worth more than your opinion

Lots of cowboy carryings on around here. The big red S has their "dealer event" going on locally. That means they* spend an assload of $ on flying shoppe owners/manager typpes out here to test ride all the 2015 stuff, and impress upon them the importance and relevance and etc. of the new new. Until the newer new supersedes it, which is usually right about the time these retailers take delivery of the old new. Cycles of life and all, but it is some force feeding type of situations. You know what I'm saying?

I have not been asked to participate. You are free to draw your own conclusions, but I will state for the record that I, for one, have NOT spray painted "what happened to Contador's bike?" along the parade routes. I just can't be chuffed.

In other words, I taught a wheel building clinic this evening. What that means in practical terms is that I just repeated all the things Get A Job Bob taught me waaaaay back when. He had the good technique fo sho. This was deeply satisfying. A young lad, new to the game, eager to learn some old school arcana...I mean, in this time of machine-built robot wheel "systems" most folks don't even know that hand built is an option. I alternated between sips of Coors, heckling, and getting nostalgic with an emphasis on small adjustments over and over and over with stressing the wheel in between. Your momma's got brass nipples.

*WHO spends an assload of $ on flying their dealers wherever? You do. It's right there in the retail price, built in.  I just can't swallow the bitterness of considering this in-house promotional hoopla. Hype-la? Whatever, at minimum it's preaching to the cheerleaders just before you ram it right up their poop chutes. I'm sure Ned Overend wants to have me thrown out like that one time.

tilting at old ghosts

Via a recent exchange of emails:

Hevi: "...we are still talking about the 5 hour night ride"

Yours: "what is being said about the 5 hour night ride?"

Hevi: "5 hour night rides are uncommon...Oh you know, things like: 'Are they making 20mm axle dynamos* yet, cause I know a whole bunch of Rye whiskey drinking jackasses that would want one?' "



Which I suppose is all true.

I understand the night riding "season" is winding to a close for many. More hours of mandated daylight at the end of your shift and all. And, trails (heck, even roads) are much easier to follow in the harsh light of day, sure. But. People, people the coming dark does not mean you have to run home to the safety of the electric screen.

That is where a dynamo powered light is your special friend. They are not just a dorky commuter accessory, they are your ticket to the nighttime. (That's assuming the moon is less than 3/4 full, by the way. When the moon is full, a light is...bull, I guess) You can just keep on getting rad as long as you can keep on. Your little battery powered lights don't cut it.

And if you do find yourself several beers deep in the woods with only a battery powered light, turning it off whenever you can will save you some juice.

For what it is worth, using several different Shimano dynohubs, I've had real fine use of the Supernova E3 Triple, riding hard- both on and off road. The stand light, though it may help Europeans at stoplights, is something of a drag for me because it makes it harder to hide in the shadows, but I can live with it.

Spring isn't all daytime.

*maybe not 20mm...

thinking about Epics* and how you do what you can

We don't all live in a spot that gives constant access to incredible and scenic rides of great length and interest. Some of us just live where we do, and the riding there may not be those things but it is the riding we got. Run what you brung, ride what you got. It is all there is.




I know a guy who clearly loves bikes and cycling. He's got x bikes and knows all the hand signals to move the paceline along shmoothly. He talks about bikes with historical perspective and active interest. But he doesn't ride much. I think that's confusing.






Mr. P and I rode fatbikes over to that property our Mother holds with the intention of sleeping outside and riding around on trails at night. Maybe have a few beers and some pocket whiskey. I know there's a bottle hid under the bark at the foot of that one tree. We ended up just riding up and sitting around the campfire boozing and lying.

I have all this fancy bikecamping gear, but sometimes it's just stuff everthing in a pack big enough to hold it and head out the door. That's Life.

 The only thing that rack is holding is a fat tube.

 Mr. P, on the other hand, is dialed. So fresh and so clean.

 There's a lot to be said for riding out to the woods and spending the night, but it's a story better told to you by you. GO! get some. It won't be too hard. You don't need anything more than what you have, if you have a positive mental attitude.

*hope the Big Red S don't sue me for using their word...