The Bikes - It's All About the Bikes ;-)

Well it has been long enough without talking about the bikes.
Honestly, I don't deserve any of them. Each has a story, but mostly it is about BLING!

The Tri bike
Of all of my rides she may be the most humble. The story is that I found her on ebay and we were the perfect fit. Here she is outfitted in her best Sunday dress. Not only is she fast, but she loves to race and she gets better ever time. I've got at least 1000 miles in her saddle, and save the wheels, I haven't changed her a bit

2001 Quintana Roo TiPhoon
Full Ultegra 9 Build
Profile Design Cockpit
200SL Cane Creek Brakes
Blackwell Research 100mm Tubular
Minoura Rack w/ PD Karbon Cage rear rack
22lbs of PURE Reflex

The Lady
I actually found her langushing on ebay too. She was pretty much stock at the time, but over the course of a year I managed to trim some weight off the old girl. I have a little weight problem and when she arrived she was very portly for a Ghisallo. A new post put me in a better position and shaved a few grams, next came the brakes which dropped almost half a lb. Then came the crash... The accident was enough to retire most bikes, but thanks to the miracle of Ti and modern orthopedic medicine we rode again. This time we did it with Zipps and a tendon from somebody's hamstring. I gained 25lbs, and she lost one...
2002 Litespeed Ghisallo my weight weenie wet Dream

2002 Litespeed Ghisallo XL 975g
Full Campagnolo Record Carbon 10
Zero G 2005 Brakes w/ Koolstop carbon pads
Zipp Speed Weaponry 303 44mm Tubular Wheelset
Veloflex Carbon 20mm Tubulars
Sell Italia Carbon/Ti saddle
Easton EC90SL Fork
Easton EC90 Zero offset post
Easton EC90 Equipe 44mm bars
Easton EA50 120mm stem
Time RSX Titan Carbon Pedals
6.65kilos loves to climb loves to sprint.





The Mistress
2007 Litespeed Archon T1

This girl was meant to be. I Loved the Ghisallo, but lusted for something more. One thing I know is that I'm barely half the rider that this bike deserves, but I ride her anyway :-). For those that don't know this is THE bike. The frame is shaped and welded in impossible ways. Its beauty is exceeded only by its function. Winner of numerous design awards, but destined for the street and not the archives, I picked it up on a fluke via (you guessed it) ebay. She came to me mostly un-ridden. She was a monument on some fat guys wall. Thank goodnes he got boared looking at her. I got lucky with my bid at a fraction of what she is truely worth. Much akin to finding an original Shelby Cobra in a barn. Of course I needed to strip the Shimano stink off of her, but now she lives again as my daily driver. If Litespeed could only see me now. Their flagship as a humble (well not so humble) daily workout machine. I've been in the saddle for about three months and 700 miles as fast as my legs will take me. My dream comes to life olmost every day
2007 Litespeed Archon T1 sz L
Full Campagnolo Record Carbon 10
Zero G 2007 Brakes w/ SwissStop Yellow pads
Zipp Speed Weaponry 303 44mm Tubular Wheelset
Veloflex Carbon 20mm Tubulars
Easton EC90SL Fork
Deda 100 Stem
Deda Newton Ergo Bars
Ritchey Carbon post
Fizi:k K:1 saddle
Time RSX Titian Pedals
This BIt@# love to run. I may never need another road bike.
7.0 kilos and getting lighter.

DIY Free Motion Rollers

Well after long anticipation I'm Finally done with my Free Motion Roller Project.
First I'd like to say that I have borrowed alot from the Inside Ride people as they were the inspiration for these. What can i say other than theirs are much better, but mine are cheaper, and I got alot of staisfaction in building my own.

Without futher adeax... Here are mine


They are still in testing (ie. I fell off them three times tonight) but aside from my lack of skill as a rider, they work great!

So, here is the build list (as best as I can recall)
1x Nashbar Reduced Radius Rollers
2x 90" length of 3" x 1.5" Al C Channel (better would have been 3.5") (can't remember the gauge but it is over 1/8)
4x 44mm or 46mm skate board wheels with bearings
6x 5/16 x 2" 18 Thread bolts
12x 18 Thread Nuts
4x M6 x 1 20 Hex Hed Bolts
4x M6 Locking nuts
4x 5/16 Saw nuts
12x 5/16 nuts (matching thread)
Lots of washers
2x L brackets for bumper wheels
8x Fasteners for frame L brackets (with locking washers and washers)
2x 18" Bungee cords (up to debate on length and makeup)
4x Rubber lined hangers for electric onduit (3/4")
2x Rubber tube to protect bungee
4x M6 - 20 Hex cap Bolt
4x M 20 Locking Nut

Tools you will need
1x Drill
1x Drill Bit and tap for 5/16 bolts
1x Grinder
(more tools for welding if applicable - see aside)

OK - Here goes for the build

Step one
Order Rollers, and Al Channel. The rollers are easy but the Al can be hard to find. I got mine from All Metals Inc But like I said it was less than ideal. (The company was great but like i said I'd rather 3.5" instead of 3" but good luck finding it) Anyway this place was great and it did work. Who knows, if you call they might find you 3.5" for you.
OK, the hard part. You need to go to Lowes (not the Home Depot - they don't have the stuff, or they do and they hide it) anyway, the list is NOT Gospel, I did this over a few months so my memory is a bit hazy, but it is a good guideline. Oh, this is also a good time to visit you local skateboard shop. Likely there will be a 14yr old kid behind th counter looking down on you. (this shold feel familiar since you are used to bike shops) Anyway, ask him for the SMALLEST wheels available (likely a 46mm which will work, but believe me if you can hold out for a 44mm things will be better). Also while you are there you need the bearings and spacers for the wheels. This whole evolution should cost you about $20. If it is more, you have bought the wrong stuff. -BEWARE the temptation for ceramic bearings and such. THESE BEARINGS WILL NOT MAKE YOU FASTER! Likely he has a set he can't wait to unload on a guy like you.

Step Two
Get ready to cut and drill. This is the hard part. If you are using Nashbar Reduced radius rollers then the build will follow perfectly. If you are using any others, specifically folding rollers, then the concept should follow, but i'm not responsible. Anyway...
You need to drill and tap tap the front and rear legs. Mount your wheels on the bolts and see where you holes should be, the closer to the nut holding the drum the better. (see the picture, but you need to snug up the wheel to the bolt as close as posible - this is why 3.5" channel is better - on the 3" the tolorances are really tight so get it right the first time)You need to drill and TAP the leg.
So after the tapping of the legs you need to cut them off. I cut mine at 3.5cm so that I could still use the rollers w/o the frame. To do it I used my dremel and about 50 cut off wheels, so if you have something better then DO IT! This was the worst part.

Step Three
The Frame (ugh) If you followed this build from the start then you know that this was supposed to be the easy part. Well, not so much. Here's the deal on the frame. You have the materials, any schlub with a TIG welder can do this, but a machinist is best because he will be precise. Get you measurements and tell them what to do. I recommend NOT welding, but just getting some brackets (in fact you should have enough extra Al channel to do it yourself). In any case the hard part is making sure the nuts fit UNDER the channel. Mine rub because I can't drill for the life of me. No worries if they do though, just grind down the bolts or the frame a bit and you will be good to go.

Step Four
The suspension is easy. Take those two bungees and hook them (on the back just around the bolts and on the front in the holes) drill a couple holes for the M6 bolts (used the bit for the 5/16 tap)and secure with the rubber lined electrical clamps (I also had some rubber tubing to protect the bungee)you can adjust the tension as necessary on the spacing of the clamps.


So that's it. Good Luck!