We are excited to be opening up the pre-orders for the next batch of Pelican frames built for us by Winter Bicycles.  This batch will be 54cm and 56cm 650b frames.  Delivery is expected to be in late March.  The deposit is $800.00, non refundable.

You can do this one of two ways.  Either through our WEBSTORE, or call the shop.

Thanks!

This is my daily rider.  It is Pelican prototype number 1.  It was built in the winter of 2007 by Ahren Rodgers of Banjo Cycles to my design and specs.  As I have said previously in other posts, the Pelican was initially conceived of as a low-trail all-rounder.  A bike that could be a lot of things, commuter, single speed, mixed terrain bike, touring bike, or a randonneur.  The frame was designed to be be dressed up as any of those iterations, but with low-trail geometry and traditional design features.  The original design was supposed to be a bit open ended, not the refined randonnuer frameset that the current Pelican frames embody.

This frame sports a fork built with a Pacenti PBP crown.  The original fork has disappeared into the attic here at the shop, or into my parts closet at home.  I had this fork built to see if we wanted to use the Pacenti PBP crown.  I liked it, we built a run or two with that crown.  Then Pacenti stopped production for some reason, and we were able to source the Imperial Oval crowns and fork blades from Japan, and we haven’t been happier.

The bike has seen a variety of handlebars over the years.  I have been mainly experimenting with different promenade bars.  I think I have finally settled on the Grand Bois Champ Elysees bars, very similar to the Velo-Orange Porteur bars, but wider by about 3cm and made in Japan by Nitto.  The other promenade bar I really like are the Nitto b2522, sometimes know as the Jitensha Promenade bar.  What I really like about the GB bars is that I get a lot of grip area and hand positions without having the brakes or the bars get in the way of my handlebar bag or whatever load is placed on top of my Pass and Stow rack.  Which is a great rack for commuting and for overnight camping trips into the Marin Headlands or Mt. Diablo. This rack happens to be one of the first racks Matt made in silver, and with integrated light wiring.

This Pelican has also been my main touring/camping bike.  It’s done numerous overnight and week long camping trips.  For the longer trips I switch front racks to a Nitto Campee, swap the promenades for drops bars using Ritchey cable splitters, and maybe add a back rack or saddle bag support for the tent.  This was the setup I used on a recent camping trip up in Humboldt’s Lost Coast.  Otherwise the bike has always sported downtube sifters, in this iteration Dura-Ace 9 speed, a Schmidt SON 28 generator hub, a Busch and Muller Cyo front light, Honjo fenders, and TA Pro Vis 5 cranks (44/28).  It used to have some NOS Mafac Cantilevers, but I pulled those off for a forthcoming project and put on the Paul Touring calipers I had laying around.  I also switched to some Schwalbe Dureme tires for this recent trip and haven’t taken them off since.  From my experience, these are durable but nice riding tires, similar to the Paselas, but with much stronger sidewalls and tread.  It is too bad Schwalbe has discontinued this model.

I ride this Pelican almost everyday and the only configuration that I have not built it up as, is as a single speed.  I just like riding it geared too much.  I commute on it, ride fireroads and single track, tour with it, and have done some brevets on it too.  While I do enjoy the prototype’s versatility, I have come to appreciate bikes that are designed to excel at specific purposes.  Luckily, low trail integrated randonneur bikes happen to be versatile in their refinement.  I realize this can sound a bit like double speak.  I enjoy the versatility that is inherent within refined and integrated low-trail randonneurs.  It has been great riding the prototype daily over the years.  It has given me a platform to base the refinements of the new Pelicans on.  Putting so much time on a bike has allowed me the clarity to see what direction and refinements need to happen for the frames.  Though, I love this bike as it is.

About 9 months ago I started nerding out about old steel mountain bikes. I was a fiend! I spent way too much time a lunch lurking through MOMBAT and trolling Craigslist looking for bikes.  I wrecked my single speed last December and was looking for a get-around. Something that would haul me to and fro bart and various activities with dog, books, and whatever in tow. I found this old Stumpjumper for sale up in Healdsburg and convinced my buddy John to drive me up there and that was that.

The bike is pretty much how I got it with only a few changes. The brooks saddle of course is not original. It’s a B17 S. The “S” stands for short and while it’s supposed to be woman’s specific (it’s also a little wider in the back) if I even have to get another one I think I’d just stick to the regular B17. I got a Cetma rack a few months ago, another Craigslist score. The virtues of a front load have been expounded on for a long time and I don’t have anything particularly new to add to the conversation but I am considering getting a Pass & Stow in the future. The tires had to be replaced. When I got the bike there were some dry rotting 1.95 on there. I rode those for about a week and then got some Panaracer Pasela Tourguards. I went down a few sizes to 1.5 and when the time comes to get new tires I think I’ll opt for a 1.75 at least.

Brake cables, housing, and pads are all new. Unfortunately I have yet to replace any of the shifter cables (or any of the drive train whatsoever haha!) which is one of those things I’ll get around to one of these days… I’m sure. I got a Crane bell for ringing at ding dongs. I got a beautiful stainless steel king cage to replace the one that came on the bike. Now, seriously people, I want to draw your attention to the GOLD PUNK SPIKE Trik Topz. Trik Topz are of some controversy here at the shop. We’re always arguing about who’s are cooler! I trust that you’ll agree that mine are the best. Perhaps my favorite upgrade on this bike however, is the grips! I was introduced to ESI grips at another bike shop that I worked at a few years ago, the now deceased Left Coast Cyclery. My co-worker, resident weirdo, and long time wrench Miles got a pair and swore by them. When I got the bike I popped some old cork composite grips on there. The funniest thing happens when you get a bike like this, you actually start riding it on trails. Cork just wasn’t going to do.   My buddy Nell had some ESI grips and also only had rave reviews. We started getting them at the shop and that was that. I will say this as calmly as possible with out trying to sound like a crazy person: ESI grips are the handlebar grip in the world. They are silicone as opposed to rubber they will never get sticky and degrade the way petrol based rubbers do, they don’t absorb water the way cork does, they feel awesome on the trail and on city streets, and they come in a bunch of really cool colors.

my embarrassingly dirty drive train.

I think old steel mountain bikes make awesome everyday street bikes. They aren’t in vogue (quite yet) and you can still get a high quality older bike for not very much cash. Slap some slicks on there (swap out tires like me when you want to ride trails), a rack and you’re gold! If you have any questions on converting your old mountain bike into a townie just stop by the shop anytime and we can chat about it.

I got big dreams for this bike. A dynamo wheel, lights, and fenders are coming soon! I just have to get another mountain bike first!

Here are some phone photos of one of the new 60cm Pelican frames. I wanted to share some quick images as I am super excited about these new frames. I will get better quality shots up soon, as well as adding the frames to the webstore. We have three 56cm and one 60cm frame left of the first Winter built batch. Both are the 700c wheelsize, some 650b frames will be coming next round.  $1600 for frame and fork.  Give the shop a call or email sales@boxdogbikes.com if you have any questions.