photo: Mark Emery
This is Rachel Dow's Bianchi, the night she built it. A month or so ago, she brought this old blue Bianchi bicycle in to the shop explaining that she "wanted to build a fixed gear," for the winter. She made it perfectly clear that she wanted me to show
her how to build it, rather than me building it for her. We agreed to meet the following Wednesday.
The handlebars were covered in rust, the cranks thrashed, tires were flat. Parts were needed. I took the liberty of stripping the crusty parts from the frame and hung it in the rack. Later, when Rachel found out, she was disappointed, maybe even a little pissed. That Wednesday night Mark & I were there to assist her, Rachel asked pertinent questions, and turned all the wrenches herself. She wanted to build that bike from start to finish, with her own hands, using her own knowledge. And she did. We stood and watched as Rachel took her first ride out of the alley on the new bike. She smiled and laughed and we understood.
There was a perpetual gleam in Rachel's eye that was sometimes mischievous, but always inquisitive. She was intelligent, independent, and determined. She was a gentle soul with a knack for learning. I am happy to have known her, proud to be amongst the so many people whose lives she touched.
r.i.p. Rachel.
51cm On One Il Pompino. This one is super sexy and ready for a mud bath, dig? $800
Rare, red, and rad. A 41 tooth ano-red NOS chainring from days or your. Currently set up 41 x 18 for fast, dirty action.
Tektro cantilevers: the best bang for the buck.
Sir Jon Fleck, Esq. dropped by the Cykel Garage today with his newly assembled Surly Big Dummy. Damn, those things are cool, and it's just a matter of weeks before the 20" size arrives. And by 20" size I really mean "my" size. Ahem. But I digress. This is Fleck's first foray into the longbike. He says he digs it, but that it took a boatload of Framesaver to coat those tubes. I believe him.
"Grady, pass me some more ripple..."
The pink Chris King headset is a nice touch, and adds a bit of color to the behemoth. "It's such a dark bike," sez Fleck. Is he talking about its soul?
A man and his machine.
STUPOR BOWL 11 starts tonight. Pre-Registration is from 5-8pm here at beautiful downtown CRC. Come early for the PBR, stay later for the Texas Twin Bicycle Relay Rally. Yes, on those bikes you see above. It's going to be a beautiful mess...
photo: Mark Emery
