Author: mb

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IF Ti ClubRacer

This summer I had the pleasure of building up my dream bike. I settled on Independent Fabrications, a local (only 2 hours away from me near Boston) and employee owned company with a national reputation for building custom bicycles. I toured the shop mid summer and felt right at home – the best I can describe the company is as the love child of art school, indy rock, web design, tatoo art, an expert metal craftsman and a bicycle builder. The crew has a passion for bikes – mountain, road, touring, single speed and fixed. They work in steel, carbon, titanium and combinations of the three.

I envisioned the bike as a do all distance machine. I chose the ClubRacer frame as a platform – it is described as having the pedigree of a racing bike with the sensibility of a light touring bike. I wanted a ride specifically designed for brevets and randonneurring – being able to handle a long day (or days) in the saddle in comfort – perhaps with some lite luggage – and definitely with options for wider tires and fenders. I chose titanium as a go everywhere, do everything material – it doesn’t rust, is light, and a good designer can select tubing and geometry to tune a ride as stiff or as plush as you like. West Hill Shop (my former, most favorite LBS) helped me size the frame, and Matt from IF took over from there. On my tour of the shop we sat down in front of the computer and tweaked the design a bit – in real time using bike specific CAD software. 10 weeks later the frame showed up at West Hill and I built it up under the supervision of Daq, the WHS’s ace mechanic. I’ve tweaked the bike since – I had an intense, pro fit done at FitWerx, and finally installed the TA cranks about 6 weeks ago. I currently have the bike rigged for fall and nasty weather riding – fenders and some wide Schwalbe 28mm tires, along with my handlebar bag and lights.

The craftsmanship of the frame is incredible – the ti welds are the nicest I’ve seen – after researching Lightspeed, Seven, Moots, and Serrotta. The finish is natural Ti with a shot peen surface. I chose discreet graphics – and IF was very cool about having the bike look exactly as I wanted it. The sterling silver headbadge was “standard” on a Ti frame – and initially I was skeptical of the need or cost of the sterling – but it adds a very subtle touch to the overall fit and finish of the frame. The fork is steel – with fender eyelettes and lowrider rack mounts. I’m using the lowrider mounts for my E6 lights – and so far they are working perfectly in that location.

The bike rides like none I’ve ever owned. We designed it for the long haul – but chose the tubing and geometry to reflect my riding style – as I mix standed and seated climbing. The bike has a slightly relaxed road geometry – based on their Crown Jewel frame. The frame has wider clearance in the fork and the rear triangle for fenders and wider tires, and longer chainstays to allow heel strike clearance should I mount panniers. When rigged for brevets everything “works” – there are no temporary or rigged fixes – fenders and lights mount like they should – solidly to the frame and fork (no plastic knob fixes here!) and the bike handles well with my handlebar bag loaded with food, the digicam, and extra clothes. The day after my FitWerx appointment I tackled a century loop to Lake Placid and Mirror Lake in the Adirondacks and I was comfortable the ride through – something I cannot say for any other bike I owned. This was in part I’m sure do to sweating the fit, as well as having a frame designed for my body and riding style. The Ti ride quality feels like my steel touring bike – but is significantly stiffer in the drivetrain and bottom bracket than my previous steel and carbon road machine. Seated and standing climbing “feels” different than my previous rides – and with the TA cranks I have options to swap chainrings as I take on next season’s brevets – which are typically designed to showcase the North East’s terrian – in Massachussttes this means brutally steep little climbs with deteriorating road surfaces, and in Vermont it means mountain gaps and incredible scenery.

I really like the Jeckyll / Hyde nature of the bike. Through August I rode the bike in a minimal road configuration – riding my lighter wheels and forgoing the fenders, lights, and luggage. The bike feels every bit as snappy as my racier machine – and I really like how the bike takes to the road and handles unladen, as well as the simplicity of riding this way. As the seasons changed to fall I rigged the bike in a more typical long distance event setup – adding the lights, fenders, and luggage – and was pleasantly surprised at how the bike felt in motion. I’ve certainly added weight to the frame – but for the long haul (a 400k brevet is 248 miles) wider tires, fenders for foul weather (we always get some!), lights, and a place to carry warm clothes are a must. I like equally as much how the bike takes to the road in self sufficient – randonneurring mode. Both options “feel” right.

Independent Fabrications ClubRacer
Titanium frame and steel fork

Campagnolo Record Ergolevers (10 speed)
Salsa Bell Lap Handlebars (46 cm wide)
Shimano Long Reach Brakes (for wider tire and fender clearance)
Campagnolo Chorus Rear Derailer
Campagnolo Chorus Front Derailer
Specialities TA Carmina 94 BCD Crankset
50,34 chainrings with 175mm cranks
Phil Wood bottom bracket
Look CX-6 Carbon pedals
Brooks Swallow leather saddle with titanium rails
VDO MC 1.0+ Cyclocomputer with Altimeter

Curved chainstays…

TA Carmina cranks and chainrings…

Short Haul:
Wheels
Mavic Classics Ceramic
Mavic Hubs Front and Rear
Campagnolo 13-29 Cassette
Continental Grand Prix 4 Season 23mm tires

Ortlieb Medium or Large Seatpack

Across Lake Champlain on the Essex-Charlotte Ferry…

On the Winnooski Bike Bridge…

Long Haul:
Wheels
Mavic Open Pro with Schmidt Nabendynamo Hub 32 hole, black
Mavic Open Pro with Campagnolo Chorus 32 hole Hub and 13-29 Cassette
Currently testing Schwalbe Marathon Plus 28mm tires
Honjo Fenders, 35mm smooth

Lights
Dual fork mounted Schmidt E6’s
Cateye TL-LD1000 on custom rear mount under saddle
Cateye HL-EL410 on bars as a front “be seen” light

Bags
Ortlieb Ultimate 3 Handlebar Bag (older version, with map case)
Ortlieb Medium or Large Seatpack

Lights, fenders, wide tires…

Exploring the Green Mountains, in the rain…

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Snow and Stillness

Cold and crisp. Mallets Bay and Lake Champlain were still this afternoon, reflecting the early season snow atop Mt. Mansfield. I spun the legs on the lakefront bike path, trying to shake this neverending cold / sore throat / flu bug that I’ve carried around since before Italy, and reawakening the legs after nearly two weeks off the bike.

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Rome, Italy

After enjoying Florence, we were on to Rome. Again, the architecture, art, and urban life did not disappoint, nor did the food. Highlights included touristy stops at the Coloseum, Palantine, Forum, Pantheon and the Vatican Museums – as well as wandering and dining the twisting streets of Trastevere.

Conversations and critique regarding empire, power, politics, and religion intertwined with our site seeing. The Colossuem, impressive as an architectural wonder turned my stomach as I read about the spectacle of the games, the exploitation and death of slaves, political prisoners, and countless thousands of wild animals. The decay of the Forum and the overlapping of history, technology, and the politics of “civilization” – dating from before the Roman Empire to long after I will be capable of wandering the ruins – raised questions of our own empire here at home – and what will become of all that has been created in the name of democracy, government, civility, and “progress”. The perceived grandeur of what was Rome, and the reality of what is Rome (in all its historic and modern beauty) tugged at my thoughts. What are we doing? Where are we going? Is our fate (the royal “our” – that of the “enlightened” and “civilized” world of the global economy and “western” ideals) to be the same as Rome, Ancient Greece, and countless other city states and empires we have created? Are we doomed to collapse, decay, and destrcution – either from within or from without?

Pantheon

Vatican Museums

Bikes were scant compared to Florence. Rome seemed ruled by the Smart car, scooter, and private auto. The streets a bit meaner, the traffic a bit faster, and walking combined with the bus, metro, or light rail seemed a bit more sane way of getting about.

Smart Car

Italian Postal Scooter

Traffic signal for cyclists

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Florence, Italy

Jen and I spent 10 days enjoying life in Florence and Rome. We planned our days around walking (and eating) tours of the two cities. Florence was our first stop – and for four days we wandered the labyrinthine streets crowded with scooters, cars, bicycles and pedestrians – a textured collision of history, technology, and life. Our days combined wandering through town and taking in city life (the market, cafes, relaxing on the piazza’s) with touristy bits of gallery browsing, architecture gawking, and sculpture sighting. Sites included the Duomo (Santa Maria del Fiore, pictured above) which is Brunelleschi’s masterpiece of architecture in Florence, as well as the Uffizi Gallery, the Museo del Bargello, and a stop to see Michelangelo’s “David” and the Academia Gallerie. The art and architecture did not disappoint – “David” being incredible to behold in person – and as I took in the both the architecture and urban design I continually pondered the human energy and ingenuity required to create the thriving city of Florence – all with lack of computers, FEA analysis, tractor trailers, and cranes.

We planned our afternoons and evenings specifically around meals. The food was phenomenal – we typically chose small, out of the way eateries – taking in traditional food from family owned establishments. The combination of fresh local ingredients, wonderful atmostphere, incredibly friendly hosts (and other diners), and traditional recipes made the trip a gastronomic delight. We’ve had an odd re-adjustment upon landing back in the states – our first desperate meal in the Philadelphia airport (for our 5 hour layover) was disheartening. Back in Vermont we’re questing for tomatoes, bread, pasta, and mozzarella (and hopefully other seasonal and local ingredients) that will do our dining memories justice.

There were lots and lots of bikes in Florence – far more than in Rome. Florentines plyed the narrow, twisty streets on all sort of steed – commuter bikes, mountain bikes, 3 speeds, and even a few road bikes. All beautiful – and all typically rigged for “everyday” cycling. Most had fenders, bottle generators, headlight and tail lights, and some means of carrying things to and fro.

Bike parking at the train station

Fuzzy bike

Commuter

On street bike parking

Pink bike

More…

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Utility

Did a “strength” training workout tonight. 24 miles to the pet food mega store, a stop at the bike shop, and City Market for groceries. The Nomad held all the goodies – about 30 pounds worth of pet stuff and groceries. Riding with the trailer has made me aware of my spin – under load the trailer “surges” a bit when my stroke is choppy. It’s got me focusing on higher cadence and smoother circles.

Petsmart may be getting a letter from me. There is not a single bike rack in view from the front of this very large store. The retailer is located in a neighboring town to Burlington – a 2005 “Bicycle Friendly Community“. One would think that mindful planning and proximity to a town full of cyclists of all sorts would have helped make the commercial areas of Williston a bit more bike and ped friendly. The only secure object available that I could get my cable locks around was the “Oops” pet cleanup kiosk. Locking up I got a ripe wiff of a foul bin of stuffed store bags. I may be switching stores to one a few miles closer – I just need to convince them to carry the brands of goods we like.

After City Market I turned on the lights and rode through town in the dark. Blinkies were blinkning and the headlights lit the way home. I’m testing out some wider tires for next seasons brevet series – and I like the way they have reflective material in the sidewall – its nice to see that I’m that much more visible as I cross an intersection.

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Birthday Ride

I turned 33 today.
Took the afternoon off and got a great 46 mile ride in. Spear St. out to Mt. Philo and back to the homestead in Burlington. Rode the IF, with full fenders and lights. Need to work on that mud flap for the next rainy ride.

Wonderful fall day.
Great views over Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks to the west, and Camel’s Hump and the Green Mountains to the east.


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Highlander, WNY Century


I rode the Highlander September 16 with a friend and colleague. Jonathan has only ridden a few centuries, and he was doing the VT 50 the following weekend – so I paced him through the Lowlander route. We toured 102 miles (with 6,095 feet of climbing) in and out of the valleys surrounding Honeoye and Canadaigua Lakes. It was pleasant being in my old neighborhood – the course passed my previous residence on Seneca Point Rd. in Canandaigua – and fun to see some of the Finger Lakes from behind the handlebars.

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Night Riding – with Rain

Got out tonight for 50 miles. Rode a loop from Burlington out Spear St. to somewhere near Mt. Philo, then back on Rt. 7. I started out putting on and taking off layers – and as the evening turned to night donned the reflective sash, headlight, and blinkie on my helmet. I left from home, ran an errand at the Staples plaza, and started my ride at dusk. Spear St. offers some wonderful scenery – so I’ll have to head back that way with some daylight.

The rain threatened for the first half of the ride – gentle, warm, even pleasant, compared to Sunday’s slog over Middlebury. Turning north on Rt. 7 I felt the wind shift from out of the SE to out of the NW, and the rain started dropping. Lights blazing, blinkies blinking I sloshed home – soaked to the bone – and chilled from the wind. Somewhere on Pine St. some hipsters in a modded Honda had fun plastering me through a puddle. Glad I was able to provide the entertainment for them tonight – but thanks – there was the whole rest of the road to use, you know…

As I got into town I ventured onto the lakefront MUP. I dodged a downed tree and plenty of branches – and spent my time leaning into the wind howling off the lake. According to the weather services we received anywhere from 1/2″ to 3/4″ of rain, with wind gusting to 24 m.p.h. (which was much faster than I was travelling).

The lakefront MUP was surreal. Leaves plastered to the pavement, branches down, and completely empty. The view to the lake with my headlamp revealed only the beam of my light in the mist. No waves, boats, or lights to be seen.

In all a great ride – including the last hour or so of incredibly windy and wet conditions. The wind was blowing the rain hard enough that it would hurt my face as it came off the lake! I’ve learned some more about navigating in the dark and wet – and need to make some tweaks to the bike. I’ve got to add a small “be seen” LED to the front for when I stop at lights (the E6’s I’m using go out when I stop moving). I need another vest or sash – the Amiphod I’ve been wearing since this summer’s brevet series is uncomfortable – it tends to creep up my back and doesn’t stay put. I’m also planning on leather or rubber mudflaps for the fenders – my shoes filled with water as I rode through the running water along Rt. 7 in Shelburne.

I thought of some fellow cyclists who qualified and rode BMB this year – as the area near Burlington and through the Champlain Islands is notorious for its conditions – especially at night, usually with rain and wind, breaking up the monotony of the 750 mile journey from Boston to Montreal and back.

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Favorite Time of Year

It’s fall here in Vermont, my favorite time of year. I prepped the ClubRacer for the weather and have been enjoying morning and late evening rides. The smell of the leaves in the crisp air, bright blue skies, sunsets, and stars at twilight have been fantastic.