Jauch's MEECH

This is Steve Jauch's ride.  He's had his MEECH for a couple of years now and I'm always seeing photos of it rolling down the street on Facebook.  He recently added some sweet Reynolds carbon between the dropouts and I liked it so much I wanted to post a pic.  "How you like me now?"  Got some lunch and a spare under the seat so the ride is on. A lot of people comment on this bike when they view it on the website because I rarely use this style of logo, however I did just use it on the "Anne Marie" and if people keep requesting it you may see a little more of it. I love seeing people ride the heck out of their MEECH.  Keep rockin 'n' rollin and thanks for flying with MEECH.

Told you he's been rollin it.  This is a good shot.  Thanks Steve.

The Anne Marie

This is the mixte style frame that I started for my wife who knows how long ago when she told me that she would like a "normal bicycle."  Anyway, I've been working on it a little at a time in between other frame builds and I finally got it painted yesterday.  I let her pick the colors, as I should since its her bike (sometimes I can be a bit controlling when it comes to bicycles), and she chose Hot Lime and Teal Blue. All I can say is I won't question her color choices again.  These two go great together and I couldn't be happier with how it turned out.  Well, ok, I could be a bit happier if I would've noticed a couple of spots that got clearcoated over before I noticed them.  Everything went really smooth right up until I was taping everything off to shoot the blue and since it was 105 degrees it was a little hard to control the sweating and I guess I touched the frame a couple of times when I shouldn't have.  Oh well, lesson learned.  I'm learning there are some conditions when its best just to back off and lay the paint gun down and wait till a better moment.  Luckily you have to look at it really hard to see them.

Hot Lime and Teal Blue pop.  Kinda like Team Liquigas.

"Camera is tilted chief."   Thanks Virginia.

You knew I would do this didn't you?

I tried to shoot a couple of photos to show what it looks like in the shade.

Painted the dropouts front and rear.

This was the first time that I used this stencil on one of my paint jobs.  I was a little nervous because there looks to be a lot going on with it but it really wasn't too bad.

Jen, from Revolution Cycle Jewelry, knocks these sweet head badges out for me. The details that she puts into her work is unreal. Thanks Jen!

I doubt I'll be building too many frames in this style, this may be the one and only Anne Marie.  Here's your bike frame baby.  I'll try to get it built up as soon as possible so you can give me the ride review.  Thanks for being patient.  Love ya!

Viva "El Chava"

Here is a quick clip out of a documentary about "El Chava Jimenez, one of the greatest climbers of all time."   http://vimeo.com/16530322

I was looking through photos of Jose Maria Jimenez when I stumbled across this one of him and Jan Ullrich. They're my 2 favorites.  Were they juiced up?  Probably as much as everyone else was, but I just enjoyed watching the way they rode.

Couple of quick shots of Mike's frame before its shipped.  It turned out great and I'm very happy with it.  Mike chose a paint scheme similar to the old Team Splendor bicycles from the 80's.  The sun makes the blue look much lighter than it really is but with the yellow and black contrasts it looks good regardless of sunlight or clouds.  I like paint that appears different colors in different conditions and this one does it.  Mike was the second customer to let me paint their frame and now I'm addicted to painting, maybe its just the fumes, naw, I like all the wild colors too. I learned a lot more while working on this frame, mainly about applying the clear coat.  I have my methods a little more dialed in and I plan on improving it with practice.

MEECH stem made from the top-shelf stem building components from Paragon Machine Works while the engraving was done here locally by my good friend Mark from Mainline Awards.  He has engraved bb shells, stem plates, and bar caps for me every since we moved to Mountain Home and he always does an excellent job.  Thanks Mark.  I wish I would've had a little aluminum polish to really make this thing shine.  Theres still time.

Handmade carbon chain stay protector.  Stickers, no way.

Ok, well this is a decal because I definitely can't paint this good but Mike wanted to fly the Pegasus logo on his stem as well.  I cleared over it to make it cleaner and theres no chance of the edges fraying. "Fly with MEECH."

These colors together just pop.

For some reason I can't get enough of these photos.

Thanks for giving me a shout Mike.  I enjoyed working with you on this.  Its always a pleasure  getting to meet new people while building their a frame.  One of the fringes of being a custom frame builder.

Thanks for checking it out.

MEECH Custom Bicycles

handmade in 

Mountain Home, Arkansas

Wet Paint

Here are a couple of quick pics of Mike's frameset after I just got done shooting the clear.  After trying a couple of different painting techniques over these last few paint jobs I think I'm getting it closer to dialed in.  Between the lighting and the flash on the camera I'm not sure any of these pics capture the true color.  This photo here that has a darker blue look to it is actually the closest but it may even be a shade darker than this.

The flash of the camera made it look baby blue in this photo.  Not bad looking at all but the true color is definitely darker than this.

Mike went with a full custom frameset, stem included.  Just wait until I put the carbon fiber chain stay protector on this frame, it'll be full scale rock'n'ride then.  Check back in a couple of days for the famous backyard photorama.  Chao amigos.

"Dude, I Swear It Was Right There Yesterday"

Here are a couple of pics that Mike sent me of some geese that set up camp outside his   Chicago bicycle shop after the century old golf course where they had lived got leveled for some new stores.  The geese were walking up and down the street protesting the "supposed progress".

View from the bike shop.

"Let's go. I think he's been drinking again. Theres no beautiful green golf course with ponds around here."

Ready For Some Paint

Wurster's Stem

Yesterday I did a little custom stem build for Mike's road frame.  I used Paragon's stem building supplies because they're top shelf components and make it super-easy, not to mention they make a great looking stem.  I basically just have to tack it together, check to make sure its straight, and then braze it up.  This one is good to go.

Fresh outta the oven.  That face-plate is gonna get a little custom engraving before long.

This dog is beefy.  Not as lightweight as these newer aluminum and carbon stems but most definitely built to last a lifetime.  Everything is finished now except I'm fixing to go braze a seat lug on and clean that up and then maybe have some photos later this afternoon of the whole thing.  Its about time to warm up the paint booth.  I don't think thats gonna be too difficult.  See ya in a bit.

"Young man, they're getting away, and your tire is broken."

Le Tour de Crashfest.

Tour Tricks

Tour Bikes & New Models

Couple of pics of some newer models that are getting unveiled at the tour.  This is Trek's new Madone 6.9 or something.  Nothing against the name but I lost count like 8 yrs. ago.  It looks to be pretty tight and I'm sure they're good riding bikes but probably not any better than any of the other bikes made, and especially not as smooth as a custom steel frame.  ;0

I always assumed that the brake bridge needed to be there, but I guess it doesn't matter if you put one between the seat stays or the chain stays.  I never really use a chain stay bridge unless someone ask for it.  It takes some getting used to looking at it all bare, it looks like it would be weak but I'm sure they have it dialed in.  If Cancellara is stomping on it I imagine its good to go.  

This looks like the pain-in-the-arse design to me.  Neat idea, nightmare to work on.

Future bike. This is some sort of new endurance model from LOOK.  LOOK was my old favorite brand.  They were doing carbon even before aluminum became popular.  I'm not sure what an endurance model is but it has something to do with being an everyday, do-everything bike I think.  Innovative looking but I'm not so sure I like it.  I imagine bikes will continue to  follow this trend in the future.  The "endurance bike" idea makes me think of a dirt/road bike and I'm all about that.  I'm fixin to build one.  Road frame, little longer chain stays that will accommodate a 28c tire, long-pull caliper brakes, and you're ready for anything.  Yeah baby, Endurance Bike!

This is a special bike made for George Hincapie's record of 17 TDFs.  Hincapie is so bad-ass, he makes everything look so easy.  Yesterday in the tour, right before the base of the climb, when the peloton was doing like 40 mph, he just runs right up the left side dragging Cadel Evans up to the front like 5 mph faster than everyone.  It looked like Moses had laid down a little special path just for Hincapie.  Hincapie has been around so long that we just take it for granted that he's always gonna be there and before long he'll be leaving.  End of an era. You can't replace that dude.  I wish he could win a stage.

However this is my favorite new bike.  My buddy Yancey has one and let me ride it the other day.  Yes Virginia its fast.  It goes about as fast as a MEECH.  Crazy, sick lightweight flying machine.  They call it the "Best Bike in the World" and it probably is for what its built for.  I love it.

Oh my GAAAWWSH!  

I never get tired of looking at this bike.  Kinda looks like a Kawasaki KX.

I've always been a Suzuki man myself.