Parts is not parts...

All the pieces to this bicycle puzzle are coming together. As mentioned in the prior post, some of the parts that I will use on the Puch build come from the stock of items that I have held. On friday, I received an anticipated package from Velo-Orange containting a number of items to flesh out the project. Not pictured is the Wheelset. It is currently at my preferred LBS. The front needed to be rebuilt and the rear needed to be brought back to tension. I would like to be the one doing my own wheel work, but my experience is limited, as is my lot of tools for such a job. I have found out the hard way that without a tensiometer and many wheels under my belt it is just money well spent to let a pro handle that job. So then, here is the list af parts that will be involved in this project:

Drivetrain:

crankset~Stronglight Cyclotourist 175mm

chainrings~TA double 48-32 (compactish)

f. derailluer~Simplex

r. derailluer~Simplex sx630

chain~sram

pedals~Lyotard w/Avocet cages

Wheelset:

rims~Rigida 700c

hubs~Suzue

freewheel cassette~ Suntour perfect 6-spd 12-28

brakeset~Suntour Supurbe sidepull

pads~VO squeal free road

brake levers~Gran compe

h-bars~Nitto Randonnuer 45cm

stem~SR 70mm

Arguably, not a purist build...though one that I think will still be somewhat faithful to the period of the frameset. And one that is loaded with my own personal preferences. That seems importnt, as this bike will be ridden and not hung for the ages. Not mentioned above is the saddle and post, nor the tires I intend to use. In the outset, I will be swapping the Selle An Atomica from my Raleigh. It is mounted on a Nitto post. I am hoping to get a set of Grand Bois Cypress 700c x 30.

recent acquisition...

circa 1975 AD Puch Super Leicht NOS!

I am like many other bicycle nuts, in that, justifying the next project takes little mental coaxing. That said, I have, actually, been in a bit of a contraction and even purging mode. Perhaps, it is the most reasonable mode given the current economic conditions. Over the past couple of seasons I have sold off numerous parts and two framesets. One, a workhorse Nishiki International which I used primarily as a winter bike. The other a lovely, early model Waterford dedicated to organized club rides and fast training rides. In all cases, I have tried to be more efficient and have funneled the capital into optimizing other bikes in my collection.

I realized years ago that there is no one "ultimate" bicycle. Instead, one may need different bikes suited to specific purposes. For example, one may need an all-around commuting bike that is appropriately outfitted for runs around town, to the store, riding with the kids and maybe even riding to work. In my case I own a 1971 Raleigh International.

A bike that has gone through a number of transformations over the past few years. This past fall The money from the sale of the Nishiki went into the purchase of the SA drum brake / dyno hub. And additionally the BM headlight. This is now the bike I ride most frequently, in all seasons, including the Northern winter. The addition of studded tires seemed to inspire confidence with each outing. And there were few places I would not ride with this machine.

The Saluki in its touring setup

Rando setup sans H-bar bag

I also own a first generation of the now discontinued Saluki by Rivendell. After a number of years building this bicycle it reached its resolution last season as a supremely able brevet / touring machine. I imagine it will continue to serve those purposes for the foreseeable future. Its completion was made possible by the sale of the Waterford and some other misc. parts associated with that bike.

Though, I am more of a road rider these days, I do like to take advantage of some wonderful trails in my locale and around the state of Wisconsin. In my younger years, a fine Mt. bike was what I desired most, so when I decided to build a bike strictly for off-road frolicking I leaned on the aesthetics I recalled from the late 80's and early 90's. the period when it seemed that these bikes were taking over the industry. So, to this end I found a series 3o PDG Paramount that was neglected and transformed it into an able "hard-tail" mud plugger.

Arguably, I don't "need" another bike, but I have felt that ever since the Waterford was decommissioned, there has been this hole in the "completeness" of my herd. The one element that I have been missing has been a fine ultralight. A machine that is perfectly streamlined,...one that would be fast, fun & classy...like a fine vintage sports car on a summer day with top down. I have been sitting on a Reynolds tubeset with the idea that I would myself build into a framset for this very purpose. The fact is that life moves fast and I already have too many other things that absorb my time. So, on a recent evening while browsing the vintage bike section in ebay, you might imagine my excitement when I noticed a very lovely frameset due to end within hours. I had a bit of wheel money in the coffers and had recently won an award for some prints that are on exhibit at a local art museum. So you might imagine that it all became easy math....I watched the action on this frameset for the next couple hours, which to my surprise was very light....hell maybe everyone else is as broke as I?

What I was looking at was a veritable time capsule. The frameset was a mid 70's Austro-Daimler Puch made in Austria. It is constructed from the venerable Reynolds 531 and has a full complement of Campagnolo dropouts. It is also outfitted with a NOS Shimano Dura-Ace headset. Now, I am normally no real fan of Shimano, but in this case, Shimano made a very nice copy of the Campagnolo headset that may otherwise have been installed. The sizing of the set was a perfect fit and the thing that sealed the deal for me, was that it was a new old stock item....and as you can see from the lead image, it came shipped from the Netherlands in the original box. Needless to say, I did manage to drop a bid in the final moments and acquire this fine frameset. Regarding the build and justifying the purchase, it helps that I do have a number of parts that I have held for just this situation. And as I procure the final items and put this bike together I will be sure to follow up with images and commentary on the build and how this beauty rides.

live bat enclosed...

I have been under a bit of a deadline with the gallery that currently represents my work. As such, I have been trying to complete a small series of "Park" drawings. A number of which have recently been posted. This past saturday my plan was to load my gear and get out early, so as to have ample time to complete the 5th in a series of five drawings. Well, the prior evening, my plan took a rather swift and dramatic turn. Around 10:30pm, while working at the computer I noticed that in the shadows of the landing was a fluttering dark shape. I was focused on the matter at hand, but my instincts reacted, as I have seen and felt this before....not another moment passed and as I glanced over to take notice, I dropped to the floor as a bat was moving through my bedroom on a direct path towards me....well as direct as a bat ever seems to fly. I say that I have seen and felt this before, because it seems we have a bit of an annual bat colony in our "belfry". The first I encountered was in 2000. Our roof was being torn off and replaced. It was the early fall. In the late afternoon I was outside walking amidst the debris and I noticed a small creature in bad shape. He must have been startled awake during the tear off of that section and ended up badly injured, now three stories below and exposed to the world.

Since that time I have had to capture and remove over a dozen bats. Usually a couple each season loose their way on their departure run and end up trapped in the house. And as much as I admire and even love the little devil's, they just can't stay. The first one I mentioned surley died....he was just to beat up from the demo work that likely awoke him. Several years later one died while we were out east on our annual run to the ocean in Maine. It took a few days to track the faint smell of death down, but eventually I located his final resting spot. There have been a couple that have been dinged up by my cats..one of which is coincindentally named "batman".

Sadly, I had to kill one bat this past winter. Though I always go to great lengths to put them back in the wild alive and well. So, on this most recent occasion after much consternation, I decided to contain him in the sun porch and just sleep on it. They move much slower in the daylight and seem less so that they might actually be a vampire. In the morning, after coffee....I got the nerve up to capture my winged friend. When I found his resting place he was none to happy, and made a point of showing me all his teeth. I must admit that they seemed larger and more plentiful, than any creature his size should have. He was tucked into a blanket that was sandwiched between the wall and the day bed. I carefully cleared the room of stuff that I would likely trip over, should the capture go horribly wrong. And then went to gather my miscellaneous bat capture gear. I had an old mailing tube, so I decided to fashion a receptecle for the little fellow. You see, the reason I decided to sleep on it was because he was acting rather strange and aggressive the prior evening. We have had one survivor from a rabid bat bite in Wisconsin...I figure the odds of another survival follwing a similar incident are not so good. So it became evident at some point that he might need to be not only captured, but also be tested. And to get him tested he needed to be transported to the Humane Society, so I made the carrier pictured above. With a bit of care, a dose of patience and the aid of my nets, one attatched to a painter's extension pole, I eventually coaxed him into the tube, sealed him up and made sure he had air. To arrive at my drawing site, I knew that I would be heading In the direction of my local Humane Society. And so, this particular bat is the rare creature to have gone for a ride on a bicycle. I eventually managed to complete that fifth drawing on site in the V.A. Grounds.

a view of my grass floor studio from above

a bicyclejazz short animation. Also posted on YouTube for slightly better viewing quality

V.A. Grounds 4

V.A. Grounds 4: detail

...In the field 2

Despite the threat of rain I ventured back to Washington Park for the third drawing in a series that seems to be developing around an area of brush, tall grasses and wild flowers. It is a bit like an organised and mediated prairie restoration, but I think it exists because it costs the county capital to maintain a fully manicured space. Whatever the case may be I am sure glad it exists.

about an hour into settling on a view I needed to head for cover. the shower was light and brief and I was able to continue and find some resolution...this one was a struggle.

Washington Park 3

Washington Park 3: detail I

Washington Park 3: detail II

...In the field 2

...this is the second in an ongoing series of bicyclejazz shorts. Also posted on YouTube and viewed at a higher quality

...In the field

I have been working on some new drawings. I thought I might list some of the specifics and then let the work speak for itself. In this posting, below, is the first of my short films, "In the field". It precedes the work that came from that days effort. All of the pieces are drawn on Rives BFK. The painterly quality of the material is a direct result of using Sennilier oil sticks. They are the closest thing to painting as I ever get, while still "drawing". They are all small pieces, 9.5 x 4 inches, in a letterbox format. they are all singular session pieces. Though, they do get night picked a bit in the studio...

Washington Park 1

Washington Park 1: detail

Washington Park 2

Washington Park 2: detail

...In the field

The first in what will be an ongoing series of bicyclejazz short films. It can be viewed on YouTube at a higher quality

V.A. Grounds 3

V.A. Grounds 3: detail

when I grow up...

In life, very few people end up pursuing their childhood " what'dya wanna be when you grow up?". It's hard to become that fireman or police woman. And it just may not have the same shine it held in our mind's eye, as one grows toward maturity...to say nothing of the odds of becoming an Astronaut...or President. 

I am part of, what I suspect is a minority. I have arrived at a place I vaguely imagined and even romanticized as a young boy. I became an Artist. A painter to be exact. Ever since the first grade, when I won a ribbon for my 'stunning' portrait of Dracula I never really looked back or veered too far off course....I may not have become specifically an animator or comic book illustrator, but I have and continue to pursue my craft in depth and with certitude.

Today I had a moment of serendipity. In a part of the outlying area to my fair city, an area I am not in often, I ran into the man who may be in large measure responsible for my having gone on to pursue drawing and painting. There were many who encouraged my interest in art as a young man, but this man taught me how to see. He taught me how to use my eyes and how to think about what I see. He was the first to open my awareness to the fact that the result of two-dimensional work of art is always inherently abstract. And that no matter how illusory, naturalistic or "real" an image appears, it is first a series of decisions about color, value and shape. Adorned and articulated by some arrangement of marks and material on the surface of a substrate. This man's name is Roger Gifford, and to him I owe a great deal of gratitude.

Mid-summer note:

At this point in the summer of 2009 I have been to Maine and back with my family, with a few stops along the way and a bit of riding in new places. I have missed out on some rides I had planned on . Weather has played a role, but getting my health under control became paramount. Living with a 5, 4 & 2 year old leaves my antibodies on high alert. This past winter I was overrun. Though, I am happy to report that in recent weeks I have come full circle and manged a wonderful solo bicycle/camping adventure and have begun some new drawings from the field. I hope to touch on all these topics, and others in the coming weeks...

...where does the time go?...

On or around the ides of March my now freshly reconsidered and rejiggered brevet bike came out of the trainer pegs and had to be placed on the pavement. Though March and April have had their share of feeling more like January and February, my ability to daydream while stationary  and below ground level, grew stale. So, I have begun another season; once again, possessed by the goal of riding as a randonneur. 

The Saluki went through a final transformation over the winter. In the four years since this project began in earnest, it has now arrived at the place I vaguely envisioned early on.  In building this bicycle I have searched for parts and components, new and old stock. Items of the moment as well as choice elements now out of production. Though, some of the changes I have made were done so for aesthetic reasoning, most have been under the auspices of what makes a highly versatile brevet machine. On the side of "bicycle jewelry" I installed these lovely (Constructeur influenced) VO brake cable hangers

 One of my beef's about the Saluki from the start has been the shimmy in the front end. Rivendell sells their production framesets with Shimano Ultegra headsets. I had always found this bike difficult to ride with no hands. And felt that the problem was this headset. I was lucky to procure a venerable stronglight A-9, complete with needle bearings. Many have commented on this particular component working miracles for this very problem. I would have to concur. Though the Saluki could still have improved geometric trail, to be optimal in this regard.  

The Nitto randonneur h-bar setup with Cane Creek aero brake levers came off my Waterford, which was liquidated to help fund the most notable inclusion.  The Schmidt Dynohub lighting system (see prior posting 2/12/09...) wired to a single Edelux headlight and a vintage Luxor taillight that is nicely matched to my Honjo hammertone fenders (I intend to convert the Luxor light to LED and so is currently unfinished). 

Thus far, the system seems to be magnificent in all respects. I have yet to be in the deep country with no other light source, however, I have made a point of finding well covered trails on some of my night rides. It's astonishing to me that a light powered by a human on a bike can be this bright and effective, not to mention....efficient! As for it's ability to function well in heavy rain, I would have to give the system an A+.....as of this past weekend, it has now been through a near all day rain while out on the first 200k  brevet of the season (more on this to follow).....

In the days prior to the GLR 200k brevet, many hours were spent finalizing the items, gear & food I would bring. I am certain I carried far more than I really needed, however I made decisions based on how I would like to be covered on a 400, 600 or even 1200k. So, I assembled tire and tubes (1 tire, 3 tubes). The Saluki being a less common tire size it only makes sense to be overly covered. I also had a patch kit and a small tube of super glue for any small holes where glass or metal may have embedded. A 35mm film container held some spare bolts and I wrapped a bit of gaffers tape around the outside. My first aid pouch held a number of potentially useful items including key medicinals. Though this ride was done with plenty of available daylight, I did carry my battery lighting. 1 LED headlight and 2 LED red rear lights. I also had spare batteries. The rules of brevet riding also call for reflective wear for both ankles and some sort of torso coverage, front and back. 

The forecast was for a cold front that would surely bring rain (and it surely did!) so I loaded my rain wear pouch with jacket, gloves and newly acquired Craft Bullet pants. I should thank my good man Jim @ National Bicycle Co. who helped get these for me just in the nick of time. I am not sure I would have been able to complete the ride without these! Along with the usual necessary tools, the last notable element in my bag was a full set of cables for shifters and brakes...all cut to size with the ends soldered. This may seem over the top, but the alternative is trying to cut cable on the roadside with some kind of pocket tool....if you have ever tried, you know how the results look...usually a frayed mess of unraveled cable. With the exception of my rain wear bag, all my items were stowed in either my front bag or small saddle bag. I weighed around 157lb. the day before the ride and was curious enough to drag the house scale to the basement shop to see how my total weight was running. So, while holding my bike fully loaded standing on the scale the reading was just over 197lb. My luggage and gear weighed nearly 12lbs. I should say..I am not the type to obsess about weight, but I was curious to know what I would drag along. 

 

The Saluki spent most of the week prior hanging on the work stand. I made some overdue adjustments from the spring training, cleaned the drive train and replaced my brake pads. I then proceeded to check each bolt for tightness and made a few other adjustments as the week went on. Because of the forecast, I needed a place to strap down my rain gear. So I chose to install my new Nitto Campee rear rack (without the low rider attachments). I had to cut and drill to fit, but now assembled it is a fine inclusion to the rig and will serve many purposes. It has become increasingly difficult for me to understand why you would want a bike without proper lighting, racks and fenders?!

The day before the ride was a sunny and blustery 80 degrees. Ahead of the cold front was a big pocket of summer that I thought would last through most of the following day...I was wrong...never the less...I spent time the day before taking in the sun and warm air while doing some final wheel cleaning in my yard. My daughter Oona was on quality control.

"Ride in weather most people won't."  -Grant Petersen  Rivendell Bicycle Works

On the morning of the ride I awoke at 4:20. When I first stepped outside to load my bike and gear for the hour drive to Delavan, WI  the air was still balmy. The wind was less than 5 mph, if not still. It felt like an early morning in south Florida. Even with the less than desirable forecast, there were twice as many riders in the lot at the Super 8 parking lot. I would say near 2 dozen set out, though I am not sure if everyone finished? After a few short words from the GLR officials we were off just after 7 am. The first hour of riding was the last hour of weather that would be considered fair, and even at that the wind was persistent on the lead of this front. Our track was to the WNW towards Madison, WI. The prevailing winds were either head or crossing. Neither of which is very forgiving at 15+ mph.  Ahead of the front the rain was scattered and the temps were still moderate in the low 60's.  While in the second hour on the road, we knew this would change as we approached the front...

...a view of the horizon as we met the front...

The other side of the front was eventually better than 20 degrees cooler than how the day started. It felt even colder given the wind and rain.

It became clear that it was time to put on some coverage...above is my riding partner and older brother...may I just say...thank god for older siblings!  We have been on many rides in the past few years. Some organized others not. He is a hell of a strong rider and a natural climber, a far better athlete than I am, but he is less inclined to all the trappings that may come with being smitten with all the cyclo-touring lore. Had I been any less spellbound we would have turned around early in the day. However, I was not interested in a DNF. It seemed like we were prepared for the adventure...and he being the good big brother, persevered in ways most people just would not have.

...all things considered, that day was not without a certain beauty..above is looking back as we transitioned into what would become a personal cycling jihad for the day...

...the remainder of the day looked much like this...The temps. hovered in the forties, the wind started out of the WSW was eventually NW and rarely ever seemed to help. The route had us on several shoulderless roads for a fair distance next to 55 mph traffic, though not a high volume was out there. Still, I would have preferred spending less time on these types of roads. I think it is fair to say that the route was more disappointing than the weather. Given that these same roads will be used for the other distances I am not sure I would want to be that exposed after nightfall.  Which will be the case for riders of the 300, 400 & 600k brevets. And I think that there are many alternative roadways in the area to accomplish a potentially safer experience. I trust my own night riding skills and savvy in traffic, and I would also take some solace in riding with others, but I do not trust many of the drivers on Wisconsin roads and highways on a late Saturday night or after bar time. Should riders continue through the night, these I think are legitimate concerns. I don't mean to be disparaging of the organizers of an otherwise fantastic series of brevets. I know that a great deal of energy and resources are spent by those involved in the organization. And planning a route is not an easy task, but I do believe that one of Wisconsin's assets is an abundance of relatively well maintained country roads that offer light vehicle traffic.

...Though, we aren't talking biblical amounts, it did rain enough to do some flooding. This is on the way to Verona somewhere around the 50 mile mark.

Verona, WI (which is just SW of Madison) was our midway check point and our turnaround point. There we stopped a bit longer for some lunch. A Kwik Trip acted as our control. I had a salami sandwich, half a bowl of chicken chili and a coffee. Within 1/2 an hour we were on our way back to Delavan. My computer is in need of recalibration, but I can say that we covered better than 125 miles and were in the saddle over 9 hours. I had hoped to do more photo documentation and perhaps a bit of video, but given the weather, I became more focused on simply riding and enduring. We passed a couple of ethanol production facilities that I wish I had taken some captures of, as they were easily as ominous as any nuclear reactor  I have encountered. And unfortunately for the locals not making any money off the plant...ethanol production sure does stink! 

The night before this ride I was explaining to my oldest boy, Angelo (he is 5) that I would not be here when he got up and that I would be gone until bed time....that I was going on a bike ride with Uncle Craig....Angelo asked in a slight forlorn tone...why was I going on a ride? To which I anwered, "Angelo, I don't know?" Earlier today my brother sent an email and mentioned that he still could not understand how or why we did what we did.....I am still wondering, as well. While already mentally planning the upcoming 400 & 600k brevets I plan to ride this season.