The Riddle Of Steel

A film? Brad Pitt to play me?

2011-11-29T09:11:00.000-08:00

No. They want me to play Brad Pitt playing me.
Wait...wut?
No really, this has been one heck of a year and I thought I would take a few moments out of today, which now I have the crud that has gone around, and just say a couple of things.
We had a good, but trying year. The move has made the shop such a better and more comfortable place to build it is funny. I mean sometimes I stop and look around and giggle. It makes me giddy.
While we are behind a little bit, I am happy to say that we are catching up so fast it is pretty cool.
We have more bikes at the painters and coming back at one time then ever before. There are more creative ideas this year than I ever thought. I mean, come on ! We are making track bikes that look like the Lions from Voltron. That is probably the most awesome sentence I have ever typed, so far...
While I look ahead for NAHBS , I wanted to take a moment here today before I go pass out on the couch, as I am super sleep deprived right now, to thank everyone who has helped or supported me or the GROOVE in the last three years. Those were the truly tough ones.
But now, I like thinking about the bikes coming back from the painters, the super custom parts we are having made, the bodacious designs coming out of the shop, the brands we are helping to build, and doing it here. Some people said it couldn't be done.Well, sometimes you got to take that risk, you got to sacrifice, and just when you think you should quit, dig deeper. You might find what you are looking for.
Now speaking of that, it is a good segway to a Mr. T.C. Worley of Studio Blue photography in MPLS. T.C. came down and has been lurking around for a few years. I would like to say that he "got" what I was and am trying to do down here. So he took some pictures, and over time with his pal Tony, they decided to make a film about the Groove, and well, I guess me too. It is very weird for me to say that, like :" Come see my film about me and Peacock Groove", but come see it. I have only seen the teaser, so they probably don't want me blabbing all over about it.
Come see it for your self, I would love to see you there.
erik
http://vimeo.com/32808794

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1294835193

Summer review?

2011-11-08T19:30:00.000-08:00

Sometimes in life, well it just goes by sooooo fast. I have not blogged as much as I have wanted to, and that me me a little unhappy, because I like it in the way that it can reach so many people in a creative way. Well, when my "writing" gets creative you will know.
Now, how about for a summer in review, and this is off the top of my head, so some just too cool stuff may be left out.
New shop, we got some new machines down here and are very excited to get them up to speed, and we will start making parts in house, yep that is right. Little parts and things that you will be able to put on your new Groove , or your bike that you have. We also got some powder coating equipment, and that should be up and running in the spring. We will be offering this as a service for repaints and parts, but until we get the quality up to what we want for a Peacock frame we will not be offering it on new frames. A wet paint booth is also being looked at to do, as we have the room, but want to do it right and are consulting the right people for this job.
The "whipe out" earlier in the year over Memorial Weekend did really shake me up. Not knowing how or what happened to me and how me , my bike sat in a puddle for over 6 hours with no one noticing is beyond me. Yes, the details are still fuzzy with me too. Point is : be careful out there people, and when some one offers to ride you home safe or tells you to text when you get home, this is why. And that is why I make people text me when they get home, we all need to watch our friends backs.
My very good, verging on great friend , got breast cancer. And it really pisses me off. It seems like shit like this happens to good people way too much. Things like this that affect you, I have come to realize, they kinda don't. What I mean by that is it effects the person who has it more. I can only be there for her, and support here anyway I can. Since she ordered a bike before she got cancer, I had to put her in line in the que. That meant she would miss cross season this year, but would have had her bike mid to late spring. When she told me she wanted to race this year despite going in chemo, I said to my self:" You better get this tougher than nails lady that P G race bike. With an attitude like that, I will do anything to help her beat this shit disease."
So, I made it my priority. I told her that and we decided to call it the :ANTI CANCER BIKE.
She has it now and has been racing it too. She is more than tough, more than a friend to me and I love her for who she is. Did I mention that she raced Babes in Bikeland 5 AND WON IT. WHILE ON CHEMO. WHILE HOLDING BACK PUKING ON THE COURSE.
Yep shes tough. She won the race, the fram and fork we give away for it, and more than the respect of everyone that day.
We got our new sign up above the garage door of the shop. I love it and it is really awesome, I can't wait to put christmas lights on it soon!!!
We survived the bathroom above the office over flooding. This was such a shitty ordeal, and took over a week to clean and re do the office. Oh well.
Now for a few plans on the coming up future:
We will be attending the best frame builder show again this year, NAHBS. I have some really cool customer bikes going this year, and one hell of a painted disc wheel. Stay tuned, this will be sure to make a couple people be all wha wha whambulance callers....but it is all in some good fun....
We are having a new website built as you read this. Seriously, this is not a joke, after 9 years there will be a site that reflects Peacock Grooves head turning bikes. It will roll out soon too. It will be a work in progress, but I am very excited about this.
And one last teaser, we have a little film that some very talented people made about the Groove, and may even be shown on a local big screen. That is all I can say about that, so watch the blog and of course the Face Book....
And if we haven't got back to you in a bit, we will soon. I am busy building the bikes and taking care of things, so we will chat soon.
Have a great rest of the week...and remember, never doubt the intelligence of a squirrel...

erik

Cyclocross Bike

2011-07-29T20:31:00.000-07:00

So, this evening, we have a guest posting on the riddle of steel. I'm sitting here watching Erik weld together tubing for a frame, and I've got to tell you, it's pretty amazing. I honestly had no idea what went into the design and build of a custom bike. I have been invited to see him go from concept to research to drawing to cutting tubing to welding parts together to build a bike for cyclocross. He's sent me photos and shared his whiskey, whiskey when I was seriously in need of a friend and kindness. He's shown me how he's gone one step to the next. And this frame? The bike that this will become? This bike will be so fun... and will let its rider realize his potential. Who is this rider, you ask? Come out to the cyclocross races this fall and find out! Rock on Erik Noren!

Climbing out...

2011-07-15T10:49:00.000-07:00

Of the darkness and life is ever so fragile.....
I think I have had the most aunts and uncles die of anyone that I know.
It seems that every other week, some one is dying....Sounds like a bad joke, but it is true.
Uncle Harvey just passed away, and he was one of those guys that is just a cool dude. Nice, a great grandpa, and one hell of an electrician.He even worked for the Red Owl chain, and if you know what that is, you have been in MN a while, or you are old and have been in MN for a while. The Red Owl had one of the coolest logos around...maybe a tribute bike is in order? Well, watch the blog....
After the Shit Storm of June followed up by the"What the hell hit me or what the hell did I hit" incident, I was not sure if it could get worse .
Well, it seems to be getting better.A lot of work has gone into making things more efficent and productive here at the shop. Being a true, and I mean TRUE one man shop, things can get behind fast. The move has for sure put us behind, but that is only for the short time. It is the long run I am looking at. While this may not be the best way to grow the business, it is the way that works best now.
I nthe near future we will be opening our new, or really FIRST website, andf a new blog to follow.
One of the new additions for the blog will be a list, the list of who is next in line for the build.
This will be one of those little changes that help me stay off of the e-mail, and behind the bench, making your bike. There will also be ,ore blog entries, and I kinda lik doing it, but it will be more of an "update" for the masses.Oh yeah, and check the Face Book page too. Things are fun to find and read on the net sometimes.
enjoy the Yellow Lion pic too.
more to come on all of that !!!!!
erik

When it rains, it rains poop...or ...

2011-06-14T08:53:00.000-07:00

Time for a helmet?
Ladies and gent's,
I have been a little absent lately and I thought I would drop a little blog post about what has bee REALLY going on.Well, life happens... and it happens when you least expect it.....Now lets dive in!!
A few Wednesdays ago I was in the shop doing my most favorite this ever in the office:PAPERWORK. I despise paperwork. It is horrible, dull, frustrating, and the worst is that I am not great at it, but doing this keeps me away from the bench, where I need to be. When I am not behind the bench, I am not building your bike. Things like this add up, and put me behind.Now so everybody knows, the office is located directly below the mens room of the second floor and as this is I now know the difference between the flush of the toilet to the flush of the urinal, the sink, and the knock knock knock of people hitting the soap dispenser for the soap. While this may sound a little add to you all, this is just an astute observation on my part.
Now, whilst I was doing this horrible , evil paperwork, I was listening to the sounds of someone washing their hands...for about 20 minutes...Then, I heard a little drip drip drip...onto the black plastic I mounted to the ceiling, in such a case as this would happen.
I knew exactly what was happening : the toilet was over flowing and my god please let there be no poop in it!!
I ran up stairs as fast as I could to fix this potentially "shitty" situation...and I was late. I saw water running out of the door, and oh boy I did not want to go in there. But, I had too! There was so much at stake!!
I opened the door to see about three quaters of an inch of water, the toilet clogged , and the handle still down, and water flowing out of the bowl like a righteous angry two year old crying at the supermarket.
Well , I panicked. I ran to find a plunger, but before I did that I did fix the handle, so at least the water stopped.I ran to three different bathrooms to get a plunger, but my quest was fruitless, and I decided to run to the local hardware store to buy one. Sounds like a stretch of time, but I made it there and back in UNDER SIX MINUTES.
I ran back upstairs and there was the janitor guy, and another tennant, and my shop sharer guy Erik, the "other " Erik ... He looked at me and said, :" Did you see your office?"
At that question, I just let the plunger slip out of my hand and walked away in silence, know I was walking back to a potential poop shower on most of the things I love.
Well, I was right. The office was all but destroyed...but at least it was not super poop water.
I still got bleach , and any other type of disinfectant and got to it.
I had to remove a few furniture items and discard them. I lost so much paperwork it isn't even funny, numbers, messages, invoices, a paniting, some posters, but it stayed away from my computer....I have that.
I ripped the carpet out, and got some new stuff. I also found out that my lease and my insurance do not cover any water damage....that was a punch to the baby sack I was not ready for....
AND just when you thought it was getting better....
I went to a concert a week after the toilet bowl from Hell experience , and I met a buddy there and was very excited to see one of my favorite bands play. They did not disapoint, and I left before the main act came on. I just was not that into them, and I thought if I left early, I could get to the shop early and play catch up because of the toilet incident.
What happend that night I may never know. But what I DO KNOW is that I left the show about 11 pm, and I knew I would be home by 1130 ....
I woke up somewhere in the street about 430 am.I don't remember exactly where I was, but I must have been close to home, maybe within three blocks or so...
When I came to, I was in a puddle, lying on my back, and when I moved my left arm I knew my shoulder was out of socket and that hurt, more so than usual.I was bleeding from my elbow, my left hip and lower back hurt, a lot. The lower part of my left leg hurt too, but, I had no pain in my head...for a while.
I did the collar bone check, and that is when I knew that my shoulder was out of joint, when it didn't want to move that way. I put it back in its socket and started getting up. And that took a little bit of effort, and time. As I looked around, I saw my bike, my beloved Country Mile, and while it was scratched up a bit, it looked okay. I had my wallet. I had my bag.I had all my stuff, so I am pretty sure I was not "jumped". What I do not know is the scary part:
Did I get hit and run? Did I hit a car? Did I have a small stroke? Did I have really low blood sugar and pass out?
I don't know. That is what is scary....
So after a few and wayyyyyy more than I want doctors visits, I can work, but they are all mad at me and want me to take a couple of weeks off. Well, I can't do that. We got a lot to do down here at the shop, and we are getting caught up, we are getting things done, but some times, when it rains, it rains shit.
I aint dead, and it could be a lot worse.
Be safe out there everybody, and if I have not gotten back to you in the last couple of weeks, well now you know, and Ill get to ya soon.
erik

Way better picutre thingy...

2011-04-22T10:49:00.000-07:00

As per a request, here is a way better picture of the POPULAR MECHANICS issue we all got into.
Enjoy, and I here it's gonna be a sunny day on Sunday. Better be or I am gonna change the name of the day.
noren

Dude, its where the big Peacock is......

2011-04-21T15:24:00.000-07:00

Well we just got in our new headbadge for the new Peacock Groove headtube standard . The new standard head tube will be 3.5 .....feet.
No really, now the pizza guy will know what we mean by :" Its right under the big Peacock....."

POPULAR WHAT??

2011-04-20T19:11:00.000-07:00

Good evening or morning everybody.
I would like to take this little slice of cyberspace to thank all the fine folks AT POPULAR MECHANICS for the fine work and effort that went into the article that we , Peacock Groove were in.
You did just read that right, P G is in the POPULAR MECHANICS !!
This has been a long road coming, and they heard about the move and wanted to hear about what was going into the new shop. And they came down and did a photoshoot and interview and everything. It was very surreal .
I am very proud of this moment because all the time since I have been building frames the only real goal I ever had was to make my father proud of me.
Fame , fortune, and all the things money can provide were secondary. I just wanted my Dad to sit down, be reading his Popular Mechanics and say:
"Shit...that's my son!" Mostly because for years he would leave an issue out on the table wit ha note for me to read this or that article in the issue... I thought :" Wouldn't it be cool if some other Dad left it out for his son to read, about something Peacock Groove was doing?
That would make all the cuts, burns, bruises, late bikes, bounced checks, "Dad you got five bucks?" , repaints and late nights worth it. It really is that simple.
I would like to think that the return of American manufacturing is at hand, and that the people can get back to work. We can do it here, and we should.
Keep it local, and keep it PROUD .
We are labourers, we make things.
noren

The Wampa!

2011-04-12T09:38:00.000-07:00

Well, here at Groove HQ for years we have been tossing around an idea of a big ole fork for your fat bikes....or if you just want a fork for your 29nr or 26r that can hold some fat meat...Meet.... THE WAMPA !!
This line of forks can be made to suit your braze on needs, fenders, water bottle mounts , light mounts or whatever....
the choice is yours .

Spring, sadness, and rebirth !

2011-04-11T16:33:00.001-07:00

Happy warm weather up here everyone.
This has been a very difficult time up here in the last few months.The shop is coming along, but the move was very difficult and took much longer than I would have liked or wanted. There were and still are things that pop up and take money like you would not believe. Power, the air vent system, running air lines, prepping an area for a pint booth, yes a paint booth, and of course optimizing the space for efficiency .This all takes a lot of time, and it is finally coming to an end. I really want the 10, 12 and 14 hour days to end. I would like to ride again.
There have also been a few deaths in my family, and a close friend. When things like this happen, they can be hard to deal with on many levels : having to take off to deal with these things and not getting back to anyone, business OR personal, helping family that you have not seen since forever, and the cost of it all. But, there are good ham sandwiches to be had. Not a good trade off if you ask me. So, this has been the spring of sadness for me, and one way of taking care of this feeling is I am going to ride more. I have in the last 14 years never really just RIDDEN. More than just riding to work, or for errands, but I want to go on a RIDE ! To somewhere, to ride, and then ride home. This is one of the priorities that I am going to make for myself.
And, some of the bikes that came in for a repaint are going in the booth soon and that is the rebirth part of it all. It was nice to see a couple of these old bikes and then put some nice head tube reinforcement rings on it, and some internal brake routing. And new paint , and BAM !! New bike.
Now, I am going to go get caught up some more.Kamal, Scott and Mike , you are on deck, watch this little blog!
noren

NAHBS and oh my!

2011-03-03T20:53:00.000-08:00

I wanted to let everybody who follows this blog, all 3 or so, to know that we survived another NAHBS, but this one was pretty exhausting .
Due to some recent health issues, and the strange fact that sleep still continues to elude me, it was all just to get through it.
But, I am back and we are catching up on e-mail and some orders.
It can be very hard doing the one man thing, and I hope ya all get it, and when we all ride this summer, well that will be just groovetastic.
Keep your eyes peeled for some NAHBS photo action.
Keep the rubber side down,
erik

The Reign of Columbus MAX !

2011-02-11T09:15:00.000-08:00

For as long as I can remember, I have been hugely fascinated by the MAX tube set , and all its adornments.
I was building with the max 7 degree offset crown the day Peacock Groove came into existence , and I remember many frame builders saying how heavy and stiff it was. That it was no good, and took to much labor to make.
Well, I did not care. The look and ride I desired was right there in that fork crown, blades and dropouts! I was in love with the MAX aesthetic , and I could build them all day. Are they a little more work than other forks? Yep. Are they worth it? Yep, every file stroke.
While I have always wanted a MAX frame and fork for myself, I was too busy building bikes for other people and I finally put myself into the cue. Yep, I get to wait too.
Now, since some time has passed, MAX is back in demand, and Columbus has answered. Now there is MAX and MINIMAX, and MAX lugsets back in production. The new fork crowns will make for awesome cross machines and touring forks, possibly some 29nr action?The possibilities are there, and you know we will take it to the deep custom level. I love this crown, and the possibilities wit them.
Here is a couple of shots of possible? NAHBS forks, one by the Groove, and one by the very mysterious Vincent Dominguez. Can you guess who's is who's ?
Have a nice weekend.

Where do old steel road bikes go to die?

2011-02-09T20:42:00.000-08:00

Well, if they were built right, with the right materials and a lot of love, taken care of, they don't.
I linked Jeff's Bike Jerks blog entry, and you should go take a read. A local boy doing the Stupor Bowl race on a steel Croll road bike that I built back in 1997? Maybe '96? '98? When you have been doing this as long as I have, the years get a little blurry.
Search the Bike Jerks Blog for Croll, and you might be a little surprised .Jeff loves this bike, and he won another, yes ANOTHER Stupor Bowl on it. Now don't forget that this race is hard, and this years race was even harder.
This frame and fork are over ten years old, still running local races and winning them to.
Steel. What can we say?
Did I mention that Jeff has a Peacock too?
Lucky guy.

http://bikejerksmpls.blogspot.com/2011/02/stupor-bowl-14-race-recap.html

ROLL THE DICE.....

2011-02-08T11:32:00.000-08:00

Well gearing up the the NAHBS is at hand and we down in the Groove have been at it a little bit.
It is nice to be back in the shop after being sick for so long, and things are rolling out of the shop and the crazyness is back to what we call normal down here....
Have a lot in store for you all this coming couple of months:
The Cutters Ball part DUH, NAHBS , and soon to follow an open house and Minnecycle 3 , plus maybe a little spot in a big ole magazine?
Well, after you go for your ride, then stay put and watch what happens in the Best City to Be a Cyclist. Well, according to Bicycling magazine anyway.
While the dawn of the fall is far away and this thought may be skipping the best time and rides of summer, watch the fall for the Groove, we might just be shakin' our tailfeathers in the mud with a bunch of skinny knobby tire types.
Yep, Life in MN is pretty dang good.

Stop riding in winter?

2011-01-29T14:17:00.000-08:00

We get more than a few e-mails or phone call up here that ask: "You guys ride in the snow?"
Well, duh.I think it is one of those Midwestern things that what a lot of people do up here, they just do. No bragging, no complaining, no real big deal. They just do it. And, with winter being a major season up here, well we make the best of it. Ice fishing , snow shoeing , snowmobiling , winter running, making a snowfort ,sledding ,skiing , drinking, well drinking can be done at the same time with almost all of these events.At the end of a winter activity filled day in Minnesota, a nice whiskey is most welcome. Hopefully, it will be in front of a fireplace with good company.
Now when people call up here and ask the question I posed earlier in this very post, my response is:"Hell yeah. We even race." Now with that being said, here is some video of Mr. E.Z.Taylor ripping it up on his mega custom Groove 29nr at the first ice race of the season. EZ got the hole shot, and he led the whole race.Get in front and stay in front, now that is a good strategy . Great times and good weather.
enjoy the day, and ride on, winter or summer.

Weld Mold 880 T !!

2011-01-27T08:11:00.000-08:00

Here is another pic in the Campy sacrilege bike that is being made.
What I would like to point out is this:
Look at the weld bead, and notice that it is still nice , not rusty, and still seems "shiny". Why?
Well because this is an awesome product from the WELD MOLD company named 880 T.
This stuff is basically a stainless alloy and is the greatest stuff ever for TIG welding bikes. It is what all the pros use, and I will never make a bike without it.
So, the stainless part of it is what in my mind is excellent. I like to think that if the paint or powder were to come off of the bike, specifically at the joints, then your weld bead is highly resistant to rusting. It is also very strong, the mechanical properties of this filler material is incredible. There are a lot of boring data sheets on it and I won't bore you with them, but to sum up: 880 T kicks ass.I love it, and I have used it for the last 5 years, and I will use it as long as it is around.
Have an awesome day,
erik

Sacrilege ?

2011-01-25T07:55:00.000-08:00

Since the start of my building career , I have had ideas that have not been popular with some, if not a vast majority , of the frame building community.
I have always thought outside of the contemporary plane of thought whether it was painting miniatures , racing radio control trucks, showing horses, or the writing club I was in.
While it always seemed to me that whatever it is that you do, there is a " base canvas " that is the excepted norm. Once you start to deviate from that canvas, it can seem that you are no longer part of that norm. Take some types of music :
I have never said that I like punk rock music.But, it was informed to me years ago that Social Distortion IS punk music. I like Social Distortion, and I never really thought of them as punk rock. I just thought that they shredded . What is funny to me, is that people spend time arguing whether or not they ARE punk, I just like the music. I think that deep down that is the basis of all the bikes that come out of here:
different for each person. Made for their tastes, not the general public. One at a time, for that person to ride and enjoy, and for the masses to try and fit that bike in a genre ...
And now, maybe the point of the post, what do Disc brakes , fenders, Columbus Max tubing, a 73 mm bottom bracket shell, Motorhead, cards, Campagnolo 11 speed,a braze on front derailuer mount, crazy s bend stays have in common?
Well, Peacock Groove of course !

Little tease!

2011-01-19T20:59:00.000-08:00

I thought I would post a little pic of a frame we just got back from the painter, and it is for a good friend, I just don't want them to see it all yet!
I decided to add a little gold outline to the dropout, just because I have never done anything like this before.
So.... here is a little pre NAHBS picture!

Gus, water safety, and NAHBS....

2011-01-19T10:20:00.000-08:00

Meet Gus. You may know him as the "OFFICIAL" package inspector for Peacock Groove and its associates , but he has since moved on to bigger , more important things for he, and you.
" WOOF, RRRRR, WOOF BARK ! GRRRR WOOF WUF."
Let me translate :
"water safety belongs to you and those you love. Please do not go swimming until a half hour after eating, and always have a swimming buddy. It is important to have the proper clothing and only swim in the areas designated for swimming. If you follow the rules, fun is always right behind!"
At least, I think that is what he said, as some of his barks were in German....
And he also wanted you to see this NAHBS teaser shot.

New shop, pneumonia, and the NAHBS!!

2011-01-13T18:11:00.000-08:00

Well it has been a little while since we went down this little bike path known as the RIDDLE OF STEEL....Well, the title says it all. We moved, have been setting up shop, and getting things : painted, wired up, hung, plasterd, painted, moved, moved again,pizza, sick, vented, more wiring, and hanging some posters too.
Some things between this and myself being really very sick from the end of October to the End of November, and even into December. Docs don't really know what it is/ was, but it seems to be gone. I feel better than I have in months!
So, if I have not returned your phone call, or e-mail, please be patient or e-mail or call me again, I am catching up on all that type of stuff.
As for NAHBS, I am pretty excited about it this year. I think I have a couple of cool bikes going down to the show. Also going this year is a nice little slew of other local builders too :
Speedhound , Vincent Dominguez, Dave Anderson, Matt Appleman, and Curt Goodrich !
Looks like we got ourselves a little convoy. I attached a couple of teaser pics, and they may or may not be part of the bikes going down there. One thing for sure, they are true Peacocks.....
erik

Time to vent?

2010-11-18T16:55:00.000-08:00

Venting.
Very important stuff, ya know.
Well stuff at the shop here is getting closer to complete, and it is really feeling like home. Did some major venting here yesterday and soon we will just have to do airlines, which will be awesome.....
Now what's on the block?
Kamal, get ready! Polished lug super awesome crossbike is gonna slay the rest !
Patrick, your snow bike, adventure bike, aka 29ner is gonna lay down the fat tread!!
VOLTRON crew, get ready....stuff is at the waterjet cutters and we are startin to roll!
Thanks for the patience you guys.
erik

Winter?

2010-11-13T15:58:00.000-08:00

Some people like to "turn a leaf" when the temperature starts to get warmer, when the daylight lasts longer, and you can start to take the fenders off of your bike.I myself have never really been like that, and I doubt I ever will be.
Today was nice.We just got our first big load of heavy , thick ,wet snow.I hung around the house today, deciding to get down to the shop after noon, just so I can catch up on bad T.V. And I did. A little bit later I was dressed and out the door.
Riding down the street, through all the horrid mess that it was, was just kinda peaceful, at least to me. Even though we have a nice bike lane on Marshall Ave in St. Paul, I took the wise place, the sidewalk. That way afforded me to also ride on the grass side boulevard , where I could actually go faster and not have any run in conflects with all the people on said sidewalk, who where "so amazed !!" that winter is here. It usually comes every year I thought....
I got to the bike path, the Greenway, and the rest of the ride was a snap.A wet, cold, track laden snappy mess. Along the way I was looking at all the bike tracks, and how some were erratic, others hugging the fence, some going all over the place, and someones Endomorph laying down the fat track.
This struck me as a great metaphor : If from the beginning I followed other people direction, or tracks, I wouldn't be where I am at, and I would be where I am going.
It just makes me think a lot. The bikes that come out of this shop have been like that all along! I learned all the ropes at Croll, and built a lot of standard bikes. It just was not satisfying me in that "artistic" level.
My tracks, and Peacock Groove's track have led us to a new shop, gorgeous and full of opportunity.That is where I have been for the last four to 5 months....moving...
And it shows!
I now have gray in my beard !! More than ever, because I did not have gray in my beard before we moved ! If it was just moving, it would have been a snap. But, of course it was more than that.We had to clean a very messy place, scrap the walls, floor and some of the ceiling. Scarify the concrete, to prep it all for the epoxy we were going to put on it. Make two offices. Paint the walls...get electric in there, set up the new lease,paint some more, seal cracks, mud and sand said offices, and to do this in a new space that is 4900 square feet. This has been a huge effort.
Now, doing all of this means that we have fallen off the radar a little, ok a lot bit.
But, as you will see when we have the open house, the Groove is alive, growing and taking on some incredible projects, and making some great friends along the way.
Stay tuned and I will give an update of what projects are coming your way, and what cool things are in the works....here are some pics from the work we did on the space....later,
erik

Run of five ...

2010-04-25T17:32:00.000-07:00

For a long time I have wanted to do special "runs" of bikes, at a slightly discounted price, and having the bikes painted and designed to pay homage to something that has inspired me in the past.
I have found what I really want to do.
This "theme" , I have wanted to do this for over 15 years....
It's time has come, and I believe it will be more than awesome. It will be very cool to have five bikes holding a theme together, to have five people on a bike that have a special connection.
Here is a basic rundown of what you will get: Track frame and fork. Fork will have a brake hole in it. No other braze ons.
Custom frame and fork made to fit you. Columbus "mega" down tube, ideal for the graphics to be applied. Paint jobs to be all custom too. I have the logos and design ready to go. I will reveal the designs when all 5 are spoken for. Metallic mostly.
H + Son rims, painted to match, with some wicked airbrush artwork on them.
If I do receive more than five orders, there will be a "bonus" 3 to be made , all to fit in with the theme. All the work going into this should cost you over 3100 bucks ...
But- this will be an epic run of bikes. This will be an incredible deal and one of the most custom bikes around.
Now for the skinny, you will get a custom made to fit frame and fork, plus a pair of H+ Son rims painted to match.
1,500 bucks.
Paid in full at the start .They will all be built at the same time, to keep the "team" feeling to this project.
I will only do this if we get all five sold, but do not forget about the 3 "chaser" bikes to be had also. There will be a max of 8 frames sets made for this project.
First e-mail to me or Bob will get first color choice.
Colors to be chosen : Black, Red ,Blue, Yellow, and Green. And the 3 "chaser" bikes, most likely Brown, Black, and Violet. The three chaser bikes will start in order after the first 5 choices are taken.
Now... What is the theme?
Planet Arus need to be saved....
One thing said: " MEGA THRUSTERS ARE GO!"
( follow the link )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uS5b8aQ6z8

Did you know

2010-04-08T04:56:00.000-07:00

We do repairs of steel bikes and forks at the shop. Canti studs added or removed, disk brake tabs, water bottle bosses, small cracks and in some cases tube replacements. Stop by or call for a estimate

Forks and such....

2010-03-28T20:54:00.000-07:00

Got a lot of work done these past few days, just have not posted it on the blog. Here is some, and there is more to tune in for in the next couple of days.
Fork are important, and these were brazed beautifully.
And, look at what we are doing for Jeff Frane's dropouts... A little polishing never hurt anything....
Tune in tomorrow,
erik

Spring Super Deal!

2010-03-22T15:30:00.000-07:00

We are moving our beloved Kill Bill and Bad Penny bikes....
we need to make room for more goodies like, Bridgeports and a small lathe....
so you may or may not know the scoop on this stuff, but I will give a general description :
both are 55cm squared track bikes.60 mm of bb drop. 74 degree parallel angles , short chainstays.
Look them up on the web, they are out there! These are the only bikes of their kind, true deep custom stuff.
Serious replies only.
erik

Beautiful Sight!

2010-03-20T07:49:00.000-07:00

Erik will be busy all weekend doing this! We have a few frames to start, and a few others to wrap up and put on some finishing touches. Erik is pretty damn excited and so am I. More pictures to follow later today, and we will be updating specific builds.

BoB

Mystery Bike

2010-03-19T05:34:00.000-07:00

Here are some more teasers on the black opps "race" bike. Not quite A cross frame, not quite a road frame and not quite a touring frame. The main triangle tubes are being cut right now and the seat stays and chain stays are scheduled to arrive early next week. This is going to be one sexy steed. Erik will be showing off some really nice deep custom design with this frame. The tube layout is HOT, I can't wait to see what he plans on doing with this.

Stay tuned for more pictures this weekend.

The New Guy

2010-03-16T15:59:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd take some time and introduce myself. My name is Bob Pavlica and you'll be seeing a lot of me from here on out. I will be handling the business-end of Peacock Groove. Erik is without a doubt one of the best frame builders that I have ever seen. He can weld like no ones business. Unfortunately, Erik is not so good with paperwork, tracking customer orders and dealing with all of the other things that come with running a small business. Erik has been juggling way too many things at a time and when you do that, things get lost and forgotten. Erik has been trying to do the jobs of three people all at once and he is burnt out.

Erik just wants to build your "deep custom" frames for you.

That's where I step in.

Several months ago I had a talk with Erik. I saw how his business was struggling and the toll it was taking on him. I consider Erik my closest and dearest friend, and I didn't like seeing him suffer so much to keep his dream alive. I told Erik I wanted to do something for him, I wanted to help. I told him that I couldn't give him money, all I could give him was time. He asked me what I wanted out of it, and I told him I did not want anything at all, I just wanted to be part of Peacock Groove. He was immediately skeptical and I did not blame him.

Now, a few months later, we are starting to get things in order. NAHBS is behind us and we can really focus on getting your frames done. Everyone's frames are in different stages of development and are being tracked appropriately. We asked Jeff Frane from Bike Jerks if he would be willing to help us debut the way things will be done from here on out and he agreed. So far its been working as planned. This is the way it will be done from here on. We want to see you on your Peacock Groove as soon as possible.

Please let us know if there is anything that we can do for you. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask. You can email me at Bob dot Pavlica at Gmail dot com.

2010-03-16T04:39:00.000-07:00

NAHBS!!

2010-02-22T16:45:00.000-08:00

We are loading up the vans now and getting ready to leave for Richmond tomorrow! Crazy times!
The Minnesotan builders that will be there are :Vincent Dominguez, Peacock Groove, Clockwork Bikes, Wyganowski Cycles ,Capricorn Cycles, and HED Wheels.
Gonna be quite the time.
Not like this bike train I had going earlier this year... we are using a van to get there...
stay cool,
erik

The Jury.

2010-01-10T16:05:00.000-08:00

The Jury is something I have wanted to do for a little while now.
What is it?
A run of twelve custom track bikes. 1,200 dollars each. This exclusive deal is for the first 12 people who respond. It is open for twelve only, and will only be done if there are 12 who order.These will be made custom to fit you. They will be track bikes!Track bikes only! There will be a hole for a brake in the fork, and that is the only braze on that will be on these bikes. No exceptions.
Here is the rundown of what it is : frame and fork only. Parts are seperate, but can be provided at a great cost to you.
12 track bikes.Tig welded main construction.Dropouts will be brass brazed. 4130 straight gauge main tubes. Columbus rear end ,and a track fork. The fork will be this crown with the 24mm round blades from Deda . This is an excellent build for a fork. Peacock Groove horizontal dropouts. Serial numbers will be Juror one, two , three etc etc.
One color paint done by Chris Kvale.If orders are placed by February, Frames will be delivered late may. This is a one time deal.Lets get some track bikes up in Blaine.
erik
noren52@gmail.com
651-269-5295

So Shiney !

2010-01-10T15:20:00.000-08:00

Thought I would put up some pics of Chucks bike, which is almost done.
Short wheelbase 29nr, and shortened dropouts too. will be able to handle some big fat meats too.
I like the stainless cutout. There is something about stainless as a material that I have always admired, loved, and respected. All that is left really is hand cutting up a Daisey out of stainless and then running with it artistically .
Hold on Chuck, almost there....
and how about a link to what some of the Behind Bars boys did with an old Peacock ....
http://behind-bars-bicycle-shop.blogspot.com/2010/01/birth-of-old-peacock.html

2010 and so on ....

2010-01-08T16:13:00.001-08:00

Good evening everyone, I hope 2010 has brought you happiness and joy, and more enthusiasm related to all things bike.
I wanted to put up this little video I took the other day, because the way the sun hit the dropout really clicked with me. It was a minute of beauty in a day full of surprises.
noren

Bailey's Fork!

2009-12-22T18:56:00.000-08:00

Good evening everyone, thought I would post this because this is one example of what I call "Deep Custom".
This is Bailey's Custom Peacock Groove fork. The crown is a Pacenti Cycle Design, one of my favorites! I added a little flair on this one for Bailey, because he has bought more Crolls than anyone I know, and is a pretty good guy.
Now for the details:
He wanted some Fleur DE lye dropouts, and the crown did not have the little spear part. So, I had some old lugs laying around and I gut them up, putting the little tips on the crown. Then I made a little more room on the underside of the crown for the big fat tires he wants to run. Then I made the custom integrated cable stop on the fork.
Look at the rear of the crown, a smooth fender mount.Look at the canti's... custom CNC machine baby...this is deep custom...
noren

New tubes !!

2009-12-19T13:52:00.000-08:00

Good afternoon everyone.
Things around the shop have been very busy lately, and if I missed your phone call, I will return it as soon as I can. Sometimes I read an e-mail and forget to respond. That is , unfortunately a real thing I need to work on.
So let's get 2010 rolling already with a couple of updates:
The phone number here is the same: 651-269-5295.
Mail address is the same too, noren52@gmail.com
And you want to stop by?
Here is the address:
Peacock Groove
The Ivy Building suite # 107
2637 27Th Ave S
Minneapolis MN 55406
Please call or e-mail if your are to stop by. I am taking visits by appointment only.I need to do this as to be fair to spend the right amount of time with everyone who comes down to the shop to get work done.This will also help to speed things up and get better turn around times and people on their bikes faster.
Things happening in 2010? Maybe getting a Peacock Groove race team together?
Stay postd, 2010 is looking real good!
take care,
erik

MINNECYCLE!!!

2009-07-27T10:01:00.000-07:00

That's right everybody! Please come to the first Minnesota Frame Builders show!
Times have been VERY busy here at P G headquarters, and If I have not got back to you about something, give me a ring or another e-mail, as things have been wild here.
Getting the show together and trying to balance my currant workload has been really difficult, but things are getting done and bikes are at painters . That's right , painters. Multiple painters. Boxes coming in and out the door so much I have seen two UPS guys and 3 Fed Ex guys....tornado of bikes!
Please come to the show, and bring your friends. This is the first time this has happend, and I wish to see many of you there.
thanks,
erik

crushing blow....

2009-06-09T20:26:00.000-07:00

Hey guys and gals,
here is a story and some pics to make your day.
I was riding home Sunday night in the rain, which I DETEST, and ow and behold, I hit a car. Parked where it should not have been, I will sum up :
I was coming home and it was raining, hard. I was tired of being cold and wet and put my head down and was gunning for home. I was most likely doing 20 to 22 mph.
I stopped. Suddenly, in the back of a car...
Didn't fall down, didn't fall over, just up and then down to a nice little trackstand, and then clipped out to figure out what just happened.
What happened is I just ran into a car with my 190 pounds and 30 pound trailer ... that is a little bit of force. I was ok , the car was ok, but the bike was not.
Take a look, and you can see what excellent welding, and the proper construction of a frame looks like after a horrendous crash. It took the absolute brunt of the force, and did not BREAK. It did buckle, but it did not break. This is a testament of what a proper weld should reflect : it is stronger than the material that is was made out of. Keep in mind that this frame and fork was made over 5 years ago, and has over 3,500 miles on it...heavy use. It served me very well, and I INTEND TO REPLACE IT.
Please watch out for the NUDGE 2, it will be better, stronger , and a hell of a lot cooler!!!
erik

Hug a friend ....

2009-06-03T10:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a day that I will not forget soon, I went to a funeral.
While that may not unusual , it was unique. It was for a unique person, Marlin Frans .
Who is Marlin Frans ? To sum up, I didn't know, I didn't know enough.
Marlin was the janitor/ security guy down at the Ivy building in which the Groove headquarters resides . Marlin kept the place clean, nice, and the work he did showed that he cared about the tenets here, and people in general.
When I went tot the funeral with my friend Bill, we were both a little surprised that there were that many people there. But, upon reflection of WHO Marlin was, I was surprised that there wasn't hundreds more....If you knew Marlin at all, then you would understand.Marlin touched many lives, and I will miss him considerably.
So please , do this for Marlin :
in the next month, if you are riding by the Ivy Builing ( on 26th by Skol Liquor )
stop, tip your hat, give a salute, just pay a little respect. He deserves it.
erik

Let's hear it for the girl!

2009-05-18T12:19:00.000-07:00

Let's hear it for Jen, who is starting a new career, a birthday, and a new bike!
I was happy to make this bike because Jen wanted some real sexy lines, tight stays and soon to come a hot paint job. This bike has some wicked tight clearances, some new head tube reinforcements , and what I call the little Tie Fighter brake bridge. Take a look, and I will post when it gets back from paint!
Great job Jen !!

well well well .....

2009-05-11T18:43:00.000-07:00

It has been a little while since I last punched in.
I will give a quick update:
NAHBS was awesome. Even though there was a couple ( and by couple I mean two) haters there... whoops...They were not even there, it was incredible. My hat is off to Don Walker for such a great event. I will be back next year, and I really look forward to it.
After NAHBS I came back and had my job " end the relationship" that they had with me.
Well, without much detail, it is all bunk. Those in the know, know. It was quite a shock to me, and it really hurt me. I never thought I would "blog" about it here, because this blog and Peacock Groove are my sanctuary , and I try to let no poison in.
But to recap, there are a couple of rumors that P G is closing. The answer:
no. And why? I don't know why some people would perpetuate this. Whatever....
All I can say is this:
"All you haters can suck my balls."
Peacock Groove will be putting out the hottest bikes yet . You just keep tuned to this.
noren

Sick and WHAT?!?!?!

2008-12-24T15:58:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone ! I would first like t o apologize at the lack of updates.
And now let me tell you why:
First the flu. With the flu the wonderful little bug known as bronchitis, as it took two to take me down. After three days and nights of not sleeping or eating, I went tot the Dr., soon after arriving I fainted and cracked my skull, knocking me out. Because of this I got to go ahead of the others in the waiting room, so that's the trick people. Fall on your face and you get to pass go, but pay 200 dollars....
Fast forward a few days and really not feeling well, can't stop coughing. Went in again. Post bronchial infection. Apparently if you get really sick with the icky crap like I did, it can take up to 3 months to heal....great. I was out for almost a whole month, and I am sorry about the lack of updates...but now you know. So please, have a happy holiday season and take care of yourself, you don't wanna have to watch daytime tv ...
erik

Babes and Bikes in a bikeland and a Green Machine..

2008-08-17T09:46:00.000-07:00

What a whirlwind it has been lately.Lots going on at the Shop and it is just plain busy!
I have finally, and I do meen finally made myself a new roadbike.
I started it fouryears ago, and just finally finished it.I wanted this bike a while ago and I decided to make sure everybodys bike was done before mine. That's just the way it turned out. Timing is everything, but the bike must be right before it goes out the door. But, about the new ride:
LOVE.
Incredible fit, rides so well I don't mind riding a "couple more" miles on it.I can't say enough about it, so I will leave it as "it rocks".More than I wanted, it keeps getting better. I should have built it sooner. How about some specs for the geeks in us all:
True Temper S3 tubing. Frame painted wieght was 3 lbs even. Hell yeah.
Zipp 404 painted to match rims mated to DT Swiss 240's via some DT areolights, 28 per wheel. Vittoria corsa evo sew ups. Campy RECORD cranks, painted to match. Thomson stem and seatpost. Syntace carbon bar- the most comfortable bar I have ever used. Period. Campy RECORD brake levers, oh yeah, painted to match.The paint is a PPG color called :"Poison Ivy". I thought it was fitting in a karmic way because this is the first bike I have built for myself after the shop moved, into The Ivy Building. And, it is also a shade shifting paint, from cobolt blue, violet, teal back to green. You must see it in person to belive it. I love this bike.
And, in other news, Peacock Groove will be sponsering the BABES IN BIKELAND alleycat race to be held on Saturday September 27th. The winner will recive a Peacock Groove CUSTOM frame and fork. This is a 2,200 plus retail value prize.That is some serious shit. Custom, made to order, and I am gonna do it up fanboy style.So- ladies, get your friends, get them to race, bring everybody, this is shaping up to be one hell of a gig.
enjoy the pics, even though they are incredible!
Still learning my camera...

And....here

2008-07-29T18:56:00.001-07:00

are the pics. Sorry, still new to this. Enjoy!
erik

Way too late....

2008-07-29T18:41:00.001-07:00

But I have been catching up on frames and work, been swamped. I also have been chasing T$ (TMONEY) around, and if you know him, you know why I am tired. But, Mr. T$, wait tell next year, and I will get you then.
For now, check out Adams super sweet track bike. This is truly above the bar custom. Bent any goodness out of the seatstays to get a slick super close torlerence look. The fork was close too, with just enough room for tire expansion at high speeds. Fast bike, clasic no frills paint job, but just came out stellar. I know I have done my job when the bike going out the door is hot and I want it for me. But, it's Adams so if you seee him riding around say HI. Enjoy and have a great day everybody,
erik

custom part duooh!(2)

2008-06-16T18:50:00.000-07:00

Well. I didn't really say everything I wanted to yesterday. I don't always elaborate well.
Custom, to me , is taking that fine tubeset of Italian steel, and making it into something no one else has. It isn't a "stock size. It didn't come out of a factory in Taiwan. I only know of one bike that has a skull headbadge that doubles as a beer bottle opener. And, that's right, it's a P G . It is in the details, and when you shape a lug that no one else has shaped, it makes it unique. The size of some custo mbikes might even be the same, but the differences can be as simple as : a sloping top tube, horizontal drops, rack mounts, disc brakes mounts, dropouts with your logo waterjet cut into them, stainless accents.
I don't care who poo poo's on stainless accents, they are hot !!
All this we at P G have done,and i wanted to let you guys and gals all know, we are gonna raise it up again.
What are we gonna do?
You are gonna have to wait tell NAHBS 09.
INDY. the state, not the jones guy.
I want to tshow that bikes can be beutiful , even while NOT following the standards of today, which were standards of yesterday, that lugs can take different shapes than what a lot of people are doing. A lot of the builders out there, especially the new ones, are making bikes that look like "BUILDER X" .That just aint my thing.
After working at Croll for over , 10 ish years, under 3 different owners, I am now, NOW just starting to do waht I wanted to do 10 years ago. I am catching up to my ideas, and making new ones too. I can garrantee, you will never have seen these new things in the bike world. EVER.
Wait.
It will be damn worth it.
out,
erik

Where has the action been??

2008-06-15T16:32:00.000-07:00

Ladies and Gentlemen,
pardon the lapse in any type of updates. I have been pretty ill, and just focusing on getting better,and now on to the goods....
Custom. You hear that word a lot these days in the bike world.Some, in fact very few desrve that title. Does making three thousand bikes with 4 different colors qualify as custom? When you get to chose what grips you put on your BRAND X bike, is that custom? If they are all the same, then, well everyone is unique.Now, this is not about one particular brand. Many brands out there follow this type of strategy.
When BRAND X has 500 bikes made with a "Custom Scandium Tubeset", if they are all a like is it custom? I dont think so.
Even some companies make a "limited run" of their same production bike, but with a new special color. ooohhh....how special.
Now I have trouble typing what I want to say, it is hard to type what I feel, and when you think about a thousand miles a minute it is hard to get it all in. Sometimes I come across with the message backwards.I don't want to be misunderstood, these bikes are pretty good bikes, they ride just fine. In fact, some of them ride excellent. But, I won't be caught on the trail with another guy or gal with the same limited edition black custom "BRAND X" BIKE....
So...what is custom? I think that it is just that. Is it made to be unique? Does it have lugs that are filed different than any other bike that was made in the factory? Does it have unique geometry? Aspeicial one off fork? What's the axle to crown? Is it properly made for the fork travel? How about a 29ner with a 400mm axle to crown length? That would be a ridged non suspension corrected ride.The frame and fork are made for each other, which both are made for you.
You are unique. Shoudn't your bike be too?
I have only ever made super custom bikes. For me there is no other way. I have to make every Peacock Groove different, because that is the only way for me to say, " custom bikes".
these guys make custom bikes. Look at their sites and you will know what custom is. Check the blogs too.
Long live custom, long live the Groove!
www.capricorncycles.com
www.curtgoodrichcycles.com
www.bobbrowncycles.com
www.clockworkbikes.com
www.dominguezcycles.com
These are just a few off the top of my head.
I may even have the address wrong. Google them.
Google custom.
and some pics! Of custom .
Done.

Some Irish anyone?

2008-04-24T17:52:00.001-07:00

This is Bob's bike, back from Spectrum but before it is built up.I finished building it up Last Saturday, and it looks sweet!Enoy the day, and enjoy your ride more! The last pic is one a friend took, Linda Sue, and it is of Tony's bike. It is such a cool shot I wanted to put it up too. Enjoy.

erik

shamrocks and ...Bob's bike is done !

2008-04-17T20:47:00.000-07:00

Look at Bob's Irish pride bike!

This bike is fab!Paint by Spectrum,

work by the Groove!

Enjoy!

erik

Time lapse?

2008-04-07T20:45:00.000-07:00

Well,
yes there has been a time lapse here at the P G headquaters.
My uncle passed away recently, and that was where most of my time went.
So, I thought I would put up a few photos of one of my favorite bikes, Mia's Evil Pixie !
Enjoy !!

All fluxed up and no place to go ...

2008-03-22T20:15:00.000-07:00

Here are some "action" shots of Adams new fork I guess I could call them action shots, but is there really any "action" in framebuilding?Thats one to think about I guess.
Anyway, check out these shots, this fork is sexy as hell!I just freehanded the drops, I just wanted to put a little sumpthin into them, and I think the whole "SPEARHEAD" look on the inside is pretty cool. It gives it a lot of depth that the stock drop doesn't have.There are so many ways to make them look cool and unique, this is just one. Look closely at the pictures, and you will see the differences that are there. Some are subtle, and thts cool.This was one fork I was bummed out to build, because it wasn't mine! Maybe I will have to make another one...Hmm...
The crown is a Long Shen , and I think I have seen it on a couple of 3RENSHO frames. I may be wrong, But I KNOW I have seen two 3RENSHO track frames with them. And they were hot!I think Long Shen might of copied them. I am too tired to know right now... This fork will be for a hot fixie that will be blazin around town. Keep an eye out for it, this is going to be one fast bike! Look for an update for the frame, I will be starting it tommorrow.
later,
noren

And here is Black Sunshine!!

2008-03-19T18:05:00.000-07:00

So here is the bike that the fork is for in the first post. It is aptly named "Black Sunshine" from the wonder White Zombie album: La Sexorcisto: Devil Music, Vol. 1
Which, isa one of my favorites.Luby, the bikes owner, wanted a kickin bike with some awsome zombie rock power, and decided to name it Black Sunshine.
So we did. Please accept my photos as I am getting better, but I am a framebuilder and not a photo guy. I am working on it though.
later,
noren

bring the hellfire, let the steel melt, and unleash the dogs of war ...

2008-03-18T18:29:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone.
I have finally got a log for the work done here at Peacock Groove's shop, and I hope you like what you see. Todays shots are of my friend Luby's fork. It is a 29nr and made to match his sweet Peacock Groove named :Black Sunshine! And yes , it was taken after the White Zombie song.It will be painted soon, and then out to Colorado where the Luby resides. Luby, if you are reading this, we miss ya!