Friday News And Views

War Axe Parabellum

Taking Care Of The "buts": This is the story of a couple of Lincoln, Nebraska fellows and their endeavor called "War Axe Bicycles".  I have been aware of War Axe for a while now and they have been methodically making progress towards becoming a ......well, I'll let them say it. 

"War Axe Bicycles is focused on well-designed, technical excellence.

Whether it's our mobile software developed to solve a common cycling need or our frames and forks designed to handle a specific style of riding. We sweat the details, making every effort to merge precise utility with an engaging and exciting aesthetic. In some ways, we are a merger of subcultures, but we know that merger is a lifestyle many of you share. You ride, you're mobile and you're connected." 

The above was shamelessly cut and pasted from their site. 

 Well, the guys came up with this new rig called the "Parabellum", (Latin for "war". Those guys are clever!) It is a full custom rig, and looks to be a great "adventure/mtb/drop bar" sort of an affair. If you've ever thought you'd like a drop bar 29"er, "but"....War Axe can take care of that, since it is a full custom rig. Check it!

War Axe is also doing a nice hard tail 29"er, and may have some other things up their sleeve soon to be unleashed upon the world.  They also do some pretty cool clothing and other stuff. Lincoln cycling, yo!

No more mech disc brakes?

Disc Road Revolution: I have been hearing more solid rumors that the disc brake road/CX bike is going to become a reality in the 2013 model year. NOTE: It will be hailed as the "next great thing", and you will hear all about it ad infinitum from the cycling industry. 

Roadies will get ticked off, as rear spacing goes to 135OLD and  all their HED and Zipp wheels become "obsolete" in one fell swoop. Hydraulic "brifters" will become a reality, as shift mechanisms become electronic, taking up little to no room and making way for a true master cylinder which will fit neatly into the current perch shapes. Rims will lose brake tracks and carbon tubular rims will be sold weighing 250 grams.....oh yeah, and Dura Ace goes to 11. (You can take that last one to the bank.)


Whatever! I don't really care about all of that, but what will be cool is that this stuff should be transferable to drop bars for mountain bikes. I also suspect there will be mechanical disc brake calipers that will make the current BB-7 Avid units look like antiques. (I happen to know SRAM has a caliper all drawn up and ready to go, if it hasn't already been given a green light.) This is what excites me the most. It'll be pretty cool, if you can get by the marketing hype and howls from the roadie purists. 

Cha-cha-cha Changes!

Too Far-Gone: Gotta keep the drop bar theme going here. The Fargo V1 is not going to be replaced by the Fargo V2 that should be coming, but I am re-vamping it. 


The Origin 8 Gary II Bars are coming off, and I am reverting back to On One Midge Bars with the bar end shifters. I also am switching stems to a zero rise model. 


Wheels have been swapped out, and I will be sporting Geax AKA tires, tubeless of course, and this should be a great, go anywhere, do anything set up. I will also be swapping out crank sets soon too, but I still have not decided on what I am going with just yet. Probably a double, but something more modern than the marginal 80's era cranks I am using now. 


Stay tuned, I should have the V1 Fargo revamped soon, and I'll get some photographic evidence out to show it. 


Have a great weekend folks. Ride bikes, take pictures, go Trick or Treating!