Lest We Forget

It has been 13 years and I still remember this day. We all still remember this day. We remember where we were and what we were doing on that Tuesday morning in September. Some were close to the events of that day by simply being near it. Others, forced into being forever tied to the tragic event due to loss. If you are anything like me, you still find it easy to feel the disconnect that comes when we were not there, nor did we know someone who was. Still, no matter who you are, or where you were, we ALL lost something that day. 

Our sense of Peace, and Security, attacked beyond measure. Decimated in the time it takes to brew our morning coffee. Our confidence shaken to our very bones leaving nothing but questions we could not answer. Uncertainty consumed us all, only to be replaced with strength, as a Nation banded together overcoming fear with resolve. The true American Spirit.

On this day, I find it difficult to put into words what it is that I personally feel so
rather than sharing my story, I would like to share a friend's. Rather than using my words, I would like to use his. After all, it is in not my story to tell as it was the life of his friend that was taken that day. Below, you will find the events of that day as told by someone who lived through that moment.

"It was a beautifully sunny Tuesday morning at the start of what was supposed to be our first year in a brand new middle school, however construction was delayed so the seventh graders in the Town of Norwell found themselves in one of the old elementary schools that had been abandoned and slated for a major renovation. While many of the students were bummed at the notion of being sent back to an elementary school, some of us were delighted to revisit the halls of the school where we first forged our friendships in Mrs. Freehill’s kindergarten class. As a grown-up seventh grader, I remember reminiscing with Jake about sharing the bus to school each morning when we were five. Since kindergarten, Jake and I had become close through sports, especially football, which we both started playing just two years before as fifth graders. Jake’s dad, Jay, was home from the Merchant Marines through the end of the summer which meant he could help coach our football team and take in a few games before heading to California to start another 90 days of work at sea."

            "That Tuesday Jake and I were on our way to gym class when one of our buddies mentioned to us in passing that some plane had hit a building. We didn’t think anything of it since we suspected that the pilot of a Cessna as fallen asleep at the controls and wound up striking some office building in a no-name town, which, in its own right, would be a tragedy. However, one can imagine that since I am writing this story some 13 years later, the event that both Jake and I had envisioned that morning was much more devastating and struck painfully close to home.

            Jake and I finished gym class and headed to our next period, which was History with Mr. Jacobs. As we entered the classroom we were surprised to see our teacher standing next to a television at the front of the room. He calmly explained to us the events that had transpired across America that morning. As far as we knew, two planes that were headed from Boston to Los Angeles had been flown into each of the World Trade Center buildings in New York City and another had been flown into The Pentagon in Washington, D.C. All air traffic had been grounded and all but one plane had been accounted for at that time. Mr. Jacobs then proceeded to turn on the news and we all sat in horrified silence as we watched the footage of the planes striking the towers. I was sitting in the second to last row of desks and had turned around to ask Jake if he could believe what we were seeing. All Jake could say was “My dad was flying to California this morning.” We were all stunned. Jake was excused to the office and we didn’t see him for the rest of the day. As the day went on some of my friends were picked up from school by their parents. Rumors were making their way around the classes that Jake’s dad was on another plane and that everything was OK.

            I finished my day at school and took the bus home. As I was preparing for the long walk from the bus stop to my house I saw my mom come whipping around the corner to come get me. We hurried back to my house where I found my dad, and my aunt and uncle all home early from work as all government buildings in the City of Boston had been evacuated.  They asked me if I had heard about Jake’s dad and I assured them, through intel from my very reliable seventh grade sources, that Jake’s dad was OK. They seemed to think otherwise. My parents and I got into the car and drove over to Jake’s house. We were greeted by a whole host of my other friends and their parents who were all very close to the Corcorans. No one really knew what to do. I remember standing in the driveway looking up at their house. Jake’s mom was inside talking to the airlines and Jake and his sister Meghan were sitting on the front steps repeatedly calling their father’s cell phone.

 It rang but Jay never picked up."

"If you go to the small suburban town of Norwell, Massachusetts, chances are you will run into someone who knew Jay Corcoran. What people may not know is that Jay could be found riding his bike around the South Shore when he was home from long stints of work a sea as a Merchant Marine. You see, this line of work would keep Jay away from home, away from his family, and away from his bike for almost 90 days at a time. But when he was home he loved zipping around on his beautiful Bianchi. Jay rode his bike for the pure pleasure of being on the open road. Many of his close friends, myself included, had no idea that Jay was such an avid cyclist, however, much like many of the cyclists you may know, he obsessed over his machine. He would meticulously clean his frame, touch up any places where the Celeste paint may have chipped off, and keep his components running smooth like clockwork. Unfortunately, it has been over 13 years since Jay has graced the saddle of the bike he once loved."

 "On the morning of Tuesday September 11, 2001, John “Jay” Corcoran was on United Airlines flight 175 destined for Los Angeles. In a gesture that typified Jay’s kind and helpful spirit, he had headed out to California a few days early so he could help a friend who was new to the Merchant Marines get acquainted to life at sea. Jay was a loving husband to Diann and a terrific father to Jake and Meghan. He was an unpretentious cyclist with a pure love and passion for the sport. Since that September in 2001, his Celeste Bianchi had laid unused and had fallen into a state of disrepair. Diann came across the bike while moving into a new house this past spring and knowing that I had become heavily involved in the sport of cycling, made the generous gesture to offer the bike to me. I graciously accepted the bike and promised her that I would make sure the bike was restored to a working order that would be a fitting tribute to Jay’s life and legacy."

(Words by: Andrew O' Donnell)

A simple yet poignant reminder of Jay's life: his beloved bicycle,

now in the hands of another person who could truly appreciate it. 

Shortly after he took delivery of it, Andrew shared with me the story that you just heard and asked me if I could help him restore it. Honored to be part of such a thing, it was without hesitation that I accepted his request.

Andrew, now tasked with this labor of love, expressed that rather than having me do the work, he would prefer I show him the way, and leave this in his capable hands. We spent several days bringing this bicycle to a point that honors Jay by once again putting steel and rubber on the road.

 

Once a mix of SunTour and Modolo, now decked out in Red, White, and Blue
with Ultegra and American Classic.

 Set up in his honor is a Memorial Scholarship Fund which you can find HERE.

In the end, this blog is always about bicycles. But today, it is about more than that. I want this one thing to serve as a reminder of who we really are. What we are truly capable of when we come together. The days, weeks, and months after September 11th, we were united.
Lest we forget ourselves, let us remember that during one of the hardest times we have ever faced as a Nation, we all came together. In the true Spirit of America: brothers and sisters, friends and family, and complete strangers all with one voice. Proclaiming, "We Will Never Forget!" 

By simply remembering those that were lost that day, we honor them.

By embracing that same Spirit of Unity we once felt, we are capable of even greater things. 

I want to thank my friend for affording me the opportunity to share in this experience with him, and also thank him for sharing his story with you. I cannot imagine what it must be like to have lost a friend in such a terrible way, nor can I imagine what goes through one's thoughts as they recount events as life-altering as this.

Please take a moment to remember those who were lost, and be thankful for those who are still with us.

In memory of Jay Corcoran 
and the nearly 3,000 other lives lost on September 11, 2001.

Never Forget.

Circling the Toilet: I am Out of Shit to Say

I would like to circle back to seats, seat posts, and how to use them. It is important to have a well maintained seat post for several reasons. Beyond needing to be the correct diameter, there are a few other rules to live by when it comes to seat posts;

• They must be installed with grease or assembly compound (carbon paste)

• Just like a quill stem, a seat post must also be installed to AT LEAST max height (or minimum insertion)

• They MUST be regularly maintained (two or three times a year) like any other part on your bike.

Let's start with carbon seat posts. Carbon in itself is light, and dampens vibration. That makes for a good seat post... for the most part. Carbon posts can get stuck inside steel and carbon frames very quickly if not maintained. If your post gets stuck, you may have to resort to desperate means to remove it from your frame. This includes, yet is not limited to, having to cut out the post. In some cases, this is dangerous for your frame and in all cases, sucks for your expensive seat post.

So, how do we avoid this? It is easy!  If you have a non-carbon frame or post, You simply apply grease liberally to the seat tube of the frame as well as a film of grease on the post, insert and clamp down. 

(Grease)

In the case of carbon posts, one must use a carbon assembly compound (often called carbon paste).

Similar to grease, it acts as a moisture barrier to keep the post working smoothly. Beyond that, it's primary function is to allow for max grip at minimal torque. That is to say, keeps your post tight, without clamping it to the point of "biting" your post.

 (although more common in steel and aluminum frame applications, this is what happens when you over tighten your seat post binder on your carbon seat post)

The paste is able to provide this force by using tiny bits of carbon which coat the surface, making it feel like sandpaper.

(Carbon paste)

Where people often get in to trouble is that a seat post is one of a few things that once we install on a bike, we rarely move. The problem with that is grease and paste are only so water proof, meaning, given time and exposure to the elements, eventually the compounds will break down and wash away. This leads to corrosion in steel and aluminum frames and leads to carbon-on-carbon friction in carbon frames. Imagine rubbing together two pieces of construction paper, only instead of the paper being thin and flexible, imagine it as thick and unforgiving. It is that amount of friction that can make it damn near impossible to move the post enough to break that friction barrier. 

So, you got your post stuck anyway, eh? Well it's a good thing for you that I am experienced in fixing your misgivings. Thanks to my lovely assistant Greg, I present you with the only solution he has found to the worst seat post we have encountered...   

The entire industry should thank him.

Thanks Greg!

That's right, after using the seat itself as a lever, after clamping the shit out of the post in the repair stand and trying to rotate the frame, after trying to drip lubricants into the frame and post interface, it was the humble screw driver that was the answer. Clamp two of them where the saddle rails go, and apply torque by trying to rotate the post back and forth. It will sound like you broke it, but it will get results. If not, start cutting ;)

Nextly, one must observe minimum insertion. This is not an arbitrary number, rather a number that assures you your post is far enough inside your bike to avoid this:

Ouch. 

Most manufactrers advise a minimum depth of 100mm (ten centimeters). Really, this number is designed to be sure your post goes beyond your seat stays. 

After checking this (to get a warranty replacement for this guy) it was in fact, beyond the stays (about here) 

However, minimum insertion has it's limitations (pun intended). This is a 62cm frame (that's really fucking big). As such, at a depth of 100mm, it may not be enough. Here you have a tall dude and a seat post that is barely inserted enough to meet the recommendations. After a few years and approx. 15,000 miles, this frame was destined for failure. Not like this one:

(Same exact frame. Failed due to negligence)  

But fucked nonetheless. 

I will be sure to recommend he use a longer post, as the manufacturer is indeed replacing this frame because they are pretty fricken awesome.

Moving on... what you sit on is about as important as what it rests upon, so your choice of seat (or "saddle" as I have been to lazy to type all this time) is just as important. While it may take you forever to find a "saddle" that works for you, let me say this: you can go to your LBS and ask them what might be right for you, but in the end, you will do what you want. That may lead to you finding exactly what it is that works for you, with the assurance that if you don't like it, you can return it, or you can get one from China on eBay and end up with this:

 

 

 If your saddle looks like this, you are a weight-weenie AND a cheapskate.

I would be lying if I said I have not seen this happen at least three times. 

Sure it is a light saddle and did not cost as much as its carbon counter part, but to that I say, Your carbon counterpart is bull shit as well if it looks like this after one ride:

   

Born as a cheap, light weight alternative to spending your money on a quality saddle, it is now spending its life as a trophy...

 

(The Northern Indiana Mountain Bike Association's "Traveling Hard Ass Trophy.") 

Initially awarded to its original owner, for finishing a 12 mile race with NO saddle. Passed on to a man who rode across Indiana one day, and finished in first place in his race the next day. Two weeks later passed to a man who finished his race with NO FUCKING FRONT TIRE, now residing in the hands of a man who finished with NO CHAIN (literally balanced-biked to the finish)

As cool as it sounds, it still stands as a result of "getting what you paid for it."

I don't know about you, 

but I wouldn't mind having a secure place to rest my ass. 

Seats, and seat posts... two things that often get neglected, but need to be maintained properly in order to keep your ass in one piece.

Now you know.

...and your ass will thank you for it.

From Trash to Cash: Nishiki International

The part of my life that is not consumed by Work, Family, and trying to squeeze in a ride now and then, is consumed by used bicycles. Here in college town we are flush with rich kids looking for cheap bicycles. Luckily for them, I usually have some. Every Spring we host our annual Swap Meet and I usually bring 3 or 4 single speed bicycles (as well as others). Priced accordingly, they sell out quickly. Knowing this, I plan for the end of summer when the kiddos come back, and I do pretty good for myself. 

I certainly understand that to them, $200 is a lot for a used bike. I mean, the monthly payments on their Range Rovers, BMW's, etc... are probably killing them (He said with copious amounts of sarcasm). However, as I had discussed before, I do not mess around when It comes to offering quality used bikes that I stand behind 100%. While I talk a big game, it occurs to me that I have not really shown you what it is that I do when I am getting drunk in my garage.

(believe it or not, this is after I cleaned up a little)

A couple of examples of bikes that were born in my Man Cave:

(No Fat Chics) - This was such a great bike. I built it as a SSCX bike for me, but took it to the swap meet, and BAM!! Sold in about and hour. I paid nothing for this bike, and got to keep the wheels since the customer wanted to use his own.

Another one of my favorites was this Panasonic That I got for ten bucks at a yard sale. Cleaned it up,

...and turned it in to Hipster Gold.

Thankfully, this bike went to a former co-worker who attends the University and as such, It does not get left out in the snow.

These are just a couple of my favorites, but you will be happy to know (Maybe... I mean, perhaps you don't give a damn) that between the beers, I have been a busy beaver, gathering nuts for the end of summer so I can sell them to college kids (that's what beavers do, right?)

...And because I started this build with no forethought of my shitty blog, I neglected to take any pictures of it as a whole so you could see it before and after. So you only get to see this bike

after I had pulled it apart.

I assure you, everything was rusted to shit, and the frame was dirty beyond measure. But I have to say, When a bottom bracket comes out as cleanly as this one did, a little smile starts across my face and I get a bit excited.

Call me a dork, but there is nothing sexier than clean threads in a bottom bracket.

Like any good, used bicycle, it has a couple of scratches. But after cleaning it up, the paint looked great. 

Granted this is a shitty picture from my dimly lit garage, but when you see the finished product, you will understand.

Moving on to the beautiful head tube badge, this plan looked like it was starting to come together.

This is one thing about old bikes that I really miss. Beyond lugs and paint, The art of the head tube badge is one that I wish would make a come back.

I didn't go crazy on the crank, but it didn't really need it. Once installed on the square taper bottom bracket (you remember those, right?) it spun like a top.

It was at this point that I posted this photo on my Facebook Page 

to announce a new bike in the works:

The paint really pops in the sun. I would describe it as green with a gold undercoat.

Cleaning up the chrome fork really made it stand out.

The next step was getting some fresh rubber on it and once that was done it was ready for the finishing touches. Only, I never got to them before a friend of mine (who had come over for a repair) decided that he wanted it. Just like that, it was sold before it even hit the open market. It should have after all, I mean look at this thing!

A bike that cost me nothing to acquire, and about $25 in parts. A little elbow grease and voila! I made some money doing what it is that I do best, 
Turning Trash into Cash.

It's a shame I didn't even get to wrap the bars.

Oh well, there is another one in the works, and this time, I took more pictures ;)

See you soon,

Queso.

*update

Bikes look better with fenders.

Good thing that the buyer is single, 

He's gonna have to beat the chicks off with a stick!

Oops! They Did it Again!

Seat posts: This is what you need to know...

Rule#1: The outside diameter of the post should match the inside diameter of the seat tube.

Rule #2: If it does not match, refer to rule number one.

It's that simple folks. Unless it comes to proper fitting for the bike, like whether or not the post needs to have setback, the only other thing that matters is whether or not it is the correct diameter.

So how does one fuck up a seat post installation? Just ask the clowns at 
[Name Redacted Bike Shop].

At [Name Redacted Bike Shop] the service is terrible, but at least it is affordable! You remember them right? Well, they are at it again, and sadly, the hits keep coming.

From the outside it looks good. So what could possibly be wrong?
Let me count the ways...

Pro Tip: if the edges of the binder touch each other, you are doing it wrong. 

A mix of incorrect binder parts, the wrong size post, and a shim cut to fit
... which it does not. 

That's just the tip of the iceberg. 

Let's start at the beginning; Rule #1: The seat post must be the correct diameter. 

Occasionally you can get away with using a post that is no more than .2 mm (two tenths of a millimeter) smaller in diameter. While that is still considered a no-no, it is why there is a slot cut out in the back of the seat tube, to allow for a slight decrease in diameter when clamping down the post. That is what provides the clamping force. The key term here is slight. 

 Pro Tip: 2mm does NOT equal slight 

Here is where it is important to remember Rule #2: Refer to Rule #1

 If you find yourself fighting the urge to continue beyond this point, 

STOP! Pull your head out of your ass, and go find a proper post. 

Unless of course you work at [Name Redacted Bike Shop] where it is acceptable to install a .5mm (one half millimeter) shim, leaving a gap of 1.5mm.

Then all you have to do is clamp the shit out of the binder until the seat tube deforms. 

Like this.
(Mind you, this was after I bent it back out)

I am still trying to figure out how they add the unique "shark bite" look...

 (Secret of the Pro's I guess ;)

So when [Name Redacted Bike Shop] is done mangling your frame, as a courtesy, they call you to tell you "your bike is finished and ready to pick up."
Only, when you get there and ask for your bike, they look, and look, and keep looking, but can't find it.

Then they realize "OH YEAH! We sent your bike to another guy to have him try to fix it. Sorry, we forgot."*
Then of course the inevitable happens wherein the post keeps sliding down in to the frame until it looks as though you are riding a child's bike.

*I swear this story is true.

YOU ARE SORRY??!! For what? Fucking up my frame? Or for sending it to someone else so they could fuck it up further?
Yeah, they certainly are "sorry." A sorry bunch of talentless hacks. Yet they continue to operate. I still don't understand how considering almost every bad bike story I hear in this area starts with "So... I took it to this other shop..."
and ends with "...yeah, it was [Name Redacted Bike Shop]." 
Where, no shit, their Mission Statement reads:

"Our mission is to provide the highest quality of new and used bicycles to our local cycling community through professional and friendly service."

Right...

"highest quality...professional..."

At least the ride you get taken for is Super Soft.

AHHH

 

Shimano: Then and Now

Shimano has certainly come a long way since the Bike Boom in the 70's. When the largely European dominated market could not keep up with the demand for parts, Shimano and SunTour stepped in and wrecked it for everyone. The unfortunate thing for SunTour however, was that they continued to try to improve upon existing technologies rather than focusing on what the future was going to bring. Once Shimano (who was also manufacturing fishing equipment at the time) developed and perfected the art of index shifting, it was Sunset for SunTour.

Index shifting changed the game and made gear changes a mindless task by simply clicking to the next gear. This was done in the before times via a friction based lever that had to be adjusted slightly every time you shifted. The time it takes to make that adjustment is time wasted when you are being dropped by the Peleton. Index was widely welcomed in the racing community as the rider could be sure they were in  the right gear before launching an attack. That was bad news for the likes of Campagnolo, and others who lost much of the market share to this new innovation. 

The first real attempt at index shifting was kind of a flop and was designed around the derailleur having indents in the body that would click into place with each shift. It was a clumsy design and proved to be consistently inconsistent. It was given a second chance with the introduction of Positron II, and was put to bed almost immediately. 

It was not until about 1984 when S.I.S (Shimano Index Shifting) took off because the design had become more functional. By moving the index device in to the shifter itself, they could control the cable pull better. Meaning, the shifters would momentarily over-shift the derailleur (to be sure it went to the next cog), and then allow it to settle back into the correct position (to be sure it was in gear). This function is still a feature in even their newest technology. 

Only the high-end line of parts (Dura Ace) were endorsed by the pros, though Shimano would, and still does, trickle down the technology once it is proven to have worked (or was rendered obsolete by newer stuff). During that time, bikes intended for the masses included parts like Shimano 600 and 105 to make it as similar to what the racers have, but for the everyman budget. I maintain that the shifting from that generation of DA, 600, and 105 are all very similar with the biggest difference being looks and weight (plus the amount of gears it could handle). The functionality was there, and now it was time to make them all look the part.

Shimano Sante - ca. 1989

There is still some debate as to whether or not this is re-branded 105 or 600 but again, I think the mentality was "new look, same great taste." Regardless, no one but me liked the new white derailleurs, brakes and cranks and they stopped making just as soon as they had begun. 

Though there still remain some die-hards out there described best by Michael Sweatman:

"Santé was dismissed at the time as a groupset for dilettanté poseurs, but I have noticed that nearly every Santé derailleur that I have ever seen has had heavy use and a thorough dose of road rash. Ebay is hooching with mint examples of Dura-Ace 7400 and Record C, but, strangely, Santé seems to be out there putting in the miles. Beauty must suffer"

Hell, I still have a crankest...

Bio-Pace: the worst best idea ever!

But the past is the past and the future is NOW. From shifters on the down tube, to this:

 

Shimano, always innovating, developed and successfully executed an electronic shifting system that not only improves upon the S.I.S platform with a computer controlled "cable pull" allowing the same derailleur motions of its predecessors with out fail. That is to say, as long as it is adjusted correctly, the phenomenon known as "cable slack" becomes a thing of the past, and with the push of a button it will perform the same way, every time.

From shifting, to stopping... Shimano has been involved in making bikes, better.

The Shimano disc brake, Ca. 1977-ish

There is not a lot of info about these. Truly far ahead of their time they were an early example of what Shimano was capable of. They sold them on department store bikes at J.C. Penny (you remember... that place that your parents shopped at before Walmart?) marketed toward kids who liked to go fast, claiming that adequate stopping power was the only thing keeping you from going faster. 

Once again, Shimano was not the type of organization to sit back and pat themselves on the back for developing ground-breaking bicycle tech. So they of course set out to make it better than ever and have since done so with new disc brake technology that is so state of the art, even I don't understand it*

* I totally understand. 

They use non-corrosive mineral oil as hydraulic fluid and new brake rotors and pads that are lighter, and shed heat faster. Quite the departure from the original, certainly. Indeed, Shimano has come along way. From shifting to braking, to developing pedal technology that cannot be beat. Shimano has bettered the way we ride bikes.

Well... except for Walmart bikes:

 Light action POWER PIS

I kid because I care.

So before I close, a couple of notes in the name of full Disclosure:*

I am a Shimano "S-T.E.C" certified mechanic. Meaning, I do have working knowledge of current products and hold the certifications that reflect that.

Most people who know me know that I am a SRAM fan. When it comes to shifting under load, their 1:1 pull ratio is so much more reliable than Shimano's 2:1. 

That said, I use Shimano brakes because they stop better with very little (if any) noise, and Shimano pedals on both my road and mountain bikes. 

*I don't want anyone to think that I jumped the Shimano shark here, but I felt like it would be fun to share some fun stuff like that hilarious disc brake.

  

When ever I find it hard to find fault with them, I look at their $80 can of grease and laugh at their horrible translation skills:

SAFTY PRECAUTIONS : KEEP OUT OF CHILDREN 

Perhaps they should stop using Google to translate:

...at least they have my SAFTY in mind.