Surprise New Bike Day

[Tony DeFilippo]

No not a Riv but so close in philosophy and execution I think any discussion would be in topic. First the good part, the pictures;

https://photos.app.goo.gl/BL8E5H1gM4CMsYd88

I was righteously and innocently making a dropoff of excess but good bike parts to my local Co-Op yesterday with ZERO thought towards looking at new to me bikes... My bike thoughts lately have consisted of replacing my Saluki rear wheel and scheming a way to sell my current Jones plus to fund a new Jones plus with the unicrown fork... Anyway, I'm chatting with the mechanic/proprietor At Velocity Co-Op and I notice a black upright bike with hammered fenders leaving against a pile of other pedestrian looking bikes.

I go over to check it out, albatross bars, nitto stem, single speed rear wheel, no brake, drum brake front wheel... My interest is now peaked - drum brakes? I don't see them often. Then I see the headbadge. A N T. Almost simultaneously the mechanic started talking about how no one appreciated the bike and it's been in the shop for days, 'people don't get it'. I agree that 'people' are blind or uneducated in not appreciating the neat joints, the custom stainless rear rack and understated style of this frame. I tell him, I think I can get this bike sold for you thinking that a picture and post here or iBOB would net a prospective owner quickly. Then I make the fatal move, I ask for a test ride, the frame is a 57cm, touch small compared to my other bikes but looks very rideable.

The test ride took me straight back to my house (in the neighborhood) to grab some cash and return to buy the bike in the spot. It rides great, steers from the hip, no hands without shimmy (unloaded), feels 'tight' in a good way. So that's how I've ended up in a N=6 (one loaned out, one off site and one tandem included in that number, so N=3 to me) again despite some significant effort yours downsizing and minimizing my bike stable.

The bike is perfectly rideable as is but that won't stop me from tuning it up. Right now I'm thinking wider tires (current 28mm are obviously to narrow) and some kind of front rack/basket. I may follow Deacon Patrick's lead and try fixed while I have it easily available in the current flip flop rear wheel. Lights for winter commuting, maybe even a new wheelset to get brakes back on the rear wheel.

Anyone have a single speed/igh roadster they love that can contribute ideas for winter projects on my new ANT?

Tony

[Tom Wyland]

I came across a used ANT bike in a similar way a couple of years ago. I passed because it had one-piece cranks (!). This one looks very nice!

I have had a bike for the last 8 years with a front drum brake. You need to keep them greased 1x month or so. If they start making any noise or if they lose modulation they need to be greased.  They have a little greasing port typically plugged with a small rubber plug. You need to get Shimano roller brake grease. It comes in 100g tube or smaller 10g tubes with a long filler neck.  You stick the neck of the tube as far as you can in the greasing port and spin the wheel while squeezing some in there.  The entire brake unit is replaceable (typically not repairable) and easily comes off the wheel.

Tom

[Joe Bernard]

That's a nice bike, Tony! You might want to check with Mike Flanigan, he's building ANTs again and used to do a really cool D Rack which would look great on your roadster.

[Christopher Murray]

Wow! What a great bike. I love ANT bikes and Mike seems like such a great guy. He was a visionary leaving IF to start ANT. He doesn’t get the credit he deserves for the shift away from racing to practical bikes.

Happy riding!
Chris

[Joe Bernard]

"He doesn’t get the credit he deserves for the shift away from racing to practical bikes."

No he doesn't. Every mainstream bike maker has a "townie" with IGH, pullback bars, fenders and a rack now. Things were very different in 2001 and "townie" wasn't a word.

[Joe Bunik]

Tony,

That's a great score and takes me back to the early 2000's when I was
living in Cambridge / Somerville -- Mike's work was hugely influential
on me in my nascent bike-nerd years. This bike still epitomizes
everything a BOB-ish townie should be. I'm still searching for this
white whale!

Another important dude from that time was a mechanic(?) at the
Broadway Bicycle Schoo, "Smasher" who preached the wonders of
rebuilding the old Raleigh 3-speeds which littered the curbs of Boston
every trash day. Anyone remember his web pages?

=- Joe Bunik
Walnut Creek, CA

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[Tony DeFilippo]

I’m glad to see I wasn’t alone in my reaction to this frame!

Tom thats excellent info about the drum brake service, i need to get some of that grease.

Anyone have a picture of the ‘D Rack’? I have exchanged emails with Mike Flanigan about the bike actually, he confirmed it was an early one of his. Seems like a very nice guy, I didn’t realize he was back in business but I’m happy to hear it.

Anyone have an opinion about Sturmey Archer vs Shimano drum brake IGH’s? Not sure I’ll go that route, might stick with single speed or look at the two speed/dinglespeed setup.

Also i’ve been out of the 700x32ish tire market a while... these drum brake wheels will definitely penalize flat repair times so I may have to look at more robust tires than my compass and schwable slicks lately. Riv Jack Browns, pasaelias, the VO/panaracer tires, gravel kings... any consensus on favorites?

Tony

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[ctifusion]

Such a beautiful bike. I wanted on so bad in the early 2000s. Still do!!

Brynnar
Indy

[Joe Bunik]

Tony! Thanks for sending me on a walk through the past, I know have
photos somewhere of lock-up ANT's w/ those racks.

Here's one that I bet this is one Mike's (it's on a Seven), likely
belonged to someone involved in the local industry
(Merlin/Seven/I.F.): https://www.flickr.com/gp/cococomomo/836YmX

And another "rando"-ANT: https://www.flickr.com/photos/joe_bunik/5978844794

=- Joe

[Joe Bunik]

Or, just leaf through Mike's flickr -- starting from the back of the book!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/antbikemike/page51

[sameness]

My buddy owns this one. Crazy how dialed in it is. Also crazy this was almost 11 years ago.

Jeff Hagedorn

Los Angeles, CA USA

[Joe Bunik]

ANT predated (and inspired!) individuals like Kogswell while
anticipating the "bespoke" hand-built craze of the last decade. As
influential of a bike as the Ibis Scorcher. And -- to bring it back
on-topic -- Quickbeam!!!

On 11/7/18, sameness <same...@gmail.com> wrote:
> My buddy owns this one
> <https://www.flickr.com/photos/antbikemike/2232181259/>. Crazy how dialed

[Joe Bernard]

Ooh, that's the one I modeled my ANT Roadster on. I probably shouldn't have sold that bike!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/PtdU43Re739B9Mji6

[Philip Williamson]

I had a three speed Robin Hood that came off the curbs of Boston! My friend was moving out here, the bike got put out next to his uhaul, and he threw it inside. His wife was not amused, and I inherited it. I tuned it up, threw my back out riding it up Fountaingrove, and gave it to a friend for Burning Man.

Philip
Santa Rosa, CA

[Tony DeFilippo]

Could anyone with Compass Barlow Pass tires pass along the height and width of the tire profile nothing the rim type?  I think 32mm is an easy fit but I'd like to squeeze all the plushness I can into the frame.

Thanks, 

Tony

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[Tony DeFilippo]

Bon Jon Pass 700x35 rather... Not the 38's.

[Wayne Naha]

Such a cool find!  Nothing like that turns up here, just old Huffies.  Glad you could grab it.  It is so fun to be that one in a hundred who can spot a jewel hidden in plain sight.

[masmojo]

You know, I hate yo be a big downer, but I hafta wonder how a bike like that ends up on the adoption stack @ a Co-op!?
My overwhelming initial feeling is that it's probably Hot. Did they have some inkling to it's provenance?

[Eric Norris]

As nice as ANT bikes are, this one looks like it’s been ridden hard and put away wet more than once. Anyone not “in the know” would look at this and just see a used bike with rust and scratched-up paint.

--Eric Norris
campyo...@me.com

@CampyOnlyguy (Twitter/Instagram)

On Nov 9, 2018, at 11:36 AM, masmojo <mas...@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

You know,  I hate yo be a big downer,  but I  hafta wonder how a bike like that ends up on the adoption stack @ a Co-op!?
My overwhelming initial feeling is that it's probably Hot. Did they have some inkling to it's provenance?

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[Tom Wyland]

You would be surprised what people give away or sell for cheap when it's a little dirty or rusty. Someone had a bike trainer for $90 on Craigslist. He was giving away the bike that he used with it.  Bridgestone lugged steel touring bike IN MY SIZE. It was sold before I could get over there.  Unfortunately someone flipped it and put it back on CL a week later for $400.

[Tony DeFilippo]

I don't know the story of how the bike came to Velocity but it's a respected shop in a pretty well to do area... They pass a couple gems through every year.

The black frame is pretty forgiving, the photos don't show just how much abuse the bike has seen, I do know it wasn't rideable when it came in, getting a complete overhaul...

When I reached out Mike Flanagan couldn't identify the bike or the person he built it for other than to say it was one of his very early and custom efforts.  Very friendly and cool guy by the way.

Tony

On Fri, Nov 9, 2018, 15:08 Tom Wyland <tomw...@gmail.com wrote:

You would be surprised what people give away or sell for cheap when it's a little dirty or rusty. Someone had a bike trainer for $90 on Craigslist. He was giving away the bike that he used with it.  Bridgestone lugged steel touring bike IN MY SIZE. It was sold before I could get over there.  Unfortunately someone flipped it and put it back on CL a week later for $400.

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[Patrick Moore]

I can cap Tom's story (but not to my personal advantage, more's the pity). Back when Stevie still operated Stevie's Happy Bikes in Corrales, NM (business model: be such a nice neighborhood guy that people drop in and give you whole bikes and boxes of kit, which you then sell. I bought many a retro-bit from his case).

Someone gave him 2 matching Columbines with full NR build. (A Santa Fe bike club came by and dropped off about 50 lb of parts, from wheels to cranks to pedals to cranksets and cogs, among which I spent several happy hours scavenging.)

And, back before Goodwill started flogging all the good stuff on eBay, I used to find highish end bikes in the nearest store for under $40, including a high-end (either 531 or equivalent French chromo + high-level Simplex drivetrain for about $40 in 1998 dollars.

On Fri, Nov 9, 2018 at 1:08 PM Tom Wyland <tomw...@gmail.com> wrote:

You would be surprised what people give away or sell for cheap when it's a little dirty or rusty. Someone had a bike trainer for $90 on Craigslist. He was giving away the bike that he used with it.  Bridgestone lugged steel touring bike IN MY SIZE. It was sold before I could get over there.  Unfortunately someone flipped it and put it back on CL a week later for $400.

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Auditis an me ludit amabilis insania?

[Marty Gierke, Stewartstown PA]

That bench looks familiar! I try to stop by once a month or so - drop off some things and browse/shoot the breeze. Waiting for something my size to pop up. Maybe next time. 

Marty 

[ted]

Tony,

My caliper gives ~1.41" wide for BJP 35mm extralight with tubes at ~55psi on a H Plus Son TB14 rim. Height is hard to measure precisely but eyeballing with the caliper id guess maybee 1.35". So in metric ~35.8 wide and 34.3 tall.

Congratulations on the new ride. Looks very cool.

I've got two 1 speeds (both from RBW) I really like a lot. I strongly encourage you to put a fixed cog on that hub and try that for at least a week or two. I was inadvertently introduced to fixed town/commute riding several decades ago and boy am I glad that happened, been using one off and on ever since. If you don't care for it forget it. But who knows perhaps you'll be hooked like I was. There's nothing like trying for knowing.

I gather many here don't care for toe clips, but I kinda like em. For a non cleated shoe the MKS clone of the WI clone of the Lyotard MB pedal is really great. Just file / cut off the silly tabs on the inside side of the platform. With a set of Soma deep large toe clips my bulky Keen sandals work fine.

regrards

ted

sf east bay ish

[EasyRider]

What a neat bike. Speaking of fixed gear, is that a fixed cog I see on the non-driveside of the rear wheel?

Pete
Arlington, VA

[Craig Montgomery]

What a great find. Always loved Mike's common sense approach. His bikes looked tough yet fun. Much like the bikes French refugees used to escape the Nazis. At the drop of a hat I'd choose one for a shoot your way outta town post Apocalypse bike.  

Craig in Tucson

[Joe Bernard]

Craig: I love that imagery. I'm debating hard about ordering a singlespeed Truss Bike - it's a lot of cash, so maybe.. - and it's totally the post-Apocalyptic get outta town bike! 😁

[Tony DeFilippo]

Ted - Thank you!! I think 35mm might just work! Anyone have a single or set of used up 35 mm tires they’d part with for shipping costs i can try out? Doesn’t have to be anything fancy just roughly true to size.

Pete - yes it is, I flipped the rear wheel and found that the chain length is marginal for the larger fixed cog...i’ll fix that shortly and give it a try, it’ll be a first for me when i get it working.

First thorn on the rose... the seat-post is frozen, hard. Lucky its rideable as is but if it doesn’t work free I’ll have a fun job at some point unstucking it.

Craig I too enjoy that imagery!

On Sat, Nov 10, 2018 at 20:11 Joe Bernard <joer...@gmail.com> wrote:

Craig: I love that imagery. I'm debating hard about ordering a singlespeed Truss Bike - it's a lot of cash, so maybe.. - and it's totally the post-Apocalyptic get outta town bike! 😁