Bicycle Upgrades

 Greetings friends,

This is a quick post and not so much an "I made it" kind of project, but a project nonetheless. I wanted to write it up, if for no other reason than to make a post and to review the items I purchased for upgrading my bicycle.

With summer finally making its appearance here in the PNW, I figured it was time to dust off the old bike, and go for some rides. My bike is an old 1986 Trek 1000 that came with standard drop bars and brakes when I bought it used. I found the brakes on the drop bars to be uncomfortably low, requiring me to move my hands down whenever I wanted to apply them. I decided that a straight bar would be better suited for my riding style (commuting and trail cycling).

I purchased a Nitto B2500 straight bar which although slightly heavier than the aluminum drop bars, is very sturdy and is much shorter in length, giving it an overall agile feel. For the new brake levers, I bought a pair of Shimano Tiagra BL-4700 levers. These brake levers are very simple and compact; a benefit of having my shifters on the down-tube of my bike meant I didn't need to buy brake levers with integrated shifters.

Installing everything was done in a matter of a half-hour, though I was sure to test the angle of the brake levers for comfort before tightening them down fully. Once I had the brake levers hooked up to the calipers, I took the bike for a spin down to our local used-bike store to buy some grip tape. I opted for tape both because I think rubber grips don't match the look of my bike well and because I like the feel of cork tape much better.

With that, the upgrade is done! I'm really happy with the overall look, and the function is even better. The straight bar allows me to sit more upright, and the unobtrusive brake levers are positioned perfectly for quick use. I often switch my grip from the ends of the bars to the center if I'm cruising on long stretches, and having a shorter straight bar means I don't have to move my hands nearly as far to access my brakes.

Thanks for reading,

Juju

Pineapple Hot Sauce

Greetings friends,

Time for another recipe! I've made this hot sauce a few times, and after a few revisions, I think the result is incredibly delicious. We love pineapples in our household, and during the summer months we have access to Honeyglow Pineapples, which I exclusively recommend for this recipe.

Feel free to adjust the number of habaneros you use. I like my hot sauce pretty spicy but not blistering, so 15 peppers is a good number for my taste.

1 Honeyglow pineapple, cut into chunks

3-4 medium carrots, cut into half-rounds

1 sweet onion, diced

8-10 cloves garlic, minced

2 large limes, juiced

1.5 cups white vinegar

0.5 cups Tequila (whatever kind you like, but nothing too expensive please)

2 tsp salt

15 habanero peppers (halved and seeded)

1. In a deep pan or pot with some olive oil, sauté the carrots and onion until they begin to brown. Add the minced garlic and continue to sauté the mixture. This step is important to allow the Maillard reaction to progress to the point where the sugars caramelize and maximum flavor is achieved.

2. Add the pineapple, lime juice, vinegar, tequila, and salt to the pot and bring to a boil. While this mixture heats up, be sure to scrape the sides of the pot to deglaze any burnt/caked-on bits. Once boiling, reduce heat and let simmer for 10 minutes.

3. Add habanero peppers and simmer for an additional 5 minutes.

4. Pour mixture into a blender and blend until very smooth. Add back to the pot and bring to a boil once more.

5. Fill into sterilized bottles.

This batch is enough to completely fill 4 standard hot sauce bottles.

Thanks for reading,

Juju

Leather Music Folder

Greetings friends,

Ever struggling with finding a music folder that will accommodate large sheet music, I decided to take matters into my own hands. Having dabbled a bit in leathercrafting previously, I decided this would be a fun project to practice dyeing leather, and to construct a durable folder that will last for years!

I started with a large piece of heavyweight veg-tanned leather, and cut the pieces from it that I needed. I opted for a folder with dimensions of 12" x 15", small enough to not be cumbersome but big enough to protect large sheet music. I wanted 2 simple flaps inside the folder to tuck the music into, as well as a small pocket to hold a pencil.

For the dyeing process, I used Eco-Flo Waterstain in Bordeaux color. This stain was easy to use and wiped on with a sponge. I moistened the leather beforehand which helped the dye dry more slowly, so it was easier to achieve a consistent color. The hardest part of dyeing such large pieces of leather is achieving a consistent color, and I'm pleased with the job I did.

Punching the holes and stitching the pieces together was uneventful and very straightforward. I scored the interior of the folder down the middle, to assist in making the main fold. A little bit of water along the crease helped a bit. After all the stitching was done, I followed the usual progression of sanding the edges, dyeing them dark, sealing them with gum tragacanth, and burnishing them.

I fashioned a pencil holder out of a leftover scrap of leather, and stitched it to the inside of the folder. The pencil fits in a little bit tight, but it's better than falling out too easily.

After an amount of use, I decided that I wanted some way to keep the folder closed when carrying it, so I opted to add a snap to the open corner. This holds everything together really well and opens very easily. The folder has been really awesome to use, and I have yet to run into any large sheet music that won't fit in it!

Thanks for reading,

Juju