The Reign of Columbus MAX !

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?

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.....

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.