The picture frame.

We bought a set of Jay Ryan's 2010 postcards, and when looking for frames, I went to one of my favorite sites, Etsy.com, to see what people were selling there. I came across the Etsy site of DA Custom Frames, and fell in love.

The frames are hand-made, hand-milled, and hand-finished in Woodstock, Georgia by David Arnold - the "DA" of DA Custom Frames. While David's website didn't have the sizes I was looking for, I simply sent him a note through Etsy and asked for custom sizes - and a couple of weeks later, they arrived at my door... complete with glass, acid-free foam core backing, and hanging hardware. BOOM!



I liked the rustic finish of David's frames so much so that I also ordered a frame for a big 18x24 Jay Ryan print... and it looks awesome.

Quality is amazing, customer service is fast and friendly, price is great, and supporting someone who does what they love is worth every single penny!

The bike.

I've been working with Ben's Cycle in Milwaukee for quite a while to get my dream bike made, and finally got it this past autumn. It's a fixed-gear bike (perfect for city riding), equipped with a front brake (for emergency stopping) and dressed up all in black, except for the cream colored frame.

The point of the bike was to get every single solitary component made in the USA, Europe, or other countries who treat their workers with equal respect while making high-quality parts. On top of that, I wanted it to be devoid of logos or branding - both for aesthetics and to not look overly flashy. It was a big challenge, but in the end, I think it came out looking half-ways decent - and most importantly, rides like an absolute dream.

Some detail pics:







(I'm waiting until summer to take a "whole bike" photo)

SPECS:
Frame & Fork: Milwaukee Bicycle Co. "Cream City" Track frame (USA)
Rims: Velocity Deep V (Australia)
Hubs: Phil Wood (USA)
Spokes: Wheelsmith ST (USA)
Tires: Michelin Krylion Carbon (France)
Pedals: White Industries (USA)
Crank: White Industries (USA)
Chainring: White Industries (USA)
Cog: Phil Wood (USA)
Chain: Wipperman 108 (Germany)
Bottom Bracket: Phil Wood (USA)
Handlebars: Cinelli Lola (Italy)
Tape: Cinelli (Italy)
Stem: Thomson Elite (USA)
Headset: Chris King Sotto Voce (USA)
Saddle: Selle Italia Trans-Am - non-leather (Italy)
Seat Post: Thomson Elite (USA)
Seat Post Clamp: DKG (USA)
Brake Lever: Paul Components (USA)
Brake Caliper: Mavic (France)

I'm planning more posts on bicycling - from tools, to components, clothing, and companies that are doing good things. But I figured I should start with my ride first.