The bottom bracket day of hell.

As usual we had our coffee and turned the music on at the shop this morning. We had a bunch of stuff to order yesterday for some expensive repairs today. My partner was building up a custom tri bike and need some cranks and a bottom bracket. Well we measured and re measured and calculated we need a pressfit 30 bottom bracket and a bb30 crank. We later found out the poor crank we ordered was too short and we needed to get the Evo one. That was strike one.
At the same time I received a well ridden Orbea with a creaky bb. I removed the cranks to find 2 bearing pressed directly into the carbon frame. Upon removing said crunchy bearing I realized the bearings have a lip on them so they don’t go further in. Of course Q does not have said funny Spanish bearing. I promptly put bike away and loaded a trek hybrid from the 90’s on my stand. Oh glorious times! 1 1/8 headset, english threaded bottom bracket, external cable routing, quick releases for fast wheel removal. After working on the trek for an hour it was perfect. It was smooth, v brakes phenomenal, just perfect. The orbea sat broken on the side crying, envious of the test ride the Trek was going on. I looked at the fancy new bike and promised to come with a fresh mind and make it good again.
Then people call us mechanics retro-grouches.

Ari

The necessary evil known as cars

A true believer that cars r coffins

I guess as a rebellious child I always had to go against my father. It wasn’t that we did not get along or that I did not respect him. We are good friends and we truly love each other. He loved all things motorized, things that made life easier and more comfortable. He loved his cars but was not a car nut. He was a mechanic and made any car run perfect. He bought cars for pennies and had them in tip top shape in no time.

I loved self propelled things. My passion for the bicycle is un describable and neverending. It fascinates me to get on a light machine and go places for free, not causing any noise or pollution. It’s a fascination that has kept me in the industry for 30 plus years. A fascination that has kept me poor and without a summer vacation for a long time. 

This past week our tired old cars broke down to where they were undrivable. The wife was in the middle of a bunch of interviews. We had to borrow cars since the distances and timing were impossibel without a car. I came to realize that my hatred for cars is not realistic. I can function without one but cannot expect everyone else to do the same. I had both of them repaired and I will continue to use my bike most of the time. I still think that cars suck. Sorry.

After a long absence I decided to write something on this here blog. I feel tat with other platforms we never get a chance to fully express out thoughts. It’s like we live in a world of subtitles and quick images. It is becoming more and more abstract. Nobody wants to or has time to read.
The above image is what is left of the shop. The whole inside has been gutted down to the basic structure. It has all been cleaned out and the only thing left are the front sign and the stickers I put on the rear entrance door.
So many stories and memories abound from this bike shop that was around for over 60 years. It truly saddened people when we decided to close. I hope that you had a chance to visit us before that happened.
No I am onto the next chapter. A young, small shop in Downers Grove. A shop with fresh ideas and a bright future.
I will continue to wrench and ride my bike. The two things that I am known for. Let me know if you are up for a ride. Specially at night cause that’s how the Slender Fungus rolls!
Thanks for your time. Thanks for reading.
Ari

Single-speeding back to normality

For a long time I have been a fan of the Singlespeed bicycle. I love the simplicity and somehow I think the rear end of the bike is lighter and it accelerates quicker. That's just me probably. I have messed around a lot of the years with gear ratios. They are different depending on what you want to do, what type of bike it is, what time of year it is and the level of fitness you have. Are you interested in climbing hills, covering terrain quickly?? So it is nice to have a tote, box where you can have all your cogs, freewheels, chainrings, lockrings and chainring bolts. That makes changing stuff a lot easier. 
Lately I have been spending time on the Salsa Ti Selma. That bike is running 34x18 and I used it to do general riding, and perhaps getting into Palos with the singletrack. My Ruffian has a 34x16 with discontinued Ragley Luxy Bars. That bike is for covering distance. Both bikes are running 29x2.1-2.2 tires. On the road I run 40psi. 
After dealing with an injured hip the MTBs have helped stay more upright and take the strain on those hip flexors away. Fitness is coming back syrupy slow. I mean slow, slow. 
This morning I also updated my All City Nature Boy disc with 39x18 with Michelin Jet tires. I will be trying out the Ritchey VentureMax handlebars also. 
Thanks for reading, 
Ari 

This guy caught a couple of fishes while I was observing him. 

Abandoned house in Du Page County. I would live there. 

Water Fall Glen is always good. 9.5 miles for a loop of Gravel. 

Probably coming out to lay eggs. I was impressed by those claws. 

Waterfall Glenn

My most excellent Gunnar Ruffian. 

Friday morning rain. Perfect for ruining a pre-work Ride.  

No more Bombfire Pizza

A while ago when I lived in Sycamore,Il. my wife and I used to go on scouting trips west of there. We started to discover the gravel roads on the west side of IL, then the driftless area spawned a million ideas in my head. 
At some point I decided to cross the Scary Bridge in Savanna,IL over to Sabula Iowa. Wow! That blew my mind to say the least. I remember a very first, crude ride that we did there with the wife, Bonk King, Cookie and meself. I wanted to take a map but Bonk King insisted that his new I-phone was all we needed. Of course there was no service out there. Our 40 miler turned into a death march with limited water and food left. 
We were dead tired and of course came back for more many a times. 
Jay and I started having these "Mission rides" that were intended to whip us into shape for the Spring Dance known as Trans Iowa. We rode single speed and typically did about 80-90 miles with as shit ton of climbing. 
We would then head over to the Bombfire Pizza. There we would devour pizza. Jay would drink a couple beers while I guzzled endless cans of Pepsi. 
When we organize the Death Ride with Guitar Ted we had a lot of riders eat at the Bombfire. The Bombfire Pizza was a unique place in that it had all kinds of Art work ,delicious pizza and one of the Kindest shop owners I have ever met. He talked to us all the time. Asking where we were from and really listening. 
In March of this year his friend found him dead. I just found this out last night as I was looking for info on the Sabula bridge. The Bombfire Pizza is gone. Those times we went there have just turned to memories now. My daughter loved going there. 
So, Thank you Tom for all those great memories. May you rest in peace and know that you will not be forgotten. I hope that the bridge opens soon to pump some blood back into Sabula. 
I miss those times. 
Thank you for reading. 
Ari 

Tom Holman, owner of Bombfire Pizza, Sabula Iowa. May you rest in peace. 


Ari  

Memorial Day Weekend riding

Got out on Sat with the SS 29er and did about 35 miles. It was good to cleanse out after having a super good meal on Friday night. Rode mostly on the road and touched into Waterfall Glen. 
Saturday was a ride with my Brother in law and good friend Randolino. We did our first ride to Batavia in the heat. Nobody is used to this heat yet and we labored to get back home. Yesterday Monday I was unable to latch onto a ride so I went solo. MY goal was to hit the 50 mile mark and visit friend Frank. I had a gentle ride on the cheater bike all the way to St. Charles. ON the way back I was attacked by some crazy wind storm out of nowhere. 
I rode 30 miles into a nasty headwind with all kinds of dust and pollen choking me down. I stopped at a gas station for some overpriced water and then rode home to be a zombie the whole rest of the day. I kept falling asleep and all the projects I had ended up in the trash bin. 
A good weekend of riding. Still a lot of work to do for sure. But I am not going to give up. 
best, 

Ari

Now that's a job for the faint of heart

I dropped out on the ride on Friday since my hip was killing me. 

I found this view in the most unlikely place. 

Plant shopping with the Big Dummy

Always good to see open spaces and trees. 

Ran into Buddy Bruce and he rode with us for while. 

Cheater Bikes resting at 7/11

Memorial day and this is how the flag was on my way out. 

Cheater bike cockpit. Yes, those are sti shifters. 

Fermi lab building. 

much needed open space. 

exit area Fermi west. 

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND

Happy Memorial Day weekend to everyone out there. During these days I take time to remember family members and friends that are not around anymore. I get out for a ride and think about them. I remember what they said, the funny jokes, the characteristics that made them who they are. 
It will be good to be off on Monday. We have been going full steam ahead here at the shop. We have been selling, fixing, inflating. People are mostly trying to catch up with lost weeks in March and April. 
Everyone's mileage is off. But I am glad we are still riding. That's the important thing. Be safe out there. 

 T.I. 

 Slender Fungus Mascot

Slender Fungus Flora

Fuel 

 RIP Marco. 

this is Chunky Gravel 

TI V10 Special K and I 

Good friend Chris from Bellevue

 TI V10 

 Hellmut my training partner eating cold, fried Chicken

thousands of miles on my first fixed gear bicycle 

The old man, still kicking despite a lot of illnesses

Giggles and I when he picked up his restored Merckx. check out my footwear! 

1998 Subaru Forester. Wifey and I would scout gravel in this car. That was amazing. 

Ari