ABSHWDD: More, More, More! (and a Pre-Ride)

With all these folks coming to the Handbuilt Whoop-de-Doo, we figured we'd host a group ride before the show. There will be two courses: an 18 mile there-and-back with Bruce Gordon, and a longer (roughly 27 mi) loop with Sean Walling of Soulcraft. Both groups will ride as a big gang for the first 9 miles, then the Bruce group will head back. This will all be on old country roads, so bring a road, cross, or touring bike.

View Larger Map

The 18-miler (Bruce's group) will go from point A to point C, then back to A.

The 27-miler (Sean's group) will go from point A to point E.
Both groups will leave from Bruce Gordon Cycles
at 409 Petaluma Blvd South
We will leave at 8:00 am sharp.

In related Big Stinkin' news, both the rescheduled Annadel XC race and the Giro Bello (Steven Cozza's fundraiser ride) are happening on the 25th, the day before our big event. They're both raising money for excellent causes, so support them if you can.

I'm also very happy to let you know that BORN + RAISED will be serving good food at the Big Stinkin' Handbuilt show. Because I (Nick) am one half of B+R, I'll try not to oversell it. Just know that I'm very excited to be putting together an event at which both of the things I do can coexist in the same place and time.

In the next entry, you will find out what has been brewing in the workshop over the last week.

Until then, keep the shiny side up and the rubber side down.

The BLT: An Endangered Species

The Basic Loaded Tourer is being discontinued. Our attempt at offering an affordable, off-the-rack tourer to compete with Surly’s LHT has been in vain, and we ended up in the import business, which is not and has never been what Bruce Gordon Cycles is about. We are refocusing our efforts and restructuring everything in order to do what we do best: produce the very best bicycles and components right here in Petaluma, California.

NOW you can order one of the last BLTs from our online store, just click HERE.

We still love the bikes and we stand behind them 100%- they are the best non-custom touring frames on the market- but once the last frame is sold, then they’ll be gone forever. Or as “gone forever” as a TIG-welded steel bicycle could ever be, which means your great-great-grandchildren will be selling them on eBay or riding them on the moon.

BLTs come with Bruce Gordon front & rear racks made by hand in my shop in California. These are the very best racks you can get anywhere, and that’s a fact.

They are usually sold separately, but they are included in the BLT package. The BLT Frames are not sold without Racks.

When you order one of the last BLTs, you’ll get a frame, fork, headset, stem (all made in Taiwan to my specs), and my front & rear racks (made in California by Californians) for even less than a LHT with the same components and racks.

Check it out:

THIS IS THE BEST DEAL EVER ON AN EXCELLENT TOURING BIKE!

$750 + shipping & handling*.

The BLT is available in five production sizes: 39, 44, 48, 52, and 56.

I am 6’3” and I usually ride a 62cm bike, but I fit on a 56cm BLT.

Take a look at our Sizing Page to get a better idea of which size would be best for you.

Call the shop if you have any questions or to place an order:

(707) 762-5601

---------------------------------------------------------------

Parts Packages are available, chosen for their reliability, quality, and value, to build up a whole bike (except pedals):

You get a full Shimano SLX Group, handbuilt wheels with XT Hubs laced to Mavic A119 Rims or Alex Adventurer Rims:

$975 + shipping and handling*

Call the shop if you have any questions or to place an order:

(707) 762-5601

---------------------------------------------------------------

That means $750 (BLT) + $975 (Parts Package) = $1725 (+ shipping & handling*) for a complete bike!

*About Shipping & Handling: If you are ordering from outside California, you will not pay sales tax. In many places, the amount you pay for S&H will be about the same as what you'd pay in sales tax.

---------------------------------------------------------------

We have a limited supply of remaining BLTs... Below you will find the exact amount. I will be revising these numbers weekly, so check back often OR BETTER YET, order yours now.

Call the shop if you have any questions or to place an order:

(707) 762-5601

Call us. You will speak with either Bruce Gordon or Nick Haig-Arack, both of whom would be happy to answer any questions you may have. Talking on the phone is better than e-mailing at this point.

Here they are, the last BLTs (last updated June 22, 2011) :

39cm..........8
44cm...Sold Out!

48cm...Sold Out!

52cm..........12
56cm..........12



Annadel

BikeMonkey Magazine is putting together a fundraising cross-country race in Annadel this weekend JUNE 25th, the day before Another Big Stinkin' Handbuilt Whoop-de-Doo!

All profits go directly to the park, which is being closed along with 70 other State Parks due to financial concerns.

If you can't make it to the race, there's a benefit shirt available here, where you can donate $10-$100 to the best park in California and get a nice, locally printed t-shirt too.

Register for the race here and help Annadel stay open and available to all of us.

More Big Stinkin' Info

We're getting everything in order and confirming details with exhibitors and attendees, which means that Another Big Stinkin' Handbuilt Whoop-de-Doo is really happening. For those of you who already forgot the whens and wheres, let's review.

When:
June 26th, 2011
11 am - 5 pm

Where:
(click on "Directions" to get driving, public transit, or cycling directions)



Some of you have been asking what exactly a "Framebuilders' Garage Sale" is. I'll quote Sean Walling from the recent Soulcraft newsletter:

"All the Bay Area builders will be there selling all the stuff they got for free from the big companies, which is usually pretty nice stuff and goes cheaply (since we got it for free to begin with)."

That's pretty true. Here at the shop, we have 35 years' worth of stuff (mostly really decent stuff, too- only some junk) that sits in a corner, hangs in a storage space, or lives in a dark corner upstairs, and it just collects dust and cat hair. Bruce has already started pricing these neglected treasures, so you can be sure there'll be lots and lots of "cool old stuff that you can paw through and make really insultingly low offers on" (quoted from Paul Sadoff).

All of the exhibitors involved in the Big Stinkin' Handbuilt Show are confirmed. Here are links to their websites:

Ahrens

Black Cat

Frances

Hunter

Inglis & Retrotec

Lagunitas

Loyal Designs

Luce Goods

Paragon Machine Works

PAUL Components

Rock Lobster

Soulcraft

Steelman

Steve Potts

Steve Rex

Sycip

White Industries

ABSHW 2011

Come one, come all, to

ANOTHER

BIG STINKIN'

HANDBUILT

WHOOP-DE-DOO!

Come spend an afternoon with the finest framebuilders, component makers, and soft goods craftspeople in the great state of North California. There will be a handmade bicycle show and a framebuilders' garage sale, perhaps a pre-ride, plenty of good folks and lots and lots of beautiful utilitarian objects to look at, and perhaps even purchase.

Where:

Bruce Gordon Cycles

409 Petaluma Blvd South

Petaluma, N. Cal.

When:

June 26, 2011

11 am - 5 pm

Here's the flyer, there's a download button with a cloud and an arrow on it so you can download it, print it, share it:

Bike Monkey

Sean Walling of Soulcraft recently wrote an excellent article for Bike Monkey magazine.  If you haven't checked out Bike Monkey before, do it right now.  In addition to producing a great-looking and well-written magazine on bicycling, they organize some of the Bay Area's best road, cross, and mountain races, including the Gran Fondo, Dirt Crits, Monkey Cross, Boggs Eight Hour, and my personal favorite, Annadel.

The following scans are from Issue 12 of Bike Monkey, which may not be in your local shop just yet.  Thanks to Carlos and Greg at BM for letting us use these.  Click to enlarge and read, or better yet, go pick up Bike Monkey 12 at your local bike shop.

The Carbon/Ti 650B Randonneur Bike: Part Deux

Here you'll find an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the build process for the second (and final) carbon-tubed, titanium-lugged randonneur bike (the first one debuted at last year's San Diego Custom Bike Show, details here and here). Bruce designed, fabricated and hand-filed the titanium lugs and dropouts, and Mike Lopez and his crew at Serotta Composites made the tubing required and assembled the thing. This one was built for Mike's personal collection and is a bit smaller than Bruce's carbon/ti rando bike.

With no further ado, we present to you: The Process.