feverish activity

Guess who's all thumbs and isn't going bike camping in Coe next week. Yes, my life is not my own, and my superiors have informed me that that plan is unworkable. Which is tough, because (well, I wanted to go play) I am trying to finalize my set-ups for this upcoming tour. 6 days on the road ain't going to suck itself. There are substantial dirt sections, and folks in recent years have been taking their mountain bikes, so I'm thinking I'll revive the success of the Surly Ogre with the 29+ front (dyno)wheel for distance and comfort. It worked well on the Death Valley Ramble. Lots of load capacity and little to go wrong. I need that. I also lik the flatform pedals for the long hauls. It is nice to have the freedom to move around a bunch and I believe there will be the walking next to the bike for extended periods as well.




 Even after all this extensive riding around to and from and after work, I am not ready for this. Which is as ready as I'll ever be. When we form like Voltron, I will be the tail end bringing up the back.

This week I will be dehydrating hummus and baking kale chips, rolling around on foam cylinders, pulling out the myriad tarps to find the usablest one, making lists, and purchasing rations. It's a process. You got to find what strikes the best balance, if it works for you then it is undeniable.

next and then

After all this gallivanting on top of the future, a return to the present. Riding the kids to school, riding the self to work(s), etc. These things are not best accomplished on borrowed plastic.

So, to work it is the clown bike on the sneaky dirt. Whoa! hey! there are so many enforcers over there at the moment. I popped out quietly to see the white truck with the emblem parked sideways and I stopped quietly in the trees to see and not be seen. One of the advantages in wearing "normal" clothing on the sneaky commute is the ability to blend in with the Pinks and Normals when needed. I parked the bike discreetly and left my helmet with it and walked out for a look looking just like your average hiker...a little waiting was in order. A few minutes pause in the trees and it was green means GO! the rest of the way.  Anyhow, that bike is a P-I-G pig. I will be removing the B73, as it is a wallowing hog of it's own for any kind of hard climbing. That front spring is not doing me any favors trying to levitate up that one quick access. Trying to perch on the rivet and spin is incompatible with full suspension saddles? Yes, and surprise! The stock Surly front hub continually loosens itself. I can feel the balloon dive sideways under breaking (which- the breaking and diving- is what causes the loosening, I am sure). The fat NeckRomancer is...narrow in it's appeal. I am glad I have it for the camping, but I don't love it for the rest. There, I said it.

On the way back up and over, I almost came across a enforcer again?! Fortunately, I am an experienced ________er, and I approach entrances, intersections, and exits with open eyes. I see you before you see me, is what I'm hoping. Seeing him 1st, I promptly turned around and retreated a bit for more waiting. Waiting will pay off, and again it became clear for some coasting. I do enjoy some sneaking. If the payoff is sweet singletrack? I relish some sneaking. It keeps out the riffraff. You know who you are.



Taking the kids to school- well, J is my own and there are 2 others from our street who ride with us regularly and some more who come and go- I have been hopping on the kids' green bike. That how we refer to the incredibly understated Schwinn Cimmaron: bi-laminate construction, bi-ovalized tubing, made in Japan, with Wald baskets and the ruined-yet-proud B66. I love that bike. It is so unassuming and ready to get busy. It has motivated me to mimic it's readiness with the build of this Last Chance sourced StumpJumper. Last Chance Mercantile is the junk shop at the dump, so it is aptly named. Every now and again there is a treasure among the trash, and I'm the sort who will search. I feel it's better I have it than ("someone who actually needs it"- anon. riffraff) a villain who won't appreciate it.

  A spare camping bike for my brother? A loaner for dirtbags from out of town? The Equalizer? It will make a fine beater for school shuttling and trips to the local SavMart, where cases of Hamm's can be had on the cheap. Anything further calls for some man sized wheels.



Eh. It's a work in progress. I like to tinker. Waiting on some eggplant Neubaum's cotton tape, which will really tie it together. The BB clicks ominously, the cassette is a wee slippy, and the sweet XTR cantis (c. 1996 oh yeah) will NOT lay down a fat skid. The rear wheel has a hop in it that is undeniable, but "better than it was". This (the ridiculous hop) was fun to attempt to fix, since it was so bad. The whole bike cost $18, what's to lose? Maybe the color scheme had something to do with the cheapness (perhaps was the reason someone saw it as trash) but it appeals to the iconoclast in me. The lines of the bike are so roots that it appeals to the idolater in me. Back in the late 80s, when 1st I began to ride the mountain bikes a StumpJumper was second only to an MB1 on the want list. It's only taken me 25 years.

You begin well, Sir. I never trust a man who says "when"...

In taking the Karate Monkey down to a (dirty) bare frame, I noticed this crack in the drive-side chainstay.


I think it may have been the source of the creaking coming from the BB. I think. It is cracked all the way around the front side of the chain stay, and about a quarter of the back side. Is that bad?



Here is a side by side looky loo of the old boss and the new boss. I loves a big head tube. (That's what she said.) I think the Fargo will make a fine camping bike. I only had time today to break the KM down, and face the head tube and BB shell on the Fargo. On the horizon- straight parts swap. No love, just grease.

I got stuff to do, cuz the kids are out of school this whole week for "October Break"...

you're not carnival personnel!!

There are categories of bikes.
Within these categories are niches.
Within these niches are windowless dive bars peopled by shady lowlifes. It may happen that you need to lock your bike up here, and when it does happen you will count yourself fortunate to have prepared for this inevitability by building a bike to fit this particular seedy niche:
the bar bike.


The bar bike is your townie, stripped of all precious componentry. This is harder than it sounds. You think to yourself, "Whatevah!" (because that is how you talk ) "I have a huge booty bin of parts! I can whip something together in no time." But, before you know it, your beater has been turned out with that sweet high flange intricately cut-out Campy Record wheelset you have hanging up in the workroom. Or those undeniably comfortable yet slightly too narrow Ti 16*bend WTB handlebars. Or that rough around the edges and heavy as a boilermaker 3 sprung Brooks touring saddle, or that sweet 40spoke tandem front wheel... Etc.

Now you see.

Those are all parts you are not currently using, yes. But you would hate to lose them even so, and that is the complicating factor in this build. A true bar bike requires mechanical soundness (who can fix anything demanding more than a good kick when departing the 4th lube joint en route to the 5th?) and a modicum of comfort (seedy bars are not all gathered in one convenient neighborhood), yet also demands that the bike be subject to prolonged exposure in the most debauched of locales...yes, sometimes even overnight. Frankly, crashing is to be expected at some point, too.


There is the latest iteration of my bar bike. If you're out driving in your car and rekanize me, just roll up next to me and yell "FAGGOT!" or throw something...I'll know it's you.

slow descent into madness

Listen to this:



and don't let that Seasonal Affect Disorder bite you in the ass: "The countenance of one man brighteneth another." La la la lala lalala, ride your bike, maing. That'll brighteneth your countenance. Especially if you keep your ish lubed.


The Kampe Monkey is held together with tics and creaks at this time. I fully expect the BB to explode any ride now. I am in desperate need of new drivetrains. (New drivetrains for all my bikes!) I gotta get it together and put some pieces back together. I wanted so badly to ride the fixed Crosscheck, but that's been disassembled since just prior to SSWC2009. Ditto the SC Blur, which I wanted to ride for the New Year's Blue Moon. What the hell?

Whatever. I rode my bicycle and it was as Good as Good can be. (Could have been better with a new drivetrain, just sayin')


Reload on the one side. I heard something large in the bushes and cut the stop short to haul ass down the hill.

Through Monterey briefly, and then back up the ridge and over for some more dirt. Chased a roadie who attempted (but was unable- !haha! you backwards glancing utha ucka) to drop me, only to slingshot off his draft through the apex of the curve and into the dip leading onto doubletrack. Yessssss, it feels good to apply maximum effort and just feel that jump. Short lived, ok sure- but that feeling. I love that. It feels good to go fast.


Brief stop in the other woods to resupply there.





So my Program of Excellence (wherein I kick ass at every opportunity by, like, doing the dishes or mopping the floor, or doing the laundry, etc) was/is on. To this end, I got home and swept and mopped and did laundry...and then swapped bikes for the Big Dummy to go and fetch J. We'd been on (high tens all around) for a trailer bike ride home yesterday only I cannot find the hitch. My Program of Excellence should include cleaning my bench area. He was all fired up to ride and then disappointed to drive, so I thought I'd surprise him today. I rode the 9 miles out the valley and arrived at 4pm. Turns out L had picked him up for his new basketball league at 2:30pm.
Oops.
The Big Dummy feels like crap. The rear brake is binding someplace along it's (literally) 6 foot cable/housing span. I keep remembering that it needs some kind of kiddie derailleur protector mounted over the caliper, too. The load presses in and effs up the caliper action. I remember this when on the bike, but promptly forget to address it when at home. {Note to self.} Also, the frame feels off in it's tracking. I hope it's just that I am unused to it. I tried hard for it to be fun in spite of mishaps, and it kind of was.

Bikes. And bike riding.


Oh, hey! Do I have your size Small charcoal Chrome knickers? Hows about your long sleeve woolen Hunter Cycles jersey? Perhaps a part (wtf?) of your clip-on fender? Cuz none of that is mine.



Finally: Holy ________! I am so blown away by Lyrics Born!!!! People who know: why did you let me sleep?! People who don't know: please turn this up



now you know.

kid bikes

*integration NOT segregation

Full Harvest Moon was a definite winner. Clear and promising as it started out, cloud cover came in strong. It must have been all that it's cracked up to be to give as much light as it did through those clouds. We just had more time to stand around drinking beers while waiting for holes. Blessed moonlight riding. Lots of giggling as unexpected sand pits grab your front wheel and wrench it sideways or pitch you into a new angled drift. Sit back, relax and let the front end ride because the trail is what it is and you can't judge, only ride. Thank you Sir, may I have another?

Here is a picture of the fancyish King Cage gadget I mentioned. A top cap bottle mount...




You probably can't tell, but REV DICK is stamped on there. I started with the E, because that would be center and a good starting point, but I stamped it backwards and had to correct it. Which only makes it perfect. I was a little in the bag at the time.


I spent some of today realigning the Kampe Monkey back into it's camping style. Taking the suspension off. Hanging derailleurs, swapping the On One Midge (not a fan, they are too effing narrow on top) bars out for the 48cm(!) Nitto Noodles (we especially love them). Etc.


I think a little overnight down to Prewitt via Indians is in order this week. Wed-Thurs. Who's with me?

give it up and get with that

This ride is just a test. If it had been a real ride, the drivetrain would be in perfect working order. In the event of running a blownoutShimano (and really, is there any other kind?) 10speed chain, you would be directed to steer your bicycle into the weeds and begin replacing the POSShimano (and really, is there any other kind?) chain's rivet with a 9speed SRAM masterlink you'd carried for just such an eventuality...







If this were an actual ride, you would then be well served by leaving the roads and piloting your bicycle into the woods. Drinking a beer would help you to appreciate the lovely new hue, and how it blends in so nicely with the trail side.





On a test ride, the fact that your 110mm BB gave a funky chainline coupled with a used and whupped 175mm XTR drive side crank (48/38) tied to an even whuppeder LX nondrive crank, would cause you to head down to the only local shop worth frequenting and slap on a new 105 (them chains are ridiculously priced, so low end it is) 10speed chain with a KMC masterlink. Sugino XD cranks sounding better and better.


Well. Even if you did, the ride would still be plagued by the poor chainline and the somewhat beat-on10speed cassette. You'd be attempting to stay 10speed on account of that's the shifters you got, and new shifters is essssssssspensive...but you'd know that if push came to shove, you could just run some 9speed bar-end shifters and still be happy to be riding. You would clearly see that 109ish is the narrowest you can go with the size rings you'd like to use, and you'd start pondering on getting a Phil Wood BB-with it's high class lustre, super rolly and durable bearings, and adjustable (up to 5mm!) chainline. All this because of the fat, fat clearance chainstays.




If it were real, a real experience in the actual world, you'd feel so good on the new bike you'd finally take a picture of this place on the climb up Veteran's. It's a nice place. Well situated.


You'd take notice of the fact that Veteran's Hall is now open for parties...





An honest to goodness ride would entail marveling at the nimble feeling accelerations. The short and sweet chain stays would be so intuitively correctable; with the smallest of nudges you'd be on the perfect line. It would be great. The fit? Feels good. Your hair? Perfect.

Too bad this was only a test.

if monkeys could type

Those of y'all doing this right (i.e. keeping up with even my smallest needs and taking/recording careful inventories of my bikepile) will have gathered that I will soon be riding a new cross bike. It is definite, I have seen the frame, and we can all breathe a sigh of relief. Mining the vein of thinking in a serious way about bike parts and spec, there are several inneresting thoughts here.

One of these days, I'm gonna show you how nice a man can be...

This day, on the ride home from work, the dirt was nice.



the Long Haul Trucker. Hamm's for perspective. (YES the shady spot did the trick)




Commuter lane through the maritime chaparral. (I just lik saying maritime chaparral. It sounds official.)



No ride home would be complete without a classy townied jaunt through the piney woods.

I went back home, like a Good Man should.

NOTICE TO THOSE WHO RIDE BIKES IN THE DAYTIME WHEN/WHERE IT GETS HOT:

...make sure that "stick" lying across your trail is not a snake before you ride over it, huh? You could break a snake's back real easy.


...stuck in my head all day. OK, works for me.

It was early in the mornin, just about the break of 11 when I thought I heard my baby say...take the cross bike out for a spin. It hadn't been tooched since the rainy day Pink Flamingos ride (well, the chain had been oiled before putting it away) and it was covered in residue. Swap the front wheel for the knobby from the Long Haul Trucker (put on for beer drop off runs in the woods) and install the new 31mm Panaracer Cross Blaster on the rear, and it is time to ride some mixed terrain!

Sneaky trail excitement. It would not be prudent to mention details here, suffice to say that my heart rate went up 2 times, and it was some narrow excapes. I tapped the last egg in the log stash with yesterday's ride home from work ( and a couple on the Southside as well, and all on the hoopty NAHBS2009-inspired Schwinn Le Tour Touriste with the nancy boy tyres...all slippy and terrifying on the off road downhills...like we lik) so it was with a heavy musette that I set out today.

6 little indians tucked up in bed. I moved the location over into the full shade. With the hotttt weather, my beers have been a little too warm in the old stash spot. I didn't even stop to drink one, on account of my mission: Distance (within the given time frame, and with maximum dirt options).


Musette emptied and stowed, it was road towards South Boundary, where it was hottt. Here are some photos looking back towards town and the Pacific:

...moving from Southwestern most in an Easterly direction.








And looking Eastward to Fort Ord (and where I was heading) from the same vantage point.



Once up to 50, I tucked back in under the marine layer and rode alternating stutter bumps and loose sand down into the canyon. I can't really ever say 50 was no fun, but it was not all that it could be today. It would be improved by the use of big fat tires, not racy cross tires. Directest line across Ord to fight the offshore winds back into town and up/over to home. Somewheres around 37miles, and I came home with a brand new plan for the next Full Moon Ride. And It is a Good One.

you speak as though you had hot potatoes in your mouth

Dialing in the routes, tightening up the muscles, ratcheting down the effort. Rode in to work the super sneaky dirt way yesterday in the 1.5 hours allotted, and with time to spare for a quick shower and coffee even though my Soulcraft cap dropped out of my pocket in transit. Today I found my cap. Someone had kindly placed it on a post. Little things go far. I was in no nonsense get there mode (well, I did take the one dirt connector, but it is as fast or faster than other paved options, and waaay more fun) and it took just under 40 minutes.

These times surprise me. Especially when you consider the time spent getting home: We got off early; there is only so much training you can do. I was free to take the long way home before fetching the boy. I opted to head right up the ridge line, so it was a little backroad and then singletrack switchbacks climbing the spine. Pleasantly surprised at their rideability, even with smooth tires. A little weight to the back, a BMX style stand and pump...and up I continued to go. Quick stop in the woods

(timed at 11minutes) to tap the last of the easter eggs there, and moved on. There was a moment of delicious cat and mouse as I came upon a situation involving permissions, the lack thereof, and an enforcer type. But he was looking the other way and I was quickly by and to a game trail. Kept on. More trail, more street and home in 1 hour 40 minutes?!?

Seems like I have some more refining to do on the route(s) to work. It is a pleasant burden.

thank Jehovah for kung-fu bicycles and Priscilla Presley

Although you can ride a bicycle that it built out of a pile of money, it is impractical. I lik to look at Fixed Gear Gallery (yes, still) but I wish they would allow comments. I see why it would be a bad idea when I look at sites that are only forums for bitching using bikes as a pretext (no, uh, this is not oneof those). Sometimes I want to tell the submitter, "Hey! You really did that bike a favor by refurbishing it and now it is being ridden again. Yay!" and other times I want to not comment because it is some me too, bullhorn POS with bright deep dish wheels and no brakes. Boo. Some are just a bunch of expensive parts held together with a bike in there somewhere.

In my experience, shiny new parts will dull with use and paint will chip, bubble or crack with wear...is the rider still stoked? I lik fancy parts as much as you. Lighter, more refined, even shinier or in a nice pink or tweed. What I really lik, though, is well used bikes.

what makes the mens go crazy

When a saddle , uh, fits so nice.

Before.





After. Much better.



I spent some time polishing these rivets on Sunday, while riding with some real people (vs. you pretend internet beings) in the new-to-me Henry Coe State Park (the largest in CA). Camping is allowed, so I was checking it out with that in mind whenever I could look beyond my front wheel. It will get HOTTT out there soon enough, but right now the flowers are just coming up and it is magic. There is plenty of opportunity for polishing your rivets there. Especially the one on the nose of your saddle. I have seldom balanced on my taint for such exquisitely drawn out periods of steep climbing, but the traction was perfect and- well, what are you gonna do?

for comparison's sake

It did bring home to me that my saddle position of dead level (which is my preferred set up on the bikes) was not doing me any favors in the posterior, given the sag inherent in the system. Of course, I made long mental checklists during every prostate busting effort. Of course I forgot them completely whenever we stopped and I could've done something about it.

This was the 3rd time since last summer that I've ridden this bike. It was fun. I knew I needed gears, and front suspension was recommended to me by those who know. I only have one other geared "mountain" bike right now, and it is the Kampe Monkey all set up rigid and dropped barred. I did not want to ride it on "steep" stuff, so I pulled the rear wheel off the Big Dummy, and yanked the front rotor off the Big Dummy and hastily made the Blur rideable. It is a fun bike, if a little much for 98% of what is around here locally. I lik the (rigid) hardtails most of all, but it is good to switch it up.



My real friends made fun of me (again) for my alternative needs bars. I'll tell you though, they are swell. I am going to sell my Jones Bars and replace them with these, I think. Let's see, at current retail the Jones are somewhere around...$500 US!

That is fucking ridiculous.

These On One Mary bars are in the neighborhood of $50 US. The feel is very similar, and I find I seldom use the forward extensions on the Jones bars. If you have wrist issues or are smart, I recommendo.

I don't know about you, but over here the Eater Bunny is kicking Santa's ass but good. Hopefully, he is hopping down the trail to your town soon.

"Smell my head...it's warm."

Spoken like a 4year old.

So. In looking at all the sparkly bits from the NAHBS'09, I was inspired to go and gather some of the shiny bits I have hoarded and make a bike. By hand, if you will.

It is the old Japan made Schwinn Le Tour Tourist in Godawful Bleu. (I am not a fan of blue) From whence did this frame come? I do not even remember now. Maybe from Shorty- that guy who scavenges from the dump in Watsonville, with the fence lined with bikes? Maybe from your mom. Whatever, it is a 58cm, and it is kinda sweet.




It is the moustachioed Nitto handlebars/cheesy odd 1"stem combo from several other junk bikes, sporting the shellac job from when they were mounted on this Schwinn's transsexual doppleganger fixte mixte (which, coincidentally, Mysterious B___ S_____ hisself rode into the ground repeatedly at the NAHBS'07 when it was in San Jose- claiming that it was "how you learn!" in his attempts to stop and skid on the dime). I smiled when I thought about that connection. If I had it to do over, I'd move the levers out and angle them down a little more, but I am reluctant to mess with the shellacedness. Hella sweet.

It is the brass bell from other bikes. Sweet.

It is the Paul Comp Flatbed, bought in '02 for the rattle-can pink Diamond Back (a gimme frame from the early 1990s with the incredibly steep ~175mm stem and the horrid marbled purple and grey paint job) which became the Xtracycle and has not been in use since mmmm'03? (The basket. The frame was retired upon reception of the Big Dummy, and is currently awaiting it's next move.) It is kinda a crappy design as there is a lot of sway (even with the extra/custom rack mount stabilizer), but it is kinda sweet. And plus, canned beer is lighter. It'll haul that just fine.




It is the Brooks B66, originally bought for the matching Schwinn repro cruisers we had (from my 1st seasonal stint in Moab at the Chile Pepper) when we were ski bums in Telluride, last millenium. Remember that? Fucking sweet.

It is the no name seatpost that is silver and adjustable and fits. Sweet.

It is the scavenged Mafac "Racer" brakes all cleaned up and lubed and fitted with dual compound WTB canti pads from when the WTB cantis were the greatest thing ever. Remember that? It is the sweet quick release brake cable guide with integral barrel adjust for the rear of those brakes, which juuuust fit the 700c wheels (hanging around unused in the bike room- the front a Campy Record hub laced to a Mavic MA3 built in/around '01 and the hub had been through so much already by then; but it has a greaseport and newish bearings and it is sweet- the rear a super bargain Formula flipflop fixed Surly14/fixed Surly16 laced to a Mavic Open Pro built last year or the year before; kinda (not really) sweet.

It is the Pletscher rack from some restoration project at Joselyn's which the customer said to "get rid of"...so I have. Several times. It still had the Tecate can clasped in it's aluminum grip from last year's County Line Jamboree, when it was mounted on the incredible flexing Peugot fixte mixte...until the seatpipe gave way and ruined my plans for total domination and I hitched a ride to the party with J__. Remember that? Sweet.

It is the extra long, fluted, hammered aluminum Honjo fenders bought last year for a project that failed to materialize. These days they seem so...pedestrian. I remember when putting fenders on my bike at all was clunky and odd. Look at us now. Very sweet, even if they are not (sigh) brass.



I hate to do it.
It bothers me lots when people put up unfinished stuff; it's like when folks "review" gear they just bought, without even trying it out..."It looks so awesome! I really am so happy with it. Soandso recommends it, and they really know. It will work great if I ever use it...I've used it hard for a week now, and it performs like new!"
But.
It is these upper crusty mud flaps (from last year's no-go project as well) which will match the heinous blue in understated laying-one's-forefinger-along-side-the-nose-and-winking style.





And lastly it is the super custom fender mount. I seem to have misplaced one of the originals, so this will stand in it's stead. Sweet.

I will now sell 5 copies of the 3 EPs by the Beta Band...

I know. A break in the rain. whew! I do apologize for having to exercise the mighty power of cold wet blanketry (that I usually hold in reserve for important occasions such as impressing my wife's friends/coworkers at parties or the kids' school functions, where I come on like a cold wet blanket by only being capable of talking about bikes and parts and bike rides) in calling down this monsoon. But it had to be done. January was setting us up for fires, come summer.

Be glad for the rain.




Given today's brief window of sun, I'd planned on the quick short local loop (and taken a bottle and no food...) but it was so nice I ended up going long. Checked on our mystery tarp situation, and it looks like that operation is being maintained. We shall see what develops, and I was careful to leave no footprints,etc. Quick easter egg pickup, drinkup, and roll on- with an eye to connecting that area further via that one hillside. I think it can be done. I just need to bring some clippers and make it happen.



Today was exploration day. Have you ever been here?No, you haven't. Because this is so far off the beaten trails it was just me and coyote tracks. Finding this type of extracurricular goodness can only be done when everything falls into place just so (like having all this glorious sunshine after the gloom) and you are alone (no one else wants to be dragged along on your bushwacking sand ride). When it does come together, it is magic. This will be good for the next Full Moon Ride. March 10th is the Full Worm Moon...

I had no lunch,was out of water in my lone bottle and was bonking well before I got to the back side of Fort Ord, scaled the fence at Laguna Seca and begged water from the Mazda racing HQ.


Then it was fast as hell down 50, with the front wheel slipping into an understeer in the wet sand and getting all drifty in the corners. That is fun.
Sorry Minnesota, Spring is sprong here...



See Fremont Peak off in the distance? That is why y'all must get crossbikes! We could be riding this to access that, there and back. It is ridiculous not to. Everbody: get a cross bike...GO!

With all this sustained wetness, each of my bikes has been ridden and put away wet at least once. My road/cross bike is still hanging in pieces from the Countyline (and I have not yet retrieved the front wheel from Craig Ashcroft or Victor Montenegro), so when we rode the Dog in a Hat Ride/Cold Pig in a Wet Blanket Ride in Santa Cruz on Sunday, I reached for the long left hanging Kampe Monkey. It turned out to be just the ticket and I was Glad.

Kooks come out in droves on the VO site to argue that only their personal choice of tyre size is legitimate and I don't comment. Shi_ like that is personal preference, with the caveat that the bigger the headache, the bigger the pill baby. And I am the big pill, so I prefer a big tire for most things and a really big tire for offroad. I forgot how fun that bike is. Gigantic stack of spacers aside (and that is on the 20" frame- Surly! I love you, but why such baby housecat headtubes?) it is rockkk solid and rolls on and on. Like I lik. The drop bars at seat height are perfect- I get the upright 48cm(!) width for the climbs and easy rolling, and the drops give me the technical position to get hella technical on technical terrain. Just Goodness.

With regard to the Cold Wet Pig Ride, I will say it was...fun. Once you commit to something like that, what is there but to enjoy yourself? To the people at the back who continued to enjoy themselves (even though poor planning on your own part(s) led to not having the booze you really needed) I salute you. Even when it hurts a lot, it only stops being fun if you let it stop.

flyness be the reason that my shi_ cracks

whether in Dada jeans or crepe silk slacks..perhaps a dirrrrrrty apron.

Today was Bike Repair Day here at the House of Dick.



First up was finalizing L's Crosscheck handlebar swap. Yes, the Moustache is back. Classic Bianchi Celeste tape. "There are several contradictory myths concerning the origin of this colour - it is the colour of the Milan sky, it was the colour of the eyes of the former Queen of Italy, for whom Edoardo Bianchi once made a bicycle, it was the serendipitous mixture of surplus military paint."- wikipedia. Whichever, it is a great "colour" with a rich history.

Here's hoping the ride goes well for her ash. Friend C____ (birfday gal) was speculating that her teammates might push the pace and frustrate L by dropping her to the tune of a couple hours. WTF?!? I said (and do say still) "it's a Birthday Ride- not a race. Those 'teammates' are lame if that's how they behave. You have your own Good Time, and if you feel like stopping for a snack and some wine, go right the hell ahead. It's a Celebration." You'll notice I added the light, though, in case...



All fired up, it was N's townie next. The school bike gets some love:

Lowered generator light mount for better basket access, better lighting, and less chance of middle school random vandalism.






That's right, bicthes. True dirtbags don't need no fancy Gino/Paul's mount (which is admittedly very nice). Nor the Velo Orange mount (which I do covet). And, plus, this reeks of class and sophistication. Possibly just of cheap wine.

I swapped some parts around on some other bikes, and splashed a bunch of TriFlow over everthing. Feels good to have working bikes working good.