twentynine inches • one gear • zero travel

Building A Road Bike In Pictures #6 The Brakes • Continuing off from yesterday with important components for a bicycle, here’s the item that used to figure very far down on my list when I was single - the brakes. Once you’re married though, you’re told that these thingies, next to the cell phone in your jersey pocket, are the most important pieces on the bike and you should use them, just like that silly Apple phone bouncing on your lower back. So, when it came to picking a set of road brakes, I quickly looked at the REVL brakes by Petaluma based The Hive. Why settle for some boring gruppo brakes for a custom bike build when cool companies like The Hive make such technical beauties? The arms of these brakes are made out of carbon fiber and weigh 115 grams per wheel. All remaining hardware is out of titanium for studs and bolts, aluminum for cams, nuts, washers etc. and the main spring is out of steel. The Hive calls it “a lightweight brake with some muscle” and soon I should be able to verify that claim flying down my Jura descents. Did I say flying? I never fly, I’m married after all. Zoom

Building A Road Bike In Pictures #6 The Brakes

Continuing off from yesterday with important components for a bicycle, here’s the item that used to figure very far down on my list when I was single - the brakes. Once you’re married though, you’re told that these thingies, next to the cell phone in your jersey pocket, are the most important pieces on the bike and you should use them, just like that silly Apple phone bouncing on your lower back. So, when it came to picking a set of road brakes, I quickly looked at the REVL brakes by Petaluma based . Why settle for some boring gruppo brakes for a custom bike build when cool companies like make such technical beauties? The arms of these brakes are made out of carbon fiber and weigh 115 grams per wheel. All remaining hardware is out of titanium for studs and bolts, aluminum for cams, nuts, washers etc. and the main spring is out of steel. The Hive calls it “a lightweight brake with some muscle” and soon I should be able to verify that claim flying down my Jura descents. Did I say flying? I never fly, I’m married after all.

Bike Build Continued

Got home today to find a little postal note in my mailbox. A package from Chiasso. My red Formula R1 brakes that I bought in Italy were waiting for pick-up at the post office. So, I jumped right back into the car since the post office was going to close in 15 minutes and raced three blocks down the street. Parked the car and made it in time to pick up my package. Back home, I unpacked a nicely polished and red anodized brake-set, two rotors and all the hardware to mount these beauties onto my bike. I’m really impressed. The workmanship on these brakes is amazing. They weigh next to nothing. In a couple of months I’ll be able to report back on how they actually perform. Looking for such a set? Check clood69’s Ebay auctions. The dude took the brakes across the border to save me customs. Now that’s customer service! A few crappy shots:

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