This post wasn't actually supposed to happen. I was supposed to be sleeping tonight, resting up for the 101, but I got nailed with a vicious bout of pre-sleep insomnia. Not the waking up at 4:30AM and not being able to go back down kind that is more common with me. Hey! It's almost 4:30AM now. Oops and ouch, tomorrow is gonna hurt. But only when I use my eyes.
The above photo there...that's Peter Bradshaw, former Messenger World Champ and Cat 1 killer on the Embrocation Cycling Journal squad. In a shocking development, he's decided to give up riding 700c road bikes and take up riding and racing 20" wheeled folding bikes. As any 26" wheeled mountain bike rider will tell you — smaller wheels are faster. He was sick of getting passed by commuters with milk crates zip-tied to their rear racks while he was in the recovery or warm-up portion of his training rides. He said enough is enough and from now on he will take out all his violent, competitive urges on un-witting utilitarian cyclists.
He's hoping to trade in his Dahon for a Brompton in time for the 2011 Brompton races. Dream big Peter Bradshaw, dream big.
In other fascinating news, I figured out a much more substantial clamp system for my Contour HD by V Hold R! Just in time for the W101. Much better than the mess below:
My first attempt at a custom clamp involved two 25.4 stem face plates. I was going to use a long-ass bolt, thread a nylock nut down the bolt to get the clamp-age going, then bolt the existing Contour clamp to that business. I got this far:
But then I looked down and saw one of these on the bench in front of me.
"Wow, what is that?" you are saying (if you're still here). Well, it's a handlebar bottle cage mount, meant for bikes that don't have water bottle bosses (or King Cage top cap mounts). Immediately I saw it as a much better platform for my project. The end result wasn't beautiful, and it still involved zip-ties (but just to prevent the clamp from rotating and causing the mounting nut to back out). Check it:
Are you amazed? I'll be A-cappella-ing this fine creation at the 101.Running it on my bars where I can rotate it all over the place for a variety of kooky shots. I'll also be running the Helmet Hero and packing my point and shoot in my pocket. I'll be so weighed down with cameras, I'll have no hope of beating Jeff Schalk.
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