MTB

We posted this feel good Devon Smillie FLY edit. © Nuno for Defgrip, 2013. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us Post tags: BMX, Devon Smillie, edit, fly bikes, on this date last year

Designed and ridden by Tom Blyth Featuring: 3D laser cut 4130 chromoly top & down tube gussets, an integrated seat post clamp, tapered seat and chain stays, a laser cut seat stay bridge, and removable 990 mounts and cable stop. Handcrafted in New York

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – For the 2013/14 cyclocross season Honey Bikes is proud to announce a very special limited edition series of race bikes we are calling “Cross is Boss.” The Honey Cross is Boss Limited Edition machines are lighter, faster, and maybe the most unique cross bikes available. Honey... ...view the full story & post your comments at our site: http://cxmagazine.com

I started working over the fork for the Gravel Mutt. At one point, I was going to be getting a Surly Cross Check threadless fork and a new headset, but......that isn't the "mutt way" to be doing things, now is it? No. It is not the Mutt Way. The Mutt Way is using the binned parts and cheaply gotten bits to build a workhorse bicycle. Using the original fork and headset would be fine, but this presented a bit of a problem. The "old way" of doing a stem, (quill style), generally doesn't use a face plate. When they do, they are ug-a-leeee! Plus, I may end up with a 31.8mm handle bar, so this made me go the route of a quill adapter.The quill adapter is clean looking, and allows me several choices in stems which can suit any drop bar handle bar, and look pretty good doing it. Cheap too. Besides, it isn't a new idea at all. Early mountain bike builders would do a similar thing but would actually braze in a stub into the steer tube that extended above the threaded head set. A "clip on" stem would then be used, and the top cap? It usually was a coin! Modern adaptations are similar, but look more like a standard threadless steerer.As I am sanding down the paint for priming and finishing, I note that the drop outs are Tange ones on the fork ends. Probably a Tange fork too, I am guessing. That's nice. The frame tubes are True Temper. All steel means a solid gravel grinder base. Abuse friendly, no worries about scratches, dings, or damage. If I like it so much when it, if ever, needs repair, it can be done at a reasonable cost.Random thought: Paint frame and fork flat black and call the bike "Crow Molly". No? Quill adapter Hopefully I will be making some major progress on this over the three day weekend. I would like to throw on some paint, and if it goes well, I might be able to assemble the thing in a week or so, once the paint cures.Then the build should pretty much go quickly. The plan is to go with a 1 X 9 drive train. One bar end shifter, a set of Tektro RL 520 levers is sitting around here somewhere, and I may need to score some better cantilevers.I found a nice Ritchey seat post in the bin, and to top that off I want to get a B-17 or possibly a Flyer. The handle bars may be something I have laying around, or a new set of Cowbell 2's. I really like Cowbells! They are the bars I use on the BMC. Wheels will be the aforementioned XTR/Salsa Delgado hoops shod with whatever tire I need to be riding at the time. (The bike will be used for testing stuff for Gravel Grinder News when necessary.) Otherwise I plan on just using this one for the 3GRs and maybe some night time riding this summer. Bad weather will see this one on the roads as well. Hmm.......maybe it needs fenders too.....The bike will then get outfitted with a frame bag, a top tube bag, and a couple of bottle cages so it'll be ready for long or short distances at the drop of a hat. That's about it, but before I get there, I have a lot of work ahead of me. Details to come. For now, it's sanding and painting time.

Colossal Media are responsible for some amazing large scale hand painted murals, and have been putting up great work for some time. If you frequent this site, you may remember THIS piece. When I caught a glimpse this Vans mural featuring some classic Dennis McCoy action on their Instagram, I was obviously psyched. Thanks to Adrian and Paul from Colossal Media for supplying these images. © Nuno for Defgrip, 2013. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us Post tags: BMX, colossal media, dennis mccoy, mural, vans

In Flickr news, there’s be a redesign! The new Flickr is a million times better than the previous out dated piece of shit they’ve been offering us. So much so, that I actually feel inspired to use the service again. I used and frequented Flickr for a nice stretch, then became very uninterested in it for the last few years (stopped going there basically). Well, the new redesign has greatly changed my view on it. Same premise, just nicer presentation, ease of viewing photos and a terabyte of space. I realized that I follow some pretty rad people and it’s good to see what everyone is up too. Flickr has been a good source of content for this site, so hopefully it can stay in my rotation. Instagram likes to party with Flickr too, which is an added bonus. If you’ve been down with Flickr in the past, go poke around and give it a new shot. If you have never been on Flickr, this will all mean nothing, haha… © Nuno for Defgrip, 2013. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us Post tags: flickr, Photography, redesign

© Nuno for Defgrip, 2013. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us Post tags: house of the rising sun, the animals, video

Photos by Greg and Trina I came into spring with low expectations. Thinking that our dry season would leave us with few wildflowers But I kept seeing a surprising number of plants creeping upward out of the desert soil when we were out riding or walking. What were these plants thinking, besides that they'd just wither and die? Then the weather turned wetter and the flowers began to charge

Dirt Rag’s fourth annual Dirt Fest, presented by Scott Sports, was once again the best ever. A huge thank you to all who attended—friends, fans and exhibitors—you’re the ones who made it so great. Don't believe it? Just check out these photos! Special thanks go out to our official sponsors Scott Sports, Oskar Blues Brewery, Santa Cruz Bicycles, Infinit nutrition, Niner, Michelin, Take Aim Cycling, Specialized and Light & Motion. Additionally, without the event logistics provided by Rothrock Outfitters, along with support from the Friends of Raystown Lake, this never would have happened. Info on next year’s event is coming soon at dirtragdirtfest.com.Dirt Fest 2013Photos of all the festivities from May 17-19, 2013.

I rarely build unicrown forks but Daniel is the right size and the application is right (road) such that I liked the profile of some existing blades so we went with it. For full fenders (but no racks) and 28c tires, riding in any weather on both pavement and smooth dirt.Geometry:-73/73 head and seat tube angles.-57cm toptube, 61cm seat tube (this thing would fit me perfectly!)-Level/non sloping toptube for a semi-classic look (so a lugged crown fork might have looked more appropriate, but since it's all TIG welded, we decided the unicrown was fine).-43mm fork offset, 60mm trail.-60cm front center, 42cm chainstays, 27.5cm bb height-For long reach brakes, fenders, and up to 28c tires (actually, I bet 32s would fit).Pretty straightforward, really. Built to fit Daniel, with some oversized pipes to keep her stiff and tracking well, which will hopefully serve him well for a long, long time.Edit: Here is your friday fun reading: 31 charts that will destroy your faith in humanity (seriously, read it, the title is a bit of a joke...)