Touring Tuesdays: Thoughts And Musings On The "B,B,& B" Tour

The "Beg, Borrow, and Bastard Tour" was over. Here are some extra bits, thoughts, and a look to the future of Touring Tuesdays on Guitar Ted Productions.

I suppose looking back on the tour, I can see that it was a watershed, a paradigm shift in my cycling life. I had laid down a few centuries, ridden in some awful weather, and survived some tough days in the saddle. I learned how to draft, how to conserve energy, and I began to unravel many of the nuances of riding that I had no idea about before the trip. From a cycling standpoint the trip was a huge success. The social/friendship part was different. Even though we were all on good terms in the end, we all would never again share friendship as a trio. Funny how things work out.

I had a total mileage at one time for this trip, but I lost it. I think it was a little over 600 miles in seven days. We didn't have any mechanicals, and if we had, I brought enough tools and extra parts to build another bike, practically. That is one thing I decided to cut back on for any future tours.

If I ever heard Steve Miller's "Abra-Cadabra" again after that tour, it would be too soon! I think it played on Steve's bike radio every fifteen minutes!

The experience was a great one and even though we didn't get to Canada, it didn't really seem to matter to me. It was a fantastic adventure that I will never forget. I never regretted making that decision to go after we got back home, even though there were several times on the tour that I thought I might have made a big mistake by committing to come.

So, from here where do we go? Well, there will be another big tour detailed out for you. It was undertaken a year after the "Beg, Borrow, and Bastard Tour" ended. However, there were some really big changes in my life that bear mentioning that play into this tour that I will touch on in an "Interim Post" coming next week.

Thanks for reading the story of "The Beg, Borrow, and Bastard Tour"!

Touring Tuesdays: Thoughts And Musings On The "B,B,& B" Tour

The "Beg, Borrow, and Bastard Tour" was over. Here are some extra bits, thoughts, and a look to the future of Touring Tuesdays on Guitar Ted Productions.

I suppose looking back on the tour, I can see that it was a watershed, a paradigm shift in my cycling life. I had laid down a few centuries, ridden in some awful weather, and survived some tough days in the saddle. I learned how to draft, how to conserve energy, and I began to unravel many of the nuances of riding that I had no idea about before the trip. From a cycling standpoint the trip was a huge success. The social/friendship part was different. Even though we were all on good terms in the end, we all would never again share friendship as a trio. Funny how things work out.

I had a total mileage at one time for this trip, but I lost it. I think it was a little over 600 miles in seven days. We didn't have any mechanicals, and if we had, I brought enough tools and extra parts to build another bike, practically. That is one thing I decided to cut back on for any future tours.

If I ever heard Steve Miller's "Abra-Cadabra" again after that tour, it would be too soon! I think it played on Steve's bike radio every fifteen minutes!

The experience was a great one and even though we didn't get to Canada, it didn't really seem to matter to me. It was a fantastic adventure that I will never forget. I never regretted making that decision to go after we got back home, even though there were several times on the tour that I thought I might have made a big mistake by committing to come.

So, from here where do we go? Well, there will be another big tour detailed out for you. It was undertaken a year after the "Beg, Borrow, and Bastard Tour" ended. However, there were some really big changes in my life that bear mentioning that play into this tour that I will touch on in an "Interim Post" coming next week.

Thanks for reading the story of "The Beg, Borrow, and Bastard Tour"!

The New Standard In Full Suspension 29"ers

<===The Big Mama is one of the New Breed of 29"er FS designs.

Used to be that if you liked full suspension and big wheels you were going to have to compromise on stiffness. Noodly front triangles or swing arms were just something you were going to have to accept. Well, not anymore!

The idea that a full suspension 29"er could be rigid, precise, and predictable was thought to be not attainable by the critics, but that idea is not only attainable, it is here. Check out the Salsa Cycles Big Mama shown here. It is representative of the new standard of 29"er chassis stiffness and handling. It wasn't the first 29"er to have these attributes, and it isn't the only one, but what I'm saying is this: If you are going to design and build a full suspension 29"er, it better be at least as good as the Big mama is!

Going back a few years, the LenzSport bikes were really the first full suspension designs with big wheels to address the issues with frame stiffness. That was a good thing, but it takes more than that to get the job done. Unfortunately, at that time the forks and wheels hadn't caught up to the frame design.

Now with the advent of Salsa Cycles Gordo, Halo's Freedom Disc rims, and the like, the wheel situation is much better. Added to this is the proliferation of longer travel through axle forks, and now one can have all that is necessary to get 26"er-like stiffness in a 29"er package.

Companies like Niner, Pivot, and Salsa have also stepped up to the plate with far more rigid and stiff frames for full suspension than we have ever had before, which now raise the bar for companies following in their footsteps.

So, at what cost has all this rigidity come? Well, you can't get strong and rigid in a 29"er full suspension bike without a little weight gain. That said, it hasn't been much of a weight gain. Full suspension 29"ers with four inches of travel that meet the higher standards are still being built up in the sub-28lb category. Some even lower than that. Bigger travel bikes like the LenzSport Behemoth five inch bikes are routinely built up at sub-30lb weights.

Some say that a full suspension design in big wheels has "too many compromises". I'm 6'1" and I have a hard time seeing where these compromises are when I ride Lenz, Salsa, Niner, or Pivot's latest FS 29"er designs. Heck, Lenz is even putting much shorter folks on their designs, and are getting rave reviews.

The pundits can point and laugh all they want to. I'm going out for a ride on a full suspension 29"er and havin a ball doing it. These newer designs are the reason why.

The New Standard In Full Suspension 29"ers

<===The Big Mama is one of the New Breed of 29"er FS designs.

Used to be that if you liked full suspension and big wheels you were going to have to compromise on stiffness. Noodly front triangles or swing arms were just something you were going to have to accept. Well, not anymore!

The idea that a full suspension 29"er could be rigid, precise, and predictable was thought to be not attainable by the critics, but that idea is not only attainable, it is here. Check out the Salsa Cycles Big Mama shown here. It is representative of the new standard of 29"er chassis stiffness and handling. It wasn't the first 29"er to have these attributes, and it isn't the only one, but what I'm saying is this: If you are going to design and build a full suspension 29"er, it better be at least as good as the Big mama is!

Going back a few years, the LenzSport bikes were really the first full suspension designs with big wheels to address the issues with frame stiffness. That was a good thing, but it takes more than that to get the job done. Unfortunately, at that time the forks and wheels hadn't caught up to the frame design.

Now with the advent of Salsa Cycles Gordo, Halo's Freedom Disc rims, and the like, the wheel situation is much better. Added to this is the proliferation of longer travel through axle forks, and now one can have all that is necessary to get 26"er-like stiffness in a 29"er package.

Companies like Niner, Pivot, and Salsa have also stepped up to the plate with far more rigid and stiff frames for full suspension than we have ever had before, which now raise the bar for companies following in their footsteps.

So, at what cost has all this rigidity come? Well, you can't get strong and rigid in a 29"er full suspension bike without a little weight gain. That said, it hasn't been much of a weight gain. Full suspension 29"ers with four inches of travel that meet the higher standards are still being built up in the sub-28lb category. Some even lower than that. Bigger travel bikes like the LenzSport Behemoth five inch bikes are routinely built up at sub-30lb weights.

Some say that a full suspension design in big wheels has "too many compromises". I'm 6'1" and I have a hard time seeing where these compromises are when I ride Lenz, Salsa, Niner, or Pivot's latest FS 29"er designs. Heck, Lenz is even putting much shorter folks on their designs, and are getting rave reviews.

The pundits can point and laugh all they want to. I'm going out for a ride on a full suspension 29"er and havin a ball doing it. These newer designs are the reason why.

Fisher Superfly SS To Be A 2010 Product?

Last year it was leaked that at Trek World, the dealer only show, something special was going to be offered to Trek/Fisher employees. Something that was not going to be offered for sale to the public- a single speed version of the Superfly carbon 29"er hard tail.

Okay, so it was instantly the hottest 29"er product and lots of people got wind of the proposed offer before it happened. It was obvious that those who had "connections" were going to get these despite not working for Trek/Fisher. (This happened- alot!) It was also apparent to me as time went by that Fisher would be foolish not to offer this in their line up as a product anyone could buy. In fact, I was almost certain that this, "you can't buy it" product would end up being sold by a dealer or dealers somewhere.

And now that has happened.

A well known Minnesota dealer and another in Pennsylvania are offering 2009 Fisher Superfly single speed specific frames and Fox forks for sale. It was just a matter of time.

So, you have to figure that it is coming. A 2010 Fisher Superfly single speed hard tail with a geared option. Not only that, but I'm betting a rigid carbon Bontrager "Superfly" fork with the G2 offset is coming as an option for it. Will I be right? Well, we only have to wait for about four more months before we find out. All I have to say is this..............

Is Fisher going to say "no" to making money?

I don't think so!

Get out and ride this weekend!

Fisher Superfly SS To Be A 2010 Product?

Last year it was leaked that at Trek World, the dealer only show, something special was going to be offered to Trek/Fisher employees. Something that was not going to be offered for sale to the public- a single speed version of the Superfly carbon 29"er hard tail.

Okay, so it was instantly the hottest 29"er product and lots of people got wind of the proposed offer before it happened. It was obvious that those who had "connections" were going to get these despite not working for Trek/Fisher. (This happened- alot!) It was also apparent to me as time went by that Fisher would be foolish not to offer this in their line up as a product anyone could buy. In fact, I was almost certain that this, "you can't buy it" product would end up being sold by a dealer or dealers somewhere.

And now that has happened.

A well known Minnesota dealer and another in Pennsylvania are offering 2009 Fisher Superfly single speed specific frames and Fox forks for sale. It was just a matter of time.

So, you have to figure that it is coming. A 2010 Fisher Superfly single speed hard tail with a geared option. Not only that, but I'm betting a rigid carbon Bontrager "Superfly" fork with the G2 offset is coming as an option for it. Will I be right? Well, we only have to wait for about four more months before we find out. All I have to say is this..............

Is Fisher going to say "no" to making money?

I don't think so!

Get out and ride this weekend!

Fargo In The Wind

<===Bleak, windy, and cold!

I went out for a gravel grinder Wednesday and while getting out of town, I had some ambitious thoughts of getting to Traer and back. Once I hit the country, however, it became apparent that I was in for something altogether different.

The wind was out of the West-Southwest and blowing at a constant velocity. Probably in the neighborhood of 25-30mph. It never really gusted much. Just a constant loud roar in my right ear as I headed southbound on Ainsborough. The temperatures were in the mid-30's for the entire ride, so yes.....windchill was a factor!




<===Okay, how about some abandoned and derelict windmill action?

Eventually I arrived at the forgone conclusion that my high and lofty goal would have to be modified somewhat, seeing as how I was burning through energy like it was going out of style. Besides that, my feet were not liking this windchill effect at all. No, not one little bit!

So I turned into the wind for a mile. Yeah, that was like putting the brakes on. I felt like a tractor. A tractor pulling a four bottom plow set at 8 inches! I made a pit stop for a Cliff bar at this old windmill skeleton. I heard that in days of yore, Waterloo teens would drive down to this very windmill, climb it, and smoke that weed. Maybe that's a tall tale. (<====Ha !) Whatever, it makes for something to think about instead of listening to the wind howl through rusted metal trusses.




<===This skunk looked like it was sleeping, or dead, or.....I didn't get any closer to find out!

Then I slogged to the next corner, turned it back northwards, and started to fly. Before I had gone three miles I was in the big ring to stay. All the way back to the house At one point I was obliged to go a mile East. I maybe pedaled two tenths of that whole mile section and never went slower than 20mph. The wind is our mountains indeed!

Got back to the house in exactly two hours. Ten frozen toes. Crazy wind fun. Bleak, brown, and sullen pre-spring time Iowa. No wonder the early prairie settlers went insane. With the wind we have had, I totally get that!

I had the water bottles on the fork blades today. Didn't make the handling weird at all. If anything, it acted as a damper to vibrations. It's great to have that extra water on the bike instead of on me. This will be my Dirty Kanza set up, or close to it. I'll probably make a few tweaks, knowing me!

More later as the bike evolves!

Fargo In The Wind

<===Bleak, windy, and cold!

I went out for a gravel grinder Wednesday and while getting out of town, I had some ambitious thoughts of getting to Traer and back. Once I hit the country, however, it became apparent that I was in for something altogether different.

The wind was out of the West-Southwest and blowing at a constant velocity. Probably in the neighborhood of 25-30mph. It never really gusted much. Just a constant loud roar in my right ear as I headed southbound on Ainsborough. The temperatures were in the mid-30's for the entire ride, so yes.....windchill was a factor!




<===Okay, how about some abandoned and derelict windmill action?

Eventually I arrived at the forgone conclusion that my high and lofty goal would have to be modified somewhat, seeing as how I was burning through energy like it was going out of style. Besides that, my feet were not liking this windchill effect at all. No, not one little bit!

So I turned into the wind for a mile. Yeah, that was like putting the brakes on. I felt like a tractor. A tractor pulling a four bottom plow set at 8 inches! I made a pit stop for a Cliff bar at this old windmill skeleton. I heard that in days of yore, Waterloo teens would drive down to this very windmill, climb it, and smoke that weed. Maybe that's a tall tale. (<====Ha !) Whatever, it makes for something to think about instead of listening to the wind howl through rusted metal trusses.




<===This skunk looked like it was sleeping, or dead, or.....I didn't get any closer to find out!

Then I slogged to the next corner, turned it back northwards, and started to fly. Before I had gone three miles I was in the big ring to stay. All the way back to the house At one point I was obliged to go a mile East. I maybe pedaled two tenths of that whole mile section and never went slower than 20mph. The wind is our mountains indeed!

Got back to the house in exactly two hours. Ten frozen toes. Crazy wind fun. Bleak, brown, and sullen pre-spring time Iowa. No wonder the early prairie settlers went insane. With the wind we have had, I totally get that!

I had the water bottles on the fork blades today. Didn't make the handling weird at all. If anything, it acted as a damper to vibrations. It's great to have that extra water on the bike instead of on me. This will be my Dirty Kanza set up, or close to it. I'll probably make a few tweaks, knowing me!

More later as the bike evolves!

Bombs Away!

<===A big slug of H2O

Captain Bob fixed me up with this large water bottle for a special little project I had in mind. It had been bouncing around in his trunk for a few weeks. He didn't know why he kept it around, until he talked to me!

I have one other like it, but it is from the mid 90's and I thought I should just have a fresh one. Funny how this plastic doesn't decay..........think about that! All the plastic water bottles we consume are still kickin' out there somewhere and probably will be for years to come, in a landfill. Blech!

Anywho.........here's where my big bottle went!






<====The WTB designed Blackburn "Bomber Cage".

Yep! This puppy has seen a lot of miles and is still kicking. The Bomber Cage is a mid 90's era product that never really caught on, since about the same time hydration packs became popular and frames became less "bottle friendly".

This cage went on a Blackbuck which has bottle bosses designed to work with the Bomber Cage. The three bosses on the down tube match up perfectly, or if you would rather, they allow for two different positions for a standard cage. Just not at the same time!

So, that's 56 ounces of water in one bottle. I mounted a standard cage off the seat post, so now I can travel for hours on the ol' single speed and stay well hydrated.

They really should quit making those water bottles out of clear plastic, but I'm glad I have two for my Bomber Cage now!

Bombs Away!

<===A big slug of H2O

Captain Bob fixed me up with this large water bottle for a special little project I had in mind. It had been bouncing around in his trunk for a few weeks. He didn't know why he kept it around, until he talked to me!

I have one other like it, but it is from the mid 90's and I thought I should just have a fresh one. Funny how this plastic doesn't decay..........think about that! All the plastic water bottles we consume are still kickin' out there somewhere and probably will be for years to come, in a landfill. Blech!

Anywho.........here's where my big bottle went!






<====The WTB designed Blackburn "Bomber Cage".

Yep! This puppy has seen a lot of miles and is still kicking. The Bomber Cage is a mid 90's era product that never really caught on, since about the same time hydration packs became popular and frames became less "bottle friendly".

This cage went on a Blackbuck which has bottle bosses designed to work with the Bomber Cage. The three bosses on the down tube match up perfectly, or if you would rather, they allow for two different positions for a standard cage. Just not at the same time!

So, that's 56 ounces of water in one bottle. I mounted a standard cage off the seat post, so now I can travel for hours on the ol' single speed and stay well hydrated.

They really should quit making those water bottles out of clear plastic, but I'm glad I have two for my Bomber Cage now!

Touring Tuesdays: In A Blazer Of Glory

The "Beg, Borrow, and Bastard Tour" was over, but the travelers still had to get home.........

I was awoken out of a deep sleep by the sound of the tent zipper going up. It was my wife's head that I saw poking into the door. Wow! It was still dark out and they were here already! Steve's girlfriend and my wife drove up all through the night to get us. Now it was time to start packing up the goods and cramming five people into a late
80's era Blazer.


<===Cedar River, the place we thought was a town but wasn't, on the Upper Penensula. The pickens were slim inside this joint, but we made the best of it. This was on Day Six going to Escanaba.

We were all ready to go as the gray light of dawn had just started peeking over the horizon. I thought the bikes looked naked and forlorn up on the roof rack stripped of their panniers. That was my last memory of Michigan. I climbed into the Blazer and was in a half asleep stupor for several hours afterward.

I kind of perked up as we went through the Green Bay area. I started joining in the chit-chat now and the miles went by on into the afternoon. Soon we were approaching Iowa again. I was really anxious to get back to Waterloo and get out of the sardine can like conditions I had suffered since leaving Michigan. As we got closer to Dubuque, we noticed that the Blazer smelled hot and it wasn't running so well. Steve thought we should stop and check the oil. So, after a quart of oil and some concerned looks, we were off. Steve's girlfriend, Brenda announced that we would be taking it slower, and the Blazer didn't have the power to climb the steep hills of Southwestern Wisconsin anymore at top speed. I was worried and a bit disappointed. This meant I'd get home even later than I had wished.

Well, for those of you familiar with Highway 20 coming out of Dubuque to the west, you know that there is a long, long climb to the top of a hill where there is a gas station perched at the crest. It was here that the ol' Blazer gave up the ghost. Blew the motor! It was a crazy, funny, sad, and depressing thing all together in one moment. Steve pronounced the rig dead by going in and buying a six pack and sitting it on top of the smoldering motor's air cleaner.

Now we had no ride home and 90 miles to go. Brenda got a hold of her parents, who were gracious enough to come out and fetch Troy, my wife, and I and take us home. It seemed like an interminably long time for them to get there, but they finally did. Steve and Brenda stayed behind with the Blazer. I had no idea what they were going to do, and at that point, I was so tired and mentally fried, I didn't care. The westering sun was on my face, I was in a big Buick, and we were going home. That was all I cared about right then and there.

That was it. The end of the adventure. I eventually got home and went back to my routine at the bike shop. Troy did as well. Brenda and Steve came back with the Blazer that Monday and my stuff along with it. The old Mongoose mountain bike did well, but the saddle on it, an old Avocet touring model, had given me no end of grief on the last days of the ride. Troy said I should ceremonially burn it. I thought that was a cool idea, but I didn't do it.

Next Week: Some final thoughts on The Beg Borrow, and Bastard Tour and a look ahead at what is in store for Touring Tuesdays.

Touring Tuesdays: In A Blazer Of Glory

The "Beg, Borrow, and Bastard Tour" was over, but the travelers still had to get home.........

I was awoken out of a deep sleep by the sound of the tent zipper going up. It was my wife's head that I saw poking into the door. Wow! It was still dark out and they were here already! Steve's girlfriend and my wife drove up all through the night to get us. Now it was time to start packing up the goods and cramming five people into a late
80's era Blazer.


<===Cedar River, the place we thought was a town but wasn't, on the Upper Penensula. The pickens were slim inside this joint, but we made the best of it. This was on Day Six going to Escanaba.

We were all ready to go as the gray light of dawn had just started peeking over the horizon. I thought the bikes looked naked and forlorn up on the roof rack stripped of their panniers. That was my last memory of Michigan. I climbed into the Blazer and was in a half asleep stupor for several hours afterward.

I kind of perked up as we went through the Green Bay area. I started joining in the chit-chat now and the miles went by on into the afternoon. Soon we were approaching Iowa again. I was really anxious to get back to Waterloo and get out of the sardine can like conditions I had suffered since leaving Michigan. As we got closer to Dubuque, we noticed that the Blazer smelled hot and it wasn't running so well. Steve thought we should stop and check the oil. So, after a quart of oil and some concerned looks, we were off. Steve's girlfriend, Brenda announced that we would be taking it slower, and the Blazer didn't have the power to climb the steep hills of Southwestern Wisconsin anymore at top speed. I was worried and a bit disappointed. This meant I'd get home even later than I had wished.

Well, for those of you familiar with Highway 20 coming out of Dubuque to the west, you know that there is a long, long climb to the top of a hill where there is a gas station perched at the crest. It was here that the ol' Blazer gave up the ghost. Blew the motor! It was a crazy, funny, sad, and depressing thing all together in one moment. Steve pronounced the rig dead by going in and buying a six pack and sitting it on top of the smoldering motor's air cleaner.

Now we had no ride home and 90 miles to go. Brenda got a hold of her parents, who were gracious enough to come out and fetch Troy, my wife, and I and take us home. It seemed like an interminably long time for them to get there, but they finally did. Steve and Brenda stayed behind with the Blazer. I had no idea what they were going to do, and at that point, I was so tired and mentally fried, I didn't care. The westering sun was on my face, I was in a big Buick, and we were going home. That was all I cared about right then and there.

That was it. The end of the adventure. I eventually got home and went back to my routine at the bike shop. Troy did as well. Brenda and Steve came back with the Blazer that Monday and my stuff along with it. The old Mongoose mountain bike did well, but the saddle on it, an old Avocet touring model, had given me no end of grief on the last days of the ride. Troy said I should ceremonially burn it. I thought that was a cool idea, but I didn't do it.

Next Week: Some final thoughts on The Beg Borrow, and Bastard Tour and a look ahead at what is in store for Touring Tuesdays.

The Big Mama: Puttin' The "Big" In Ride And Smile!

<===There she is, in all her "bigness"!

The Salsa Cycles frame that came in for testing on Twenty Nine Inches is finished and rideable. Let me explain a little something here before I get into this particular build.....

The Salsa Sol Sessions last June was the official unveiling of this model. You can read what I said about it here. The main thing that impressed me was how "hard tail-like" it rode in terms of climbing and acceleration. It felt very "XC-able", although Jason Boucher, head honcho at Salsa, told me it really wasn't that kind of bike. I thought it was! It felt fast and fun. Very single track friendly, and it is. But that is only one facet of this rig, and I just found that out.

See, I only got to ride the Big Mama prototype, and it was set up with a 100mm travel Fox. That makes the bike ride a "certain way", shall we say? Well, my build is quite different.

The fork I am using is the Reba Team set at 120mm, with a Maxle, and with the burly Gordo rims it is not your typical XC/Trail set up. I have a short KORE stem , Salsa riser bars, a bit shorter reach to the bars, and Ergon Team GE-1 grips. My set up gives the Big Mama a static BB height of 14 3/8ths inches. (Center of BB to ground) So it's not yer typical 29"er!

I know that one little test ride isn't going to give me a verdict on this bike, but I have a strong indication of where this is leading! It is going to be a lot of fun. I already have cleaned a set of railroad tie stairs that didn't even faze this rig going uphill! Yeah.......can you say "rock crawler" I think I put the wrong crank on this rig. Maybe I should switch out my LX crank for a SLX with a bash ring!

There is a lot more going on with the Big Mama than just this though, and I'll get around to all of that, but for now I know that this bike puts "big" in the Big Mama. And I'm going to like that a whole lot.

The Big Mama: Puttin' The "Big" In Ride And Smile!

<===There she is, in all her "bigness"!

The Salsa Cycles frame that came in for testing on Twenty Nine Inches is finished and rideable. Let me explain a little something here before I get into this particular build.....

The Salsa Sol Sessions last June was the official unveiling of this model. You can read what I said about it here. The main thing that impressed me was how "hard tail-like" it rode in terms of climbing and acceleration. It felt very "XC-able", although Jason Boucher, head honcho at Salsa, told me it really wasn't that kind of bike. I thought it was! It felt fast and fun. Very single track friendly, and it is. But that is only one facet of this rig, and I just found that out.

See, I only got to ride the Big Mama prototype, and it was set up with a 100mm travel Fox. That makes the bike ride a "certain way", shall we say? Well, my build is quite different.

The fork I am using is the Reba Team set at 120mm, with a Maxle, and with the burly Gordo rims it is not your typical XC/Trail set up. I have a short KORE stem , Salsa riser bars, a bit shorter reach to the bars, and Ergon Team GE-1 grips. My set up gives the Big Mama a static BB height of 14 3/8ths inches. (Center of BB to ground) So it's not yer typical 29"er!

I know that one little test ride isn't going to give me a verdict on this bike, but I have a strong indication of where this is leading! It is going to be a lot of fun. I already have cleaned a set of railroad tie stairs that didn't even faze this rig going uphill! Yeah.......can you say "rock crawler" I think I put the wrong crank on this rig. Maybe I should switch out my LX crank for a SLX with a bash ring!

There is a lot more going on with the Big Mama than just this though, and I'll get around to all of that, but for now I know that this bike puts "big" in the Big Mama. And I'm going to like that a whole lot.

El Grande Madre

<=====Salsa Cycles Big Mama frame.

Twenty Nine Inches is going to be testing this frame out that showed up Friday. Yee Haw! I've ridden the prototype to this last summer and it was really a nice rig. Lots of fun and pedaled nothing like you would think a 4 inch travel rig would.

Well, I'll expound on that more, but first, I need to add some components to the mix here!

<====What you should be doing instead of reading this!

I'll be swapping over some parts from three other bikes to build this up just as I think it deserves to be. That means lots of wrenching this weekend, and that means this post is over!

I hope everyone has a great weekend and gets some riding in

El Grande Madre

<=====Salsa Cycles Big Mama frame.

Twenty Nine Inches is going to be testing this frame out that showed up Friday. Yee Haw! I've ridden the prototype to this last summer and it was really a nice rig. Lots of fun and pedaled nothing like you would think a 4 inch travel rig would.

Well, I'll expound on that more, but first, I need to add some components to the mix here!

<====What you should be doing instead of reading this!

I'll be swapping over some parts from three other bikes to build this up just as I think it deserves to be. That means lots of wrenching this weekend, and that means this post is over!

I hope everyone has a great weekend and gets some riding in

Friday News And Views

Trans Iowa V5: Here's a reminder of what Trans Iowa is.........We are informing you all that are in the event that if you don't agree that you are on your own, that you are responsible for yourself, and that this is being undertaken of your own volition, then don't take the start.

Read that and consider it carefully.

Healthy Development: 29"ers seem to be popping out and developments seem to be occurring despite the sour economy. I can not divulge all that I know, but suffice it to say that there are things happening out there just as much as they were last year, or the year before. Frankly, I am surprised by that, but there you go. Look forward to new announcements soon.

Local Trails Opening Up? I will be doing some recon on some local trails again in the coming week. I am expecting to find much improved conditions since the last foray I made into the woods. I think that trails will be rideable in spots, but if I see a longish section, or even a loop that is rideable, I'll be surprised. But, it has been real dry and windy of late, so who knows?

Welcome Spring! That's right folks, today is the first day of spring! I keep hearing folks say we're in for one more snow, but I'm not buying that. I think we're done. My weather prediction, for what that is worth, is that we'll have a dry, windy spring. We'll see how that pans out, but don't expect me to take a position as a weatherman anytime soon!

That's it. Have a great weekend and ride on!

Friday News And Views

Trans Iowa V5: Here's a reminder of what Trans Iowa is.........We are informing you all that are in the event that if you don't agree that you are on your own, that you are responsible for yourself, and that this is being undertaken of your own volition, then don't take the start.

Read that and consider it carefully.

Healthy Development: 29"ers seem to be popping out and developments seem to be occurring despite the sour economy. I can not divulge all that I know, but suffice it to say that there are things happening out there just as much as they were last year, or the year before. Frankly, I am surprised by that, but there you go. Look forward to new announcements soon.

Local Trails Opening Up? I will be doing some recon on some local trails again in the coming week. I am expecting to find much improved conditions since the last foray I made into the woods. I think that trails will be rideable in spots, but if I see a longish section, or even a loop that is rideable, I'll be surprised. But, it has been real dry and windy of late, so who knows?

Welcome Spring! That's right folks, today is the first day of spring! I keep hearing folks say we're in for one more snow, but I'm not buying that. I think we're done. My weather prediction, for what that is worth, is that we'll have a dry, windy spring. We'll see how that pans out, but don't expect me to take a position as a weatherman anytime soon!

That's it. Have a great weekend and ride on!

T.I.V5: Some Course Recon Pics

<==Don't end up like this critter! Pay attention out there folks!

There has been a small chunk of the T.I.V5 course dangling out there to be reconned since last fall. d.p. and I busted our buns trying to figure out a way through this section without getting (a) too urban and (b) too much pavement. Fortunately the urban was totally eliminated and the pavement was kept to a bare minimum. It wasn't easy. the day we did recon last fall we tried three different routes through the area with none of them either working out at all or leaving us wanting to do something different.



<==And do not be lured in by Iowa's fine roadside amenities. You may find yourself getting too comfortable, and get bit by the time limits!

So I spent some time staring at a map of the area most of the winter and figured out a route. It would be a much better choice if it panned out in reality. But if there is one thing I've learned over the course of the years that I've done this it's to never trust a map!




<==Don't sweat the small stuff! Cross those bridges when you get to them.

Well, just as I suspected, things were not as they seemed once I got out there yesterday to drive the proposed new course for this section. I re-routed and found a "B" maintenance road where I didn't expect it and a "C" maintenance road where a "normal" road was listed. Yes........I wrote "C maintenance road"!





<==The County Maintenance crews are putting out the "red carpet" treatment for ya'all this year!

Yep, yer basic "C" road is one that is usually gated and controlled by the local landowners. Nothing more than a glorified farm access road that you might find through any field or pasture. We first ran across the existence of "C" roads during the recon for T.I.V2. Since then I've run across several "C" roads in different parts of the state, but not one that wasn't gated, until yesterday.

I have to admit, I stopped and thought really hard about puttin the course across that grassy tract, but in the end, I thought better of it. This was really nothing more than an overgrown road bed. There wasn't even two track across here! I think it would have been too confusing without some course tape, and I wasn't about to commit to that! Been there, done that!



<==You'll pass many "Holstein Hotels" along the route.

The new route was to have added some "B" road mileage to the route, but when I saw the proposed course, I eliminated the "B" sections and routed around them. The balance of "B" roads to regular course and just where those sections fall is critical. I have to be very careful not to overload any one section at the risk of putting time cut offs out of reach. So with that in mind, I had to axe those miles.




<==And get a taste of what Iowa's black dirt can do for you.

But I did find another section of "B" road not listed on my map that fell in line with my course. Yes, a surprise, but those are not unexpected anymore. Not after reconning five different Trans Iowa courses and three Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitationals.

So, I took a good hard look and included it into the course. The net total of "B" roads was a -1.5 miles. So I felt better for reducing that mileage a bit, and I now feel that Checkpoint #3 will be easier to make than it would have been before.

Yes, three checkpoints this year! It'll be pretty interesting to see who makes the final checkpoint, because I have a feeling that if you do, you will finish. I also have a feeling that very, very few folks will ever see Checkpoint #3, but I could be wrong about that. You just never know with the weather being a factor and all.

Road conditions were primo. No damage from winter to be seen. The County crews were out and dumping copious amounts of fresh gravel with precise grading across the entire roadway. Never fear though! There is a whole month and a half for that to get traffic on and it should be really good by May 2nd-3rd, assuming we have a normal spring this year.

The course is finished. Now it is time for cue sheets to be compiled and printed. Volunteers will be briefed and readied. Sponsors will be shipping in the goodies. It won't be long folks! It won't be long...............

T.I.V5: Some Course Recon Pics

<==Don't end up like this critter! Pay attention out there folks!

There has been a small chunk of the T.I.V5 course dangling out there to be reconned since last fall. d.p. and I busted our buns trying to figure out a way through this section without getting (a) too urban and (b) too much pavement. Fortunately the urban was totally eliminated and the pavement was kept to a bare minimum. It wasn't easy. the day we did recon last fall we tried three different routes through the area with none of them either working out at all or leaving us wanting to do something different.



<==And do not be lured in by Iowa's fine roadside amenities. You may find yourself getting too comfortable, and get bit by the time limits!

So I spent some time staring at a map of the area most of the winter and figured out a route. It would be a much better choice if it panned out in reality. But if there is one thing I've learned over the course of the years that I've done this it's to never trust a map!




<==Don't sweat the small stuff! Cross those bridges when you get to them.

Well, just as I suspected, things were not as they seemed once I got out there yesterday to drive the proposed new course for this section. I re-routed and found a "B" maintenance road where I didn't expect it and a "C" maintenance road where a "normal" road was listed. Yes........I wrote "C maintenance road"!





<==The County Maintenance crews are putting out the "red carpet" treatment for ya'all this year!

Yep, yer basic "C" road is one that is usually gated and controlled by the local landowners. Nothing more than a glorified farm access road that you might find through any field or pasture. We first ran across the existence of "C" roads during the recon for T.I.V2. Since then I've run across several "C" roads in different parts of the state, but not one that wasn't gated, until yesterday.

I have to admit, I stopped and thought really hard about puttin the course across that grassy tract, but in the end, I thought better of it. This was really nothing more than an overgrown road bed. There wasn't even two track across here! I think it would have been too confusing without some course tape, and I wasn't about to commit to that! Been there, done that!



<==You'll pass many "Holstein Hotels" along the route.

The new route was to have added some "B" road mileage to the route, but when I saw the proposed course, I eliminated the "B" sections and routed around them. The balance of "B" roads to regular course and just where those sections fall is critical. I have to be very careful not to overload any one section at the risk of putting time cut offs out of reach. So with that in mind, I had to axe those miles.




<==And get a taste of what Iowa's black dirt can do for you.

But I did find another section of "B" road not listed on my map that fell in line with my course. Yes, a surprise, but those are not unexpected anymore. Not after reconning five different Trans Iowa courses and three Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitationals.

So, I took a good hard look and included it into the course. The net total of "B" roads was a -1.5 miles. So I felt better for reducing that mileage a bit, and I now feel that Checkpoint #3 will be easier to make than it would have been before.

Yes, three checkpoints this year! It'll be pretty interesting to see who makes the final checkpoint, because I have a feeling that if you do, you will finish. I also have a feeling that very, very few folks will ever see Checkpoint #3, but I could be wrong about that. You just never know with the weather being a factor and all.

Road conditions were primo. No damage from winter to be seen. The County crews were out and dumping copious amounts of fresh gravel with precise grading across the entire roadway. Never fear though! There is a whole month and a half for that to get traffic on and it should be really good by May 2nd-3rd, assuming we have a normal spring this year.

The course is finished. Now it is time for cue sheets to be compiled and printed. Volunteers will be briefed and readied. Sponsors will be shipping in the goodies. It won't be long folks! It won't be long...............

The Way It Was- What's In My Work Stand!

Mike over at Black Mountain Cycles gets his fair share of cool vintage rides in his shop, but he is at the epicenter of modern day mountain biking, so that makes sense. But out here in the "hinterlands", a cool vintage mtb isn't as common. When you see one roll through the shop, it's cause for a pause! Take this gem of a Giant Cadex that I had the pleasure of working on yesterday.

That's first generation XTR stuff there my friends! Still one of the prettiest cranks ever made,in my opinion. And those are the original clipless pedal for mountain biking there too. The Shimano M-737, I believe. Note the blue alloy chain ring bolts and Ringle' bottle cages, which were good looking, but didn't work all that well. But hey! They were good looking!

XTR continues here with the brakes. Notice the "eyeball" straddle cable mount. The seat binder is a Ringle' piece, and you can see the carbon fiber/aluminum construction of the Cadex frame here. Glued wonder bike! By the way, these frames were not all that light. Rather heavy actually.

Okay, here's the most amazing thing, in my mind, about the whole bike. These are original Tioga Psycho John Tomac signature "butterscotch" skin wall tires. I don't think I've ever seen these before, and to see them in this outstanding condition is unheard of. These tires generally succumbed to dry rot at an alarming rate. Those are Marwi titanium spokes that are "rainbow" anodized with blue alloy nipples

A rare cream colored Rock Shox mag 21 SL fork graces the front along with another "eyeball" hangar on the brake cable. XTR head set too. Note that the pads up front were changed out to Ritchey pads. Another amazing thing about the bike is that all the cable housings are XTR branded! You can see the hint of blue Ringle' skewers here, as well.

First generation XTR hubs.......mmmmmmmmm.......can you say smooooooth!?

Muy Caliente'! A Selle San Marco HP saddle with Salsa "Pepperman" embroidery. In primo condition no less! All a top another XTR piece. That's right, a beautiful XTR seat post graced this rig too.

And the rear derailleur, shifters, and front derailleur were all XTR along with the bottom bracket. The only odd thing about this whole bike, which was detailed out to include blue alloy presta valve caps, was that the stem and handlebar were a rather pedestrian Zoom branded ensemble. I would have expected something on the order of a Ringle' stem and Answer Hyperlite bar, but the bar ends were Tioga "Power Studs" in a matching ano blue with no scratches!

This bike is a great "period piece" and reflects the gear of the day circa 1995. A top notch rig, albeit with the Zoom stuff, and a great representation of the "lug and glue" school of frame construction which reached a zenith about this time.

The Way It Was- What's In My Work Stand!

Mike over at Black Mountain Cycles gets his fair share of cool vintage rides in his shop, but he is at the epicenter of modern day mountain biking, so that makes sense. But out here in the "hinterlands", a cool vintage mtb isn't as common. When you see one roll through the shop, it's cause for a pause! Take this gem of a Giant Cadex that I had the pleasure of working on yesterday.

That's first generation XTR stuff there my friends! Still one of the prettiest cranks ever made,in my opinion. And those are the original clipless pedal for mountain biking there too. The Shimano M-737, I believe. Note the blue alloy chain ring bolts and Ringle' bottle cages, which were good looking, but didn't work all that well. But hey! They were good looking!

XTR continues here with the brakes. Notice the "eyeball" straddle cable mount. The seat binder is a Ringle' piece, and you can see the carbon fiber/aluminum construction of the Cadex frame here. Glued wonder bike! By the way, these frames were not all that light. Rather heavy actually.

Okay, here's the most amazing thing, in my mind, about the whole bike. These are original Tioga Psycho John Tomac signature "butterscotch" skin wall tires. I don't think I've ever seen these before, and to see them in this outstanding condition is unheard of. These tires generally succumbed to dry rot at an alarming rate. Those are Marwi titanium spokes that are "rainbow" anodized with blue alloy nipples

A rare cream colored Rock Shox mag 21 SL fork graces the front along with another "eyeball" hangar on the brake cable. XTR head set too. Note that the pads up front were changed out to Ritchey pads. Another amazing thing about the bike is that all the cable housings are XTR branded! You can see the hint of blue Ringle' skewers here, as well.

First generation XTR hubs.......mmmmmmmmm.......can you say smooooooth!?

Muy Caliente'! A Selle San Marco HP saddle with Salsa "Pepperman" embroidery. In primo condition no less! All a top another XTR piece. That's right, a beautiful XTR seat post graced this rig too.

And the rear derailleur, shifters, and front derailleur were all XTR along with the bottom bracket. The only odd thing about this whole bike, which was detailed out to include blue alloy presta valve caps, was that the stem and handlebar were a rather pedestrian Zoom branded ensemble. I would have expected something on the order of a Ringle' stem and Answer Hyperlite bar, but the bar ends were Tioga "Power Studs" in a matching ano blue with no scratches!

This bike is a great "period piece" and reflects the gear of the day circa 1995. A top notch rig, albeit with the Zoom stuff, and a great representation of the "lug and glue" school of frame construction which reached a zenith about this time.