New Jewelry for my Platypus

[Bicycle Belle Ding Ding!]

I have never had Paul anything. I’ve had whatever brakes and levers came with my bikes and didn’t think any more about it. I did get my VO brake levers anodized, but that batch of rose pink ano faded freakishly fast and everything was silver 4 months later. 

But I’m giving it another chance. Everyone talks about Paul, and Paul sometimes offers their parts in pretty, anodized colors, but currently, they do not. I emailed the company, asking if they happened to have any of their pink levers laying around that they would be willing to sell me. I got an email back from Paul, like THE Paul, who directed me to an employee I won’t name here. He and I got in contact and he was so fun, right from the start. We chatted and he looked at my bikes (I sent him my pics via email) and we made a plan. 

We colored it all. 

The bolts, the brake body, the levers, the barrel adjustors ALL of it. 

The parts came in 3 boxes, plus one extra little envelope. The envelope had a small personalized gift from my new friend at Paul, just because, with a handwritten note in the prettiest handwriting I’ve ever seen. Swoon! I opened the first box and it was wrapped like origami inside. I uncovered the first gorgeous pieces and the breath left my body. So beautiful. Quality even a novice can’t miss. Just what I wanted. Rich, rose color. 

I would need to be with bike people to get the full joy out of this experience. My bike shop knows about Paul Components. A blizzard is on its way to Michigan and I knew my shop would not be busy. I put the pieces back in the box, loaded the boxes and my bike in the van and drove to the shop. I came in and there were 4 mechanics and zero customers. “Guys!” I said, “I have a fun project for us to do, and I can’t do it without you! Who wants to see what is in these boxes?” 

So there we were on company time, hovering over these immaculate little parcels, oohing and aahhing. There was extra swag in there, stuff I had never seen. 

“What’s this?” I asked, holding up a flat, wooden thing with Paul emblems. 

“It’s a carpenter’s pencil,” said the mechanic. I gave it to him.

I left the bike with them and I should have it in the next couple/few days, depending on how long the blizzard rages for. Not that I’ll get to ride and try those beautiful Paul parts out; we are getting up to a foot of snow! For now they are only a visual treat. I can’t even imagine how enamored I will be when I get to actually USE the brakes. 

And what nice people. I was not expecting them to be so personable! I have heard they are a small operation, but they are famous in their own right - celebrity machinists, really - yet so kind to a layperson like me.

Here’s the photo I got before the parts shipped. “Whatcha think?” he asked. 

Oh, he knew. He knew he knocked it straight outta the park.

Leah

 

[John Rinker]

Wow, that raspberry Platy is going to be even more gorgeous! (Like that's even possible.) Enjoy the blizzard!

Cheers, John

[Bill Lindsay]

That's very good stuff right there.  Big time APPROVE

BL in EC

On Thursday, January 11, 2024 at 5:28:30 PM UTC-8 Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! wrote:

[Leah Peterson]

Big time APPROVE?! I have seen APPROVE before from Bill Lindsay but I don’t think there has been Big time APPROVE. 

This is an honor! I should get a tee shirt made. A tattoo. Something.

♥️💃🙏

Leah

On Jan 11, 2024, at 8:50 PM, Bill Lindsay <tape...@gmail.com> wrote:

That's very good stuff right there.  Big time APPROVE

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[Jason Fuller]

SO COOL! I can't wait to see it all installed. Really love the color. 

[Steve]

Oh my! OH MY!!!  This is going to advance your bike to a whole new  level of cool (and I mean that in the best possible way). 

Please, promise us all some pictures once you have  it back home.

And your whole experience - just wonderful! 

I'm a bit of a Paul fanboy and now I have a rationale for liking their bling even more. 

You know though, Paul brakes are not just pretty - I think you'll be amazed by their performance.  

Steve in Asheville

[Joe Bernard]

That rose is sooooo pretty. I grant your swanky new Paul brakes my highest praise, they're RIDICULOUS 

On Thursday, January 11, 2024 at 5:28:30 PM UTC-8 Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! wrote:

[Tim Bantham]

That is a really cool story and so glad to hear. I am an absolute sucker for anything Paul. The moto-lite brakes and Love Levers are my all time favorites. Although I didn't need much persuading you have inspired me to pony up the dough to swap out the parts for Paul Components on my own Platypus.

[Brian Turner]

I’m anxious to see your impressions of the Paul Motolite brake setup. In my experience, the combo of Love lever and Motolite v-brake has the best feel, best stopping power, and easiest setup and adjustment of any brake setup I’ve ever used. 

-Brian

Lex Ky 

On Jan 12, 2024, at 7:23 AM, Tim Bantham <tba...@gmail.com> wrote:

That is a really cool story and so glad to hear. I am an absolute sucker for anything Paul. The moto-lite brakes and Love Levers are my all time favorites. Although I didn't need much persuading you have inspired me to pony up the dough to swap out the parts for Paul Components on my own Platypus.

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[Ron Mc]

Can't get too much Paul or too much bling - anxiously awaiting results photos.  

A bike with that much love may also need a christening - what's his/her name?  

[Sarah Carlson]

Every ride is going to be like Valentines Day on that gorgeous bike!

On Thursday, January 11, 2024 at 5:28:30 PM UTC-8 Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! wrote:

[abraham nussbaum]

...and what a charming story about Paul. Good reminder of why we like craftspeople. Lovely!

[Marc Irwin]

If Paul did the anodizing, this time it will be right!

Marc

[Minh]

pretty cool, so they did not have fully made parts but were able to sell you a box of partial parts to mix and match your own?  i"m guessing this is a little too labor intensive to make a regular thing but very nice of them to still be able to do this. 

[Leah Peterson]

Marc - my thoughts, too! I know if will fade a little bit over time, but should not be so severe.

Minh, no, these are a new and full set that Paul sent to the anodizer for me! I did pay extra for that, but it was a nominal fee, I thought. They don’t usually do the entire brake, usually levers and barrel adjustors, I think, but we got wild and decided to do the whole kit. We just have to be careful setting them up, but then it should be fine and shouldn’t mark up the posts.

On Jan 12, 2024, at 11:58 AM, Minh <mgian...@gmail.com> wrote:

pretty cool, so they did not have fully made parts but were able to sell you a box of partial parts to mix and match your own?  i"m guessing this is a little too labor intensive to make a regular thing but very nice of them to still be able to do this. 

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[George Schick]

Hopefully you took the bike and the brake parts to that good bike shop over there this time where they know what they're doing, not the one that you tried once and they lost some of your parts.

[Leah Peterson]

George, never.

The photo I showed was from Paul. It was just to show me the color before they shipped my order to me. Paul  had to break everything into tiny pieces for anodizing and then they put it back together in gorgeous packaging and shipped it to me.

On Jan 12, 2024, at 12:30 PM, George Schick <bhi...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hopefully you took the bike and the brake parts to that good bike shop over there this time where they know what they're doing, not the one that you tried once and they lost some of your parts.

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[iamkeith]

What a great story!  

In case it didn't come up, you should still try to keep your bike out of direct sunlight when you're not riding it.  I've have a fair number of Paul components at this point (first ones were those same moto-lite V brakes from 1995 or thereabouts), and most of them HAVE faded.  Black is kind of brown now.  I doubt it will be like your others, but you might as well preserve them the best you can.  Also, if anodizing is anything like paint, red tones will naturally oxidize quicker than other colors.

If I remember correctly, there are at least two methods of anodizing.  The one Paul uses is much less toxic and more environmentally sound, but doesn't impart as hard or glossy or deep of a change to the aluminum.  I'm sure I over-simplified that though.

[peec...@yahoo.com]

It is a great story and a great testament to Paul.  If it fades, so what?  We all fade.  Ride and enjoy!  It is snowing hard though.  Puts me in a mood.  Tim

[Bicycle Belle Ding Ding!]

Gosh, a bike name…I have just been calling it The Racing Platypus, which is just funny. But it is my club ride bike, so…

Keith, good points. I know this is going to fade, I’m just hoping not as quickly as the first time around with the previous stuff. It only took 4 months to bleach it to silver. If it fades a bit over time, fine. If it’s drastic, I’ll never try for rose ano again. Maybe I’d re-do it in a teal to match the pedals. My teal pedals are as bright as the day I got them in 2021. I will keep it out of the sun mostly. It lives in the garage and not outside, except when I’m riding it.

It’s so good to hear everyone’s positive Paul reviews! Thanks for joining me in the excitement. I do appreciate it. So much.

Leah

[jaredwilson]

Wow, Leah.

Absolutely killer job on this collaboration, can't wait to see them installed!

And on the topic of a name, I kinda like the sound of "Paul 'The Racing' Platypus", as an homage to, well...

Enjoy your new found braking power!

Jared

[ascpgh]

I had the pleasure to meet and converse with Paul at the Philly Bike Expo. His approachability, perspective and overall friendliness adds to the MUSA points and makes me a fan of his parts any time I can use them. I think I'm dearly holding on to my orange Rambouillet because of the center bolt Racer brakes I added years ago to make room for more fender and tire.

Name that bike "Varod". 

Andy Cheatham 

Pittsburgh

On Thursday, January 11, 2024 at 8:28:30 PM UTC-5 Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! wrote:

[Kim H.]

@Leah -

I am certain with your new anodized bicycle parts will make you smile loudly with a lot of joy making you go faster than ever before.

Enjoy !

Kim Hetzel enjoying my blue 52cm Clem with a lot of joy and smiles.

[Dorothy C]

Congratulations Leah. Now you have a one of a kind brake set on a custom color Platy. 

[Josh C]

Love it!

[Brenton Eastman]

the pencil gifting warms my heart!! thanks for sharing

[Leah Peterson]

I finally got the call to pick up the racing Platypus today! I don’t think the photos I took can capture how great the Paul stuff looks. The mechanics all swooned as the bike was wheeled out to the showroom. It just looks like it was meant to have these brakes and in this rose color.

On Jan 15, 2024, at 11:41 PM, Brenton Eastman <brenton...@gmail.com> wrote:

the pencil gifting warms my heart!! thanks for sharing

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[Sally Bidleman]

Just beautiful, Leah; thanks for sharing!!

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[tio ryan]

What a lovely bicycle! Appreciate the close up photos with the snowy backdrop — I can't get enough 

[JAS]

Now you've done it!  That's the fanciest Platy I've ever seen and now we're all going to be dreaming about how to bedeck our own with jewels.  Just beautiful, Leah.  You'll go faster now too, I'm sure of it!

[Ryan]

Approve!!!it's a stunner

[Bill Lindsay]

Hi Paul?  It's me, Leah.  Listen, I just mailed you my Nitto rack struts and Chris King headset cups.  They just aren't cutting it being aluminum and silver.  Could you be a lamb and....

BL in EC

[George Schick]

Careful, Bill. You'll wind up in the same dog house I'm in.  Would you prefer a duplex or the upper level of a town house?

[Steve]

I've been checking this thread daily waiting for these pics.  Very Nice!!!  You have put together (I'd even say curated) a standout bike. Well done Leah! 

-- when the deep freeze finally thaws and you've had a chance to log a few miles on the beauty I'd love to hear your review of the Paul Motolites. 

Steve in Asheville

[Leah Peterson]

Bill, how’d you know?! Get out of my head! 🤣

On Jan 17, 2024, at 7:23 PM, Bill Lindsay <tape...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Paul?  It's me, Leah.  Listen, I just mailed you my Nitto rack struts and Chris King headset cups.  They just aren't cutting it being aluminum and silver.  Could you be a lamb and....

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[Bill Lindsay]

ANODIZE.

EVERYTHING.

ROSE.

[Roberta]

SO PRETTY. 

Leah and I were talking and although a great RIDING bike is most important, I think it elevates the ride if one also smiles at it too for being so pretty/ practical / high end items or whatever makes one smile.

Enjoy the ride!

Roberta

[John]

So cool! I just got my first Paul stuff (Love Levers + Klamper disc brake calipers) last year after eyeing it for ages. Gosh is it nice! It's beautiful right down to the packaging, isn't it? Love hearing that you had a positive customer experience too. I hope the new parts bring you years of joy.

John