Photo final

Did a typology of handlebars for my photo final. While I'd like to get it properly photographed, the best I can do to share it online is this digital mockup:



It's called "handlebars are people, too."

Dear Wheel,

Thank you, dear Wheel. It's been a year and a half since I designed and built you with friends Sheldon and Miller. Yes, you were more difficult to raise than the average 3-cross, and I had to lace you more than once before I made you right, but when I finally finished, you were strong and beautiful.

Since we've been together, you've done so much for me.

Like a good luck charm, it was the day after I first rode you to polo that I landed my first bike job.

Besides hundreds of commuting miles, we've shared a few alleycats, I've played countless games of polo on you, spraypainted you for a tweed ride, cyclocrossed you more than once, and generally given you the kind of abuse I've raised you to love. You've even helped spawn a cousin—a wheel I never would have had the courage to ride across America if it weren't for the trust we had built.

Now, with one side of your hub stripped beyond any threadability, and the other cog'd with glue, I cannot remove your broken spokes, and joke about you as my "custom 30-spoker," as a loose nipple rattles between the walls of your rim.

Thank you, wheel. You have done so much for me, and, even after I build another, I will continue to ride you until you become dust. And then I will put you on my wall, with other decommissioned bike stuff.

reordering time

This forgotten bike has been locked up outside Millrace Studios for
weeks, deteriorating. Today, I was so tired of looking at it,
sideways, rear wheel out, I healed it with my pocket tool and a few
spare minutes before class. Planning to slowly fix it up over time as
a secret performance piece. Maybe its owner will take it back by the
end of the term.

fueled by oppression

Friends from polo Ian and Rose have a band with their friend Joe. They played the Jackalope last night. I recorded a few songs, one of which was actually bike-related.

It was a really fun set. Aside from the music, highlights included general sassines, darts, beer, and watching Ian try not to drop a tambourine while playing the melodica.

They're called Fueled By Oppression. The songs mentioned above are probably called "End All Be All," "Life Not Lawns," and "Fair Weather Cyclist."

PS there were a couple polo bikes there; check out this knuckle guard Boone brazed to his left handlebar:

Bike Barter

After a hearty breakfast, I did a proper tune-up on a NEXT.



Normally, I wouldn't spend any time on such a cheap bike, but, as part of my life mission to empower folks through the use of bicycles, I adjusted the brakes, sanded the pads, cleaned the rims, trued the rear wheel, adjusted both derailers, oiled the chain, and aired the tires on this Wal-Mart monstrosity.

Why?

The other day, just as I was leaving home for work, a knock came at the door. It was an immigrant with a heavy accent named Andre. He didn't have a job, and wanted very much to have his bike work better. He said he liked to do drawings. I didn't really want to, but I have this sign in my driveway that says we fix bikes, so I told him I would.

When I came home this evening, he had picked it up and, in exchange, he'd left this sweet tie-dye tee:



Thanks, Andre. I hope your NEXT treats you well and you find good work soon.

Tour de EUG

Thanks for the art, Ei.

Tired of a scarceness of alleycats in this town, I decided to put one on myself last weekend.

Thanks to all the checkpointers and other folks who helped out—you know who you are—for making this happen. I had a lot of fun, and most of you told me you did, too.

There were 12 checkpoints on the manifest, which I chose to put in the order I thought was best. Yes, this eliminates the challenge of choosing one's own route, but I wanted this to be an easy, fun race. Besides, some riders managed to get lost anyway.

1.) Stuart Smith's house, 2375 Columbia. Pull weeds.
2.) Blue Heron Bicycles, 877 E. 13th Ave. Park a cruiser for Sue. Receive an inner tube.
3.) High Priesstess Piercing & Tattoo, 525 E. 13th Ave. Get "play pierced."
4.) Autzen Bike & Pedestrian Bridge. Consume 2 oz. of a mysterious amber liquid.
5.) BMX track. Do a lap.
6.) "The Sun" at Alton Baker Park. Do a lap of the duck pond on a little girl's bike.
7.) Polo Courts, 2nd & Washington. Slalom down the dirt and stop in a circle.
8.) One Cup Café, 2nd & Blair. Enjoy a 160-degree shot of espresso.
9.) Monroe Park, 10th & Monroe. Push your bike around the park's perimeter backwards.
10.) Kesey Square, Broadway & Willamette. Have your photo taken with Ken, then lay on the ground and spasm like you're being tazed.
11.) College Hill Reservoir, between 23rd & 25th on Lawrence. Play stickwheel.
12.) Bike Barter, 25 W. 24th Pl. Savor victory.

Everybody said they had fun, and the top two finishers intend to throw one in about a month! I'm stoked to actually get to race instead of organize.

Des took a bunch of sweet photos and put a set on her flickr, and George took a bunch of photos and video at his checkpoint and I put them on my flickr.

George's Kesey Square checkpoint media

Des' radical coverage of other chekpoints

Click through, but here a few of my favs of Oudalay, who wins Most Entertaining Racer for doing the whole race on a tiny 16" bike:

Oh, and here's the results:

Tyler Allen 1:10

Ian Summers +0:01
Oudalay +0:04
Sam +0:07
Eddie +0:10
Drue +0:12
Micah Olsen +0:23
Sean, Anna, Kenney +0:35
Tony, Noora +0:45

Tim

Stopped by Eugene Jeans to replace summer cutoffs with full-length Levi's the other day, and Tim treated Jeff and I to a song and some good old-fashioned idle chat.

Check it out sometime.