tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post773571042467150308..comments2024-03-18T10:19:55.782-04:00Comments on The Velo ORANGE Blog: Shiny Rims and FendersVelo Orangehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02835615331417822722noreply@blogger.comBlogger69125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-15028358366215612352010-10-27T15:54:54.437-04:002010-10-27T15:54:54.437-04:00There are different ways to keep your rims shiny, ...There are different ways to keep your rims shiny, but the best way to keep your rims fixtures or appliances clean is to maintain them regularly. It is very easy to make some scratches on it, so it is very important to clean it properly and regularly to maintain its shiny appearance.stainless steel bandinghttp://www.stainlesssteelbanding.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-78080979970176618272009-02-26T22:52:00.000-05:002009-02-26T22:52:00.000-05:00Howzabout a compromise on the fender chroming dile...Howzabout a compromise on the fender chroming dilemma - first sandblast the fenders and THEN chrome them. <BR/><BR/>They will look like a Starrett tools "satin chrome" finish. <BR/><BR/>Regards,<BR/>the ChickenAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-11911067015448368862009-02-24T13:08:00.000-05:002009-02-24T13:08:00.000-05:00When posting anything more controversial than "whe...When posting anything more controversial than "when that comes out, I'll buy two!" could we all have the decency to sign our names? I have been noticing an increasing amount of rudeness and bitterness (sometimes I am a guilty one) in these comments; you know Chris doesn't HAVE to allow this, and when we abuse his goodwill, we move ourselves one step closer to him saying 'you know what? Maybe I'll go back to Kayaks..."<BR/>I know an argument exists about the freedom of the internet and anonymity; however, CHris is in a very real sense Hosting us; the very least we can do is be good guests and remember that hospitality is a relationship.<BR/>Michael BurdgeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-29199558255116310962009-02-23T01:12:00.000-05:002009-02-23T01:12:00.000-05:00Polishing is not hard work, as long as you're usin...Polishing is not hard work, as long as you're using a motorized buffer. It's more work to polish something the first time, but aluminum is pretty soft and easy anyway. You'd have to be careful to overdue it. I love polishing. I would do it almost all day long if I was paid a living wage.<BR/><BR/>Still, despite Joel belonging to one of the higher castes, and coming across as patronizing, I think his heart is in the right place. It's just that we live in a class system. Where there are winners, there are losers. I used to be a real low level loser when I worked at McDonalds. Was my labor really only worth $4.25? No!!! Look at all the profits that McDonalds turns. My labor was worth more than I was paid, but they kept the money. Check out "The Corporation."<BR/><BR/>Is Rivendell elitist? Well, once again, that's relative. As functional as so much of it is, the nice wool and all, it's still a luxury product. Oh, it's dirt cheap compared to owning a car, sure. Still, I have yet to see another cyclist out in the wee hours of the morning doing their Monday commute on a Rivendell.<BR/><BR/>Still, if you have the money, or are dedicated, they offer up a product that complements a lifestyle many people would like to live. Some people even do live that lifestyle. I'm sure there's lots of posers, and I'm probably one. But there's also a lot of people who simply enjoy the stuff, whether it's Rivendell or VO and they have the money and it's still a lot less money than a car, blah blah blah<BR/><BR/>Joel, can I ask if you are referring to Blvd. Bikes? It's my favorite shop in Chicago, too.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-26113072009668795742009-02-22T19:16:00.000-05:002009-02-22T19:16:00.000-05:00rivendell, elitist? thats funny! when's the last...rivendell, elitist? thats funny! <BR/>when's the last time you read a rivendell reader?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-76912999383877943912009-02-21T13:56:00.000-05:002009-02-21T13:56:00.000-05:00At the $50 range I agree the Velocity Synergy is a...At the $50 range I agree the Velocity Synergy is a very good rim, but it's not truly traditional looking box section rim like a Mavic MA-2 or Super Champion Mod 58. I think that is the look VO is trying to go for here and I don't think the prototype is quite there. Plus it is a tad heavy, a bit pricey (compared to a CR18) and unproven. For $50 you're right I would go for the Velocity but I still think there is a market for the rim I described earlier.ChrisCullumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08645176987387516756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-76341552113737057682009-02-21T11:19:00.000-05:002009-02-21T11:19:00.000-05:001) If those rims become available, I'm going to bu...1) If those rims become available, I'm going to build an extra set of wheels for my Herse using them. Beautiful.<BR/><BR/>2) The whole debate about polishing is elitist, which fits right into the Rivendell business model. <BR/><BR/>Nobody, to my knowledge, is chained in front of a polishing wheel for hours on end to polish parts. It may be a difficult, unpleasant job, but if there's demand and the pay is right, you'll always find people willing to fill the need. <BR/><BR/>Elitists like the Rivendell guy argue that polishing is dangerous, tedious, and labor intensive. Why? Because they have the option to take another job. Personally, I'm glad that labor intensive, low-skill jobs like these exist--without them, I wouldn't have been able to pay for college, nor would my parents have been able to put food on the table. Plus--although the pay is low--it's a lot higher than service industries.<BR/><BR/>More polished parts, please. I'm sure that between my bikes I'm exploiting at least one professional polisher.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-78126264094793213162009-02-20T17:46:00.000-05:002009-02-20T17:46:00.000-05:00Joel, I'm wondering what you consider a good wage ...Joel, I'm wondering what you consider a good wage for bicycle repair work. Is it considerably more than $13/hr? If so, is this progressive shop hiring and how much is a train ticket to Chicago? <BR/><BR/>Yes it only took a few minutes to make your sandwich, but I made them all day long (as well as cleaned the bathrooms that you used). In many ways is was a much more intense and dangerous work place. Was my labor not worth more than $5.25/hr.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-60512159894865212722009-02-20T16:56:00.000-05:002009-02-20T16:56:00.000-05:00Anonyme 15:40: The LBS I use in Chicago is progres...Anonyme 15:40: The LBS I use in Chicago is progressive. The owner does a lot of the work himself and pays his small and very loyal staff a good wage. I give them parts and Xmas gifts.<BR/><BR/>Two responses to the sandwich question:<BR/><BR/>1st, I hope it does not take much more than 5 minutes to make a sandwich.<BR/><BR/>2nd, many restuarants do indeed pose real labor problems even in the U.S. Consumers can make things right with the wait and bus staff by giving a fair tip. <BR/><BR/>Most assume the kitchen staff are well paid trained professionals. Reality is often far different. Many so called top level restaurants in Chicago anyway have been caught using illegal aliens. These restaurants will have one or two trained kitchen staff and everyone else has no idea what is going on.<BR/><BR/>Meaning bigger risk of tainted food and untrained workers getting injured or sick.<BR/><BR/>Ian: Fortunately my cleaning person does not use the internet.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-56055724643171510692009-02-20T16:01:00.000-05:002009-02-20T16:01:00.000-05:00"the" ol' username"the" ol' usernameIan Dicksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14721391514711042385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-61431228247735275342009-02-20T15:57:00.000-05:002009-02-20T15:57:00.000-05:00Joel: Might be time to change to ol' username.Joel: Might be time to change to ol' username.Ian Dicksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14721391514711042385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-49937550045115242772009-02-20T15:40:00.000-05:002009-02-20T15:40:00.000-05:00I work on bikes (which involves a lot of cleaning ...I work on bikes (which involves a lot of cleaning and some polishing activities) all day long for $13/hr.<BR/><BR/>Would you feel guilty for paying me to work on your bike?<BR/><BR/>Did you feel guilty when you bought a sandwich from me that I was paid $5.25/hr to make?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-35055301833785923292009-02-20T13:43:00.000-05:002009-02-20T13:43:00.000-05:00Oh it is pure misery!My home is modest sized. I c...Oh it is pure misery!<BR/><BR/>My home is modest sized. I could easily do the work myself. But I have no dependents and the cleaner needs the work. So why not if I get extra time to fool with my bikes?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-23771356791617580632009-02-20T12:58:00.000-05:002009-02-20T12:58:00.000-05:00"I would feel guilty paying someone $14 bucks for ..."I would feel guilty paying someone $14 bucks for 40 minutes of work."<BR/><BR/>My employer doesn't feel guilty - In fact, I'm one of the higher paid employees at my job. I work hard for that money and I need it. Sorry to hear your house cleaner doesn't do windows - must be tough.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-43054852949670002892009-02-20T12:20:00.000-05:002009-02-20T12:20:00.000-05:00I would feel guilty paying someone $14 bucks for 4...I would feel guilty paying someone $14 bucks for 40 minutes of work. Heck, my cleaning person gets three times that and she doesn't do windows.<BR/><BR/>I am talking polishing already mounted fenders. The bike has racks front and rear. Rear rack has a light mounted on it. <BR/><BR/>It would take almost as long to get everything off in order to access with a buffer than polishing by hand.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-26707291179135604912009-02-20T12:08:00.000-05:002009-02-20T12:08:00.000-05:00Joel,I make $14.50/Hour before taxes, would you pa...Joel,<BR/>I make $14.50/Hour before taxes, would you pay me to polish a fender?<BR/><BR/>PS - buy a mandrel and buffing wheel for a power drill - it costs a few bucks at a hardware store. You'll get a mirror polish in a minute or less on most parts - a fender, a few minutes tops.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-40833735070764969752009-02-20T11:50:00.001-05:002009-02-20T11:50:00.001-05:00Left out 'one' after some.Left out 'one' after some.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-5499774911856068612009-02-20T11:50:00.000-05:002009-02-20T11:50:00.000-05:00Well, either I am doing something wrong or too fus...Well, either I am doing something wrong or too fussy. When I Simichrome, it takes me about 20 minutes per fender.<BR/><BR/>If I were to pay some to polish the fenders what I charge for hour in my job, those 40 minutes would cost $384.00.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-18411515440315608702009-02-20T11:15:00.000-05:002009-02-20T11:15:00.000-05:00The rims are definitely nice, I want to do a 650B ...The rims are definitely nice, I want to do a 650B bike this year.<BR/><BR/>Probably an impossible dream, but I'd like to see a rim with a slight, shallow, continuous curve profile rather than the angled, sort of zeppelin look that are on these, CR-18's.<BR/><BR/>Shiny too. If it turns out this is unethical, leave them w/the finish that comes on VO fenders, it only takes me a few minutes to polish them up myself.robatsuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07641711964135698976noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-36369881582120213722009-02-20T10:55:00.000-05:002009-02-20T10:55:00.000-05:00"It takes only a few minutes for a skilled polishe..."It takes only a few minutes for a skilled polisher to polish a part, not 30 minutes. The polisher does not make as much as a welder or machinist, but he is hardly exploited. Paul brakes are polished by hand here in the USA. Does Paul exploit workers? Maybe Grant is just trying to push what he sells?"<BR/><BR/>Your statement in no way refutes mine.<BR/><BR/>First, I did not say polishing chemicals are as dangerous as chrome plating. But they are not pleasant.<BR/><BR/>Second, I guess it depends on the product. A handlebar may not take all that long to polish. A crank or brakes with all their varying surfaces take longer.<BR/><BR/>Third, Paul brakes sell for several hundred dollars (and are sold by Rivendell by the way), not for the $70.00 dollars or so for shiny Tektro brakes (which are also sold by Rivendell both as Tektro and under the Rivendell brand name). Suggesting Paul pays the U.S. polisher a fair wage - and more than the Tektro polisher gets.<BR/><BR/>As for your diss on Peterson, As I say above, Rivendell sells both Paul and shiny Tektro brakes. Rivendell sells other polished compoenents as well. Some made in the US, some in Japan, some in Taiwan. Peterson believes in being open about what the manufacturing entails. Your suggestion Peterson is motivated by greed makes no sense at all. Frankly, I think people should be aware of what it takes to make the stuff they buy.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-51522567464940831992009-02-20T09:38:00.000-05:002009-02-20T09:38:00.000-05:00Joel, Sorry but there is no comparison. Chrome pla...Joel, Sorry but there is no comparison. Chrome plating releases some very harmful chemicals. Polishing compound is abrasive powder mixed with wax. Most polishing compounds are not even toxic.<BR/><BR/>It takes only a few minutes for a skilled polisher to polish a part, not 30 minutes. The polisher does not make as much as a welder or machinist, but he is hardly exploited. Paul brakes are polished by hand here in the USA. Does Paul exploit workers? Maybe Grant is just trying to push what he sells?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-41880415561008652572009-02-20T09:27:00.000-05:002009-02-20T09:27:00.000-05:00"Ok, so chrome is bad for the environment.OTOH, Gr..."Ok, so chrome is bad for the environment.<BR/><BR/>OTOH, Grant/Rivendell now pushes the philosophy that polishing is dehumanizing work that exploits low wage workers.<BR/><BR/>Just can't win on this one...."<BR/><BR/>The chrome plating process does emit all sorts of toxic metal, including mercury, waste into the air and water.<BR/><BR/>On the other hand, polishing metal involves standing in front of a load and powerful polishing tool holding a metal object covered with chemicals for a long period of time. The next time you spend half an hour applying simichrome to your polished bike bits, think about what it took to make dull metal shiney in the first place.<BR/><BR/>Then figure the cost of the shiney product. If it took a person 30 minutes to polish it, you have to have either one of two things happen - the product would need to cost a lot more if the person makes a decent wage, or the person would have to get little pay.<BR/><BR/>There are no other alternatives - except for being happy with something that is not all shiney.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-66729397732740689132009-02-20T08:52:00.000-05:002009-02-20T08:52:00.000-05:00I've visited manufacturing facilities in Taiwan an...I've visited manufacturing facilities in Taiwan and Japan for 15 years. None of them are dirt floor factories. Many of them (Tektro, Alex, SRAM, Kalloy, KT, for example) are better run and cleaner than the machine shop across the street or the boat builder next door from Velo Orange. Most of the factories we work with- family run enterprises with a small staff- do their materials sourcing from Taiwan, their fabrication in house, in their own facility. Nothing is offshored to China or Vietnam. there will be some exceptions, but overall, it's Made In Taiwan because that is honestly descriptive of its origin. How much of your GM 'made in America (more like North America)' car is actually sourced locally, domestically- raw materials, sub assemblies, not off shored or outsourced? <BR/><BR/>Taiwan has a nationalized health care system, minimum 3 weeks legislated paid time off, 6 months paid maternity leave for mother AND Father. <BR/>Environmentally, Taiwan has improved by leaps and bounds. All these changes are due to increased investment in Taiwan infrastructure. <BR/><BR/>What are your requirements for buying products? USA only?Tomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01015305191743399671noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-42880380061866775192009-02-20T07:45:00.000-05:002009-02-20T07:45:00.000-05:00Once again an anonymous commenter brings up stuff ...Once again an anonymous commenter brings up stuff being made in China. The rims, like most VO brand stuff, are made in a factory in Taiwan, not in China.<BR/><BR/>In my mind discriminating against people because of nothing more than the country they live in is just plain bigotry. There are good people and good companies in every country in the world and they should be supported. When I was young we lived in Virginia where I remember people saying they wouldn't shop in a store owned by African Americans. For some reason I am now reminded of this.<BR/><BR/>So you see why I am reluctant to make a big deal of "country of origin." If you don't trust me to source responsibly then you might be happier commenting and shopping elsewhere. I am, frankly, not open to discussion on this.Velo Orangehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02835615331417822722noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24415034.post-21950280388963695672009-02-20T03:44:00.000-05:002009-02-20T03:44:00.000-05:00ChrisCullum - I think the rim you're "waiting" for...ChrisCullum - I think the rim you're "waiting" for is the Velocity Synergy. Cheers.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com