44 Bikes

[fortyfour]

[fortyfour]

On the floor dug in deep in conversation with someone with a fair amount of pull over there at that Big S. Shimano that is...

The dust is settling. The travel is setting in... Email has been waded through and now it's time to start reviewing and assessing and waiting to see how all this plays out. Was it worth it? One word: SHITYA. That's a yes, or rather a whole hearted "hell yes". I go into a bit more in depth here:

44 Bikes XXX Nahbs '14 : First Impressions

To everyone I met and shook hands with: Thank you. It was wonderful to share a few minutes of conversation and get some face time with you all. You made the weekend worth while and I can't wait to get back in the shop, roll up my sleeves and get back to building bikes for you all!

[fortyfour]

Months ago I was contacted by Shimano to build them a 56cm road frame to display their new Ultegra Di2 Hydraulic Disc group. After months of planning, collaboration and finally hand delivering this to a totally stoked group of guys from Shimano Thursday night before the show, I'm able to take this one out from under my hat. Each 44 Bikes gets their lucky number stamped on the seat tube badge. (My lucky number is 44). Shimano chose "333" as that was their first product. Special thanks goes out to my fellow collaborator Jay Nutini of Circle A Cycles in Providence, RI who did the paint work. Thanks Jay!

More on FNL #262...

[j44ke]

Kris you seem to do a really excellent job making a bike that is exactly what is needed, nothing more, nothing less, not flashy, not decorative, but at the same time totally elegant and totally bad ass.

[blasdelf]

What are the inline bits on the hydraulic lines?

[fortyfour]

What are the inline bits on the hydraulic lines?

Shimano sent me what they refer to as their "J-Kit". I believe it had something to do with the availability of the new components in time for the show? Swapping the lines or a different kit is a piece of cake. I believe they mentioned they offer a pre-bled kit that is a continuous line.

[fortyfour]

[Kumo Cycles]

What is the story on that tapered steel steerer Kris?

Did you fabricate it or is someone else making them?

[fortyfour]

What is the story on that tapered steel steerer Kris?

Did you fabricate it or is someone else making them?

These are a Paragon Machine Works part actually. Available on their site.

[Kumo Cycles]

These are a Paragon Machine Works part actually. Available on their site.

Thanks!

[fortyfour]

[Badonkadonk]

^ now THAT's a nice looking dirt road. if they made those around here, I'd order a shiny new red 44 bike just for it. Great looking bikes you make!

[fortyfour]

^ now THAT's a nice looking dirt road. if they made those around here, I'd order a shiny new red 44 bike just for it. Great looking bikes you make!

Thanks. That's a good majority of what we have around this neck of the woods period.

[David Tollefson]

Where are the half-buried baby heads and scree? Man, if that meant "gravel" around here I'd never own 23's and stay off pavement altogether.

[fortyfour]

Where are the half-buried baby heads and scree? Man, if that meant "gravel" around here I'd never own 23's and stay off pavement altogether.

It's still early. Just wait another 2-3 weeks when the ruts are so deep you will hit your pedals on the road. If you want scree fields, you have to head onto 6th class roads around here. But I wouldn't recommend anything less than a 2.0 on those roads. Too much singletrack off of them. But most of the 6th class roads are not maintained during the winter, so many connections are not available right now. There were 2 or 3 I could not take because of 2 feet of snow blocking the way. Soon enough!

[fortyfour]

[fortyfour]

[fortyfour]

In amongst the clutter of cyclists with camera's stopping by the booth was Atom Moore. Only thing different about Atom was he was toting around a Hasselblad. For the non-photography people out there just read that as "F'N BADASS CAMERA". It was refreshing to see one of these beasts out in the wild for a change and someone who knew what they were doing with it. Check out his guest gallery of details on John Watson's "Prolly is Not Probably" bloggery.

My favorite of course. Not playing favoritism but... Thanks John and Atom. Was nice to meet both of you.

[fortyfour]

[fortyfour]