[Slim Again Soon]

I wanted my own headtube badge for my completely redone LeMond Zurich (steel frame, circa 2001).

I wanted something done around Reynard the Fox, my newly adopted totem (see new sig -- previous sig of "Free Landis" retired, since it seems that wasn't going to happen ... good luck, Floyd, but I've got to move on).

Reynard was a character in stories popular in medieval Europe -- he's a trickster (like our own B'rer Rabbit) who gets himself in trouble and then talks his way out of it.

Why Reynard the Fox? Well, I work in communications ... enough said.

So I asked a graphics company if they could print me out a sticky I could put on the bike -- sure, they said ... it will cost $140.

Kinda steep for a sticky ... so I shopped around and found a metalsmith in Long Beach, Calif. I sent her my graphic (the sig) of Reynard. No problem, she said.

Here's what she produced....

She charged $85 (including shipping), and turned it around in about a week. If you want something copper, instead of silver, she charges $70.

That's a good price for custom work -- I'm very happy with what she did.

Here's a link to her Web page showing some of the other headtube badges she's done:

http://www.tangerinetreehouse.com/headbadges/index.html

I recommend her work for anyone considering decorating their ride with something unique and personal.

 

[Bocephus Jones II]

sweet...you a Julian Cope fan?

 

[thebadger]

Isn't Reynard the Fox redundant since reynard is french for fox? Why say Fox the Fox? Actually, I guess renard is fox in French.

Regardless, your badge looks pretty good and is certainly unique. How will you attach it to the headtube?

 

[jlandry]

No ball busting intended,but as a French-Canadian, I can say with confidence that the spelling is Renard.

 

[Bocephus Jones II]

No ball busting intended,but as a French-Canadian, I can say with confidence that the spelling is Renard.

Wayne: In France, you would be known as "La Renard" - The Fox! In England, you would be hunted by the aristocracy with only your cunning to protect you!

Garth: Hey, Wayne, that's my mom you're talking about!

Wayne: I'm sorry, Garth - sorry - but you got a babe for a mom! You're such a lucky duck!

 

[cmg]

post a photo of the re-done Lemond with the new head badge. looks cool.

 

[Slim Again Soon]

Glue

Thanks for the French lesson! I didn't know.

I intend to glue it on with contact cement -- the all-purpose stick-em.

The maker suggested JB Weld, but that seems overkill, and I don't know if I can get it thin enough not to bulge out.

JB Weld is great stuff, but this may not be where it is needed.

Suggestions welcome.

Never heard of Julian Cope. What's the connection?

There is a song about Reynard (or Reynardine in this case) on Fairport Convention's "Liege & Lief," a classic album but an oldie (1968, or thereabouts).

 

[Slim Again Soon]

Julian Cope

OK, just played the video. Cool!

I couldn't follow the lyrics all that well -- I'm at work, and couldn't dial it up -- but it sounded like some reference to the death of Reynard.

In one story, he was killed for one of his crimes, and a funeral was held. But he didn't die after all (don't know the details of the story) and witnessed on the sly all that was said about him and his passing. And something about his wife, too, who took up with some beast after R's "death," and he wasn't too happy about it.

But I'm no scholar of medieval stories -- that's all I know.

I'll listen again from my home machine.

 

[MB1]

That is a very cool headbadge.

Thanks for sharing the source, I hope she gets a lot of business from this.

 

[Argentius]

Nice work.

Little custom touches like this can go a long way towards making your bike your own. Sweet.

 

[Eisentraut]

Whew...I looked at that quickly and it looked to me like it said "retard" but then I had a second look and read the posts........now I get it.

 

[TurboTurtle]

What is the metal? - TF

 

[FatTireFred]

jen green has done those for quite awhile now... a little more detail in her work
http://www.headbadges.com/id74.html

double-sided tape is how many badges are held on. silicone glue/caulk would prob work. jewelers screws for a secure old school method


.

 

[murbike]

What is the metal? - TF

"She charged $85 (including shipping), and turned it around in about a week. If you want something copper, instead of silver, she charges $70."

 

[ARP]

Auto emblem glue

Thanks for the French lesson! I didn't know.

I intend to glue it on with contact cement -- the all-purpose stick-em.

The maker suggested JB Weld, but that seems overkill, and I don't know if I can get it thin enough not to bulge out.

JB Weld is great stuff, but this may not be where it is needed.

Suggestions welcome.

Never heard of Julian Cope. What's the connection?

There is a song about Reynard (or Reynardine in this case) on Fairport Convention's "Liege & Lief," a classic album but an oldie (1968, or thereabouts).

After I had my lemond painted the guy that painted works in a body shop put the emblem on with glue.

 

[Eisentraut]

Epoxy ... but it won't be easily removed should you ever decide to.

 

[Slim Again Soon]

Tape ... and the metal

Double-sided tape ... I hadn't thought of that. I may give it a try.

Contact cement is very strong, but it doesn't give you much flexibility in positioning the piece. It pretty much sticks "on contact."

She told me this was sterling silver -- I really don't know what that means!

She can do it shiny or matte -- I opted for the matte.

 

[Argentius]

Sterling is a fairly pure silver with enough alloying metals to make it reasonably durable. I think it's a purity of like 925.

Of course, this also means it will tarnish.

 

[Slim Again Soon]

No tarnish ... and a classic post!

It is not supposed to tarnish -- not sure when kind of metal alloy this is, but it is not aluminum. Now I've exhausted my knowledge of metallurgy.

And I have to say .... this post (below) is a classic!

"Whew...I looked at that quickly and it looked to me like it said "retard" but then I had a second look and read the posts........now I get it."

 

[tazdag]

Fairport Convention??!!??
I don't think I know any Fairport fans. I'm still a big Richard Thompson fan and wish Sandy Denny could have stayed off the steps she fell down. I saw them in about 1975 and it was a great show. I went through the whole English folk-rock seen in the '70s, Steeleye Span, Pentangle, Nick Drake, John Martyn...