Headkleaner » beautiful

Sculptor, Cal Lane

Aaron — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 17:46:14 +0000

Since I am working towards my new career in Bicycle building(very slowly I might add), my renewed fascination with welding has become all encompassing. Everything I see, imagine or conceptualize now seems to have to do with a torch. So it is of no surprise that I have located this fantastic artist from Halifax, Nova Scotia. May I introduce Cal Lane. It takes some serious talent these days to illicit praise from me, but this work is truly above and beyond the medium. Cal cuts intricate patterns out of ordinary everyday steel objects. By intricate I mean, thin Lace!!!

If you have every handled a welding torch you will immediately appreciate and understand the absolute superb craftsmanship that this sculptor has. The attention to detail and the beauty of her final pieces are almost beyond words.

With this notion of desirable oppositions I created the structure “fabricate”. In this Structure I hand cut lace trimming patterns into 9 I-beams, then constructed a tower, simultaneously macho, and of delicate finery. The metaphor of lace further intrigued me by its associations of hiding and exposing at the same time; like a veil to cover, or lingerie to reveal. It also introduces a kind of humor through the form of unexpected relationships. Like a Wrestler in a tutu, the absurdity of having opposing extremist stances is there for reaction and not rational understanding; the rational discussion arises in the search for how one thing defines the other by its proximity.

Infinitely beautiful, have a look for yourself. Website

100 Days of Roubaix – Day 93

Aaron — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 19:32:27 +0000

100 Days of Roubaix, Paris Roubaix – Day 94

Aaron — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 19:28:10 +0000

100 Days of Roubaix, Paris Roubaix – Day 95

Aaron — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 19:18:02 +0000

100 Days of Roubaix – Day 96

Aaron — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 19:14:33 +0000

100 Days of Roubaix – Day 97

Aaron — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 19:11:30 +0000

100 Days of Roubaix – Day 98

Aaron — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 19:08:50 +0000

100 Days of Roubaix – Day 99

Aaron — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 19:01:46 +0000

100 Days of Roubaix + Day 100

Aaron — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 19:00:12 +0000

Paris Roubaix is truly one of the most epic races on the cycling calander. It is brutal, beautiful, decisive and downright bone jarring test of a cyclist will to persevere. It is the one race in April, that I will absolutely not miss.
As such, I have decided to countdown the days till the 108th edition of the classic on April 11th, 2010. It also happens to fall on the day after I ride the Tour of Battenkill for the first time, so the day will be even sweeter.

So without further ado, I present the 100 Days of Roubaix in pictures, 1 day at a time!

Rafael Bikes of Germany – Real Custom Carbon

Aaron — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:39:35 +0000

This company is my new favorite custom Frame Maker, strike that, my new favorite Frame Maker, PERIOD! An architect by trade and a passionate Triathlete, Rafael Hoffleit began making prototype frames for a select group of racers including himself. However, he was no stranger to frame building. At 9 years old he modifyed his own bike by adding fairings and later welded his first frame and a recumbent as well. By 16, he made a carbon fiber recumbent and followed up as the years progressed with a 800 gram carbon fiber road frame, quite the achievement for anyone, much less a 16 year old!

Zoom ahead 14 years and a steady stream of private race prototypes later and the brand rafael is unveiled at the First European Handmade Bike Show in 2009. The frame are flawless! Fantastic attention to detail, true understanding and mastery of aerodynamics and everything, and I mean everything is built in house to custom specs! Rafael developed his own custom monocoque construction method using adaptable moulds. This allows him to build coveted one-piece frames to custom sizes without needing a mould for every size which is prohibitively expensive and the very reason almost all of the known names in cyclings frames are now made in china!

The future of custom carbon frame building is emerging, and the pioneer of its development is rafael!