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Kara Ginther is an artist who specializes in carved and embellished leather; and particularly, the embellishment of some fine Brooks saddles. I assume the paint would wear off over time, however the ones that are simply carved should be no problem, time would probably only add character to the design. These would look amazing on some nice show bikes at the NAHBS, so hopefully we will see one of these beauties on some nice classic steel (hint, hint builders).
This weekend I stumbled across a wonderful site cataloging derailleurs over the years. Supposedly only half done it showcases some amazing exotics alongside some that are a bit more common, and all photographed and presented very nicely. The creator has this to say:
“I have tried to include the good and the bad, the worn and the new, the exotic and the commonplace. Most of all I have tried to use a dry collection to tell some stories. People, both consumers and producers, are often passionate about bicycles, and the story of the derailleur has its share of drama and tragedy.”
Certainly the derailleur is one of the most abused parts on a bike and unwillingly has to become a workhorse like no other. I am pretty excited to see the collection finished in all its glory, determination and a little extra time can be a beautiful thing. Plus who can’t dig on a site named after the great album from Mr. Bruce, Baker and Clapton, which was named after an inside joke between Clapton and Baker when their roadie Mick Turner commented on a conversation they had about Clapton getting a race bike. Turner had said “it’s got them Disraeli Gears”, meaning to say “derailleur gears,” but instead referring to 19th Century British Prime Minister, Benjamin Disraeli; weird connections, but what a great album.
Have a peek around Disraeli Gears.
Earlier this year it was announced that Fisher Bikes would pick up where Lemond left off when Trek had dumped the brand back in 2008; because of allegations that were slandered back and forth between two grown men (who just happened to be two of the best American riders).
But as they often say things happen for a reason, and the reason happens to be the super stiff, super sleek Cronus. I have to say this is the first time in a long time I have been excited about something coming out of Fisher. Not that there is anything wrong with the way they have been going about things, it is just nice to see a killer road bike come out of the company. There is a bunch of new simple technology that seems pretty nifty, like the new removable fender mounts, allowing you to easily attach and remove a full fender set quickly. The most impressive feature on the Cronus is the FCC or Fisher Control Column, which integrates a 1.125″ to 1.5″ headtube with a wider fork and massive flanged front hub, which theoretically should yield a super responsive yet very supple ride. I would love to get my hands on one of these to test out.
Check out the Cronus on Fisher Bikes.
Viking Cycles has a nice simple range; one frame, sizes 53-61 and seven finish options. If you dig the style and don’t mind dishing out $599 on a new track frame from a small builder, then click away: Viking Cycles
Found over at El Cyclista
It can be a fairly daunting task when trying to find vintage lightweight parts for a project. There are places like Velo Orange that carry wonderful parts for Porteur style cruisers and of course Rivendell Bicycle Works that carries some great touring parts and great little odds and ends that are hard to find anywhere else. However there really is not a great source for vintage lightweight parts. You can certainly scour Ebay like a mad man, but I am sure some people would prefer something else, and this could be a good answer, if you live in Hungary.
Check out Matuz Master and their nice collection of vintage and modern parts.
This is the most recent build here at Domestique, a 2005 Bianchi Pinella with custom paint. It began a few years ago when I picked up the frame and fork online for fairly cheap. It was built up with a mix of Chorus and Centaur drivetrain and brakes, Ksyriums and the recent addition of Continental Grand Prix 24′s and an Arione CX. It really does ride quite nice, forgiving yet stiff; everything a nice steel frame should be. I have not had it on a scale but am pretty sure it’s a very respectable weight considering it is steel, but certainly a big lady compared to a CR1 I used to bum around on. It has been the main steed for two seasons and I plan on keeping it around for a while; maybe.
San Marco released the REGALe, the “evolution of a model that doesn’t need presentations.”
Brooks B57 Swallow (circa 1950)
About two years ago I picked up this saddle in hopes of cleaning it up and a little leather wax and some polishing went a long way. Last season it saw some miles then I put it out of commission, in hopes of it magically repairing itself. This model was Brooks way of lightening up their line in the early 50’s, aluminum backplate and stainless rails, finished with beautiful side stitching.
Recently Brooks has re-launched their site and added some beautiful pieces to their collection.
This pump has come to replace the CO2 cartridges that normally adorn my rear pockets. A good move because this baby is super light. At a claimed weight of only 58g, it feels more like a pencil then a pump against my back. After using it for about two months I can say it does take a little while to actually fill up a tire, but well worth the extra weight you do not have to carry around. Blackburn says the max pressure is 160 psi/11 bar but damn it would take a while to get it that full, a solid 15 minutes of pumping. But, overall it gets a huge thumbs up for its simple design and compact size.
Get it from the fine folks at Competitive Cyclist
