Hello to a new bike and goodbye to old friends

Hartley's uniform for Mechanics

My Crew

top Me

back row: L to R : B-dog, Trapper, Noelly, CB, Pete the Meat, Fuji Girl

front row: L to R

the inequivocal Billabong, Pizza Dan

Noel's Cannondale

Ricardo explaining Atomic Physics to a bunch of Yahoos


This past Friday marked the last one at Hartley's. It was a busy day with finishing my last custom bike there. It was bittersweet since I would be eliminating my 104 mile commute but at the same time would be leaving some great friends. Everyone showed up on Friday and I really want to thank you for that. It really meant a lot to me. We always walk into a shop job hoping to make things better and many a times it just does not advance. I am sure one day we will nail it on the head. Noel's bike was the last one to leave my hands from Hartleys. It got built up with Sram Red, Chris King wheels with Red hubs, Deda bars, Aliante Saddle, Conti GP4000s and Cannondale's Si Carbon Cranks. Rims are Dt Swiss and the whole bike came in around 17lbs with no gimmicky components.

Tuesday the 27th will mark my official last day and then I will take a few days off to clear my head and start anew on February the 3rd at North Central Cyclery in Dekalb. We will be attending Frostbike Show up in the Quality Bicyle Parts compound. If you want any info on Surly's Salsa's or anything else let me know because I am going armed with backpack and Cameras.

My new job will be located aronund 6 miles from home. I can ride the bikepath their, I can ride the road and I can ride the powerlines if I want to go offroad. The bikepath is impassible now and I think that will get solved with a burly Pugsley.

On Friday night I spent some future gas money that I am not going to spend in the near future on some Atlas snowshoes. If you havent tried snowshoes give them a shot. When the roads are icy, the trail not rideable, hit the fields on some snowshoes and burn your legs. On Monday Trapper and I are meeting for some snowshoeing.

Next winter projects for 2010 include Cross Country Skis and a Pugsley. Also if someone needs some custom bike build or wheel building let me know.

Until next time I bid farewell to Du Page county!

Ari