Eddie the Dog - photo - Rob VandermarkFriday location:  Seven  |  7:20 am8:35 pm

  • Words:  Cindy of RAWRBikes just posted some nice words about Honey Bikes’ Diverged Ride.
  • Visitor:  Eddie the pup visited Seven Cycles today.
  • Ride Event:  Working on the biggest ride event that Ride Studio Cafe.  High Point ride.  Details released very soon.
  • Time Marker:  Missed an important deadline today.  Seeing what we can do to make up for it.  I’m so used to just barely hitting deadlines that I’m surprised when I don’t hit one – that’s for a customer.  I miss personal deadlines all the time; customer deadlines not so much.  If I raced triathlons I’d be world champion if the three legs were, 1) using the phrase, “it’s complicated,” 2) not riding, and 3) missing personal deadlines.
  • Time Marker:  Honey Bikes is GO!  Well it’s always been go but right now it’s “Go!”  Way too much going on; at least now I’ve got more help – Lily and now Chip.  Yay.

Post title:  City of Anarchy

 

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Diverged Ride, Cindy Smiles - photo - Rob VandermarkCindy B. of RAWRbikes just wrote a piece about the Diverged Ride.

Hordes of cyclists leaned their bikes against the trees and brick walls outside of Ride Studio Cafe in Lexington, MA on April 6th, converging to indulge in shop-made biscuits and honey before venturing out to ride some rugged trails with friends.

Mmmm, fresh biscuits.  You’ll have to read her article to find out what happened next.

Hope to see you on the next ride, Cindy!

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Depth of Field - photo - Rob VandermarkThursday location:  Seven  |  7:35 am – 9:05 pm

  • Consulting:  I’m pulling together six diverse and excellent resources for people management for someone with which I’m helping.  Maybe I’ll post these resources once I’ve whittled the list down to six.
  • Product Development:  Seven Cycles has wrapped up the second generation of integrated fender mount designs.  Gen 1 has worked well; Gen 2 will be easier to produce.
  • Words:  Pamela Blalock just posted a great piece about her new Honey Bike, and the Diverged Ride.
  • Dangerous Creativity:  I saw a Seven Custom Kit filled out today with the customer’s signature at the bottom, as is customary.  However, the signature was grafted.  The retailer took the customer’s deposit check, folded it up, and photocopied it onto the Custom Kit.  Very creative?

Post title:  Queens of the Stone Age – Regular John

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Honey All Roads Tire, Pamela B. - photo - Rob VandermarkPamela Blalock posted today about “a seriously fun bike ride” and a bike.  It is really two posts in one – about the Honey Bikes All Roads and the recent Diverged Ride.

Here’s a few quotes about the bike – the first production All Roads – on its maiden voyage:

“My dream bike really had just a few simple requirements – fat comfortable high performance tires, clearance and mounts for fenders with those cushy tires, powerful non-fiddly brakes, comfortable but still high performance geometry, and gears low enough to get me up Archambo Road (D2R2 vets know what I mean with that requirement). And it goes without saying that the bike must be fun to ride – and have a homing device that directs it to good coffee shops. […]

“I hopped on the new bike, rode it around the block, across some cobblestones, down a trail and off and onto curbs a few times, and then headed out to do a group ride on twisty trails, with rocks and roots and bridges and boardwalks, grinning ear to ear the whole time!  […]

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Steady Footing During Natalia's Video Shoot - photo - Rob VandermarkWednesday location:  Seven  |  Studio     ||     7:40 am – 9:10 pm

  • Product Development:  Mary McConneloug’s and Mike Broderick’s latest 650b Sevens are pretty much ready to go.  Making a few more changes to the design and then Mike and Mary be riding them in May World Cups.
  • Note:  A friend and I are having what I called the “Battle of the Scattered!”  He and I have too many projects occurring and we’re both trying to add more, somehow.  It is a battle.
  • Visual:  We’re making progress at Seven Cycles on a new video shoot.  Second set of filming happening soon.  Wrapping up editing by lat May.

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This is the biggest Honey Bike project to date.  Three bikes, each with special paint schemes.  About 15 different kit options.  We’re working with a couple outside companies on some limited edition gear.  And we’re on a tight deadline.

Here are some details – lots more details available.  For the 2013/14 race season Honey offers a very special Limited Edition Series:

  • Three configurations:  Disc, Cantilever, or Singlespeed
  • We’re building only 20 of these bikes
  • Order Deadline:  June 1.  Delivery deadline:  August 1.
  • Framesets and complete bikes available
  • Special paint schemes
  • Limited Edition items with each bike
  • Bike prices start at $2,995

For the past three seasons Honey has been racing, testing the bikes and equipment, working at events, and getting more addicted to cross than ever before.  The Honey Cross is Boss Limited Edition machines are lighter, faster, and maybe the most unique cross bikes available.

Each Honey by Hand

Honey Cross is Boss LE Bike Design Features

The Honey CX LE is a pure contemporary American race bike – responsive, quick, and stripped down for cross racing. Handbuilt in the U.S.  We craft each frame, one at a time, from the lightest microalloy steels – no apologies. Pure and Simple.

  • Frame
    • Available in 12-sizes for perfect fit and handling
    • Steel size-specific custom butted tubing
    • Made in the United States
    • Crafted one-at-a-time
  • Fork
    • Honey Carbon – disc or cantilever
    • Among the lightest cross forks available – and chatter free
  • Race Design
    • Oversized chainstays for improved acceleration
    • Custom seastsay design to help keep the rear wheel in contact with the terrain for better traction and handling
    • Mid-range bottom bracket height – for excellent center or gravity and good clearance
    • Quick handling geometry to get you through the tightest muddiest turns
  • Paint:  We’re offering the Limited Edition paint schemes for this project only.

Why Three Different Honey Cross is Boss bikes?

Cross has changed so much over the past 5-years. We have designed some unique improvements and features to Honey’s cross bike offerings.

  • Disc: Disc brakes can offer a true competitive advantage to a cross racer. Certain courses require more aggressive braking. Mountain bikers racing style tends to benefit from having disc brakes on their cross machines to match the modulation they are used to on their mountain bikes. They also tend to have a more aggressive cornering style. They come in hot into a corner slam the brakes off to scrub enough speed, then make the turn, and accelerate back out of the corner.With the Honey disc you can race as aggressively as you like without worrying about ending up in the tape. Disc brakes also lend themselves to running carbon rims without the inherent sub-optimal braking that comes with using cantilever brakes and a carbon braking surface.

Paint Scheme:  Belgian Boss!  We offer the Honey Cross is Boss Disc a Belgian inspired paint scheme. Emblazoned with the black, yellow, and red it will be sure to race with the heart of a lion – or lioness!

  • Cantilever: Cantilever brakes are the calling card of traditional cross racers. Cantis are still the most popular choice in Europe. The biggest advantages are mud clearance, ease of set up and operation, and compatibility with all wheels systems. Cantis still provide ample power and better modulation on any cross course. European cross courses tend to be much more technical and demanding than what we see in the US. If it works on the steep drop-offs in Belgium and Switzerland it will work well in Northampton and Santa Cruz.

Paint Scheme:  House of Boss!  For the canti Honey we’re offering a Dutch inspired paint scheme. While the Belgians dominate, the Dutch inspire us. Vos, Van Der Haar, Boom. To be the Boss of cross you need a Boss paint job. Orange and blue gets the billing here.

House of Orange - Honey Cross is Boss - cropped

  • Singlespeed: The Honey SSCX. In a very few years US CX, singlespeed has become, dare we say, “mainstream.” The numbers and attendance for these races is growing at a fevered pitch. The appeal is equal parts fun, mayhem, and tough fought competition. These races are not for the weak of heart. Arguably greater bragging rights are on the line. This season’s Singlespeed CX Worlds will be held in Philly! We are very excited to see this race on the East Coast!

Paint Scheme:  Black Honey!  We’ve designed a singlespeed worthy scheme for the SS Cross is Boss:  matte black with metallic gloss Honey-colored accents. Serious business with a flair of style.

Very Limited Edition

We’re only building 20 CiB bikes.  Once they’re gone, they’re gone.

More Limited Edition-ness

For the Cross is Boss project we’re offering, as part of the package, your choice of one of three additional benefits – as a thank you for racing cross!

  • Option Two:  A tin of Limited Edition Honey Medium-Heat Embrocation, in partnership with Buckler Embrocation, and a subscription to Cyclocross Magazine.
  • Option Three: Let Honey sponsor you! We will pay for three cross races of your choosing!

Questions?  Contact Honey at beekeepers@honeybikes.com.

Project timeline in reverse:

May 13:  Already sold more than a quarter of the total.

May 10:  Went live with the offer.

May 7:  Working on a limited edition embrocation for Honey Bikes.  Part of the Cross is Boss project.

April 24:  The Cross is Boss Honey Bike project is just about ready.  Which is good because we’ve already started on the next Honey project.

April 18:  Wrapping up a 3-Bike Limited Edition “Cross is Boss” project for Honey Bikes.  This is a big ambitious design challenge.  Fortunately it’s very limited edition:  only 20 bikes will be available.  Details posting soon.

April 10:  Officially began the Limited Edition project today.  Mapped out the two categories of bike:  geared and single.  Available in two brake configurations:  canti and disc.  Special paint for each bike.  Hand picked kits and wheel options for all.  Order dealine is likely the end of June.  Shipping on August 1.

March 21:  Working on a 2013/14 cyclocross bike project for Honey.  We’re looking at a couple limited edition ideas to get people excited about the upcoming season.  It’ll be here before anyone is ready, I think.  Bike delivery deadline is August 1.

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Tuesday location:  Studio  |  Seven  |  Studio     ||  7:40 am – 8:50 pm

Through Left Door - photo - Rob Vandermark

  • Recruiting:  There tends to be a ratio in hirings in which I’m involved:  about 1:100.  That’s applicants to hires.  It looks like it might hold true on these upcoming six hires on which we’re working.  I never regret the time investment – but that doesn’t mean it’s fun.
  • Process Consulting:  A friend in the framebuilding world asked for my thoughts on process standards and ways to help employees work with standards.  It’s an interesting challenge.  There are all types of process methodologies I’ve used – or tried to use – over the years.  The size of the company, the type of the job, and the employee’s capability, motivations, and intelligence all play important roles.  I’ve been pulling together some documents, books, articles, and charts.
  • Words:  Chip Baker is Diverged by More Smiles per Mile.

Post title:  Kirk Lazarus

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Chip Baker wrote about the Diverged Ride today.  He put it in better words than I could.  Here are a few of his words:

More Smiles per Mile on the Diverged Ride - photo - Chip Baker

The day of the ride between 80-100 riders packed themselves into the Ride Studio Cafe to enjoy Honey-centric treats made by Patria and served by Anna, Sal, Patria and the Ride Studio.

“The whole point of the Diverged Ride was to take the less traveled path. I have ridden in this area for a long time. We live to ride our cross bikes on the trails. I hadn’t ridden the majority of the trails we rode on Saturday. That is saying something.

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My Rapha Tow Rope Died - Right When I Needed It Most - In The Middle Of the Night

My Rapha Tow Rope Died, Right When I Needed It Most – In The Middle Of the Night

Monday location:  Seven  |  7:25 am9:35 pm

  • Production:  The first quarter at Seven Cycles rocked.  The production team is short-staffed but we’re within a couple percent of our target year-to-date.  I’m confident we’ll catch up by the end of the second quarter   And 622 production is going better than ever.
  • Project Bikes:  I’ve been steadily working on the Ride Studio Cafe Endurance Team project bikes.  Today I’m calling it, “Three in the Trees.”  Working on three heavy duty gravel bikes – each very distinct.
  • Images:  Images from the Honey Bikes Diverged Ride:  Lovely Bicycles! took a lot of photos – Velouria captured the spirit of the ride.
  • Note:  A wee bit punchy today due to and ongoing lack of REM sleep.

Post title:  Money is Memory

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Lovely Bicycles photo-documented the Honey Bikes Diverged Ride at Ride Studio Cafe.  Velouria captured the spirit of the ride.

Diverged Bridge Crossing - photo - Rob Vandermark

Lovely Bicycle writes:

The turnout for this event was overwhelming […]  But most impressive of all was the sheer variety of bikes and the diversity of cyclists present. Vintage bikes, frankenbikes, handmade bikes, titanium and carbon racing bikes, you name it! I love scenes like this, where anything goes and all cyclists are friends.

Great images and thoughts.  Thanks Lovely Bicycles!

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