tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post5204291779536295902..comments2024-03-21T03:15:06.288-04:00Comments on Cozy Beehive: The 8 Second BicycleRon Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18394865788996482667noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-60973670360548884972012-11-22T15:15:00.369-05:002012-11-22T15:15:00.369-05:00hi i have the first ever kirk sold with covering l...hi i have the first ever kirk sold with covering letter from frank kirk. it has done over 40,000 trouble free miles has vitus forks the rest is campag i allso have another one same no faults. they are much better made than the production ones mine has no patents in frame no roundall with date .i time trialed this bike over 10/25/50/100 mile hilly courses won first handicap gold medal in final year the year before i won bronze.. when out racing on the e1 course mike burrows came allong on his then protertype lotus bike this was before lotus got involved and we exchanged views nice bloke is about the same age as me . the bikes still turn heads the wheels had to be laced quite tight as the first set i had made unlaced in a 4 up team timetrial, so after that i taught myself to build myown and these are the wheels it still has Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-6068197048358713782012-11-19T12:17:00.767-05:002012-11-19T12:17:00.767-05:00hi i met mike burrows on the e1 tt course when he...hi i met mike burrows on the e1 tt course when he was testing his early lotus bike that he had built. i had the first ever kirk which i still have today my name is mick whitnell i allso have another kirk . the first one has covered over 40 thousand miles with no problems as mine was better made than the production models i have a letter from frank kirk to say this bike was the first ever kirk Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-17842802473313637922010-11-24T10:14:46.175-05:002010-11-24T10:14:46.175-05:00Interesting write up, thank you. We have a few Kir...Interesting write up, thank you. We have a few Kirk in our family as my Wifes family used to work for Frank Kirk, at Kirk Bikes. My Mother in Law was Frank's, PA, and she got her Son a holiday job there, whilst he was at school/college. Frank now owns a few retirement/old peoples homes in and around Essex, one of which is at Ashingdon, on the road to Burnham. Mother in Law is still in touch him.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-73192999978120290362010-08-18T17:05:04.180-04:002010-08-18T17:05:04.180-04:00I've had one of these frames since 1989. After...I've had one of these frames since 1989. After looking it over a bit, I stripped the paint off and decided to pull the press-fit, threaded bottom bracket inserts that were glued to the frame and machined a new set that I could rivet into place instead. The inserts were originally made of a material that was harder than magnesium so the threads wouldn't wear out but that glue wouldn't hold up over time. I inserted a Delrin sleeve between the riveted parts and the frame to prevent galvanic corrosion. The rivets are aluminum but I painted them before putting them in (also to prevent corrosion).<br />Next, I removed the flimsy, plastic derailleur hanger and machined a suitable replacement from aluminum and placed a Delrin washer in between the frame and that part as well.<br />That's where I'm at now with the project.<br />I plan to bead blast it and finish it with a metallic powder coating.<br />I have a nice pile of vintage stuff (brown, leather bar tape and a leather saddle plus the rest of a complete, 8-speed record grouppo w/ delta brakes ) that should make the restoration kind of fun.<br />I hope it lasts as long as I've kept it once I get it put together and ride it some.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-38913226178585840502010-07-14T16:52:03.654-04:002010-07-14T16:52:03.654-04:00any kind of feactures you can add to your race bik...any kind of feactures you can add to your race bike to do it more faster, less heavy and more strong is legal in any contest format, just ask to someone a little of bikes and you notice that I'm right.viagra onlinehttp://www.safemeds.com/viagra/online.htmlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-11177416214486531652010-02-08T11:38:14.142-05:002010-02-08T11:38:14.142-05:00Hi Ron, nice article indeed.
It doesn't sound ...Hi Ron, nice article indeed.<br />It doesn't sound like you own a Kirk or have had a good look at one. They're much nicer in reality than in photos, something about the tube shapes and shadows I guess. Anyway, they're definitely not made in one piece! My Revolution has inserts on the down tube and seat tube that turn a channel section into a closed box section. Bonded in using the same glue that fails on the cable stops. Mine is one of the last ever made and was NOS until I decided to build it up in 2009. It weighs the same as my old Colnago Columbus SL frame, but is certainly stiffer and is the stiffest bike I've ever ridden, which is a fair few steel, Ti, Al, and carbon bikes. So the story goes: Kirks become floppy over time, and Simon Haydn thinks this might be due to rampant internal corrosion in the tube sections. But I can attest to their initial stiffness!<br />Cheers, Nick.fiftiesdesignhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10903487125988913014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-58655279234424991292009-02-03T02:30:00.000-05:002009-02-03T02:30:00.000-05:00Great as usual. Wuld you mind if i translate bit's...Great as usual. Wuld you mind if i translate bit's of this to russian and publish it on one of the russian bicycle related website?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-5013254508816225842009-01-19T22:02:00.000-05:002009-01-19T22:02:00.000-05:00Ron--absolutely no idea. Personally, I'd be surpr...Ron--absolutely no idea. Personally, I'd be surprised, but I often find myself surprised. Besides a cleaning nightmare, I don't really see what they have to offer that can't be had for significantly less coin, Of course, what do I know, eh?F.W. Adamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05901108334744900661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-54210871703034072282009-01-19T09:14:00.000-05:002009-01-19T09:14:00.000-05:00Genghis : Any idea how the company is doing? Are t...Genghis : Any idea how the company is doing? Are they making the margins?<BR/><BR/>Ghost : I've been on bikecommuters.com. Will read...Ron Georgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18394865788996482667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-57379875204714113332009-01-19T00:47:00.000-05:002009-01-19T00:47:00.000-05:00Very interesting read. Funny that you mentioned t...Very interesting read. Funny that you mentioned the Iso Truss--they are manufactured down the road from me and I thought of them as soon as I started reading point five!<BR/><BR/>Thanks again for an interesting walk down cycling history lane!<BR/><BR/>Peace!F.W. Adamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05901108334744900661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-33568348307024525442009-01-18T23:16:00.000-05:002009-01-18T23:16:00.000-05:00Ron, that's why I posted a link to our website on ...Ron, that's why I posted a link to our website on my blog profile:<BR/><BR/>http://www.bikecommuters.comGhostRiderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09987949431503645433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-91201204789010231712009-01-18T21:18:00.000-05:002009-01-18T21:18:00.000-05:00Ghost : You need to put something on your blog. It...Ghost : You need to put something on your blog. Its blank! :)<BR/><BR/><BR/>Mark Saunders : Thanks for checking in!Ron Georgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18394865788996482667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-45153094834819595822009-01-18T21:15:00.000-05:002009-01-18T21:15:00.000-05:00Sprocket and Anon : Thanks for reading. I loved le...Sprocket and Anon : Thanks for reading. I loved learning about Kirk as much as I loved writing about him and his ideas.Ron Georgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18394865788996482667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-51445848390858690962009-01-18T19:46:00.000-05:002009-01-18T19:46:00.000-05:00Great story. I have to admit that I had never hear...Great story. I have to admit that I had never heard of Mr. Kirk and his bicycle. Is anyone besides Pinarello making magnesium frames these days? It seems that the disadvantages outweigh the benefits, especially if your plant burns down.Sprocketboyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00002657522696618715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-58541964289053162942009-01-18T14:19:00.000-05:002009-01-18T14:19:00.000-05:00Good post. Its refreshing to see some history here...Good post. Its refreshing to see some history here. I probably would never have heard about Kirk if I didn't come across this in the morning.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-78947036444583156622009-01-18T12:46:00.000-05:002009-01-18T12:46:00.000-05:00Hey Ron EXCELLENT pollination!I've got a late mode...Hey Ron <BR/>EXCELLENT pollination!<BR/><BR/>I've got a late model Kirk - in lurid Green and purple (as was hip in the 80's) ... yes it is heavy, and yes its frame frame feels a bit 'dull' ... it sure isn't the most efficient bike I've got.<BR/><BR/>BUT it is still a refreshing alternative - attractive and fascinating to look at and Kudos to Mr. Kirk for having a go ! A world without guys like him would be a load of cave men sitting on stones arguing !!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-89058343479713071832009-01-18T11:29:00.000-05:002009-01-18T11:29:00.000-05:00Ron, I think we're on the same page...your concern...Ron, I think we're on the same page...your concerns are definitely why I don't like the vast majority of mainstream published reviews! Thanks for fleshing this out for me -- and good point about those reviewers changing their tunes when product recalls rear their heads!<BR/><BR/>I stand behind user reviews, though...but you've got to take some of those with a grain of salt, too. As a professional librarian and amateur product reviewer, I try to write my reviews based on the criteria set forth by the "Librarians Index to the Internet" (http://lii.org/pub/htdocs/<BR/>selectioncriteria.htm), particularly parts II and III. If a review is poorly-written or submitted by someone who has obviously not spent a lot of time with said product, it sets off alarm bells! Also suspect are those reviewers using products outside the scope of their intended use/weight limits/design criteria(clydesdales on ultralight equipment, for example).<BR/><BR/>I'll keep reading,that's for sure -- I appreciate your take on things and I like the way you're not shy about calling bullshit on many aspects of our veloculture!GhostRiderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09987949431503645433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-24101812023519181102009-01-18T11:02:00.000-05:002009-01-18T11:02:00.000-05:00Ghost Rider : Nothing against what you're doing. I...Ghost Rider : Nothing against what you're doing. If you're doing a good job of a balanced review, well and good. At the end of the day, ask yourself if you've done a fair job so that someone who sees your review goes and buys it and isn't upset by the sources from where he got the review informatio from.<BR/><BR/>But I have something against those magazines who do nothing but do positive reviews about every single product they come across. Ofcourse, its all biased...but whether they're exaggerating some of their benefits for the sole purpose of moving products out of the door for the parent company is what I've been suspicious about all the while.<BR/><BR/>I also have something against the editors of these magazines who happily slap the "Editor's Choice" rank on 12,000 dollar bikes with justifications for their choice such as "It was freakisly fast" or "the bike is like clipping into a lightning bolt" or "it means suppleness, speed, rhythm and power"<BR/><BR/>Really?<BR/><BR/>Please give me a break. Like I'm going to sit here and be hypnotized by your sing song and be swayed by the "Editor's Choice" ranking and actually buy a 12,000 dollar bike! <BR/><BR/>This is why I asked don't these people have anything better to do even though they know that "Editor's Choice" isn't going to make a big difference to buying decisions. Are they talking to themselves?<BR/><BR/>Ghost, I also find it hilarious that the same people will go on and find the best things they have to say about certain products before they're recalled due to safety hazards. One such product was the Giant TCR Advanced SL ...the 2009 version. <BR/><BR/>A certain magazine said last year ' "The TCR Advanced SL is no charity-ride cruiser, to be sure. Rather it's one of few bikes responsive, stiff and light enough to satisfy the demands of top pro racers--and forgiving enough for those of us who don't earn a paycheck in the peloton. Buy It If: You want a race bike with a balanced ride and aren't shy about new technology" <BR/><BR/>Another reviewer on a website said of the same : "amazing ride quality, supper sharp handling, loves to climb yet stable at 55mph decents. Feels like all power is delivered to the pedals result in forward movement. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up."<BR/><BR/>And now CPSC has recalled certain batches of these bikes because they can "break in use, causing the rider to fall"<BR/><BR/>Whoops. Didn't see that coming, did you, mr. reviewer.<BR/><BR/>And after a bad experience with a product, these same people will write negative reviews and switch sides. <BR/><BR/>My policy on reviewing products is : If you like something, keep your mouth shut. don't waste time trying to write an essay to sway an unknown person at the other end to buy it. This is why you won't find any reviews on my site. <BR/><BR/>Thanks for reading, Ghost.Ron Georgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18394865788996482667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-47526788654653478212009-01-18T10:18:00.000-05:002009-01-18T10:18:00.000-05:00If you don't read product reviews, how can you det...If you don't read product reviews, how can you determine if something is worth a damn or not? I mean, I agree with you about many published reviews (in the major magazines...I suspect their objectivity, among other things)...<BR/><BR/>BUT, I value user reviews and reviews from other folks who have little to gain by saying a product is worthwhile...I'm thinking of review sites like Road Bike Review, MTBR and the many cycling blogs out there. And, as an unpaid product reviewer with Bikecommuters.com, I like to think that my own reviews are worth something!<BR/><BR/>Ultimately, user-submitted product review may not sway me to purchase a particular item, but they certainly help in the decision-making process.<BR/><BR/>Your thoughts?GhostRiderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09987949431503645433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-23097277092720400072009-01-17T19:35:00.000-05:002009-01-17T19:35:00.000-05:00Very well written and I respect your bold views.Very well written and I respect your bold views.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com