Required Reading

Live it

Classic

done with Legos

Slipstream/Garmin

Here's an interesting article from Vaughters and the new Garmin sponsorship of his squad
Get it

Satisfaction....

it's guaranteed.

Weekend Racing?

I don't know if I would call what I did this weekend racing. I did pay an entry fee, pin on a number and start with a group of others people that had done the same. What I proceeded to do was slowly work my way backwards through the pack. From a choice spot in the top ten, I lost a few positions out of every corner until I was eventually tail gunning and then off the back completely. Grand total time in 'the race', 15 minutes.

Here's the proof that I was out there for a little while.

Maybe a shave would make me faster.

Ha Ha

The TrailBlazers are my favorite NBA team; my second favorite NBA team is....any team that's playing the Lakers. That's why last night made me smile.

24 point choke

Commuting?

I rode my bike to work today....for the first time. I've been such a bike snob that commuting to work has been beneath me as it's not really training. But I figure at my current berthing weight, it can't hurt to burn a few extra calories per day commuting. Besides $5/gal for petrol is a bit too much.

Should I Go

This years 'Oregon' Builders Show. Should I display?

As many of you already know I have a love/hate relationship with PDX. I realy like the idea of having an Oregon show but unfortunatly some people think that Oregon is just the Portland Metro area. But I guess when 17 of the 22 Oregon builders are in P-Town it's easy to see why.

Rumor has it they are going to have a handmade only cross race. Might be cool. I predict a Vanilla, DeSalvo or maybe a Marcroft winning. The later being my personal favorite :)

Busy?

I'd say.

TT bike going to Seattle

Damian's road frame

Memorial Weekend Race'n

Things I learned.
-When pros show up it's a hard race.
-Dogs running into a peloton sucks.
-Crits are fun.
-Seeing a crash happen sucks.
-Painting the house can be therapeutic.

Marcroft Cycles had Magnum PI guest ride this weekend too.

Built Just Right

Off-camber right hander at the Mt Hood crit. A couple more mm of bottom bracket drop would have proven disastrous for Mick.

Move Over Riis

We have a new bike toss champ. Congratulations David

Weekend Lessons

A couple things I learned this weekend:
-A Pro cyclist life revolves around coffee shop stops: Seriously, how much coffee and pastries can you guys consume?

-Painting and yard work is much tougher than riding for 6 hours: Just painting a couple rooms and mowing the lawn kicked my ass. Weakling.

BTW
Everyone should be getting their Government 'Stimulus' check in the mail this month....time for a new bike.

HSP Web Re-Do

Check it out. HSP has redone their website. It looks really good too. Check out this featured program. Seth at HPC offers the same service and is a little closer.

Everyone that's serious about cycling and getting the best performance out of themselves should consider getting a fit done before the drop $6500 on a new bike. It just makes good sense.

Cookied

Today was the Monster Cookie that starts in Salem. It's basically a flat as a pancake rip from downtown Salem to Champoeg State Park and back. 62 miles. It tends to get a little spirited with the locals and today was no exception. Let's just say there was some discomfort during the ride. I'll see about posting some of the data tomorrow. I did get to test out my Edge 705 with the 'pro' mount and SRM on my race bike.

Faux Wheel

For those non-builders out there, disregard this post. For those out there that don't have a perfectly trued wheel here's an option I've come up with for checking the rearend alignment to the wheel.

It snaps onto an Anvil spacer (which everyone seems to be using). The wheel profile shown is 700x23. I'm going to have faux wheels done in MTB and 29er configurations too. Heck I might even sell a few.

Snow?!

Really? Snow in April? A week after I got a sunburn at Kings Valley. This is BS, I'm moving to San Diego.

Oops

Poor Tomeke. He learned a lesson that is invaluable. Don't start the celebration until you know for sure you've won. Especially if that rascal Chavendish is in the field.

Re-Vamped

So King's Valley sucked a$$. Well at least the weather was good and Doug O won with Zach W coming in a close second. My race was a joke. I made it halfway threw before not being able to hang on anymore. It sucks because I know I can hang, maybe even race in that field. I'm trying to find some more time to train and I'm looking at making every minute on the bike matter, no more junk miles.

I'm also trying to scrape together the cash to buy a fit bike. I'm pretty sure I can do it. It'll be pretty cool to have a bike I can fit people on before I build them a frame. I think I'll be the only one in the mid valley with one.

King's Valley

Alright tomorrow is King's Valley Road Race, a classic in these parts. I've attempted this race a bunch of times and have always had the worst of luck. Hopefully tomorrow will be different. I'm going into it with hardly any training in my legs and a few pounds over weight. I'm sure I'll be a factor in the finish....right.

Bicycle Paper Luv

A little more press coverage from NAHBS.
Check it!

ToW

I wussed out of doing the stage race this weekend. I just couldn't justify the entry plus all the driving, especially when I don't know how my fitness is doing. So instead of racing this weekend I'm getting in a couple solid rides. Good luck to Doug W and Mick (even if he is in a FRM kit this weekend) It's pretty cool to know that I don't have to be at every race now and I'll still have good guys out there to show off the bikes. Now if I could just get Damian racing before September.

Today was 3.5 hours. I was able to shang-hi the ride today so we could do some of the tougher climbs around Salem. For 'climbs', what we have around here is not very long, about 2 miles, but gains on average about 800feet in the 2 miles. One climb is just 1.1 miles long with a gain of 800 feet. Sick. So it was throttle it on the climbs and noodle it to the next. We'll see what tomorrow has in store.

I'm building this guy a TT bike. He's pretty stoked. He just got fit up by the pros at HSP on their Waterford fit bike. I got the info yesterday and I'm working on the frame design now. Kevin is certainly one of those people that needs a custom bike. All leg, no torso. Basically the exact opposite of Kenji :)

POC

I just got home from racing Piece of Cake. One thing needs to be said about the 1/2 race. The centerline rule isn't a suggestion. I've never heard an offical say, "Guy's, we'd really like for you not to cross the centerline today." No. It usually goes like this, "This is your first warning, you'll be dq'd the next time." At least that's what I've heard.

I've never seen such disregard for one of the biggest rules in ameteur racing. Especially after a dude got hit head-on today after he went across the centerline. Where was our officail when this was happening. Where was Mr Kneuven? He doesn't put up with that crap.

Snow?

Weather got you down? Here's a little pick me up.

Dropped

I've been getting busy finishing up the rear dropout design for my Ti Cross bikes. Here's a little peek.

MC Update

D-Dub's bike is at the painter so he won't have to race on a Taiwanese made plastic bike for much longer.

Thanks to Russ at HSP I'll be building an TT bike for one of their tri clients.

Damian's road bike is still in box form. Luckily he's gallivanting around the Rockies to be too worried about it right now.

Personally I'm about 90% healthy again from being sick...3 weeks ago. That bug kicked my ass. I'll be rolling the Piece of Cake this Sunday and then making a decision about Willamette that evening. I'd really like to do that stage race but I don't want to get my ass handed to me during the first stage.

Sen Obama

Did anyone catch his PDX speech today? Holy crap, it got me all choked up with excitement. It was the first time I've ever felt like a candidate was speaking directly to me. Is this guy for real? Can he really do all the things he's talking about? I sure hope we get the chance to find out.

K$ got to see him when he was in Salem and I have to say that I'm a little jealous now.

BB #3

I'm so glad I don't need to ride around that stupid lake for 11 more months.

Team Marcroft Cycles had 3 guys...well 2.5 guys as I'm still not feeling all that well after being sick. Mick, Doug and I were there and ready to go. Race went like this.
Lap one:
-Fast, I'm in a break. I drop out of the break. CMG rides tempo.
Lap two:
-Zach Winter bridges to the original break that I dropped out of. CMG rides tempo. Break @1:00
Lap three:
-More CMG tempo. Break @2:00. Doug breaks his drivetrain.
Lap four:
More CMG tempo. Break @1:10
Lap Five:
-Omer bridges with Joe King when the break is @:45ish
Lap six:
-The break is getting hammered. It's down to just Omer and Sagers. We stopped getting time splits. They are out of sight. I'm hanging by a thread on every 'serious hill.' Oh, and more CMG tempo.
Lap Seven (last lap)
-Pretty fast. I get dropped on the hill 4km from the finish. Mick gets boxed out in the sprint and chills. Omer wins from the break.

Next up, Independence Valley RR in Washington. Time to take this show on the road.

Preview

BB#2 Prep

I'll take one sore throat and an overall feeling of exhaustion. That should do my fitness wonders.

I'm going to use the wonders of the human mind to thwart off the attack on my system, "I'm not sick, I'm not going to get sick. Stay strong." Will be my mantra for the next 24 hours. If that doesn't work and I am overcome with the illness, I'll mope around the house whining about getting sick until K$ tells me to man up and deal with it. At which time I'm usually felling well enough to get out and ride again.

I'm off to go mix up some more of this.
Drink it up

Represent

Who's the guy in blue and red, and what did he do to make the guy behind cover his face?
Sharp
Look closely at the head badge. Look familiar?

Bananna Belt #1

Aside from the racing, the one thing that really stood out on the day was seeing this guy in his kit. Holy crap, could you BE any skinnier Doug. I think the bike saddle was wider than his body.

Blazer B-ball

If there's one thing in this world I truely hate it's the Lakers. I hate them with every ounce of my soul. The reasons are many and just.

Last night the Blazers, with a full roster, took it to the team in gold and purple. It made me feel good to see those youngsters play team basketball and remain composed for the entire game.

Here's a clip that makes me smile evertime I watch it.

Ripped from Cyclingnews

I thought this was good. The Lion King breaks it down for Ball.

Cipollini and Ball's relationship on the rocks

The relationship that was started last fall in a Las Vegas discotheque could come to an end if Mario Cipollini does not get his say in the management of Rock Racing. The Italian, who came out of retirement at the age of 40 to race in the Tour of California last week, and his lawyer met with the owner of the team, Mike Ball, yesterday to discuss the coming season.

"We need to sit at the table and make clear who is in command," said Mario Cipollini in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport's Luigi Perna. The Italian from Lucca and lawyer Giuseppe Napoleone were scheduled to meet with Ball later in the day.

"The boss is Ball, but after him it is me. Therefore I want to manage the squad starting now. I can organise the participation in [Milano-] Sanremo. To find men to race is not a problem. ... If Ball does well it will continue, otherwise goodbye. I now understand that the name Cipollini still has value, in the United States and elsewhere."

Cipollini was happy with his return, but not with the fiasco surrounding the team and Ball's backing of Tyler Hamilton, Oscar Sevilla and Santiago Botero. The riders, all allegedly linked with Operación Puerto, were barred from racing by the organiser, but continued along daily by riding behind the race caravan and signing autographs for fans at the stage villages.

"For a week I had an infinite amount of patience ... Maybe it was my great desire to return to racing with an important project. However, we can't go forward like this. We are not able to continue to pull along this heavy weight that ruins our image, and now Ball also understands this. It is not enough to advertise and show off models."

En Vogue

Racing with your name on the frame.

Sexy Gathering

Pro/1/2 staging at the Cherry Pie RR.

2008 NAHBS Report

Here's how it went for 3 days at the show.
Me to showgoers, "Hi. How ya do'n?"
Showgoer, "Good"
"Where ya from?"
"Portland" (at least that was the majority of the people)
"Great! I'm from Salem."
"Really?!" they'd say with great suprise.

Another question I would get was, "Is this aluminum?" I guess people had never seen shape steel tubes before.

In all it was a good show. I handed out a ton of business cards and went though 100+ stickers. I met a lot of good people and I learned a lot having John Slawta displaying next to me. We'll see about going to Indy next year.

Cyclingnews.com Luv

James Huang of Cyclingnews stopped by the booth on Sunday to snap some photos. I was stoked because I was sure to not get any coverage from VeloSnooze or BikePDX. And we all know cyclingnews.com is the shiznit and the only real cycling website worth reading, well 'cept for Pez. Check it out.

SS MTB

Road

Jersey

Eff-Yeah

Just got back from the show.....I'm spent. I'll get a full report from the show up a little bit.

NAHBS Pre-Show

Got the booth set up tonight. Check it.

Getting my shiznit to the show. About $15K worth of bikes and equipment stuffed into the back of the Element.

Someone to do the heavy lifting.

Wheel in the goods.

Set up, ready for showtime.

Oh Dude,

Tomorrow I set up for the big show. I only have few more things to do :) Apparently my stress is showing. Vickers was nice enough to give me a hug today when I walked into the shop to pick up some tires for a bike. Thanks.

Got a text message today from the author of everyones favorite pro blog. Look's like Omer is going to start updating again. Let's hope he can keep it up.

WebSite Re-Do

A few months ago I was looking for someone to rebuild my lame attempt at being a webmaster. Who I found was a furry transplant from the mid-west. He agreed to rework my website while he adjusted to his new moister environment.

Check it out, I think it looks like someone actually knows what they are doing. Great job, yo!

NAHBS Exhibitor List

I was scanning through the list of exhibitors for the show and something struck me funny....some of the builders are actually big ass companies that are cranking out a huge number of bikes per year (6000+). Hmmmm. I was looking forward to displaying with my peers.

Oh well, I'll make the best of it. If you're coming up to the show stop by and say hi. If all goes right I should be losing my voice sometime Sunday so if you want to actually talk, stop by Saturday.

While they last, I'll have cell phone sized Marcroft stickers to hand out too.

Economic Stimulus

It looks like everyone that held a job in 2007 is getting a 'gift' from the government. Sounds like a great time for everyone to buy a custom bike that's made in the US.

The only true way to stimulate the US economy is to keep the money from going overseas. The largest component I use that is not manufactured in the US is the tubeset and that is made in Italy. Bottom brackets, bridges, bosses are all made in the bay area. The tubing reseller is in Sacramento and Tri-Cities. All my Ti is domestic. My paint is done in Salem, Grants Pass or PDX.

So when a frame is purchased from Marcroft Cycles it's economic effect is far reaching.

2.5 Weeks

A super short amount of time before 'the show'. I'm sorta freaking out about displaying. I hope I'm not laughed at.

You Tubed

I've been on the You Tube some more.

Rock on Jack and Meg.

Weekend away

So this last weekend was spent away from home. Bellingham Washington to be exact. K$'s best friend lives up there and we hadn't been up in a long time. Friday we packed dude and all his stuff, a bike, Mick's frame and enough clothes for a long weekend away. Here's all the stuff I didn't while K$ and dude hung out.

Friday:
-Ride for and hour in B-Ham and see three real cyclists (Western Wash and a couple FRM)

Saturday:
-Drive to Herriott Sports Performance to check out the facility and do a group indoor ride. It was cool to have 8 people all hooked up to Computrainers 'racing' a course and each other. All the while Todd is jumping around and talking a mile a minute.
-I then went to Cascade Bicycle Studio and met Zac. He's got a sweet gig going, Here's what he's doing.
-Went to the 'burbs and hung out with Anthony and company. We discussed the merits of riding on all white Flights and I think I might have his lady sold on a new mountianbike.

Sunday:
-Rode with a group out of Fanatik Bike under sunny skies. It was great, there where about 20 people that showed up. They have a pretty good bike culture in Bellingham and from the sounds of things it's growing.

Monday:
-Drive home, yuck. I have to work tomorrow.

Current Mood: Gloomy

Rain....go away. I've had enough of your cold moistness.

Where are you sun? I need the sweet vitamin D that you provide my ailing body. I'm in dire need of your postive ions that keep me sane.

Only a few more weeks until the weather breaks and life starts anew.

Off to Paint

Another rain bike heading out to get painted.

Dude Says,

Happy Holidays

Enjoy.

Nice

Box o' kits

Jersey

Bibs, arm warmers and vest

Who's Frame?

I'll bet nobody will guess it.

B-Roy

Dang....

Rain

Yippee....I love the rain....

On a positive note, Marcroft Cycles Team kits will be arriving Friday.

Stuff

Watch this. It's a 20 minute time commitment that's worth it.

Story of Stuff

Nice Weather

What a difference one week makes. Last week, hurricane force winds and buckets of rain. Now we have plenty of sunshine and lots of great roads to ride. You gotta love the Pacific Nothhwest.

BikeHugger Shows the Luv

Andrew Martin at Bikehugger did an little write up on Marcroft Cycles.

Love it!

Stating the Obvious

It's nasty out. Those poor souls racing the USGP this weekend.

Thanks to Damian and Pat for flying the Marcroft Cycles flag for me at the race. You two are much more manly than I.

2008 NAHBS

I'm in. Check the list.

Should be good.

Now Hiring

As most of you have seen, my website is lame. The time has come to build a new one.

If there's anyone out there that would be interested is building a sharp website for me, please speak up. Compensation can be negotiated. Cash, frames, old tubes, eternal gratitude.

Show Time

I rolled up to the OBCA show on Sunday with Cory. They had a killer turn out, 1800 people through the doors. It was shoulder to shoulder people.

Customer Satisfaction

Another satisfied customer

Thanks for the nice right up but not so much for that picture of me...

Update: Fall 2007

Time for a Marcroft Cycles update.

Racing: Damian is getting things together at the Crusades with a 15th place finish in the A's in Astoria. Pat's taken a week off from racing in the B's. He'll be looking to take it a little easier on the first lap next weekend at Barton park. As for me....I'm really enjoying this nice weather with some nice long slow rides on the weekends with a little mountain biking mixed in. I'm also getting into the gym for a little weight lifting and core strengthening. I need to see 1400+watts on the SRM this year to come around the CMG juggernaut

Team: I'm finalizing the roster for team Marcroft Cycles this week. It's going to be awesome! Kit orders will go out next week and I should be sporting shiny fresh duds by January.

Biz: Here's the biggie, I'm going to display at the NAHB in Portland. It's a big deal for Marcroft Cycles, with the chance to really gain some local exposure and a chance to be noticed on a world scale. So I really need to design a booth concept that is classy and showcases who I am and what I'm doing.

If it all goes right 2008 should be a growth year for Marcroft Cycles.

Now check this out

Beauty

Time to ride.

My Demise

White is Right

Damian's bike turned out crisp.


Here's a good read Pez.

Watch This!

Whether you think global warming is for real or not this guy breaks it down to risk managment. Take a few minutes to watch.

How It All Ends - Watch more free videos
Just be happy it's not another sining cat.

D-Nutz

Damian's bike is almost there.

Front triangle is together and the chainstays are fitted. It goes to the painter next week.

New Shoes

In an effort to mix up my winter training, I bought some running shoes. Shin splints and sore legs here I come....yippee.

Cat's Out of the Bag

'Nuff said.

The Bulldog

It didn't take Pat long to start sticking it to the B's field. At the Hood River Cyclocross Classic Pat overcame a terrible starting spot to take the win with apparent ease.
Go!
Now I'm not gonna say it was all the bikes doing but I'm sure it helped.
Let's see how things go during the Cross Crusade.

Smashed

I rode the Monster Peach today with some yahoos from town. I'm wrecked. I wish I was using my SRM today. I'm sure I would have seen a new kJ high.

Made to be Broken

I know I promised not to post any more youtube but it's Beck and damn good. At least the song rules, the video was done be an ameteur.

In Marcroft Cycles news, it looks like Damian Schmitt will be rolling deep on a Marcroft cross frame this season. Awesome!

Hit the Wall

I managed to build 75% of a 50 foot retaining wall this weekend. There's a 2 foot diameter root standing in the way of completing the final 25%. Nothing a little chainsaw work can't fix. I hope I don't lose a toe in the process.

I've given myself this month to get all the house work that I've been putting off for the last 9 months done. Problem is I'm also riding big miles on the weekends. Nothing like 4 hours of saddle time before working in the yard.

Sneak Peak

Here's a look at the ad I'm putting in CX Magazine. It's simple but I'm a simple guy.

PDX Builders Busy....

And I have nothing to do. How can that be? Most of the builders 35 miles north have more work than they can shake a stick at and I am down to building myself more bikes. There's not a lot of profit in those bike ya know.

How can this be? I'm I not cool enough, do my bikes suck, am I not sexy enough on the bike? Maybe, no way and only in the winter. What can I do to generate some business? Should I turn my blog into a shameless promotion machine? Nah. Perhaps more youtube postings would help?

One thing I could do is a little advertising. That's why I'm putting an ad in CX Magazine. They anticipate distributing 2,500 copies of their first issue and I'll have a half page ad in there. I better up the minutes on my phone because it should be ringing off the hook!

Weekend Rides

Good rides on both Saturday and Sunday. You'd think I was training for something.

Enough Already

I need to get out more but the YouTube has got me.

In Marcroft Cycles news. I'm working on a bike design that will be very cool once complete. Marcroftanium and G.C.P.

Say What?

Not much to say so check this out.

Linked

I didn't even have to ask. Excellent.

Plus One Lap

How I Prep For CycloCross

I give my bike to someone else to race on. It's really a lot easier that way.

Look for Pat Kudszus riding a ti Marcroft this season. He's pretty motivated for results this season. The bike certainly won't be the issue. Good luck!

Header Meaning

I was looking at my blog discription and got to wondering how I'm fairing at all the things that I set out to tackle when I started blogging.
'make it into the world of elite cycling?' Define 'make it.' I got my cat 2 upgrade but since then it's been a strugle to maintain any fitness at that level. I'm still working on that.
'start a custom frame business?' It's started, not thriving. I have built some sweet bikes but it's been a strugle to get the sales generated. It's not a big deal since I'm pretty busy with life in general. Which brings me to my final point of the blog.
'maintain a normal life outside of cycling?' I'd have to say that since dudes arrival in March life has been anything but normal....I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Tomeke

I wish I had a techno song named after me.

I'm not one to get star struck by famous people but I'll have to admit Tom Boonen is someone that I would definatly get an autograph from and try to get a picture with. If it's true that he's going to be at the Tour of Cali, I might have to go for a couple stages.

To the Makers of....

Spiderman 3.

You owe me 2 hours and 12 minutes of my life back.

1994

Beastie Boys
Ill Communication

Best band in the universe.

Seriously...

WTF

I hope this is the last year for cheaters. If you cheat you're going to get caught.

Hellz Yeah!

Crit racing in the rain! I can't wait! Seriously, didn't it rain enough this winter to warrant a rain free two months in the summer.

Anyway, this is where I'll be this afternoon trying to keep the K-Man behind me. Although I hope he's not sporting that helmet cam, all my sexy in frame might over load the processor.

Co-Motion Crit

Le Tour

Team Milram is posting their Edge data for every stage of the tour.

Check it out.

It's dope (not the performance inhancing kind either)

That's Hot

It's sooo warm right now I think I need to wear a DeFeet Un-D-Shirt to keep the swass under control.

It's all of 3 days post Faiview Circuit race....my legs are still hurting.

Here's a couple pictures I shot after we got set up.


More event photos can be found here Bill's Eye Photgraphy

What a great event. I think it will be even larger next year.

Sick!

Here's a shot of Kurt's SS all built up. It should net some wins this year.

Pimped

Marcroft Cycles gets a mention on BikeHugger. Awesome! They're right too, get your orders in for a sweet ass rain bike soon. With only 3 months before the rain hits there's no time to waste.

General Update

Here's a general update on my favorite subject...me.
(Ordered of importance in life)
Dude: He's doing great. I can't believe it's been almost 4 months since he's entered our lives. Here's a recent picture.

K$ (AKA: Mom): She's also doing great. She's back to working part time at two jobs Today's Hair Salon and SCR Management and taking care of Dude. I don't know how she does it.
Racing/Training: Let's just say there is no faking the funk racing at this level. If I'm not on top of my game I'm getting my ass handed to me. There's still plenty of time to get my ducks in a row before the seasons done.
Marcroft Cycles: Ti is in the works. I'm going to get a couple bikes done for display at the Crusades this year. That and I've had multiple inquires recently about rain bikes. It's getting to be that time of year you know.

Peace

Hot Damn!

Greg Oden is coming to Portland and Zach is going to New York. Kevin Pritchard is a saint.

Good Day 'Eh?

Guess where I'm off to:

Too Much Data

Me and bike computers have a fickle relationship. Most of the time I hate running one and other times I absolutely have to use one. Guess which phase I'm in now...

Now what do I do with this much information?

No Way

Mt Tabor= another DNF.
I'm going deeper now, into a funk I haven't been in in a while....

Followed by some

Singled Out

Check out Kurt "The Hurt's" new frame.

New Training Regime

After getting smoked at the rehersal RR yesterday, this is what I'll be consuming at an alarming rate over the next few weeks.

and

It should do my fitness wonders.

Not Really Much

I don't have much to blog about today but I figured I better post just to post. Although I'm getting a SS MTB back from the painter tomorrow so I'll post a picture or two when I get it.