Showing posts with label wednesday bikes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wednesday bikes. Show all posts

Wednesday, 17 October 2012

Wednesday Bikes: Vol 2 - Vanilla Bicycles

This week is Vanilla Bicycles.

This company, straight out of Portland, Oregan, hand builds and crafts every frame. And this really shows in the detail. This also explains why the SpeedVagen from last edition of Wednesday bikes were made with such detail, as Vanilla cycles actually create them.

I dint realize this then..but now i do. Im getting so wise!

So ill start off with two single speed CX bikes.
1 Frame, 2 very different looks!

OLD Skool:
Sweet looking crank-set on this. Have no idea what it is though.. (update, they are Paul ENO cranks)

 NEW Skewl:
50mm deep carbons and boom!! you got yourself fast as f**k looking race bike.


If i had the choice, i honestly don't know which to go for. It's so easy to make a frame look like a classic, just slap on some square box rims, matched with a lot of silver parts. I like the idea of the simplicity of a single speed. just something you dont have to worry about, and take too much care for, which is what you will get from the classic build. But as soon as you drop some carbon wheels in, it instantly defies the point of a singlespeed. You have to check and clean the pads and rims after every ride, or else before you know it, youv torn through a set of wheels that you had to re-mortgage your house to get hold of.
Dont get me wrong, if i had the money, i would have 100 sets of carbon wheels just because they look so pimp! But, being an average, struggle to pay the bills, kind of guy, a single speed should be plain, simple, reliable, and good enough to get the job done. Everything the first first bike is, just without the tubular tyres/rims. Especially not Dugast tyres as, apparantly they need more care and attention than other tub's because of the very supple, high performing, Cotton Casing.

Here's a Geared version..


Got this image from here.. worth a look as there's loads cool pics in there

This one being one of my favourites..
That's a serious gap to clear..

Wednesday, 26 September 2012

Wednesday Bikes: Vol 1

Welcome to the very first volume of Wednesday Bikes. Such a momentous occasion and will mark it with something very cool!

So Wednesday bikes, what's it all about. It's pretty simple really, every Wednesday I will try my very best to post a different, exciting, weird, wonderful, cross bikes from all over the world. Whatever CX bike I post I will try and put up as single speed version of it from the same manufacturer.

This week is something that I only came across today and I thought 'WOW that shit is Hot!.
Here's the link to their website
Speedvagen
This contains other bikes in their very small range of top end bikes.



Check it out and see what you think..…
Very neat dropouts
Really useful looking cable guides, allowing for longer lengths of covered cable to keep the dirt and grit out
to keep shifts smooth and consistent. Note where the rear brake cable comes from.
Another angle for the rear brake cable routing. This keeps it looking so tidy. No need for ugly,
external seat tube adapter jobbies. Well you wouldnt be able to use a seat tube guide as this is the first intergrated seatpost that i have seen on a cross bike.
Some more internal routing for the front brake. This really does create a very clean look throughout. I cant help but think how tricky it would be to route them, especially the rear.
Images courtesy of BikeRumour

And now for you Singlespeed fans.
Super Pimp. Super clean. And can only imagine how fast this sucker is!
Got this image from Vanilla Workshops Flickr
Click on the link for many more awesome pics from this brand..

thanks for looking
and stay tuned because i have some weights and comparisons with a couple of very shiny carbony parts to come very shortly!