Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Delineating the Extremes

We define the furthest edges in order to learn more about our machines and ourselves. There has been a disc brake on my tall bike for a week, and already I've got the rear wheel in the air. Does anyone want to lend me a penny farthing to practice dismounts?



In reality the Mielgeot has a very rearward-biased weight balance, and is very stable under most conditions - including heavy braking. Lyle is reigning Tour de Bomb champion, on the fastest mini bike in the world, but let's not forget its inaugural bomb and a lesson about rear bias. If you don't push that edge, you don't come home with the trophy.



Nick's learning new traffic flow on the .243, riding what at 68cm have got to be the widest bars ever on a messenger bike - but this bike also took fourth at this year's Little 100. Can't help but thank Mr. Cotterell (check this one out in LARGE) and Travis for photos.



With extreme pursuits comes the increased likelihood of catastrophic failure: bike parts and body parts on the line, in the name of physics and fun. Everything is science. SCIENCE!



Machines come in many shapes, clearly a factor in this extreme discussion. One shape is the Sekine's most recent iteration - extremely fast for a 27 year old frame in a field of brand new cantilevers - which has also indirectly resulted in one of my photos being used by TC over at fyxomatosis.



Cyclocross has been good to me so far. And projects with the ability to reconfigure have a tendency to last longer. Commuting bikes don't usually turn into successful racing bikes, though.



Brandon's Calfee is the ultimate in stiffness and one time use factor, but it's the Puch that's been through more stages.



These extremities are brought to you by the letter "B", and we encourage all of our friends to join us on this quest; being extreme is more fun with the right people around.

People who shoot photos and people who are in those photos; classic Camilo by Trent:



People who organize events; Haley, seen here on the official Proj-B official pit bike.



There are only sixteen days until BRIDGE BATTARU, and that reminds me: I should print some more flyers, because they all seem to have disappeared.



And another photo from Trent, that was also on fyxomatosis: J.Weeks avoids a crashing Tom Briggs at last year's Bridge Battle.



The only thing left to do is listen to "Baby Come Back" while looking at this top tube pad, and hope for snow...



Oh, I guess there's one more thing to do. Look at that top tube pad in two more photos, with a third that links them to the EXTREME.





8 comments:

((lyledriver)) said...

This post is like leaving your time machine on 'Shuffle'.

Just a couple quick comments..

That squeezebulb horn is pretty clownin, and is currently my least favorite feature on your tallbike... but I suppose it makes the peds smile.

I would like an actual screencap of the 'baby come back' outfits.

I think you got sidetracked thinking about how you're Matt's new token ginger. Which makes me want to find a picture of you and MrWhite on the same angle, a la Me and Ralph Fiennes.

..and what happened to the original fork on the tall? I can't recall for some reason.

Does Brandon still have the Raleigh Sceptre?

morgman said...

My time machine on shuffle, that's a good way to put it.

The horn is clownin, and I like it in some ways, but in others I'd rather not have it. It is much better than a bell in terms of getting peoples' attention, and less aggro than yelling. Not that yelling is a bad thing, though. It does still have the little bell on the bars.

The MrWhite sidetrack was actually spurred by Nick's mentioning of my photo being used on fyxomatosis, and then that and a few other threads being incorporated into the story. Go ahead and find those photos for comparison. Andy's got plenty of self-portraits on the site.

The original tall fork died over the Velomutations weekend in 2007. Fork legs bent straight forward, bringing the tire within track-tight tolerance of the brake, while rake increased at an uncomfortable rate once it got going. It was the original Peugeot fork, full threaded headset welded in place by the extension.

Brandon, does the Sceptre live (or hibernate)?

Anonymous said...

the sceptre currently lives in a comatose state, slated for adoption by a rather lanky fellow who would fit it well once it regains consciousness.

((lyledriver)) said...

Sweet deal. You should do something awesome to that Sceptre. Like show up to a crit on it... but but then be all "Just foolin around guys!" and whip the Calfee out of your jersey pocket.

Anonymous said...

i still sort of want to convert the drivetrain to a retro direct system...and THEN show up to a crit on it.

Nick said...

Morgan should show up to a crit on his tallbike. He'd probably take a CatV race on it, too.

68cm bars have definitely meant learning new lines, and looking to other lanes for more splitting room, or simply taking the sidewalk. The key is to time the light correctly; for example, if you've been pinched out in the construction chokepoint on Howe and you've moved too far to the left, you may not be able to get back over through traffic if you're trying to make a right on Georgia. Lane-splitting can also be accomplished by sizing up the oncoming mirror heights and snaking the bars through them.

nikcee said...

i heart vancouver and proj-b... taking new lines where none existed before.

melbourne riding is pretty intense. skinnier lanes, streetcars and more horn usage makes for some getting used to, and the locals have their lines dialled. they def ride faster than vancouver... (less real hills).

oh and so many cobblestones in alleys and on entries to sidestreets!

kale said...

Is there an explanation behind the picture of the MTB catastrophe?

What could have caused the chain to derail, the front tire to flat, the quill to shear, and his jersey to become untucked in one sudden yardsale?

It's photos like this that make me have nightmares, because one day I'll be riding along and BAM! Explosion of bearings and gears everywhere!