Thursday, June 30, 2011

Wrenchmonkees Guzzi 850 T

I would love to hear this bike coming up the road.... Moto Guzzi 850 T

Moto Guzzi 850 T

Moto Guzzi 850 T

Moto Guzzi 850 T

Details (borrowed from Bike Exif)

The Wrenchmonkees have just released a new machine into the wild. It’s a rebuilt 1974 Moto Guzzi 850 T and the lucky owner is a Norwegian called Pål, from Oslo. When he dropped off his Guzzi at the Wrenchmonkees’ workshop in Copenhagen it was yellow, so the bike was quickly stripped back to bare aluminum for a more classic look. The ‘Monkees then rebuilt the engine, and fitted Dell’Orto carbs, K&N filters and a Dyna electronic ignition to boost power. The wiring is all new, and now hooked up to an Odyssey battery. The bodywork is mostly custom-made, with a new seat unit and fenders, and looks just sublime. To create a more aggressive stance, the rear frame and the front fork were both shortened, while Bitubo shocks were fitted to keep the rear wheel planted. (The Guzzi already had a Brembo braking system upgrade, so that was left alone.) The 18” Borrani-style wheels are shod with Avon tires, and the 6” headlight is from a Honda CB400. It’s matched to Daytona blinkers and a proprietary Wrenchmonkees taillight, with instrumentation and control switches from Motogadget. Simple, classy and effective, and a return to the Wrenchmonkees’ traditional monochrome styling. Fancy this one in your garage?

Treks Paint Schemes for the Tour

I have never been a huge fan of Trek.  But there have stepped it up in that last few years w/ the some really good custom paint schemes for the Tour de France.  

2011 Leopard Trek Tour Madone








2011 Spartacus Trek Fabien Cancellara








2011 Team Radio Shack Tour Madone

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

One For The Road... TGR

Teaser Time!

Shaw Speed & Custom XLST3

This thing looks like a bit of fun!

Harley-Davidson Sportster custom

Harley-Davidson Sportster custom

Harley-Davidson Sportster custom

Harley-Davidson Sportster custom

Harley-Davidson Sportster custom

Harley-Davidson Sportster custom

XLST3 is based on a 2011-model XL1200N, with several key mods. The bike sports a custom exhaust system—built in-house—and has also been converted to chain drive. The stock front end has been fettled with titanium nitrided forks, progressive springs and XL883 fork lowers. A braced swingarm and Öhlins shocks keep the back wheel planted, and a Performance Machine brake system is hooked up to Roland Sands Design Black Ops brake rotors. The frame has been tidied up, the engine cases anodized, and the gas tank is from RSD too. The finishing touch is the lustrous paintwork from Image Design Custom.

Thanks again Bikeexif.com

Monday, June 27, 2011

2011 Pikes Peak Record Breaking Run with Monster Tajima

I don't know what it cost GoPro for this Video?  But whatever they paid it was worth it....

It will make your stomach jump a few times....

Friday, June 24, 2011

Ridley Noah... Ridiculously aero?!?

Less than a month ago I was talking to someone about Ridley.  I believe the quote was "it could be a slow year for Ridley next year, they don't have anything new coming out....".  It looks like to be that Ridley just made one of the fastest aero road frames out there, even more aero and FASTER!










Thursday, June 23, 2011

BMW R100 cafe racer

Holy Beautiful BMW!  (to bad this bike is in Germany, I would go find it and steal it!)


BMW cafe racer

BMW cafe racer

BMW cafe racer

BMW cafe racer

BMW cafe racer

Borrowed from Bike Exif (who borrowed it from Cafe Beemers)...

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Enve Carbon Compact Handlebar!

Yep right of the VeloNews website...Enve compact carbon handlebar
Traditional vs. New Compact

Enve compact carbon handlebar
New Short Reach

Enve compact carbon handlebar
Specs.


Enve compact carbon handlebar
Lever Placement

Enve compact carbon handlebar
A little extra length on the drop...

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Boardman TT bikes look FAST!

I love the simplicity of this bike (straight lines and hidden brakes)!  Not even sure if you can get one in the the US. 


Boardman_AiRTT98
The frame highlights include:
  • Full high modulus monocoque construction
  • CFD and wind tunnel developed aerodynamic tubing
  • Internal front brake within the fork structure
  • Rear brake mounted on the underside behind the BB
  • Full internal cable routing
  • Full carbon fork with tapered steerer tube
  • Reversible seat post to accommodate both TT and triathlon riding positions
The headliner here is the Air/TT 9.8.  The complete build nets you a set of Zipp wheels (1080 front / Sub 9 Disc rear), Sram Red drive train with a FSA Carbon Trimax BB30 crank, a FSA cockpit, and it comes in at 17.5 lbs.  You will have to be ok spending  £6,999.99 for the complete bike, or start with a frameset for  £1,599.99.

Boardman_AirTT_Frameset
Just think of the build that you could put on this frame?

Monday, June 20, 2011

Servizio Corse Opera Rosa - Chapter II

Still no translation, but bikes are cool so this video is too....


Servizio Corse Strade Bianche - Chapter I

I have no idea what they are saying...  But if you like bikes it is still worth watching!

Shimano Ultegra Di2!!!

If you are ready to waste some time today and start figuring out if you can finally afford to put Di2 compontents on your bike click here....  official Ultegra Di2 website

(my steel frame road bike project might of just got a little more expensive)

Shimano Ultegra Di2 STI Shifter Brake Lever

ULTEGRA Di2 ST 6770
DUAL CONTROL LEVER

  • ++lightweight levers for optimal comfort and control
  • ++digital push button shifting – like clicking a mouse
  • ++ergonomically designed hood shape
  • ++lever reach adjustment – fits all hand sizes
  • ++weight: 313 g (pair)  MSRP is $449.99/pair

Shimano Ultegra Di2 6770 Rear Derailleur

 

ULTEGRA Di2 RD 6770
REAR DERAILLEUR

  • ++programmed electronic shifting – fast and accurate
  • ++never drops out of alignment
  • ++crash saver function
  • ++inner cage impact protection – cage moves automatically inwards on impact
  • ++max. rear sprocket: 28T for wide-range gearing
  • ++weight: 250 g  Price is $339.99



Shimano Ultegra 6770 Di2 Front Derailleur

















ULTEGRA Di2 FD 6770
FRONT DERAILLEUR

  • ++fast, accurate, smooth shifting
  • ++programmed, automatic trim – silent shifting
  • ++weight: 160 g  MSRP $309.99

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Pillars of Italian Cycling

A beautiful look at some of the most classic Italian cycling brands there are....  Fizik, Wilier, Castelli, Carrera, Bianchi and Vittoria


Pillars of Italian Cycling: 5000kbs from MovePress, LLC on Vimeo.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Enve Wheels: Can "aero" Get Any Quicker?

The Enve 6.7, the first wheelset in Enve's new aero wheel range developed in conjunction with Simon Smart, is set to go on sale in June. Over the past year, Procycling has tracked the development progress of these wheels from start to finish. Here's the inside line on what's gone into them to make them so fast.
Enve Composites, based in Utah, USA, are a young, vibrant and ambitious company that have experienced huge growth in a short time. They launched in 2007 with ultra-light carbon fibre wheels, forks and components and already their wheels have been ridden by several top teams. The company - formerly Edge - then started to consider the aero market.
Beverly Lucas, Enve's vice president of global sales and marketing, remembers the pivotal moment. "We'd been to the San Diego wind tunnel with our stuff in November 2008 and it tested well but not as good as any of us really wanted it to. We wanted to go really big but knew we had to make a bigger investment in order to make that happen."
The aero wheel market is packed and fiercely contested between several well established brands with many years of development behind them - you don't simply walk in. Lucas says the solution arrived by chance: "I'd come to the UK on business in March 2009 and I was watching the Australian Formula One GP in the hotel. Back then we were sponsoring Fly V which also had Virgin branding. Then on the television I saw the Brawn GP car wheeled out and it had a Virgin sticker on the nose. I made some calls and got a contact at Brawn GP and requested a meeting with them. They put me onto Simon Smart who had a contract to use their wind tunnel. From the first time we met I knew he was the guy we needed."
As well as having ten years of experience in F1 and two of the fastest and most successful time trial bikes on his CV, Smart is a keen and rapid time triallist himself. But most crucially, he was already thinking along the same lines as Enve. The development of the Giant and Scott time trial bikes had involved a lot of wheel testing and he'd soon started having ideas on how to make faster wheels than were currently offered. He just needed a manufacturing partner...
It was a perfect fit. If Enve had any doubts, it was that they might bite off more than they could chew. "I can't tell you how much thought went into this project before we committed," says Lucas. "We had to be sure we could actually make what Simon came up with."
It was decided that the new range should consist of three wheelsets shaped to fit particular scenarios: a climbing and multi-purpose set, a mid-depth road race and TT pair, and a flat-out TT set. Smart first set about conceiving a new R&D method. With an agreed target of nothing less than ‘making the most aerodynamic wheel range in the world', and a number of ideas stored up from his work in frame design, Smart knew that faster wheels had to start from better testing protocols.
He was also convinced that there was plenty of room above the best existing wheels: "There are some good products out there but none tick all the boxes. Enve has a massive opportunity," he told Procycling in May 2010.

Method
It was clear from the start that wheel testing had to be done in a bike. "it doesn't take Einstein to work out that when you put a wheel in the bike the flow it's seeing is being interfered with," said Smart. The current leaders in the aero wheel industry agree - Zipp and Hed developed their latest generations with Cervélo and Trek respectively. However, Smart wanted to extend the testing method further and give buyers a range of wheels that would work in a broader spectrum of bikes.
"The development of one wheel in one bike is limited because of the huge choice of designs out there. For example, you could [run your own test] with a Cervélo P3 and you'd choose a Zipp 808. You do the same test on another bike like the Trek or Giant and you'd choose a Hed S9. The consumers are completely baffled by all this information so really the strategy is to try to develop a range of wheels that work in many different bikes.
"We are investing a huge amount of money in doing all this development for the wheels and we can hand that knowledge on to the consumer to make sure they are actually buying a wheelset that goes fast when they put it in their bike. it's an exciting challenge to make wheels that work in multiple bikes."
Smart's process therefore requires wheel concepts to prove themselves in two very different TT bikes, the Cervélo P3 and Trek Speed concept, and two road bikes, the Cannondale SuperSix and Specialized Tarmac. On top of this, the Scott Addict-based development rig built by Smart exclusively for Enve can include a dummy rider and ensures a high degree of accuracy for repeatable measurement of marginal improvements. Other metrics are recorded, too, but they're kept secret.
In terms of ride quality, the new aspect that Smart and Enve wanted to pursue was stability in crosswinds. Many wheels are sold on their aero performance at a particular crosswind yaw angle, "so you've got this sweet spot but can you ride it?" says Smart. "Many wheels are too unstable at their most effective angle. The big compromise is rim depth versus stability. So in the wind tunnel we're doing some really unique stuff. We're going to be the first to test stability in a wind tunnel. We've got a stiffness target, a weight target, a stability target and a drag target and we're going to put all those in the pot and test all these variations of rim width and depth."
The pressure of producing and testing that many variations led to another innovation - a proprietary rapid prototyping system. "it allows us to test many more rim shapes in a smaller timeframe and with a greater degree of fidelity," says Simon.
Enve place such a high value on this innovation that the exact details of it are kept secret, but we can disclose that it allows the bike to stay on the rig while prototype versions are swapped. This means it avoids the risk of introducing any error and saves time.

Early development work was carried out using the still secret and patent pending test rig.
Early development work was carried out using the still secret and patent pending test rig.

First test
The first wind tunnel test is in May 2010.
The aims are to confirm the computer modelling and create a shortlist of rim cross-sections. There are at least 19 profiles to be tested - five overall shapes are narrowed down to two, then seven micro-variations of each – and all at a full range of yaw angles and in at least two of the four bikes Smart has picked out. A measurable change in aerodynamic behaviour and crosswind stability can be seen from a change to the rim width as small as 0.2mm.
"Half a millimetre can generate a difference of five or six watts," says Simon. After 50km that could yield as much as 18 seconds - enough to win a Grand Tour, let alone a club time trial.
There's a huge amount of work to get through but behind the focus is nervous excitement. even if they won't quite say as much, it's a very big day in Enve's ambitious future. in attendance are: Brett Satterthwaite, Enve co-founder, fluid dynamicist and civil engineer; Kevin Nelson, design engineer; marketing VP Lucas, who also has a construction engineering degree; and mechanical engineer and ex-F1 aerodynamicist Smart. in this company, Procycling feels extremely unintelligent and concentrates hard on not asking stupid questions.
Sound engineering, state-of-the-art technology and a team of brains like a multi-core supercomputer mean that there are no significant surprises or disappointments through the initial phase of testing. The shapes that looked the best in the computer are performing the best in the tunnel.
"This first test gave us results that we'd have been happy with as a final outcome," Nelson comments later. One indicator of this early success is that the first patent is filed immediately after the test. With that result in the bag, there's a new confidence and eagerness to see what more can be achieved.
With so many performance targets, aesthetics couldn't be a factor even if Enve - never knowingly overstated - wanted it to be. "We're straight down the line form-follows-function. if the fastest shape looks like a cow then the new wheel will look like a cow," says Lucas. While it's already near certain that the new wheels will actually be black and round, they will differ significantly from anything else on the market, as Smart explains:
"The rim cross-sections will definitely be different front to rear because of the interaction with the bike and the flow past the rider's legs. No one else does that but we know it's the way to go. The front and rear wheels have unique jobs to do because they see totally different air flow."
The drag data: Enve wheels vs other top brands in road and TT bikes
Cannondale SuperSix Hi-Mod wheelset comparison.

Specialized Tarmac wheelset comparison.


Cervelo P3 wheelset comparison (the deepest wheelsets were not all available at time of testing).

Trek Speed Concept 9.8 wheelset comparison.

Grams of drag: a measure of the size of the aerodynamic force acting against the object. The lower the better. At 30mph (48km/h), a reduction of 50g of drag force is roughly equivalent to a time saving of 0.5sec/km, or 20sec in 40km.
Yaw angle: the angle between the direction of travel and the direction of the wind.

Stability


Stability graph: the Enve wheels have a more predictable response to increasing strength crosswinds compared to the other wheels tested.

It's one thing for a wheel to be aerodynamically effective in a varying crosswind but it's quite another for it to be rideable. Ease of handling and confidence stem from predictable behaviour which in turn owes everything to a linear response from the wheel as the crosswind changes. As is so often the case in any interaction between man and machine, from the brakes in your car to your PC's mouse, linearity allows the user to calibrate their actions and working in harmony with the machine – in this case, their bike.
Smart's wind tunnel rig allowed him to measure the steering torque applied to the front wheel by a crosswind. Baseline tests with existing wheels that were known to be tricky to ride in gusty conditions showed a non-linear response to crosswinds. That is, as the wind angle increases you might have to steer into it more but then if it increases again past a certain point then you would need to steer against it a lot less.
By designing this in from an early point, Enve and Smart were able to achieve a near-perfect ratio of steering input to angle. That means that you can run your deeper, faster wheels when everyone else is reaching for their skinny back-ups.
Ready to launch
The Smart Enve System goes on sale in June 2011, led out by the 6.7, which will be priced at £2100/US$2900). The 3.4 will be available around September and the 8.9 by the end of 2011.
There's no doubt that it has the performance to shake up the market but, even so, for a relative newcomer to challenge the hegemony of Zipp and Hed will be seen as brave.
The point certainly isn't lost on Enve co-founder Jason Schiers: "We know that what we're doing is like picking a fight with an 800lb gorilla. There are some good products out there but after more than 1,000 individual tests and hundreds of hours in the Mercedes GP wind tunnel we know that we'll have the lightest, strongest and fastest wheels.
"What we're launching now is just the tip of the iceberg. We know we can keep this momentum going and we've no intention of letting off the gas."
Smart Enve System
3.4: 35mm front, 45mm rear, 1250g/pair. A climbing wheel with aero properties that can do anything from mountain stages to sportives. Excellent stability makes it ideal for time trials or triathlons on windy days.
6.7: 60mm front, 70mm rear, 1415g/pair. Extremely fast mid-depth wheelset with a stability index suitable for experienced riders in all conditions and novice riders on calmer days. Best weight and stiffness in its depth category.
8.9: Exact specification and weight to be confirmed. Class leading weight, stiffness and stability. Usable by experienced riders in all but the windiest conditions.
Weights are for wheels built with 20/24 Sapim CX Ray spokes and DT Swiss 240s hubs.

Calfee Design Dragon Fly Review in Road Bike Action

Yes I am planning a custom Steel road bike frame in the very near future (for which i will be giving up a very nice Carbon Frame to ride). But a custom Calfee will always be the forbidden fruit....

RBA Dfly

 Please read the entire review here.

Chrome Uses Reclaimed Army Tents to Produced Limited Edition Salvage Series Bags

Chrome Bags is building a limited run of their message bags from "reclaimed" (old worn out) Army Tents.  They will only be available at the Chrome Stores in New York, San Fransisco and Chicago.  Only 40 will be made available at each location.  $160 per bag....  I am willing to guess that if they sell well. Chrome will be able to find some more "reclaimed" (old worn out) Army Tents and make more.

Chrome_salvage_product_shot

Chrome_Salvage_Lot_Stamp


Chrome_salvage_tent_1
Chrome_salvage_tent_2

Santa Cruz Head-to-Head: Atherton vs Gwin at Leogang


USA USA USA!!!