Stainless Steel Touring Bike

This bike has gotten a lot of attention so far in its short life. People seem to like shiny things, and this one does indeed shine. Beyond being blindingly bright, there are so many details that I figured I ought to lay it out for those who might be interested. The bike is mostly finished. There are a couple more bags that need to be made, and a decaleur that will mount off the stem -- in this sense it is still a work in progress. So, here's the low-down:Stainless Steel Touring

Spork Head Tube BadgeThe frame and fork are made from KVA stainless steel. The split-plate fork crown is made from laser cut stainless.  The racks and stem are made from chromoly steel, and were polished and chromed.

The bike has 26" wheels (international standard -- this is a touring bike, after all), disc brakes, a connectorless front generator hub made by Schmidt. That means that there is no plug to worry about when changing a flat tire. The wire runs from the inner face of the dropout directly into the fork leg. The front and rear lights are powered off the hub, and the wiring is all internal.Breakaway Binder

The frame is a breakaway style, with a coupler on the down tube, and a breakaway point on the seat tube. The seat post is integral to the structure of this system, which is brilliant and simple (No, I didn't invent this. Neither did Tom Ritchey -- it came from way further back than even his design). The seat stays come in below the seat tube breaking point, and the rear rack stays attach higher up on the seat tube, where seat stays would normally be. This gives the bike the appearance of having a traditional rear triangle, and serves to support the rear rack. 

Front Rack & LightThe front rack has an upper deck that can be used intependantly of the low riders, which are detachable. The rack supports the fender and the front light. The rear rack has an integrated u-lock holder. Notice the leather sleeve on the lock shackle. This was made by Dirt Jr., right here in Portland. I plan to put these up for sale on my website soon. They look so much nicer than what comes with the lock. We're working on a vegan option as well. 

Rear Rack & Lock HolderThe frame uses traditional tubing dimensions (1" top tube; 1 1/8" down & seat tubes), and has a straight truss, or second, top tube. This supports the head tube and seat tube, stabilizing the ride for weight bearing, particularly when the bike is fully loaded with bags. The space between the two top tubes was an ideal place to add storage, and the frame bag was custom made by Black Star Bags here in Portland. There's enough capacity in this bag to carry a couple of tubes, maybe even a folding tire, tire levers, patches, a multi-tool, energy bars, phone, etc. 

Stainless LogoThe down tube logo is also stainless steel, laser cut and brazed on. It took three of us to keep it set while brazing. Next time, I need to video record the process. I left the panel around the logo exactly as it looks right after brazing, without polish. That gives it the burnt, dirty look, which really stands out nicely.

There is a polished titanium spork head tube badge that is removable, and fully functional. People who ride bikes have to eat, right?Stainless Steel Touring

Part of the reason I built this bike was because I hadn't yet seen a really utilitarian bicycle made from stainless steel. Stainless is expensive, and the amount of time and labor required to bring it to a mirror finish was ridiculous, but the final product is so striking that I believe it was worth it. I hope you agree. I would like to see the same style bicycle, or something worthy of commuting, made from stainless steel and with a brushed finish. Everything Shiny!

Polished StemAnother reason I built this bike was because I was invited by the Portland Art Museum to display a couple of bicycles along with the Cyclepedia exhibit this past summer, 2013. It was an honor to be invited, and I wanted to make something that I believed was worthy of being shown in such a prestigeous museum.

Here above is the photo series from my flickr site. There are a few repeats, but I chose to use them all, because each of them looks so good. Photo credit goes to Anthony Bareno. He took all these in the studio at Velo Cult. He said it was the most difficult bike he's ever shot. Too many reflections. If only there were some way to photograph this bike in the dark! Please check back in the future to get a full ride report. 

Free Admission at the Portland Art Museum

The Portland Art Museum has free admission every forth Friday of the month (which is, it just so happens, today!), from 5 - 8pm. This evening there's going to be food carts, the Metrofeits beer bike (which I'm told will be pouring kombucha), and, yes, free entry into the Cyclepedia exhibit.

My bikes are about to be set up there, and will be on display from today, 23 August, through 30 August. I'll be hanging around the museum this evening for the festivities, and to talk about my bikes, from 5 - 8. If you can't make it over this evening, I'll also be there most of the day on Sunday, the 25th of August.

Here are a couple of photos of the finished bikes that will be at the Portland Art Museum starting today. I hope I see you at the exhibit!

Stainless Steel Touring Bike

Manifest 2.0 Commuter 

Update on 2013-08-25 17:23 by Joseph Ahearne

The Portland Art Museum is open from noon to 5 pm today, Sunday 25 August. I'll be there most of the day to answer questions about the bikes. My bikes are just inside the Park Street entrance to the museum, facing the Park Blocks. Try and make it over if you can. Ahearne Bicycles at the Portland Art Museum

Brenner Commuter

Here we've got a straight-forward lugged commuter.

Brenner Commuter

It's a classy bike for a classy lady. Nothing brightens a gray winter sky better than a warm paint job. This bike has racks and enough carrying capacity to go on tours, and it has all the standard equipment for riding year round here in the northwest. I think the photos speak for themselves. Enjoy.

Touring Bike For Sale

Bike For Sale!

Ready To Tour

It's a beauty! Here is a fillet brazed 26" wheeled touring bike that is ready to travel. It's loaded with cool stuff, and is now for sale. This bike was seen at 2012 North American Hand Made Bicycle Show in Sacramento, California. 

Here is quick run-down of the features: 

26" wheels, clearance for 2.3" tires with fenders; wide Rhynolite rims

Frame size: 575mm top tube and 600 mm seat tube. The standover with 2.0" tires is 860 mm (slightly less than 34"). Seat tube angle is 73 degrees; head tube angle 72 degrees; fork rake is 60 mm and trail is 45 mm.

This bike has traditional tubing diameters (1" top tube and truss; 1 1/8" down tube; 1" threaded fork steerer). The truss top tube is for added stability from the front to the back of the bike when the bike is loaded. 

Low profile racks front and rear. Rear rack ties into the fender for a very clean look. Front low rider racks are detachable and have 3 mounting points for added stability. Both front and rear racks were designed around the smaller front-style Ortlieb panniers. Integrated Rear RackDetachable Front Low Rider Rack

Bike comes with a large Carradice seat bag. The bag has a small support rack to stabilize it. Between 4 panniers and the large seat bag, this bike has serious carrying capacity (Panniers not included).

New-old stock XTR front & rear derailleurs, and XTR rear 9 speed cassette hub.

New-Old Stock XTR Derailleurs

Front generator hub which powers both the front and rear lights.

Gilles Berthoud leather saddle; high polish seat post by Paul Components, and Berthoud stainless fenders.

Sugino Mighty Tour triple crankset: 48/36/24T

Chris King headset; Nitto Pearl stem, 110 mm; Nitto Noodle handlebar, 44 cm; Brooks leather bar wrap

Last but not least is the silvery blue paint. It's a thin wet paint that is a near perfect match of the blue-gray highlights on the vintage XTR derailleurs. It's a gorgeous finish, pleasant and understated. 

Large Size Seat BagA lot of thought went into the design of this bike. It would make a great randonneur, light touring or fully loaded touring bike. It has excellent functioning parts that are durable, and are nice to look at. This bike is going to fit a person who is between 6' and 6' 3" and it's safe to say, it's going to make someone very happy for years to come. 

Head Tube BadgeThe price of this bike is negotiable. It's now a used bike, and has been tested on tour and longer rides. Because of this there are some scratches in the paint, and some wear on the parts. The bike is sold as is. All reasonable offers will be considered. If you have any questions, or to request further information, please send me an e-mail

Here is a gallery with other photos of the bike. 

Enjoy!

Fat Bike Ride on the Oregon Coast

Fat Bike in Seaside, OregonThe first thing that I think of when I think of the fat tire bike is possibility. I think of all the possible places there are to go that I never would have imagined a bike could take me. 

After NAHBS last weekend I was tired, body and soul, and needed to get away from things for a bit before starting back into work at the shop. NAHBS turned out to be a great show. I hear it had record attendance. All I know is that I was busy talking with people almost continuously throughout the entire weekend. 

Shortly after arriving back home, I threw my bike on the bus that heads out to the coast and got off at the International Hostel in Seaside. If you ever have the chance to stay at this hostel, it's a good one. The owner and head of the hostel is Trung, and she's the best. She's quick to laugh and curious and knowledgeable about local places to eat and points of interest, and she makes a delicious Vietnamese coffee. There are kayaks for rent, and if she's not too busy Trung may invite you to go on a hike in the hills or a walk on the beach. 

Sand DollarThursday was a rare day on the coast this time of year. The sun rose and promised a fogless, cloudless morning. The fat bike and I were on the beach by 8, and I was down to a t-shirt by 9. I can't even explain how much fun I had riding out to the sand. This was my first real experience on a fat tire bike, so I didn't know what to expect. Fat Bike Functional Fenders

I started north on the road to cross the estuary that borders that side of town, and the river that contains the beach. Once across the bridge I turned immediately into the wetlands the river feeds. There were a couple of trails through, and then I hit the silt beds, a mixture of mud and sand that is washed in and out with each ebb and flow of the tides. The moon, for those of you who didn't notice, was huge and full the past couple of days. Hence some of the rest of the craziness in the world. Or, at least in my world. When I started into the silt beds the tide was way out. 

I crossed a couple of small streams that were maybe as deep as my axle line, which got my disc brakes to scraping. A few taps on the brake levers and they quieted down. The muck of silt was nasty, but as I got closer to the beach it turned more to sand. What I was most pleased with at this point was that I was moving right through it. I wouldn't have wanted to put my foot down in it, but the bike was cruising right along. There was a sucking and slurping as the tires mashed through, but the soft silt was only about an inch deep. Below that was hard pack.

On the Grassy DunesOut of the silt bed I headed into the dunes that back the beach. The sand is soft here. There were a couple of places that the wheel buried and I wasn't able to pedal, but for the most part I kept in a low gear and paddled on through. That's what it felt like, too: Paddling in the sand. 

The sand churned under me and I moved right along. Not fast, but it's not about going fast. Winding around between the dune grasses and along the rim that's been pushed up by thousands of years of wind was, I don't know how to describe it, except for fun. I was riding a bike in a place that I'd never considered a possibility before. When that happens, all I can think about is, "what else can I do with this bike?" In the Shadow 

Off the rim of the dunes I dropped down onto the beach. Here the riding was easy. The damp sand is a lot like hard-pack, and I was able to cruise along no hands for miles. A half-hour up the coast there were no more houses or buildings, and I really got the feeling that I was alone, out away from everything. I stopped and listened to the ocean and soaked up the sunshine. 

I'm ready to do a coastal tour, meaning, riding down the beach. The fat bike I built has carrying capacity for panniers in the back and a dry bag up front. The lower racks on the fork can carry a tent and sleeping bag. There are enough towns along the coast that you wouldn't have to pack more than a couple days-worth of food or water at a time. And the riding is easy. The best thing, besides being continuously beside the ocean is, there are no cars, few people, and the only thing you hear are wind and waves, and the occasional gull. Up the Oregon Coast 

This is my initial ride report for the fat bike. It was a preliminary run, not anything too intense. But my o my is it inspiring. It gives me the excitement of a little kid. Amazing how a bicycle can do that. 

More ride reports to come. You better believe it. If there were ever a bicycle that Dr. Schrimble would enjoy, I'd say this would be it. And, well, you're probably going to need to get yourself one of these fat bikes. I'm just saying...