Rossin frameset -Columbus EL tubing- For Sale

People go nuts for this tubing.

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And for classic Rossin frames.

From the front

Here is a bit of info. taken from an article all about tubing (Smart Cycles.com):-

But…. there was something truly special waiting for those that bought bikes made of EL-OS. EL-OS was 0.7mm at the butt and drawn down to 0.4mm in the center section. First of all, there was a reduction in weight, about 1/4 pound. That’s always nice. The biggest bonus was in how the bike felt. Anyone who has ridden an EL-OS bike built by a good builder understands what a supple, beautiful, wonderful bike really is.

The problem was that getting a 0.4mm tubeset bike was expensive. Even now, almost a decade later, there are tubing companies that do not even have the technology to draw a 0.4mm tube. Even though Columbus can now draw 0.385 (a reduction of 15 thousandths of a millimeter from 0.4mm), I think we can safely say that 0.4mm is still the state of the art.

Up close

This frame set is really desirable and super light. It will perform and make your eyes whirl and heart beat.

And personal

It’s finished in a slightly deeper tone than Ferrari red. It’s been fillet brazed.

Showing off

It’s going to very sexy when it’s built up.

love chrome, nice touch

Don’t tell Rob, but imagine this with a new groupset fitted, it would be mean.

54 cm Square.

£470.00

Mamma mia.

Screw Yelp.com

We have a really bad review on Yelp, although the review itself it does make us chuckle, we feel it is very unjust, as we also have a load of 4 and 5 star reviews which have been filtered so people can not read them.

I emailed Yelp and asked them to make our good reveiws visible.

And they ignored me. I tried mailing, phoning, skyping, sending a letter,  The ba***rds are impossible to contact.

I have been fishing around online and have come to the conclusion that Yelp are a bunch of scammers, and I hate them. I am not alone. Their is an army of us building up across the globe. Others have suffered at the hands of this corporate monster. It would seem business’ that don’t pay for advertising coincidentally all seem to suffer with the same good review filter that we are suffering with.

So Yelp, screw you, screw your reviews, screw your advertising, I hope your leech like empire collapses around you, you bunch of greedy tarts.

 

London Open 2011- Hardcourt bike polo comp.

This weekend their is a huge bike polo event taking place. Neither Rob or I play polo,  but we are invariably exposed to it one way or another, with us both having mates who play and of course customers. I went and watched the European Championships a few years back and it was mint to watch, although it did chuck it down, and the dye on my saddle stained my trousers, but you can hardy blame the organisers for that can you?

The event is taking place at Hackney Downs this weekend and their is a picnic area and food and coffee and it’s forecast sun, jobs a good’un.

Starts tomorrow, finishes Sunday

We have just had some of the players in the shop, making some last minute purchases and tweaks, they had come from Berlin and were a right chirpy old bunch. Rent is really cheap in Berlin and in the summer it’s really hot and in the winter it’s really cold, and the trains and buses all run on time, these are the 3 main reasons I think they were so happy.

The machines

Oli, Morc, Stefan, Wiebke, Wibke

Watch out polo teams, the formidable smilers form Berlin have arrived.

Mountrgove Rd, 25.08.11

From the shop door

I saw it written and I saw it say
Pink moon is on it’s way
And none of you stand so tall
Pink moon gonna get you all
It’s a pink moon
Hey, it’s a pink moon
It’s a pink, pink, pink, pink, pink moon.
It’s a pink, pink, pink, pink, pink moon

Nick Drake- Pink Moon, Pink Moon Album, 1972.

Nigel Slater eyeing up the toms and hopeful for Robs pumpkins

That's him to the right of the door, dressed in black

Rob and I were outside banging out some seized cotter pins with  a vice and a hammer, when we realised their was a camera man lurking behind us.

Knowing we were unlikely stars, we asked the camera man what was going on.

He was filming Nigel Slater for a T.V program, set to come out this autumn.

Nigel admired the tomatoes in the window and the chillies, he even proclaimed he himself had not managed to harvest such wonderfully red toms.

He is now stood outside admiring Robs curly Kale. Luckily this morning I brought my whitefly spray from home as Rob has an infestation. Thank goodness Robs curly Kale will not be flaunted on T.V to all and sundry, suffering with white fly. An embarrassing situation narrowly avoided there. Phew.

ps: Cassius is also going to be on the T.V, Nigel took a liking to him as well.

Nigel Dean touring bike- For Sale

Globetrotting, aross the universe

If you are planning on going touring then look no further. This bad boy is ready to take you.

Nigel Dean, was  a racer turned builder, based around St.Albans area, and he built this lean, mean touring machine.

This has been built with distance, weight and comfort in mind.

The frame has been constructed using Reynolds 531 Supertourist tubing- nice and sturdy under load.

It’s fitted with a Shimano Deore LX 21 speed groupset and hubs (top of the range back in their day), cantilever breaks (offer better stopping power when under load and offer clearance for wider tyres), quick release skewers, ergo comfort grips, fitted with mudguards and rack, Continental touring tyres and piece de resistance a black Brooks leather sprung touring saddle.

This bike is literally fitted and read to tour, all you need is a set of pannier bags, a map and a head full of ideas and empty of work thoughts.

20.5″(53 cm) toptube, 19.5″ (49 cm) downtube.

£650, fully serviced (and a free water bottle to boot).

 

From respect comes love or from love comes respect?

France 1

France 2

France 3

George Longstaff racing bike- For Sale

Woo woo

Isn’t this just something else? So elegant. I can imagine Coppi abreast, descending from the clouds with his birdlike legs, so elegant and poised, dream like.

The Heron

It really is beautiful. I have seen George Longstaff bikes before, and they are always beautifully crafted, he was often credited with being one of the best British builders. Sadly Mr.Longstaff is no longer with us, although he did meet his end whilst out riding  one of his own tandems, which I think is rather lovely, I am sure he passed away with a huge smile on his face, whilst doing what he loved, Rest in Peace.

So this bit of kit- Campagnolo Mirage  12 speed Chainset, delicately embossed Simplex downtube shifters, Shimano 500 ex. brakes, Tioga bars,Cinelli stem, Stronglight headset, MKS pedals.

21″ (53cm) toptube and a 21.5″ (54 cm) downtube.

We have had this bicycle resprayed, it has been rebuilt and it’s a real flight of fancy.

£750.00 (ready to ride away)

Ladies Gitane town bike- For Sale

n'est pas elle joli?

A super ladies french town bike from Gitane. Although Gitane do make top end racing bikes, this bike is more suited to those in pursuit of a sophisticated leisurely ride, so lycra speed nuts, look away now.

She has all original parts, Sachs Huret hubs and 10 speed chainset, Uidons Phillipe randonneur handlebars (v.nice), ridgida rims and is fitted with mudguards and a rack. She is petite, coming in at 49 cm, so would suit a a smaller mademoiselle. Please feel free to come and take her for a test ride.

Fully serviced, £160.00.

Dawes Diploma- SOLD

A dignified looking ride

I don’t think this Dawes is dignified just because it is called Diploma, but I do think it suits its’ name.

The dignified Dawes Diploma- a gentleman’s hand built steel town frame, fully equipped with 3 speed Sturmey Archer gears, dynamo lights to front and rear, stainless steel mudguards, rear pannier rack and bags in black. This original town bike with a wonderfully relaxed geometry has a 22.5″ (57 cm) top tube and 23″ (59cm) down tube.

£190 fully serviced, please feel free to come and test ride, and experience it for yourself.