WaferManeuver

Lately my single-speed Peugeot has been giving me some trouble. Earlier this year I’d noticed funny sounds coming from my bottom bracket - clicking, metallic sounds. I attempted a bottom bracket overhaul, only to find out the ball-bearing casing on one side of the spindle had been destroyed. I cleaned out the metal shards, and left the ball bearings there so that the bike would still function. For awhile this was actually much better.

Then, in the past couple weeks, the action had been getting increasingly worse, more metallic clicking sounds and a slight sticking sensation. I was getting fairly frustrated with the whole situation and thought to go in to a bike shop to get some advice on what to do: Can I resolve this by performing another bottom bracket overhaul? Is it even worth it to try?

I ended up going to Cascade Cycling to seek some expert knowledge. After describing the history and current behavior, their response was “Your bike is f#@*ked. And it’s pointless to attempt to fix it.” This was an answer I’d been fearing, though it didn’t come as a big surprise. I’d been thinking about replacing my everyday/commuting bike, as the Peugeot had obviously outlived its usefulness. Fortunately, they actually had a perfect bike solution for me right in the shop, an SE Lager. It’s basically an inexpensive single-speed, but with all brand-new, modern parts. It only costs $540, which is a remarkable deal considering the quality of components and the fact that any decent used bike in Portland usually runs $300. I’d thought of building up my own single-speed again, but at that cost, there’s no way I could make anything as good. So, now I am the extremely happy owner of the “Lager”, pictured below!

When I ride my bike to work in the mornings, I occasionally run into this older fellow with an average-looking commuter bike. He always stands out, as his clothes are highly unusual for any cyclist, and his bike has several homemade modifications. I was originally shocked to hear that he rides the entire distance from SE Portland to our work in Hillsboro every day, via Council Crest! (about 20 miles with a steep climb to 1100 ft) When I’m riding the full distance once or twice a week at best, this guy totally puts me to shame, and he’s probably twice my age.

Well, it turns out his name is Mark Allyn and he’s got a website. Check out his custom clothing and accessories.

I also found this profile of him by Jonathan Maus of Bike Portland.

Below is a sampling of his amazing light clothing.

(Photo © J. Maus)