juillet 04, 2013

A Brief History #6 | TURNER bicycles



2007 Turner Sultan

Turner Bicycles founder David Turner ( no family links with Paul Turner and Gary Turner) has been at the forefront of MTB suspension since the technology's inception in the 1980's. As a professional racer, 
MBA SpyPhoto: circa. Novemeber 1991.David helped designers at Rock Shox, Mongoose and AMP Research race-test and fine-tune early advancements in suspension design. After retiring from full-time competition, David worked with legendary design guru Horst Leitner to create some of the most progressive and lightweight suspension bicycle frames and forks the sport had ever seen.
Knowing how a full-suspension mountain bike should ride, David looked to the Industry and could not find any viable solution and as a result the vision of Turner Suspension Bicycles was born. Driven only by a meager budget and his own determination, Turner Bikes began to take shape. In late 1991 early prototypes found their way under top pros and into magazine spy shots (see photo to the right) but David's first priority was to change people's expectations of how a bike should ride rather than just to meet it. The company's focus had a tenacious grip on the design of the bike and not the image, "Form follows Function" was the unspoken creed.
2008 Turner Highline
1993 – Turner Suspension Bicycles was started by David Turner in Laguna Beach, California where he began designing and testing his own frames. In 1994, David Turner entered the bicycle market with high-performance frames bearing his own name. Turner suspension frames quickly earned a winning reputation by delivering levels of performance, pedaling efficiency and reliability few riders had ever Eric Carter, Team Mongoose Rider. circa. 2004.experienced. Numerous NORBA, World Cup and UCI Championships have been won on Turner frames, relabeled by other bike companies to be ridden by their professional riders. Turner Bikes became a dominate force in the shadows of the industry for years to come.
 In ‘94, after the introduction of the 1st batch of 150 original production V-1 ‘95 Burners (Version 1) were made by Ventana Mountain Bikes in Rancho Cordova, California. Many were raced by the top pros of the day yet you would be hard pressed to find a Turner logo on those bikes since most of those riders sponsored by other bike companies. 
Ventana could no longer keep up with the demand for Burners so fabrication then moved into the Tempe, Arizona shop of FTW (Frank the Welder) for 1995 models. This factory warranted mods were done to fix cracks that developed on frames that were being raced in d/h events. Of course, these repaired frames were completely refinished and so began the now famous Turner customer service.
David Turner was there, working with Horst Lietner of AMP Research when the Horst Link (HL) was 1st drawn up in ‘90 and continued to use it on all his 4 Bar frames even after the rights were sold to Specialized who then licensed it to all takers in 2000. A few years later, he licensed ICT (Instant Center Tracking) from Ellsworth Bicycles in order to (in short) continue to use the HL and a flat profile rocker. 
In 2006, Turner dropped the much touted HL that was used from the very beginning for TNT due to a growingly difficult licensing agreement and the discovery of a way to design around it without any loss of performance, as agreed upon by most riders who have tested both back-to-back. Some will even say there was an improvement that a pivot point between the swing arm and axle has been relocated to the shockstay. The move to TNT negated the ICT patents and freed Turner to return to doing things their own way on their own terms.

février 01, 2013

MTB rear suspensions | explanations


Perhaps because front suspension has been easier to implement and more readily adopted, it is often assumed that a bicycle with rear suspension has full suspension. Mountain bike technology has made great advances since first appearing in the early 1990s. 
Early full suspension frames were heavy and tended to bounce up and down while a rider pedaled. This movement was called pedal bob, kickback, or monkey motion and took power out of a rider's pedal stroke — especially during climbs up steep hills. Input from hard braking efforts (known as brake jack) also negatively affected early full suspension designs. When a rider hit the brakes, these early suspensions compressed into their travel and lost some of their ability to absorb bumps. This happened in situations where the rear suspension was needed most.(...)


Video Trip #6 | Urban DH


janvier 30, 2013

PELAGRO | "bird cage" MOTO frame



Pelagro, ce sont des vélos spéciaux. Des pièces uniques qui mettent l'accent sur le caractère de leurs propriétaires et fournissent un plaisir de conduite très spécial. Quand la passion, des composants de qualité, le travail manuel, les couleurs et le talent d'un artisan sont combinés, une nouvelle voie peut se développer. (...)

Pelagro, these are individual bikes. Unique pieces which emphasise the character of their owners and provide a very special kind of driving fun. When passion, individual building components, handwork, colour design and the talent of a craftsman are combined, something new will develop. (...)

janvier 25, 2013

Carnet de voyage #4 | Londres en 1 jour, c'est possible !

Une gageure ? Non, mais une savante dose d'organisation et de bons mollets et vous pourrez profiter de Londres, sans courir non plus et faire un maximum de visites pour vous imprégner de cette (vraiment) charmante Capitale.

London in 1 day : a challenge? No, but a clever dose of organization and strong legs and you can enjoy London without running either and do a great job of visits to soak this (really) charming capital.Here is the road book, but not limited to, allowing you to make a great overview of the city with optimum efficiency. (...)

Recette n°7 | Clafoutis aux pommes



Le clafoutis de puriste n'est pas à base de pommes : à l'origine il est fait avec des cerises noires non dénoyautées , mélangée avec une sorte de pâte à crêpe un peu épaisse : voilà le classique clafoutis limousin - mais les pommes sont toutes aussi indiquées pour réussir ce simple et incontournable dessert.

The name clafoutis is not well-known among anglophones, originally it is made with unpitted black cherries, which, if you mix plenty of into what may best be described as a slightly thickened crêpe batter, you will have the makings of a traditional clafoutis limousin - a type of batter cake from the farm country of southern central France. (...)


Préparation : 20 mnCuisson : 40 mn
  • Temps total : 60 mn

Preparation: 40 minutesCooking time: 17 minutesTotal time: 60 minutes

janvier 23, 2013

CYCLES PAPILLON | Titanium MTB





Les Cycles Papillon, comme leur nom ne l'indique pas, sont créés à Portland, et ont décidé de ne plus offrir de vélos sur mesure en ce début 2013. Cependant, au printemps, ils devraient être de retour avec une offre proposant des vélos très excitants.


 Portland's Cycles Papillon have decided to no longer offer custom bicycle builds at this time. However in the Spring of 2013 they should be back with an evolved offering featuring some pretty exciting bicycles.

FIREFLY | Titanium commuter




Boston, Massachusetts, est actuellement une des villes où sont  produits certains des plus beaux cadres de titane et d'acier inoxydable aux États-Unis. Jamie, Kevin et Tyler forment la structure de Firefly, et leurs réalisations comprennent désormais des vélotafs innovants, de sveltes cyclocrosseurs , des routiers à haut potentiel et de robustes VTT ...

Boston, Massachusetts, is presently alight with the production of some of the finest titanium and stainless steel frames in the US. Jamie, Kevin and Tyler form the Firefly Bicycles team, and their portfolio now includes innovative commuters, svelte cyclocrossers, high-pedigree road racers and burly mountain bikes...

KINFOLK | COBALT Blue


Un Kinfolk n'est pas seulement un vélo, c'est une culture et une tradition - les mêmes qui transparaissent via Kusaka-san remontant aux maîtres forgerons de sabre du Japon féodal. L'esthétique est résumée sur leur site : «Belle dans sa simplicité, une simplicité qui a pris toute une vie à parfaire». Ce cadre bleu cobalt est du meilleur pedigree, assemblé avec des composants haut-de gamme en rapport avec son statut. Contenant des décennies d'expérience dans la construction de cadre avec une perspective contemporaine dans la conception, ces vélos sont fonctionnels, construits pour durer, et esthétiquement beau. Chaque cadre est fabriqué à la main.

A Kinfolk is not just a bicycle, it’s a culture and a tradition — the same that extends through Kusaka-san back to the master sword-makers of feudal Japan. The aesthetic is summarized on the Kinfolk website: ‘Beautiful in its simplicity, a simplicity that has taken a lifetime to perfect’. This Cobalt Blue frame is of the finest pedigree, assembled with top-shelf components deserved of its bearing. Containing decades of frame building experience with a contemporary outlook on design, these bikes are functional, built to last, and aesthetically beautiful. Each frame is made by hand.

janvier 21, 2013

Recette N° 6 | Omelette aux pommes de terre et Emmental

Devant le succès inattendu de la recette d'oeufs mayonnaise, on poursuit dans le simple et rapide ! Une autre recette de grand-mère, accessible et très française : l'omelette.
After the unexpected success of the "egg mayonnaise" recipe, it continues in the "quick and easy" to cook ! Another grandmother recipe, very accessible and very French : the cheese-potatoe "omelette".



Préparation : 40 mnCuisson : 17 mn
  • Temps total : 60 mn

Preparation: 40 minutesCooking time: 17 minutesTotal time: 60 minutes

Music Mood #10 | Roseaux feat. Aloe Blacc - More than Material


janvier 16, 2013

KLEIN bikes | color schemes


Pourquoi un tel amour pour KLEIN parmi tous les vélos vintage disponibles ?
C'est très simple ... Les vélos Klein sont populaires parce qu'ils sont des Klein.
Aucune autre marque n'a été comparable à Klein.
Peu de marques n'ont réalisé des cadres en aluminium aussi bien finis et les a peints comme Klein.
Peu de marques n'ont prêté une attention aux détails comme Klein.
Peu de marques n'ont fait autant de progrès considérables sur les cadres, pour l'époque, comparables à Klein.

Voici quelques-unes des couleurs réalisées par KLEIN (voir plus-bas)


Why such love for KLEIN in all the vintage Bikes ?
It's really simple...Kleins are popular because they are Kleins.
Nothing else is a Klein.
Very few companies smoothed aluminum frames and painted them to glass like Klein.
Very few companies payed attention to details like Klein.Very few companies made as many reaching advancements, for the day, available in frames, comparable to Klein. 

Here are some of the colors made by KLEIN. (please click hereunder)

janvier 11, 2013

A brief history #5 | KENT ERIKSEN cycles



Founded in 1981 by Kent Eriksen, who is now a member of the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame, Moots has been identified as a source for innovation in the bicycle industry since its inception. Specializing in titanium, and designing the YBB soft-tail yolk. Throughout its history, Moots has been known for the innovative bicycle components they design and manufacture. In the 1980s, Eriksen design the company's "Moots Mounts," clamp-on cantilever posts which could be removed or repositioned using only an allen wrench. Another innovation was an early version of what became known as "bar ends" in the 1990s. The product made by Moots clamped inside the brake levers and had large wooden balls at the ends. Kent started using titanium in 1991 following his revolutionary work fabricating frames out of steel. 


Eventually Kent left Moots in 2004, went on hiatus, to start his own custom frame shop and is now back with Kent Eriksen Cycles and still builds in Steamboat Springs,CO, not far from the Rocky Mountains. Forever the innovator, tester and designer, titanium use was a natural progression. Kent’s signature is his ability to shape, form and fit titanium tubes specific for each bike he designs. Kent Eriksen's shop is full of specialized benders, squishers and shaping tools used daily in the fabrication of custom frames.


The above bicycle is a full suspension 650B, Titanium bicycle. Up front, the Maverick DUC32 handles the steering, and has been modified to allow maximum travel mated to a 650B tyre. The rear utilized Ventana's faux-bar linkage along with Eriksen manufactured titanium seat stays (Ventana's OE version uses aluminum stays instead). 
This is truly a beautiful bike, and only one of the many 650B frame that Eriksen Cycle has produced. 

janvier 02, 2013

A brief history #4 | GARY FISHER


Gary Christopher Fisher  (né le 5 Novembre 1950) est considéré comme l'un des inventeurs du VTT moderne par son rôle de pionnier dans le sport du vélo de montagne. Fisher a commencé la compétition en courses sur route et piste à 12 ans. Il a été suspendu en 1968 en raison  d'une règle mise en avant par les organisateurs de la course qu'il avait les cheveux trop longs. En 1972, cette règle a été abrogée et la carrière de Fisher se poursuivit. Il a remporté la course TransAlp en Europe et un titre national en XC .


Gary Christopher Fisher (born November 5, 1950) is considered one of the inventors of the modern 
MTB by 
his role as a pioneer in the sport of Mountain Biking . Fisher started competing in road and track races at age 12. He was suspended in 1968 because race organizers cited a rule that his hair was too long. By 1972 this rule had been repealed and Fisher's career continued. He won the TransAlp race in Europe and a Masters XC national title. (...)