fks Splat's That (some Kuwaharas etc)

it did weigh a bit, but it was always going to I guess. It felt quite lively to ride, quite flexy, short chainstays

I think a lot of it comes down to having a 'utility' bike that wasn't actually very useful day-to-day. i.e. it was a bit posh to be a daily, the general vibe was incongruous with where i'm currently at in lots of ways, having tried 650b on a couple of bikes I think I prefer either a bigger or smaller wheel

also some build issues / omissions that were sort of silly for a 'utility' bike.

that said if I were to do a framebuilding course, I'd probably set out to build something very similar but with a few tweaks....

Makes sense:)

I'm not that fond of

• speedy road bikes
  
• skinny tyres
  
• 650b
  
• cantis
  
• neo-retro pastiche
  
• 'green'
  
• brown finishing kit
  
  

...

however

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Wow, an unexpected bike.

You just grab that off ebay? I saw it for sale. Was it near to you?

British racing green era

it might get a little journey to the powder coat person

exactly that - not super near to me but I'm in London a bit for work atm, so was a little detour....

Frame looks like it would be perfect for some shiny retro components.

You didn't waste much time sticking all the parts on ebay!

selling fee offers wait for nobody

hmm

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slightly encheapened for urban use

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trying to find some inspo for my taiwanese made american branded interpretation of an old french bike resplendent in british racing green

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and so on

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think the time has come to say 4130 with 38-42s and a 1x is the absalutely least inspiring bike to ride, interact, maintain and fiddle with. in doing so you are locked into an endless purgatory of trying to feel the joy presented on a blue lug mechanics face as they slip through tokyo traffic. a feeling that feels so ever distant as you sit gauntless in front of a SUV that beeps you back into conciousness. one tries to console themselves that the 40's roll as fast as 25's, that the weight and comfort savings of them allow for a more responsive ride over 2.1's. but look around where has this centerist compramise gotten us politically? and endless churn of deteriorating mental health, a life drained of joy, lacking on funds and you dreaming of a world where endless compramise hadn't stripped you of your sense of self. sure people might say it's nice to have a sensible bike, protected from the elements with full fenders, ready to carry a small load. but one yearns to experience life and all it has to offer at its most visceral, not its most responsible. we spend so long yearning for a culture which isn't our own due to it being shaped by such alienation and compramise. the fuck you got mine maximilism of the american anodised parts companies held together with legal weed and employer insurance. the mature curatorial tastes of japan, detached from the often, destructive and limiting influences of the american anglo political sphere. even a slight distraction by fooling ourselves just over the water in france or italy there is something redeeming we cannot find here.

yet what is one to do but raise their head from their hands and say..

"does anyone have an old chris king headset? i can part exchange for this hope?".

that's fine but what colour should I paint it

crying

a warm yellow

something pastely from crusts back catalogue

Hall of fame post out of nowhere. Coffee must be good this morning.

I will say that London riding is actually a million miles better than that in Tokyo, but the fact that you can "lock" your 2.5k anowagon in Shibuya and leave it overnight is a mitigating factor.

My vote is for the warm red paintjob on the last pack rat

Omnium Guacamole looks nice with silver as well

quite tempted by this

although sadly @Maj 's erudite words do speak of an existential malaise that probably can't be solved with some fresh powder

it might help a bit though

right??

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You should paint it the same colour as a Raleigh Strada.

just to imitate the sheer competence