The Granary District-Bike Spot?

 

The Granary District, an area from roughly 600 S to 900 S and from 300 W to I-15, in Salt Lake City is a pocket neighborhood slowly being revitalized. The biggest recent addition is the new ArtSpace Commons at 400 W and 800 S which despite its LEED Goldness, has an awful eastern European gulag aesthetic:

The design "aesthetic" probably came down to money,  as the spaces are well equipped, energy efficient and affordable. This has lead to a plethora of non-profits locating in the ground floor of the building including: Heal Utah, Wild Utah,  A Gift To Africa, Save Our Canyons and Tree Utah. Any philanthropist (holiday gift giver?) could save a bunch of time while doing good, unloading coin on this block.

The Artspace development, combined with a recent symposium on the GD has built momentum for master planning the area to bring it greater vitality and consistency in redevelopment. The core of the GD is almost certainly 400 W, you know, that street, with the tracks down the center, that you currently avoid because it has the worst surface in the entire city. On my way through the area the other day, both of my kids slid out and one went down on the pavement due to rail tracks that run in the roadbed roughly parallel to the direction of travel.  Here's an idea of how to create a spectacle for the neighborhood: wait 'til a rainy day and hold a crit. With Fabian out, the Roubaix is anybody's race (Sagan?), so start your training here;  if you're on a road bike, the right 5 feet of this road are that "challenging":

 Truth in advertising:

Those tracks which, if you blur your eyes a bit and open your consciousness, could become a cycle boulevard with barrier protected center bike lanes:

Efforts by locals and the City have been underway for about a year now to redesign the neighborhood.  A series of gatherings and seminar has already taken place with a coffee klatch at the Utah Pickle Factory the other night.  Fahzure got word of this gathering and decided to check in with developments and plans:

The Utah Pickle Factory, artist/maker coop, graciously hosted the 20 or so folks hashing out a framework for incorporating bikes into the area.  This gathering was in anticipation of a Charrette, April, 26th-May,1 organized by The Granary District folks. The UPF is a cool building, sitting at a rakish angle to the street and with a broad porch and bikable ramp.  Not too many bikes at this bike meeting:

The inside space is one project area after the next:

Exactly what I would expect from this type of space's bathroom, a torn homage to the man who crushed culture:

As a cycling community, I think that it is important that we are involved and support this process.  The GD folks are taking the worst cycling street in the city and attempting to transform it into a vision for neglected areas in SLC. Big props for that. This visionary sees bikes as critical to future cities:

Down by the river

This time of year, the riverside trails are coming alive, there's action from muskrats on the bank, birds in the trees and humans on the path. The sheer numbers provide for likely encounters with free bicycle culture.

Which brings me to: Why the hell hasn't somebody developed a low cost DIY trailer system for bikes using bed frames, shopping carts and bicycle parts? It seems that the utility movement is taking off but, other than Surly ($700!) and handful of garage operations, nobody is making heavy duty trailers and a reliable DIY design is absent. That (and maybe a few other things) is what Jose is up against (click to enlarge pic and notice the fine detail):

Jose was attempting to extend his MB4, with trailer, through the addition of some angle iron. The apparent chaos in this picture has some order: the two lag bolts held together with a hose clamp are being used as a leveller; the cordless drill motor stator shaft (hardened) is being used as a punch; disc brake rotors act as anvils:

While I would like to believe that Jose is some sort of trailer impresario, truth is it was a bunch "wrong tool for the job." I sent him to the Bicycle Collective (celebrating its 10th year) to get more useful parts and use some good tools. Each of the prior pictures has alluded to it, so you knew it was coming, the crux of the DIY quandary, the trailer hitch, solved with clothes hangers: 

For $1,600, Fish On.

By: Rolling Hall

Two Hump Bikes ago we asked if you'd kick down the coin to ride a vintage Giant; and 'Friends with Benefits' took the majority vote. Sufficient for careless socializing or a good romping when the SO's being a crazy ass bitch, the Red Sled would make a legit addition to any two-wheeled horde. Today's Hump Bike keeps the rigid and Taiwan-built theme rolling, but is its asking price too fishy?

Fishers have a rich history of clever marketing and bold claims, and today's fully customized, used Trek Bicycle Corporation Gary Fisher Collection Sawyer (really Trek, really?) embodies just that. Fisher once claimed to have invented the mountain bike and pushed hard for acceptance, even going so far as to falsify a build:

"…Gary Fisher paraded a bike that he claimed was the first mountain bike, but it was easy for Frank Berto to show that many of the components were not yet available when the bike supposedly was built. Gary Fisher admitted that it was a replica loosely based on the long-lost original…"

He did start a company called MountainBikes, and he was part of an off-road cycling movement during the late 70's, but he did not invent the mountain bike.

A similar story goes for his brands marketing of 29er wheels. They were an early adopter, but by no means the first company to use 29in wheels. Their early marketing, however, would lead one to think otherwise. They did, in fact, ride the 29er wave like pros. Aside from failed, I'm-first claims, the Tweed Tool has contributed to putting mountain bikes into the hands of countless riders. For that we're forever grateful and today's Hump Bike continues to do just that.

Looking to cash in on niche styles, the Sawyer sports the clean lines of a NAHBS piece and early mountain bikes, but forgoes the progressive, passionate, and hard work of custom builders in favor of cheap Taiwan labor. Like mainstream fixters, the Sawyer looks to prey on PBR-fanboys. Tatt's? Check. Cool facial hair? Check. Custom, hand-built mountain bike … no? Well, check off that box with this 'custom' Sawyer!

 

So, what makes this mass produced mountain bike custom? It appears this Fisher's been the fine recipient of some bolt-on upgrades -- qualifying it as custom. (We were hoping for some custom, trippy paint … but, we'll have to keep wishing.) According to our seller, Bontrager-branded DT Swiss wheels, XT drivetrain components, and a Ti Brooks saddle make this Sawyer custom.

It's pretty apparent the seller fell victim to the shiny bits under the glass counter at the Bike Shoppe, like a large mouth falls victim to a spinner. The seller doesn't state why the Sawyer's being returned to the pond -- only that it has about 50 miles on it. Maybe the missus didn't like the tatt's and soul patch, or the sleeveless flannel and cut-off jeans rubbed him the wrong way on the first ride.

Either way you can purchase a Trek Bicycle Corporation Gary Fisher Collection Sawyer with a warranty for $1540 from a Trek Concept Store or catch this 'custom' Sawyer for $1600. So, what do you think, is the seller a master baiter? Or, is this a fish that's worth riding?

Let us know if you think:

 something's fishy … I'm not going down on that.

or

Reel it in, she's a keeper.

Bike Tech of the Week-New Patents

More signs of spring include a slew of new patents, including several by the bicycle heavy weights.  First up, for you freeride and DHy types, Big Red has a new chainstay guard:

Patent 8,132,824 discloses a bicycle chainstay protector invented by Brandon Sloan, Joseph Buckley and Robert Egger and assigned to Specialized. The '824 stay protector resiliently engages the stay and comprises a body member including a resilient material adapted to resiliently engage the stay, meaning it clips on. It includes a molded image and a guard member that has a different hardness than the resilient material of the body member. I'd like one for my SX Trail.

Next up, a crank mounted shaker/slider generator (think flashlights and auto winding watches) which feeds a pedal mounted light:

Patent 8,132,945 discloses a lighted bicycle pedal invented by Doug Lunde. The '945 invention employs a magnetic component moving slidably inside a tubular structure housed in  a bicycle crank. When the bicycle crank rotates, the magnet slides back and forth through the magnetic coil generating an electric current that is used to power an LED at the pedal end. No provision for a USB port.

Even though this is a reissue patent (clarifying a prior application), this combo motor/battery wheel has some market potential for ease of retrofit or hot swap (think fleets):

Patent RE43,232 describes an electric wheel motor invented by Alexander Pyntikov and Mark Benson and assigned to Matra Manufacturing & Services. An electrically powered vehicle has a motor, controller and power supply contained within a wheel compartment. It features a stator frame coupled to the axle through bearings, with the inside of the stator frame housing the power supply and controller circuitry. A plurality of electromagnet stator segments are mounted on an outer surface of the stator frame and the inner surface of the rotor frame with an air gap between. Batteries surround the outer surface of the rotor frame forming a supporting structure for a vehicle tire. Remember all that rotating mass theory?..I'd imagine these would be good for utility crowd.

Not one to be left out on the bike electronics front, Shimano has developed a BB mounted force sensor:

Patent number 8,117,923, Bungo Sasaki, assigned to Shimano shows a bicycle bottom bracket force sensor. A strain gauge on the crank axle bearing is mounted perpendicular to the rotation axis of the crank axle. In one embodiment it is shown embedded in the drive-side bb cup.  Is this an attempt to compete with SRM or is it designed to support electric bikes?

Not to be left out, Trek has been granted rights to an asymmetric steer(er) tube:

Patent 8,128,112 discloses a bicycle with asymmetric steerer (their spelling, who knew) tube, invented by Steven Moechnig and assigned to the Trek Bicycle Corporation.  The bicycle steerer tube assembly has an oblong asymmetric cross section with a first diameter that is generally aligned with an axis of rotation of the front wheel and a second diameter that is generally aligned with a plane of rotation of the front wheel. The first diameter is greater than the second diameter and provides lateral stiffness to the wheel assembly and the second diameter accommodates longitudinal impact absorption of the fork and wheel assembly.  I'm not so sure that dividing up the steertube functions along 2 axis is a good idea, especially at the transition point between the ovoids, but I'll leave it to Fabian to test the theory.

Hump Bike- Sled Sled

You may have seen this bike out on the Utah DH race series, or maybe up at the Canyons, or over in Boulder City doin' some preseason tuning but, you were probably most likely to see this bike on the Bobsled.  It's owner, Demi, is an Aves local who likes to send it. Look for this aqua and white flash as you carve the sled this spring.

So this sled is a Yeti 303 DH v1, I have to put the v1 there because v2, in carbon, even, is due out soon.  The v2 bike is totally different. This 303 is a sled with its shock rate entirely linear. No rocker arm, swing link, or arcing frame member controls the shock:

Rather, the shock is driven by this shuttle and rail system in line with the spring. Pure linear.  Want to know what a coil spring feels like? Ride this bike:

BB and head angle are adjustable via the lower shock mount.  Lots of hydroformed and machined aluminum. Interesting mounting blocks that connect the swingarm to the shock driver:

Triangulated swingarm and shock driver assembly. Code brake and DT Swiss wheel are strong and reliable:

Lookin at the cockpit, it is wide and low, kids these days.  The Fox 40 in white nicely compliments the white rear triangle:

This sticker says something about all-moutain use only:  Being the favored child, Demi gets special stickers and mods:

Sram, DT Swiss hubs, corncob cassette and giant rotor, must be a DH bike:

Cool Tools- Magnic

Kickstarter has hope all over it.  Lately a couple of bicycle products caught Fahzure's eye.  The Jiggernaut is a great solution for the hobby frame builder, especially working with composites or bamboo. But, Bike Tech of the Week comes in the form of the Magnic an inductive power system with no losses to friction.  Paramagnetics...Wow!:

Hump Bike- Taking a Giant Hump or Dump

For $95, is this Old Skool Giant Too Cool?   

By: Rolling Hall


Enter Your Vote>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

What's dressed in red, sports a perky rack, and shifts smoothly?  Up for purchase is a Giant MTB that appears to have seen little use in its hometown of Sprawlsville, UT.:

Its manila-mo owner probably rode it around the cul-de-sac once, explaining why this ferrous frame hasn't returned to base elements. It's an LBS-notch above 80's-department store quality, and for close to the same price, after taxes, you could buy this four-and-a-quarter star POS. So, with that monstrosity as a gauge, would you hump this Giant, or dump it?:

At first glance, the NICE NICE NICE upright riding position might look tempting. It'd provide a lucky cyclist with a commanding view of populated streets. But, unfortunately upon further inspection, the quill stem is mounted at a ready-to-snap height. We'd advise lowering it a bit, unless you'd prefer an impromptu introduction to Terra Firma (no, not the exotic dancer you perv). That's a quick, costless fix, and the rest of this red-sled doesn't appear to need any more coin tossed at it to get going on your first Giant adventure.

Inside the ad's beehive-edjumacated listing, the seller claims this bicycle is 'weighting' for a person who loves 'out doors adventures.' We're pretty sure he intended to type outdoor adventures. And given the undeniable reliability and serviceability of thumb shifters, a Shimano drivetrain, and cup n' cone hubs, we wouldn't hesitate weighting the rack with camping gear to spend a weekend exploring the White Rim.:

On the stopping end things, (my God, he didn't mention breaks!) this Giant pile piles on mediocre power with a canti front brake and rear U-brake. While it's adequate stopping power to cruise rail trails with your most precious possession rolling along in a child seat, that stealthy U brake hidden under the chainstays wasn't a high point of slowing ATB's. Early mountain bikes favored this brake and location because its low-profile shape provided ankle clearance with a shorter actuation cable. Unfortunately, the more powerful, easier-to-adjust, and less affected-by-mud canti's would hang out too far from the seat stays. They'd snag stone-washed jeans and hit rider's calfs and ankles when getting rad -- not cool.

The seller of this particular 'smooth shifting' 21-speed beast (we're willing to bet he hasn't shifted a modern drivetrain yet) claims that massive saddle is brand-spanking new and 'confy' – by which we are assuming he means comfy. And that's a good thing when the only filter between you and your Giant adventures is foam grips and pinner 2in-wide tires.

The price is 'fi,' whatever the fu that means. So, for 19 five-spots do you see yourself leaning this retro-ride outside Alta's Peruvian? (A pair of Black Widow tele skis strapped with used tubes to the rack, of course.) Or is this 'classic' better off donated to the SLC Bicycle Collective to fulfill its two-wheeled talent fetchin' forties and blunts from a corner mart?

You decide!

Hump it: That's a NICE NICE NICE price!

Or

Dump it: That price is Fu…

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See the poll on right sidebar