In the months since I last posted anything, predictability on what interest if any would be generated when I had finished a bicycle and prepared to release it back into the wild was a thing of the distant past.
It would seemingly take minutes to find a buyer some weeks during the summer for many of the projects I'd finished, NOW, my floor space was getting to be a seriously hard to find matter in the garage.
IMG_20150916_212433 by shwsrvcs, on Flickr
This Electra didn't get much interest in it for weeks but after I painted and soldit for a lower price than I'd ever imagined a Electra should go for, I then got a dozen calls on it, from an ad I forgot to delete on CL.. go figure.
My next build was a near clone of the Electra frame (save for the rear dropout) a OP roller, which took about a month to find a happy home.
20151031_134320 by shwsrvcs, on Flickr
It was a much better feeling ride than the electra, and at half the price, a steal for me and the new owner.
I ended up doing some fallback work in my old business - Computer Consulting, Repair and Web Design but kept my eye open for anything that looked like a nice starting point for me to get thru the winter slump. I eventually came across a old Cannondale M1000 MTB for $20. It had all the parts, was in good condition, so I bought it and after stripping to the aluminum frame, finished in matte and added some balloon tires for a interesting effect. 21 speed cruiser? ok... here ya go!
20151117_155044 by shwsrvcs, on Flickr
After that, I found a frame on CL for $15. It was a really blurry pic but for that price, who would pass on it? Apparently everyone since the ad had been up for a while and even I'd missed it for over a month. It was a stretchy cruiser frame that I still have no idea the maker of.
20151127_112255 by shwsrvcs, on Flickr
I have not seen another frame like it. the way the top bar is bent, the straight downtube, the split chainstay right off the BB and the seatpost sitting in the middle of the chaindstays all on it's own...I can't find another one like it online on any site. Id love to find out more on it though because the ride on that thing was nice. best one yet this winter
I then got another the Realm bike. this one was $20, and I let myself do a very off beat paint scheme, which was more laziness on the sanding to begin withand evolved into -- this lovely tapestry.
20151205_124853 by shwsrvcs, on Flickr
The front featured the m of the word Realm turning into a white ghost claw/hand chasing a figure back across the bottom of the word and blending into the abyss of the artwork on the rest of the frame.
After that... where else was there to go... I decided, no paint this time.
20151223_154647 by shwsrvcs, on Flickr
So now the new year will be here soon and with any luck, this is the year my name takes wind and this bike shenanigans becomes this bike empire. You all get a cut of the pie too if i can help it!
It would seemingly take minutes to find a buyer some weeks during the summer for many of the projects I'd finished, NOW, my floor space was getting to be a seriously hard to find matter in the garage.
IMG_20150916_212433 by shwsrvcs, on FlickrThis Electra didn't get much interest in it for weeks but after I painted and soldit for a lower price than I'd ever imagined a Electra should go for, I then got a dozen calls on it, from an ad I forgot to delete on CL.. go figure.
My next build was a near clone of the Electra frame (save for the rear dropout) a OP roller, which took about a month to find a happy home.
20151031_134320 by shwsrvcs, on FlickrIt was a much better feeling ride than the electra, and at half the price, a steal for me and the new owner.
I ended up doing some fallback work in my old business - Computer Consulting, Repair and Web Design but kept my eye open for anything that looked like a nice starting point for me to get thru the winter slump. I eventually came across a old Cannondale M1000 MTB for $20. It had all the parts, was in good condition, so I bought it and after stripping to the aluminum frame, finished in matte and added some balloon tires for a interesting effect. 21 speed cruiser? ok... here ya go!
20151117_155044 by shwsrvcs, on FlickrAfter that, I found a frame on CL for $15. It was a really blurry pic but for that price, who would pass on it? Apparently everyone since the ad had been up for a while and even I'd missed it for over a month. It was a stretchy cruiser frame that I still have no idea the maker of.
20151127_112255 by shwsrvcs, on FlickrI have not seen another frame like it. the way the top bar is bent, the straight downtube, the split chainstay right off the BB and the seatpost sitting in the middle of the chaindstays all on it's own...I can't find another one like it online on any site. Id love to find out more on it though because the ride on that thing was nice. best one yet this winter
I then got another the Realm bike. this one was $20, and I let myself do a very off beat paint scheme, which was more laziness on the sanding to begin withand evolved into -- this lovely tapestry.
20151205_124853 by shwsrvcs, on FlickrThe front featured the m of the word Realm turning into a white ghost claw/hand chasing a figure back across the bottom of the word and blending into the abyss of the artwork on the rest of the frame.
After that... where else was there to go... I decided, no paint this time.
20151223_154647 by shwsrvcs, on FlickrSo now the new year will be here soon and with any luck, this is the year my name takes wind and this bike shenanigans becomes this bike empire. You all get a cut of the pie too if i can help it!
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