were all right. Bikes can be replaced fairly easily - limbs, not so much.

[LDB]

That's a very cool looking bike. I'm also curious of a ballpark figure of cost to build something similar to that, presuming starting from scratch with nothing at all available to work with.

[d2creative]

Originally Posted by LDB

That's a very cool looking bike. I'm also curious of a ballpark figure of cost to build something similar to that, presuming starting from scratch with nothing at all available to work with.

www.rivbike.com

Look at any of their models.
They usually explain in the descriptions what a complete build typically costs.
Depending on the frame and parts chosen it can be up near the price of a new D700.

Now, the thing is... if you go with Rivendell you are starting with an expensive, semi-custom, fully lugged, high quality steel frame. There are other frames out there that are substantially cheaper but can take almost all the same parts. Surly, Kogswell, Salsa... just to name a few. You just have to get creative. But for what it's worth, there is a reason this is my second frame from them. Peruse their site for a while. Grant has some great articles that are sure to spark some interest. Not only have I never ridden a bike that feels as good as these, their whole philosophy on cycling is a breath of fresh air in a world that seems to have been taken over by go-fast Lance wannabees and big bicycle corporations that fuel the flames, making money hand over fist. No more carbon frames, clip-in pedals, and tight spandex for me.

If you want to see a bunch of really cool "classic" style bicycles, check out these galleries.... Lots of Rivendell and non-Rivendell bikes.
www.cyclofiend.com

And you can also check out the Rivendell group on flickr.
http://www.flickr.com/groups/rivendell/

I love talking bikes, so if anyone wants to contact me off the forum, feel free.