Oregon Manifest Bike

Here is my entry to the 2011 Oregon Manifest. The 50 mile ride was good. The weather was just about perfect, even if a little hot, and the route took us through some awesome backroads. There was a combination of paved roads and gravel, with a lot of climbing along the way. I was very pleased with the bike. It was solid, quiet, had the gears I wanted for climbing and it carried the load without a hitch. I ran some pretty large tires so that the gravel sections weren't a problem, and descending with weight the bike felt sure and stable. The bike did everything I asked of it, and did it well. 

There were a lot of great entries in this event. I can't imagine having been a judge, trying to decide which bikes were winners. I think a congratulation should go out to everyone who did the work building the bikes, and for all those who rode the ride. And a special congrats to Tony Pereira for taking the cake. Nice job Tony!

Here are photos of the Ahearne entry with a summary of features to follow. 

Oregon Manifest Bike

This is the Ahearne Cycles entry to the 2011 Oregon Manifest competition. There were several criteria that the all the entrants were supposed to fulfill, most of which were in the realm of bikes that I often build. The bikes are to have lights, fenders, a locking system, a way to carry things besides the rider, etc. Here's a quick list of the features this bike offeres:

24 inch front wheel, 700c rear. The rack is fixed to the frame and is rated at about 50 lbs. maximum capacity. The small front wheel allows the basket to be lower, which drops the center of gravity and makes for a more stable ride with a load. 

The basket has an integrated lock holder (no rattle), a bottle opener, corner bumpers (dead tire), a weatherproof DiBond base (aluminum sheet with a dense plastic core -- light-weight & bomb-proof), a large waterproof bag by Inside Line Equipment, and shown here there are 2 speaker mounts and a water bottle cage (also on the basket). There is also a bolt-on utility bag on the rack which is for spare tubes, tools, straps and bungee cords, etc. 

There is an insanely bright lighting system (600 lumens!) that runs off a rechargeable battery pack hidden under the rack, which is charged off the generator hub. It's a prototype lighting system by Light On! lights. The wired tail light is internally routed, and if you look closely, it is mounted to a bolt that runs through the seat tube and serves the double purpose of being a seat post lock -- the seat post is slotted, and can't be removed without taking out the light mount bolt. 

Speaking of security, there's a hidden lock for the kickstand so that, when the kickstand is open and the lock engaged the stand can not be retracted. I'd love to see a thief try and ride off on the bike, but not be able to figure out why the stand won't go up. 

The bike has clearance for very large tires. The fenders are full wrap, with a 26 inch rear fender covering the front wheel. There's a supplementary blinky tail light and reflector on the rear fender by Portland Design Works. 

Beyond these features, the bike has a lot of the little things I believe should be standard on a hard core commuter bike: full gear range, bell, pump, disc brakes (advisable, especially for rainy climates), wide puncture resistant tires, comfortable upright riding position, wide flat pedals, etc. 

The final thing is the aesthetic, which is subdued and classy. I didn't want to over-invent a machine that has been designed & refined for well over a hundred years. 

A Typical Afternoon in the Shop with Mitch

Here's the newest time-lapse video in the shop. This is what a day in the shop kind of looks like -- cutting, filing, sanding, brazing, etc. Here's what I first wrote about the video:

This is what a very typical day in the shop looks like for Mitch of MAP Bicycles and myself. He is working on some front racks, and I'm working on a fork and racks. It's really good to be able to talk through ideas with someone else, and I think we do a pretty good job of helping each other figure things out. We both have our stylistic differences, obviously, but there are often several ways to approach a problem, and to get insight into it, I think, makes each of us a little bit better at what we do. I've come to value that shared insight.

This is true in so many ways. Frame building can be, in many ways, a very isolated and isolating existence. Having another person there to bounce ideas off of, and just to talk with, is good sometimes. There are plenty of days in the shop when few words are spoken, but just the simple act of sharing lunch usually breaks up the day and brings a little peace to the head-space.

I hope you enjoy the video.

A typical afternoon in the shop with Mitch. from Joseph Ahearne on Vimeo.