Next Full Moon

Sunday, May 3rd Full Flower Moon

26 September 2010

you're the one barking

I lost a lot of Roshambo, I'll tell y'all that much.


Oh! my aching liver...back from Interbike, mind and wallet emptied. Some people fuss about Vegas (which is mooter than ever since the show is going- without me- to Anaheim next year) but I enjoy the place once a year. I stayed in my van, sleeping on residential side streets, so I saved on the cost of a hotel room. I missed all of y'all reading at home (looking at you, Moab) who've been faithful hallwalking/heckling companions at shows past, but there were plenty of Good People with whom to gawk at bike bits and talk about bike rides.

I particularly enjoyed the Demo this year. I wore my finest Primal Wear, and had a banana in my chamois so you knew I was glad to see you.

I rode the Salsa Fargo and liked it quite a bit. That's good since I took delivery of an XL/22" upon my return. (I got it on sale!) It will replace the Karate Monkey as my all arounder/camping bike. The taller headtube and 6(!!!!!!) bottle mount options will be well appreciated. I liked the Woodchipper bars on the demo even though they are a mere 46cm, and I hope the changes made to this year's model (change in BB height, 5mm shorter chainstays) are minimal enough that I haven't jumped the gun in pulling the trigger sure as shooting, so to speak...even though there is now to be a titanium option. Whatever, I'll be swapping parts from the Karate Monkey (including it's creaktastic drive train) and riding them until they break beyond repair.

It's how I roll.

I rode the Santa Cruz Tall Boy, and was well impressed with it as well ( save for the double pinch flats on the pinner Maxxis tyres). I have no desire for a new full squish, but I wanted to feel the ride. The 29" wheels felt well placed and as snappy as I could want. As always, the Santa Cruz folks were pleasant and knowledgeable.

But what I really rode? For the better part of Day 1, and all of Day 2 (forsaking all others) was the Surly Pugsley. Yep. That bike. The one we've all- myself not least- pointed out as being ridiculously single use. I rode that monster up the fire road for laps on the long singletrack down and had no trouble at all keeping up with whomever on whatever. It wasn't grotesque in it's heaviness- it was like the graceful and stylish fat man of days gone by (remember Sidney Greenstreet, remember Huey P. Long) as it danced it's dance of PARTY TIME! Those big wheels soaked up every bump and dip, allowing me freedom to take any full squish line that struck my fancy. And plenty struck my fancy. I fancy the Pugsley as an insanely capable camping bike, among other things. Though I can't see getting one at this time (it is pretty limited), that doesn't stop me from wanting one.

The Surly trailer is every bit as sturdy as you'd expect. The Surly staff is every bit as sturdy as you'd expect, as well. Nicely done all around.

The show itself? Eh. The more I see, the less I covet. In corners and odd places there were shiny bits to tempt any of us (Euro-Asia had the hammered brass fenders from Honjo!), but overall it was more of the same. I am continuingly glad that cargo bikes and real world bikes are the current "in thing". Raleigh and Bianchi have very nice lines this year. Swobo continues to make things and make them well, and I am favorably inclined to their worldview. Talking to a brand manager about the excess of "Stuff" is a refreshing change of pace.

You know there're better photos and reviews other places- go look at them.


...ask me about my 1st tatoo.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

is eddy popping a neck pimple for you?

Judi said...

fun times for sure. great meeting you, and will plan on doing it all over again next year! missed you at the fucking wedding though!!!!

Jonny Hamachi said...

Excellent Recap. Glad to see you survived.

Did you go from getting Eddy's sig straight to the tattoo shop?

fxdwhl said...

i hope eddy washed his hands after touching your van dwelling person.

reverend dick said...

Malcontents.

I sauntered by the Chrome booth, where they had a tattoo artist tattooing for free- but the line was waaaay too long. So I proceeded to drink a lot more and then sleep in my van (there was no river near down by)and then attend the show/drink all the next day before pinning said tattooist down at the Hardrock for an in room session; the NV authorities had gotten wind of an unlicensed (in NV) tattooer, and shut it down. As a further aside, tattooing apparently involves an ass load of dillydallying and shittalking, maybe riding your bike over to the drugstore to pick up some more gloves and beer for the artiste...The guy was somewhat reluctant to ink over my a-little-bit-smudgy ghost autograph, but I explained that it much better represented what I'm about in Life and so we went ahead.
Eddy fucking Merckx!

Robert H said...

Isn't that the guy that won the Super Bowl 7 times after beating Lou Gehrig's Disease?

What an inspiration!

Little_Jewford said...

If the new ink makes you ride any stronger I'm fucked....dam you Cannibal!

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