Blue Lug bike shop Japan
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Minas Ithil
Posts: 9,173
Mentioned: 66 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2432 Post(s)
Liked 638 Times
in
395 Posts
Blue Lug bike shop Japan
I wish there was a shop like this around here. They have tons of cool bikes and parts. There's an Independent Fabrications SS frameset on their wall I'd kill for. If you look at their channel they show some nice bike builds.
They do ship overseas and have a bunch of stuff in stock hard to find here.
https://global.bluelug.com/
They do ship overseas and have a bunch of stuff in stock hard to find here.
https://global.bluelug.com/
Likes For Lazyass:
Likes For ryan_rides:
#3
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Minas Ithil
Posts: 9,173
Mentioned: 66 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2432 Post(s)
Liked 638 Times
in
395 Posts
That shop reminds me of what shops in the USA used to be like in the 90's with tons of cool parts you could spend all day browsing. If I lived in that town I'd probably never buy stuff online.
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 3,504
Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 586 Post(s)
Liked 612 Times
in
447 Posts
Here's my $.02 so take it for what it's worth. If there was a demand for and support for the types of shops described, then they probably would still be around. Some shops, such as Retrogression are doing their best to cater to "serious" fixed-gear and singlespeeders. They do both walk-in and online business. No reason why anyone can't do business with them. So if you want them to continue, think about buying something from them, yes? I have no affiliation with them whatsoever, just in case someone wonders. They are just the first that comes to mind.
So if you are one of the luck ones that has a decent bike shop in town, you know what you need to do. If you prefer to buy everything from online discounters, then someday when you are in a fix and need that part today, guess what...
So if you are one of the luck ones that has a decent bike shop in town, you know what you need to do. If you prefer to buy everything from online discounters, then someday when you are in a fix and need that part today, guess what...
Likes For TugaDude:
#5
Super-duper Genius
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Muskrat Springs, Utah
Posts: 1,713
Mentioned: 20 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 768 Post(s)
Liked 984 Times
in
508 Posts
You're exactly right, TugaDude
I try to buy from "brick and mortar" stores whenever possible--preferably the locally owned ones. If what I need is not available, I go online, first to boutique shops like Retrogression. If they don't have what I need, I check with the big corporate chains (Jensen USA, Modern Bike, Backcountry, REI, etc.) As a last resort, I'll occasionally buy from the evil galactic empire, Amazon. My reasons for prioritizing in this way are not altruistic, but actually kind of selfish. I mean, I could save a few dollars by doing it in exactly the opposite order... but good service is worth a lot to me, and I'm looking out for my own interests in the long term. REI and Jensen care nothing about you, outside of how much revenue and market share you bring them. Big A will never have your back. Retrogression and Saturday Cycles will, assuming they're still in business when you need them.
That Blue Lug shop looks like an outstanding place.
I try to buy from "brick and mortar" stores whenever possible--preferably the locally owned ones. If what I need is not available, I go online, first to boutique shops like Retrogression. If they don't have what I need, I check with the big corporate chains (Jensen USA, Modern Bike, Backcountry, REI, etc.) As a last resort, I'll occasionally buy from the evil galactic empire, Amazon. My reasons for prioritizing in this way are not altruistic, but actually kind of selfish. I mean, I could save a few dollars by doing it in exactly the opposite order... but good service is worth a lot to me, and I'm looking out for my own interests in the long term. REI and Jensen care nothing about you, outside of how much revenue and market share you bring them. Big A will never have your back. Retrogression and Saturday Cycles will, assuming they're still in business when you need them.
That Blue Lug shop looks like an outstanding place.
Likes For Broctoon:
#6
Junior Member
I wish there was a shop like this around here. They have tons of cool bikes and parts. There's an Independent Fabrications SS frameset on their wall I'd kill for. If you look at their channel they show some nice bike builds.
They do ship overseas and have a bunch of stuff in stock hard to find here.
https://global.bluelug.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rH07rceWHVQ
They do ship overseas and have a bunch of stuff in stock hard to find here.
https://global.bluelug.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rH07rceWHVQ
#7
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Minas Ithil
Posts: 9,173
Mentioned: 66 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2432 Post(s)
Liked 638 Times
in
395 Posts
You ain't kidding. I want to take a trip to Japan just to go there. They have really good videos. I watched the one below and finally learned about skid patches. I run brakes so I don't need to worry about it but it's good information. For those who don't know, a 17T cog is the best to run if you don't have brakes.
#8
Super-duper Genius
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Muskrat Springs, Utah
Posts: 1,713
Mentioned: 20 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 768 Post(s)
Liked 984 Times
in
508 Posts
From Sheldon Brown:
" f you make a habit of doing "skip stops" you will wear your rear tire out considerably faster than if you use your front brake. This problem is exacerbated by certain gear ratios, because you may tend to repeatedly skid on the same section of the tire.Riders who plan to do a lot of skip stops should consider the ratio when selecting their chainring and rear sprocket. The mathematics of this is actually fairly simple:
- Simplify the gear ratio to the smallest equivalent whole number ratio. Let's call it p/q.
- if the numerator, p, of the reduced gear ratio is even then the number of skid patches is q. Skid patches are evenly spaced around the tire if there is more than one.
- If you are an ambidextrous skidder, and the numerator is odd, the number of possible skid patches will be doubled. The skid patches with one foot forward fall halfway in between those with the other foot forward.
48/12 simplifies to 4/1, so there will be only 1 skid patch
45/15 simplifies to 3/1 so there will only be 1 skid patch, or 2 if you are an ambidextrous skidder.
42/15 simplifies to 14/5, so there will be 5 skid patches.
44/16 simplifies to 11/4, so there will be 4 skid patches, or 8 if you are an ambidextrous skidder.
43/15 can't be further simplified, so there will be 15 skid patches, or 30 if you are an ambidextrous skidder.
Explanation: let's look at 45/15, or 3/1. The rear wheel turns exactly 3 times for each turn of the cranks -- so, if the same foot is forward, the same place on the rear tire is always down. 1/2 turn of the cranks places the other foot forward, and turns the rear wheel 1 1/2 times. Then, the opposite place on the tire is down. Similarly for higher numbers, if the numerator of the reduced fraction is even, skid patches will be in the same places with either crank forward, but if the numerator is odd, the number of skid patches with each crank forward will be odd, and skid patches will interleave. John Allen's Excel spreadsheet calculates the number of skid patches for any sprocket combination."
In other words, the size of cog isn't what counts, but the ratio of chainring to cog.
#9
Not actually Tmonk
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 14,124
Bikes: road, track, mtb
Mentioned: 140 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2632 Post(s)
Liked 3,147 Times
in
1,656 Posts
I patronize my LBS by paying a premium for parts and having them do all my service. In exchange, they'll go out on a limb and help me out when I'm really in a pinch. The good service more than pays off for the premium IME.
The pandemic has been a bit rough since QBP and other distributors have been having supply chain issues. It's a bit weird for me to get told to go on Amazon to buy chains, but hey I still ask them each time. Recently they had some M8000 brakes for my new MTB build which I was surprised about, given their difficulty online even. It took me about 2 milliseconds to decide to purchase them.
The pandemic has been a bit rough since QBP and other distributors have been having supply chain issues. It's a bit weird for me to get told to go on Amazon to buy chains, but hey I still ask them each time. Recently they had some M8000 brakes for my new MTB build which I was surprised about, given their difficulty online even. It took me about 2 milliseconds to decide to purchase them.
__________________
"Your beauty is an aeroplane;
so high, my heart cannot bear the strain." -A.C. Jobim, Triste
"Your beauty is an aeroplane;
so high, my heart cannot bear the strain." -A.C. Jobim, Triste
Likes For TMonk:
#10
Space Ghost
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: NYC
Posts: 1,762
Bikes: Bridgestone, Fuji, Iro, Jamis, Gary Fisher, GT, Scott, Specialized and more
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 292 Post(s)
Liked 412 Times
in
318 Posts
Oh man, I would love to be able to go to and check out a spot like that.
#11
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Minas Ithil
Posts: 9,173
Mentioned: 66 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2432 Post(s)
Liked 638 Times
in
395 Posts
Umm... okay.
From Sheldon Brown:
" f you make a habit of doing "skip stops" you will wear your rear tire out considerably faster than if you use your front brake. This problem is exacerbated by certain gear ratios, because you may tend to repeatedly skid on the same section of the tire.Riders who plan to do a lot of skip stops should consider the ratio when selecting their chainring and rear sprocket. The mathematics of this is actually fairly simple:
48/12 simplifies to 4/1, so there will be only 1 skid patch
45/15 simplifies to 3/1 so there will only be 1 skid patch, or 2 if you are an ambidextrous skidder.
42/15 simplifies to 14/5, so there will be 5 skid patches.
44/16 simplifies to 11/4, so there will be 4 skid patches, or 8 if you are an ambidextrous skidder.
43/15 can't be further simplified, so there will be 15 skid patches, or 30 if you are an ambidextrous skidder.
Explanation: let's look at 45/15, or 3/1. The rear wheel turns exactly 3 times for each turn of the cranks -- so, if the same foot is forward, the same place on the rear tire is always down. 1/2 turn of the cranks places the other foot forward, and turns the rear wheel 1 1/2 times. Then, the opposite place on the tire is down. Similarly for higher numbers, if the numerator of the reduced fraction is even, skid patches will be in the same places with either crank forward, but if the numerator is odd, the number of skid patches with each crank forward will be odd, and skid patches will interleave. John Allen's Excel spreadsheet calculates the number of skid patches for any sprocket combination."
In other words, the size of cog isn't what counts, but the ratio of chainring to cog.
From Sheldon Brown:
" f you make a habit of doing "skip stops" you will wear your rear tire out considerably faster than if you use your front brake. This problem is exacerbated by certain gear ratios, because you may tend to repeatedly skid on the same section of the tire.Riders who plan to do a lot of skip stops should consider the ratio when selecting their chainring and rear sprocket. The mathematics of this is actually fairly simple:
- Simplify the gear ratio to the smallest equivalent whole number ratio. Let's call it p/q.
- if the numerator, p, of the reduced gear ratio is even then the number of skid patches is q. Skid patches are evenly spaced around the tire if there is more than one.
- If you are an ambidextrous skidder, and the numerator is odd, the number of possible skid patches will be doubled. The skid patches with one foot forward fall halfway in between those with the other foot forward.
48/12 simplifies to 4/1, so there will be only 1 skid patch
45/15 simplifies to 3/1 so there will only be 1 skid patch, or 2 if you are an ambidextrous skidder.
42/15 simplifies to 14/5, so there will be 5 skid patches.
44/16 simplifies to 11/4, so there will be 4 skid patches, or 8 if you are an ambidextrous skidder.
43/15 can't be further simplified, so there will be 15 skid patches, or 30 if you are an ambidextrous skidder.
Explanation: let's look at 45/15, or 3/1. The rear wheel turns exactly 3 times for each turn of the cranks -- so, if the same foot is forward, the same place on the rear tire is always down. 1/2 turn of the cranks places the other foot forward, and turns the rear wheel 1 1/2 times. Then, the opposite place on the tire is down. Similarly for higher numbers, if the numerator of the reduced fraction is even, skid patches will be in the same places with either crank forward, but if the numerator is odd, the number of skid patches with each crank forward will be odd, and skid patches will interleave. John Allen's Excel spreadsheet calculates the number of skid patches for any sprocket combination."
In other words, the size of cog isn't what counts, but the ratio of chainring to cog.
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 3,504
Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 586 Post(s)
Liked 612 Times
in
447 Posts
I patronize my LBS by paying a premium for parts and having them do all my service. In exchange, they'll go out on a limb and help me out when I'm really in a pinch. The good service more than pays off for the premium IME.
The pandemic has been a bit rough since QBP and other distributors have been having supply chain issues. It's a bit weird for me to get told to go on Amazon to buy chains, but hey I still ask them each time. Recently they had some M8000 brakes for my new MTB build which I was surprised about, given their difficulty online even. It took me about 2 milliseconds to decide to purchase them.
The pandemic has been a bit rough since QBP and other distributors have been having supply chain issues. It's a bit weird for me to get told to go on Amazon to buy chains, but hey I still ask them each time. Recently they had some M8000 brakes for my new MTB build which I was surprised about, given their difficulty online even. It took me about 2 milliseconds to decide to purchase them.
Likes For TugaDude:
#13
Space Ghost
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: NYC
Posts: 1,762
Bikes: Bridgestone, Fuji, Iro, Jamis, Gary Fisher, GT, Scott, Specialized and more
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 292 Post(s)
Liked 412 Times
in
318 Posts
We should all kick in like twenty bucks and open up a shop like that somewhere.
#14
Super-duper Genius
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Muskrat Springs, Utah
Posts: 1,713
Mentioned: 20 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 768 Post(s)
Liked 984 Times
in
508 Posts
So if you want to skid your rear tire but also want it to last a long time, it’s a big benefit to spread the wear over 17 spots instead of only 16, 15, or fewer. I guess the more the better, eh?
Last edited by Broctoon; 09-02-21 at 08:11 AM.
Likes For Lazyass:
#16
bill nyecycles
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Houston TX
Posts: 3,328
Mentioned: 19 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 789 Post(s)
Liked 350 Times
in
190 Posts
I discovered Blue Lug about 2 years ago, and have salivated over their instagram feed since. I have purchased many parts from them - despite it taking time to ship from Japan.
If I even opened a bike shop, it'd be like that.
If I even opened a bike shop, it'd be like that.