handlebars

 

these are the current family bikes in use

no two bar set-ups the same

Family portrait

was sweeping out the back verandah

or patio, if you prefer

and had to move all the bikes.

so time for a group photo.

I counted 11.

Why are bike components all black these days?

standard issue beto packrack.

like most accessories these days

powdercoated black.

people seem to accept that this is the shade 

components have to be.

same rack

stripped back to bare aluminium.

now which looks better?

a 'no-brainer' as the young people say these days.

26" to 650b conversion - cantilever brakes

650b is bigger than the 26" wheel this bike was made for

so there is almost 10mm of difference in brake position.

old shimano altus cantis have enough up and down adjustability

to line up well with the rim

even when the braze on position is for the smaller size.

Gary's new cluster

first it was the crabon cadex

now I have a bike with more than 12 gears

the 650b rear wheel on the HKII fits an 8 speed cassette

so now I look down and I can hardly count all the cogs

Gary in France, which is in Fitzroy

bit of distressed French provincial for the calendar shot

outside the parisian branch of tokyo bike

in peel st

they really are japanese in there

Gary's new 'guards II - the leather

close ups of the new mudguards.
the front one is a bit long but it's mounting point at the front fork is fixed
besides, it only scrapes if I roll down a gutter
so I mono down instead.
leather strip stops the mudguard rattling against the inside of the fork.
trés belle, non?

Gary's new mudguards

new old stock from Ephraim in Brunswick

these mudguards are for 26" mountain bikes

but fit the bigger 650b wheels and ultrawide tyres no probs.

mounting hardware is a bit iffy but so far nothing's broke.

pretty good for $20 a pair including stays and bolts and everything.

speaking of Gary

saw that the new Fisher plastic road-bike has 

gasp

high flange hubs

in

double gasp

silver

with

double gasp again

circular cut-outs

could never spend 3 grand on a plastic bike

but its reassuring to know what's old

is new again

HooKooKechoo parlez vous?

gary has gone decidedly french

his frame geometry and cantilever brake braze-ons

allowing me to experiment with a 650b wheel set-up

and the lovely grand bois hétre tyres.

1990 Hoo Koo E Koo converted to 650b

something about those ochre tyres... 

they just make you want to ride the bike

all the time.

actually they look strange without mudguards.

old shimano altus canti brakes give some more up-down adjustment

for the brake pads, as the new 650b's are bigger than the old 26" mtb wheels.

so

are they the shite?

well being bigger than the old wheels, there's definitely more roll to them.

only done about 30kms on them so too soon to tell.

the stronglight 49d cranks are working beautifully

with the deore mechs.

thanks to michiji. click here to see the whole very informative page and tasty pics

for the record

here is a very informative page about this bike in its original glory

maybe one of the last Gary Fishers before he sold the company

Deore hack

after looking around for a front derailleur that had a flat outer plate and

a big enough clamp for Gary's massive tube

I realised that there was nothing for it

but to do some home surgery

here is where the kink used to be before I hammered it flat
look away old skool MTB purists.

now the derailleur can move the chain to the big ring
without clipping the crank arm as it goes around.
twas never made for such narrow tread cranks as these Stronglights

the other thing was to reattach the front and rear derailleur plates

to take up the slack — easily done by bolting the return of the outer plate to the opposite side

of the inner one.

you can also see a small amount of kink remaining in the outer plate.

oversized tubing requires an unusual clamping method.
trawled through a lot of old front mechs and never saw another
with a steel band like this.
attaches like a brake lever with an allen bolt ratcheting down the band
so that it cinches tight.

Gary Fisher - touring version

gary has his gears back
and a new crankset
and a better handlebar position
such a heavy frame needs at least a double ring at the front.
now he just needs mudguards to be the complete tourer.

Stronglight & TA

Eurobin ride

rode from Wandi to Eurobin falls.
with a few detours along the way, 74 kms I think.
but harder on the Fisher than it had to be.
a magic morning.
shots of Wandi and Buckland Valleys.

Gary F as a SS

twas a sweet ride, as they say, but light as a boat anchor.

apologies for unartistic shot.