I few weeks ago I got an early sample of FSA’s new 2 speed Metropolis crankset. Its similar to the TruVativ’s HammerSchmidt crankset in that it offers two gears inside the crankset. The Metropolis is designed for commuter use rather then heavy off roading/ downhilling.
Ok, so first impression it looks pretty spacey with that all one piece crank/ sprocket guard going on. Installing it was surprisingly easy even without the instructions they forgot to include. Basically you just put them on like any normal euro BB crankset. Simple!
Unlike the HammerSchmidt thing they don’t require any special mounts on the frame or anything unusual.
The only requirement is that you need some kind of cable stop for the shifting cable. Most frames would having something like this for a derailuer cable. I just used a gyro tab and tapped it into the downtube. Well, when I say “tapped it” I mean I drilled a little hole and forced the little bolt to thread into the hole. Seems to be working and it doesn’t take very much pressure from shifting at all.
Riding with the cranks is pretty amazing. I don’t really notice any drag from the system and the shifting is immediate and very solid feeling. A lot of the internally geared hubs I’ve ridden in the past feel like if you did your best BMX gate start-super-pedal you might break them, this crank feels rock solid in either gear.You can shift while stopped, back pedaling or under full throttle.
FSA says it is supposed to mimic shifting from a 42t to a 28t sprocket in the front. Since my bike is set up a single speed that means shifting from high to low gear is a pretty big jump. Its like shifting to the granny gear on a MTB. I really think this is pretty awesome though, it means I ride my bike around like a normal single speed, and if I come upon a small hill I just stand up and climb like normal. If there is steep hill though I can downshift and cruise right up now matter how much weight I’m carrying in my racks that day.
Of course it would make the most sense to combine this crankset with an internally geared rear hub. Then you would have tons of gears to choose from with out a derailluer anywhere.
Cost I guess is the big issue, and with everything cool and tech its likely to cost a lot. Its not as expensive as the Hammerschmidt thing, but seems like this will be around $300 or so. Kind of a lot for the sake of convenience and simplicity I guess. I’m for sure going to keep this in my “maybe pile” though. It would be a cool edition to a Fairdale commuter. Get a couple gears but still allow back wheel to pop off like a simple single speed. Maybe a special edition or something down the road.
Well, I still haven’t written a good post about my amazing trip to Taiwan, but I can say that Fairdale bikes are officially being built and on track to arrive in your sweaty little hands in spring.
Here is a super bad ass new sample version of the Parser frame and fork that Jim Bauer had customized. I think its so awesome to see all the different looks this bike can pull off.
Its possible I might be the only person who finds this kind of thing funny, but on almost every scooter we saw in Taiwan (and there are billions) there seemed to be a oddly worded slogan. Here’s a gallery of some.
Today I was doodling and drew this cat piercing this guys lip. It immediately got me thinking about a personally embarrassing moment when I thought it was a good idea to pierce my eyebrow.
It was like 1994 and I had dreadlocks. For some reason I was looking in the mirror and decided I needed to have a pierced eyebrow. Keep in mind, this was not cool even then. My dorkness knows no bounds.
So I went to the tattoo shop and bought a little silver ring.
I had a sewing needle and I was amazed at how hard it was to push a needle through my eyebrow. I had to push SOOO hard. I shoved with all my strength until my attempt abruptly backfired and the back of the needle pierced my thumb.
After I got the bleeding to stop in my thumb I found a piece of metal to wrap around the needle so I could push harder. I jammed the needle through my eyebrow. Unfortunately it didn’t come out the other side anywhere near where I wanted. So I jammed it through again. And again. In fact it took 7 tries to line it up with the optimal eyebrow piercing spot. Finally I jammed the ring in, and of course it broke!
The next day I bought another ring and stuffed the sewing needle through my forehead 7 more times. This time I got the ring in place and was successful!
That day my friend Ron Kimler and I went for a bike ride. I was feeling pretty cool… he was laughing under his breath I’m sure.
Suddenly there was as big CRASH! Ron’s peg had gotten into my front wheel as we were cruising down the sidewalk.
I flipped over the bars and narrowly missed Ron’s handlebar grip impaling me. His brake lever barely missed my eye but made a perfect bullseye through my stupid eyebrow ring and yanked that little badge of goon-dom right out of my face.
I can’t tell you how many times fate and good fortune have saved me from myself, but count this up as one of them. Thanks fate!
My theory is that Shimano uses their fishing reel background to create floppy wiggling fish like chain routings.
There’s no way around it, years of riding BMX have left me with a certain ignorance and fear of geared bikes. The idea of having a derailleur flopping around on the back of my bike scares the crap on me. Just seems like chain is going to pop off and all of that rattling and bouncing is just unnatural. It all just seems too fragile, and time and time again shifting systems have proven to be indeed too weak to withstand my over-tightening hit-it-with-a-hammer BMX mechanic skills.
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With all the cool companies like Sunday and Cult coming out with Oakley sunglasses collaborations we over at Fairdale were feeling a little left out. Then, on a recent flight up to Rays MTB I got an idea.
It had to be the most flatulent flight I have ever been on. I felt like I could almost see the choking green cloud of farts that was exploding from everyone around me. It was then that I set to work developing the technology to expose those who would take advantage of the airplane’s loud engine noise to let their bowels loose.
Introducing Fairdale In-fart-red imaging technology sunglasses.
Now you will truly know who “dealt-it”.
Getting on a big jet liner and leaving wonderful ole’ Austin for some snow and a dirty old warehouse in Cleveland. But, thats ok because I’m going to one of the wonders of the cycling world, Ray’s MTB park. They are having their annual grand re-opening for the year Nov 5-7. I won’t be able to ride too much, but I’ll be around and helping serve free food on saturday. Should be a good time and lots of amazing fun bike riding.
After the Cleveland opening, the next weekend actually, I will be heading over to Milwaukee to attend the grand opening of the brand new Ray’s there.
I haven’t even seen pictures of this park yet so I’m really excited to see it. Same drill as Cleveland… free food on saturday, and general celebration of opening the park. Milwaukee locals have to be stoked to get a Ray’s!
