Bikes of BBP & Their Humans: Meet Wes
Welcome to another edition of Bikes of BBP & Their Humans! The story of Wes’s bike is particularly unique, and I am so excited for him to share it with you. Enjoy! -Em
Name: Wes Labor
Pronouns: He/Him
Role at BBP: Mechanic/Expert of Inventory
Your bike make & model: 1990 Specialized Stumpjumper
When did you build your bike?: I built this bike around 2014 or so, before I worked for BBP. At the time I commuted on a yellow fixed gear/single speed. I was headed to work one day with a box of donuts on the front rack of my yellow bike, and they were getting bounced around majorly. I decided I’d like to build a bike with 26” wheels and fatter tires to smooth the bumps.
Your bike name: This bike inherited its name (and saddle) from a previous bike. The name is Master Splinter and the saddle is an Ideale. (Emily’s note: Ideale was French saddle brand with a really cool story. Once you finish reading through the story of Wes’s bike, I suggest you head to this blog to read some Ideale history).
What’s the story of your bike?: The dream of this bike started with that shaken up box of donuts. My previous ride was born in the “fixie days” of the mid 2000’s and while working at Boise State around 2014 I decided it was time to build something with a cushier ride. I found the frame at BBP. (I distinctly remember asking former lead mechanic Mikey if it was a 1” or 1-⅛” headtube. Anyway!…)
Here’s a pic of Wes’s original single speed, creator of the ‘dastardly donut disaster.’ Keep reading for the story of how Wes’s original intention was to create another single speed and pull as many parts from this yellow beaut as possible…but that’s not what happened!
I was hoping to build another single speed. I built up the wheels with a single speed hub in the back and a dynamo hub in the front. The NOS Mavic rims came from Score Outdoors on Fairview and I got the dynamo hub from Bike Touring News. As I started putting it together I realized the dropouts weren’t long enough for a single speed… So I went with a 3x1 drivetrain. That’s three gears up front and one in the back with a rear derailleur working as a chain tensioner. I’ve got a front derailleur on there to shift. When I went to put it together at BBP, former mechanic Patrick (Guten tag, Patrick!) was trying to convince me to shift by pushing the chain with my foot! He even rode it up and down the street to show me it would work. I ultimately decided against that idea. I wanted to keep as many parts as I could from my old bike. But! The cranks didn’t work because the new bike is a three speed, the fork steerer was too long, the stem was the wrong clamp size, etc. Ultimately only the headset survived from my old bike. For a while I had On-One Mary bars, what you’d call mustache bars. Now I’ve got Surly Sunrise bars with a cool “golf club” stem off an 80’s Stumpjumper. Tires are Maxxis DTH 26” x 2.125s. Cranks are Specialized S-Works square taper and use 5-bolt 94 BCD rings (kind of rare, but Surly revived the standard a few years ago, score!).
Since I built it up I have mostly ridden it back and forth to work. Sometimes I’ll take the fenders off in the summer and do some of the foothills trails. It's a hoot! I took it on BBP’s pedal powered employee retreat up to Twin Springs a couple years ago. Last year I rode a section of the Weiser River Trail on it. It's got a flip-flop hub with a lower gear on the other side I can use for rides with steep hills.
What’s your favorite feature on your bike?: It’s my first bike with a dynamo hub, and I think they are great. You can’t forget your lights! Also a big fan of the front rack. It’s a Wald 3339. I shortened and bent the struts so they attach to the brake bosses instead of the axle. Instead of using the removable basket the rack came with, I found a tool bag that fits on the platform. A lot less rattling with a bag compared to a basket. And finally the brake levers. They are Coda branded (the Cannondale OEM brand), made by Dia Compe. Far and away my favorite short pull levers. A lot of Cannondale’s ideas were bad, but not all of ‘em!
What’s your favorite ice cream?: Vanilla mixed with raspberry sorbet.
What does Saxton (Shop Manager) appreciate about Wes?: “Wes has the most full, passionate heart of anyone I’ve met and seemingly no concern as to whether or not anyone else is aware of it. He is kind because he has decided that’s the best option. Wes is an equally skilled learner as an educator, always being willing to provide and receive criticism with grace. I’ve never seen Wes get upset by a small problem, he’d rather use that energy to find the root of the issue and work from there. Wes is class conscious and a christian for the people. If 10% of the population were 20% more like Wes, we would achieve world peace.”
What does N (shop mechanic) appreciate about Wes?: “Wes manifests the ‘community-oriented’ part from BBP’s mission. I appreciate how intentional he is in making everyone feel welcomed and meaningful. He’s like the bike hub to our team!”
What’s Wes currently doing during our shop closure?: Stumbling through homeschooling my kids, ha! My family set up a fix-a-flat station on our driveway for the neighbors. I’ve been doing some home projects, listing some choice BBP parts on Ebay. Trying to learn how to ollie a skateboard. On the whole it’s been a fine time.
Click on the images below for details.
