Howdy all
Sorry for not keeping up with some current posts. I have been spending most of my computer time on Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/21228831@N05/ Anyway here is a post from my friend Andrew Enjoy curtis

Wednesdays in June can only mean one thing: the start of the Howarth Park Dirt Crits in santa rosa! These are some of the most fun races in the whole universe. Organized by friends in a local park on a really fun course, close to home, cheap entry fee, a great cheering section which we keep fueled with cold beverages and lots of elbow-to-elbow racing! A lap takes only a few short minutes and the whole race is barely more than half an hour, but the pain makes every second seem unconscionably long, especially when scaling the 100 yards of grinder climb out of the start/finish for what feels like the hundredth time.

Curtis and I loaded up the team tour-bus and rolled out after work this week, accompanied by our friend Will Hudson who’s off of school for one more week and trying to squeeze in all the fun he can. We arrived early, registered (I got the number 1 plate, without even earning it!) and went out for some riding in adjacent Annadel State Park. The trails were in perfect shape and we got to ride a few of our favorite sections before looping back around in time for Curtis and Will’s start. Will tried to get around Curtis all day but the big guy was too strong for him and held the 21-year-old off this week. Good work, Curtis!

The A race was stacked with fast guys looking serious in Nor-Cal jerseys and straddling the latest-and-greatest high-tech Specialized race bikes. There must have been ten of them. I felt a little lonely without east-bay-teammate Jeff on the start line to help me heckle those guys, but then the race started and I forgot all about heckling. Still felt lonely though, as four or five of ‘em bolted right out of the gate and I spent the rest of the race pedaling solo, trying in vain to reel them in. The course was in great shape, having been raked clean and tuned up for fast times, and I rode clean laps, driving into the bermed corners on the descents and suffering on the climbs, but those guys didn’t get any closer or further away, they just dangled fifteen seconds off my front tire for lap after lap. My lungs felt like they were going to pop out of my mouth and every lap I dreamt about seeing the lap cards announcing three to go, but there was more penance to pay to the church of the spinning wheel. I went by one racer with a mechanical and gobbled up a couple of lapped riders before rolling across the line, done for the week and ready for restorative burritos and beer at the taqueria down the street. Back over the hill in the dark, laughing and recounting the minutiae of the ride and letting the endorphins wash lazily in and carry me all the way to my bed to dream about doing it again next week…..

until then,
andrew.

That’s right kids Jeff and I (Curtis) will be heading South to partake in SSUSA. We’re gonna keep it simple and pack light: toothbrush, chamois, helmet, shoes, maybe even a map or two if we think of it as well as 2 spots (his and hers) to race at SSWC in Napa. That’s right - there are currently 398 folks registered and after SSUSA we’ll be raffling off the last two spots - and hopefully you’ll get one of em!

We’re excited to meet some new faces, ride as many new trails as possible and learn how to identify poison ivy. So come on out and win yourself a spot at Sswc08.

www.dirtsweatandgears.com/

Marcus Farley from www.bikeradar.com recently interviewed me and the article is now up on their website. Check it out.

FEATURE
Interview: Curtis Inglis
By Marcus Farley

Marcus Farley catches up with one of the cycling industry’s most enigmatic and charming figures. Curtis is one of the finest living frame builders. His bikes have garnered many awards and a devoted following.

He builds two brands from his Napa, California, Farm: Retrotec was the original brainchild of Bob Seals. Bob wanted a cruiser that he could ride and race. After being turned away by everyone he asked to build such a bike, he started working on building it himself. Curtis carried out his apprenticeship with Bob starting in 1993, and has been running the brand himself since 1996. Bicycles made under the Inglis Cycles banner are made in more traditional straight tube designs (although there are some decidedly wonky lines going on there, too!)

Bikeradar: Tell us about how you started making frames, and how you first got to know and work with Bob Seals? Are you still in touch with him?

Curtis Inglis: I was going to school and working in a shop here in Napa, CA. Coming from a road bike family, I got into mountain bikes a bit late, around 1992. Once I tried mountain biking, I was hooked. I ended up at a race that Bob was showing his bikes and I was amazed at what you could do with a bike that looked so good. That was it. I finished school, begged Bob for a job and moved to Chico.

Bob and I still talk from time to time. He is really into his music these days.

How long does it take you to knock a frame out? Are you a perfectionist? Can you talk our readers through the process of design, testing, fabrication and completion?

I build one bike a week. I am a perfectionist in most areas of bike building but I don’t like to go over board. I try to not spend a zillion hours on just one detail of the bike. Once a customer is sized, I make a full scale drawing of the frame and start working out the different curves of the bike. I try to make the bike flow from head tube to dropouts. I like to have a very nice, even flow to the bikes I make. I think that is what I am known for, besides riding in dresses from time to time. Bob was into Speedos, I like dresses.

What’s your carbon footprint like?

I don’t really know. I don’t have to drive most days. I can do most of my errands on my bike. I don’t let stores give me bags. I like cars, I just don’t like to drive them most days. Most of my driving involves getting to mountain bike rides. This is a source of much inner turmoil. We try to ride longer than we have to drive in a given day. I do have a few big hits, I own a Lambretta scooter and some vintage cars. I do braze, weld and make some dust. I am guessing it is not too bad. I hope I save a tree and some natural resources by the end of my life.

How important is handmade design to you? Would you ever outsource the building of your frames? Or have you considered who to pass on the Retrotec mantle to when you hang up your welding torch?

I think handmade design is very important. I have thought of outsourcing, but it is a slippery slope. I think I make a much better frame builder than product manager. I think I am going to be doing this for a long time.

You work exclusively in Steel. Have you ever been tempted by aluminium, titanium or carbon?

On the Inglis side of things, I use the Reynolds seat-stay when a customer wants some carbon in their bike. So far, I think it is the best one out there and I get to use Paragon dropouts with them. Paragon is another CA based company. It is fun to support your friends as much as you can. As for Retrotec, they are all primarily steel. We have made a few titanium ones working with Jim Kish.

What’s the deal with singlespeed bikes? Are they about a return to childhood, minimal impact on the landscape or about being cheap to fix?

I don’t know, there is something about riding up a hill as far as you can and then getting off and walking. I still own and ride geared bikes. Some trails just feel better with a one speed.

Being a fine exponent of facial hair, is it essential to have a beard to be a singlespeed aficionado?

I don’t think so. My wife only lets me grow facial hair a few months a year so I have to make it count.

What’s the weirdest request for a frame you’ve ever received?

I built some bikes for a friend who puts large radios on them. He makes sound systems for bikes and I have made some really strange bikes for him.

Where’s your favourite place to ride?

For the last few years it has been Annadel State Park in Santa Rosa. There are some great trails over there that really bring a smile to my face.

Who has inspired you the most?

Bob Seals really set this all in motion for me. He is a very creative person and he taught me certain asthetics for the classic Retrotec.

This is just a bit late, but we got the “Ninja” flu everyone is talking about right after we got back from NAHBS. The show in Portland was great. Mitzi and I drove Doug’s super Sprinter up with White, Sycip and our booth stuff. We had a smooth trip up and back, with good weather over the snow covered passes. We celebrated Mitzi’s birthday with Portland friends Ron and Matt that first night, Wednesday. Set-up on Thursday and breakdown on Sunday were pretty painless at the convention center. We were located in a four booth spot with our friends the Hunters, Sycips and Rebolledos and we were right next to most of the other CA builders and part manufacturers.
Day one was trade, media and select consumers. Not sure how people were chosen or not chosen to attend day one, but it was a good group. We were really happy to see that Biff made the trip over from England but missed seeing Chipps and Chris. Chipps was celebrating the big 40 in style instead of working. A big thank you to Sasha for hosting a party at his shop. Our group got there a bit late because it’s pretty hard to feed close to 20 people all at once, but the Delta Cafe was up for the challenge. We recommend the chicken fried steak, meat loaf or fried chicken and don’t forget the mashed potatoes or mac n cheese. Yum.
Day two was a complete mad house! The fire marshall stopped entry to the convention center at one point during the day because over 5,000 people were inside. We were beat by the end of the day but really happy with the quality of people. We also had to say goodbye to one of our bicycles that day too. Brent and his wife drove down from Canada to pickup his beautiful Retrotec touring bike with couplings. It had been the star of the booth, but now we could feature some of the other bikes on Sunday.
Day three was a little lighter on attendance, but again, great people stopping to talk and ask questions. We really never had any time to talk to our friends all weekend, except after the show. Awards were pretty interesting too… we won Best Track Bike of the show. What a surprise that was. I don’t make very many track bikes and the one we took is my personal bike. I really tried to make something special, but didn’t think it would be noticed by my peers. The trophy was 5 feet tall though, so we really had to find room for it in the Sprinter for the drive home. Bruce took home 2 five feet trophies, so he had to really find some extra room in the vehicle he and Sean took up north!
Portland is a great city. Bikes everywhere. The best coffee at Stumptown. Easy public transportation. We had a huge response to all of our bikes and sold a ton of t-shirts, hats and riding gear. Next year’s NAHBS show is moving to Indianapolis, IN at the end of February. If there isn’t a snow storm, we hope it will be a good location, but we honestly have our reservations. Does anyone know anything about Indianapolis? Drop us a line if you know anything about it’s cycling community. These are just some of the pictures from the weekend. If you want more pictures we have opened a flickr account.
www.flickr.com/photos/21228831@N05

Check it out. Many more pictures, more than you will want to look at.

These are the new wheels for the fixed gear bike I am taking up to the hand made show. Yes I said fixed gear. I found some old Weinmann rims lying around Bicycle works, my local bike shop. I talked my dad into polishing them for me and they turned out really sweet. He got a wild idea to polish the spokes as well. I am not sure he thinks that was so good now. Bob Hillhouse built them up and they look really nice. Notice the engagement for the cog.

I know this doesn’t have much to do with bikes. I was crawling around up in the attic and found our old Lite-Brite. Mitzi and I had ourselves A little team building exercise. Enjoy