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			thirdraildesignlab posted a photo:	SOMA Sparrows with elkhide done, untrimmed. The MINI Clubman S in the background is the same color as the bike. These photos document my Carpetbagger project, a fixed-gear build fitted with S&S Couplers to be used as a travel bike. The general details of the build sheet are:1. SOMA Rush frame, 56cm: stripped, coupled, then powdercoated in a color to match my sweet, sweet MINI.2. S&S Couplers: break-away coupler set to allow the bike to be packed in an airline compliant case and avoid bike shipping fees; assembled by Tom at 41303. SOMA Sparrow bars4. Odyssey finger lever5. Shimano medium reach brake with Kool-Stops6. Handmade wheels by 718c.com with Velocity Fusions and All-City hubs in bright polished silver.7. Panaracer Pasela 700x23 tyres8. Elkhide by Velo Orange, hand stitched9. Custom bar end caps made from vintage typewriter keys.10. Velo-Orange Stem and Seatpost11. Brooks Swallow, Honey12. Sugino 75 drivetrain: 72 inchgearLove it. Team Lope Tyre Clubbe

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Posted in: TLTC Items to Amuse by TRDL thom | Comments (0)

Lowghst Ghostal: The First Ride

So today was my first real ride on the Ghostal, in between rainstorms here in the Bay Area. Admittedly, it was still quite wet out. I just got impatient. I mean, the bike’s going to get dirty anyway, and so why not just get goin…

WHAT A DREAM!

The ride in was a little low and steady, as it was newly minted and not yet finely calibrated. The seat was too low, so I raised it. The bars remain very low for me, particularly, uh, pizzafied as I have been post-Z… but I did some tweaks to seat position and felt it out a bit more and took a ride at lunch, and I really got comfy in a hurry. Man, it’s an aggressive riding position. It was on Fix-e too, with those bars, ut because that frame was too small, I never FELT it the right way. This is great. In fact, it wants you to get out of the saddle.

One thing I may explore is the brake pad situation. These are non-machined rims, so I used sticky red compound pads. And predictably it is staining the rim red. I was down with that! But IF I can clean the rims up (and I doubt it) I might try gray pads, just to see. They’d still stain it, but less so, at a compromise of brake effectiveness, already hampered by the rim and the shot lever. Speaking of shot lever. I reversed it and it actually feels better.

Yeah, this is a FUN ride.

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Related posts:

  1. Bike Build Process Log: Ghostal – Make it Stop!
  2. Team Lope Ride Report: The Napa Ride Weekend of Destiny 07
  3. Ghostal: Lever Righted

Posted in: TLTC Items to Amuse by TRDL thom | Comments (0)