Pedaling with the Pugatch's

Winter Riding Gear

2012-01-20T07:36:00.000-05:00

Many people in my life who are not cyclists ask me how can I ride in the winter? Its pretty easy as long ss you do not OVER dress. Here is my tried and true list from bicycle commuting since March 2007. The most important thing to remember is cotton never touches your skin, better yet don not wear it.

Wool base layers aka long johns or long underwear. Merino wool is your best friend its t shirt soft, does not itch, thin, breathes well, and keeps you warm when wet from rain or sweating yer butt off. My favorite brands are Ibex and Smart Wool. Ibex is a lot thinner which is great for under jeans. However they dont put a fly in the bottoms like Smart Wool does.

Wool socks are pretty much all I wear from October til May. Keep your feet warm in the cold, cool in the heat and don't make your feet stink. Smart Wool are the softest, Defeet makes the Woolie Boolie which are the thickest and warmest.

Jeans or rain pants. With the wool baselayer, jeans will suffice. On wet days rain pants will keep you dry. I rock Showers Pass because they zip off into shorts for warmer days and have suspendes (bought seperately.)

Wool Cycling Jersey, what better way to support your favorite shop or vinage team with a ling sleeve wool jersey. Basically its a sweater with a zipper up the front and three pockets the back perfect for carying wallet, cell phone, and keys.

Wind Proof Shell, my tissue paper thin safety yellow wind shell blocks all the wind keeping me much much warmer than any coat could. Also it has back and arm pit vents to help prevent sweating. Only when I ride with a backpack (commuting) do I sweat. One day I will ride with a pannier...

Winter Hat under helmet or winter helmet. I used to use a t shirt thin wool cap under my helmet. These days I use a Bern winter helmet which has a built in hat. Super warm.

Ski Goggles, on very windy days or below 20F I cry the entire ride from the wind in my eyes, goggles prevent this. On days I don't wear them, I wear sunglasses less foliage = a ton of more sun.

Boots, on wet days only. Otherwise sneakers.

Gloves, this is a no brainer. Mittens keep you waremer than gloves.

It's About Time

2012-01-19T21:02:00.002-05:00

The long awaited return to bicycle commuting has come. After 9 months I just had to start riding again. The buses are always late and crowded often zooming by without stopping as I wait and wait and wait for 40-60 min in the rain for a bus that will stop. Since I bring my son to daycare every morning I need to put the kid seat/rack on this bike (currently its on my 3 speed.) So about the bike...

I was able to resurrect the handmade Sketchy frame by my coworker it has some damage but is safe to ride. Nice thing about steel is a dent in the right place does not matter too much. The original fork also handmade by Independent Fabrications was toast $500 down the toilet as they say. The left fork blade severely bent from when the car ran me over. Trying to avoid ever going into credit card debt again plus having a child makes you go from wanting only bicycle bling to just what works.

I built the bike up fixed gear with a mix of old parts kicking around in my basement and new parts made by Origin 8, the house brand of a distributor I can order from. I did end up getting custom handbuilt wheels made by the bike shop I used to wrench at. I don't mind using a cheap (translates to heavy in the bicycle world) handlebar and save 20 bucks, or not having all my parts be the same color and save a hundred or so. The wheels are made Surly hubs and Velocity Deep V rims. The rims are reflective which is prefect for commuting, they graphite grey in color but shine bright silver when car lights shine on it at night.

The name and theme of this build is Gravedigger, after my favorite monster truck! Green frame, purple, black, and chrome parts, and monster tires! Below are some photos:

2nd Annual Somerville Illuminations Tour

2011-12-23T20:23:00.004-05:00

Last weekend along with sixty or so other bikers we braved the below freezing temperature and gusts of wind pedaling across Somerville to simply enjoy the hard work and obsession of neighborly Christmas decorating. Some homes were the only on the block while other streets every home overindulged in neon, animatronix, yuletide soundtracks, and real live Santa Claus.

The ride was just under two hours at a child friendly pace. We met at Somerville High School and rode over by Inman then back through Union and into East Somerville making our way through Winter Hill and back to Somerville High. The cold led to half the group going home throughout the ride. I myself found my brand new "best on the market" cycling gloves failed to keep me warm. Most of my fingers were numb thirty minutes into the ride. The rest of me was toasty due to wool baselayers, wool cycling jersey, and tissue paper thin windproof jacket.

It was great to meet so many cyclists i have seen over the years on my two wheeled adventures. Many kids along with their parents bikes lit up like a Christmas tree. Don't miss next years ride.

15th Annual Jingle Ride

2011-11-09T06:38:00.002-05:00

Just read on the Boston Area Family Bicycle Google Group list about this awesome family ride for charity coming up next month. All three of us will be there most likely dressed up.

On December 11th at 11 AM, celebrate the holiday season on two wheels at the 15th annual Ciclismo Classico Jingle Ride. Join over 100 fellow riders – many dressed as Santa, tin soldiers, or dreidels – in this leisurely ride from Arlington to Boston and back. A $25 suggested donation benefits Cycle Kids. Lunch and a post-ride party in Arlington is included. RSVP required at joe@ciclismoclassico.com or 800-866-7314 ext 114. www.ciclismoclassico.com

No Moms Allowed Ride

2011-11-05T21:30:00.000-04:00

Most of our friends in the Boston area we have met through bike rides, events, or when I was wrenching at Broadway Bicycle School. A few of us became first time dads within 14 months of each other. Kyle decided to start a dad with kids ride when his wife Megan started doing Saturday training rides with the ladies. Naturally I could not resist a bike ride for the sole purpose of dads hanging out, our kids hanging out and breakfast.

I missed the first, and not sure if any others, but a week ago Johnny and I were able to pedal along with Kyle and his daughter as well as Brian and his son. We checked out Formaggio's on Huron Ave in Cambridge, m first time at this neat store that makes amazing sandwiches, has a great beer selection, and just about everything else you could need. Truly a neighborhood grocery store the size of most convience stores. After buying an egg salad with bacon on rye sandwich we headed to a park to picnic in 30 degree weather with looming rain and snow clouds overhead. It was a great time to just hangout talk about everything from guitars to our college years and watch our munchkins play. Despite winter being around the corner, I hope we get a few more of these rides in.

Tweed Ride Recap

2011-11-02T07:33:00.000-04:00

Heather and Johnny riding through Boston Common

The 3rd Annual Boston Tweed Ride was a success. The 5th tweed ride I have organized in just 3 years with the first and third rides extra tweediness to keep our metal machines happy. The turnout was perfect, not too many and not too little. We did attract attention as the Boston Globe sent their photographer Erik Jacobs down to follow us around for the day. The ride followed the famous Emerald Necklace from Boston Common all the way to Franklin Park. Every inch of road and path was filled with the beauty of Boston and the skill of Fredrick Law Olmsted an architect with an expertise in green spaces from over a century ago. The best part of this ride was seeing all these gorgeous locales in and around Boston that I have never seen before despite living less than 30 miles away my entire life.

pumping air into all tires is the key to a successful group ride

This year's ride came with the help of our new friend Devon Kurtz whom chose the route, one that was more exciting than my original plan to ride to Concord and commuter rail the way home. All the riders were in awe from the effect fall had on our ride. It truly was as our flyer called the ride Autumanal Bliss.

gratuitous shot of my bum!

Once we reached Franklin Park, we all rested and had a picnic before returning via the Southwest Corridor bike path. A few of us went to the Salty Pig in Back Bay before bidding adieu. Another neat part of the ride was our friend Boris came up from New York City and rented a Hubway bike to check them out. Normally he comes with his Raleigh Twenty but he wanted to check the bikes out and we are glad he did. They are as advertised practical errand bikes.

All photographs from Boston Globe photographer Erik Jacobs.

riding down Commonwealth Avenue

REPOST: Boston's 3rd Annual Tweed Ride

2011-09-20T06:56:00.000-04:00

Repost from Bostn Retro Wheelmen:

Join us on Sunday October 16th at the Frog Pond located in Boston Commons for our 3rd Annual Tweed Ride. Meet up time is 10am, ride departing at 1030am. This year we will ride out to Jamaica Plain taking the Emerald Necklace to Franklin Park.

Bring food and supplies as we will be picnicking at Franklin Park before returning back to the Commons. As always this is a family friendly event, vintage bicycles are not required but dressing up is encouraged:tweed jackets, woolen knickers, dress shoes, bow ties, lace gloves, sun hats and the like. Helmets are not required but encouraged.

Coffee Brake Mug

2011-08-28T09:56:00.004-04:00

First off I want to extend thanks to my pals over at Urban Velo for blogging about this a few weeks ago. If you do not read Urban Velo, you should. They are a fantastic cycling magazine focused on commuters. I have even been known to write for them a few times. Whenever they send me a few dozen of their latest bimonthly issue, I leave copies at MIT, Harvard, and Deisel Cafe. Many local bike shops have free copies as well.

The Coffee Brake Mug, by Scallywags is an ingenious blend of bikes and beans. Takes me back to my days wrenching in a shop. I can almost taste the chain grease in each sip. A double wall stainless steel mug to keep your drink hot for hours. They skipped the plastic handle famous for breaking and went with retro dropbar brake levers instead! I find the handle very comfortable to hold and appreciate my coffee brewed at 730am still hot two hours later. Available online from their website and a few retailers across the country. Definitely a worthy purchase and yet another excuse to bring cycling to every aspect of your life.

Not Ready

2011-08-13T21:46:00.000-04:00

Turns out I am not ready to return to cycling my balance and gait are still out of whack, maybe 2012? The doctors don't know, and I've been ordered to stay off the bike. Taking bicycles away from me is like taking smack away from a junkie.

Until then i will do my best to write about whats going on around Boston. I will still be planning the October Tweed Ride although not riding in it. Next time you ride your bike, ride an extra mile for me.

Eventful Cycling

2011-08-03T22:30:00.011-04:00

Yesterday I meant to write about how my cycling heart has been rekindled but I was too tired last night and went to bed early. Today was an eventful bike day so to speak, some would say I was not supposed to ride today, at least my bike did. Before I get to today's road bumps I want to share how wonderful Tueaday was.

Yesterday I had the pleasure of riding home in a downpour. Now I know this sounds crazy to say that riding in a downpour was pleasurable, however in the summer especially the month of August it defnitely is a pleasure. Nothing like a cooldown after a long hot day. I never liked riding to work in the rain, but riding home in the rain no problem.

Minutes prior to clocking out the sky darkened and thunder boomed. As i changed into cycling clothes which is much more comfortable in the rain than shorts and a t-shirt, I saw flashes of lightning. I put my cell phone in a ziplock bag and my wallet in another, I learned before the hard way. Buckled my helmet and turned on my blinky lights (reviews of them soon) and started my 5 mile commute home. The best part of riding in rain is less rolling resistance, you go faster with less effort including uphill. As I zoomed through Watertown and Belmont I had the biggest smile on my face winding through those streets. I thought of the first date I had with my wife, we went bike riding during a hurricane. Tha day we created a joke bike gang called the Rusty Cogs, with a motto "we only ride in the rain!" I knew then, she was the gal for me. When I reached the bike path in Cambridge I coukd smell where lightning has touched down with the earth nearby. Faster I pedaled down the muddy dirt path in the woods wet leaves on branches smacking me in the face at each turn. By the time. i made it safely home there was goldfish swimming in my shorts and trout in my sneakers. A warm shower was the only thing left to do. Days like this is why I ride, for the constant adventure.

Today was a series of road bumps, albiet all my fault. I wanted to lube my chain after yezterday's downpour but could not find the bottle. Eventually after looking everywhere in my tool box, backpck, bike bag, storage room, and closet I gave up. I tossed some bacon on the cast iron griddle and cracked a few eggs, reaching into the utensil drawer for a spatula my hand found the bottle of chain lube. You know you are a cycist when you keep chain lube with you forks and spoons! After breakfast I lubed my chain noticing low air in my tires but headed off to work without pumping them up. I thought to myself how today will be an easy commute. Just minutes later on the bike path I hear my rear tire rubbing against the fender. I pulled over to find I have a flat, my first flat tire since 2006! My streak is over, and to put salt on the wounds a pinch flat from too low tire pressue. I should know better after changing over 1000 pinch flats for cutomers while working as a mechanic. I quickly broke out my tools changed the tube and was back on my way to work. City of Cambridge: 1 Danno: 0.

A few miles later I was taking a left hand turn and rang my bell to say "good morning" to a fellow cyclist like I always do when I wiped out on sand sliding my way through the intersection. Luckily no cars ran me over. My left arm was road rashed pretty well, my hamburger bell destroyed, and my stem cockeyed. Luckily my head never made contact with the ground. I restraightened my stem and rode to work. City of Belmont: 1 Danno: 0. At work I patched myself up and spent most of the day working on two carbon fiber frames. The ride home was beautiful and serene, just how it should be.

I will never give up the bike; live by the pedal, die by the pedal. I would rather change flats, ride in the rain, wioe out in sand, and freeze in snow than sit in traffic.

A Modeling Career?

2011-07-30T06:52:00.000-04:00

In case you do not subscribe to Velo News, I have included a copy below of Seven Cycles latest advertisement in the aforementioned publication. Yours truly is one of the hand "models" featured in the advert. Perhaps I have a future in industrial modelling? Hah! Can you guess which one I am?

Riding Like a Kid: Carefree

2011-07-15T23:05:00.002-04:00

This morning as I was walking the bike path to the subway station on my way to work a young boy about five years old zipped by me ringing his bell as his training wheeled bmx zig-zagged between pedestrians, dog walkers, baby strollers, and runners. It was quite obvious from the smirk on his face, the bell ringing, and the fearless riding of this young boy that cycling is his passion. His parents finally caught up to him a few minutes later and out of breath of chasing this little daredevil. He locked up his bike with the swiftness of a courier ready to do what comes next.

This morning's vignette reminded me of my early cycling days. My first two wheeler (with training wheels of course), a gift from my grandparents to celebrate my growing up and achievement of potty training. It seemed like I would never learn to ride without training wheels, my parents tried and tried without any luck. It just happened one afternoon one of the training wheels broke; not wanting to wait for my father to come home from work and fix it, my sister helped me remove the other training wheel. I was determined that was the day I would learn to ride a bicycle. After a bunch of tries I finally got the knack of it riding a couple of blocks down the street. That was the day my cycling addiction was born.

Riding in the 1980s

It was the late 1980s when I started a BMX gang of local neighborhood kids, we built ramps and hung out in the abandoned commuter rail station (hasn't been used since before WWI.) I spent the 90s riding a Giant Rincon mountain bike everywhere I could from the Suburban streets, to the beach boardwalks, and hiking trails in the woods. My bicycle was freedom from suburbia, boredom, schoolyard bullies; during the summer I would ride from nine in the morning until six at night logging mile after mile.

College came and so did my first car. Bicycles were forgotten about, as I started to explore New England and visit NYC often. It was not until after college that I got back into cycling and eventually sold my car becoming a bike commuter. I was a courier for a year, riding more miles than most people I know spending eight to nine our days in the winter making deliveries. I started the Boston 3 Speed Club now defunct after a merger with the Boston Retro Wheelmen, which put on annual tweed rides. My need for speed has waned as my itch for vintage has waxed.

Taking a break on a Tweed Ride

Now that I am starting to ride again after healing up from being run over back in April, I am taking safer, scenic routes instead of the most direct gridlock I used to ride in. Riding these bike paths, dirt roads, and riverways through parks and well manicured neighborhoods I can now ride like a kid again: carefree. Sometimes we just need to be reminded of why we ride, for pleasure not necessity.

The First Day of the Rest of My Life

2011-07-14T12:29:00.000-04:00

Fall of 1995: my drafting teacher in high school, a transplant from Estonia would say to us every morning just after the pledge of allegiance, "Today is the First Day of the Rest of Your Life." It has been 16 years and those words in a thick European accent still resonate between my ears.

I was woken up at 4:42 this morning by my son whom was trying to convince me that it was time to wake up and play with blocks instead of sleeping. I gave in and we played with blocks and hung out until my wife woke up an hour later. For some reason whenever I cook bacon, I set the smoke detector off, not wanting to wake up everyone in the apartment building, I opened a window while cooking breakfast and noticed how wonderful it was outside. While I cracked eggs I made up my mind that today would be the day I ride to work no exceptions failure was not an option.

Giving myself plenty of time to ride and rest (as well as get lost) I departed at 7:00 am giving myself more than enough time to get to work by the goal of 8:00am. I rode to Somerville Community Bike Path from Davis Square to Alewife Station in Cambridge. Perhaps it was from my previous blog post, or just coincidence, but the beginning (off road) portion of the Fitchburg Bike Connector was closed. I rode the winding parts of the woods to end up at a dead end with eight foot tall chain link fence. I found a shorter stone wall and tossed my bike over and climbed after it, only to find I was now stuck in the back lot of a business in the industrial park. I rode around eventually finding a way out and kept trying to find a way back onto the bike path determined to ride to work. Ending up back on the main road of the industrial park with Alewife Parkway to my back I rode until I found a detour sign pointing to a narrow black asphalt pathway leading into the woods. I took this which reconnected me to the Fitchburg Bike Connector: success!

From all the rain last night, the connector was pretty muddy and full of puddles, I rode as fast as I could hitting every puddle as mud splashed up onto my feet and bare legs. My old rusty metal fenders kept me mostly clean and dry. I was a kid again riding for the pure enjoyment instead of a thirty year old on their daily commute. I plan to get a camera mount and video tape this commute for a future post. Civilization eventually caught up to me as the trees cleared and mud turned to pavement. I made my way to the end and hooked port (left to you landlubbers) onto Blanchard Avenue heading south towards Watertown.

I flew by the rotary, once my point of giving up and pedaled my way up Washington Street and School streets both full of inclines never letting my bottom rise from the saddle. Finally at an impressive 7:30am I parked my 1967 AMF Hercules 3 Speed where I work at Seven Cycles; 1 mile longer and 10 minutes faster than my old more direct (and dangerous) route. Coworkers of mine just told me about a new bike path that goes from our work to Arlington Street and then a few blocks later reconnects with another bike path all the way to Alewife, I will try that out sometime soon and write about it and provide a map.

Photo Finish!

Finding Neverland

2011-07-04T16:51:00.020-04:00

This morning I woke up at 5:30 in the morning and decided today was the day I would attempt commuting to work. I put on my clothes from the day before and rode off into the sunrise. The goal was to see if I could first ride to work without being in too much pain from my now healed previously broken shoulder, and second to find a safer route to work that is on side roads with less traffic to avoid being run over again see broken shoulder.

Per advice of others I took the Bike Path from Davis Square where I live in Somerville to Alewife Station in Cambridge. Next I hopped onto the Fitchburg Connector Bike Path, a hard packed dirt road not much wider than a sidewalk in the middle of the woods. This is where all the magic begins. Riding as fast as I could on my old three speed through the winding trail no knowledge of where it would take me. I felt twelve again, exploring the woods sights of train tracks, parking garages, and industrial buildings all faintly through the leaves and branches. Eventually i found myself off the path at a construction site bulldozers and front loaders just waiting to be climbed upon and a half built bridge going over a river.

I returned to the bike path racing again through the woods until it emptied out into a sandlot where i wiped out in a sand pit putting one foot down to avoid falling over. I will never be able to explain how I got the hole in my jeans, nor will my mother believe any excuse I come up with. After the sandlot the bike path became a normal two lane paved path leading all the way to Blanchard Street a few blocks away from Concord Avenue still in Cambridge. The rest of my route would be mostly bike lanes and mostly uphill.

Taking a left onto Blanchard Street, I followed it south towards Belmont and Watertown. Enjoying the quiet streets in the bike lane I followed Blanchard Street to a rotary which gives you the options of Grove Street, Washington Street, and looping around back on Blanchard returning from once you came. I was completely exhausted: blame it on no breakfast or water just getting up and going this morning. I know it really was because i have not commuted in months and completely out of shape; I turned around and rode home. If I was to ride all the way to work I would have taken Washington Street into Belmont then a left onto School Street into Watertown and finally a right onto Walnut Street until I got to Seven. In the past I have gone this way but skipping the bike path and taking Rindge Avenue to Alewife Parkway to Concord to Blanchard to Washington to School to Walnut. I originally abandoned the route in November due to the hills, and shaving a mile off going more direct with Mt Auburn which I refuse to ride on after being run over in April.

I plan to ride my new commute a few times a week at night to build up my stamina again. Until then its the bus for me. My doctor didn't think I would be commuting again until September, it was my perseverance that made try this morning. Also I found about six hours after my ride my shoulder and back started to hurt definitely need to stretch, I'm getting old! When I do get back into commuting, I am lucky to have a shower at work. It makes me chuckle thinking about riding to work on my three speed while wearing a full Seven kit (jersey, shorts, socks) perhaps clipless on the three speed? Hah!

CROSSPOST: Mister Nutter Cycling Caps

2011-06-29T17:24:00.000-04:00

Here is a post I wrote last week for the Boston Retro Wheelmen Blog:

Mister Nutter is a clothier less than an hour north of Boston whom makes very nice cycling caps using reclaimed fabrics from vintage clothes and furniture. Always out on the search for just the right textiles for the next custom order.

I first met Mister Nutter almost two years ago when he came to Broadway Bicycle School in Cambridge where I was then a mechanic. We were all impressed with the quality and needlework and proudly became the first Boston area retailer to sell his wares. Orders can also be placed from his Etsy storefront.

Designs range from traditional tweed, buffalo plaid, military wool, to cotton it with vintage ties turned into racing stripes. Whenever I am wearing one of his caps (I have two), people always stop me to compliment and ask about where I purchased it. I am currently waiting for my custom order for a "train engineer" cycling cap. He has plenty of the fabric and you can get one too. His handiwork is not just limited to caps, this summer he now also has vintage bathing suits as well. If you are looking for local made, recycled, handmade, and stylish to go well with your bike then a Mister Nutter cap is for you.

Father's Day Ride

2011-06-25T10:22:00.001-04:00

With the blessings of my physical therapist, a cyclist herself, I was giving the okay to ride a bicycle no more than half an hour at a time on the bike path only while my broken shoulder heals. After 2 months of not riding I was eager to get back on a bike again. We decided to make Father's Day that special day not only for me to ride again, but for our son Johnny's first ride as well. After weighing the pros and cons of a trailer for $400 that will keep him out of the sun and rain but might get hit by a car not seeing it while taking a right hand turn behind us, or another bicycle specifically for child use such a Dutch Bakfiet for $4,000, we decided to go economical (we are trying to save up for a house) and purchased the Blackburn CoPilot Taxi. The CoPilot is very safe and looks like a car seat which attaches to the rack over the rear wheel. I have installed hundreds of these over the years for customers and they love them as well as their kids.

The ride from our apartment in Davis Square to Arlington and back was super easy and entirely on the Minuteman Bike Path only having to cross Massachusetts Avenue twice. It was so great to see so many families out walking together, riding together, and playing in the parks and ponds we passed. Of course nothing topped seeing my little guy zooming down the path even if he tried taking his helmet off the entire time!

Below is the video, its been a busy week for us hence the delay but its well worth it.

Cycling with the Stars

2011-06-16T21:38:00.000-04:00

Before you grab your remote and start searching for this new television phenomenon, let me tell you that there is no such show I work for a high end bicycle company that makes custom titanium and carbon fiber bicycles here in the USA! Tubing machined by Jason, Jon and Mike. Then welded by Mike, Stef, Tim, and Yoshi. Finished by Graham, Matt, and Tom. Painted by Ben and Staci. Components decal'd and everything safely boxed up and shipped by yours truly. If you have ever seen a Seven bicycle before then you already know about the high level of craftsmanship and attention to detail put into each masterpiece of a machine.

Every now and then they build a bicycle for someone famous. I heard the bicycle Jessica Simpson rode in her movie Blonde Ambition in which she plays a bicycle messenger is one of ours. I never saw the movie so I don't know for sure. However, today I shipped a brand new single speed frame to a famous musician, someone I have been a fan of for many years. Here it is, Willie Nelson's new bicycle frame!

I was told by our sales team that it will be built up as a single speed cruiser bike. I hope he enjoys riding this new ride as much as I have enjoyed listening to his songs over the years.

Back on the Saddle

2011-06-12T23:14:00.003-04:00

Lately I have been down in a rut trying to heal up from when I was nearly killed by a motorist back in April. The weather continues to get warmer, it was in the 90s most of last week and everyone is out riding their bicycles except, this guy with the broken shoulder. Every happy cyclist that passes me while I wait at the bus stop, or walk my son in his stroller down the bike path just adds to my anger and frustration. I need to be back on the saddle where I belong.

Luckily for me, I have a cyclist for a physical therapist and she understands what its like to not ride for a while due to an injury. Despite the orthopedic doctor telling me to not ride until the end of summer, she gave me the thumbs up for no more than 30 minutes a day and on the bike path only. The only problem is my custom ride (see previous post) is in pieces. That is when I made a visit to my friends Vin and Ed who run Menotomy , the vintage bicycle shop in the basement of the Cambridge Antique Market.

As I walked down the stairs the first bicycle I saw, I knew would be my next bicycle. Lo and behold, without previously knowing the price or size, this 1967 Hercules 3 Speed is now my new ride! Never before have I seen a Strumey Archer Stick Shift in person, only on the internet, I just had to own this bicycle. Vin adjusted the seat post and stem heights for me before I took this beautiful machine out for a spin in their parking lot. The biggest smile you have ever seen was across my face as I pedaled figure eights in the rain while my wife and son clapped and cheered me on. I knew this was the bicycle for me. The bullet style headlamp even still works (with D batteries.) I only plan to make a few modifications to this bicycle replacing the original seat (but saving it for the collector's value) with a Brooks Flyer, adding a saddle bag the Brooks Challenge, and upgrading the old incandescent bulb to LED while keeping the original parts and look. This majestic 3 speed had all the requirements I seek in a vintage ride: gumwall tyres, Sturmey Archer hub, English made frame, metal fenders, and chrome rims.

I Can See For Miles

I named this bicycle "I Can See For Miles" after the Who song with the same name also from 1967. Between the awesome head lamp and all my previous bicycles were sold when I needed rent money or destroyed by automobiles I felt this was a fitting angst ridden name for this wonderful machine.

My triumphant return to the saddle did not just end here with a new ride, one of the proudest moments of my life happened when I took my son Johnny Danger to Broadway Bicycle School to get his first bicycle helmet and a rear rack mounted child seat for my wife Heather's bicycle, a 1960s Iverson 3 Speed from Austria also purchased from Vin and Ed at Menotomy last year.

future Tour de France Champion!

I just cannot wait until the next Boston Retro Wheelmen ride where the entire Pugatch family can finally ride together for the first time in wool knickers and tweed jackets.

Dr. Bikelove or, How I Learned to Stop Taking Public Transportation and Build a New Ride

2011-06-04T00:05:00.001-04:00

There was a time in the not so distant past when I had a very sweet ride. This was the first time in years when I was finally content with how everything was spec'd out. As winter waned and Spring drizzled upon Massachusetts, I enjoyed every foot of my nine mile round trip commute. Potholes were patched, streets were swept, and layers were left at home. Cycling was pleasant again, and something to look forward to and enjoy instead of just endure out of necessity and sheer stubbornness to drive an automobile. All of that ended abruptly just over a month ago, and my hand built custom ride will never been ridden again.

At first I was angry that my new ride was trash before I could really enjoy it. However, I have learned time and time again everything is just temporary. Like a true cyclist, or bicycle obsessed as my wife calls it (and she is a cyclist herself, just not devoted to the bicycle as I am), there I was laying in the ambulance planning my next bicycle between answering questions such as name, address, date of birth, etc.

I decided my next bicycle would be a Seven, naturally since I work for them. Mainly because titanium frames are lighter than steel, stronger than steel, and do not rust. My previous three bicycles were steel 3-Speeds and now that I have stairs to deal with I need something lighter which is why I decided on a fixed gear. I used to commute/do charity rides/race on a fixed gear, it was my only bicycle for over four years. I find them to be the best bicycles for winter time, and as just about everyone has said online before less to worry about. Just ride pure and simple. This time I wanted something more comfortable than a track bicycle and going with 32mm wide tires instead of 23's. I want clearance for fenders in case I decide later to add them as well as mounts for a rear rack if I choose to add one. Seven's carbon fiber forks are really nice therefore I will be using one as well for this build.

When it comes to components, I have been very happy with Paul Components Neo-Retro Cantilever brakes and levers and want them for this new build. Every bicycle I have always gets a Brooks Flyer Saddle and a matching Challenge Saddle Bag would not hurt either, that way everything I need for a flat change is always with me without the need to have a backpack/messenger bag. I also really enjoy their grips, from my previous bicycle. I am going to use an All City crank set they are bombproof and try out their hubs as well. I have not decided on rims yet, but most likely Salsa Delgado Cross. I am going to try out the Civia Loring handlebars and stem and a must have is the Portland Design Works Takeout Front Rack. Purely for the bling factor I am going with the Miche Primato Pista Supertype seat post. Chris King headset of course for durability and that just leaves pedals to be determined something I can ride in sneakers, dress shoes, and boots. Accessorize with a brass bell, and bright lights and we have my dream bicycle.

Getting a hand built bicycle is pretty awesome for many reasons from made by one or a few people instead of on an assembly line halfway around the world to everything done the way you want it. Another perk that makes custom bicycles desirable is of course the custom paint job. I won't spill the beans about what I have planned, but the overall theme (including colors of the components listed above) will be based upon my favorite book. Sometime before the snow starts to fall I should be out there riding again. Expect a photo montage from the drawing board to maiden voyage.