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Uptate 01-29:
The contest has ended and Joe Bridgeman in New Jersey is the lucky winner. Joe already has one of the Hammerhead stems....now he will have a frame to go with it!
Thanks to everyone who donated! Mojo, his daughter, and all the histiocytosis kids and family members thank you!!!!
ps...if you didn't win you should check out this other promotion for a Richard Sachs frameset. Richard is one of my frame building idols and on the short list of builders that I dream of owning a frame from, but he's not currently accepting orders. I signed up of a chance!
https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=276565&lis=1&kntae276565=AE49F8A0F42140719DE55CB8F59BABAD&supId=233814480
------------
As mentioned in the previous post I am shutting down the business.
I have refunded the remaining deposits of the few frames I would not be able to build but there was still one frame left hanging: The Histiocytosis frame. Its for a great cause, quite a few people have already donated for a chance to get the frame, Mojo is a great guy, and I really want to help their cause out once again.
The promotion will continue and I will build the frame so here it is: Your last chance to get a Jonny Cycles frame in the foreseeable future! You wont' even have to wait long for it. I have 4 frames to finish up (which will all be done in the next couple of months) and then I'll build this one last frame that one of the lucky donors could be riding by this summer!
As I mentioned to my clients who's frame I'm still building: Don't worry I'm not rushed, bitter about closing, or in a crunch for money, its just that the list of customers was too close for confort (in this economy). I'm building the remaining frames with the same care, love, and attention that I put into all of them and the same will be true for this frame.
So here it is, you last chance at a Jonny Cycles frameset...lets help out Mojo with fight for Histiocytosis!
--->Donate $50 for a chance to win a Reynolds 953 frame set here<----
More info from previous posts:
http://jonnycycles.blogspot.com/2009/01/get-jonny-cycles-frame-for-50-and-help.html
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Jonny Cycles is......
....closing.
The economy?
Not attending the handmade bike show last year?
Too many other framebuilders to choose from (the list of new builders is huge)?
or ?
I blame most of it on the first, but I'm sure there were several contributing factors...in the end, who knows?
Like most other bicycle related businesses I usually see a big slow down from fall to early in the year (usually Feb). Typically I get 5 or 6 orders in the winter months and it picks up again in the spring. This winter I took in one order. Add to that several people dropping off the list (most due to loss of employment) and my waiting list has shrunk considerably. I'm a bit of a pessimist and I really don't trust the economy to rebound by this summer. My lease is up in April. The last place I want to be is dead in the water mid summer with no orders and no frames to build while incurring huge debt trying to pay all the bills. With the waiting list at its lowest point ever it seemed like the perfect time to opt out to me.
I'll be finishing the current batch of bikes, refunding the few remaining deposits, and ending Jonny Cycles.
I spent a hard 5 years working on establishing Jonny Cycles. In the end it was working ok and I built quite a few really great bikes that I'm very proud of. Sure I wasn't getting rich off of it and it was stressful, but it was rewarding. Surprisingly I don't feel that bad....its not like my lifelong dream was to become a framebuilder. I never planned on doing this, I just fell into it (if your curious read the articles here: http://jonnycycles.com/about.php).
What am I going to do? I've accepted a job at Cronometro which is a bike shop down the street from where I live. Its a great shop and I'm excited to be working as one of their mechanics. I'm also excited about the prospect of receiving a regular paycheck, health insurance, being much less stressed, and most importantly having some free time.
What about the shop? Ahren & Leah (Banjo Cycles) and Zack (ZR Cycles) are both hanging in there and are going to continue working out of the shop. I'm keeping all my equipment and a little corner in the shop. This will allow me to finish up any loose ends that may occur as well as work on some personal projects I've been wanting to do for awhile.
Am I going to start up again in the future? Never say never....but don't hold your breath or your deposits. Maybe when I retire to the north-woods homestead I've always fantasized about.....
If you're interested, stay tuned to the blog and my flickr site. I still have some great bikes being finished up and I have some fun personal projects planned which I'll continue to document.
If anyone needs to contact me for whatever reason I'll be keeping some version of the website up, maintaining my e-mail, and keeping the same phone number.
Jon
The economy?
Not attending the handmade bike show last year?
Too many other framebuilders to choose from (the list of new builders is huge)?
or ?
I blame most of it on the first, but I'm sure there were several contributing factors...in the end, who knows?
Like most other bicycle related businesses I usually see a big slow down from fall to early in the year (usually Feb). Typically I get 5 or 6 orders in the winter months and it picks up again in the spring. This winter I took in one order. Add to that several people dropping off the list (most due to loss of employment) and my waiting list has shrunk considerably. I'm a bit of a pessimist and I really don't trust the economy to rebound by this summer. My lease is up in April. The last place I want to be is dead in the water mid summer with no orders and no frames to build while incurring huge debt trying to pay all the bills. With the waiting list at its lowest point ever it seemed like the perfect time to opt out to me.
I'll be finishing the current batch of bikes, refunding the few remaining deposits, and ending Jonny Cycles.
I spent a hard 5 years working on establishing Jonny Cycles. In the end it was working ok and I built quite a few really great bikes that I'm very proud of. Sure I wasn't getting rich off of it and it was stressful, but it was rewarding. Surprisingly I don't feel that bad....its not like my lifelong dream was to become a framebuilder. I never planned on doing this, I just fell into it (if your curious read the articles here: http://jonnycycles.com/about.php).
What am I going to do? I've accepted a job at Cronometro which is a bike shop down the street from where I live. Its a great shop and I'm excited to be working as one of their mechanics. I'm also excited about the prospect of receiving a regular paycheck, health insurance, being much less stressed, and most importantly having some free time.
What about the shop? Ahren & Leah (Banjo Cycles) and Zack (ZR Cycles) are both hanging in there and are going to continue working out of the shop. I'm keeping all my equipment and a little corner in the shop. This will allow me to finish up any loose ends that may occur as well as work on some personal projects I've been wanting to do for awhile.
Am I going to start up again in the future? Never say never....but don't hold your breath or your deposits. Maybe when I retire to the north-woods homestead I've always fantasized about.....
If you're interested, stay tuned to the blog and my flickr site. I still have some great bikes being finished up and I have some fun personal projects planned which I'll continue to document.
If anyone needs to contact me for whatever reason I'll be keeping some version of the website up, maintaining my e-mail, and keeping the same phone number.
Jon
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Jeff's single speed cross bike is back from paint!
Jeff came my way awhile back looking for a single speed cross bike. In his words:
"...with the frame itself. I'll send you my measurements and what I think that I need, but then I want you to put your twist and expertise into it. All I want is a classic looking single speed cross bike that I can race, trail ride, road ride, and get dirty. I haven't chosen specific colors. I picked you as my frame builder because I liked the artistic flair that you put into your frames. This is where I want you and the painter to use your talents..."
Since it a single speed cross bike with front and rear canti's I opted for the forward facing slanted horizontals. Easy wheel removal and the brakes stay in adjustment:
I decided to so something new for the cable hanger - elegant and functional:
Rear rack mounts:
Stylish slightly modified Richard Sachs "Nuovo Richie Series" Lugs and a heavily modified Pacenti Artisan crown:
Keith Anderson did the paint (Dupont code N1025 Red and a pearlescent white tri-coat for the lugs). Build process and more photos can be found here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonnycycles/sets/72157608823314428/
I can't wait to see how he builds it up (send some photos when you get a chance Jeff!). An interesting note: The same day I received the frame back from paint I also received another deposit from Jeff for his new frame, next time around it will be a road frame.
Friday, January 09, 2009
Get a Jonny Cycles frame for $50 and help a great cause!
Yes this promotion is still going on! It will go until the $5000 goal is reached, and yes you can donate more than once for a better chance.
Donate Here
The background info:
In 2006 I helped with the Bix Fix ride: A fixed gear ride across the country to benefit Histiocytosis. For the 2006 ride Mojo and I worked to get a frame for one of the riders. It was a fun project and I was able to complete the bike just in time for the winner Ken Mclain to ride the frame across the country. The ride was done in 28 days, fixed or not that's no small feat! The finished bike can be seen here: http://jonnycycles.com/trackPhotos.php#id=album-80&num=1. It was a fun project; Ken loves the bike and went on to ride it in Paris-Brest-Paris!
This year Mojo is doing a similar promotion to benefit Histiocytosis called the Wheels North ride. The ride is going from California to Washington recreating the epic 1909 adventure of two young cyclists. You can read about the original ride in the book entitled "Two Wheels North: Bicycling the West Coast in 1909".
For this years ride I'm helping by doing a raffle for one of my frames to generate some cash for the cause. The good news: You don't have to do the ride to win the frame, just donate $50 here for a 1 in 100 chance (not bad odds) to win a frame. This will be a custom fit track or road frameset constructed from the new Reynolds 953 stainless steel tubing. You can view some similar frames here:
http://jonnycycles.com/trackPhotos.php#id=album-70&num=1
http://jonnycycles.com/roadPhotos.php#id=album-97&num=1
Read more about the event here:
Event website
Event blog
Donate Here
The background info:
In 2006 I helped with the Bix Fix ride: A fixed gear ride across the country to benefit Histiocytosis. For the 2006 ride Mojo and I worked to get a frame for one of the riders. It was a fun project and I was able to complete the bike just in time for the winner Ken Mclain to ride the frame across the country. The ride was done in 28 days, fixed or not that's no small feat! The finished bike can be seen here: http://jonnycycles.com/trackPhotos.php#id=album-80&num=1. It was a fun project; Ken loves the bike and went on to ride it in Paris-Brest-Paris!
This year Mojo is doing a similar promotion to benefit Histiocytosis called the Wheels North ride. The ride is going from California to Washington recreating the epic 1909 adventure of two young cyclists. You can read about the original ride in the book entitled "Two Wheels North: Bicycling the West Coast in 1909".
For this years ride I'm helping by doing a raffle for one of my frames to generate some cash for the cause. The good news: You don't have to do the ride to win the frame, just donate $50 here for a 1 in 100 chance (not bad odds) to win a frame. This will be a custom fit track or road frameset constructed from the new Reynolds 953 stainless steel tubing. You can view some similar frames here:
http://jonnycycles.com/trackPhotos.php#id=album-70&num=1
http://jonnycycles.com/roadPhotos.php#id=album-97&num=1
Read more about the event here:
Event website
Event blog
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Cyclo-Frost
Sunday, February 15
Time: 10am
Location: East Side of the Capitol Square
30 minutes of cyclocross racing. 1/2 on pavement & 1/2 on snow with obstacles.
Time: 10am
Location: East Side of the Capitol Square
30 minutes of cyclocross racing. 1/2 on pavement & 1/2 on snow with obstacles.
Saturday, January 03, 2009
NYC
Stopped at the New Years (polo) Championships on the way home. Stayed for about and hour, drank some beer, and took lots of photos -
More photos here: http://flickr.com/photos/jonnycycles/sets/72157612118793448/
Also of relevance:
http://www.thedailypage.com/daily/article.php?article=24739
http://www.madbikepolo.org/2008/11/06/nyc_in_madison
More photos here: http://flickr.com/photos/jonnycycles/sets/72157612118793448/
Also of relevance:
http://www.thedailypage.com/daily/article.php?article=24739
http://www.madbikepolo.org/2008/11/06/nyc_in_madison
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