Bad taste is relative.

Last week we began a post with a discussion of the Scandinavian band Turbonegro, and their various incarnations and tributes.


With all of the discussion regarding the band, The Freak Magnet apparently felt compelled to forward the following video clip to let us know what Hank’s been up to since leaving the band;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=dvVDy40Pmu0
What he’s been up to apparently, is sucking.

Besides, I liked him better in ‘Clerks’;

Big men with beards- One you’d no longer want anything to do with, and one whose comic book collection you’d want to steal.

Hey, speaking of losing your mind, I have once again found myself in need of paring down my considerable collection of hand made bikecycles. This time being my beloved 59c Sycip road bike. It’s got all the bells and whistles if you consider a 2003 Ultegra group bell and whistle worthy. I know I do. It’s got a new Easton EC 70 fork, King headset, Dura Ace seat post, DT Swiss RR 1.1 hoops built on Ultegra hubs by none other than Doug Hatfield himself, new powder coat, and a whole lot of soul, which I don’t think you could put a price on;

The story behind the frame is actually a mildly interesting one (if you’re into that kinda thing). When Ibis bicycles closed the doors at their shop in Santa Rosa in 2000 (I think), Skot Nicol traded me a tube set for a painting, which I sat on until another show several years later, when Mo from Rebolledo Cycles and I made a deal to trade another painting for a finished frame.

The Refused was right. Good frames don’t save bad paintings.

Anyway, I have loved this bike and treated it as if it were my own for nine years, but the bills don’t pay themselves, so help a brotha out. A slice of history could be yours for the nominal price of $1,500.00, or whatever’s in your pocket.

Oh, and I get to keep the saddle.

In other varying news of bikes made in Northern California, some time ago Sean (otherwise knows at El Pirata Gigantor Sporty Pants, or some variation thereof) from Soulcraft Bicycles and I began discussing the prospect of a tour where a handful of local builders go on the road and hang out with people and ride bikes and drink beer and generally solve some of the problems of the world together. That idea got whittled down to launching it with a simple, local ride with a larger number of the builders, which he details with the following correspondence;

“For a while now we’ve been toying with the idea of getting all the Northern California frame builders and component makers together for some other reason than a “hand made” bike show. Yes, despite our love of heat lamp hot dogs, fluorescent lighting, and paying someone for the luxury of standing around all day talking about bikes, we would much rather be riding a nice county road or the sweet singletrack.

So we came up with the “Meet Your Maker Tour.”

The Meet Your Maker Tour is your invitation to ride and hang out with some of Northern California’s best bicycle frame builders and component makers. Yes, we will still talk to you about bikes for as long as you want, but it will be on the road or trail (or after while knocking back a beer). Think of this as an opportunity to view zoo animals in their natural environment. Sure, monkeys throwing poop at you is a pretty good time but I’d venture to guess that it’d be a lot more exciting (at least for the monkeys) if they weren’t stuck behind those bars.

We plan on taking this circus around the Bay Area (and maybe beyond!) with different builders and manufacturers hosting every other month or so. It might be a mountain bike ride, a townie ride, a road ride, or a cross adventure. It’s up to each host. Sometimes there will be food provided, maybe libations, or maybe it will be a brown bag affair. Who knows? Either way, you can go to the Meet Your Maker website for all the info on the current and upcoming events. You can sign up for the newsletter there so you will automatically be reminded when an event is scheduled. You can also “like” us on Facebook and waste your time following us on Twitter.

First event is a mountain bike ride at Annadel State Park in Santa Rosa May 26th. We have limited space so RSVP if you’re interested to info(at)soulcraftbikes.com

So come on out and ride with us. We promise not to throw poop at you (maybe near you, but not at you).”

That was a lot of words.

Anyway, if you live near, or farish, and that sounds like something you’d enjoy, make the plans and we will see you there.

Since AHTBM is, at its core, a bikecycle and bikecycle related action sports blog, I will now take the opportunity to do a product review for the Rapha Pro Team Base Layer that California DiStefano generously gifted me at this most recent Sea Otter Classic: A Celebration of Bicycles (And For a Few Years, Rollerblades);

“Trust me… You’ll love it.”

I guessed this was given to me primarily because there is nothing funnier than a person with a hairy chest wearing a mesh shirt, but I never look a gift horse in the mouth. Or as the case may be, in his hairy chest;
I wore it for the first time last week, on a fairly sweltering day and within thirty miles, my right nipple was all but worn completely off by the fabric.

First they send me a bar of soap that breaks;

and then they give a shirt that rubbed off my nipple.

I’ll soak it in some fabric softener and wash it a few more times to see if that resolves the issue. If not, they can count on a phone call from my lawyer;

Photo courtesy Nerd Love.

And beard or no, with the exception of the local pizza delivery place, that’s a call no one wants to receive.

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Leave a Reply

20 Responses to “Bad taste is relative.”

  1. scooper May 16, 2012 at 6:03 am #

    Loudass never looked sexier

  2. hellbelly May 16, 2012 at 6:47 am #

    Bad taste and good taste are just fine. It is the lack of any taste that is an issue. Hank’s travesty in demolishing that Nirvana number lacks any taste whatsoever. I am endeavoring to figure out who the audience would be that is intended for. It surely is not anyone who was around for the original. It does not even possess any amusing irony. Sadly, I think he just may be making a run at being the Norwegian Pat Boone…after Kevin Smith ate him.

  3. Ken May 16, 2012 at 6:47 am #

    1998 called, they want their Blackburn frame pump back… good stuff.

    • Stevil May 16, 2012 at 7:32 am #

      Oh, and I get to keep the pump too.

      • Case May 16, 2012 at 8:06 am #

        Pretty sure that’s a Topeak, 1992 asked me to make that correction.

        • Stevil May 16, 2012 at 8:14 am #

          Nope. Blackburn. 2012 called and told me to correct your correction.

  4. NOOM May 16, 2012 at 9:27 am #

    thanks for the honest product review. refreshing!!!

    • Shannon May 16, 2012 at 9:50 am #

      Yeah, because we wouldn’t want you lying about having your nipple scraped off.

      • pedalman May 16, 2012 at 12:27 pm #

        Some of us have bad backs or knees. Stevil has an Achilles Nipple!

  5. Loudass, Esq. May 16, 2012 at 10:44 am #

    Three fat guys well past their prime. Oh well…
    Hey, are you gonna eat that last slice of pizza?

  6. c May 16, 2012 at 11:05 am #

    Does Blackburn still make that one? I’ve been having a hard time finding a non-tacky-looking pump that’s big enough to fit my frame. Yes, of course that’s what she said.

    • hellbelly May 16, 2012 at 12:35 pm #

      Get any Topeak Morph series. They actually work. They make nice frame designed ones too.

  7. Nived May 16, 2012 at 4:41 pm #

    Is that the frame that you traded art for? The pile of tubes that became a rad ride?

    • Stevil May 16, 2012 at 6:31 pm #

      That’s the one.

      • Nived May 16, 2012 at 6:39 pm #

        Damn sweet hard to give up I am sure.. But a new one is in the works?

        • Stevil May 17, 2012 at 6:04 am #

          No. I have my Ritte. Eventually perhaps, but for now I have to thin the herd.

  8. Colin May 16, 2012 at 8:03 pm #

    How much for the left side bar tape and five spokes?

    • Stevil May 17, 2012 at 6:03 am #

      Just those things I’ll sell for $1,500.00.

  9. lauren May 16, 2012 at 8:42 pm #

    your reviews, they’re the only ones i really trust.

  10. Charlie MF May 20, 2012 at 6:38 pm #

    The review has prompted me to sand off my nipple with some 120 and spend the $500 i would have on a belly tattoo that says Rapha’s Mom across a dripping condom.