Plum Grove Cyclery | Custom Bikes

A Titanium Single Speed is Born

Posted on February 24, 2012 by tom

First The Wheels!

The foundation of any bicycle, the wheels represent not only the connection to the ground but the piece of the bike that takes the force from the pedals and turns it into the speed that squeezes tears from your eyes. Picking the proper spokes to do the job matching the gauge to the rider. Choose the lacing pattern and appropriate nipples all contribute to a wheel that disappears underneath the rider but also launches with a little squeeze at the pedal. Lacing over and under, threading the nipple and crossing the spokes is a process that combines the disparate parts of hub, spoke and rim into one critical component.

Front wheels are usually easier

Very pretty Chris King Hubs in the pewter finish, DT Swiss Champion spokes in black with alloy nipples connected to Stans NoTubes ZTR Arch 29er rims is going to make a wheel that will make any bike just point and shoot!

Rear wheel is coming together with the help of King Street Coffee

The rear wheel isn’t even done yet and it already looks fast! Tomorrow when I finish the build, we are going to ride the race course on the Farm to shake the new rig down.

Racing Ralphs Ready to Roll

Tomorrow these wheels will grace a titanium Independent Fabrication frame that will be as sweet to look at as it will be to stretch a leg over. Stay tuned.

Tom Stokes

Posted in bike fitting, bike sales, bike service, mike dickerson, mountain bike races, rockland farm, tom stokes, wheel building, where to ride | Leave a comment

Independent Fabrication Ti Deluxe 29er with a twist

Posted on February 21, 2012 by tom

Inspired by the Paragon Machineworks aluminum slider dropouts on my Ti Single Speed, Nelson decided to build a 29er Deluxe for himself with a unique twist. Ordering the dropouts with a derailleur hanger, he had me build two sets of wheels. One has a Chris King ISO traditional rear hub while the other has a Chris King Single Speed ISO rear hub. By switching wheels, cutting a few zip ties, unbolting the shifters, derailleurs and shortening the chain you have a lean and very clean single speed. The Slider dropouts allow a huge amount of adjustment for chain tension and allows you to make a cog swap of up to three teeth without having to shorten or lengthen chains. Truly two bikes in one!

Tom Stokes

Sweet Panel

Sterling Silver Headbadge

Paragon Machineworks Slider Dropouts

Posted in bike sales, bike service, mike dickerson, mountain bike races, rockland farm, tom stokes, wheel building | Leave a comment

Classic Steel Hollands Road Bike Re-Finished and Re-Born

Posted on February 20, 2012 by tom

I love to work on classic bikes. Steel, aluminum and rubber with very little if any composites or exotic technologies. Cleaning and overhauling all the bits I have to go back in the archives to remember working on loose ball bearing hubs and headsets. Peeling the packaging off of the frame after Tom Kellog at Spectrum Bikes re-painted it was like uncovering a work of art. A really fine example of a hand made lugged steel frame and fork sporting one of the finest finishes in the industry. A real pleasure to re-build and create a machine that is as much art as function.

Tom Stokes

Twenty years of use

New paint and clean parts

Twenty years of use

Posted in bike commuting, bike service, rockland farm, tom stokes | Leave a comment

Baker’s Dozen is Five Years Old!

Posted on April 12, 2011 by netqwik

After four years of almost perfect weather for each of the preceding versions of the Baker’s Dozen, Mother Nature decided to test the mettle of both the race organizers and all of the hardy racer’s that plan to spend a weekend matching themselves against the rock and dirt of Rockland Farm. Fortunately for Mike and myself at Plum Grove Cyclery and Rob and Kelly at Go Time Racing, the racers that have decided to grace us with their presence each year are of the highest caliber and a little cold and wet combined with a sticky muddy trail that was a bit longer and more difficult was a minor inconvenience as they managed to beat it into submission. I must say that I thought the atmosphere was a bit more serious this time around as people simply buckled down to the task at hand. The “rendering pot” that we converted into a firepit was a big hit at the start/finish area and racers were taking advantage of the BTU’s to dry socks and warm up cold and aching limbs. Thanks to Go Time Racing for doing an amazing job organization and after four years of setting up race venues, Mike and I are beginning to get the hang of doing a better job of making the Farm and the race course a more inviting place for racers and their families to spend a part of their weekend.

One of the highlights of my day Saturday was the Mini’s Race at 3 O’clock. Those kids were sooooo excited and quite a few parents timed their laps so they could be there to push their kids along the course. Mike had us sing Happy Birthday to Sam who has his seventh birthday coming up on the 29th of this month to keep the kids occupied as we waited for the race to begin. I haven’t run that far since I was in high school (long time ago!) but I didn’t even notice it as I pushed and cheered the little ones along in the woods and the pines. Afterwards Mike and I took all the kids and parents on a ride in the Fire Truck with the lights flashing and an occasional honk of the sirens. I am not sure if the liked the bike race or the Fire Truck better. Big thanks to River Farm and Fred next door for loaning us his big red Fire Truck!!

I can’t say enough about how genteel and well mannered all the people who came out this weekend were. Clean-up consisted of only one truck load of trash 90% of which was bagged and neatly deposited at the dumpster. Looks like everyone was very conscious of recycling and we had almost as big a load of recycling to truck off the property. From what I have read those manners extended to the racing as people were quite polite about passing safely.

Once again, thanks to Betsy Brown and the entire Brown family for allowing all of us to enjoy this beautiful piece of property and history. I look forward to seeing everyone again at upcoming events!

Watch out for the corner!

First bottleneck

He is ready to go!

The next generation of racer!

Kicking back after registration!

Relaxing while waiting for Dad to ride by.

Warming up between laps.

Finish line in sight!

Do I REALLY need to do another lap?!

Posted in bicycle saftey, bike commuting, bike fitting, bike sales, bike service, bikes and cars, mike dickerson, mountain bike races, rockland farm, tom stokes, wheel building, where to ride | 2 Comments

Moots Mooto X YBB Pimped!

Posted on February 25, 2011 by netqwik

The newest addition to Mike’s Mooto X YBB 29er is perhaps the ultimate wheel set. With every other component representing the best and lightest Mike decided is was time to do away with the Gold Chris King hubs (sniff) laced to Salsa Delgado rims. We did try to build those wheels light with ultra-light DT Revolution spokes but even Mike who tips the scales at just over 160 lbs. found them to be just a tad too flexy. The obvious choice for replacement hubs were the DT 190 Center Lock hubs boasting a weight savings of 56 grams for the front and a whopping 124 grams for the rear. In addition, the 190′s feature not only smooth and fast ceramic cartridge bearings but a very elegant and lightweight adapter that allows you to use a six bolt rotor on these center lock hubs.

For a rim we looked at NoTubes brand new Crest rim which not only comes in at 380 grams for the 29er version but like all NoTubes rims will set up tubeless super easy. Each rim represents a weight savings of 135 grams for a combined savings of 270 grams! Since the ultra light ultra butted DT Revolution spokes turned out not to provide the appropriate stiffness in the last build we opted for standard double-butted 2.0/1.8/2.0 DT Competition Black spokes paired with Gold alloy nipples. Laced together and tensioned the NoTubes rim tape was applied, tubeless valve installed and the Schwable Racing Ralph sealed up right away. Immediately hung the bike on the scale and the total bike weight dropped from just over 24.5 lbs to 23.75 lbs for a weight savings of just over 3/4 of a pound right where you need it most, rotating mass. Front wheel tipped the scales at a scant 704 grams while the rear was just 808 grams. Total wheelset combines for 1512 grams a full 276 grams lighter than the old set and with the extra savings of running tubeless completed the trip down the scale to under 24 pounds.

First ride confirmed the wheels are roughly two gears faster and roll downhill noticeably faster than the old set. Short of carbon rims we think this may be as trick as it gets for the ultimate 29er wheel set!

Posted in bike fitting, bike sales, bike service, mike dickerson, mountain bike races, rockland farm, tom stokes | Leave a comment

Snotcycle Turns Into Hike/RunCycle

Posted on January 31, 2011 by netqwik

Preparations on Friday for the Snotcycle this Saturday did not go quite as planned. Trying to lay down a tire track on the race course proved too difficult to accomplish. Mike and Harriet then picked up the gauntlet and cross country skied the entire course which took them over 3 hours. At least we thought people would have a track to follow in the woods because the course was buried under 8 inches of thick wet snow. The morning of the race dawned and people started to arrive. We quickly discovered our plans for parking were woefully inadequate. With a line of cars sitting bumper to bumper all the way out Farm Lane and down the shoulder of Rt 15 for at least 1/4 of a mile we knew we were going to have to do something quick. The Farm Manager came to the rescue with his John Deere tractor and managed to clear enough extra space for the multitude of racers that showed up. The Beginners went off first with the unenviable task of breaking a trail and packing it down for the following groups. The total amount of riding they accomplished was the short stretch down Farm Lane before they turned left onto the course. Many hardy souls persevered and trudged the entire course to be rewarded with the largest purse. Unfortunately it took the Sport rider group as well as the Beginners and the first lap for the Experts to finally pack the trail down enough to where it could be ridden. I have never seen such fortitude or insanity exhibited by a group of mountain bikers that I saw Saturday on Rockland Farm. The only thing that confounded me even more was that through all of this people kept their spirits up and seemed to have a good time. The fires after the race and the post-race beverages were a welcome diversion. People would also quickly chip in when cars needed to be pushed out of the snow. It was a very long and it turned out successful day. I would like to thank all the volunteers, Rob and Kelly from Go Time Racing and of course Rockland Farm with a particular shout out to Mark who piloted the John Deere to scrape together the needed parking! Finally I would like to thank everyone who signed up to race, come onto the property amidst chaos and were constantly friendly and enjoyable to be around. You overcame what most normal people would have considered impossible conditions with a smile on your face. You are the reason our events are so much fun.

Thanks,
Tom Stokes

Posted in bicycle saftey, bike commuting, bike fitting, bike sales, bike service, bikes and cars, mike dickerson, rockland farm, tom stokes | 1 Comment

Snotcycle Pre-Ride January 22nd 2011 9AM – 2PM

Posted on January 22, 2011 by netqwik

Following the directions available on BikeReg, come onto Rockland Farm via Farm Lane and park in the pasture. I will have a table set up with the waivers and hopefully a nice big warm fire in the fire pit. Come by to sign a waiver and get pointed in the correct direction to ride the race course. The weather looks like it will cooperate with temperatures well below freezing. However, if the temps raise too close to freezing and/or the sunlight softens up too much of the course I will END the Pre-Ride early. If you are planning on visiting anytime after 11 AM please email shop@plumgrovecyclery.com to confirm that the course is still open. I really don’t think that will be the case but if you are driving from a ways away, you might want to confirm that you can still get onto the course. Look forward to seeing everyone tomorrow and dress warm!

Tom Stokes

Posted in bicycle saftey, bike fitting, bike sales, bike service, mountain bike races, rockland farm, tom stokes | Leave a comment

Snotcycle and Baker’s Dozen

Posted on January 18, 2011 by netqwik

Last Saturday was the first of two pre-rides for the upcoming Snotcycle winter race. Rockland Farm was open from 9AM till 2PM although. Conditions were excellent early in the morning but the combination of warming air temps and some sunlight softened up the trail which is holding a lot of moisture. Because of that we had to cut the pre-ride short to keep the trail in good shape for the race which is scheduled for January 29th. Next Saturday is another pre-ride and the Farm will once again be open from 9AM till 2PM. Extended weather forecast currently is calling for much colder temperatures which should keep the track nice and firm for all who want to come out and visit. You do not have to be registered for any of our races to participate in any of our pre-rides. We will have a table set up so that all visitors can sign a waiver before they tackle the course. Currently the Snotcycle is sold out. For those people interested in getting on a waiting list, they can email info@gotimeracing.com.
The registration for our fifth annual Baker’s Dozen race opened up last night on BikeReg at 8PM. 450 available slots filled up in eight minutes! Last year the race sold out in 58 minutes with fewer available slots. Obviously there are many people who did not manage to register in time and are caught on the outside looking in. We feel like 450 is the number of slots that is the most we could allow and still keep the race from becoming too crowded out on the trail and make the experience less than what people have come to expect. We tried very hard to make it a level playing field for everyone who planned on participating. For those still wishing to find a way to get into the race here are a few tips. Email Rob and Kelly at info@gotimeracing.com to get on the waiting list. Also Adventures for the Cure have 10 slots that they will be auctioning off on Ebay starting next Sunday. Not sure exactly when but I am sure you will be able to track the listing down. Also, MORE has 4 slots that they will also be auctioning or raffling off. I have no information on how that will be handled but you could check their website to find out details. For those who wish the get the most out of the Baker’s Dozen experience without racing, they can still register to volunteer for one of the shifts on the BikeReg page. For volunteering you will get the same schwag that all of the racers get and we also provide camaraderie and drink!
Other upcoming events include the new Nightryder, a unique night time XC race on March 12th. Plenty of room still left for that race.
Thanks for your support and hope to see you all out on the trail!

Tom and Mike

Posted in bike sales, bike service, mike dickerson, mountain bike races, rockland farm, tom stokes | 2 Comments

Happy New Year

Posted on January 1, 2011 by netqwik

Mike and I would like to thank everyone who has supported us in 2010 and we look forward to a great 2011. Can’t wait for the Snotcycle coming up at the end of January, our new Nightryder nightime race in March and of course the Baker’s Dozen in April.
Hope everyone has a safe and happy New Year and we look forward to seeing everyone on the trail or the road in the New Year!

Posted in bike service | 1 Comment

Cattle Crossing a Muddy Success!

Posted on December 15, 2010 by netqwik

Standing out in the pasture with the temperature hovering in the 30′s and rain a constant companion all day it was amazing to see all the excited racers drive up and prepare to cover their bikes and bodies with some of the finest Rockland Farm mud. As the ruts grew deeper, the track grew wider and lap times got longer and longer in classic Cross fashion these competitors slogged it out and then enjoyed the fire and the barrel of beer. One racer was planning on competing in the Single Speed event which went off last after racing earlier in the 3/4 category but misjudged the strength of the Dale’s Pale Ale pouring from the keg and decided to return his transponder and not risk something worse than another coating of mud. Sometimes discretion is the better part of valor! Congratulations to all the dedicated racers that showed up for a classic Cross Mudfest! Despite the wet cold conditions, all of the volunteers, Go Time Racing and all of us from Plum Grove enjoyed hosting such a great group and were kept warm by their enthusiasm(as well as the fires!).