30th Century Bicycle

We had a new Surly project this week.

The Surly Karate Monkey (not to be confused with Hockey Monkey, the classic ditty by James Kochalka Superstar and the Zambonis)  comes as a singlespeed 29’er mountain bike.  We switched the rear wheel out for an Alfine 8 speed IGH and fendered it up to make it a simple yet badass commuting machine.

The Alfine can rock the disc brake and that Velocity rim is reflective for extra cool factor.

A beautiful bike that is ready for anything!

We are almost full stock on studded tires.  We got Nokian Mount & Grounds in today.

Winter: stick to it!

Have 700c Nokians showing up tomorrow, and we have a good stock of 26 and 700c offerings from 45Nrth, too.  And a spare pair of Kenda Klondike 26″.  And a set of Hakkeplitta 240’s if you need to be totally gnarly.  In other commuter bike news, we have a pile of Alfine Generator hubs, and would love to build you a custom wheel for your ride.

The Darkness:  love it!

Starting at $250 built, depending on your rim and spoke needs, including the Planet Bike Blaze light.  Come in to consult if you would like to light your own way and say goodbye to batteries!

Steve has been without an X for a few months, and it finally got to him, so a new longtail came together over the weekend.

The once sleek singlespeed MASI Speciale Commuter got a WALD basket up front and Xtracycle FreeRadical attachment with drive side wideloader in back.

The FSA Patterson Transmission got the call and initial impressions are all smiles, the gearing range (28t/45t) is pretty ideal for Xtracycling when empty or loaded.

Mission Control.  Suntour power shifters, a computer to tell the time and keep track of yearly hauling mileage, and the bell I was awarded for that one time I rode over 300 miles across Iowa on gravel roads keeps an eye on me and alerts anyone who needs alerting to my presence.

Suntour derailler handles the 9 speed cassette with ease.  That  handbuilt rear wheel has proven time and again that it can carry it’s own weight, so to speak.

For those really long loads the Bikes at Work trailer hitch tucks in nicely with a chunk of rim shim.

Tested it out first for home and then shop recycling.

And assorted canister relocation projects.

Then, to replace the MASI as the go fast townie it hauled my old LeMond Poprad down to the shop this morning for it’s makeover.  If you have a bike, and stuff, and want to move both of them from place to place together, we highly recommend an Xtracycle as a great way to do it!

While riding on the Coralville bike paths last week I (Steve) was surprised to see this sign.

There are some trails running through the woods out that way.  Fairly low key, built by a handful of volunteers over the years.  Great for a quick mountain bike ride, and lots of folks can be seen running on them and walking dogs and what not.  Those kind of activities (well, okay, it’s just the mountain biking) can cause serious harm to an ecologically sensitive area, which this sign informs us we are right in the middle of. So imagine my surprise when I had ridden just 0.15 miles to the west on the 8 foot wide multi-use path and I came across this!

Yep, that is a parking lot on Camp Cardianal Rd the size of a football field under construction where trees used to be.  Apparently in the eyes of Coralville a parking lot is much better, ecologically speaking, than say a dirt singletrack trail through the woods.

Or a gas line, there are now 2 that cross this ecologically sensitive area just a bit to the east.

Thar’s gas in them thar clearcuts!

Ecological sensitivity or industrialized autocentric domination, Coralville proves you can have both?

At White Rabbit for a Wake Up dirty chai this morning when this caught my eye.

Handprinted on an antique press right here in Iowa.  Suitable for framing, suitable for doing!

MK Fenders have been getting some attention around here as of late.

Once again, it is pretty easy to up a bike’s wow-factor with fully shaped wood fenders.

If this vintage lugged Trek, possibly actually made in Wisconsin(?!), becomes the winter bike, those fenders will see you on the other side of spring.  Just ’cause they’re wood, don’t mean they ain’t as hearty as a winter rider.

Remember this one?

Split tubes plus wood fenders equals BOOM!  This may be the tightest clearance we’ve seen on an MK Fender install.  Narrow margins but clean lines nonetheless.

We also have a Voodoo Agwe currently in-shop that is getting a deluxe build-up.  It, too, may be getting the MK treatment in the near future.  Photos forthcoming.

Look out – our bike shop is about to get bigger!  We can barely turn around in here without knocking over this or that, and we want to have more room to better serve you with your every bicycle need so we are going to take over the next door space right here at 310 E Prentiss St.  The move will begin on December 1st, and we plan to remain open through the entire reorganization with only a couple of long nights and weekends for us.

All that will change for you is that our door will switch to the South side of the building, and there will be more elbow room for all of us.  And bike room!  See you in the future,

30th Century Bicycle

Big excitement here at 30th Century Bicycle World HQ.

New bike commuting stuff showed up!  Generator hubs and lights, sure, but they are not new.  Check out this crankset from FSA!

Yep, it looks like a spaceship or a showerhead or something, but it is a single chainring 2 speed crankset!

The inner workings.  28t chainring that magically expands to 42t through the unknown wonders of planetary gears.  You can shift while stopped or pedaling like crazy.  This is destined for one of our bikes unless one of you’uns gets in here and buys it out from under us – which we encourage you to do.  It is not the lightest thing we have ever lifted, pushing 1,800 grams, but it sure is neat, and we are confident it will complement a singlespeed or IGH winter bike set up perfectly.