Here is a photo or two of my Bleriot. Kit includes a Sugino crank, MSK pedals, Soma clips, Phil rear free wheel hub, IRD freewheel, Schmidt front hub, Berthoud fenders, Brooks Saddle, Carradice saddle bag. Berthoud fenders, ToPeak frame pmp, Nitto stem and handlebars, Modolo brake levers, Dia Compe brakes with Mathhouser pads and a Brooks saddle, Silver shift pods and Shimano 600 down tube shifters, Shimano XT front derailer and Suntour rear derailer, and Nitto bottle cages.
Today was the long awaited (by some) maiden voyage of the Bleriot. An example is above, but its not mine. I'll post photos later. I just finished assembly last night and haven't even shellacked the bar tape yet. I rode it down to work, meeting pal Bill along the way. We rode together for the Hiawatha Cyclery ride. There I'm guessing we put on about 14 miles or so. Add to that the 18 miles to the shop from home and back, I'm guessing I put on 50 miles. Maybe more, but 50 will be close enough. I didn't have the cyclometer installed yet. I need to change out the shifters got get better rear and front shifting. Tally for the day:
50 miles
1 flat tire, which made no sense (the hole was on the inside (rim side) of the tube)
Two lost bolts - I had not tightened the clips to the pedals and two fell off before I realized. I got two replacement from Jim at HC
One scratch obtained while leaning it against a light post near Al's Breakfast in Dinkytown
One fall over, where I didn't pay attention and Mark Stonich made a right and I hadn't slowed enough and panic braked without pulling my feet out of the clips and fell over.
Annoyed everyone in hearing distance from my braking, I didn't toe in the Dia Compe center pulls and they squeal outrageously
One altercation observed - maybe I'll right about this later, its begun to really bug me (my behavior or specifically lack there of)
Wonderful conversation with Bill - just one of those great riding partners
So in an earlier post I whined about being a cheapskate and getting what I paid for. I'd bought a gNashbar hub and dang if it didn't break after thousands of miles. Yet it broke under legitimate use, not abuse, and I'd never broken a spoke or had a bearing fail on that wheel so it clearly was in pretty good shape.
Last night I took a fling and wrote NB an email describing my plight. No nasty or foul language. I got a pretty fast response. Please send a few photos if you could, please make them an attachment so it can be virus scanned separately. Seems all reasonable. I sent those from my Picasa page. I'd sent the link, but they assured me they couldn't "surf" anywhere while at work. Yikes!
Next message was a little more annoying. Please send in the wheel.
I wrote back and said the whole stinking wheel? I explained my objection. First the shell is built into a almost functional wheel. The shipping cost is not trivial.
Then I really launched. I informed them that my day job is to analyze items for root cause and failure analysis. Which is the truth. I have connections with material analysis labs and that the axle is in fact with them at the moment as they were going to study it using x-ray, crystallography, and SEM to determine cause of failure. I didn't tell them they wanted to do this for a class this summer being taught to High School seniors who might like to see failures that fit more into real life rather than the crazy things we make at the business which are pretty dull to the average person.
They replied that they would like to know how I used the wheel and do I remember when I ordered it?
I actually found the shipping paperwork. No kidding. So I sent a very long note pointing out I bought four copies of the hub, two in red and two in black. I gave them part numbers, order numbers, customer numbers and even rack, shelf and bin numbers. It showed I'd bought the hub in March 2001 which is the spring I sprung for the Atlantis frame from Sarah Gibson's shop (Acme?) in Kansas. I had the wheel built by Sunset Cycle in Circle Pines, which is a neighbor town of Lino Lakes where I lived then. They built several wheels for me and they all were very good. I'd recommend them to anyone as wheel builders. Last I explained in lengthy details how many miles that the bike has been estimated the touring versus commuting miles and sent photographs of it packed and ready to roll for both applications.
Damn, I can be thorough and organized when I want to be an ass.
The wrote back, they'll let me know on Monday if they can provide me with a replacement axle or any compensation. The delay is because they aren't sure they have any axles. And they have to discuss what they will offer as replacement because that model has been discontinued. Duh, that is why they were selling it for $29.95, which is what I paid for it. It pays to have data, experience, knowledge, ability, and especially for once the ability to keep a civil finger on the keyboard. I can get annoyed with email pretty quickly. I truly think they saw me as some crank at first and once I sent both photos and the order information, they were better believers.
I'll believe it when I see it, but still at least it seems like they are thinking about standing behind their product. I'm not asking for more. I wasn't injured. It didn't strand me out in Ontario. I have another bike I can ride at the moment. So, no more griping about NB for the moment. Even I can be momentarily humble.
I brought home a partial bike, a project I call it. No, not some decrepit used thing of filth to be shined up in honor. No, I did it the Gordy way and brought home a shiny new frame and bits so I can muck it up and scratch the blazes out of it and get angry and fling Allen wrenches at it. Okay, not the last bit.
Its a Bleriot. A frame designed by Rivendell and distributed through QBP of Bloomington. I bought mine from Jim at Hiawatha. Its a long sad story of me taking too long to pay for it and junk. I won't bore you with details, but I'd like to say its testament that Jim has great patience for jerks like me. Huge thanks to the folks at Hiawatha!
Here's the dope before I give you porn to have your way with. Its a 57 cm frame. Ultegra headset, Nitto Technomic stem, Nitto Noodle 48 cm wide handlebars, Nitto Jaguar saddle post, Phil bottom bracket with a Sugino 600 (?) all aluminum ring crank at 172.5, rear wheel is a Phil freewheel hub, with a 7-speed IRD freewheel 13-32, a Sachs 8 speed chain, a Schmidt SON front hub, both rims are sweet Synergy with the rear a asymmetric so it is dishless, and finally Berthoud fenders. I added (and they installed) a pair of Nifty Swifty tires with the Speed Blend sidewall. They are so cool!
All I did tonight was take photos, and wax the frame. Okay and put Smithchrome on the fenders. See, I told you I'd muck it up!
