introducing the completely new

No, really. Dangit, I'm missing interbike this year. You know, on account of stuff. So. Seeing as how I'm currently- like, right now- missing out on being drunk way too early in the day for other peoples' comforts and then going on to make a ass of myself, I figure I'll point out some things I would have pointed out while hooting appreciatively and rummaging around in my truck tarp materialed bag for another ice cold beer.

1st up- we've all already seen Surly's 29+ Krampus. I'm skeptical of the 1x drivetrain's usefulness overall, but I know and am sure it is a fun bike to ride. Perfect for demoing while loaded, anyhow. Sad to miss it.

2ndly- crashing the tent at Surly during Dirt Demo has been a fine waste of time. Lots of beers and shittalking. I lik that.

Also- reaching overload with the above and wandering boozily with an eye to demoing some of the more frivolous/far-fetched wares. Like the strider bike, etc. Rallying same in ill-advised conditions.

WTF?!?! Raleigh has a drop bar mixte in my size?!? With painted to match fenders and a Brooks Swift?!? I continue to be impressed with the clear and present sensibility and True Bike Love evinced by those guys. Commitment to maintaining their (our) glorious steel heritage and whatnot. And since I am not wearing my bike shop employee hat at the moment, I am at liberty to divulge that all that carbon fibre bullshit that you want so much is throwaway- and we both know it. Ah. Feels good to be able to say that instead of smile and nod. Thanks to Bikes For The Rest Of Us for pointing out the mixte (in my size?!?! Nobody ever makes one above a 58.) and sparking in my black and shriveled heart a shiny flame of love. I really want that bike. I would have relished the opportunity to wax on about it to the Raliegh folks. Nice work, people.

 And, obviously, whatever new newness I don't know about already from the computer. Looking around at whatever catches my eye.

I don't really care about road discs, but it would have been useful to see what's going to be rammed down our throat in the next model year.

Someone would have had a bottle of rye, and that's worth looking into as well.

People complain about interbike being in Vegas, but I relish it. C'mon, it's once a year seeing old friends and blowing out the pipes. Oh! how I mean that. And on that note, it would have been nice to attend the underbike party, especially seeing as how it has come around to the Double Down- a quality dive, of which my last memory is being escorted out the door with my arm bent back during a forced moment of clarity. Good Times.

Mostly, it would have been nice to see those of y'all I only ever see there. Hi! I apologize. Have fun, ride hard, be safe.

you are led to Look and See

The Brooks Boultbee Jacket. Their hat in the ring (as it were) of cycling apparel. That up there is some dude/not me getting fitted by master bespoke tailor Timothy Everest and his lovely British assistant. I assume.

I want that jacket so bad.

I been sitting on this one. Everone (you would be amazed at the # of show goers who did not spend time in the Brooks booth!) I took to see this jacket- the Brooks employees accused me of it being the 4th time I'd come in just to ogle the coat- was unimpressed. Maybe it's the (estimated) $1,400.00 price tag, maybe it's that they were sober, maybe it's just that they all lack taste & sophistication... Whatever it is, I gots to get a better class of friends. Ones who'll buy me this coat!

I want that jacket so bad.

If it appeals to you in at all the way it appeals to me (I would live in it), then perhaps you care to geek out with a video. It mentions the details-there are many- I examined at length. Not limited to the integral ribbon shoulder straps so that if you overheat it may be worn off the back (like a cape!?!). Seriously, it's like my 6 year old mind was shown Lawrence of Arabia (minus the part where it's implied he is buggered by the Turks, which is inappropriate for 6 year olds) and Batman was in there for good measure.

Jackets suck. They all overheat you, and none are waterproof like they claim. At least in this I would be uncomfortable in style.

Imagine if this were not pussified with a motor. How bad ass is that?

I'm sorry you had to see this.

every clown has a silver lining

Every interbike has it's seamy side. There're lots of quality photos and words on the computer screens regarding the new bikes/parts/etc. I will add these words: beers, fat tired bikes, bourbon, brownies, go-karts, lost wallets.

Lost my wallet. Several hundred in cash, my credit cards, ID...In the parking lot of a casino. In Vegas.


Thank goodness for kungfu bicycles and Priscilla Presley. In large part, their influence enabled me to gladhandle my friends into enough cash to drive home.

Friends- THANK YOU!

You will see your dollars come back to you.Whatever version of the story you heard is the Truth, and anyone who says different is...misinformed.



I will further say that Surly employs the worst kind of trash. The squirt guns, the ring tossed tires, the insults, the lowbrow conversations. It's almost enough to put me off the cold beer and the Pugsley I will be purchasing.

back to the lab

Conversations are opening with reference to interbike these days. Yes, I will be attending. Yes, I will be getting tanked and gawking at bikes, bike parts, the attendees, the strippers, and hopefully the menu at the Blue Nile Ethiopian restaurant. Oh man! I loves Ethiopian food.

I see that Surly has dropped the science of their MOonlander (which, let's face it...shall be refereed to as the MOonraker) and it is something I am anxious to test ride. I thought the Pugsley(*want for Ultimate Camping Bike!!!!!) was too one-trick of a pony until I rode it for a day and a half because it was too fun to get off, so. I will test the waters of their Ogre, as well.

Otherwise, I got nothing. Who's got a product/service/food item/strip club that I simply muuuuust try?

Parts is parts. I'll check the Shimano cross stuff. Tektro's fancy new levers, and their disc brake adaptor (road lever to hydraulics...). What else?

hey...yeah!

As an aside, Lee Marvin is tougher than tough, rougher than rough.


2 quick rides in 2 quick days under the redwoods in Santa Cruz. Twisty singletrack up and down in a nice flowy loop? I'll take 2. The dried leaves on the trail right now make for some slippy situations, but as ___ said :"It's predictable." You know when you're sliding out and that is something I suppose. No pictures for you. On account of they don't allow pictures of bikes on those trails...

So. In light of my huffing and my puffing, I must say I am not seeing (yet) the benefits of my tattoo. Aren't I supposed to be imbued with some super power or something? At least the ability to suffer for hours in the Belgian type weather. Perhaps whatever horrible oversight it was that led to the inclusion of zero steel frames in the Merckx booth (uh huh, carbone only) is interfering with the flow. Maybe the redesigned M logo. I will continue to test this, as winter approaches.


Today was commute, then velocache! Go get some.

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.