ORD

It's always worth following Paterson Architects on FB, to pick up little nuggets like this. Now where's HKG?

http://shop.nomodesign.com/category/runway-series

Bob's Back '12

When Bob is back in town that can only mean one thing- bikesandbeer. I topped this up with some Singapore slings, steak tartare and 4 hrs sleep as preparation for a solid days riding. Needless to say I started the ride a bit drunk, but eventually sobered up enough to find some rhythm.

The man himself exits Parents Farm. Does the Chinese say 'can anyone open tins of spam?'.

Just for you Bob- from left to right- Hillary >Dirk >Bob >Mark >Peter.

I have to say, mist and photography aren't always the best of friends, but I'm actually very pleased with this shot- bootyful.

City Hall

Not sure if it's cool to link to the Huffington Post or not, but this story about an abandoned NYC station piqued my interest. You don't really get this sort of thing in Asia...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/10/the-hidden-abandoned-city_n_781669.html?ref=ny-real-estate#s179141

My Bikes: Colossi Track

Here's a bit of bike building action from my TT > Track conversion build. Cranks, fixed gear- these things should be simple, but somehow setting this aspect up took more time than the rest of the fixed build put together.

Still, the result is pretty pimping and I've been enjoying this machine on street (with brake) and track (without) over the past month or so. Pushing a fixed 51x15 tends to mean I get a good workout no matter what the terrain, and given I put this together for a relatively small amount I'm pretty amazed with how much attention it seems to get off people / cats who see it. It's certainly different!

Another bonus is that it's so difficult to ride even if someone does try to steal it they will most likely fall off. What makes it difficult is also what makes it fun. I've never ridden anything so uncompromising in stiffness- forget what people tell you about carbon being laterally stiff etc.- no road bike will ever have a patch on an alu. frame like this kitted out with steel handlebars and 4/5 spoke track wheels (note all the trackie pros typically use a Mavic 5 spoke front -rrp more than this complete bike). Of course, with off the chart stiffness comes off the chart lack of bump compliance, but this doesn't really matter on the track, or on a 20 min commute. And, if I get bored I can always turn it back into a TT machine. Full spec. at time of photo below:

Frame: Colossi Custom Alu.
Fork: Colossi Carbon
Headset: Ritchey WCS Integrated
Stem: Thomson
Post: Thomson
Bars: Colossi steel pipe
Tape: Green Newbaums
Saddle: Selle Italia SLR
Wheels: Corima 4 spoke (used)
Tubs: Schwalbe Ultremo
Cranks: C-Unit 51
Pedals: 105
Chain: Izumi Gold 1 1/8th
Sprocket: Halo 15t
Brake: Campag Chorus
Brake Lever: Dia Compe

Norweigen Wood

You can trust the Scandies to design a nice library. Co-incidence it's empty in year 2012? No, CNC cut plywood and glu-lams have to be the future.

http://www.contemporist.com/2012/02/17/vennesla-library-and-culture-house-by-helen-hard/

Sky Track

A proper bikesandbuildings photo taken this weekend at HK's slightly bonkers new $$$ recreational cycling facility. Where we had a race. And where, predictably enough, a guy crashed in front of me for no reason. Body fine, but back wheel wouldn't turn in the frame afterwards. My conviction that it's only worth buying second hand carbon wheels well and truly re-enforced, but I'm pretty p*ssed I'm on yet another eBay trawl for yet another carbon wheel spare (24 spoke rear campag compatible hub), having only just got myself sorted with a matching pair (my latest carbon wheel building is for another post). Still, first podium of the year no bad thing. More on:

http://www.colossi.cc/reports-2012

Velodroming

A really great day out at Whitehead velodrome yesterday, where, after 4 years of trying, I finally got a track license to race track in HK! A fuller repertoire of photos is on the below slideshow, and we have a new page up on http://www.colossi.cc/track. I hope this is the first trip of many in the coming months.

Bamboo n Tarp

A nice Saturday night at the Landmark Mandarin in town to celebrate a bit of a special occasion. As is rather common in Hong Kong, the nicest looking building to look at from this hotel is also the one that's being built. God knows what is underneath, and chances are it is awful, but there is at least a reassuring familiarity to the bamboo and tarp that I do quite like. A bit like M&S down the road...