Head Tube Lugs

Today, some delicious headtube junction pictures.

I have nothing else to report at the moment other than that my brown King headset should be coming in at sometime in the near future and Jeff and I will slap those babies on to the Zanconato ASAP.

On a happy note, I just layed down the first coat of Mastik One on my tubular wheels as well as on my FMB SSC tires. The wheels are simple Shimano Ultegra 6500 hubs laced 28 spoke to some Velocity Escape rims. On recommendation of LCC member Jeremy, I had them built by Norm up at Harris Cyclery. These are really well made wheels, and in the future, I would like to have a black version of these made with some Gold King hubs. Maybe next year...

Gluing tubulars does get immensely easier with adequate preparation and experience.

For the Zanconato, I went with all top of the top tube cable routing.




Also, a quick Shout out to the "Punisher from Henniker."

Bottom Bracket Area...and an ode to Dura Ace 9spd

Today I bid farewell to all of my Dura ace 9 Speed components. I have had some incarnation of this group since 1997. That is a really long time ago. Much has happened since that time, and in some ways, it will be sad to see these components go since I feel that it would mark a new chapter in life.

More pictures and a movie clip from Belgium...

In a couple of months...

At some point, it has to stop snowing right?

I can't wait for the days of wearing shorts and getting scorched by the sun...

Seat Cluster...

After really looking over the Zanconato frameset, I can't imagine not owning a lugged frameset.

When I look at my other bikes with TIG welding, I feel that just that little something is missing, like a Mannekin Pis without his costume.Versus

In my life, I have owned only 5 other lugged framesets.

Bianchi Trofeo
Bianchi Axis
Ciocc SLX 77
Colnago Crystal
Guru Carbonio

Although I do not know of any structural benefit to have lugs, I do feel that they help complete the look of any frameset.

When I was in College, I saved up for about 6 months to buy a Ryffranck. I read about how he uses silve brazing on all of his lugs, and how they are so fricking tight and perfect that you can pour a cup of water in the tubing but water will never seep out from under the lugs. I read a frame builder report about him in Bicyclist magazine. I wonder if he is still building bikes???

Zanconato Pictures...

Last Saturday I went to meet up with Zanc and others to take care of some business and also to pick up my new cross frameset.

The frame has so many small, intricate details, most of which must be seen in person, that I am blown away every time I look at it.

These picture were taken in the basement at night, and the metallic orange color still jumps out. To see this frameset in the sun, is truly something else... Perfect stainless steel fork tips...

Thank you Zanconato, this frameset is perfect.

More pictures later...

Mannekin Pis Need I say more?

Ultegra SL Crankset

When I was a super poor student at Hopkins, and just started riding, I had something like a Shimano RSX groupo or something like that. It came on my KHS Aero Turbo that I bought at the Original ATA cycles. The shop was not like what it is now, but a narrow, really small shop with a ton of stuff.

Anyways, during those early years, I truly lusted after the Shimano Ultegra crankset. At the time it was called Shimano 600. It was like $90 used, but I had no idea the hell that would follow as I tried to install it without the proper tools. that is only one of the times I cried during college.



Anyhow, now I am totally lusting after the Ultegra SL Crankset. I can't explain it, but I think I like it even more than the totally perfect Shimano Dura Ace Crankset. There is something so sleek and robotic about this crankset, while not being over the top, and still affordable($150 on ebay new).

The birth is near..

A bit too early to start thinking about cross next year. Or is it?

This is a before decal picture of my new Zanconato Cross frame. When I pick up the frame this weekend from Mike, I will post some more pictures and a write up.

White decals will follow...

Possible builds include...

2008 Sram Rival drive train (Although I can't shift the chain into the big ring without making this ridiculous exaggerated motion. SRAM should recall these horrific levers.)

Saddle: Specialized Phenom (Brown)
Seatpost: Thomson
Headset: Chris king(Brown...Maybe)
Stem: 3T Arx Pro
Handlebar: Ritchey Classic Bend Bars
Crankset(Undecided)
Wheels: Easton 70X with FMB SSC or Mavic Ksyrium SSC SL with FMB SSC Sprints
Pedals: Shimano XTR
Brakes: Kore Kross White
Cables: Maxxis Orange

Result: Badass machine.

LCC Luxembourg

It was truly awesome to run into another LCC member in the quaint town on Petange. This was none other than Jeremy Dunn. I believe he had just arrived from a New year's night out in Bruges. Do not believe In Bruges. Bruges is a pretty awesome place.

Cold, but awesome.

I only regret not getting a picture with Molly.
Here molly is putting on some surgical gloves under another pair of gloves. There were no explanations given to as why this was so.

Sven and Me

That is me and Sven.

He is the one with the green hat.

PVB is actually in electronics.

Officially Japanese Cyclocross Blog

Now this blog is officially Japanese Cyclocross.

This is Keiichi Tsujiura (Team Bridgestone Anchor) who has been the Japanese cyclocross champion for the previous 7 years. He is badass and was totally suprised that a fellow japanese dude was there to cheer him on at one of the most random places in the world, Petange Luxembourg, on New Year's day.