Try out these amazing brakes without breaking the bank. I ride these on my bike and love them!
TECH TIP: CO2 COVER
Cut a section of tube and slip it over your Co2. No longer will you hear the annoying rattling sound from your seat bag and it'll keep your hand from freezing when you use it.
Here's some of the tools we use daily that you don't normally see. We love having all the tools we need, there's nothing better than having the correct tool for the job. We can order any of these if you want one, don't hesitate asking us to see some of these in action.
Above are some of the freewheel/ bottom bracket tools that we use. Companies use different designs so we have several different removers for each.
Our Wheels Manufacturing bearing press installs bearings into hubs and cranks. It also does bearings for full suspension frames.
We use the Giustaforza torque wrench on a daily basis for getting the correct torque spec on bolts.
Park's head tube reaming and facing set create a level surface for headset cups to be pressed into. When the bearings are perfectly parallel, it allows for the least bearing resistance and smooth turning.
Here's a similar tool to the one above, the Park bottom bracket tapping and facing set can clean up a damaged or rough threaded bb. It also creates matching parallel surfaces for the smoothest bb bearings possible, this is especially important when using the new outboard/external bearing style bottom brackets.
Another handy tool from Park is the derailleur hanger alignment gauge. A bent derailleur hanger will keep your bike from shifting smoothly.
This saw guide is a very nice tool to have, it clamps the tube and lets you get a straight cut. It doesn't mushroom the tubing like a pipe cutter!
Park's axle vise safely clamps three different axle sizes, and makes working on a hub a breeze. Simply drop it into the vise and the aluminum jaws clamp your axle without hurting it.
This disc truing tool easily straightens a bent disc.
The headset race installation tool comes with six different adapters for different brands of headsets. Pick the correct one and slide the tube over your steerer, then hammer the race on the right way.
For removing headset crown races this tool is a god send. Using a screw driver and hammer is the wrong way and can damage your fork. Slide the tool over your steerer and the jaws of the race remover clamp the race. Twist the handle and it pulls the race off!
The headset cup remover, also known as the exploding cigar easily removes headset cups. The four prongs push the cup out evenly unlike a screwdriver or punch which can damage soft aluminum headsets.
Park's headset installation tool is the easiest and best way to press in your headset, we have the Chris King adapters to set their headset in correctly.
The star nut tool sets your star nut at the correct depth and is very easy to use.
We have a large tap and die set that is great for fixing bad bolts and damaged threads.
Chris King's hub tool performs a number of task, you can take the whole hub apart and re-build it with this fancy tool.
A dish tool lets you make sure the rim is even with the hub and is a must use when building a wheel.
Crank extractors are needed to remove crank arms, we have several different versions.
Pedro's vise whip is an easy alternative to the traditional chain whip, this makes taking a cassette off a dream!
This is another good thing to have around, especially if you have a sweet tooth like we do. Thanks to Haswell for holding my light during the picture taking.
We haved moved our website, click here to go to the new version. If this doesn't work please clear your cache.
FEBRUARY 5th,2010
Check out this cyclist first ride out after building up his new Kona Tanuki.
FEBRUARY 3rd, 2010
The Kentucky Mountain Bike Association has launched a new website that is much easier to use and navigate. There is now a regional trail listing with detailed maps of the trails, more simplified forums, and better content than ever. You can easily see when trail days are planned and then see the progress from all of the hard work. Two upcoming important events are a trail day this Saturday from 1-4 at Cherokee Park, and the very important Louisville Loop planning meeting on February 15th that could help in gaining access to trails at Jefferson Memorial Forest. KYMBA has a lot of plans to make mountain biking better in this area and are very motivated when it comes to accomplishing these goals, now go take a look at the new and improved site!
FEBRUARY 2nd, 2010
More than 2,500 visitors flocked to Leogang, Austria for the annual Kona whitestyle snow jumping contest this weekend. This is always a fun event to watch as the jumps are built out of snow and are extremely huge!
A new wheelset was built up today consisting of Chris King R45 hubs laced with Sapim CX spokes to Velocity A23 rims. With a wider footprint, the A23 allows for a more aerodynamic rim/tire combination when paired with a 23c tire. The tire profile mimics the characteristics of a tubular, gaining increased control and lower rolling resistance without the inconvenience of tubular glue or the dangers of irreparable roadside mechanicals. They built up very nicely and we are very anxious to recieve a ride report.
It's hard to resist the allure of carbon fiber...
That is why Campagnolo has designed the all new Chorus groupset, making it more aggressive and with even better performance, reaching top-of-the-line levels. These will be going on a very nice bike soon and we will show you as soon as it's finished.
JANUARY 19TH, 2010
These sweet new hubs from White Industries are being built up right now for a bike we have in the works. The H3 rear hub shell design is a high/low flange which allows for a more even and better spoke tension with a hub spaced to 130mm. Unique to the H3 is a titanium freehub body in a choice of Shimano or Campy configurations. Titanium is a great choice in the freehub application since it is nearly as light as aluminum and has the equivalent strength to many forms of steel. The H2 front hub is built to be light without sacrificing durability. Both of these hubs are made in the USA along with all the other White industries products.
JANUARY 14TH, 2010
"everything else is fine but my toes" this is how every cyclist feels when it comes to riding through the winter. Grabber toe warmers are now here at the shop to keep your toes nice and toasty.
Hed's Belgium series rims are 23mm wide versus the normal 19mm. The added width lets a 23mm tire spread out more allowing for a wider contact patch and better ride. We're very anxious to build these up and post a report as soon we have one.
The Arione from Fi'zi:k is one of the most popular road saddles we sell. The carbon rail option pictured below provides a more comfortable ride by deadening the shock of the road.
It's an absolute must to carry a tube and some tools while riding. Fi'zi:k's line of saddle bags are perfect for carrying all of your repair kit along with keys and phone. They even make a bag that snaps into the back of their saddles for a tight fit.
JANUARY 11TH, 2010
Rays MTB has just opened their Milwaukee location and it looks like a blast. For any one with relatives in the area it looks like it's time to visit the family. Milwaukee might be a long drive, but it looks well worth it.
JANUARY 7TH, 2010
January and February tend to be a little slower for us here at the shop, which means you can get your bike back very quickly. Is your commuter needing a new drivetrain or cables? Time for a shock overhaul? If you don't know what your bike needs, we can help you there too! Be prepared by bringing your bike in for some much needed love before spring rolls around.
"This bike over exceeded my expectations" This is a quote from a customer who just recently bought his first Independent Fabrications custom bike from us. Which color IF would you choose?
We've been carrying Norco bikes for sometime now and find that some people have never heard of the Canadian brand. Click here to read a short story about Norco's 46 year history featured in the January issue of Dirt Mountain Bike magazine.
JANUARY 4th, 2010
Lazer's Helium is the helmet you'll find on most of the pros in the tour riding. The Helium features every bit of technology offered from Lazer. Whether you run chrome dome or a Kentucky waterfall, the Rollsys tension system keeps your brain bucket tight. We've also sold a lot of the O2 which is a little more affordable and still very comfortable and light.
The Helium also features one of the coolest helmet innovations in years, the magic buckle is a magnetic strap closure that only takes one hand to use. You have to come see how cool this thing is.
DECEMBER 31th, 2010
WE WILL BE OPEN TODAY FROM 9-2 AND WILL BE CLOSED SATURDAY NEW YEARS DAY. IF YOU NEED TO PICK SOMETHING UP TO RIDE IN THE NICE WEATHER WE HAVE COMING THIS WEEKEND YOU CAN EMAIL US AS WE CHECK OUR EMAIL REGURLALY.
We had a great year here at the shop! Thanks to everyone for the continued support, having us fix your bikes, and letting us build some awesome bikes we'll always remember. It's relationships that help us succeed and we really appreciate all the ones we have. It's really awesome when you stop in just to say hello, keep doing so and see the new projects we have planned for 2011. Happy New Year -
DECEMBER 30th, 2010
Sick and tired of using a trainer to stay fit during the winter months? Try out some rollers for a better experience. Pictured below are the Cycleops rollers that we use here in the shop.
DECEMBER 29th, 2010
We received our new bmx shirts today. They're printed on American Apparel and we have each shirt in multiple sizes along with more colors on the way.
We built this De Rosa a while back with Sram Rival and just recently replaced it with the new Campy Athena to make it a true Italian road bike. End result was a perfect ride that looks incredible.
Here's a new edit from the Life Cycles crew featuring some unseen footage. This video is so good it disappears as soon as we get them in. We will have more copies arriving this friday, it's also available in Blueray for the same price and it looks beautiful. Let us know if you want and we can special order a Blueray version.
DECEMBER 28th, 2010
For anyone who's seen our cool tools section on the right side of the page, we've added some more new tools that we've gotten recently. Click here to check them out on our Flickr.
DECEMBER 22nd, 2010
We had a few new bikes show up today. Kona's Cadabra is a revolutionary all-mountain ride. Light, fast, highly adaptable, totally intuitive and beautiful to ride. Using the patented Magic Link rear suspension technology, which features the ability to react to rider and trail forces, adjusting geometry, travel (100mm to 160mm) and suspension performance (stiffer on the climb, plusher on the down), the Scandium Cadabra is one of the most automatically customizable bike's ever invented. New for 2011, are a lower bottom bracket, longer top tube, Avid Elixir 5 brakes, and an adjustable Fox Talas fork with lock out.
Designed to go quick over rough terrain, the Hei Hei 100 features lively Scandium tubing, tapered steer tube and integrated headset. Smaller links, more standover, a shorter stem, a taller head tube, and an offset seatpost make for a balanced riding position. Remote fork lockout, 10-speed transmission, Mavic wheels, and Avid Elixir brakes make this one sweet mountain bike!
The CCR1 is one of Norco's premium carbon road bikes. High Modulous carbon w/thermoplastic mesh, EPS and HTR make the CCR1 a high quality frame while features such as an integrated seat post(which has not been cut to size in this photo), BB30 and a tapered headtube rival the competition. SRAM Rival worked very well with this bike and kept things light at a mere sixteen pounds.
DECEMBER 21st, 2010
The B15 Swallow is a faithful reproduction of a saddle specifically conceived with the sporting cyclist in mind, the result being a timeless design widely regarded as the precursor of all modern racing saddles. This saddle was originally patented as long ago as 1937. At that time a great many such Brooks Saddles were exported to the continent, where they were very popular amongst professional cyclists competing in the various tours and stage races. Today's Swallow still proudly bears the original patent declaration on the tensioning plate beneath the svelte leather upper. This text retains the word “deposé”, the patent application for the Swallow having initially been registered in the Paris patent office. The timeless design of the Swallow remains virtually unchanged today, the only concession to modernity being the recent introduction of a lighter model. The Swallow Titanium(pictured), features lightweight titanium rails for a significant weight reduction over the traditional Swallow Chrome, although in all other respects the Swallow models are the same as each other, and indeed exactly the same as their historical namesakes.
DECEMBER 17, 2010
Riders gathered to Cagliari, Italy for the King Of The Castle 2010. David Vasquez, Emmeline Ragot, Sabrina Jonnier, and many other pros were in attendance. Click here to check out a helmet cam video showing how fast they're really going. It's pretty crazy how close the crowd is to these guys flying down sets of stairs directly in to a turn.
DECEMBER 16, 2010
We've started a Flickr stream, click here to follow it!
We're just a couple days from the start of winter and we know that some of you will be hitting the slopes for some fun in the snow. We've been carrying Smith sunglasses for years now and wanted to let you know we can get their awesome line of snowboard/ski goggles and helmets. I use them myself and am very happy with how well they work, I even used my goggles to ride to work yesterday and it was amazing how much better it made my eyes feel shielding them from the wind. Click here to check out the winter collection and let us know if you have any questions about them.
DECEMBER 15, 2010
Portland Design Works new light called the danger zone uses two 0.5 watt LEDs to blast powerful light beams into the night and keep bogeys off your tail. A must have for any Top Gun fan.
Based out of Cincinnati Ohio, Failure Bikes is a BMX company that has a team ranging from X- games big air Gold medallist Chad Kagy to Louisville local Brian Hinkel. Here's something new from Failure... beach cruisers built for riding around town to the local bar or down the boardwalk. They're very affordable and come in this beautiful sea foam green or a hot rod black version.
DECEMBER 14, 2010
Here's a weekend warrior trip to Ohio Dreams, this place is a lot of fun. It was to wet to ride the trails but we were still able to ride the outdoor set up for a while - Derek
DECEMBER 7th, 2010
It's freezing outside right now which makes it a perfect time to bring your bike in for some suspension fork maintenance. Most companies recommend a full service every year, and changing the oil in the lowers every 25-50 hours for smooth operation. You'll be amazed by how much better your fork feels with fresh oil! We even have a 26" fork that we can let you borrow if you need to stay on the trails.
November 25th, 2010
Happy Thanksgiving from On Your Left Cycles! We will be open tomorrow our normal time of 9-6.
We've put together a Holiday gift guide for the cyclist on your gift list. We have gift ideas ranging from $5 to $300 that are great for the new rider or the pro cyclist. Gift certificates are also available, or we can special order that hard to find item. Click the link for our ten cycling gift ideas or our ten bmx gift ideas.
We have several size boxes and will even wrap your presents for you!
This is the best movie ever made...enough said.
November 24th, 2010
Looking for a light weight 29er' frame? Voodoo Cycles has you covered with the Aizan weighing in at 3lbs respectably. The weight savings comes from the use of scandium butted tubing! The Aizan's geometry is designed for use with a 100mm fork and is ready to handle all the cross county trail riding you can dish out.
Chris King's single speed cog is made with the same care and precision as the rest of their reliable line. This steel version will last a long time and looks good while doing so.
November 18th, 2010
What happens when a life long cycling photographer decides to make a mountain bike film? You end up with Life Cycles... a different kind of mountain bike film. We should have the dvd's here at the shop next week, check out the trailer and stay tuned for info on a showing here at the shop.
The holiday season is upon us and we have some gift ideas that will be helpfull when picking out items for the daily rider to the weekend warrior. Rola offers this car organizer in two size for keeping your muddy shoes, tools, and even groceries from creating a mess in your vehicle.
November 17th, 2010
With winter here this bike is perfect for the months ahead. Designed for long reach brakes and full fenders and light touring. Below is an Independent Fabrications titanium club racer with a steel fork.The titanium has been shot peened to re-leave the stress from welding. 2010 Sram force and Chris King R45 hubs laced to Mavic open pro rims. Ritchey wet look black handlebar, stem, and seat post complement the frame decals and the black steel fork round out a durable light build kit. We love custom bikes, every part has be hand picked by the customer or by us. Give us call today, let us go wild and design a build kit for your next dream bike.
White Industries H3 hub shell design is a high/low flange which allows for a more even and better spoke tension with a hub spaced to 130mm. Unique to the H3 is our titanium freehub body in a choice of Shimano or Campy configurations. Titanium is a great choice in the freewheel application since it is nearly as light as aluminum and has the equivalent strength to many forms of steel. Made in the USA!
A new set of light wheels are a key to improved performance of your bike. This is especially true for cross country riding on 29ers, where riders search for more acceleration on climbs, speedy descents, decisive handling and faster rolling on the flat. The design of the new tubeless 26mm wide x 23mm deep rim which is wider, stiffer and supports the tire better for more ground control. Bead barb technology hooks on the tire bead to help keep the tire in place. Wheels are tubeless with our pre-installed AC 25mm tubeless tape and AC valves, and use your favorite tires with sealant. The wheels can also be ridden with a regular tire and tube setup.
American Classic's MTB 29 wheels include a rim strip and red valves making them ready for some tubeless riding.
