Goobye to another friend

It is a sad day when you have to say goodbye to a bike. It's one thing if you sell a trusty steed (see post below), quite another if you break it. It seems I broke my favorite snow bike -- my fixed gear Malvern Star. Sheer simplicity: cross tires, a flat bar, clip on fenders and no brakes. Nothing to jam up, foul up or freeze shut when you're riding through slop and slush. Last night while cleaning the bike I discovered a circumferential crack where the seat tube joins the bottom bracket shell. The lug is cracked all the way through. I guess I'd heard some creaking and noticed my crank was bending in on the down pedal stroke. I elected not to ride it although failure would most likely not be catastrophic since the seat tube is wedged against the BB shell. But it certainly does make for a sloppy ride. The worst part will be telling Timmy G from work. He fished the bike out of the trash many years ago. He sold it to one co-worker who gave it to another. Then I bought it for $25 with a seatpost and headset last fall. I think I got my money out of it, but I am always sad to see a good lugged frame bite the dust. And Tim was always excited to see that Malvern in the bike rack at work.


Here I am a year ago with the bike, Burley attached, on a ride to a New Year's party. The next day I started this blog.

Quite serendipitously I was in the bike shop not only to clean my winter ride but to also clear some space to begin prepping my new Surly Cross Check frame for building. It will be a fixed gear. Looks like it will be the bike that replaces this old departing ride. Now, of course I am excited to be building up a new bike, but still sad to see one go ...