Just discovered that cycling Guru Sheldon Brown has passed away at the age of 63 
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/index.html
Sheldon’s website was a vital resource for any cyclist, and just knowing who Sheldon Brown was,
has over the years become the definition of cyclist geekhood.
The internet will feel a bit empty without you, rest in peace.
/MarcusR
You couldn’t find a more knowledgeable person when it came to vintage bikes. A sad day
A couple of years ago I went to the finger lakes region for a recumbent bike rally. I didn’t know anybody and I’m not really a bike geek. I just like to ride recumbents. I got my dinner and sat down and had a nice conversation with this interesting guy. There were all these hanger-oners around him. I couldn’t figure out why they all hung on his every word and asked him for so much geeky advice. Later he gave the guest speech. Even later I learned he was the famous Sheldon Brown.
He was a nice person and I was very sad to hear the news.
That’s too bad. When I first started biking a couple years ago his web site was a major inspiration and source of valuable information.
He was a die hard bike rider who never came across as a bike snob.
In fact I have a plastic praying mantis on my helmet which was inspired by the picture above.
Sheldon was also known in the Sea Shanty circles, the MIT sing in particular, which is where I first heard this sad news from my friend Lynn Noel (a wonderful singer) Monday of last week. So several factions are mourning on his behalf…
I never got to meet Sheldon Brown personally. but his contribution to cycling was incredible. He was really into sharing his knowledge, a lot like many people in these forums. I never realised we had so many people who like cycling here.
When I heard that he died, I was sad. 
That really saddens me. I have learned so much from his articles and was often inspired by his viewpoints.
Somewhere, Marcus and I started a show your bike thread. Yes there are a fair amount of cyclist here.
Found it:Picture of your bike thread - Poststructural Pub - Chiff & Fipple
How did I miss that thread?! Well, here’s mine, posted in this thread only because the bike has a lot of bits that were purchased from Harris Cyclery where Sheldon Brown was “tech guru and Webmaster.” Photo taken on my epic Tour of Pacific Northwest Aviation Museums last summer.
RIP, Sheldon.
Ming
Very cool Davidson.. I’ve always liked his frames; and its a fully loaded tourer. Looks like a TA 6 pin triple. What kind of gearing? The pedals look a little odd? Are they SPD cleated under the flat frame?
When I was given an old Raleigh 3-speed a few years ago, Sheldon Brown’s web site turned out to be the best place for info on parts and repairs. And then I got hooked and read pretty much everything he put on the web. He was certainly generous with what he knew.
Thanks for bringing this to my attention Marcus, sad news indeed.
I hope that his family, or someone, keeps his web site up and running. It is a tremendous source of info and humor, like his Poerwheelz gag…
http://sheldonbrown.com/power_wheel.html
Rest in piece Sheldon.
John
OH MY!!!
That’s really great stuff! I’ll pass the manly saddle to my cycling buds
Thanks. It’s a custom touring frame from 1979, repainted by Davidson’s shop about 12 years ago. The crank is indeed a TA triple set up with “half-step plus granny” gearing. The pedals are Shimano (M323?) with SPD on one side and an open cage on the other. We owners of retro bikes would be up a creek without the likes of Sheldon Brown and Harris Cyclery, Rivendell Bicycle Works, and a few others.
Ming