Luna Cycles 720.252.2774 www.lunacycles.com

PRICES REDUCED!

2012-01-22T14:53:00.005-07:00

Okay, friends, here is what I haven't sold, and must sell this week. Prices are ridiculously low, but I will consider all offers up til Jan 31! I'm not interested in shipping anything subtotaling less than $20. Expect a minimum of $10 for shipping any order. Thanks.

4 Misc disc tabs. I asked $18, but I'll now take $10 for all 4.

Weldmold 880T .035 (0.9mm) stainless rod. Goes for like $30/lb from the manufacturer. I will sell you 4 lbs for $32. Allows for the neatest, strongest & sweetest TIG'd joints on all your steel frames.SOLD

White Brothers Magic 650B fork, 100mm travel, for thru-axle. I paid so much for this, but happy to release it for, sigh, $140 (was asking $285, and new is $500+) ON HOLD

Problem Solvers Cable Hangers with Noodles 28.6mm. 5 for $10

My Shop scale. $15! SOLD

VAR Fixed Cup Remover...excellent shop tool! Any version is hard to find for less than a couple hundred bucks, and just hard to find. This one's in excellent condition: $50.SOLD

Park Fork alignment gauge: checks to see if your fork ends are in plane. For 1" steerers only. No longer available and rare. Clamps in your bench vise. Was asking $100, now $65.

*****

If you're local, there's going to be much more: argon, acetylene, and oxygen tanks--some mostly or completely full; a near-new welding cart for your large gas tanks; 1 or 2 work benches; small vises; tons of hand tools and bike tools; futon couch; small but near new refrigerator; sweet large steel work or welding table; random old and new bike components and small parts; some bicycle tubing, books, and more.
Come by for the garage sale Saturday, Jan 28, 10 am to 1 pm!
1807 2nd St, Unit 21, Santa Fe
(behind Backroad Pizza)

2012-01-21T18:17:00.005-07:00

The last of my framebuilding tools for sale...

My Nortac bottle boss jig. New, she's $140. She's well used but in fine shape. Yours for $65. SOLD.

Var Fixed Cup Remover...excellent shop tool! Any version is hard to find for less than a couple hundred bucks, and just hard to find. This one's in excellent condition: $85

Park Fork alignment gauge: checks to see if your fork ends are in plane with your fork blades. For 1" steerers only. No longer available and rare. Clamps in your bench vise. $100.
Harris® Model 355-AR-58010 Argon flowmeter. Lightly used and works perfectly. $70. SOLD.

MORE Framebuilding Tubing and Tools For Sale!

2012-01-09T18:11:00.022-07:00

Goodness.
Ending a 16-year career is a bit of work. Am realizing how much equipment and raw material I still have, and how much I still need to move. And would love to do so quickly, so I don't have to store many things once I move out of the shop, which is next month!
Take a look at all these fine framebuilding supplies and tools below, and send your offers to margoconover@gmail.com. I prefer Paypal, but can accept personal checks.
Also, I am not interested in shipping anything that amounts to less than $25 or so, before shipping. I charge my actual cost for shipping, plus $6 or so to cover packaging and my time. And shipping will occur when I can create the time for it, which may take up to a week!
Thank you!

Bicycle Research 1-1/4" Frame Blocks. I could only find 5, but I believe I have 6 (the shop's a mess!). $15 set, or $40 for 3 sets (SOLD)

Bicycle Research frame blocks, 1".$15 per set, or $25 for both sets SOLD

Bicycle Research frame blocks, 1-1/8". $15 set, or $40 for 3 sets (SOLD)

Paragon hole saw arbors, 4 for the larger-sized hole saws, 2 for the smaller. All for $25 (and don't want to sell individually--thanks)(SOLD)

Brake bridges with cable stops. $5 for both (SOLD)

A nice variety of disc tabs. $18 for all of them.

What do you call this tool? It helped me to determine center lines. Invaluable. $15 (on hold)

V Blocks. $20

Your standard ER70S, 1/16" TIG welding rod. I weighed 7.5 lbs. Amazon sells it for $8 lb. I will sell all of this for $45

Your very fine Weldmold 880T .035 (0.9mm) stainless welding rod for TIG. 4 lbs for $100

Inserts for a VAR headset press, for 1-1/4" headsets. $20

Dazza's beautiful downtube cable bosses with little heart cut-outs. Stainless. $30 for 7 of these. Sold.

More V-blocks, and I probably have the clamps that go with them, somewhere. $20/set (on hold)

White Brothers Magic 650B fork, 100mm travel, for thru-axle. I paid so much for this, but happy to release it for $285

Freewheel/cassette vise, for cleaning that beloved thing. $10

Zona ATB seatstays, S Bend. $22 (sold)

Reynolds AG208 725 tubes. Really long, but with realllllly long butts. The best 28.6 tube I found for bikes needing super short top tubes. 7-4-7, I believe. $13 ea (on hold)

I have no idea what these are, or what they are for. They are short. Accidentally ordered from Hank years ago (so they are True Temper, most likely). Free with any order over $50, or if you know them and want them, they are yours for $10.(on hold)

New Lenox hole saws: 37mm and 29mm: $10 for both(on hold)

Problem Solvers Cable Hangers with Noodles 28.6mm. Six for $20

True Temper OX4 Chainstays $22 (sold)

Nova T-Square Tool for forks, 100mm $30(on hold)

Garro sent me these: I believe they are Prestige MTB stays, light and really short (like less than 425mm) $12 for both sets. (Free to Garro.) (sold)

Nova T-Square 130mm $30 (on hold)

Campy derailleur hanger alignment tool. As lovely and functional as the day I bought it, about 20 years ago! $60 (on hold)

Nova Head tube stock 32.4mm x 300mm. $10 (sold)

Nova .9mm road fork blades. $12 (sold)

Hozan "Professional Frame Spreader." Remarkably useful, and a little dangerous. $60 (on hold)

Columbus Life road chainstays. Sweet! $24 (on hold)

Nova S-Bend MTB chainstays. 30/16 (I measured 15), 0.8/0.6, 425mm. $20/pr (sold)

Nova 1.0 road fork blades. Good for those touring frames. $12 (sold)

Park Crown Race Puller. Sweet tool that does not mar the crown race seat. $100. Sold.

True Temper MSRDLT Steerer (1.65/.1.14) for OS. $8 (on hold)

True Temper Unicrown blades pre-mitered for 1" steerer. 1" round (1.24/1.6). $15 (sold)

True Temper Unicrown blades, oval 1.05 x .82 (1.0/0.9), premitered for 1" steerer. $24 (sold)

Zona ATB chainstays, S-Bend. $25 (sold)

My awesome little scale. Good for weighing bikes, frames, and welding rod, amongst other things. $25.

The Sell Off Continues...

2011-11-14T15:00:00.010-07:00

Upside down VAR Crown Race Cutter for 1" steerer only. Cutter is double-sided 26.5 and 27.1 mm. Cutter likely needs sharpening. Lighter-weight tool than the newer version. Works with spring/nut. $55 SOLD

Paragon 1.500 x 68.5 BB Shells. $18 for all 4 of them. $22 if you add the 73mm version listed below. Strong and light.
(Not selling only one or two). SOLD

1.500 x 73mm relieved Paragon BB shell. If you buy the 68 mm ones, I'll throw this one in for an additional $4. Otherwise, $5.

Pacenti BB with integrated bridge for standard OS tubing (31.8mm DT and 28.6mm ST). Will be sweet with the below lug set!
$28 SOLD

LLewellyn Mini Six Lug Set. For Standard OS compact frame (28.6mm top tube and 31.8mm down tube). 79 deg head and seat angles for 6 percent sloping top tube. Will work swell with the Pacenti BB $48 SOLD

A bit heavy-ish, utilitarian BB shells. $10 for all 3. SOLD

I bought these fancy-pants hole saws from Hank Folson a long time ago, but I believe they were made (or at least designed) by Dave Bohm. Not really necessary unless you want a really clean cut that requires minimal filing, but are very handy when cutting that super-hard, super-thin tubing like S3 as they are much less likely to snag and do damage than your typical Starrett or Lenox hole saw. Cutting fluid a must. I paid at least $50 apiece for them and they've seen scant use. All were recently sharpened, and the 32mm one has seen exactly two cuts since then. Will sell for $30 ea, or $100 for all of them. 28.6mm, 32mm, 37mm, and 38mm. SOLD

More Tooling For Sale! (anvil anvil anvil)

2011-11-12T14:33:00.016-07:00

If you are interested in any of these tools or parts for sale, or have questions, contact me via email at margoconover at gmail dot com. Thanks.

These two photos show my Anvil Main Tube Mitering Fixture. Comes with 4 sleeves for the miter phase adapter (38mm, 36mm, 32mm, 29mm)
Comes with heavy and quality rotary table, too. Will hold non-round tubing easy peasy.
$800.

Anvil Chainstay Mitering Fixture.
Attaches to rotary table when Main Tube Mitering Fixture is removed.
Includes dummy axle.
$450 SOLD

Anvil Seatstay Mitering Fixture. Comes with Tilting Vise.
$450 SOLD

My Rong Fu bench top mill with the Anvil stuff all squeezed in there. If you are local and buy my mitering fixtures, I will throw the mill in, for free!
Otherwise, I'd like a whopping $100, but you gotta rent the engine hoist to move it! Works quite adequately, especially for mitering (which is all I did with it). Hand feed, wired for 110v, but can be converted back to 220v. SOLD

Yes, this is the Anvil Fork Fixture. Builds the straightest fork possible. Almost idiot proof! Works perfectly for both 1" and 1-1/8" steerers. Maybe built a couple dozen forks on it.
Yours for $575. SOLD

The Anvil Notorious BBG (Brake Boss Guide). Comes with 2 dummy axles. You will not regret owning this fixture. Saves you oodles of time, and ensures even, parallel placement of bosses at precisely the right spot.
$275 SOLD

Hamill Engineering Fork Mandrel, which gives your blade a lovely curve exactly where you want it. Big old lever so even a girl like me can get 60mm plus of rake into those blades!
Not easy to find these days (perpetually out of stock).
Why build your own when you can have mine for $275? SOLD.

Here are 2 images of the stand for my Anvil Journeyman Frame Fixture (for more on that fixture, go here:http://lunabicycles.blogspot.com/2011/11/starting-sell-off.html). I would like $2500 for this fixture, and I don't want to ship it :). SOLD

Do they still make this tool? It's a Park "frame persuader." Very dangerous, and very fun! How's about $40 for it? (the blue plastic on the handle is cracked, btw). SOLD

I know they don't make this one anymore. Worthless for checking frame alignment, but once you know she's all aligned, a helpful tool for after you add your rear triangle braze-ons and bridges to make sure it's all still good. Park Frame Alignment Gauge: $25. SOLD

Florida Pneumatics belt sander. Good for finishing dropouts, but that's about it. Fixed radius (and I forget what, but can measure it. Really creates the lovely scalloped effect. $35 (I will include any spare belts I may have.) SOLD

Sputnik Braze-On Clamps. One has a little vee block (good for bosses and a lot of cable stops, etc), the other is for split stops.
$55 ea . BOTH SOLD.

My Beloved Cutting Tools for Sale!

2011-11-11T15:04:00.020-07:00

I've had most of these longer than I can remember, and they are, simply, my favorite tools, and have been well cared for. If you are interested, drop me a line...again: margoconover at gmail dot com!

My favorite cutting tool. this is a Campy BB Facer set, with both English and Italian guides, and includes a spare cutter (Cobra). New, this tool is $720 without the extra cutter or Italian guides. The quality is astounding. This is semi vintage, well loved, and everything works as perfectly as the first day I bought it (1996 ish). $380 firm. SOLD.

Here you have your generic large tap holder connected to a seat tube reamer, which serves well for seat tubes needing to be reamed from 25.8 to about 28.6mm. The reamer's not new, but the blades were all replaced about a year ago. $75. SOLD

Adjustable reamer for over-sized seat tubes, 28.6mm to 31. 7mm. Used exactly once. $60. SOLD

This is my trusty VAR BB tap set with an extra set of taps, recently sharpened. English. Works flawlessly, year after year. $380. SOLD.

Park crown race cutter, includes cutter for both 26.5mm and 27.1mm crown race seats. And a cutter for the OS crs is included, as well (can't remember the o.d. off hand, but you know!)
$275. SOLD.

My Park head tube reamer and facer, with reamers for both standard and OS headtubes. Excellent condition. $250. SOLD.

If anyone out there still has an Eldi tap holder for 1" fork steerers, here's a spare tap. It's new. $20 SOLD

Starting the Sell Off!

2011-11-09T12:16:00.021-07:00

It's finally time to sell everything--all of my fixtures, tools, and framebuilding supplies. Here's the first pile of things I am ready to let go of, in no particular order. I will need the Anvil JMan for another couple of weeks, but that's it!

If you are interested in anything listed below, please email me at margoconover at gmail dot com. Whatever I don't sell here will go on EBay at some point.
I would love to sell the larger pieces (frame fixture, mitering fixtures, alignment system, etc) to someone local or willing to come to Santa Fe and pick them up.
Prices don't include shipping.
If any price seems way out of line, feel free to make an offer, but not an insulting one :)
Thanks for looking.
I will be posting A LOT MORE STUFF in the next few weeks, as soon as I can suss it all out, including braze ons, some tubing (not much, amazingly), lugs, cutting tools, and, yes, Anvil tube mitering fixtures
All proceeds go toward me pursuing my next creative outlet! Help me buy the camera of my dreams!

This is my Anvil Journeyman frame fixture. If you know anything about framebuilding, you know what a fine tool it is. I believe I bought it in 2005--it's one of the earlier versions with upgraded handles. I have the purging hoses somewhere, too. Given it's about 6 years old, that means I've probably built about 90 frames or so on it (I hardly built in 2010-11). It's got minor wear and tear, but in excellent shape. Comes with a post welded to a Park repair stand base. I will include one dummy axle of your choosing 132mm or 137mm. Can send you more pics if you are serious about purchasing this. $2500. SOLD

Henry James Frame Alignment System. Purchased about 10 years ago. Excellent choice for those wanting an excellent way to check and correct alignment issues without the ridiculous weight of a surface plate, plus it takes up much less space. Includes all various doo-dads and Hank's meticulous owner's manual. This can ship, but it would be expensive. A screamin' deal at $750. SOLD.

Velocity Blunt 650B rims. $30 set. SOLD.

Anvil Feng Shui disc mount jig, for seatstays or chainstays. No dummy axle included. $50. Used less than half a dozen times. SOLD.

Miller auto-darkening welding helmet. Goes down to Shade 8, I believe. $70. SOLD.

I have 4 of these: NOS Reynolds Ouzo Pro 650 c forks, 1" steerer, 40mm rake. Good luck finding a fork this nice in 650c with 1" steerer. Plus, this doesn't look aero like all the available 650c carbon forks do. $100 ea. 2 SOLD, 2 LEFT

Burly 650B x 2.3 Pacenti Neo Moto tires. How about $30 for the pair, or best offer. SOLD.

New Ultegra 6700 brake calipers, dark grey. $110. No cables, but happy to throw in housing.

Tektro R538 long-reach calipers. 47-57mm reach. New. Includes housing but not cables. $30

NOS Selle Italia Flite with ti rails. I don't know, maybe 4 years old? Never ridden. How's $4o for this one? SOLD

One Vredstein Fortezza 700 x 23 tire. $10. SOLD

One NOS Ultegra braze-on front derailleur. I can't remember what version, but I'm sure you can tell me. $20.

Cane Creek Ergo Bar Ends. $25

Some NOS 105 front derailleur, braze-on, 4 or 5 years old. $15.

Campy Veloce 10-speed front derailleur, braze-on. $25

You can't get these anymore, and I have exactly one set. Salsa horizontal dropouts, double-eyeleted, perfect for your next touring frame. $35. SOLD.

Paragon track ends with derailleur hanger. $20. SOLD

Pacenti track ends with stainless faces. I believe I have 4 sets. $15 per pair. SOLD.

Jobst Brandt's controversial but classic treatise on wheels and building them. 2nd edition. Someone put their business stamp on the front cover, but otherwise it is in perfect shape. How about $15?

Avid BB7's, mountain version. Front and rear. New. 160mm rotors. $55 set. SOLD.

Jagwire MTB brake cables. I counted 91 of them. Give me $65. SOLD.

IRD pos cantilevers. One brake. Missing their hardware. $5. SOLD

I *think* these are Paragons. Bought a long time ago, and do not work well for small frame angles. Integrated disc tab. I don't know the angle cs/ss, and couldn't find my protractor to measure, but I'm guessing 73 ish. Maybe someone can enlighten me. $25.

2011-04-02T15:35:00.002-06:00

Howdy, world. Yes, the lunacycles.com website is now down. Leaving it up just meant perpetuating the dynamic of people wanting to order bikes, and I am no longer in a situation in which I can fulfill that request! The business is down. I am finishing up some last orders, but have decided to be out of business for the indefinite future. So sorry for those who are wanting to go there and not finding any "there" there. It's been a wonderful, long ride, complete with the expected challenges and accomplishments...and life for me is now moving in an entirely new direction.
Thank you for your business, your support and encouragement these last 16 years. I will only miss this way of life a little bit, but I will miss that little bit very deeply. If you have any warranty issues or needs regarding the bicycles you received from me, please let me know at margoconover@gmail.com and I will respond as soon as possible. Thanks and love...Margo

Sommer's frame going to be a winter delivery...

2010-12-13T17:49:00.002-07:00

Here is Sommer's frame and fork, just back from Spectrum with its matte black and pink finish, with custom touches. It's been a long process getting to this point for a variety of reasons, but she looks beautiful and I am excited to build her up! She will be a CX style bike designed for Bozeman living, but versatile enough to accept rack and fenders, and designed for Avid BB7 disc brakes.

Stay tuned. Once built, I will post more photos.

FLASH FLOOD...photos from above

2010-11-21T18:40:00.002-07:00

The amazing folks connected with SFAI sent these images to the participants in the Santa Fe FLASH FLOOD. I am posting them for some friends who couldn't view them on their browsers. The satellite image is pretty amazing!

FLASH FLOOD for a living river

2010-11-20T15:32:00.009-07:00

I love the Santa Fe River, even though, about 8 months out of 12, it is basically a giant, sand-filled arroyo...and even when the water is moving, it's often kinda just trickly. Not exactly river-like. But when it moves and even when it doesn't, there is something about this river that is a little magical. It's as if its long history of supporting life emanates still. I live only a block away (an intentional thing), and often go for walks there with my dog. Sweetpea goes berserk with joy and wildness on the river floor.

The sky looks different from the river floor, well-washed objects (once upon a time garbage, now something different) surface there, twilight and daylight are spectacular from the river bed. It also runs through the heart of Santa Fe, connecting the East Side to the West Side. Despite its lack of water, it is still a strong force in this community.

Today was FLASH FLOOD for a living river, a community art project sponsored by the Santa Fe Art Institute and 360.org. The Santa Fe River is one of the most endangered rivers in the United States, and this site was only one of 20 selected nationally for this project. A thousand or so of us gathered at the west end of Santa Fe at the San Ysidro crossing of the presently bone-dry Santa Fe River to hold up blue-painted carboard pieces and tarps for a satellite and helicopter to photograph. I met a surprising number of friends there, having ridden my bike there rather spontaneously. It was a beautiful community event, and I can't wait to see the video from outer space. Here are some pics I took as we created a FLASH FLOOD...

For more info on this project: Santa Fe Art Institute Blog

Green Chile Time of Year

2010-11-14T16:37:00.004-07:00

Finally, it's getting cold and a bit wintry around here in northern New Mexico (although the skies remain that startling blue and no snow to date). Regardless, the leaves are falling en masse, the wind is blowing hard...and it's time to cook me up a month's supply of green chile stew!! I survive on this and posole for the majority of the winter months, which explains why I also get a bit fat.
I bought a coupla pounds of rather HOT green chiles from Chimayo at the Farmers Market yesterday, and am utilizing a vegetarian recipe courtesy of Walt Wehner (aka Waltworks) I got off his blog a week or two ago. He grew up in New Mexico so I naturally trust him. It's got a lot going on, instead of the usual pork plus green chile plus some form of thickener and some onions...and tasting it as it simmers...yum! Here's the recipe for any of you looking for a legitimate green chile stew sans meat.

Green Chile Stew

2# seitan or tofu, cut into 1cm cubes
1/4c flour
1/4c butter
10 cloves of garlic, crushed
3c of veggie broth
1c of hot salsa (whatever you've got around, I use the stuff I make myself)
3tsp dried oregano
1tsp ground cumin
3 small potatoes, cubed
1 can hominy
2c of diced hot green chile
1 onion, diced

In a big pot, melt the butter, then fry the seitan/tofu for a while after rolling it in the flour. Dump any remaining flour into the pot as well.

Now dump in the onion and garlic, fry until the onions are getting transparent.

Add all the other ingredients and simmer for a couple of hours, or until the potatoes are cooked.

For Rachel & Jon

2010-11-13T17:14:00.004-07:00

Here are some build photos for Rachel (and her husband, Jon), who lives in Silver City, NM. This is a versatile Orbit frame for her...designed around 26" wheels, a mountain triple crank, and some occasional light loaded touring. A kazillion braze-ons: rack, fender, canti brake bridge with cable adjustment mod, canti bosses, bottle braze ons, etc etc...This frame came out quite nice and is off to paint for a bright yellow-orange finish from Spectrum once I finish the fork on Monday!

It Just Won't End...

2010-10-13T18:25:00.002-06:00

...that is, this amazing autumn here in Santa Fe County, where warmish weather and lack of percipitation (things that generally cause great concern during other times of the year) have led to this most beautiful autumn here, where the aspens are expressing all colors from green to red simultaneously. I drove up the Ski Basin road to Aspen Vista (apparently one of the largest aspen groves on this planet) this morning, where when the sun comes up, you just can't help but fall to your knees in awe this time of year. Even Sweetpea was a little blown away.

Sommer's frame

2010-10-11T15:14:00.002-06:00

Sommer lives in Bozeman, MT, and wanted a versatile light touring / CX frame, aka The Orbit, with 700c wheels, please, if possible. Yes, possible! Also, disc brakes only! OK...and aren't Paragon's rear dropouts with chainstay disc mounts sweet ? This sweet little ride will also accept the fenders of your choice-- for when it's raining in Bozeman...(hmmm...I guess that happens about as often as it does here in Santa Fe, ...but that is often enough!).

This frame and fork were fun to build and came out both clean and pretty, I think. Also,it'll be fun to see what she looks like after she gets her custom finish matte pink and black finish from Spectrum! Stay tuned...
And the best part for me is that, as I sniffed 'round the 'hood for a good place to snap some pics, I found this excellent galvanized tin tabletop thingy dumped behind Cloud Cliff (I mean, yawn, El Patio), and I may have to steal it from frame shoots. What do you think?

Closin' of the Queue

2010-10-08T17:41:00.003-06:00

Sometimes life simply changes without warning. It’s like, it’s all as it should be, and, then, out of nowhere, there is the subtle yet very distinct smell of…bacon! And you simply can’t ignore it! I never knew when this day would come, but here it is. It has come.

Due to the ever-changing nature of my life and what is calling to me, after 16 years drenched in the business of delivering custom bicycles,…I am closing the queue for new orders as of October 10, 2010 til (at least) the summer of 2011.

Over the last six months or so, as a result of experiencing fulfillment on a level I could never have imagined (and wholly unrelated to bicycles), I have fallen increasingly behind in delivery times for frames and bicycles. Knowing I do not want to promise what cannot be delivered, and needing to honor my commitment to deliver those orders still in the queue, it is the right thing to do. Thank you in advance to those who can relate, and my sincere apologies to those I may be disappointing.

And, continuing along the lines of following one’s heart, I can tell you: the aspens are in their full glory here right now. There is something inexpressibly powerful and bittersweet during this time of year when transitions are glorious, blatant, and at high volume.

Salivating...

2010-09-20T15:51:00.004-06:00

Firstly, some humble apologies for not posting for a really long time. It has been a really nutty, crazy, wonderful, busy, full-full summer...but it's all been good.

In addition to other madness, there have been lots of comings and goings of frames and bikes at Luna Cycles, and here's the latest: Pam's finished all-arounder in the mouth-watering vanilla (I mean, white) with cherry-on-top (I mean, Chris King metallic red logos and bearings!) finish. I will post some more when she's built up with Ultegra and her cherry (I mean red) CK wheelset . Pam's coming all the way from Olympia, WA to pick it up with some friends in a few days, over what should be a lovely autumn weekend here in Santa Fe (where the aspens are on the verge of popping and the chamisas are in full electric yellow bloom!).

that top tube logo says "just keep doing it"

Pretty braze-y for a Luna! And brassy!

A Bunch of Build Photos, for Pam

2010-07-25T14:30:00.010-06:00

Pam of Olympia, WA asked if I would post some build photos of her frame build, a road frame with the needs for versatile tire profiles, plus equipped for light touring. Here you go, Pam!

mocking up the fork in the jig

Fork post-brazing, canti bosses just added

I hand miter the downtube/seat tube miter. It takes a few minutes, but less than trying to jig it up in the vertical mill. Above is how the fit up looks on my first (conservative) attempt: big old gap between the down tube and the bottom bracket. A few more file strokes, and the gap disappears...

same joint, now cleaned and tacked.

The frame is all tacked, out of the jig, and on my welding table, ready to roll.

Head tube miters...no gaps!

To maintain a frame's alignment, you weld in little sections...first here, then there, all the while being mindful that the heat of tig welding pulls the frame here and then there. If you do it well, the frame usually needs zero cold setting once it is completely welded up.

Cutting the chainstays in my mill. I use cheap old hole saws, which create the perfect miter with just a little bit of clean up with a hand file.. I bought fancy pants ones a long time ago, but all they do is get very dull after a few cuts, with little benefit.

Mocking up the chainstays to ensure they are the same length before tacking and welding.

tacked.

seatstay mock up. I brass braze these on, instead of tig welding. Much prettier, at least as strong, and this is a tubing junction the eyes are really drawn to.

Ensuring seatstays are exactly the same length.

custom brake bridge, fluxed up, ready to braze on boss that will allow easy cable tension adjustment

post-braze.

Goings On at Chez Luna

2010-07-25T14:06:00.003-06:00

It has been a hot and busy month here in Santa Fe! We have had day after day, for weeks on end it seems, in the upper 90's. Perfect commuting weather, which is about the only cycling I've been able to get in these last couple of weeks...I am blessed with a swamp cooler in the shop, so can't blame the heat for any lack of productivity.

This weekend we are having an extended and blessed cool-down, complete with intermittent hourly thunder showers, almost constant cloud cover, temps in the low 70's... Ahhhhhhhhh. Perfect weekend to watch the Tour de France wind up, get caught up around the house,and get something posted on the blog.

Here are some images of Stacy's Orbit, finished a few weeks ago. It's very versatile: set up for 26" or 650c wheels, cantilever or disc brakes. Stacy is small, 5'1"-ish, so small in fact that Spectrum managed to ship her finished frame,fork plus painted-to-match Old Man Mountain Rack, and stem into an Edge Wheel box! (I've always said they are magicians.)

Anna's Wild Child

2010-06-16T18:59:00.005-06:00

"Tired of lugging Ms. Swan on buses and trains, up and down stairs, I was desperate to find a bike much more forgiving on my freshly polished nails. A girl spends all that time sitting under a hot hood dryer slaving away on her mane and drowning herself down in perfume just to have all that loveliness washed away from lifting that burly dutch over staircases of concrete hills, laughing at her already ruffled state. Thanks to my crafty ways (something all women are gifted with; thank you Lord for arming women with useful bird tricks), I managed to convince my husband that I needed that bike -- that sexy CX bike -- heavenly handcrafted by that talented designer/builder/developer/ I can go on... Margo Conover! Yeah, she's a lady, a woman, a Jill-of-all-trades! I scraped up all my pennies (it took a gazillion pennies) and jumped the cliff."

Anna Mendiola received her custom Luna with its unique and complex half powder - half wet paint finish...and the end result was visually amazing, especially once the Chris King Pink bits were added. I've had more comments about this bike (and requests for that metallic green) than any other I have built in the last few years.

To read more from Anna about her San Francisco commuter, go to her very fun blog of the Guam Girl with the Zebra bike!

Denver's LoDo and new Bike Share Program!

2010-06-02T18:12:00.010-06:00

My dad and stepmom now live in the part of Denver I used to be forbidden to visit when I was a kid, the proverbial wrong side of the tracks, except they were actually the railroad tracks and Denver's rail yards. When I was a teenager I ventured once there with my big brother while he was occupying the world of and living as a hobo journalist, and we could just jump in an open train car in what was then a very deserted and neglected part of town, with a huge homeless population (that now appears to be getting pushed even further to the north edge of the city). Riding your bike along the Platte River meant inevitable flats from all the goatheads, as well as passing through whole encampments of folks living on the banks of the river...

About 20 years ago, a huge revitalization happened down there, with the arrival of Coors Field, the Rockies, and the sprucing up of loft spaces, and it has continued unabated til today.

Anyway, this is Lower Downtown Denver, and til this weekend I really couldn’t appreciate how changed it is. If you like a progressive, green city that really values its natural parts, even in the most urban part of Denver, LoDo’s amazing. From the completely renovated and well appreciated former Forney Train Museum now occupied by an REI flagship store (complete with a 3-story tall indoor climbing wall, plus an actual bike trail you can test a bike on), to the crazy hum of energy at Confluence park--where cyclists, bathers, kayakers and coffee drinkers come together to experience the confluence of Cherry Creek with the North Platte, it is a terrific place to walk, visit, and live. Dad and Jacquelyn live just a few long blocks east of Confluence Park in a newer loft building overlooking the whole city, and they stroll down here all the time.

So I visited last weekend, and we went walking through the City, eating brunch at Mona’s (excellent breakfast spot near the old Muddy’s) , visiting REI and the whole scene there. Dad showed me the new Bike Share program Denver has just implemented, well thought out, it appears, with some seriously durable machines to pedal around the city around on. As a “senior citizen” he gets an annual membership for like $40. There are bikes all over the city, not just downtown, so it really offers a true alternative to a vehicle or train.

I topped the day off with a great long visit with an old friend I hadn’t seen in 15 years and we walked a mile or so south along the Platte from Confluence Park, along Elitch’s west wall and past Invesco field, turning back and heading up the Cherry Creek path again, catching up and enjoying an incredibly lovely day “back home.”

Papa Jer on a bridge overlooking Confluence Park

The confluence of Denver's two big rivers, the Platte and Cherry Creek. I say "rivers" a bit loosely. That's the sweet REI flagship store in the background.

A sweet Bilenky tandem outside the downtown REI--recumbent in the front, and S&S couplers. Very trick. Wish I could have gotten a better shot, but there were too many bikes to navigate!

The typical weekend day scene outside REI along the Platte, cyclists galore. Coming from Santa Fe it felt amazing, wondrous, and utopian.

The bikes of Denver's new bikeshare program, in a pretty row outside the REI flagship store. Dad's getting ready to check one out with his membership card.

These things are burly and appear reasonably bombproof. It will be interesting to see how they are doing after a Colorado winter!

The bikes can be found all over the city, not just downtown, so you can actually commute with them.

That's Dad's membership card on the left, and gives him instant access to any of the bikeshare bikes in town.

Bug's Bike!

2010-05-17T16:42:00.004-06:00

Bug is a 4'10" resident of Bolinas, CA. She simply wanted a bike that actually fit her...and had the versatility to carry stuff, including kids...and had low gearing for the hills near her home...and reflected who she was. Here's her custom Luna.

Bug wanted a rack, and Old Man Mountain racks are really great for small frames (and can be finished to match your frame!), as they attach to the canti bosses instead of brazed-on bosses that often create, er..., issues.

As usual, Spectrum masterfully performs the powder fade finish...

Sometimes stand-alone images don't really tell the whole story. I am, on a good day, about 5'5" tall, and look how much standover I have over this very tiny bike. Standover clearance with 1.35 slicks is 25.5"!

Speechless

2010-05-14T18:39:00.005-06:00

I am finding, in the realm of frames and bike building, I have almost nothing to say lately. Not sure why that is, but I also have a blog, and this makes my lack of verbage a bit problematic.
Fortunately, blogs, especially this one, are primarily about photos! So, here's more random building and bike shots from Luna Cycles HQ. Got Stacy's CX frame and fork off to paint this week, Bug's frame, fork and rack to match returned from paint....plus here's some random build shots, topped off by a shot of the cutest damn shop dog in the world!

This is the disc tab for Stacy's fork. I spent way too much time re-shaping it to work with her traditional steel CX fork, but it should work great! She's running canti's, but wants the flexibility for disc brakes down the road...Her frame will also allow both 26" and 650c wheels due to mindful canti boss placement.

Stacy's naked frame and fork about to be shipped to Spectrum for a brown and pink finish!

Jerry's fork blades with dropouts brazed on, fresh out of the soak tank.

Same fork blades with a few minutes spent with a round bastard file and some emery cloth.

The front of Bug's head tube with brass headtube badge and swanky new brass barrel adjusters from Dave Kirk.

Sweetpea, the sweetest pea in the dog pod, on her bed, waiting for Mom to punch out and go for a walk!

Random

2010-04-18T08:10:00.007-06:00

Here's some shop pics from Friday from my iPhone...

Spring has finally truly arrived in New Mexico and it is so great to be able to work with the giant windows open again at the 2nd Street studio. The dripping condensation from the skylights has finally stopped coating everything with rust!

My shop floor is a bit below ground level to the north, so Sweetpea spends a lot of time barking at moving shoes. She also thinks it's funny to jump into the UPS guy's truck (or, really, anyone's truck) and try to hitch a ride to somewhere more interesting.

I received a rather yummy little Paragon Machine works delivery Friday afternoon--a pointy and elegant fork disc tab and some very cool and inspired looking disc dropouts for Stacy's CX frame.

Here's Stacy's front triangle getting the once over.

I also finally built Marisa's touring wheels!: Velocity Synergies OCR laced to apple green CK hubs--strong and sweet.

Just a mile or so from my studio: Patty Griffin at the Lensic from Wednesday night...beautiful show!

Road Tripping

2010-04-03T19:33:00.006-06:00

(Somewhere between Buena Vista and Leadville, CO)

I do this drive maybe 6 times a year, traveling between the new life in Santa Fe and the old digs in Nederland, CO. It is Highway 285 N with a side jaunt along Hwy 17 (cosmic highway) to 24 East (I think that's the right number) through Buena Vista and Leadville, then I-70 E to Central City then 119 N to Ned. I have a love affair with this 384 mile drive and have done it at least 3 dozen times the last 7 10 years. It's in my DNA, I swear. It is my favorite drive in life. It always looks different, is always beautiful, often extreme weatherwise, inevitably memorable. The transitions are breathtaking, the best of northern New Mex and Southern Colorado. Here's photos I took on cruise control at 65 mph.
And, now, nice to be back in Colorado hunkered down at 8000 feet and in blustery snow for a few days to visit family and hopefully get neglected things done...like my taxes!

Highway 17 North of Alamosa. Appropriately trippy. Looked like I was driving into dirt, or snow, or mud.

Highway 17

The alligator farm is for sale.

Hwy 285 again, headed toward Salida

Suburban Leadville, CO

I always notice this tree just south of Buena Vista. It's just north of a farm house and across from an empty train car.

Grape Popsicle

2010-03-24T18:25:00.005-06:00

Mindy just went for it. Here is her Eclipse road bike. Her carbon Trek was causing a lot of fit issues, so she went for the real deal of custom steel...with Edge Carbon fork and full Dura Ace kit! (I kept thinking as I was building this one up post-paint that I finally have a frame that matches Shimano BB cable guides! ) The wheels are Helios "popsicle purple" from Velocity, and match the purple and white (with silver accents) immaculate powder finish from Spectrum pretty damn well.
When I carried her 16 (and change) pounds across the street for photographs, not one but two cars stopped to admire the bike. One fellow said: there is nothing I don't like about it.
She will be home soon, Mindy!

Garage Sale!

2010-02-27T13:55:00.012-07:00

I have been ordering and accumulating the wrong parts for a looong time now...and I hardly ever returning them due to the a. hassle, or b. false belief that these orphan parts will find a home on a customer's bike in the future. Well, no more! I am having an online garage sale for the next month or so. Whatever doesn't get sold I'll unload on EBay. These prices are great, so don't hold back. I take your personal checks or Paypal. Shipping to be determined, but I expect about $10 per order going FedEx Ground.

Following is a list of the schwag. If you want photos of any of these items I have them, so just drop a line to margo at lunacycles dot com and I will send them to you. Prices are very good so somewhat firm, but not super firm. Make an offer on any or all of it...if something's not generating enough interest, I will be happy to sell it for less.

Derailleurs:
Ultegra RD6600 "SL" rear derailleur. 2008. Short cage. Slightly used. $50
105 FD 5600 front derailleur, 2008 I think. Silver. New. Braze-on mount. $30
Shimano FD-M11 XT front derailleur for 32mm seat tube, with shim. New in box. $25
Ultegra FD6600 2009 10-speed front derailleur, new in box, $40

Saddles:
Selle Italia SLR, 135 grams, red, looks new, ridden less than 50 miles $105
Selle San Anatomica Titanico Mahogany, slightly used $90 SOLD
Selle San Marco Glamour Aspide, black, looks new, ridden less than 50 miles $70
Terry Butterfly Carbon, lightly used, black $75 SOLD

Tires:
Ritchey Speedmax CX tires, folding, new, 1 pair. 700 x 32c $22ea or $40pr SOLD
Michelin Jet CX tires, folding, new, 1 pair. 700 x 30c $30 each, $58 pr
Michelin Jet CX tire, folding, very very lightly used, 700 x 30 $20
NOS Richey Speedmax Cross K tire 700 x 30, folding, new in box, $5 SOLD

Misc Components:
Campagnolo Chorus square-taper Bottom Bracket, new in box. English thread, 102mm $60 SOLD
BR-R600 Shimano "standard reach" rear caliper. new in box. $40 SOLD
Chris King Threadless headset. 1-1/8" steerer, new, pink. $100 SOLD
Shimano 105 BR5600 brake calipers, silver, set, new $35/set
Shimano 105 F5603 Triple crank, dark grey, 170mm, new in box $100 SOLD
Campagnolo Centaur 9/10-speed front derailleur, 35mm clamp, new in box $30 SOLD
NOS Reynolds Ouzo Pro all-carbon fork, 650c, 1" steerer, 40mm rake, new in box $200
NOS Reynolds Ouzo Pro all-crbon fork, 650c, 1-1/8" steerer, 45mm rake, new in box $250

Frames:
Luna Eclipse road frame with custom steel fork, 36cm ish (tiny; fits those 4'10"-5'1" ish), will run 26" or 650c road wheels; contact me for details $450

The Rescue Frame

2010-01-29T16:13:00.009-07:00

Marisa is a helicopter pilot in the Air Force, who does Search & Rescue: in essence, gets our folks OUT when they desperately need it, whatever the reason. She is about to be deployed again to Afghanistan. Her frameset (hopefully bike!) will be waiting for her when she returns.

Sometimes the finish on these frames is just incredibly personal. It is in her case. Here is part of what she told me about what she wanted for her finish on the frame. As we can see, Spectrum delivered...Best wishes and gratitude to Marisa on her upcoming tour: may she be safe and arrive home as soon as possible.
"The green feet are the symbol of the combat search and rescue community, which is what I do, and I have them tattooed on the top of my foot. It's a tradition to get the tattoo after your first rescue. I have the tattoo on my right foot, and I haven't decided if it would be cooler to just have them painted on the right fork or to have them painted on both forks.

"I put a single gray helicopter on the seat tube. Ideally I'd like to have two helicopters on there, because we always roll in formation and I like the symbology, or the idea, of not being a loner. The helicopter probably looks a little funny the way its drawn, but that's how we draw it when we brief a sortie... its a quickie version of a helicopter."

The second helicopter on the seat tube.

It Sparkles...

2010-01-20T16:43:00.003-07:00

...in the sun. But it has been rather cloudy here in Santa Fe this last week (I know, the majority of the country that is plagued with lack of sunshine for months on end is not sympathetic; but I moved here for a reason!) and when overcast it looks like a deep, dark, flat blue. When the sun comes out (as it did for about 14 minutes today), the color pops! Another magic trick supplied by Spectrum Powder Works.

It is P's road frame built from True Temper S3 (just around 3 lbs), designed with minimal top tube slope while still providing a good all-day position, matched with the very desirable Edge 2.0 carbon fork, Chris King headset, and a Ritchey Pro stem painted to match. I don't know the whole frameset weight, but it is really light. And should ride zippy. Nice.

Round and Round We Go

2010-01-08T09:24:00.010-07:00

My dad gave me The Golden Age of Handbuilt Bicycles for Christmas this year, a lovely coffee table book compiled and edited by Jan Heine and Jean-Pierre Praderes. I believe he picked it up at the Chicago Museum of Art. Anyway, some cool stuff in there! And, this book really drives home that most "innovation" in bicycle design these days is reinventing the (sometimes wobbly or superfluous) wheel: it's pretty much all been done before...

Check out these photos from the book...

This 650B-wheeled randonneur may be considered a "women's specific design" from a builder named Maury in the 1940's.

Yes, it is a "direct-mount" stem from the 1950's on this ride from C. Daudon. Adding to the trickness is the compartment inside the fork steerer to stash your tool kit.

This Schulz from the mid 30's has internal cable routing, a precursor to one of today's most powderful rim braking systems, the V Brake, and some sweet hammered fenders.

This Rene Herse from 1949 looks like a lot of randonneurs coming out of the Northwest these days. Stainless steel water bottles, custom racks, and hammered fenders are clearly nothing new.

Twin downtube and twin seat tube!

Lyli Herse flying to a mountain-top finish on her custom Rene Herse, 1948.

P's S3 Frame Build Pics

2009-12-16T18:47:00.004-07:00

Here are some build pics of P's True Temper S3 frame. S3 is tricky stuff to build a frame with: really nice as it can produce a sub 3lb. frame, but you gotta have your miters perfect--and "be one" with the frame whilst exhibiting a very low heart rate while you weld it. The tubing is--if I recall correctly--about .5mm at the butted sections, and less than .4mm in the center sections. Bloody thin! It is a "super strength" steel alloy that actually increases in strength post-welding, so there is no loss in strength over a more "robust" tube set in terms of long-term longevity. The top tube is tear drop shaped and the down tube is bi-oval--to maintain what cyclists refer to as "stiffness" in the final product. It is also rather challenging to cut and create beautiful miters--it is both thin and incredibly hard, so one wears out files, hole saws, and nerve endings at a rather rapid rate. But I love the challenge!

Tight miters: no gaps!

Main triangle tacked up, ready for an alignment check...

This is the downtube compound mitered to sit flush against both the bottom bracket and the pre-welded seat tube (see below). I do the second miter (the one accommodating the seat tube) by hand.

Mindy's Bike in Tucson

2009-12-11T17:27:00.003-07:00

Mindy received her frame and fork in late August, I believe, and built it up herself. I finally heard from her about a week ago. Here's her email and some nice pics of her swanky ride...

Hi Margo,

I've been meaning to email you for quite a while - I am absolutely thrilled with my bike! We just got back from a 6-day/400 mi bike tour through the White Mountains (of AZ), and I felt great! There is NO WAY I would have been able to do that on any factory-built bike. Thank you soo much!!

I'm attaching a couple pictures of it... one is with knobby tires on it - we went up the control road on the backside of Mt Lemmon (or local/closest peak in Tucson - pretty rough stuff, but the bike handled it well!), and the others are just close ups taken when I first got it. It looks pretty sweet, with all the red Chris King accents (hubs, headset and bottom bracket), plus red nipples around the wheels. I've still been debating whether to get a few others (red skewers, maybe red spacers) but I'm worried it could become flashy if I do too much. Anyway, I am absolutely in love with it, and couldn't be happier. Thanks again!!

Sincerely,

Mindy Horst

Retreat at Synergia Ranch

2009-12-07T09:55:00.009-07:00

I just got back from a 5-day zen retreat at Synergia Ranch just south of Santa Fe, and it was food for the heart. About 20 of us sat in huge geodesic dome for 10 hours a day, walked circles on the frozen land, and ate vegetarian food next to a roaring fire. The day started at 5 a.m. beneath the stars and ended around 9 p.m.... beneath the stars. Here's some pics I took during the down time.

(You'd think from the last few entries I haven't been working on your orders. Not true! Actual bike-related content and pics coming soon, I promise.)

Synergia is known for its big geodesic dome. I lived in one of these for 10 years, so it felt a little like being home. The owners and founders of this place were inventors and operators of the "Biodome 2" project in Oracle, AZ.

The waning moon was omnipresent.

Nic calling us to the temple.

Twilight at 70 mph

2009-11-29T20:52:00.005-07:00

I spent a wonderful loooong weekend in Colorado...turkey dinner with my mom in Denver, lots of quality time with other beloved family members and friends.
Here are some pics from our drive home this evening. I am blessed with a route between Nederland and Santa Fe that manifests nothing resembling "holiday traffic." During the winter I am very lucky to drive these near 400 miles on double-lane highways without encountering much inclement weather, as happened today....It was so beautiful.

I used to think taking pics from the car was lazy, but now realize these kinds of images--revealing motion in the foreground while holding the "larger view" in the background--have their own place in the realm of visual expression.
Here's some images I took late this afternoon on Hwy 285 traveling south, between Antonito, CO and Ojo Caliente, NM-- all shot between 60 and 70 mph in a much sleep-deprived state...

waxing...

Interspecies LUV

2009-11-19T18:33:00.001-07:00

I am such a sucker for these stories. I also sincerely believe there is something to be appreciated and learned by seeing them:

A Frame Is Born

2009-11-16T15:15:00.002-07:00

Here's P's road frame before I've started cutting or welding....I forgot to include the dropouts, but you get the idea. Basically it is just a pile of metal. But this is a light pile. It is True Temper's S3 tubing--super light and super strong...Both the top tube and down tube are "bi-oval"--meaning they oval in the vertical direction at the head tube and transition to ovaling in the horizontal direction at the seat tube/bottom bracket. Butted ends are less than .6mm thick. Very trick, and you pay for it. Her braze-ons are in the little round tray.

Tomorrow I will cut them up and get very "Om" before lighting up the torch (or should I say striking an arc). This stuff takes extreme mindfulness to weld without, well, you don't want to know. But I love a challenge. I do a few of these a year, it seems.

Rest In Peace, Oreo

2009-11-13T16:34:00.008-07:00

"I hope to make people realize how totally helpless animals are, how dependent on us, trusting as a child must that we will be kind and take care of their needs...[they] are an obligation put on us, a responsibility we have no right to neglect, nor to violate by cruelty."
~James Herriot, English Veterinarian and Author

I heard today that the ASPCA euthanized Oreo, the 1 year-old pitbull who miraculously survived after her owner had thrown her off the roof of a six-story building in Brooklyn last June. Apparently, Oreo had become quite aggressive after recovering from her physical injuries, even turning on her own handler. Apparently also, more than one sanctuary had offered to take Oreo and give her a chance in the safety of their setting, but the ASPCA refused their offers and chose to euthanize her instead.

My first reaction is confusion (why) and anger. It would seem prudent that a nonprofit whose sole purpose is to prevent animal cruelty would do well to do whatever possible for Oreo, and it appears they did not, or could not, or would not. It seems a living Oreo in a controlled environment can do a lot more to raise awareness about animal cruelty than a dead Oreo, who was in no way at fault for her fate. But I also know the issue is more complex, and I am not here to judge the ASPCA or anyone who advocates for defenseless beings.

update: I read this today (9/14/09), and it helps me to understand:

http://www.ohmidog.com/2009/11/13/a-survivor-no-more-aspca-to-euthanize-oreo/

I used to volunteer at an animal sanctuary outside of Santa Fe, run by a very energetic, resilient and independent Danish woman named Ulla. Ulla transformed her humble, 3-acre property on the outskirts of Santa Fe County into a sanctuary for old animals who had quite literally been dumped on the side of the road, left in library book chutes, abandoned in arroyos in the freezing rain (Kindred Spirits Animal Sanctuary). There were dogs without eyes and legs, geese that chased you around their pen, ancient horses with such swayback you couldn't believe they were standing...all living in a beautiful place, with plush beds, homecooked meals, warm shelter, and so much love. Ulla inspired me, and taught me a lot about resilience. Animals who arrived there literally on their deathbeads often lived two, three, four more years before passing. Dogs who showed up aggressive and fearful almost always found a way to become a part of the pack, and lean against our legs.

I hope that there are no more cases like that that caused the demise of beautiful Oreo, but that is naive, and I am aware of that. In a more realistic light, I wish for each of us that we love with commitment the beings who depend on us, especially those who cannot defend themselves, and help others who struggle to do the same.

R.I.P. Oreo.

I miss the elk

2009-11-05T17:06:00.005-07:00

Interestingly, I don't much miss my former life in Nederland, Colorado. But one thing I really miss is the massive herd of elk that used to frequent our neighborhood up on Magnolia Road and hang around, especially in the winter. Apparently we are situated on their migration route...They would always fill the meadows the day before a snow storm to eat and relax. That's how we knew it was going to snow. There have been occasions I could not leave the house due to the number of elk dawdling in my driveway.

I saw this video on another blog, but it reminded me of my former home. The author is from Colorado, but that is all I know. This is an elk calf having some serious fun.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqqwF9uJAcE

Join the Luna Cycles Facebook Group!

2009-10-29T15:04:00.002-06:00

As much as I love Blogger, I have found this isn't the ideal place to post lots and lots of photos, mostly as I don't have the fastest internet connection in the world, and so it is time consuming. But having given in and finally joining Facebook, I created a Luna Cycles group there. It is a great place to upload a lot of pics at once, like actual framebuilding photos, and even comment on the process. So if you can't get enough of Luna Cycles, consider joining the group here...or at least check it out!

Luna Cycles Facebook Group

Buy This Book: "Custom Bicycles: A Passionate Pursuit"

2009-10-26T12:39:00.005-06:00

A couple of years ago, a lovely couple from Australia approached me about contributing to their upcoming book about a select group of international framebuilders and custom bicycle companies: "Custom Bicycles: A Passionate Pursuit.". I was humbled and honored, but also a bit concerned...after all, once you are in a coffee table book, is there anything left to achieve? Seriously.
I ended up submitting some pics and texts for them, and the end result came out about 6 months ago. I thought "cool," when I saw it and the piece on Luna Cycles, but what really kept my attention was the work of other builders in this book: from Vanilla to Moots to LLewellyn to Indy Fab to Richard Sachs...there are some amazing builders and their work is impressively displayed in this well-designed book. There does seem to be a bit of a bias toward titanium manufacturers (seems to me they are a very small percentage of today's builders), but who doesn't like to look at titanium welds? Anyway, check it out. If your local book store doesn't have it, I know you can order it through Amazon.com

Aspen Vista 2

2009-10-14T08:22:00.007-06:00

Yesterday I brought my mountain bike back to Aspen Vista for a final peek at the aspens. We have been getting a lot of rain lately--and some snow up high--so the trail was a little moist and tacky. Easy riding if I weren't so out of shape! It felt good to be back on my much neglected mountain bike.
From town, it looks like all the leaves have fallen, but there are still some sweet pockets of color once you venture up the hill. Not a lot of oranges and almost no red this year, I think because we had an early frost. Most people don't think of aspen trees when they think of Santa Fe, but near the top of the ski basin are some of the largest groves and healthy trees I have seen.

I took these with my iPhone.

A monk asked Master Sho of Kokei, "When things come from the four directions and eight dimensions, what then?"

Sho said, "Hit the middle."
The monk immediately bowed.
Sho said, "On the way to a service in the village I ran into a wild storm of wind and rain and sheltered myself in an old shrine."

At Home in St. Paul

2009-10-13T17:34:00.003-06:00

Jenneke received her bike about 6 months ago and sent me these photos recently of her Luna in its "natural surroundings" of St. Paul, MN. Jenneke's is nearly 6' tall, and stock bikes have generally been problematic. Here are some images of her Luna painted to match her fiery red Jetta.

Ted's Je-Ne-Sais-Quoi Commuter

2009-10-13T17:19:00.004-06:00

Here's Ted's bike, built with SRAM Force compact drivetrain, Avid Shorty 6 canti's, some tough Velocity wheels with Specialized Armadillo CX tires, some purty touches courtesy of Spectrum Powderworks (check out the rear dropouts!). This bike is intended to meet Ted's versatile riding needs. As a journalism professor commuting daily from Riverdale to the heart of NYC, it needs to be tough. We threw the tried and true Old Man Mountain White Rock rack on there so he can carry his books and a change of clothes. The bicycle also needs to respect some back issues that have surfaced in the last few years, so the frame is designed for a somewhat shorter reach, and not an overly aggressive position to support his back and need to maneuver comfortably in a city environment. I also ensured that there are some nice, low gears for the hills Ted encounters when he teaches at Breadloaf in Vermont. Ted owned and rode a 35 year old Peugeot road bike complete with Simplex rear derailleur (and toured across the country on it)...and this is his first real road bike purchase since the early seventies.

Ted recently sent me an email about the bike: "what I really appreciate about this bike is it's much more efficient than the Peugeot. I'm sure the bike shoes have something to do with it, but I think it's also somehow tighter in the power train, or the rigidity of the frame, or something: a push on the pedals seems to send me further than I've ever been sent before ..."

Aspen Vista 1

2009-09-25T21:35:00.001-06:00

I am essentially verklempt, as the season of amazing colors and aspens quaking is upon us. I don't know why I love autumn so much. Maybe it is a break from relentless heat, shorter days, cooler nights...the light changes, life withdraws a bit and slows down. The changing colors and light demand your attention and reverence.

After quite the heavy duty summer, the change of seasons feels exceptionally right this year. This evening Eileen and I drove up the windy road to Aspen Vista near the Santa Fe ski basin. The moon is waxing. We brought our dogs, Sweetpea and Queenie, who clearly are soulmates, so happy to spend some quality time adventuring together, and had a really good time. The whole walk felt like a long exhale.

Enjoy the pics, and my wishes that you may enjoy this time of year...

Gabi's Itsy Bitsy Versatile Ride

2009-09-19T15:25:00.003-06:00

Gabi's a hair under 5' tall, and wanted a versatile bike that could accommodate a rear rack, fenders, two different rim sizes, and tire sizes from 650c x 20 to 26 x 1.5. No problem! Here's her sparkly chartreuse green all-arounder, equipped with the new Ultegra (with 165mm compact crank and 11-28 cogset), Chris King Sotto Voce headset, Velocity Fusion wheels, Selle Anatomica saddle, Conti road tires in 26"...all around goodness for a small, adventurous cyclist.

Uncle Jack's 80th Birthday and...Supergirl!!!

2009-09-08T18:22:00.009-06:00

(1968-ish! My sis Beth and handsome Uncle Jack)

I spent Labor Day weekend in San Diego with my dad's side of the family celebrating my fabulous Uncle Jack's 80th birthday, plus his 45th anniversary with his partner Bob. We had a great time. Here are some images from the weekend, and a couple from my brother's photo album he put together when he was about 10 years old (he's 51 now!).

Here's snappy Uncle Jack and the musician hired for the party, very adept at show tunes. Jack is fearless when it comes to fashion!

Jack and Bob dancing the First Dance :-)

My handsome nephew Ross (and dad Ken) are putting down some moves.

Ross, my dad Jerry, nephew Jeremy, brother-in-law Ken, me, stepmom Jacquelyn, and brother Ted at the beach...

This photo was taken most likely in 1968. I have no idea where. I wish I still had these boots! And I miss those Carter undies.

Bike for my Bro'

2009-08-28T16:27:00.007-06:00

Yes, now each of my siblings is in possession of a Luna. This makes me happy.
Here's Ted's frame. Ted's my big brother, and a total stud: writer and professor of writing, freelance journalist, and author of 4 (soon to be 5) amazing "immersion journalism" books who lives with his charming family and newly adopted canine Enrique in New York (go to tedconover.com if you want to see just how amazing he is... really). Spectrum did some nice touches on this one, especially customizing the chainstay graphic (usually it says "custom crafted by women for women"). This one will be built up with SRAM Force and expects to see a lot of city riding and commuting in NYC. It's getting some robust handbuilt wheels from Velocity and Specialized Armadillo tires in their cx version, and an Old Man Mountain rack to boot. I'll post more pics once it is built. These posted today are mostly so Ted can see the excellent finish.

Here's, Um, Mindy's Frame

2009-08-24T16:03:00.005-06:00

I was really happy with the clean lines of Mindy's straight-as-an-arrow cyclocross frame, but realized right as I was finishing bubble wrapping her that she had not been properly photographed. Too bad!! Well, it's not too late. Imagine a bright, pearly white with "Chris King" metallic red logos headed down for a life of fun in Tucson. Oh, here's at least a look at her fork before I wrapped it up, so you can get the idea--using the Everest crown which works really well for most CX applications. (And, really, this post is actually so you can see how crazy I go with bubble wrap, so you can rest assured knowing you don't have to worry about those FedEx folks handling your fancy frame. )

P.S., coming soon: Gabi's Mag Green Orbit and Teddy C's NYC Commuter

Susan's sweet ride

2009-08-17T20:52:00.004-06:00

Check out the custom drivetrain on Susan's bike. SRAM Red compact cranks in 165mm (thank you, SRAM), Campy triple rear derailleur, 12-29 10-speed Campy cassette, Centaur brakes and ergo shifters, Veloce front derailleur, Reynolds Ouzo Pro 650c carbon fork (try finding this at your LBS! I think I have the last of these at my shop and I am holding on to them...). Oy, sounds like a lot going on but it works beautifully. The bike is very light (I forgot to weigh it as Susan is droolin' for it and I had to get it shipped today, but I'd guess 16 lbs or so) and very small, with a very short top tube (46.5cm). Susan is 5'0" -ish. She went for the sterling silver head badge, too. Velocity Helios are a good choice for wheels for this bike: very light, handbuilt, and not uber aero like you find with so many 650c wheelsets. Good choices, Susan! Should be a sweet ride for her for many years to come.

Ahhh...Nederland

2009-08-17T20:39:00.003-06:00

Ahhh...I took a few days off last week up in Nederland, CO. It is a heavenly 7 hour drive (really) up 285 and then winding through the Colorado high country. It was a much needed and appreciated break from the big heat we've had lately in Santa Fe...the grasses (and weeds) are above my head (it's been a very wet summer in Colorado), the nights are full of owls hooting against the backdrop of pure silence, the flowers have moved into late summer expression. I exhaled a lot...Enjoy the pics.

Sweetpea enjoying an early morning walk down in the wetlands behind the domes.

The Patience of Mary

2009-08-03T16:55:00.004-06:00

Here is Mary's bike. The frame came back from paint about 6 weeks ago but there were some challenges getting her parts here. Ultegra. I know. Rare stuff. But when you need 165mm cranks and a 28.6mm front derailleur clamp (never mind, we went with the braze on version and QBP's problem solver that isn't all about shims) amongst other unusual parts (said sarcastically), apparently it is not so easy to find this stuff right in the middle of the cycling season. Not used to that to this degree: maybe my supplier's stocking less of a lot of things due to the economy? I don't know, but she was very patient as we waited for it all to arrive, and the end result is quite nice. Mary is a 5'2" Californian wanting an all-around versatile ride that fits and looks proportional. I think this fits the bill. This frame uses Paragon's replaceable hanger dropouts, which are a nice option once you file them down, a lot. (why are the hoods so HUGE?)

It's Grown On Me

2009-07-28T17:20:00.004-06:00

Here's Karen's racy frame and fork. I think it looks fast. I wasn't sure about her paint scheme, but the end result delivered by Spectrum is, as usual, amazingly well done. And the yellow is so lemony my mouth is watering just looking at it. This is the first road frame I have done designed around an Edge carbon fork. I've heard nice things about how they ride and overall quality, but must say they look much nicer painted than raw.

Carnivorous Snails!

2009-07-26T15:22:00.003-06:00

Maybe I am looking down too much these days, but here is another strange sight on par with the butterfly spending noontime becoming intimate with an SUV tire: a rather large snail (situationally speaking) taking a meal on Sweetpea's abandoned bone in the back yard. Ew! Or, cool! (I haven't decided.) I didn't know snails went for this kind of thing. Plus, I had no idea such a creature could exist here in the desert where it has been dry as a bone these last few weeks. All insights into such strange critter behavior are, as usual, most welcome.

It's the details...

2009-07-24T17:22:00.004-06:00

I make lots of 'cross frames. Unfortunately, the only decent rear brake cable stop/bridge available from U.S. framebuilding suppliers is the one on the right (sitting atop the vise). That is a fine bridge/stop because it is both light and simple, but I know how cantilever cable tension can be finicky, especially with road brake levers, and it sure is nice to be able to increase or reduce cable tension on the fly (like, to remove the rear wheel without making your thumbs cry), without undoing the cable completely. Hence, a simple modification is in order.

First, I cut off the split cable stop (see the bridge above sans stop in the vise). Then, I file a little groove in the bridge. Then I place this trumpet boss in the groove and silver braze it on. I think this particular boss is both elegant and perfect for the job.
On Luna CX bikes, you get a customized brake bridge. It takes a little extra time, but saving thumbs and aggravation is important.

Hey, where's my downtube?

2009-07-17T17:04:00.004-06:00

This frame came back to me with a big ole dent in the downtube from a not-so-pleasant shipping experience. I am replacing it. Cutting out a tube is always a bit like opening a treasure chest: you never know what you will find inside (or on either end). Fortunately, I have a beautiful view of the seat tube weld holding up fine, and there are no signs of corrosion or other ickiness, and the frame remained very straight and happy when I cut out its main tube (a good thing) with the hacksaw today. A downtube replacement is a pretty easy repair, compared to most. Next steps are filing down the remaining pieces of each end of the downtube til it looks like it was never there, cutting and mitering a replacement tube, removing enough of the powdercoat so I can weld the new tube in cleanly, and then sending her off for paint, again.

And what's with this butterfly? I saw it on my way to pick up my pizza (an approximate 50 yard walk by foot...hence why I am getting rather chubby this year), and it kept hanging out on this smelly tire til I walked back to the shop and returned with the camera. There have been lots of these particular butterflies this year (who can tell me what they are called, I'd love to know), but, as large and beautiful as they are, they act a little wacky. Like, is a SUV tire really a nice place to hang out in 95 degree heat when there are flowers blooming EVERYWHERE? I wish I could read the mind of this butterfly.

By Popular Demand: Build Shots. Dropouts

2009-07-13T17:49:00.004-06:00

I chat with the women on the Team Estrogen forum frequently enough and I recently let them know about the blog. My framebuilding friend Steve swears people want to see "build shots" on the blog, but I was skeptical that this was as true for women as it is for the dudes. However, the women forumites confirmed that build shots are the bees knees, so here ya go. Some pics of me adding dropouts to some chainstays on Mindy's CX frame. Chainstays and seatstays to come soon.

The dropout on the right is a "Breezer" or Wright dropout (yes, named for the Wright brothers who invented this very simple, light, and stiff design) untouched out of the bin. I file off the goobers the manufacturer attaches to help me guide the chainstay onto them (see dropout on the left). My frame jig and dummy axles undo the need for this silliness, and I find they do not make welding the dropout to the chainstay particularly friendly. One nice thing about these dropouts is that the vent hole (to allow welding gasses to escape) is integrated into the dropout, so I don't have to drill one into the chainstay.

Here's the chainstay hand filed and dummied up in my slick chainstay fixture. I find hand filing them is way easier and faster than using my vertical mill (which I use to cut miters in most of the tubing). You cannot have any visible gaps between the tube and the dropout, or welding will be challenging to say the least, look icky, and not be as strong.

Another view of my nifty chainstay fixture from Anvil.

I tack the dropout to the stay in the fixture, then take it out to complete the job.

Ta Da!

Dang...

2009-07-12T21:53:00.005-06:00

I think this may be what we're talking about when we say the bike becomes an extension of your body:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z19zFlPah-o

Danny MacAskill appropriately riding a bike called Inspired. That looks like pure pleasure.

I Got a New Toy!

2009-07-11T10:41:00.004-06:00

I got a new Flip video camera! A good friend of mine in Colorado has one of these and turned me on to them. They are so fun just because they are so little and easy to use, and allow for a lot of spontaneity. Anyway, here's a little vid of my favorite part of my commute to work along the Railrunner bike path in Santa Fe. Sorry for the wobbliness. Hard to hold a camera, ride a bike, and talk at the same time!

I Got a New Tool!!

2009-07-10T17:16:00.004-06:00

Thanks, Wade! I love the community of framebuilders, pro and amateur alike. Per my broken tap disaster of a couple of weeks back, and contacting all framebuilding buddies I know for advice, excellent Mr. Wade Nachtigall made me a swank tap holder guaranteed to reduce the chance of future broken taps in these bosses. How cool is this?

What Makes It "Custom?" (a shameless pitch)

2009-07-09T09:32:00.013-06:00

You've taken the plunge, or you are about to. Or you're wondering what does it even mean. What does it mean to get a truly custom bike?
First of all, it means it will fit.
Maybe you are 5'0" or 6'0" and nothing in the local bike shop has never ever really fit or been comfortable to ride for any length of time.
Maybe you have a 26" inseam and are getting ready to tour around the country with 60 lbs of gear

Or you have a 34" inseam and want a road bike that finally allows for a comfortable reach:

Maybe you are tired of the same old paint schemes and want butterflies or sparkles on your bike

Or lugs! and a swanky head tube badge on your singlespeed

Maybe you just love STEEL and the amazing ride it will give you:

You just want to know an experienced craftswoman is cutting and filing your fork dropouts by hand, creating the gentle curve in each of your fork blades, choosing each tube on the bike to match your body and your needs
and making your ride completely yours, one of a kind. It is a completely different process ordering a Luna instead of walking in the bike shop and grabbing one off of the floor. It is definitely a process, a relationship, and the manifestation of something that expresses who you are and why you ride.

Le Dude Ranch

2009-07-08T23:59:00.005-06:00

Last week I was blessed to attend the celebration of my Mom's 75th birthday with my extended family at a beautiful, verdant dude ranch in Steamboat Springs, CO. There were 90 happy horses, lots of rain, the greenest Colorado I can ever recall, and many wonderful little adventures...

Here are some pics:

my stellar nephew Jeremy perfecting the egg-on-the-spoon-in-mouth riding technique in the kids rodeo, the prelude to an extended family photograph, Eileen with Yoder (a very sweet horse that nonetheless tossed my sis into the grass--she's ok,
healing from some cracked ribs),
my lovely Mom, and an evening rainbow descending behind the ranch. It was a great time all in all...thanks, Mom!

Ain't I Clever

2009-07-08T21:53:00.009-06:00

So Eileen and I went to Colorado to hang out for a week in the lovely geodesic dome in beautiful Nederland. We brought a nice bottle of wine to enjoy upon our arrival, but, as luck would have it, there was nothing resembling a corkscrew anywhere to be found. Hmmm. How to get that thing out...Hmmm...Good thing I am a handy framebuilder! In my toolbox of mostly useless tools kept in the pantry, I found a neglected tapered reamer (generally used to convert presta valve rim holes to schrader), a hammer, and...voila! This line of work indeed has many indirect benefits...One tends to think in a creative and unconventional manner, and sometimes even gets a little lucky.

2009-07-07T19:29:00.003-06:00

Here's a funky view inside the shop. It's in the micro business district of Santa Fe known as Second Street. It's where the renowned Cloud Cliff Bakery and Cafe resided til they went under a year ago (dammit). I am surrounded my therapists, architects, acupuncturists, ghetto bike shops, a great pizza joint, and one of the best microbreweries in Santa Fe (Second Street Brewery). I am also a mere 3 mile ride from my house, much of which travels along the amazing new bike trail paralleling the new Railrunner commuter train that travels many times daily between Santa Fe and Albuquerque. In other words, I am blessed. Here I am talking shop with Boulder based amiga Ann Rice.

Holy Framebuilding Nightmare!

2009-07-07T18:34:00.003-06:00

Ahhh...here is Karen's beautiful frame with her beautiful finish...and a broken tap inside the shifter boss! This is a first for me--14 years without this particular catastrophe, but one of those inevitable things you encounter as a framebuilder if you do this long enough. The tap broke when I was cleaning out the threads in her shifter boss. How to remove it? All wise or creative ideas welcome! I have tried a tap extractor. Very unsuccessful. I have talked with machine shops in the Albuquerque and greater Denver metro areas who own something fancy called a "sinker EDM (electrical discharge machine)." They can potentially blow these things out without damaging the paint! However, these machines don't tend to accommodate anything as large as a bicycle frame, particularly given where the bosses are... Am hoping the framebuilding angels will send me a new idea within a day or two, or this boss will get filed off, a new one brazed on, and the finish re-done again. C'est la vie. Anyone who thinks the life of a framebuilder is glamorous, here's proof in the puddin' it is not.

2009-06-19T19:09:00.002-06:00

Every year we get the brief treat of watching the Santa Fe River re-enact a fraction of its formal self as a beautiful ankle-deep flow of snow melt passes through town, giving us cool feet and a reminder of water in motion