YiPsan Modifications

Lately I have made quite a few modifications to my YiPsan mountain bike. On the list was an XTR crank, a new bash guard, Effetto Mariposa Caffelatex tubless gunk, and a Shimano SLX double specific front dérailleur. This post is regarding the latter.

It is no secret that a bash guard is quite nice for East Coast mountain biking. The SLX dérailleur helps two-ring riders further exploit the benefits of ditching the big ring. This modification dramatically increases your tire/front dérailleur clearance. On my YiPsan the cage of the dérailleur is completely out of the way. The tire would hit the stay before the shifting component. This is a real benefit for those of us who like fat tires. If you are a bash guard user you should consider this alteration. If you are considering running a guard you can learn more about them here. Cheers!

1976 Raleigh Tourist DL1

I have always wanted a rod-brake bicycle and last weekend I achieved that goal. I am now the proud owner of a 1976 Raleigh Tourist DL1. The bike is in near mint condition and rides great. The neat and funny thing about this bike is that the technology is curiously retro for 1976. The bike could have easily been made decades earlier. I guess the folks in Nottingham England were feeling nostalgic when they built this bike. The bike will be at the shop for a while so stop on by and check it out. www.thebicycleescape.com

2010 Giant Bowery Mash Up

Here is Giant's fun and funky new fixed gear, the Bowery Mash Up. All decked-out in retro colors and able to be set up fixed or free. Love it or hate it, it is most definitely funky. More pics here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thebicycleescape/

Crown Jewel

The latest build here at old TBE was this Independent Fabrication Crown Jewel (of the steel persuasion) for Dennis. The frame is built with Dura-Ace 7800 bits and a Chris King headset. The elegant down tube decal is the script style. It is newer to the IF decal options.

Cross Season???

This time of year is always bitter sweet. It is 100 degrees outside right now with 200% humidity and all I see promoted by my vendors is cross bikes and fall clothing. I guess I have to accept the fact that summer is winding down. I love fall but hate to see the sunshine fade away.

The pictured bike is Ken's 2010 Redline Conquest Team. The bike comes stock with tubeless tires and weighs 17.8lbs. Not to shabby.

Titus FCR

In celebration of being nominated the mid-Atlantic's laziest blogger I decided to make a quick post. The custom bike pictured here was built for Candice. It is a Titanium Titus FCR built with Ultegra SL and SRAM Force crank and brakes. The Edge fork and Rolf wheels keep the bike just under 17 lbs. Congratulations Candice! www.thebicycleescape.com

Specialized 2010 29er Single Speed and Epic

Here is a sneak peak of some of the 2010 higher end Specialized 29ers. The carbon bike on the left has suspiciously horizontal dropouts and is not well hung in the derailleur hanger department. This carbon fiber single speed 29er should build a super light SS! For the full squish racers out there Specialized has the Epic 29er.

Where Is Tom ?

Where Is Tom ?
Originally uploaded by thebicycleescape

In an out of character move Tom did not show up to work today. I know what you are thinking: Reno 911 Marathon... nope. This absence is due to the newest TBE addition: Geoffrey Galen Rinker, 8lbs 11oz. Welcome son!

Starry Night

We just built this beautiful Independent Fabrication Factory Light Weight for Alan. I love the sky like fade complete with the moon and stars. Check out our photo album for more pictures.

Simply Beautiful

As your stroll the streets of downtown Frederick make sure you check out Simply Beautiful Boutique (43 E. Patrick). They are borrowing our Batavus bicycle for their beautiful window display. While you are there stop in and check out their shop. They have plenty of great home, baby and personal items.

2010 Specialized Langster

For 2010, Specialized continues the city themed Langster fixed gears. On the menu is a Moscow Langster and a Los Angeles styled bike. The LA Langster is the one with the white wheel and tire combo.

Perseverance!

As a bicycle mechanic I get the opportunity to see all sorts of home-brewed attempts at bicycle repair. The tube pictured is one of my favorites. The reason I like this botched repair so much is because of the determination and love behind it. As I held the tube in my hand which had more holes in it than a car parked in downtown Frederick, I could feel the frustration of the father. I also sensed his determination as he tried desperately to fix his son’s bike. This kind of determination could only exist when a parent is trying to be a ‘hero’ for their child. It is a determination I have been fortunate enough to be on the receiving end of countless times. At the end of the day daddy solved his son’s problem (with a little help). Today is Father’s Day and to all the fathers out there that happen across this blog I wish you a very happy day. Keep on fixing those bikes but remember we are here when you need a hand.

2010 Giant 29er

Twenty Niner fans worldwide have been asking the same question: When in the hell is the World’s largest frame producer going to address the big wheeled market? Well my friends they finally have... well...almost. The pictured bikes are Giant’s answer. The XTC 1 29er (approximately $2125) and XTC 2 29er (approximately $1350) will be available within the next few weeks. The higher end Giant 29er will be adorned with a Fox fork (with thru axle) and a mix of Shimano XT, SLX, and Deore components. The XTC 29 2 will be dressed in Shimano Deore and Alivo bits with a Marzocchi Forty-Niner TST2 fork with a 15QR thru axle.

YiPsan All-Road Bike

I recently had the absolute pleasure of building the pictured YiPsan all-road bike for Catherine. The frame is hand crafted in the lugged tradition. I refer to this bike as an “all-road” bike because it is designed to accept wider cyclocross tires, but has road bike geometry. This style of bicycle is very practical as it allows the rider to explore asphalt and dirt roads on the same well designed machine. Accompanying the frame is a custom stem, fork, and seatpost made by the same builder, Renold Yip. This level of customization and attention creates a beautiful, flowing, and timeless aesthetic. This YiPsan all-road bike rides as good as it looks! I am lucky enough to own a YiPsan (or two :) ) and I can attest to the fact that YiPsan’s are incredible machines! Happy trails Catherine, you’re going to love this ride!
As always more pictures on our Flickr site.

QBall Frames

With Big Bear just days away, many of you have come to the same conclusion: 1) It is a wonderful time to break the frame you planned on racing and/or 2) it is a wonderful time to replace your old frame/bike. Here are two of the frames you might see being raced in WV. Both are QBall 29er frames crafted by our friend Scott Quiring in Michigan. But that frame is only available in black..... well yes, this is true but occasionally we can sweet talk Scott into a different color option. Good luck to all of you making the journey for this year's race! More pictures on our Flickr site.

IFy Week

Here are two fun builds we just completed. The very first Independent Fabrication to sport the damn cool HammerSchmidt two speed crank and a well set-up IF Independence. One bike will pick its way through east coast rocky single track and the other will pick its way through villas across Europe. Both are beautiful in their own right and we were honored to work with both Jody (mtn) and Robert (touring) to make their dream bike a reality. Thanks guys. As always more photos here.

Frederick Kids Triathlon

The Kids Triathlon was a huge success. Thanks to all the volunteers and participants. If you missed it this year we hope to see you in 2010. http://www.fredericktri.com/

2010 Specialized Bicycles Sneak Peek

Here are a few more 2010 Specialized Bicycles. First up is the Rockhopper Comp one of the TBE favorites. Next the the hop-around P.1 AM in my favorite color. Finally, the playful Pitch Comp.

2010 Specialized Bicycles

OMG!...to use the parlance of our rapidly declining culture! I am crazy busy but wanted to make a quick post showing off some of the 2010 Specialized Langster, etc. These are straight-up ghetto pictures from the sneak peak catalog (note the pics have been upgraded). As you can see the big red S has an old school steel Langster frame, pretty cool huh?!?! They are also offering an aluminum complete black model. The city based Langsters have yet to be released (if they continue the tradition). Also pictured are some of the 2010 Specialized 29er mountain bikes. The most notable thing here is that the big wheels have trickled down to the Hardrock series. Around $600 will get you rolling on 29 inchers. This really shows the penetration the platform has made. Finally, the 2010 Allez Comp. There are no monumental changes here. Stay posted because there is more to come!

Four Times the Fun

The Bicycle Escape was featured on the front page of the Frederick News Post. If you missed the article check it out.