Salvaging a Hub

I have been going through allot of de-cluttering and one of my goals is to take a bunch of things to the scrap yard.  I have some old wheels that are rusty or bent or otherwise trashed that I was thinking to just load up and then I thought perhaps I can salvage the hubs first.

I did a search on how best to cut spokes and one suggestion was to use an old cable cutter which as I turns out I had!  When the PBK started to dull and not snip cables or housing cleanly I upgraded to a Park cable cutter but the PBK now has life as the slayer of old spokes.  It worked great.

The cable cutter made short work of the spokes,it probably took less that 2 minutes to cut them all.

I was not going to try and rehab this rim, the rust was even worse on the inside, and now its ready for the scrap yard.

After freeing the hub I found it was much easier to get rid of the spoke remnant if I had the "J bend" end of the spoke pointed down.  I got to the point where I could flick them right into the scrap metal tub.

And I am left with the hub, dirty greasy and oxidized but free of the wheel.

It sure is a lot easier to clean this way, and after a bit of work I see its a made in France Normandy hub.  I can rebuild it, sell it, practice my polishing technique, even use it to build a wheel which I have threatened to do in the past, I also have a nice rim I could use....hmmm.

Speaking of selling I have been selling a number of bike bits that have been sitting in boxes and drawers for years doing nothing and a few NIB pieces that aren't going to get used.  I have sold about $500 worth so far on a combination of CL, Ebay and bike forums.  It's been surprising to see what gets sold and what goes wanting.  I no longer try to predict it.

That was the worst wheel of the bunch  I have so I may be done with hub salvaging but it was good to see how easy it was to do with a proper tool.

Until next time, Ride.Smile. Repeat.

Off season Coffeeneuring and a few goodbyes

been a while?

When there is a layer of dust on your saddle it might mean its time to go for a ride.  I have actually ridden in 2018, but its been the Gran Touring and the Passage, so it was time to brush the dust off of the Handsome Devil and take it out.

We've had a string of sunny days in Seattle and I couldn't let another slip by without a ride.  I have been avoiding carbs of late so my regular Sunday ride to the farmers Market and the Beer junction is on temporary hiatus.  I had an errand to run and a new coffee shop to check out so that was reason enough to go enjoy the sun.

I have been going to the post office allot lately, more on that later.  And I had a few things to drop off.

The thing I dread most about the PO is standing in line, however, in the lobby of my PO there is a chute for boxes that have already had postage applied ala ebay/paypal so I never have to stand in line which makes me smile every time.

After the errands it was time for Coffee, I wrote back during the fall Coffeeneuring that I wanted to go to Olympia Coffee, they were going to open in October but didn't, nor November, nor December, and not even in January.  Finally in February I drove by and the paper was off the windows! 

I had a lovely mocha and enjoyed the new space, it has a clean Scandinavian feel and the tall windows were letting lots of lovely sunlight in.  My one nit to pick was the bike parking.  You will notice in the picture above with the store front and sign that waaaaay down the block there is a realtor sign....

 Yep that is where I parked, I am mostly kidding but nearly every other coffee shop in West Seattle has a bike rack right outside their door.

As I walked toward the crosswalk I saw this lovely modern Raleigh Clubman; classic steel frame, TIG not Lugged, nice Brooks dyed dark blue, brifters and disc brakes, flat pedals.  Nice.

Some Good-byes

I have been thinking for nearly a year that I really need to de-clutter, especially on the bike front.  I like to joke that my apartment looks like an episode of Vintage Bike Hoarders, but there is more than a kernel of truth in that joke.

I have also been feeling a bit overwhelmed by half-completed and stagnating projects and perhaps most importantly I need some cold hard cash.  So I have been spending time on Craigslist, eBay and the Bike Forums sales page.

The first to go was the 1984 Nishiki Cascade, this was a pretty easy choice in that I originally got this bike for the bull moose bars, and didn't pay much.  The guy who bought it showed himself to be an experienced re-builder as he cast a critical eye over the box of parts and looked carefully to be sure of what was there.  He mentioned he was going to build a bike for his daughter so that made me smile as well.  One less project haunting my porch and it went to a good home and it put some cash in my pocket.

Then I said so long to the 1986 Miyata Trail Runner, sigh, I really would have liked to hang onto it but it really needed a complete tear down before it was ready to be a regular rider.  I had a guy about my age come from 80 miles away to get this bike, turns out he works at a bike shop, and is an old MTB enthusiast,  he actually wanted the bike just for the wheels!  I had a fun bike conversation with him.  While I was a bit sad to see it go, it's cash in hand and my daughter has one fewer bike cluttering up her room.  

The last, so far, was the Torpado Alpha, this frameset has been languishing on my porch for years and the box of parts was sitting forlornly in the laundry room, so I offered it up on CL as a project and threw in new; tires, tubes, rim-strips, brake pads, bar tape, toe straps cotter pins etc. and a nice young lady pinged me about it and actually followed up.  She was a bit taken aback by how many pieces there were (despite my CL description and pictures) but to her credit she bought it.  I swallowed my fatherly urge to ask "do you really want to take this on?" and figured hey she's an adult, she knew what Bike Works was when I was mentioning shops that might have old parts, and everyone has to start someplace.   Passing this on was a catharsis.

I have also sold a number of parts lately:

• Two Brooks saddles that were on bikes that weren't getting ridden and/or I was thinking of selling
• New in packing bike planet SpeedEZ fenders
• Some RSX100 downtube shifters that I have no idea where/when/why I got them
• Some touring bike shoes that had never made it out of the box
• A set of mismatched but functional and sturdy 700c wheels with an 8 speed cassette that have been collecting dust in my laundry room for 6 years - when you don't bike commute you don't need a back up wheel-set!
• A Carradice saddle bag that was still in the packaging, ironically this the second time in 4 years I've done this with a barley bag (sad trombone).

One eye opener for me in going through boxes and drawers and closets is all the things I FORGOT I EVEN HAD!  Its pretty easy to sell on things you haven't used or looked at in so long that you have forgotten about them.

I started with the easy stuff, so now I need to do some actual work to put a few more bikes on the market.  More to come.  In the meantime, cherish those sunny winter days!  

Ride. Smile. Repeat.

This one is for you Phil

Later today I will be going to a Memorial held at my favorite coffee shop for a fellow regular, Phil Yates, who passed away in December after a long battle with cancer.   I met Phil about 12 years ago as our paths crossed regularly at C&P.  I found out he was an ex-Marine, had worked on the Alaska pipeline, was a excellent finish carpenter, that's how he made his living, and most importantly he was an avid cyclist.

Phil and his lovely partner Jennifer

Besides having excellent taste in coffee shops we bonded over cycling.  From Spring to Fall we had races to discuss and in his younger days he had been an amateur racer so I would get stories about training on a fixie in the winter, racing at the velodrome, and he knew just about anyone who was anybody in the Seattle cycling scene over that last 40 years.  He wrote a pamphlet on training back in the 70's and toured shops in the west giving talks about it.  He was a serious enough Roadie that his last frame was Titanium.


Phil was a lovable curmudgeon, he could discuss a wide range of topics and didn't put up with any BS, while still being kind to dogs and children.   In the face of cancer he was positive, fought hard and even managed to be stylish.  He used a walking stick in lieu of a cane and it looked like Gandalf's staff and to keep his head warm he wore a Basque beret that a Spanish ex-pat and C&P regular had shipped to him,

He was well loved at C&P so its fitting that is where his friends will gather today to say goodbye.  When the weather broke earlier today and the sun peaked out I took it as a sign I should go for a ride and honor Phil by doing something we both loved.   This ride is for you Phil.

First ride(s) of the new year, ABC and good-bye MotoGT?

In looking at the weather forecast last week I noticed we had a few sunny days on the way and it occurred to me that it might be time to get on the bike for the first time in the new year.

Ride One

On Monday I did a 2 km ride to breakfast at Easy Street Cafe and when the drip coffee arrived I realized I was practicing ABC... Always be Coffeeneuring!

the blurry bike through window is mine

It was a short ride but you have to start somewhere right?   And dry streets, not to mention sun, are a rarity for Seattle in January.

Ride Two

Low an behold it is still Sunny on Tuesday, so more riding and more ABC.

I was reminded on Monday how squeaky the front brakes on the Passage are, so I went with the Motobecane Grand Touring today as it only needed some air in the tires.

I did a 2 mile ride (3.2 km) to Hotwire  for a Mexican Mocha. I went super scaled down on this ride; no pump, tools, spare tubes or locks, which I wouldn't normally do but since it was a short ride I figured what the heck.

Part of my reason for no lock was I knew there was a court yard right outside the front door at Hotwire and at this time of the year it is usually empty, so it wasn't like I was leaving the bike unlocked on the sidewalk.  I actually ran into an acquaintance there and we sat outside with the bike and caught up.

With the skies turning threatening  I decided it was time to head back home. 

Another reason I  picked the MotoGT to ride today is that it might be part of an asset liquidation.  My current job search has gone on longer than anticipated and my finances could use a boost.  I love the look of this bike and I spent a long time pursuing this specific model and size, on the other hand its basically a racer and has a more aggressive position than I find comfortable for longer rides.   Its not on the block yet and there are a few bikes that will proceed it but its something I am thinking about.

May you also have sunshine and dry roads.  As always ride smile and repeat.

2017 Bike year in review

Its that time of the year when folks are looking back over the year that is almost over and I am doing the same.

I spent the winter months tearing down and building back up my 1986 Schwinn Passage including many upgrades.  It has been my favorite bike to ride and I am very happy with how it turned out.  I have had occasion recently to think about which one bike I would keep if I could only keep one, it might just be the Passage.

Part of the reason for building up this 80's Japanese touring bike was to use it for the Tour De Lopez in April.  It was a ride I have been thinking about doing for a decade and it almost didn't happen because of back issues so actually getting to ride it on my freshly rebuilt bike was especially rewarding.  Did I mention there was beer at the end?

June ended up being vintage Mountain bike month.  I had wanted to find a lugged steel 80s Mt. bike for a while and for a total outlay of about $50 I found two, a 1984 Nishiki Cascade and a 1986 Miyata Trail runner respectively.  I have made some progress on the Miyata and got the Nishiki down to the frame and conquered a stuck seat post.

I also accomplished my goal of riding to a baseball game this year in June, they even won!

July was just about my "bikeyest" month ever, just a few highlights:

• Felt like I blogged just about every day (19 posts)
• One week I rode four different bikes
• Had a fun ride in Portland on my birthday and there was beer!
• Finished working on the Ritchey Project
• Capped off the month with a gravel ride on the John Wayne trail

October featured getting to ride on the Willapa river trail on an upgraded, but not finished, Miyata Trail Runner on a beautiful fall day and also kicked off my 2nd consecutive Coffeeneuring season.

There are plenty of projects in the queue so we'll see what happens in 2018.  Happy Holidays all and remember to Ride.Smile.Repeat. 

Coffeeneuring Challenge 2017: Ride 7 Freshy's

The forecast was for dry weather Friday and Saturday and then a pattern of rain for the next week so I decided to strike while it was relatively dry for ride # 7, the finish line of the Coffeeneuring challenge 2017.  Not only did the weather gods smile on me but so did the deities of the traffic lights.  There are 5 lights between me and my destination so 10 for the round trip.  I made it through them all without having to stop! I am pretty sure that is a first.

My destination today was Freshy's, they have been open for 12 years and are within 2 miles of my house and this was my first visit!  They have a funky living room vibe. eclectic furniture and arcade games scattered throughout.

I could have even sat next to the (gas) fireplace if I'd wanted to.

Instead I sat at the Space Invaders table top arcade game, probably a good thing it wasn't working or I might have had to feed it some quarters for old times sake.

Even as I finish this years challenge I am thinking of next year, Olympia coffee, based in the state capitol is going to open a shop in West Seattle.  They had a target open of October 1st but look no closer to opening than they did when I first noticed their store front 3 weeks ago.  So they may be on the roster for 2018.

The data:

1. Where - Freshy's Coffee
2. Date - November 10th, 2017
3. Consumed - Mocha, everything bagel toasted with cream cheese
4. Details - dry, 45 degrees, bike parking out front, first visit
5. Mileage - 6.05 KM / 3.78 Miles

Until next year. Ride. Caffeinate. Smile. Repeat

Edit:

And today I sent away for my prize

Patches!  We really do need some stinkin" patches!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqomZQMZQCQ 

Coffeeneuring Challenge 2017: Ride 6 Realfine Coffee

New month, new season and a new destination for ride #6 of Coffeeneuring 2017.  Today's ride was over 20 degrees cooler than ride #5, over the weekend it snowed! in Seattle, in November! which just does not happen.  It didn't stick in my neighborhood but not for lack of trying.  I wasn't feeling hardy enough to ride in snow flurries so I targeted today when it was supposed to be sunny.

In addition to adding a heavy merino wool sweater to my riding kit I used long fingered gloves for the first time in recent memory.

It had been cold and wet enough over the weekend that the roads, and bike lane, got a dose of salt.  Dang! I knew I should have sprung for that undercoat protection.  I briefly thought of using the Handsome Devil for today's ride with its wider tires and heavier frame but decided I was being an over reactive sissy and went with the Passage instead.

My destination today was Realfine coffee where bike parking was nonexistent but I was able to park just outside the door so I had a great view while I was in the shop and in a pinch I could have locked up to the picnic table  but didn't.

The nosh was quite good and if I was in need of a haircut....

 I could have just stepped into the adjoining barbershop.  When I moved to the area almost 20 years ago this building housed a Diva Espresso location but a few years ago the new coffee shop/barbershop replaced them and this was my first visit.   The building has been around since the 1930s and I had always assumed it had been an automotive shop but I learned something today.

It was originally an oil company that delivered oil for home furnaces, you don't see them much today but the very first house I rented right of college had one.  My friend and I had a budget fail and spent one cold winter month without heat, we learned our lesson!

Waiting for today to ride worked as expected and although cold it was nice and clear, no rain or snow.

The Data:

1. Where - Realfine Coffee
2. Date - November 6th, 2017
3. Consumed - Hazelnut Latte, plain crossiant
4. Details - Clear cold winter day, 40 degrees, zero bike parking, historic building
5. Mileage - 4.98 KM / 3.11 Miles

I have 13 days to get in my last ride, can I do it? will it be epic? will it come down to the wire like 2016?  stay tuned.  Until next time Ride. Caffeinate. Smile. Repeat.