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Steel Track Frame Needs A New Home

October 5, 2009 by egc

Urbanite Steel 47cm Track Frame. Glossy Black.  Mint condition with a few minor scratches. Cane Creek threadless headset. UNO aluminum stem. Chromed Urbanite fork. Shimano sealed cartridge bottom bracket. Urbanite machined single ring crank. 46T-1/8 machined Urbanite chain ring.

I rode it home from the store (bought new), then rode it downtown once and around town a little. Parts have less than 100km on them.

All items listed and shown are included. $435.

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Asking $435.  Only serious inquiries please.  Pick up only. Cash only.  Full ad can be found on Craigslist.

Posted in Bicycles, Cycling | Tagged | Leave a Comment »

Well Used

September 29, 2009 by egc

[update 10/03/2009: the Schwinn shown below has been sold.]

As I attempt to re-organize and plan for the 2010 inline skating/racing season, it has become painfully apparent that my shop is getting a little crowded with stuff. I have somehow managed to accumulate seven bicycles. To be completely honest, I think I’m addicted to these machines. They’re so very cool and I seem to want one of everything.

I wanted a steel commuter, so I converted an old touring bike. I wanted a fixed gear, so I converted an old road racing frame (and I wanted more so I bought a steel track frame and built up a track bike.) I wanted a bike I could ride in the rain, so I bought an aluminum hybrid (by the way, it never saw rain, because I discovered that I don’t like riding in the rain.) I wanted an electric, so I bought a conversion kit for my mountain bike. I want a mountain bike, so since I converted it into an e-bike, I need to buy another one…

Don’t even get me started on folding bikes.  They’re cool, they’re hip and they fold!  How cool is that?

Then there’s the sentimental attachment I have to my steeds.  I bought many of my bikes when I was in my late teens and early twenties.  My first racing bike was a Ciocc that I raced in Cadet class.  It’s over 23 years old! My Cyclops racing bike has been with me since I was 15 or 16.  That’s nearly 22 years.

Bianchi steel

My Bianchi (above), I got when I started University in ‘92.  She’s over 17 years old and has been through thick and thin.  They all still ride like a dream.

My more recent acquisitions include my Specialized Hardrock, Urbanite fixie, SC1800 MTB and Schwinn Circuit.

Alas, there comes a time, when I must part with my favorite machines.  I will never sell the Cyclops. But some of the others have to find new homes.  Today, we start with the Schwinn.


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2009 Schwinn “Circuit” commuter road/hybrid bicycle. Frame & fork are aluminum. 700C aero profile road wheels & stock semi-slick tires, 24-speed ratcheting shifters, flat bar and v-brakes. Frame measures 18-inches from bottom-bracket center to top of seat-tube. Stand-over height at mid-point is just under 30-inches. Top tube is 20″ long. Accessories included: rear pannier rack, bell, bottle cage, bar-ends, plastic fenders and the original QR parts.

!! NOTE: does not include the SPD-pedals, Selle San Marco seat nor the Ritchey seat post shown in the photos. You will get the stock pedals, seat and seat post that originally came with it.

Bike was over $350 new. I put in over $100 in work, tuning and rebuilding. Asking $250. Only serious inquiries please. Pick up only. No delivery available. Cash only. The full listing is available on Craigslist.

Posted in Bicycles, Cycling, General | 1 Comment »

On-Hold (for now)

September 12, 2009 by egc

It’s been a while since I’ve blogged about my projects.  Truthfully, it’s because I haven’t really been working on any.  This summer has just flown by and other life pursuits have taken up most of my time.  These are good things though.

As much as I love my hobbies, all of these things sometimes have to take a back seat.  The summer has been really busy doing those things that normal people do and catching up on many things that have been left neglected for far too long.

I have a lot on my plate and making a pair of shoes or skates seems impossible right now.  Unfortunately, the boots that I still have on my workbench will remain untouched for another winter.  I apologize for not being able to finish some of your boots and not starting others (but I haven’t forgotten.)

The one activity I miss most is skating.  Opportunities to train and race have been far and few.  I am planning on attending Duluth, but I’m severely out of shape.  Cramming as much training as possible into three short weeks isn’t such a great idea.

I’m also changing addresses this fall and won’t have as many opportunities to spend time in my workshop.  I can’t say for certain what 2010 is going to look like, but keep in touch… I may find creative ways to publish more of my work next summer.

Thanks again for reading.  Good luck to you if you are attempting your own boot or shoe project.

Posted in General, Projects, Skating, Training | 1 Comment »

EGC Hiatus 2009

April 28, 2009 by egc

First, my apologies. I will not be making skate boots in 2009. Something has come up and I will be unable to make any boots this summer. If I’m working on a pair for you or I’ve promised you a pair from last summer, I will still make every effort to finish those boots.

Other projects remain unaffected. My shoe and t-shirt projects will continue over the summer. I will also continue writing and skating.

Thanks for reading,
-Eric

Posted in General, Projects | 3 Comments »

The Long Road Ahead

April 12, 2009 by egc

It’s just starting to warm up around here. The beginning of April is traditionally when we start skating outdoors. It’s still a little cold in the evenings and mornings, but now it’s tolerable to the point where long sleeve tops and Lycra shorts in single layers are ok. Last Thursday, we (The Toronto Inline Skating Club) had one of our first outdoor practices. The new 400m track is awesome, nearly flawless and hidden away in a nice clean location. Other than Florida back in Feb, this was my first time back on pavement.

“The cautious and experienced athlete will intentionally hold back in the early and off season so that s/he can benefit from the training later in the season”

Spending the last year and a half working on my base fitness has helped immensely. I’ve noticed a decrease in mid-workout fatigue and that helpless, burning sensation in my body isn’t as prominent any more. I think I’m starting to be able to keep up again.

When it comes to boots, skating and athletics, there is a time when it can all become too much to handle. Take training for instance. We can train twice a day, every day at high intensity all year long. This is certainly possible, but is it healthy? Is it balanced? I’ve taken this road before and while possible, there is certainly a deep sense of fatigue when the season comes to a close. Even well before that, your mind ends up wanting to stop all this crazyness. Burn-out is imminent.

The cautious and experienced athlete will intentionally hold back in the early and off season so that s/he can benefit from the training later in the season (peaking during the most important events.) There is a lot of exercise science out there and I highly suggest doing some reading. Base training (also known as Long Steady Distance or LSD training), done at very low intensities for long periods of time, is something which is commonly overlooked by nearly everyone I know. It’s too bad, because the benefits are enormous.

I don’t claim to train scientifically, 100% of the time, but I do incorporate many of the things I learn, into my short and long term training plans. I am neither talented enough, nor strong enough to be an elite athlete, but I do okay because I use the science. This is merely a hobby and I do love challenging hobbies. Maybe if I were younger and did better in the genetics dept. it would be a path I’d persue. Nevertheless, in order to maximize the time I have, I must incorporate as much science into training as I possibly can and so should you.

Goals and training focus are the key. If you have a carefully planned out program, don’t compromise your development by pushing too hard, too early. I don’t need science to tell me that. The school of hard knocks teaches that lesson well enough.

Posted in Skating, Training | 1 Comment »

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