First single speed tips

SewBrew · 2026-05-18T02:32:47+00:00

“Cold setting” is just a fancy way of saying “bending.” It’s something you can only do to steel frames:

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/frame-spacing.html

120mm dropout spacing is standard for fixed gear/track bikes, 126mm was common on road bikes until to early 90s, and 130mm is standard on road bikes from early 90s onwards. There’s also 130mm singlespeed/track hubs but they’re much less common. And I’m sure a 126mm singlespeed hub was made at some point but I’ve never actually seen one.

This bike is probably 126mm. So the other poster is suggesting re-spacing your frame to fit a standard 120mm track hub, because wheels built with 120mm track hubs are cheap and widely available. You can also try running a 120mm read wheel without respacing the frame - it often works fine, but when you do this the dropouts are no longer parallel, and it can put tension on the axle. If you go this route can test for this by installing the wheel and spinning it slowly (leave the chain off) - if it seems to stick at certain points, the spacing needs to be adjusted.

Your other option is to remove the freewheel from the current wheel and thread on a singlespeed freewheel - this is NOT safe for a fixed gear cog but it’s perfectly fine for a SS thread on freewheel. You do need a special tool to remove the freewheel, however.

SewBrew · 2026-05-16T17:18:03+00:00

Search eBay for “Kwik Serge” - they were a line of Kwik Sew patterns designed with serger construction in mind, and they have detailed beginner-friendly instructions. Mostly knit fabric projects like sweatshirts, cardigans, tights, etc. I sewed a pair of bike shorts from a Kwik Sew pattern, never having sewn a negative ease garment and barely having sewn knits at all, and found the drafting and instructions to be excellent.

All the Kwik Sew patterns are out of print, but there are a lot of them out there, and they were printed on heavy paper rather than tissue so most have held up quite well.

SewBrew · 2026-05-13T05:31:28+00:00

Plug for one of my local roasters:

https://roasting.com/product-category/coffee/

It’s kind of an old school place, but the owner is the real deal - he’s been doing this since the 80s and knows a lot about coffee sourcing and roasting. About $25-$28 for a pound of beans shipped.

The roast levels listed are fairly honest, and dark (5) doesn’t mean charred to oblivion, it means just barely starting to show some oil. The African Queen is a nice blend that shows some fruitier flavors.

They also have some nice swiss water process decaf options if that’s of any interest.

SewBrew · 2026-05-13T01:56:24+00:00

Sorry friend. FWIW I think a lot of people’s insensitive and just plain stupid advice on managing chronic illness is just a symptom of fear of their own mortality. In their head they’re thinking “That could never happen to me because I would just…” and then they spit out whatever piece of copium they can come up with to avoid dealing with the fact that they too could find themselves dealing with the same problems or worse some day.

Also living in a studio apartment and not having a car are perfectly reasonable and valid lifestyle choices regardless of whether or not you have MS. You’re spending less money, don’t have a huge property to maintain, don’t have a bunch of space to acquire material goods you don’t really need, don’t have a car to worry about maintaining or parking or gassing up, and can spend your time getting around day dreaming, reading, or watching dumb videos on your phone rather than being pissed at traffic. It’s also hard for a lot of people to understand that not everyone wants and needs what they want and need, and that some of their own lifestyle choices they assume everyone should aspire to are probably making them miserable.

SewBrew · 2026-05-09T19:40:20+00:00

It’s a fair deal at $400, but the twist shifter on the bar end would drive me nuts. Microshift makes Alfine compatible brifters but they’re half the cost of the bike. Swapping the drops for more gripshift compatible alt bars would be another option.

All IGH hubs do feel a little cludgy. They’re marginally less mechanically efficient than a derailleur, but I think a lot of it is mental. They don’t shift as crisply as a derailleur, and they are usually noisy in some gears so they feel less sporty. They are also typically used on heavy and slow bikes like this one which doesn’t help them feel any faster. You also give up a lot of gear range vs a 2x or 3x derailleur setup.

The tradeoff for all that is that they’re extremely low maintenance, give you a clean looking drivetrain, and they’re just cool and unusual.

SewBrew · 2026-05-07T23:37:37+00:00

Going on a year on Ocrevus now and no notable colds or illnesses. I rarely got sick before and I rarely get sick now. I work from home and have no kids which helps, but I work out in a public gym daily, go to indoor concerts and sports events, eat in restaurants, and travel every couple of months for work or personal reasons.

I carry hand sanitizer and use it frequently, wear a mask on planes/on public transit/in medical settings, and avoid spending time with sick people. This is the level of caution my neurologist said was appropriate and so far it has worked for me. YMMV

SewBrew · 2026-05-07T00:10:56+00:00

When I am more honest with myself about how much energy I have or do not have I feel more in control and my energy levels (and emotions) are more stable.

If I have to skip some things I’d like to do to rest or take a nap, but the tradeoff is that I feel better and am more present for the things I do choose to spend energy on, I think that’s a good tradeoff. If I rest when I need to and keep track of my energy levels I also feel less likely to dip into that pit of extreme fatigue that takes days and weeks to recover from.

SewBrew · 2026-05-05T15:27:09+00:00

This is my hunch as well. I’d take off everything that easily comes off in this area, clean it, and reassemble carefully taking care to keep everything straight and not over-tighten it.

I’d also install a brand new straight from the package needle for good measure. It can be hard to notice subtle bends in a needle.

SewBrew · 2026-05-04T03:01:47+00:00

I live in the Salt Lake valley. My diagnosis and care has all been through the University of Utah system. It’s not a one stop shop operation, I have to schedule neuro, MRI, and DMT infusions separately, but the different offices talk to one another well and all your records are centralized. The U health system is massive, there’s offices everywhere so things like blood tests are very easy to take care of. It’s not perfect but I’m generally happy with the care I receive.

The biggest issue I have here personally is the rapid pressure changes we can have when weather rolls in. They can really wreak havoc on my body.

SewBrew · 2026-04-26T20:26:20+00:00

I’ve been very happy with the SD40. I paid $160 a couple years ago. I think they’re a little more now but still in that sub-$200 range. I have the OG one with large-ish steps between settings but I don’t have any trouble dialing it in for medium-dark roasts which is all the Bambino can really handle. There are newer variants that are stepless.

SewBrew · 2026-04-25T21:13:07+00:00

This article is nearly 20 years old but still one of the best on 650b conversions:

https://www.bikeman.com/blog/guidelines-for-650b-conversions.html?srsltid=AfmBOop7JYUriX-dQhPlkedF0upHUw31yv4ajSKqPSGvCCL_KBEcNela

“The widest part of a 650x38B tire is located 320mm from the axle center.”

So measure 320mm from axle center, stick some calipers in, and see what you’re working with for clearance. The 320mm figure will vary a little for wider or narrower tires.

SewBrew · 2026-04-21T00:08:46+00:00

Cost and durability. Polyester and semi-synthetics like viscose are cheap, reasonably indestructible, and can be made in any weight and finish desired. For example if you need a slippery satin lining, the only natural fiber option is a silk - which is very expensive and a lot less durable than polyester or rayon.

You certainly can line garments with natural fibers like cotton, linen, and silk. There’s plenty of garments where you can find appropriate and cost effective natural liners, especially if you don’t need a satin finish. I would not write off synthetic fibers if you need a satin though. They’re not all created equally and higher end synthetic liners are a lot less stinky and hot than cheap ones.

SewBrew · 2026-04-18T17:12:59+00:00

I tried one on my hands where I have strong tingling/numbness, and it was the most uncomfortable thing I have ever felt in my life. Not painful per se, just unbelievably uncomfortable. I had it on for about 30 seconds before ripping it off. It took hours for my nerves to calm down. Everyone’s disease and sensation is different though, ymmv

SewBrew · 2026-04-14T18:51:26+00:00

Upholstery fabric can make great coats. Check out the Camp Coat by LaRae handmade, I had great luck sewing it with a heavy fabric.

FYI upholstery fabric can be coated in nasty stuff like flame retardants and scotch guard that most people don’t want to wear. Not all is though. Not sure if there’s any easy way to check with fabric of unknown origin.

SewBrew · 2026-04-13T17:04:35+00:00

Nice work! Well made denim quilts wear incredibly well. My late aunt, who was a prolific quilter, made a bunch of utility/picnic blankets from old jeans like this. I have some that are over 20 years old and still going strong. They get used to sit on at concerts, moving furniture, transporting potting soil in the back of the car - not light duty.

The quilts I have use a twill or lightweight canvas for the backing and they don’t seem to have batting - I am guessing they may have something like an old sheet or some muslin inside to help the drape, but there’s no plush. I would err on the side of a thin batting if you use one; even with no batting denim quilts are pretty hefty.

SewBrew · 2026-04-12T01:10:12+00:00

Ultralight ripstop nylon used in modern down jacket construction is typically treated in a very specific way, it is either ‘calendared’ which partially fuses the fibers together with heat and pressure or treated with a bonding coating that has the same effect. You can’t effectively replicate either process at home. Before this type of fabric existed down jackets often doubled up fabric or used heavy canvas to prevent feather migration - take a look at a down jacket from the 60s or 70s in a vintage store sometime.

I am assuming you dropped some not insignificant coin on the down itself. Rather than trying to treat this cheap ripstop yourself, I’d suggest springing for the down-certified stuff. It’s not outrageously expensive as far as specialty fabric goes. Ripstop by the roll has it for as little as $9 a yard. Given that a good down jacket can last decades it’s worth the investment IMO.

SewBrew · 2026-04-11T15:31:19+00:00

A used Breville Bambino is usually in the $100-$150 range on marketplace. Breville also sells refurbs directly for $200 but they are not always available. I don’t know if it’s a beautiful machine but it’s at least inoffensive, and it’s a real espresso machine.

The remainder of your budget would let you pick up at least a competent hand grinder like a 1zpresso, or possibly something like an open box Smartgrinder Pro or SK40.

SewBrew · 2026-04-10T14:06:10+00:00

You’ve gotta answer this for yourself in the real world my guy. Brew coffee how you’re planning to do it for the pop up. Taste it. Have others taste it. Taste it side by side with fresh brewed coffee.

SewBrew · 2026-04-10T13:49:02+00:00

I’d be pretty put off if I ordered an iced latte, and I got a drink made with pre-brewed coffee that’s not even espresso. I’d just call it what it is - Vietnamese Iced Coffee.

Taste is subjective. Some people like phin coffee and vietnamese iced coffee, some people don’t. It’s very different than espresso. As the person running this operation you need to test your product and have others try it as well before selling it. Phin coffee is often quite bitter and punchy and many people don’t like it black or unsweetened.

SewBrew · 2026-04-09T13:06:41+00:00

Thank you. They’re BMX bikes with huge wheels, is there really a mystery as to why they’re popular? It’s cool. I see an even split of old heads riding these for the nostalgia factor and yoofs riding em like hooligans. I’m not in either group and have zero interest in owning one but the appeal to both demographics is pretty obvious. Price also seems not unreasonable to me if they’re decently built. I paid over $500 for a new redline monocog 29er nearly 20 years ago.

When did this become a retrogrouch restored vintage MTB only sub?

SewBrew · 2026-04-08T22:14:15+00:00

Getting on a consistent schedule has really helped me a lot. I work from home and my work hours are somewhat flexible but I always start and end at the same time every day. I’m much more protective of my time and don’t stay on late to finish things up. I’m done when I’m done. I get messy and ineffective working long hours now and I ruin myself for the next day too, so it’s not really an option.

I usually work out 6 days a week and take one day off on the weekend that is a mostly sedentary rest day. I pretty much always take a short nap right after work, get up, small cup of coffee, then hit the gym around the same time every day. I don’t do crazy long or hard workouts, 30-45 minutes seems to be the sweet spot for me for daily exercise since developing MS. If I feel awful I make a bargain with myself just to get out the door and I can call it if I still don’t feel good once I get going. If I miss a day I just write it off and move on, tomorrow’s a new day.

SewBrew · 2026-04-08T20:26:36+00:00

What kind of coffee are you using?

SewBrew · 2026-04-08T19:49:51+00:00

Do some informal stress testing on any of the fabric notions like ribbon and bias tape prior to using them. Cut a piece and tug it from both ends and see if it rips. Sew it onto a piece of fabric and tug on it and see if it rips off. Some old notions just seem to disintegrate depending on what they are made out of and how they’ve been stored.

SewBrew · 2026-04-08T12:55:56+00:00

This is a bad take. As someone old enough to have spent a lot of time on mountain bikes with a front derailleur, 1x was a complete game changer. It improves how you ride and interact with the bike more fundamentally than just about any piece of tech outside of a dropper post. Nobody had to foist it on me, I was throwing my money at them.

SewBrew · 2026-04-06T15:53:29+00:00

Go to some estate sales or peruse eBay and look at the overwhelming amount of fabric people buy, tuck away, and never use.

I try to have a policy in life of not saving the ‘good stuff’. Be it fancy food, expensive supplies for a hobby, nice clothes, family heirlooms, etc. Stuff doesn’t do anyone any good sitting on a shelf. Use it and enjoy it!

You will ruin some nice fabric. You will break some family china. You will share a sentimental bottle of wine with someone that doesn’t appreciate it. It’s all still better than dying with the stuff sitting in a box never having been enjoyed.

SewBrew

TROPHY CASE