With Amanda and I still in STL and Tim hard at work on bikes for the NAHBS i thought i'd give an update on some Xmas presents.  While i did get more than i asked for and one of the most exciting things i got was a very nice pull saw that will work excellent for trail maintenance out at the park, my sister got the best present of all.  Shown here:   
http://www.walgreens.com/store/catalog/Bed-and-Bath/Touch-N-Brush-Hands-Free-Toothpaste-Dispenser/ID=prod5901858&navCount=1&navAction=push-product?V=G&ec=frgl_481807&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=sku5900725
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If you're like me, and dread going to sleep or getting up because of the painful inconvenience of getting that god-awful stuff out of that tube, then this little device is a real blessing.  I mean, i work all day.  I shouldn't have to squeeze my own tooth paste too. 

All kidding aside though, it actually works pretty well.  I'd like to see how it actually does get that last drop out of the tube though. 
 
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 Today I started on the next one (there is always a "next" one).  I have deviated from the original build schedule (sorry Jake) and am building a bike that I think would be cool. 

I am building a monster cross bike. 


  • Lugged frame and fork
  • Chainstay mounted disc brake
  • internal front brake routing through the fork leg
  • room for a 29X1.9"
  • longish chainstays for comfort
  • rigid mountain bike geometry
The top tube length will be designed to run either a mountain flat bar with a negative rise stem or with a positive rise stem and a Soma Sparrow bar.  I honestly think it will be the absolute ideal winter gravel road explorer.  If you like riding trails on fully rigid it will do that kick ass as well.

Why should any of you give a damn about this?  I was planning on building this and trying to sell it at the Handmade show.  If I don't sell it at the show then I will most likely donate it to the team.  So, do any of you see this as a type of bike you would ride?  If so, I will build it to your size.  Will, you don't qualify for this offer you short legged freak.  I am trying to sell this so it needs to be built for normal sized human beings.  For the record, Amanda has a full 2 inches more inseam than Will.  724mm inseam.  I didn't believe him at first and made him measure again.  Freak.

Once I am done with this frame I will resume team builds starting with Jake's mountain frame.  Following that is Amanda's mountain frame and then John's mountain frame.  Will and Tom's frames are done.  I am racing my personal bike although I am going to repaint it to match the team frames.

As far as information that none of you should care about:
I have sworn off Long Shen lugs.  They suck in more ways that I can describe and I hate them like poison.  I would have had this bike close to built if I hadn't fucked around with that stupid bottom bracket shell trying to get it to work.  Those damn things are so far out of specification that I nearly lost my mind in rage.  I ended up going outside into the snow and hucking the damn bottom bracket shell down the alley. 
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Merry Christmas to Will Sherman! Tim O'Donnell just finished up Will's Galway 650b.  He still needs to finish cleaning up the fillets on the bottom bracket and the seatstay bridge.  But, everything checks out and looks good.
Frame weight, unpainted, is a whisper over 4lbs and in the current configuration of frame.
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Mike Sharp and I went hiking at BCSP yesterday.  It was not the kind of snow that makes everything compleatly quiet.  It was still a very pretty day.  This is a picture of me, in jail, On Ice, per say.
 
http://jakewv.blogspot.com/
 
http://www.lugoftheirish.com/Shamrock_Cycles/Home.html