Me and stinky go for a ride

Proof that my mountain bike actually gets off the hook occasionaly.
Singletrack to the right.....lot's of steering and climbing. Fire road to the left, long meadows and climbing as well....either way, its some of the best riding anywhere.

Back on the Sunday ride

The top of Granite Creek.
Hang up and ride !
Brownie boy on the soon to be demolished Branciforte ave. bridge.
The top of Glenwood dr., the highest point of the day.

Theyr'e done !

Not only are the frames done but they are on the way to the heat treater . These will be the first frames painted in the new year. Ten frames, ten days and I was sick through the second week. I guess somebody will have to wash the frames with alcohol.....or maybe the heat treatment will kill the germs. These frames actually set a new standard for me in terms of quality. Every time I get into a batch like this I find one more trick that I didn't know before to make things go quicker yet with more precision. Hopefully the next batch will go as well. I'm definitely ready for it now.

Iv'e been busy...

Ten days, ten frames...can it be done ? Let me show you how...if it kills me. I'm down to two days left and a bunch of cable guides and brake bridges left to weld on, along with the water bottle mounts. Final alignment and inspection are scheduled for Friday. Wish me luck !

Whoop, there they is

One week, ten front triangles. Am I tired? you bet. Rear triangles and whatever else I can squeeze in waits for me monday.

Big batch o' road frames

Some of you might not have seen the process of a batch of frames being built assembly-line style before. Here's what it looks like during week one.....ten frames, all of them 7005 aluminum going to V.O.S., a team based in Monterey, Calif. The process starts with drawings based on fit information, then each headtube is cut and machined. The seat tube is cut and welded onto the BB shell. Next, the top tube is welded onto the headtube at the appropriate angle. After that the downtubes are welded on. Today I'll assemble as many of the front triangles as possible. Next week the rear stays and guide will go on. 10 frames, ten buisiness days.....err, maybe eleven-whatever it takes to get the frames build properly and off to the heat treater.

Mechanic's transport bike

How do you get two bikes from the parking area to the pits in a UCI race ? Hook 'em to this rig. The parking lots are often far from the pit at a race course and usually time is of the essence so this bike was the mechanic's solution to the issue as well as a platform to use the new 650B dirt tires from Kirk Pacenti at Bikelugs.com . These wheels are larger diameter that 26" but not as large as 29er wheels and easier to build around. The frame will have the towing/transporting rack but other racks will be built for more conventional uses. The frame is a modified 'Alfie" with a longer wheelbase and room for larger tires.

truly badass bike for sale

Yes, it is with a heavy heart that I sell my good friend Simon's 'cross bike. This is about as full race as you can get right down to the Dugast tires. There are no downstream cheap bunko parts on this machine.....all the best of the best. For details call me at 831-429-8010 weekdays. Simon has retired from racing and somebody out there will get the bike he did his last season of racing on. This bike is near mint and has many more races left in it.

down but not out

I guess the show must go on, broken thumb or not.

hand like a drumstick

Every once in awhile the bike shows us just how important balance and attention can be. This was the case on Aug. 15th when I was taught a lesson on a non-descript popular stretch of fire road about two miles from home. My nice new bike (4th ride..) sent me violently to the turf for a moment's inattention on my part. Now my arm looks like a big white turkey drumstick and seeing how I was truly riding like a turkey at the time, it all fits nicely into place. Inspite of this I will attempt to fulfill orders in maybe not as timely a manner as in normal circumstances but as best as I can. Ride carefully, folks.

wednesday time trial

Ever do a time trial with these folks? I reccomend it highly. Beer and chips consumed in a timely manner under the open blue skies of Marshall Fields in back of U.C. Santa Cruz. Maybe a class could be offered: Destressing 101........

bike for sale

Norman is selling his race bike after a few seasons. It's still ready to rock and under 24 lbs. For more info about this pure race machine contact Norman at norman.field@gmail.com

why we live here part 2

Just about a 15 minute ride from home is the northern California coast. Whatever negative things people might say about this place is pretty much rendered meaningless by the view from this dirt road.

discocross

How do you stop a big man on a 'cross bike ? Throw some mechanical disc brakes on it. That is what is going on here. Maybe not U.C.I. legal but with no U.C.I. events in Nor-Cal this season it ain't an issue. This bike is just begging to lay out a 20 foot skid.

To kilo mockingbird

Here is a kilo frame in the raw. I'm building it for a guy who want's to set a new world record. If he does, everybody can get rainbow bands on their Rock Lobster track frames....I'll even provide them no charge.

shiny bits to fool the primitives

Here are a couple of frames that were polished instead of painted. Aluminum can look like chrome if you use enough elbow grease. One of these frames is mine and I am looking forward to having a geared mountain bike for the first time in six months or so. I guess you can't single speed all the time, although I wouldn't mind if that were the case for me. Santa Cruz is the place to ride one gear in the woods.

pretty in pastel

'Cross season is almost here ad some people have gotten their orders in very early. Here are a few frames that will no doubt be seen in the bay area races.

The latest and greatest

Here's a custom Team Carbon with Dura Ace and Ksyrium SL wheels. The special GX-2 frame creates a bike under 17 lbs. that still feels like a bike.

happy birthday, sis.

Yes, I have a sister who lives down in smoggy L.A., our home town. A month or two ago she gave me her old bike to do a tune up on. I did a much more complete tuneup than usual.....I built her a new bike. Some of the parts from the old bike were used but the result was about 4 lbs. less than the old bike and lower gears more suited to the Hollywood Hills near her home. Here are pictures of the first ride up to Mulholland drive, of course.