The Surly Cross Check: a Colourful Build

Two months ago, the Co-Habitant got a Surly Cross Check frame that he wanted to build up as a fun on/off road bike around a touring wheelset with fat tires that we already had in our possession. He is getting a nice roadbike later this summer (waiting for the frame to be finished!), and the Surly was meant to be "the other bike" - a playful, go-anywhere bike built around an inexpensive frame, mostly using components we already had. He swiftly put the bike together and has now cycled about 500 miles on it. The Cross Check is technically a cyclocross frame, but it is versatile and can also be used for touring and commuting. Given its unusual build, we've had many questions about this bike and so I offer a review on the Co-Habitant's behalf.





The most noteworthy aspect of the build, is that we were able to fit the frame withSchwalbeFat Frank tires and metal fenders. This looks great, and the tires feel awesome, but to tell the truth the whole thing was a pain. The Cross Check is described as being able to fit tires up to 45mm with fenders, but the Fat Franks are 50mm. It was a tight fit that required some DIY. Initially we wanted to useBerthoudsteel fenders, which are available in 700Cx60mm, but the Co-Habitant was not impressed with their quality upon seeing them in person. He also dislikes plastic fenders and did not want to use SKS. In the end he decided to get the Velo Orange Zeppelin 700c x 52mm fenders (which are rated for 42mm tire), and "massage" them to fit.





Out of the box,the fenders were too tight: The edges touched the sides of the tires and there was not enough space under the brake bridge and behindthe seat tube to mount them high. So, the fenders had to beopened up. But when you open up a fender that's 52mm, it no longer follows the line of a 700C tire, instead making the opening much smaller. So while opening the fender, it had to also be stretched out - taking care not to crimpthe edges. To do this, he used a flat low table holding the fender upside down against its surface and pressing down gently, rolling it end to end - opening and pressing down. Pressing down would close the fender and opening it would alter the curvature, so the back and forth balanced out the opposing forces.





For the front fender there was sufficientclearance underneath the fork crown, but inthe rear there was less clearance - thebrake bridge is quite low and thechainstays are short. He had to dent the top of the rear fender (which isn'tvisible) in order to get it closer to the brake bridge, then fabricate a customcircular-L-bracket to hold the fender in place, screwed into the eyeletof the brake bridge. To dent the fender, he placed it on some clothing on the top edge of the back of achair, then hit it with a rubberized end of a pedal wrench, creating agrooved dimple. He also had to dentthe ends so that they wouldn't pinch near the bottom bracket.It was a bit of an ordeal, and if you are going to attempt this beware that it is easy to ruin the fender - it may not be a risk worth taking.





Happily, the "massaging" was a success and the Cross-Check looks great with the fat cream tires and the VO Zeppelin fenders. The ride is fast and cushy, and the Co-Habitant is discovering just how addictive wide tires are. On the downside, the clearances between the tires and fenders are so tight, that the set-up is not really practical for serious off-road cycling: stuff can get caught in there and cause problems. But for fire trails and gravel paths it is fine, and if he decides to do anything more serious (like the D2R2!), he will remove the fenders.





The rest of the build for this bicycle has mostly already been described here, but a few changes have been made since then. The original shortish stem has been replaced with a 9cm stem, flipped upside down. The original yellow cloth tape got filthy and tattered fairly quickly, so we replaced it with Fizik tape. Initially, the cloth tape was supposed to be shellacked to a warm caramel - but the bright yellow looked so "right" on this bike, that it began to seem like an inherent part of its personality and he decided to keep it that way. He also added a frame pump, lamenting the lack of pump peg and using a strap to hold it in place.





After two years in a lukewarm relationship with his BrooksFlyer saddle, he decided to sell it and replace it with a Berthoudtouring saddle - the male version of the one I now have on my Rivendell. So far he loves it.





He fitted the bike with theCarradicebag that used to be on his old bike.





It now has a patch on it, to cover the tear that happened as a result of the bag rubbing over the brake cable on his old bike.





He affixed a CatEyeheadlight to a braze-on on the front fork, and a SpanningaPixeo tail light to the rear fender.






He tried to liberate himself from clipless pedals and rode the bike with touring pedals for a few weeks, but ultimately could not take it anymore and put his old clipless pedals back on. Fair enough, but this does limit the versatility he originally had in mind for the bike.




After riding theSurlyCross Check for two months, his main feedback is that the bike is faster than he expected - even with the wide tires and a bunch of weight in the saddlebag. While initially he intended to use the Cross Check in conjunction with his oldMotobecaneuntil he got his new roadbike, theMotobecane was retired as soon as he started riding theSurly- no need for it, since the Cross Check did everything it could do and more. He does not find the bike sluggish, and it seems that the tubing is just right for someone of his stature (6ft/ 200lb+). Overall, he is pretty happy. Though he likes lugs, he also likes a nicely done TIG-welded frame and theSurlysuits him just fine.





My take on his Cross Check... I think it is a well-made, attractive frame for the price and I am glad that he finds it comfortable and fast. To be honest, I think that at least to some extent this build was not so much about practicality, as about doing a fun and challenging project using a bunch of components that we had acquired but had no use for. If the original purpose of the bike was off-road, then the tire+fender combo with such tight clearances does not really make sense. I have a feeling that he will end up using it mainly on the road, because I can't imagine him bothering to remove and reinstall the fenders every time he wants to take it on serious trails. And this means that when he gets his long-awaited road frame later this summer, the functionalities of the two bikes will overlap considerably. Not that there's anything wrong with that. But given how much he likes theSurlyI am almost worried that he might be disappointed with the special bike he's waiting for. Well, hopefully not.



On a more general note, while the Cross Check is clearly versatile enough for commuting and touring, I wonder whether many cyclists actually use it for cyclocross racing. I have a hard time imagining that, given how relatively heavy it is - even the floor models with narrower tires and sportier components. But maybe I'm just biased from having handled too many lightweight bikes recently.



The SurlyCross Check is a fun bike with a cult following, and it is particularly impressive how customisable the frame is. With its happy colours, fat cream tires, elegant fenders and classic touring accessories, the Co-habitant's Cross Check is distinctly his own.

Goodbye Camaguey and off to Bayamo!

We slept very well in Camaguey. We liked our room, colonial styled yet simple, and I made sure that the air-conditioning is blowing on my side of the bed and not on Blondine’s. She cannot handle the air-conditioning while I cannot sleep without it. This is the dilemma we always have when travelling together which is quite odd.

Blondine, who is born in the Netherlands have low tolerance with the cold weather. She is always bundled up at 15C when we go out and cannot handle too much air-conditioning otherwise she will get sick. While I, born and bred in the tropics prefer to go out at 15C (as long as it’s not too windy) without a coat and will not survive the night if it’s too warm in the bedroom. I prefer the air-conditioning blowing on my face and body. Odd, I know.

Breakfast at Camino de Hierro Hotel in Camaguey consists of papaya shake and fresh tropical fruits: guava, pineapple and mango. Then we had some omelette as well.

Across the hotel we saw young students waiting for the rain to stop.

We woke up quite early the next day and had our breakfast before 8 in the morning. We were first served with fruits and a papaya fruit shake. Then we had omelette and some bread. Healthy start for the day I must say.

After breakfast we went to the bank and withdrew money against our Mastercard credit cards. The transaction went smooth and quick. We were actually a bit worried that the same problem at Sancti Spiritus will occur (no connection with Havana), but everything went on as planned.

Funnily, the cashier at the bank asked Blondine to sign on the paper several times because her signature varies greatly from her other signatures. This is (backward) banking in Cuba which means lots of paper trail and signature samples matching each other. Reminds me of the Philippines 15 years ago when I worked at a large IT multinational there. I was managing the payment solutions product line and my customers are the top 20 banks of the country. Back then, there were more banks and mergers are not heard of. I used to sit down with managers and executives discussing about paper trail and how to eliminate this through digitalization. It was a difficult and tedious subject because many banks then were not ready. I am sure the situation in the Philippines now has changed. Here in the Netherlands banking has become teller-less and paperless, and I love it.

Our next main destination is Santiago de Cuba located at the southern tip of the country, and is the second largest city of Cuba. However, we will have a stopover at Bayamo for lunch and a quick city tour.

Click here to check our route: Cuban Road Trip

Manuevering our way around Camaguey. Finding our way out of the city to the main road without a street-detailed map is always a challenge.

Finally, we are on the main road to Bayamo!

While on the way to Bayamo, we encountered this charming Paladar Paraiso 672 along the highway. Here, we stopped for some coffee break. Camaguey to Bayamo is about 3 hours so this was a timely break in our journey.

I ordered the usual black Cuban coffee while Blondine had hers with some milk. She did not like the milk in it. I think in Cuba you better stick to drinking pure coffee with a bit of sugar. You can get good coffee in Cuba almost everywhere. And do trust me because I know good coffee.

This is one of the few nice pitstops in Cuba. CUC$1 for coffee. Take note this is between Camaguey and Bayamo.

Such a Sad Sight

Mother Nature dumped about four inches of snow overnight in Northern Indiana. The wind has done more damage to the daffodils than the snow though. They had just started to bloom yesterday. They'll survive, just a little worse for the wear… and maybe not quite as pretty as they would have been.

Spring Evening at High Falls

Grand Portage State Park, MN. The water level at High Falls right now is perfect for doing long exposures and capturing many layers of water. Get there and visit the falls now while the water conditions are optimum for this kind of shot!


These photos were taken a few days ago at Grand Portage State Park in Northeast Minnesota. After the ice broke up on the river this year, the water level was initially at a level of 3.5 feet. A few days after the ice-out, the river level was at 8 feet. Since then, the river level dropped a bit to just over 5 feet, but it is now on the rise again. With more moisture in the forecast for the next day or two, it may reach 8 feet again (or more!). This weekend is shaping up to be another great one to view the falls... come out and see it while the water is high!

A PASSALONG PLANT FROM MY FATHER

Under his tall and tough exterior, my dad was a flowering shrub kind of guy. A few years after his return from World War II, he and mom bought an empty one-acre lot out in “the sticks” to the southwest of Chicago, where they built the only home they’d ever own. The yard tree behind my father’s childhood bungalow on the South side was an Ailanthus, often called Tree of Heaven. If you’re a movie fan, you know it as A Tree that Grows in Brooklyn. Dad planted a seedling from Grandma’s Tree of Heaven on the treeless acre, along with other species recommended for ‘fast shade’, like Silver Maples & Honey Locust. Some grew, some died, and over time my parents added young Spruces and Junipers, Yews, a Sycamore, a Saucer Magnolia, various Ashes, a Catalpa, Pears, an Apple whip and Bur Oaks.

Dad planted the front and sides of the lot with flowering shrubs: Lilacs, Snowball Viburnum, Forsythias, Weigelas, Annabelle Hydrangeas, Honeysuckles, Rose-of-Sharon, Bridal Wreath Spiraea, and my favorite fragrant Mockorange, cloned from a plant that his mother brought to Chicago from her family’s Michigan farm. When we moved from Illinois to Texas nearly seven years ago, I hand-carried a 6” seedling, a descendent of the original plant. It spent six years in containers, growing to 20 inches in height, and in February the little heirloom was finally planted in a special new garden, an area that is still being renovated. I was happy to see its fragrant white flowers appear in June. One of my songs is called “Everybody Needs A Secret Garden”, and now Dad’s Mockorange blooms in mine.

The Best Gear of /

I am lucky enough to see a lot of new gear. The "new" generally gets started at the Outdoor Retailershow in January where products are shown for Fall delivery of that year, 9 or 10 months later.But that is only half the story as many of the European manufactures don't import everything in their production lines (or show them at the Outdoor Retailer Show in Salt Lake City) into North America or sometimes just not into theUSA. You have to keep up on the Web sites or make a visit to Chamonix to see what is really being used and collecting a buzz..



For the first time and not the last here is my list of the best gear of /. My season is generally broken up by the Fall delivery of new ice gearso I'll try to do update the listevery year justas summer gets started.



But unlike the yearly picks of some of the magazines once you make the list it is going to take a new and most importantly, a better piece of kit."in my opinion" to get knocked off THE list.



My list here is gear I actually choose to use over all the gear I have available to me. Nothing listed here that I don't have multiple choices of and have tried or still use some of those other options. But when pushed what I have listed is the"best of the best" for my own use. Once in a while price point helps make that decision but not often. But it has on this list so it is worth mentioning.What is listed hereis what I would cut my gear room down to if I have to make the hard choices choices or just own one. No surprise if some of this stuff isn't on your own list. That is what makes a horse race and keeps every one in business. Feel free to share your list as well in the comments or tell me why I missed the mark. Some categories are still missing, stoves, tents and sleeping bags for instance. And some times I have just skipped categories as it gets really confusing even to me.If there is not category listed I have yet to make up my mind or haven't used the gear enough to make a knowledgeable comment.. At some point I'll get to those as well but in a blog effort first before adding them to the list.



If you haven't read this blog first for context, you should:



http://coldthistle.blogspot.com//01/gear-smear.html



"Remember what works for me may not work for you. Always take my comments with a grain of salt and trust your own observations. I can only write what I see or experience. I don't pretend to know much, let alone know everything. Do your own research...learn through your own experience when you can what works for you. Then compare notes with anyone you can find that has similar interests, experiences or goals. Type it into Google. And always consider the original source."



If you have read much of the blog...few of these will come as any surprise.

What I have reviewed on the blog is marked (reviewed). You should be able to find those reviewswith the search function.







CLOTHING (the outstanding pieces)



long under wear bottoms (available again fall '11)

Costco Paradox

http://www.costcoconnection.com/connection/09/?pg=51#pg51



base layer top

Mountain Hardware Integral Long Sleeve Crew



http://www.mountainhardwear.com/mens-clothing/mens,default,sc.html



lt hoody (reviewed)

Sherpa Adventure Gear Khushi Merino woolhoody (available fall '11)

http://www.sherpaadventuregear.com/



med hoody (reviewed)

Patagonia R1 Hoody

http://www.patagonia.com/



pants

Arcteryx Gamma Lt

http://www.arcteryx.com/?EN



Bibs

NW Alpine Alpinist bib (reviewed)

http://nwalpine.com/



Sweater (reviewed)

Arcteryx Atom Lt Hoody

http://www.arcteryx.com/?EN



Insulated jacket (reviewed)

Arcteryx Atom SV

http://www.arcteryx.com/?EN



Down sweater (reviewed)

EB hooded sweater

http://www.eddiebauer.com/home.jsp?siteId=2



Down Jacket (reviewed)

Norrona Lyngen

http://www.backcountry.com/mens-down-jackets

http://www.norrona.com/



Shell

Westcomb Epoc in Neoshell (available Fall '10) (reviewed)

http://www.westcomb.com/



glove liners

Black Diamond Med weight Liner

http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/



gloves

Mountain Hardware Hydra (reviewed)



http://www.mountainhardwear.com/mens-clothing/mens,default,sc.html



Head gear (reviewed)

Sauce

http://www.sauceheadwear.com/main.php



Eye Wear

Smith goggles

http://www.smithoptics.com/products/#/Snow+Goggles/



Native glasses

http://www.nativeyewear.com/



Socks

Wigwam

http://www.wigwam.com/







BOOTS

single boots

Scarpa Phantom Ultra (reviewed)



http://it.scarpa.net/prodotti/high-altitude/



double boots

La Sportiva Spantik (reviewed)



http://www.sportiva.com/products







TECHNICAL GEAR



Biner (reviewed)

Trango Super Fly wire gate

http://www.trango.com/carabiners_draws/SuperFly-carabiners



Locking biner (reviewed)

Trango Super Fly

http://www.trango.com/carabiners_draws/SuperFly-carabiners



Belay biner (reviewed)

Black Diamond Gridlock

http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/



Belay device (reviewed)

Petzl Reverso 3

http://www.petzl.com/us/outdoor



Brass Stoppers (hard to find in the USA)

RPs

http://www.climbinganchors.com.au/products/RP%27s-Brass-Nuts-Individual-Nuts.html?utm_source=getprice&utm_medium=cpc



http://rockandice.com/articles/how-to-climb/article/1129-the-guy-whose-nuts-revolutionized-climbing-rp



Stoppers

Wild Country Rocks

http://www.wildcountry.co.uk/



Cams

Wild Country Helium Friends

http://www.wildcountry.co.uk/



dbl ropes

Beal Ice Twins

http://www.beal-planet.com/sport/anglais/index.php



Single rope

Beal Joker

http://www.beal-planet.com/sport/anglais/index.php



Pitons

Black Dianmond Bugaboos

http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/



Ice tools

Petzl Ergo (reviewed)

http://www.petzl.com/us/outdoor



Crampons

Petzl Dartwin (reviewed)

http://www.petzl.com/us/outdoor



Ice Screws

Grivel Helix (reviewed)

http://www.grivel.com/



Umbilical

Blue Ice Boa (reviewed)

http://www.blueice.com/en



Accessory

Cold Thistle Hammer (totally biased opinion)

http://coldthistletools.blogspot.com//08/ice-climbing-gear.html



Helmet

Petzl Meterior III

http://www.petzl.com/us/outdoor



Harness

Petzl HIRUNDOS

http://www.petzl.com/us/outdoor



Gear sling

Metolius (reviewed)

http://www.metoliusclimbing.com/



Dynamic sling

Mammut Shock Absorber Dyneema

http://www.mammut.ch/#



Tech watch

Polar

http://www.polarusa.com/us-en/



Small Pack

Cold Cold World Ozone (reviewed)

http://www.coldcoldworldpacks.com/



MOUNTAINEERING SKI GEAR

Boot

TLT 5 Mountain TX (version not currently available in North America but two other TLT 5s are)

http://www.dynafit.com/products-winter/boots.html



Hard snowski

Dynafit Se7en Summit SL

http://www.dynafit.com/products-winter/skis-skins.html



Soft snow ski

La Sportiva Hi5

http://www.sportiva.com/products(availalble Fall '10)



Bindings

Non DIN

Dynafit Low Tech Race

http://www.dynafit.com/products-winter/bindings.html



DIN (well not DIN but releasable)

La Sportiva RT

http://www.sportiva.com/products



Best piece of retro gear

Dachstien Mitts

http://www.ortovox.com/classic-wool

Clipless vs Power Grips

After using Power Grips for the past two years, last week I switched to a clipless setup (Crankbrothers Candy 3 pedals and Mavic Cyclo Tour shoes). Having ridden with the new setup for about 100 miles now, it's pretty clear that I will be sticking with it. And while the feel of riding with Power Grips is still fresh on my mind, I wanted to compare my impressions of the two systems.



The purpose of both Power Grips and clipless pedals is to provide foot retention, which many roadcyclists find useful. Power Grips are thick diagonal straps that bind your feet to the pedals while still allowing easy escape. They can be worn with street shoes. To extract your foot, you must slide it back while rotating the heel outward. Clipless pedals contain binding mechanisms that latch on to the cleats attached to the bottom of cycling shoes. They can only be worn with special shoes.To extract your foot, you must rotate the heel outward until the cleat disengages from the pedal.



As far as foot retention, I do not feel a huge benefit to using clipless over Power Grips (assuming that the Grips are adjustedtightly). In two years of using the latter, never once have my feet accidentally come out. With the clipless setup, the connection to the pedals is more secure and more precise, but in all honesty I am not sure it's necessarily "better" as far as power transfer and what not, at least not for someone at my current level of ability. I have not noticed any difference in speed after switching to clipless.



The ease of clipping in and unclipping feels about the same. Having found a brand and model of clipless pedals I am comfortable with, I do not experience difficulty using them. Clipping in does require more precision than sliding my foot inside a Power Grip, but once mastered it is actually faster. Clipping out is very similar to extracting my foot from a Grip, requiring the same rotation of the heel. The time it takes me to unclip is about the same.



The main reason I prefer my new clipless setup to Power Grips - and this was entirely unexpected - is that I find it considerably more comfortable.I had not even realised how much discomfort I was experiencing until I switched to the clipless shoes. Before I would occasionally get blisters and numbness from the straps, which is no longer an issue. And it's great not to feel anything pressing down on top of my feet. I do not feel the spots where my shoes attach to the pedals, so there is no pressure on the soles of my feet either.



Needless to say, these are all just my personal impressions and are by no means intended as some definitive verdict. I've been getting requests for a comparison and did not want to wait until the memory of using Power Grips faded. As before,I think Power Grips are a fantastically useful product for those who do not feel comfortable with clipless pedals or simply do not want the commitment of having to wear special cycling shoes on their roadbike. I have done paceline rides and fast group rides with Power Grips, and it's been fine.That said, the difference in comfort I've experienced makes me glad I've finally mastered clipless, and I don't see myself going back.

A Walk Along the River :: San Antonio

After leaving Davis Mountains State Park (on December 10th), I spent the day driving to San Antonio. The fog wasn't too bad once I left the mountains and got onto the Interstate Highway and I didn't get into any significant rain until about an hour from the city.



I spent three nights in San Antonio with my friend Diana. She is also a Joslin cousin (3rd cousin once removed). Her great grandfather, Luther Joslin, was a brother to my great-great grandmother, Malissa Mariah Joslin Brubaker Bower. Our families made contact for the first time in 1968, lost contact a few years later, then were reunited in 1999 through the wonders of the internet! The folks I'll be staying with in Louisiana for the holidays are also descendants of Luther. Don't you love it when distant family members become friends too?



One evening we ventured down to the Riverwalk for a stroll and supper. All types of Cafes and Restaurants line both sides of the river for a considerable distance. And, of course, the area was all decked out with lights for the holidays.





Trees were wrapped with lights on every branch and all the way to the top!





It was a rather cool evening but not uncomfortable – if you could stay out of the wind!





I hesitated to include this photo since it is out of focus, but I think it provides more of the ambiance of the evening. I actually kind of like it! Just consider it an “impressionistic” rendition of the Riverwalk...

Cherry Tree

The cherry tree si on the left. The deer come here to eat grass.

My Genea-Mecca Sojourn is Coming to an End

After six weeks in Salt Lake City, I'll be leaving Sunday morning. It has been a satisfying and frustrating experience. Although no breakthroughs have been made, more documents have been gathered that add to the understanding of some of the ancestors. Of course, some of those documents have generated more questions - a few which will likely never be answered. But that is the nature of genealogy and family history research, which is a seemingly never-ending obsession.



In addition to research at the library, I've also been working on cleaning up my Legacy database. It is a slow and tedious process but I'm starting to have a good feeling about it. There is still a lot to be done with it but there is light at the end of the tunnel. One of the benefits of this process is that some of the "holes" in my research have been identified and I was able to obtain a few of those missing documents here in Salt Lake City.



One of the highlights of my visit here was being able to spend some time with Denise Levenick, The Family Curator. Denise was here for five days, coming a few days prior to the Utah Genealogical Association's Spring Conference where she was the keynote speaker and gave several presentations. It was a very nice change of pace to have someone to bounce ideas off of and just talk about stuff.





One evening, A.C. Ivory joined us for dinner at The Garden restaurant on the 10th floor of the Joseph Smith Building. Lots of laughing and talking - and we also enjoyed the sunset over the valley!







What's up next?



The coast of California will be my next stop, for about a week of "just relaxing" then I'll be meeting up with some of my Joslin cousins in Missouri in mid-May. After that, I'll be returning to Indiana to "settle down" into a somewhat "normal" life - whatever that is!



G.R.I.P. is on the agenda in July. I'll be attending "Your Immigrant Ancestors’ Stories: Writing a Quality Narrative" with John Philip Colletta and Michael Hait and in August I'll be going to the FGS Conference in Fort Wayne. I'm looking forward to seeing some of genea-peeps again and soaking in some knowledge that will, hopefully, help with the research process.

Roses are Red ...and Welded in Steel

While I enjoy receiving flowers on special occasions, it's always a little sad when they wilt. So for our anniversary a couple of weeks ago, I asked my husband for a steel rose from Spooky Bikes. With Valentine's Day coming up, I thought I'd mention it and post some pictures. These beautiful roses will last, and they make for a lovely way to mark an occasion while supporting a local artisan.I love mine; it is even nicer in person than in pictures.







Spooky Bikesare somewhat of a cult manufacturer, making road, cyclocross and mountain bikes in Bellows Falls, Vermont. I met them at theNew England Builders Balla few months ago and had a chance to see a few of their bikes. The steel roses are a side project, welded by Chris Traverse ("...alone with my cat and my coffee making roses that will make other people smile...").The majority of proceeds will benefit theSunset Ranch BMX Parkin Western Massachusetts, which Chris established and continues to grow.






The roses are made of a mild steel, one petal at a time. The petals, hand-tooled leaves and braided weld-wire stem are then TIG-welded. They are available in a raw finish, or dipped in bright red acrylic paint.My rose is the red-dipped version. Only the tips of the petals are dipped in paint, still leaving sections closer to the base raw. The bare steel and the rainbow rings around the welds contrast nicely with the liquid look of the red. It is a dramatic, visually textured combination. The appearance of the flower is natural and organic, not cartoony.






There is variation in the shape of each petal, each stem, each flower.As it ages, there will be increasing natural colour variation.The steel looks delicate, but feels rather strong.






The roses are available as single flowers ($33), vines ($85), and dozen roses bouquets($250), in both the raw and the red-dipped finish. Order soon in you want yours to be made in time for Valentines Day. Delight your darling and support our local bicycling craftsmen. A beautiful combination.




Says welder Chris Traverse: "The look on my friends faces when they pull into the trails to see what's new to ride is the same look on people's faces when they open up one of my roses." Chris has had an interesting history. Read his full statementhere.