Thursday, August 21, 2008

You Down With SPC?

Before I get going here, an apology to the people whose stuff I was (and still am) going to review. Got both, enjoyed both. Just want to make sure I do both your efforts justice. Cool? I promise they won't fall by the wayside. Um, like the FAQ, which I still have every intention of doing. Someday.

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Dear Stolen,

Interesting approach with your non-wedge wedge Pivotal. While Animal chose to go the traditional stem-wedge route, you chose to emulate Cinelli. Cool. Perhaps the fact that the entire base expands will put less pressure on butted seattubes. And kudos for actually making the post in two different lengths and acknowledging that not everyone wants their seat to double (make that triple) as a fender and toptube pad. Some of us still like sitting down on occasion.

Still, we can't help but think that that huge aluminum insert is heavier than a simple seatpost clamp. (Damn thing looks like a Russian nesting doll.) And the fact that you'll be offering a frame with no clamping area whatsoever, well, that's just plain wrong.


"Clampless frames are the future, the future is now"? For shame. Although we are curious about the other "unique Pivotal post" you'll be unveiling at Interbike. Just not curious enough to actually go. Hopefully it's honeycomb tubing sleeved with carbon fiber.

Sincerely,
–SPRFLS

P.S. Wanna buy a shirt?

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We The People cordially invite you to reconsider the simple fork:


What we have here, I believe, are hollow, closed dropouts. Which means you can kiss your faithful Vandero hub goodbye.

There is this: most new front hubs are being designed with three-piece axles, which means they would be compatible with this style of dropout. In fact, We The People is proposing a two-piece axle (more or less a nut and long bolt) that would simplify things even further. And such a design would prevent this from happening, which is good.

However.

(You knew there'd be a however, right?)

(Right?)

There's something about being able to take your bike apart easily that appeals to me. It's the reason I don't run an Elementary stem, and the reason my Wombolts occasionally drive me crazy (they work great, but I'm not eager to take my cranks entirely apart just to change sprockets). And with these forks, you'll obviously need to take both bolts out (and, in the case of us four-peggers) both pegs off just to take your wheel off. A small price to pay for increased strength and decreased weight? Perhaps. But there's something to be said for convenience. And I don't even travel with my bike all that much. Or, um, at all. It'll be interesting to see whether these catch on.

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Two more shirt designs I spent at LEAST five minutes combined on. Apologies to the real designers who read this blog:



I'm pretty psyched on the squirrel thing. Whatever it is. Meant to stretch the fur up to the shoulders, but that would have taken more time. And, you know, effort and stuff. It should also probably read "SQRLFLS?" on the hem. Dammit.

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I'd have been tempted to post this video even if the song wasn't used in a BMX video. Which it was.


19 comments:

Nick Ferreira said...

fo sho.

Anonymous said...

i dont understand this wedge system stuff, it dosent get any better than the integrated seat clamp because its simple. sood luck to stolen and animal selling those things because the trendy kids are way ahead of them with "the shoelace thing"

Anonymous said...

*good

Anonymous said...

All this killing of the noble seat clamp is just plain silly. But as we should all know, one company is trying to keep the dream alive:

Odyssey just released the Mr. Clampy Too.

MANMADE said...

Russ, lemme know if you need print work. I am workin for a few diff companies now and can print you whatever you need. manmadethreads@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

Voices! Dan Cox's section, yessssss

Anonymous said...

SQRLFLS? shirt is amazing. make it.

Anonymous said...

1. Stop posting your horrible designs; e-mail them to me and I'll do them justice in 24 hours.

2. My Elementary freaks me out, man. If anybody has a black Enduro with gyro tabs, holler at me.

3. Call me, or better yet, move to fucking Portland already.

4. I'm hammered.

Broadband is so much nicer than stealing the neighbors' wireless connection.

Loop said...

It's got to be the Animal Chin shirt (your second design not your first).

Anonymous said...

I'm currently working on a design that will eliminate both the seat post clamp and the seat post. No, it doesn't involve zip ties or shoe laces. Yes, it will work with pivitol or railed saddles.

Also, I have the best scary mammal all over print shirt design EVAR.

Shit will drop at interbike, look the fuzz out, BMX world.

Anonymous said...

Did Stolen just use the word "sexy" in relation to a bmx frame? O.k. just checking...the downfall continues. The Animal Chin / seat post clamp shirt is a classic in the making. How many more have to state this before order forms are up?

Anonymous said...

russ likes little boys

Anonymous said...

I've got to say it's funny, Russ, that you're "famous" for saying "Who wears BMX shirts anyway?"--to the point where FBM used that on their website--and in the past couple days you've designed a baker's dozen of them. Not to say I wouldn't buy a few, though you've got to see how easy it is for a company like Animal to say, "Jeans? Fuck, why not?"

In terms of the future being clampless, I ordered a custom Metal Rebel Contender from S&M specifically so I could have a non-integrated seat tube. Old guy, shitty back, quick release clamp. Raise it for cruising to the spot, lower it at the spot. Of course, I had to custom order my "old tyme" seat tube.

Goddamned kids! Stop jumpin' in my junipers!

Anonymous said...

I bet you could rig up a quick release thingy to work with an integrated clamp. Dude who has a post-less, clamp-less idea: is it cutting teeth out of the seat tube to accomidate a pivitol, then sticking a star fangled nut in the seat tube? Then when you want a post, you simply slide a clamp over the toothy area and take the star nut out?

Anonymous said...

No, Anonymous. I believe want Anonymous was hinting at was Super-Glue.

Anonymous said...

If someone made a cock-and-balls stem and a butthole seat post clamp to match riders' wardrobes, this wedges-in-everything problem would go away.

Michael said...

What the hell? I dont get it what is wrong with seat post clamps there perfect. Why fix what isn't broken?

Anonymous said...

the best part was where it said "this part held up for our pros so it will hold up for you" HAHAHAHAHA! i can't believe that shit!

Anonymous said...

why do you complain about new products, your not forced to buy them or even look at them. make your own parts if you hate new ones, stop cursing your dans comp catalog and ride. seriously, complaining makes you sound like a bunch of punk skaters.