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			thirdraildesignlab posted a photo:	The Velo Crue seatpost design is brilliant. Hinged!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)

So, as Lung knows from our ride discussions, I love love LOVE the look of the Taylor bars on Ghostal, which was it’s original vision. But in actual practice, for city riding they remain as uncomfortable as they were on Fix-e when I first bought them. The issue is that the bars drop into the, well, drops, almost immediately, leaving very little at the top of the bars for you to rest on in an upright position. Further, there’s no ‘hood’ position as with conventional bars, so you really have two choices: ride in the drops themselves the entire time, or do like I frequently have, and perch on the crown awkwardly, one hand on the top of the bars and one on the BREAK I MEAN BRAKE itself. This is fine for a jaunt across town, but it’s an awkward position for controlling the bike in the clutch, as per our modern parlance, and frankly, maybe if I was 135lbs the drops would be fine, but that’s too much pressure on my diaphragm, especially with a bag on. Fine for a climbing ride, not so much for riding around town. Meanwhile, I haven’t had my bulls on a bike since I pulled them off of Fix-e for a change-up (putting the Taylors ON, ironically enough)… so I thought hey, this Ghostal is one smooooth ride… how fun would it be with bulls? And so I did. This morning. Squinting at it given the dim light of my bikeBasement(tm) and the lask of near focal capability as my eyes heal from those shark lasers.

Here’s where you come in, dear reader.

Should I keep the Ghostal scheme, and wrap these bulls in white Kierin grips again, or should I use the Brooks wrap to match the saddle, as I have done in the past. I’m of two minds, so I thought I’d see what you thought.

I’ve included the bars as they are now, one-side wrapped, so you can see the Brooks leather tape…

ghostalbull1 Bike Build Process Log: Ghostal by the Horns

…and here’s a gentle mock-up of the grips.

ghostalbull2 Bike Build Process Log: Ghostal by the Horns

Let it be known!

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Related posts:

  1. Bike Build Process Log: Ghostal – Naked Bulls
  2. Bike Build Process Log: Ye Blacke Death – Over the Moon
  3. Bike Build Process Log: Ghostal – Make it Stop!

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