Ride much?

Huh? Have you ever seen a new bike covered in road grime, grease, and paint chips?
edit - sorry, to answer your question: yes.

you must get that bike dirty. don't let it remain like that. get it chipped, scratched, worn...

i want to see dirt behind the seattube and under the downtube. hubs should be filthy. bartape should be ragged. seat should have wear from being leaned on things.

thats how a bike like that deserves to be treated.

now, don't anybody freak out on me...i wasn't criticizing...just sharing my hopes for all good bikes.

Just playing, although it's going to be sad to see that get all chipped up now that it's survived quite awhile in such good shape. Hell, my bike is less than 3 months old and it has chips and grease all over it.

not sad! that is not a sad thing! chips and grease are a must-have.

(i'm saying this for my own benefit as well...but seriously, dirty bikes rule.)

edit: like this!

http://www.bikecult.com/works/archiv...mekindaTdo.JPG

from here: http://www.bikecult.com/works/archiv...omekindaT.html

Hot bike, Kalavinka stuff continues to blow my mind with its hotness.

Great ride dude. Now get out there and put some miles on her like ink mentioned and treat her well!

Oh dude!!! Baby needs a bath!

Thanks everyone. Chips cannot be avoided (and the base of the seat tube already has a small one, courtesy of a slipped tool), but I hate it when my bikes are dirty. A clean bike is easier to maintain.

That Kalavinka is on fire.

I would like to introduce Higgins (or Higgy Baby)--please be kind, this is my first build.

The specs:

1984/85 Raleigh Grand Prix, 59cm, lugged 555 Reynolds CroMoly, with original chrome fork and chromed rear triangle--nice and stiff as a board

Sugino RD crank w/ 48t chainring X 18t Suntour Superbe Pro cog X 18t Shimano freewheel on the flop-side, and SRAM chain

32h Mavic Open Pros laced 3X to a high flange Surly New track hub in the front, and a 130mm White Industries Eno fixed/free in the rear, with double-butted DT Swiss Competition 2.0-1.8 spokes--wheels handbuilt by yours truly, and I can't emphasize enough how different a self-made wheel feels (much love to Schraner, Brown and Brandt).

Michelin Carbon Road Tires with the sexy matching red stripe

Sora front caliper brake running to a Cane Creek 200TT lever on the right side, with almost-too-short red housing

Nashbar 42cm bullhorns with generic white cork tape (to be upgraded to Cinelli upon its expiration)

Nitto Technomic 120mm 1" threaded stem

MKS GR-9 pedals with MKS clips and red Mikashima straps (total package courtesy of Ben's Bike)

Kalloy 25.4mm seatpost supporting a white perforated Selle San Marco Rolls saddle (ignore that ghetto shim fashioned from four thicknesses of cat food can)

Cronosport computer, and unpictured head and tail lights


I'll occasionally run some Wellgo SPDs if I know I'm going to be out for a long time, and I'm still playing with the setup of the bar angle and saddle position, but that's pretty much it. Fixed Gear Gallery, Sheldon Brown, and others inspired me to put this thing together, and I couldn't be happier. I knew it was inevitable once I started looking at every bike on the street, and immediately checking for a rear der. It moves like a knife through water, and feels unlike any other bike I've ever ridden. The gearing may change up or down, depending on my (anticipated) weight loss and increased stamina. Regardless, I'm already filled with palpable distaste at the thought of riding an aluminum rattletrap with more gears than I can possibly use (i.e., my other bike).

As an added bonus, I've also included a picture of my shoulder taken after my first crash (on my first day riding) on the Brooklyn Bridge and one of the bike on its first trip to Coney Island. That distinctive pattern you see is an painfully-earned impression of the braided steel cables that support the bridge. I landed right in one of their intersections, not unlike a very stiff safety net. Oddly enough, another fixed rider caused the accident, but nobody was seriously hurt or at fault.

Keep posting those bikes!

1. Nice.
2. Who started this red/white thing? Was it me?

Maybe. I know there was a passel of them posted last week, which spurred me to post my own.

ah canadia

my last bike was red and white...does that count?

J, So you finally got it. I will have mine and FNB also soon. Is that your name on the top tube? If you need a duraace chain ring let me know I will trade for the Campy if needed. Just let me know.

Have fun riding. I have the Anchor pics up and taking new Level and UNO pics now.

S/F<
CEYA!

my golly...the tyres match the stripes on the chainstays...i am agog...that thingg is sweet pie.

what's the story on kalavinka? new? old? custom? i'm clueless.

Current custom NJS builder from Japan.

thanks.

No, not my name. Super Exhibition, like most of Tanabe-san's current generation frames. Your frame and fnb's will probably have it, unless you specifically deleted it.

Edit--oh yeah, you guys are getting RAPs. I hope they don't say Super Exhibition, as that would totally cheapen mine.

I actually found and bought this on Craigslist today...my first fix - I gotta say it's an absolute blast!
The seller gave me the brake caliper since it wasn't installed - I threw it in my back pocket and hit the streets of NYC to ride it home. Now I'm not so sure that I'll ever install it.

OMG that Kalavinka is HOTT I wish i had a bike half that cool!!!

put that brake on. learn to skid and skip. if you don't use it for a month, take it off for good.

Here's mine: Hungarian made Schwinn Al frame and cromo forks, der. hanger and cablestops sawed off, repainted. Has Ritchey Pro 'horns, the seat and pedals I ripped from my MTB. Built the wheels myself w/cheapo flipflop hub bought slightly used for ~$5(!!!), bought the lovely ofmega ss 44t crank for $8 from the same guy. Front wheel has Novatec cartridge hub, 32 butted DTs laced to a Mach1 cfx rim, 750g. Rear is 36H, straight guage DTs. WTB Camino Altos.
I now run 44/16 fixed, sans brakes, but I have the calipers at home, awaiting some cane creek 200tt's to use them with... 16T freewheel awaiting on the other side of the hub.
Chain tension was spot on with a half link - lucky me:D