Originally Posted by
yehuwdiy
Congrats to the OP, there has been some interesting discussion here. It's funny, I started touring on a single-speed hack of a bike put together from rubbish bin finds. Plastic bags = panniers. Everything about that trip sucked, except for the trip itself. To the OP, I understand and used to share your frustration, however my personal choice was to change me. I figured that every time I tour the world changes me, as my eyes are open. Every day commuting changes me, every person spoken to, every child taught. Why not change for bike companies? I became a serial tinkerer, take pleasure in creating Frankenstine bike that should never have lived. Each one changes me, teaches me new things.
This may not be your way, and by all means rage against the machine spoke-brother. But, one question first; do we cycle to beat the world, or to float amoungst its currents and dream?
Great post, thanks. Some radical & interesting machines you build! Reminds me of Phil Wood--superior stuff at a reasonable price. But you don't tour on your own frame? Anyway I recently read about Naked Bicycles in BC & read Bryan Thorp's journal of his cross-Canada trip on his Naked Rohloff. Pretty bike & amazed to see zero punctures on the Marathon Pluses. I have the regular Marathons & no flats in about 2 years. Unfortunately WashDC area seems to be devoid of custom frame-builders despite that cycling & touring is fairly popular here. OTOH Portland Oregon seems to have a frame-builder on every block!
In '74 I went to Montreal to see the Worlds' Championships, amazing to see the huge crowds of enthusiastic spectators. I still don't get the reticence to spec disc brakes though. Why spend big $$CDN on a bike & not have the best brakes?
I also read the Edmonton Journal article which mentioned your trip to Banff on a fixie. My dad toured to Mt Evans Colorado back in the 50's on a 3-speed "English racer" along with a friend who was riding a gas-pipe job with high-rise handlebars. His mom & dad drove up from Denver to meet him at the summit & filmed his ride back down the mountain. Scary to watch as his speed reached at least 75 kph, esp since the road has precipitous dropoffs on the switchbacks unlike the Pikes Peak road famous among auto-racing enthusiasts. No helmet of course. Folks were made of sterner stuff back then.