Speedy Rodriguez

 I long time ago I met my friend Ken Yokanovich at Trans Iowa. Throughout the years we have stayed in contact but have not been able to see eachother because of life. So this past winter around the month of February Ken decided to come down to Chicago to sell off some really nice bike parts at the Chicago Bike Swap. 

We met there and did a lot of catching up between Ken making sales on some primo vintage parts. He had forwarned me that he was gonna sell this custom Rodriguez and knowing that im a Single Speed Crack he was sure it would be perfect. 

The frame is custom made with lugs. It is 130rear spacing, 100 front, 1" headset quill, 27.2 seatpost and a threaded bottom bracket. I love that it has 3 bottle mounts. This is a bike that will keep morphing until I get it just right. Yesterday I installed a  Velo Orange setback seatpost. That's in order to get my mandatory 9.5cm setback. Next up Ken is sending a new headset and some Nitto Noodle bars. Still looking for a 120mm Nitto Technomic stem. 

Once I get the fit issues ironed out I will be switching to a more reliable square tape crank. I'm currently rolling on Shimano 105 cranks in 172.5mm length, with a 44 tooth Surly Stainless ring. 

Front wheel is an Ultegra hub on Open Pro Mavic rim, rear a White industries 19tooth freewheel on a  White Industries hub on Velocity Deep V rim. Brakes are long reach Tektros run moto style with one cyclocross lever for the front brake. 

Saddle is San Marco Regal. Current bars are Nitto made Specialized , so is the stem. Tektro levers. 

Currently running some big flat pedals due to a severely irritated Morton's. Neuroma. 

But we keep riding!

Ari  

Patiently Waiting

 

Waiting for that day when my Single speed that im working on will be dialed. Waiting on that day when there won't be a chill in the air. Maybe even team up with an old friend and go for a real long ride without any stresses or commitments to run home to. My friend Jay is shipping me something that will help with all this project. The Rivendell Quickbeam above needs a refresh. But there is another candidate that is also suitable with some minor changes. Toying between 42x18 and 44x19. The differences are minimal but have long term consecuences. WE will see. 

Ari 

Don't be tricked

 IT's been a rollercoaster March around here. I've enjoyed being outside everyday so far for the month. Just the other day the skies were blue and it encouraged a lot of people to start thinking about their bikes. We got a bunch of repairs in and sold a fair amount of bicycles. Then the bottom dropped out with intense, flooding, rain. Tornadoes, storms and then cold wind and snow dominated in the past couple days. The Robins are confused and wondering how they are going to find any worms. 

The few crocus' that sprang up got buried in freezing snow. But one thing has not wavered. The mourning dove that nested atop our little hose house is here again. Rain, shine, snow, wind she is already sitting there because she is on a mission. A good lesson to learn from such a gentle creature. I put all my winter gear on, threw on a clipon fender and rode to work. If the Robins and Mourning Doves can be out there so can I. Winter is not over in the midwest and I'm alright with that. 

thanks for reading, 

Ari

Lots of this on my way to work this morning. Ducks were in heaven! 

The Miyata Ridge Runner 1987

My friend Joe told me he had this frame and did not want it since it was too big for him. I toyed with the idea of building it up and after searching the depths of my garage I started to unearth old stuff I hadn't seen in years. Of note was the Mavic 26.8mm seatpost, XTR cantilevers for the front, later a nice SR triple crankset and so on. I have started building it and I will continue to post more photos as they come along. I will be looking for recommendations for a smoother pattern tire in 26". Of note and worthy of the money is the 1" quill stem from Velo Orange. IT's one of the few stems that has a 31.8mm handlebar clamp diameter. Plus it as a long quill to jack up the bars with frames that have short headtubes. It will be interesting to ride this bike with such a long wheelbase , and a triple butted, lugged steel frame. I think its gonna be a good one. 

New machine for the coming season

 My good friend Dave sold me his Lynskey Pro Cross since he has a big project (bike) coming up. I've been in the market for a ti bike to ride on gravel for a while. I have a few but the magic of titanium has alway had its allure. This bike is a cross bike. Im ok with that because I have used plenty of cross bikes on grave. First was the Gunnar Crosshairs, Then 2 Surly Crosschecks, A Salsa Chili con Crosso, Another Crosshairs, and various other old road bikes converted to gravel.

Yeah, I've been around a long time with bikes. This Lynskey I will start tuning and fitting over the winter. As of now it has 40mm gravel kings and It will probably handle a 42-45. Not a problem. I don't need to follow any fashions happening out there. 

I live in Chicagoland. Most of my riding is done on pavement and limestone trails. If i make a trip to Iowa, Kansas other real gravel areas I can switch tires. I might be looking for a longer stem, bottle cages, a frame bag and such accessories. I'll let you know how those changes take place. 

In the meantime im riding the Trek 6500 with 26' studded tires and the Surly steamroller also studded. Both bikes have me pegged at around 11 mph. So tiring but at my age I don't need to break anything. 

Thanks for reading, 

Ari 

Trying out the new to me Fuji XT-1

Raven's Grin Inn, Mt Carroll, IL. 

Mill Creek rd, Bellevue , Iowa

Deserted Farm House, Mill Creek Rd. 

Iowa Farm 

Mt Carroll,IL 

Bellevue, Iowa

The locks in Bellevue, Iowa

fisherman coming to shore as the light goes away. 

Not a great photo but these Cranes were waaaay up there heading south to warmer temps. 

Ramp off rte 52 that gives one access to boat launch and viewing area for the locks. 

 My friend Richard was kind enough to pass on his Fuji camera that he was no longer using. It's a Fuji XT-1 mirrorless camera with a 18-135 lens. I took it to Jackson County this past weekend and tried learning it on the go. I got lots more to learn for sure! Most of the shots I took were in Bellevue Iowa as the light was quickly dissapearing in the horizon. I will be glad when we start gaining daylight again. Living in the dark is not good for photography. 

I charged up the battery and found a nicely padded camera bag that I have and set off to capture some images. All in all its a great camera. I will eventually figure out how to shoot the photos from camera to phone. I know how to do it but its something to do with my old phone. might need an update which I'm not sure if it can handle it. I'll post up more photos as I go thru them. 

thanks for reading, 

Ari 

Just Riding along

up and close with the deer

Been really lucky this fall with how the weather has panned out. Yesterday I was made aware of some pants that costco was selling for about 20 dollars. I have pretty much abandoned riding with padded shorts at this point. I  ride 7 days a week and its not feasible to do that. I'm gathering some images to do a write up of things that work for me as far as riding equipment and clothing for commuting. Stay tuned and it will be posting soon. 

So back to the pants. They are made by Gerry and they are a stretch material that is lined with a waffle style fleece on the inside. That waffle lining reminds me of some of my Patagonia tops that I have used in the past. They have 2 handwarming pockets , two rear pockets , one zipped and a small side pocket for your keys or lighter. They also have a drawstring at the hems. I will post photos soon. 

Yesterday I had to get back on the flat pedals since that Morton's Neuroma in my right foot is aggravated again. This time around I will stay off my spd's for a longer time and see if that helps. Im riding some giant Crank bros Stamp pedals with some wide Olukai sneakers. Right foot pedalling Flintstone style. Tomorrow I will be getting my bike ready for Guitar Ted's virtual Turkey Burn:> VTBR. It goes from Thanksgiving Thursday,Friday,Sat, Sun. IF you are interested in riding with me let me know in the comments below. Probably gravel bikes with mixed terrain. 

thanks for reading

A quick road trip

The offspring at Gravert's orchard 

Along Mill Creek rd between Bellevue and La Motte

The locks along Mississippi river at Bellevue, Iowa

Gravert's 

road travelers! 

Bellevue Iowa before the sub 5pm sunset

Mt Carroll , IL 

 Was able to get up early with the offspring and hit the road just after 8am. The target was Graverts Orchard to catch the last batch of apples of the season. I have grown accustomed to only eat apples from Gravert's. Store bought stuff is just so bland that I kinda veer away from it. We picked up 1/2 a bushel, some bosc pears and a dozen fresh eggs and a caramel apple for the offspring. Gravert's is a family owned orchard in Sabula Iowa and we have been going there for years. We make 4-5 trips there a year from Chicago. 

We later cruised along the river towns taking photos and getting something to eat. On the way there we also stopped in Mt Carroll,IL to check out the downtown and the spooky Raven house inn. A long day of driving but it was worth the sights, the apples and produce and spending time with the offspring listening to her music. Temps were in the mid 50's and the sun was out quite a bit. 

thanks for reading, 

ari 

Cold outside

 We are left with a few days of 40's before the thermometer takes a little dive. I've been busy at the shop with different projects. Yesterday I cut and threaded 56 spokes to lace up these nices hoops and hubs. The rims are the new Velocity Aeros. They are an updated version and homage to their OG rim. This rim is disc only, 25 internal, TR and it is made of a more durable alloy. I'm excited to build these up today. I think they will be amazing. The color listed on the box for the hubs is "matte Jade", in case you were wondering. 

Thanks for reading, 

Ari 

A metric in November

 Pulled the Surly Straggler out of the trunk after dropping the daugther off at University. I drive her there then ride home and she gets to practice driving back when Chicago traffic is just a bit less crazy. 

As soon as the wheels on the Straggler hit the parking lot I saw the rear was completely flat. Stans Grail rim running a Vittoria tire 700x38 tubeless. I pulled out my pocket compressor and aired up taking off with the intention of NOT having to put a tube in there. 

I made it home 18 miles later and took a careful look at the tire. I discovered a small shard of glass imbedded in the tire. Took the core out and noticed the inside was dry. And I'm a pro mechanic! Shot in 2oz of sealant, put the cut towards the bottom and presto! Aired it up and off I went in pursuit of that 100K on that beast of a bike. 

I headed south and took up the Centennial trail then the IM canal trail , which is gravel, and ended up in Lockport, IL. A customer had recommended "Godfathers" for lunch and that's what I aimed for. After a delicious, affordable lunch I headed home into a damp, headwind. All and all it was a great solo ride and good training for The Virtual Turkey Burn and also the Rapha 500 coming up in December. 

thanks for reading 

Ari 

Sneaky November

This front was already brewing on Sunday out in Iowa

Been trying to get as many miles as possible in the bank before it gets to ugly. Weatherwise Chicago has been decent. However, we just got one of those new Artic Blasts and it dumped a little snow to just freak everyone out. But in reality it was the snow mixed with the falling leaves that made a concoction that was slippery as snot. 

Today I did my normal routine of dropping my daughter off at college and then riding the 16 miles home. It was an adventure for sure, having to scoot over some slick spots a few times.

I rode my trusty Gunnar Ruffian SS 29er with a Thunderburt in front and a racing Ralph in back. 

An excellent choice for today. I was fortunate to get to work on a nice tailwind. We'll see what happens trying to get home this evening.  

November!

 With the new job and the daughter attending a local college my time has completely vanished. Sorry for the absence and lack of writing on this blog. The new job at 2bici bike shop has been going really well. A great summer and we are still staying busy with mtb repairs and rentals of mountain bikes for riding in the woods. 

2 weeks ago I was able to sneak across the big river and spend some hours in Iowa. It always feels right there. Seeing those gravel roads and hills makes me wanna go ride there. We spent some time picking some delicious apples at Gravert's Orchard in Sabula then had lunch at Kalme's restaurant in St. Donatus. We then cruised back to Chicagoland to the never ending rat race. 

Planning on going there tomorrow. Stay tuned. 

Picking apples at Gravet's 

Giulietta and Jamie

Bellevue, Iowa

Bellevue Iowa

August, 2025

 July and August are fast slipping away. I started a new job at 2Bici bike shop in Willow Springs, IL. It's been good there. I'm still getting used to being there and learning where everything is. Also getting used to new customers and such. My commuting to work and back has been almost all I need ride wise. I get out with the fast road group just to socialize and not ride alone all the time. Most of my riding has been on paved and crushed limestone allowing me to think and reflect on things. Don't really have to worry about cars that much and that's a good thing. I hope to continue riding into the next season of fall/autumn. It should be good to see the foliage change and the temps cool off. My commute is a minimum of 12.5 miles and is easily dialed to 15miles one way. I have been rifling thru the many bikes I own and getting to ride all of them on different days. Still love my road bikes the best on the paved trails. Soon enough school will start and things will change. My wife will start teaching and my daughter will start college closer to the city. We have been practicing the route she will take to school since public transportation is feasible but will take a long time to get there. The practice drives have been a good idea specially when we stop at Johnnie's for Beef sandwiches and Italian ice. The best ever. I will be taking some days off maybe, maybe in October. It's been a busy season at the shop and it will be a welcome treat to get out and visit some friends and see something different. Working on some bikes and some small projects and Ideas. I finished building up a 1995 Cannondale m500 ATB and I will make a post about it soon. It came out better than expected. Needs a couple of components still but is fully rideable. On a different note my tomatoes did not do well this year. Too Cold, too hot, way too hot. I'm just dissapointed and I guess will have to go to the farmstand and buy some. Next year I will get some advice and put some more effort into them. Also got my clutch fixed on our antique 2006 CRV. The last year the CRV came in a 5 speed manual. We love that car and is perfect for our gravel adventures in Iowa. Thanks for reading and pardon the long paragraph. We did get out to the Ogle county fair despite heavy rain and getting stuck in the mud with a front wheel drive Chevy. 

Ari 

Almost 300

 Been trying to push myself to get ready for a long ride. This past week I was able to clock in about 293 miles for the week. Saturday I did 100 miles and Sunday a metric century. Legs are sore but some stretching and good nutrition should be enough to get rid of that fatigue. I'm aiming to get this much thought about ride sometime late July or early August. Been playing around with tire selection and will most likely stick to riding 32 mm slicks. There might be some gravel sections and such a tire should be plenty. Heck ,I used to ride 23mm Vittoria tires on gravel back in the day. Gonna keep rolling and see if I get a chance to get another ride in that's a bit longer than 100miles, maybe a 125. Hope everyone is doing well out there. Be safe and stay hydrated. It's been a warm June here in Chicagoland. We'll see what July brings. 

thanks for reading, 

Ari 

dealing with the heat

 I basically work south of the canals and the Des Plaines river. I cross over the bridge on a daily basis and sometimes enjoy the trails that run along these waterways. They offer some relief of this heat wave that's been parked over Chicagoland and most of the midwest. Yeah, riding has not been easy and it shows with lower volume of customers coming to the shop. For a lot of people it is just way to hot for them. 

We tell them to get off the roads and hit the trails. First of all one does not have to deal with cars and short tempers. Secondly the trails offer tons of shade and it is alway cooler in there. Stay hydrated using some electrolytes in your water. Buy an Arundel Looney bin and take a thermos with cold liquid. Avoid dark clothing. These are some tips to be able to get some miles out there before the summer slips away.