Handlebar Assembly – never to be stolen again

An Ecuadorian Astrophysicist (linked of the Atacama Observatory https://www.almaobservatory.org/en/home/ & Leeds Uni.) used to be a loyal customer of ours. During his stay in the UK, we looked after his beloved steed – a high-quality tourer (some very nice & expensive bits). Let’s call him “EA”.

About 3 years ago, this lovely, young gentleman’s stay with us was blighted!

Overnight, some b@$t@&d(s) had stolen his stem & handlebars (& expensive Shimano XT 9×3 shifter/brakes).

The following morning:

The poor soul was heart-broken – ‘in shock’.
We admit to being, a quite a-bit-more-than miffed.

All it took was a 5mm allen key and set of dull pliers. See the butchery on the cable:

What to do?

NOTE: today is an intensely-emotional one for EA – therefore, we will not allow him to  make any big £££-based decisions today! However, he leaves knowing that RCE will assess the whole bike, before we talk again.

Then, RCE’s algorithm:

1. Identify options to avert the same thing happening again.
2. Identify customer’s present options & needs (e.g. straight/dropped/butterfly/etc. handlebars, stem length & angle, grips/bar-tape, cabling, shifters and brakes, budget).
3. Identify customer’s potential future needs/alterations.
4. Identify compatible components required.
5. Provide an estimated price for the whole works.
6. As authorised, proceed: provide componentry, fit, set, test, set, … until satisfied.
7. Guarantee works, return to customer
8. Adjust as required.

EA wanted drop-bars – with an option to change to butterfly-bars at a later stage. Fine, not a problem. Longer-that-optimal brake & gear cables were agreed on to allow for a cheaper changes.

The first choice of  ‘anatomical’ drop bars proved be the only ‘try’ required. It took 2 attempts to find the correctly lengthed & angled stem. Another ‘option’  wasn’t really an option – being a Shimano 9×3 geared-bike, the agreed choice was for a set of Shimano’s Sora triples shifters. ‘Intermediate Brakes’ were also incorporated into the design. Finally, additional in-line brake adjusters allowed for the maximum brakepad-wear take-up – a missing original-design feature.

Before the bar-tape could be fitted, EA had be summoned to specify the exact positioning of the shifters (angle, height & reach, intermediate brakes positioning and handlebar angle:

Nearly there, but still …

What to do?

What to do about future theft? Well, there a couple of issues here:

1. Removal of the fork’s/stem’s top-cap allows for the removal of the whole handlebar assembly.
2. Removal of the stem’s front clamp bolts allows for the removal of the handlebars.

To address item 1. EA selected a lovely Pinhead Headset Lock (https://pinheadlocks.com/store/en/frame-and-headset-locks/15-headset-lock.html#/key-without_key):

The second issue was that of the standard allen-socketed bolts for the handlebar clamp:

Stainless-steel, high-tension, extra-security, Pin Torx bolts were agreed upon for this application. The customer was also handed the required tool for his own use.

Now, it’s finished:

Total cost (at the time): £400-ish (ouch!). But:

• much cheaper than a replacement bike of the same quality & wear, and
• customised exactly to the owner’s needs!

The bike was last seen commuting across the Atacama Desert, Chile – with a big grin on EA’s face.

---

A bit o’ fun:

Fancy a bit of Australian rock music?  Unlike AC/DC (saw them in 1979, with Bon Scott), we missed out on the following band the first time round. Shame on us! Hope you enjoy:(RADIO BIRDMAN – “Aloha Steve And Danno” official music video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmH0OeDLGEE)

Be safe out there.

 

Lamborghini and Ridgeback offspring?

Here’s a wee project we did for “M”, a FOST (Friends of the shop). Summer 2019.

At RCE, we’re quite lucky. We meet some of the best people. “M” is a thoroughly honourable person and has been a loyal customer for about 2 decades. We’ve looked after his various steeds. However, the latest one …
… has got to be “put down”!
If you look closely at the above pic, you may notice the fatal injury:That’s right, the downtube committed suicide!

Aluminium welding isn’t cheap and, perhaps not suitable for this issue.

M asked RCE to ‘mate’ the Ridgeback with a Lamborghini, The one he’d brought along:

Wow! The name & ‘The Raging Bull’ logo conjurers images of the Countachs, Panteras and tractors.

Loving such a challenge, RCE was eager to help.

The algorithm:

1. Assess all aspects of both bikes (components, dimensions, compatibility, alignments, wear, ratios, intended-use, etc.).
2. Identify the best & compatible components to-be-kept.
3. Identify works require to to-be-kept components (e.g. re-tension & true front wheel).
4. Identify new parts required (e.g. rear wheel).
5. Talk £££s.
6. Fully strip-down the necessary organs of the Ridgeback.
7. Fully strip-down the necessary organs of the Lambo.
8. Fully strip-down to-be-kept components for degreasing & cleaning, re-assembly, fitting & setting.
9. Mate the two.
10. Test.
11. Improve & Test again.
12. Improve and Test again, etc. …
13. Return to M.
14. Guarantee works within ‘bedding-in’ period.

Here’s the Ridgeback after surgery:

Here’s the completed baby:

After a successful summer, the Lambo is now in The Netherlands.

TO: M
Message: We’re glad to have helped. Hope you’re well & happy. Pleasure knowing you. You a good ‘un!

---

OFF-SHOP:

Rory Block: Mississippi Blues

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vgbh2N9AJlE)

We first appreciated the song back in the mid-’70s, from this Japanese imported LP (bought as second-hand, but obviously unplayed). Every tune & note does ‘it’ for us:

We’ve always wondered what the negative version of the cover would look like:
Side 1: https://youtu.be/U5juxefsxx0
Side 2: https://youtu.be/HI1ALGz6w1U

Enjoy, and play nice.

 

Welcome back.

Well the new website’s, rough & ready though it is, is up at: https://rceuk.co.uk/.

New opening times for 2020:

Weekdays: 11am – 7pm (closed on Thursdays)
Saturdays: 10am – 4pm (closed Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays).
If we’re NOT OPEN when we’re meant to be, we’re either: dead, dying, or busy around the back.

RCE’s 2020 Recuperations, Recreations and Holidays:

• 9th April to 16th May 2020
• 27th August to 3rd September 2020 and
• 17th December 2020 to 11th January 2021.

See you all soon.

 

Short Break

CLOSED: Tuesday (25th), Wednesday (26th) and Thursday (28th) October 2016.

Re-Opens: 10am. Friday, 29th October 2016.

Apologies.

 

For Xmas 2012 ….

We have a lot of mottos – one of them is: “Products Kills The Planet!”

Some would say “that’s a bit unusual for a shop”. True, we’ve always been ‘UNUSUAL’:

We’re into fixing shit, NOT CONsuming shite

So, we just couldn’t resist ‘borrowing’ this from our friend:

Who’s this friend? None other than David Icke (http://www.davidicke.com). Yes, David Icke, the footballer & sport commentator. You know, the one we used to LAUGH AT. the one we used to RIDICULE and the one we thought was a NUT-JOB.

Well, read ALL of the rest of his learnings & wisdom and tell us who should be LAUGHED AT, who should be RIDICULED and who really are the NUT-JOBS. Remember, it was David who exposed Jimmy Saville years ago (whilst the paedo was still alive).

If you don’t NEED it, don’t freaking buy it.

 

Clee Cycles – Break In 2012-12-20 – 10 Bikes and Parts

We love the stuff from our dear friends at Clee Cycles (https://clee-b2b.co.uk) – especially their KCNC goods (http://www.kcnc.com.tw/old/Web/NewWeb/index.htm, catalogue: http://www.kcnc.com.tw/old/Web/NewWeb/Album/).

Last Thursday, thieving parasites (no, not the government) broke in and stole 10 bikes and goods.

Now, it bears repeating, IT’S IN ALL OUR INTERESTS
a) NOT to buy any stolen goods, and
b) to help apprehend the scum.

If you knowingly buy from a thief, you are a thief.

So, call the cops if you come across:

• Titus X Alloy Large, 2010 used bike, Rockshox Sid fork, KCNC bars, seat post, 5 arm 94bcd crank, SLR flow saddle
• Titus X Titanium, medium, probably only 2 or 3 in the UK, 2010 used bike, , DT XCM100 Twinshot fork, KCNC bars, seat post, 5 arm 94bcd crank, American Classic hubs, Race 7000 front rim with red nipples, Podium rear with black nipples, XX cassette,  SLR flow saddle
• Torus Ti29sd – titanium 29er, 17″ frame, prototype frame so unique, sliding sliver alloy dropouts, Fox F29 Terralogic fork, Ti flat bar, Ti seat post, green Chris King hubs with black spokes, green nipples and black Crest rims, KCNC 5 arm 94bcd crank single ring, Hope Race Evo brakes.
• Burls Custom Built Ti frame, 17″ frame, 26″ wheel mtb – complete bike, totally uniuqe – new!   DT XCM100 singleshot fork, Custom built wheels with American Classic hubs, supercomp spokes, black nipples and Crest rims, KCNC bars, seat post, 5 arm 94bcd crank with cobweb chainrings, and KCNC X7 black brakes, SLR flow saddle.

The above were custom-built and are very unique – with custom built wheels easily identifiable. These bike are all very rare, the Torus and Burls are one of a kind.  Please let us know if you see or hear of anything suspicious like un-badged titanium 26 and 29 frames.

Stock bikes stolen were:

• MSC WCS29 mtb white/blue Large, blue anodised hubs, rims, bars.
• Moda Cannon Large full carbon full suss 26″ MTB
• Moda Stretto 2011 Road bike, 54cm
• Moda Tempo 52cm
• Merida Race Lite 904 Road bike 54cm, and a
  
• Merida Matts 40D MTB 18″ frame.

A number of parts were stolen:

• SRAM and Shimano cassettes,
• a DT EXM130 fork,
• Exposure Toro and Joystick lights,
• Hope Vision2 and R4 lights.

Our commiserations to all at Clee Cycles.

 

2012-3: Xmas Closing

We’ve been on the go for 6 day/week for the past 50 weeks – we’re knackered – we’re taking a break.

Closed: Friday, 21st December

Re-opens: Monday, 7th January

 

 

Stolen Bikes: Gone In 60 Seconds

Check out this great (25mins) vid from those nice people at PinkBike.

” The London Program investigates the £27 million pound crime wave that is seeing thousands of bicycles being stolen from the capital’s streets. Our reporter catches some professional bike thieves in action and finds out how easy it is to steal a bike in central London. ”

See the vid here: http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Gone-in-60-secs-theft-video-2012.html

Of course, ANY LOCK can got into if you’ve got the correct tools, technique and time (e.g. you’ll get at the gold in Fort Knox with enough nail files and a couple of lifetimes). However, please don’t be too alarmed by the above video.

And, be aware of anyone who over-emphasises bicycle security – they may be trying to sell you a product which you don’t need. We recommend that you only buy your lock from:

1. an Independent Bicycle Shop (IBS) which
2. provides comprehensive advice on bicycle security based upon: a) your wallet, b) value of the bike, c) levels of exposure, d) convenience required, and e) your bike’s replacement cost,

At Re-Cycle Engineering, we believe that we are the last shop left in the north of England which provides renovated bicycles as a core activity. As all our reconditioned bikes are guaranteed NOT TO BE STOLEN. Any buyer of any our sold bikes, which are later proved to be stolen (by the Police), will get their money back.

We also stock 2 categories of locks:

1. Cheap (snatch-proof from £6 to £20) and
2. Insurance company approved (from £25 to £120).

Happy parking!

 

You don’t even get that for murder

Just a short note on our belated birthday.

As of 1st October 2012,

we have been repairing bikes for over 23 years.

You don’t even get that for murder.

 

Permanently eliminate the biggest problem with bicycles: flat tires

We see a lot of new cycling products on T’InterWeb – some good, mostly shit / useless / unnecessary / done before / etc. Remember: every new product further kills our planet.

However, the following is one product we wholeheartedly support and wish to stock for our customers.
(Hat-Tip to: http://www.bikerumor.com/2012/11/09/milele-flat-proof-inner-tube/)

The Milele Tube

” There are over 5 million people in sub-Saharan Africa who scratch out a living with their bicycles. Many spend over a day’s wages every other week to fix their bike. It is a market served by low quality, imported goods with no focus on products that add value to their lives. “

” Baisikeli Ugunduzi’s first product permanently eliminates the biggest problem with bicycles, flat tires, for less than $10. The Milele tube uses a flexible solid tube and replaces conventional pneumatic tubes. Boda boda (bicycle taxis) spend around a quarter of their income fixing flat tires alone! The Milele tube eliminates the risk of a flat tire and the burden of costly and frequent tube repairs.  This technology lasts several years, never flats, doesn’t need air, can be cut to length for any size wheel, can be reused as tires wear out, and rides like conventional tubes. “

Jeffrey (one of the test riders) shows off the Milele tube for a national news agency.

See the website here.

Of course such a product would be GOOD for cyclists worldwide.

Of course such a product would NOT BE GOOD be good for the western world’s “Bicycling Industry” – which doesn’t give a s**t about environmental, social or economic sustainability and relies on the sale of new bikes & products to justify its existence and profits.

At Re-Cycle Engineering, we give a s**t and are trying to encourage Repair, Reuse and Renovation – very much an antithesis to all other shops and the ‘Industry’. We would love it if we could provide this solution to our customers.

As a contrast to the Milele Tube, see this product: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPWcTLTATRw&feature=plcp. At face value, it seems like a good idea. On closer examination, one could ask all sorts of questions (How much will it cost once mass-manufacturing is attained?, Can mud, stones and snow get clogged inside?, What’s the lateral stiffness?, How does one vary the ‘pressure’ or tension? Will tyre manufactures be able to provide various tread surfaces?, Can it made to fit my existing wheels?. etc.). Apologies to the designers, we can’t see this product making it into the mainstream.