Le Petit Vélo Rouge

This Wednesday’s Workshop: Advanced and Unusual (bike) Topics and Parts

lepetitvelorouge — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:12:26 +0000

Hello again bike enthusiasts,

Le Petit Vélo Rouge (in cooperation with The Flat) is hosting the last in our current workshop series this Wednesday (February 15th). This week: a grab-bag of ‘advanced’ topics (or ones we didn’t cover elsewhere). These may include (exact mix will depend on the participants and materials):

- the 5-minute safety check (a good review of the other workshops), including how to tell whether a frame should be written off
- frame and fork alignment- checking them and fixing them; bending frames and forks to your will
- attaching and removing headset cups and fork crown races
- unsticking or removing seized items (seatpost/stem/BB/miscellaneous bolts) (will depend on availability of seized items and various heavy weapons to unseize them)

- ‘unusual’, older or newer BBs and cranks, namely
- cottered cranks
- 1-piece (Ashtabula) cranks
- splined, hollow-axle, or external bearing BBs*
- bike sizing/fit/comfort
- disk brakes*

[*these are possible but unlikely; they will depend on someone bringing a bike which has these items, and being OK with us messing with them]

In any event, it promises to be an interesting evening.

The particulars:
When: Wednesday February 15th, 19:00 – 21:00
Where: The Flat Bike Collective, 3480 Rue McTavish, Room B02
For: Everyone!
Cost: $5 suggested donation to LPVR
Who: Le Petit Velo Rouge
RSVP: internal.lpvr@gmail.com (or just show up)

- Your friends at Le Petit Vélo Rouge

Cost Efficiency

lepetitvelorouge — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:28:08 +0000

As if you needed another reason to buy a bike, a study finds that it takes the average American less than 4 minutes a day to pay for the cycling habit (compared to 2 hours on average to own a car).

http://www.theurbancountry.com/2011/05/americans-work-384-minutes-each-day-to.html

Fantastic Video

lepetitvelorouge — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:01:01 +0000

Tourné ici à Montréal, ça montre que avec le vélo, tout est possible!

Le Petit Vélo Rouge Presents: Bike Mechanics Series Workshop #4- Ball Bearing Bonanza

lepetitvelorouge — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:22:46 +0000

This winter Le Petit Vélo Rouge (LPVR) has taken on the task of organizing our workshop series. All workshops will take place at the Flat (3480 Mctavish), however a suggested pay-what-you-can donation of $5 towards starting up LPVR’s new space is encouraged. Workshops are open to everyone. All workshops take place on Wednesdays from 7pm til 9pm.

January 25th: Ball Bearing systems – Headsets, Hubs and 3-piece bottom brackets. Everything you ever wanted to know about ball bearings but were afraid to ask.

Come on by and learn all about bike-related ball bearing applications. We will also have instructional zines available that we worked really hard on. Hope to see you there!

lepetitvelorouge — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:38:19 +0000

Check out this video: How the Dutch Got Their Cycle Paths

The question then becomes how do we get more bike paths here? Not that Montreal isn’t increasing the number of bike paths, but perhaps we need to put on more pressure? Perhaps we are more ok with people getting killed by cars in the city, environmental pollution and contributing to the oil industry?

Winter Workshops!!!

lepetitvelorouge — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 22:25:57 +0000

This winter we are collaborating with The Flat Bike Collective to bring you a mechanics workshop series!

Ever felt frustrated that you weren’t able to fix your bike up yourself? Want to know more about how your brakes work, how your gears change, or how to overhaul your headset? Come by the flat during the months of January and February to find out how!

December 14th:Winter Riding – Winterize your bike, and yourself! (Check out our WINTER RIDING ZINE, to get a preview!)
January 11th: Bicycle Basics – Fixing flat tires, regular bike maintenance, how to use tools;
(Using wrenches, screwdrives, etc. so you don’t injure yourself or your tools!)
January 18th: Brakes – Everything and anything to make sure you can stop!
January 25th: Ball Bearing systems – Headsets, Hubs and 3-piece bottom brackets.
February 1st: Gears – Getting your mechanical advantage just right!
February 8th: Wheels – Truing, adjusting hubs, cleaning rims, building basics.
February 15th: Advanced topics – Big tools; weird parts; compatibilities; the answer to life, theuniverse, and everything. How hammers will fix everything.

All workshops are open to everyone. PWYC, with a suggested donation of $5 with all proceeds going to Le Petit Velo Rouge.

All workshops will be held from 7pm til 9pm.

Please RSVP! Space is limited! internal.lpvr@gmail.com

These workshops are being held at The Flat Bike Collective: 3480 Rue McTavish, Room B02.

Watch this space – more info on its way closer to the time!

Winter Riding Workshop

lepetitvelorouge — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 22:16:07 +0000

As part of our winter mechanics workshop series, we are holding a Winter Riding workshop on December 14th, 7-9pm.

Check out our winter riding zine, ahead of time to know what we will be talking about!

Please RSVP as space is limited: internal.lpvr@gmail.com

Why ride in the winter?
Riding in the winter is fun! We see it as the most practical winter sport – once you get used to how your bike handles in the diff erent types of snow, you will find it is the only comfortable way to get around.

Surprisingly, riding in winter tends to be warmer than walking or taking public transport. Since you are moving your body so much, you end up generating your own heat. Standing around waiting for the bus is a sure-fi re way of getting cold and miserable, and stepping off the over-heated metro with your full winter-penguinoutfi t is a great way for your sweat to keep you nice and frosty. On your bike, you take advantage of the crisp air that the winter provides – lungfulls of that will easily lift you out of those winter blues.

The best part of riding in the winter is the way it peaks all of your senses. Riding at night, right after a powdery snowfall when all the cars are safely tucked away in their garages, there is an intense silence. Th e only thing you hear is the snow getting crushed under your tires, a noise you will come to crave during the muggy summer. This noise vibrates through your whole body, and even though you are almost fl oating over the road, you feel completely connected to it. You will start learning the diff erent types of snow and ice, and the way they change how your bike feels under you. You will realize how diff erent cars smell in the winter – their engines straining against the cold (but you only get stronger as the winter gets colder!). You will taste the salt, that awful stuff that will destroy your humble steed if you aren’t careful…

Marché CyclArt

lepetitvelorouge — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 16:54:10 +0000

Bike parts … not just for your bicycle!

Cyclo Nord-Sud, a Quebec based organisation that collects old bikes, part, tools and accessories to send to poor communities in southern countries, is holding an event on December 10th.

A whole bunch of local artists, tinkerers and other folks will be contributing art pieces, accessories, trinkets and otherwise. Right to Move/La Voie Libre will be on hand to present their own creations!

Come by! December 10th from 11am to 7pm at 7235 St. Urbain.

More info at: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=308613842489300

Magick Precision

lepetitvelorouge — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 22:41:39 +0000

Magick Precision is for sale: $80

This would make a great winter bike!

Smallish frame, v-brakes, 26″ wheels.

Email internal.lpvr@gmail.com if interested!

The Emperor

lepetitvelorouge — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 20:38:44 +0000

The Emperor is for sale. $120. SOLD

A beautiful silver Imperial frame, cinelli stem + bars, new aluminum wheels, new cassette, downtube friction shifters.

Get the sale sheet.

Contact internal.lpvr@gmail.com for more info!

Want to build sweet rides like this? We have a bunch of beautiful bikes on the go right now. Volunteer!