More Trek Show!

Some more from the show.

Top: The new sub 900 buck Cobia 29 inch wheeled bike.

Third One Down: Sticker on the non-driveside chainstay of the Ferrous. Not everything you see is "REAL"!

Bottom: Shakabuku checking out the "sticker" for Monkeytron; a hilarious blog!

Second One Down: The man in the "chops" and the goofy look- yeah! Poppa Vinny!!!

Fourth One Down: The new 29 inch wheeled X-Cal. I'm trying to show how it turns green in the light. Check out the "sheen" on that top tube for a little taste. The camera does not capture the reality!

On The Road Report!

I have seen! I have been there! Umm..........wait a minute, where am I? Oh yeah! Trek Show! Ha ha. I have much to report on, but I have several things to "research" yet. Just a quick note to ya'all out in cyberland that I am chillin' with the Jackal, dirtram, Poppa Vinnie, Pawn Shop Willie, B-Rent, and Juhls. Havin' a great time. Got a messenger bag for swag this year. I could live in this thing, it's hyooooooogggee! I'll have some pics and more detailed product info comin' soon! Should be back later tonight. OUT!

On The Road Report!

I have seen! I have been there! Umm..........wait a minute, where am I? Oh yeah! Trek Show! Ha ha. I have much to report on, but I have several things to "research" yet. Just a quick note to ya'all out in cyberland that I am chillin' with the Jackal, dirtram, Poppa Vinnie, Pawn Shop Willie, B-Rent, and Juhls. Havin' a great time. Got a messenger bag for swag this year. I could live in this thing, it's hyooooooogggee! I'll have some pics and more detailed product info comin' soon! Should be back later tonight. OUT!

It Is Time!!!!

It is time to go to the Trek Show! I'll be leaving Saturday about 1:30 or so to head on up to Madison, Wisconsin. I will be posting a huge report here, and on Twenty Nine Inches.com. There will also be a report on mtbr.com that I will be contributing to. I may get a chance to ride some at the mountain bike trail at the Trek factory, or may not, depending on if I can get away for awhile. I also might be taking in the Trek Factory tour, also dependant on everybody else's schedule. We are staying overnight, but if it's anything like last year, the important people will want to jet home asap after breakfast. Oh well, I'll do what I can do! There will be a ride here tomorrow, possibly to Ingawanis, packing, drop off at the shop to meet up with Leans On Wood for the trip up, and I'm gone until Sunday night. I'll try and post my thoughts then, and hopefully, many pics! Until then..........................

Large, obnoxious, fundamentally tasteless timepiece courtesy of Leans On Wood. Thanks Buddy!!!!!

It Is Time!!!!

It is time to go to the Trek Show! I'll be leaving Saturday about 1:30 or so to head on up to Madison, Wisconsin. I will be posting a huge report here, and on Twenty Nine Inches.com. There will also be a report on mtbr.com that I will be contributing to. I may get a chance to ride some at the mountain bike trail at the Trek factory, or may not, depending on if I can get away for awhile. I also might be taking in the Trek Factory tour, also dependant on everybody else's schedule. We are staying overnight, but if it's anything like last year, the important people will want to jet home asap after breakfast. Oh well, I'll do what I can do! There will be a ride here tomorrow, possibly to Ingawanis, packing, drop off at the shop to meet up with Leans On Wood for the trip up, and I'm gone until Sunday night. I'll try and post my thoughts then, and hopefully, many pics! Until then..........................

Large, obnoxious, fundamentally tasteless timepiece courtesy of Leans On Wood. Thanks Buddy!!!!!

Of Slackers, Leaks, and Geeks!

Slacker: I noticed the other day that Mr.24 had been slacking off a little, and that he missed posting for a day. Well, this is what he has been up to lately, so now you know, and knowing is half the battle! (And on company time no less! Are you taking notes, Leans On Wood?)

Leaks: I see on the message board dedicated to all things 29 inch wheeled that Gary Fisher has shown a sneak peak of several new 29 inch specific goodies coming our way! An under $1000.00 hardtail, The Rig as a frame/ rigid fork only combo, two rigid Bontrager forks, and a new Race Day suspension platform available in spring! Wahoo! I can't wait to get to the show! (Trek Show this weekend, that is)

Geeks: It was geek bike day at the ol' shop! Two recumbent trikes built, and one recumbent tune-up. With only one extended reach clamp for the workstands, the day got kinda balled up. I did get to do an extended test ride on one of the trikes. I was doing two wheeled turns and just about high sided it during a high speed descent! Wa-hoo-hoo-hooooo! I have a new appreciation for why we call these things death sleds!

That's all for today! I hope Mr 24 has his air intakes all ported and polished for this weekends assault on Camp Ingawanis! He'll be puttin' the hurt on anyone that dares to show up, I'm sure! As for me, I'll be blazin' a trail up there the day before, all by my lonesome! Goin' to the show on Saturday! (YES! I am excited!) Sunday I'll be in Madtown whilst the group is ragin' the camp! Can't wait to hear the tales of woe when I get back!

Of Slackers, Leaks, and Geeks!

Slacker: I noticed the other day that Mr.24 had been slacking off a little, and that he missed posting for a day. Well, this is what he has been up to lately, so now you know, and knowing is half the battle! (And on company time no less! Are you taking notes, Leans On Wood?)

Leaks: I see on the message board dedicated to all things 29 inch wheeled that Gary Fisher has shown a sneak peak of several new 29 inch specific goodies coming our way! An under $1000.00 hardtail, The Rig as a frame/ rigid fork only combo, two rigid Bontrager forks, and a new Race Day suspension platform available in spring! Wahoo! I can't wait to get to the show! (Trek Show this weekend, that is)

Geeks: It was geek bike day at the ol' shop! Two recumbent trikes built, and one recumbent tune-up. With only one extended reach clamp for the workstands, the day got kinda balled up. I did get to do an extended test ride on one of the trikes. I was doing two wheeled turns and just about high sided it during a high speed descent! Wa-hoo-hoo-hooooo! I have a new appreciation for why we call these things death sleds!

That's all for today! I hope Mr 24 has his air intakes all ported and polished for this weekends assault on Camp Ingawanis! He'll be puttin' the hurt on anyone that dares to show up, I'm sure! As for me, I'll be blazin' a trail up there the day before, all by my lonesome! Goin' to the show on Saturday! (YES! I am excited!) Sunday I'll be in Madtown whilst the group is ragin' the camp! Can't wait to hear the tales of woe when I get back!

Garage Bike Classics

Today's classic is a rather rare example of a top of the line Peugot racing bike. True, there are a ton of Peugot's out there, but think of this as the "Madone SL" of it's day.

The French not only had their own home made frames that they could ride, but also there own groupset- Simplex! For many of you old timers, Simplex= plastic= bad! Well, not this time, buddy! This is kitted out with the all alloy Simplex derailluers, shifters, and the ever so rare Simplex seat pin. Brakes are Campy, along with the levers. Wheels are not standard issue, but period correct Phil Wood hubs on Mavic rims. Campy skewers, and a rare Stronglight Model 99 crankset round out the spec on this Reynolds 531 frame and fork.

Pretty crazy fact about this bike is that is was on loan to a son as a college commuter for about a year! Now it does duty as the "loaner bike" for the owner. Nutty! A true classic relegated to mule duty. Oh well! Until the next dusty, crusty, old gem comes through, adios!

Garage Bike Classics

Today's classic is a rather rare example of a top of the line Peugot racing bike. True, there are a ton of Peugot's out there, but think of this as the "Madone SL" of it's day.

The French not only had their own home made frames that they could ride, but also there own groupset- Simplex! For many of you old timers, Simplex= plastic= bad! Well, not this time, buddy! This is kitted out with the all alloy Simplex derailluers, shifters, and the ever so rare Simplex seat pin. Brakes are Campy, along with the levers. Wheels are not standard issue, but period correct Phil Wood hubs on Mavic rims. Campy skewers, and a rare Stronglight Model 99 crankset round out the spec on this Reynolds 531 frame and fork.

Pretty crazy fact about this bike is that is was on loan to a son as a college commuter for about a year! Now it does duty as the "loaner bike" for the owner. Nutty! A true classic relegated to mule duty. Oh well! Until the next dusty, crusty, old gem comes through, adios!

Coming To An Endurance Event Soon!

Today our Cannondale rep stopped by with the much anticipated "marathon" bike that he's been teasing me with for over a year now. Say hello to the "Rush" marathon/ endurance bike! This is the third bike model down from the top of the line team model. There are a couple lower models than this one. This baby pictured here runs at a msrp of $3400.00. That's right! You probably won't see this in the secret underground labratory of Guitar Ted. Too spendy for me. So I thoroughly enjoyed thrashing around out behind the shop on this sled today! Mr. 24 even took it for a spin, but I'm not even sure he can speak of it, since he is sponsored by Giant. Let's just say he wouldn't turn down an opportunity to thrash one for a full 24hrs!

What did I think? Well, I haven't really ever been on anything dual suspended that was made in this century, so anything would be a revelation to me! In fact, just about everything bolted to this bike was a "first time" for me! Call me a retrogrouch, and you'd probably be right! But I'm not so dumb that I could step into something new and deny the bennies. So, let's see....tubeless tires- good.....flippy shifters- whatever!.....hydro brakes, good.....Lefty fork, decent......platform technology rear shock, it worked.......Oversize handle bar, and stem- again,whatever! .......2 piece crank/bottom bracket, awesome! The bike overall worked as advertised. Four inches of plush travel. What does that mean? Let's put it this way, curbs disappeared as if they were not there. That's plush in my world! Then again, it could be a Stone Temple Pilots song! Ha! I think this would make a very good 24hr or endurance race platform. It's got a single pivot, (I did get it to "kickback" which is a downfall to this design.) it's spec'ed with durable parts,(mostly XT stuff), and it weighed in at 26.5 lbs, with water bottle and cage.


Plus, you get the added benefit of reflective graphics! How can you miss? Well, it may not be perfect,....it is, after all, a twenty six inch wheeled bike! Make one in the adult wheeled size and you'd really have something! A "leviathan" of sorts!

Coming To An Endurance Event Soon!

Today our Cannondale rep stopped by with the much anticipated "marathon" bike that he's been teasing me with for over a year now. Say hello to the "Rush" marathon/ endurance bike! This is the third bike model down from the top of the line team model. There are a couple lower models than this one. This baby pictured here runs at a msrp of $3400.00. That's right! You probably won't see this in the secret underground labratory of Guitar Ted. Too spendy for me. So I thoroughly enjoyed thrashing around out behind the shop on this sled today! Mr. 24 even took it for a spin, but I'm not even sure he can speak of it, since he is sponsored by Giant. Let's just say he wouldn't turn down an opportunity to thrash one for a full 24hrs!

What did I think? Well, I haven't really ever been on anything dual suspended that was made in this century, so anything would be a revelation to me! In fact, just about everything bolted to this bike was a "first time" for me! Call me a retrogrouch, and you'd probably be right! But I'm not so dumb that I could step into something new and deny the bennies. So, let's see....tubeless tires- good.....flippy shifters- whatever!.....hydro brakes, good.....Lefty fork, decent......platform technology rear shock, it worked.......Oversize handle bar, and stem- again,whatever! .......2 piece crank/bottom bracket, awesome! The bike overall worked as advertised. Four inches of plush travel. What does that mean? Let's put it this way, curbs disappeared as if they were not there. That's plush in my world! Then again, it could be a Stone Temple Pilots song! Ha! I think this would make a very good 24hr or endurance race platform. It's got a single pivot, (I did get it to "kickback" which is a downfall to this design.) it's spec'ed with durable parts,(mostly XT stuff), and it weighed in at 26.5 lbs, with water bottle and cage.


Plus, you get the added benefit of reflective graphics! How can you miss? Well, it may not be perfect,....it is, after all, a twenty six inch wheeled bike! Make one in the adult wheeled size and you'd really have something! A "leviathan" of sorts!

I Work With Monkees!

I e-mailed Jeff to ask if I left my camera on my bench at work. This is the response I got. I guess it's his version of "e-mail". Or perhaps it's "de-mail" in this case- devo-lution! Any resemblance to the artists is purely coincidental!

(These guys RULE, by the way!)




I didn't actually get to work with that monkee today, but the one I did get to work with was rather surly! I think he'd rather be doing something else ..................


Well, Summer is about all gone, and we are fast approaching the time of year that gets me pumped to go mountainbiking.....Fall! Also the time of year for Mr. 24's biggest race. Be sure to keep up with the last minute preparations here. It will also be the time of year that the finalization of the 2006 Trans Iowa course occurs. Mucho window time in my immediate future! Look for future updates on the Trans Iowa page soon!

I Work With Monkees!

I e-mailed Jeff to ask if I left my camera on my bench at work. This is the response I got. I guess it's his version of "e-mail". Or perhaps it's "de-mail" in this case- devo-lution! Any resemblance to the artists is purely coincidental!

(These guys RULE, by the way!)




I didn't actually get to work with that monkee today, but the one I did get to work with was rather surly! I think he'd rather be doing something else ..................


Well, Summer is about all gone, and we are fast approaching the time of year that gets me pumped to go mountainbiking.....Fall! Also the time of year for Mr. 24's biggest race. Be sure to keep up with the last minute preparations here. It will also be the time of year that the finalization of the 2006 Trans Iowa course occurs. Mucho window time in my immediate future! Look for future updates on the Trans Iowa page soon!

Blackburn Quadrant LED Light Review

Well, with the recent Trails Festival Night Ride recently run, I thought I'd post up a review of a typical "commuter" type headlamp that is currently available. On tap for today is Blackburn's entry into the currently hot market of LED lamp technology. The big deal here is that the lamps don't ever really "burn out" since they don't work in the same manner as a typical incandescent bulb. Battery life is also much improved. So, sounds pretty cool, huh? Well, all is not well in LED land, I'll be the first to tell you!

I have been pretty pumped about LED technology for awhile since the benefits and potential is huge. Pulling the whole enchilada off in one package has been pretty tough for most entering into this new arena of light technology, though. I've been disappointed on more than one occaision, and what's more, it's not always the quality of light that is the downfall!

As for today's subject, we have a very promising LED light that, despite it's wierd styling, has a brilliant white light that promised to be a contender to the Cat Eye EL-500 light that is currently the king of commuter lights as far as I'm concerned. In addition to the constant beam, the Quadrant features a couple of flashing modes that, other than extending the battery run time, are essentially useless. By the way, battery run time on steady mode is estimated to be over a hundred hours! Cool! The battery compartment is accessed by using a small rubber thumbscrew that is cleverly designed into the case at the rear of the light. Batteries are included, and mount easily. The quick release handle bar mount is really quick release, and is easily adjusted via a thumbscrew to different handle bar sizes. ( Question- why do we need so many different handlebar sizes?! A possible rant, eh?) Anyway, handlebar size is not an issue with the Quadrant. The main light unit then slides onto the bar mount, and clicks into place. However; I had a HUGE issue with this interface! On the first outing, my normal route home, I lost the main unit off the handlebar an amazing THREE TIMES in about 100 yards!!! These were normal jolts that I feel any light system HAS TO HANDLE in order to be usefull to anybody. One was a typical drop off a curb to a street. The other two were on a section of rough, broken pavement. Nothing unusual. All done at about 12mph. I had to cease the test on the first ride! I was bummed! I will say that the Quadrant took three HEAVY hits and it didn't faze the operation of the light one bit. In fact, the only damage was to the case, as it got scratched up sliding and bouncing off the pavement! Impressive! If Blackburn would re-evaluate that nasty mounting interface, they probably would have a contender here. As it is, it's an utter failure as a usefull piece of cycling equipment. Too bad!

I had an inkling that this might happen, as I had a similar experience in the shop a couple days before hand. I mounted a couple of these lights on a pair of customers bikes and I accidentally knocked both of them off the bar mounts with a slight lean into them while I was adjusting some other bits. Strange, I thought, but now I know why. Blackburn needs to get this fixed, or you'll have to take it WAY EASY on the smooth bike path to get any use out of this puppy!

Well, enough about that! Guess I'll be going with the most excellent Cat Eye EL-500 as my undisputed king of commuter lights! You should too!

Blackburn Quadrant LED Light Review

Well, with the recent Trails Festival Night Ride recently run, I thought I'd post up a review of a typical "commuter" type headlamp that is currently available. On tap for today is Blackburn's entry into the currently hot market of LED lamp technology. The big deal here is that the lamps don't ever really "burn out" since they don't work in the same manner as a typical incandescent bulb. Battery life is also much improved. So, sounds pretty cool, huh? Well, all is not well in LED land, I'll be the first to tell you!

I have been pretty pumped about LED technology for awhile since the benefits and potential is huge. Pulling the whole enchilada off in one package has been pretty tough for most entering into this new arena of light technology, though. I've been disappointed on more than one occaision, and what's more, it's not always the quality of light that is the downfall!

As for today's subject, we have a very promising LED light that, despite it's wierd styling, has a brilliant white light that promised to be a contender to the Cat Eye EL-500 light that is currently the king of commuter lights as far as I'm concerned. In addition to the constant beam, the Quadrant features a couple of flashing modes that, other than extending the battery run time, are essentially useless. By the way, battery run time on steady mode is estimated to be over a hundred hours! Cool! The battery compartment is accessed by using a small rubber thumbscrew that is cleverly designed into the case at the rear of the light. Batteries are included, and mount easily. The quick release handle bar mount is really quick release, and is easily adjusted via a thumbscrew to different handle bar sizes. ( Question- why do we need so many different handlebar sizes?! A possible rant, eh?) Anyway, handlebar size is not an issue with the Quadrant. The main light unit then slides onto the bar mount, and clicks into place. However; I had a HUGE issue with this interface! On the first outing, my normal route home, I lost the main unit off the handlebar an amazing THREE TIMES in about 100 yards!!! These were normal jolts that I feel any light system HAS TO HANDLE in order to be usefull to anybody. One was a typical drop off a curb to a street. The other two were on a section of rough, broken pavement. Nothing unusual. All done at about 12mph. I had to cease the test on the first ride! I was bummed! I will say that the Quadrant took three HEAVY hits and it didn't faze the operation of the light one bit. In fact, the only damage was to the case, as it got scratched up sliding and bouncing off the pavement! Impressive! If Blackburn would re-evaluate that nasty mounting interface, they probably would have a contender here. As it is, it's an utter failure as a usefull piece of cycling equipment. Too bad!

I had an inkling that this might happen, as I had a similar experience in the shop a couple days before hand. I mounted a couple of these lights on a pair of customers bikes and I accidentally knocked both of them off the bar mounts with a slight lean into them while I was adjusting some other bits. Strange, I thought, but now I know why. Blackburn needs to get this fixed, or you'll have to take it WAY EASY on the smooth bike path to get any use out of this puppy!

Well, enough about that! Guess I'll be going with the most excellent Cat Eye EL-500 as my undisputed king of commuter lights! You should too!

Too Wet To Plow!: Verse II

That's right, It's raining again! Fantastic! I'm going to take this opportunity to address some recent comments and post topics. Here goes!

1. The Swirling Black Hole of Bicycle Parts: Also, tied into the Trails Festival Fiasco- It seems that Leans On Wood is a reader of these pages. ( Hello! I hope you're having a good day, by the way!) and so, my commenting here on the blog seems to have resulted in the change of a few things. No more "black hole", and I was relieved of my trails festival duties yesterday. Cool! Thanks Buddy! However; that rain outside probably made the turn out rather low, and tonights festivities look to be headed for a soaking too. So, probably won't be too big a deal anyway.

2. Getting "rained out" on my commute: dirtram says, " It's easier to pedal in the snow than the rain." Yes, true that! Not only do you not get soaked, but you also avoid the risk of becoming a lightning rod! Additionally, I was thinking of joining Mr. 24 on that gravel grinder today, but wet, gritty chamois is not my cup of tea, sorry!

3. Trip to Madtown! I will be having to ride up with someone else to the show. I still am down to one car yet. ( a long, sad story!) So, in order that my wife and kids can get around while I'm gone, I'll be hitchin' a ride with the rest of the shop crew. We are due to arrive on Saturday, so I'll be looking up the following folks: dirtram, Poppa Vinnie, jed gammel, Pawn Shop Willie, and any body else hanging around on Saturday. I am planning on doing some dirt riding at the new mountain bike park too. We will probably bug out Sunday morning, late. See you there! Unfortunately, I won't be able to bring up a bike, or ride anywhere up along the way. I'm sure that the others wouldn't be too keen on sittin' around whilst I was galavanting around in the woods!

4. Coffee Machine, 86'ed! The ol' coffee machine died last night, so I had to break out the Mr. Coffee micro machine for this mornings black goodness. Word to you coffee addicts, ALWAYS HAVE A BACK UP PLAN! You never know when a coffee emergency may arise in your life!

Okay, enough of the trivial! Some more bicycle related stuff will be up later this afternoon, so stay tuned!

Too Wet To Plow!: Verse II

That's right, It's raining again! Fantastic! I'm going to take this opportunity to address some recent comments and post topics. Here goes!

1. The Swirling Black Hole of Bicycle Parts: Also, tied into the Trails Festival Fiasco- It seems that Leans On Wood is a reader of these pages. ( Hello! I hope you're having a good day, by the way!) and so, my commenting here on the blog seems to have resulted in the change of a few things. No more "black hole", and I was relieved of my trails festival duties yesterday. Cool! Thanks Buddy! However; that rain outside probably made the turn out rather low, and tonights festivities look to be headed for a soaking too. So, probably won't be too big a deal anyway.

2. Getting "rained out" on my commute: dirtram says, " It's easier to pedal in the snow than the rain." Yes, true that! Not only do you not get soaked, but you also avoid the risk of becoming a lightning rod! Additionally, I was thinking of joining Mr. 24 on that gravel grinder today, but wet, gritty chamois is not my cup of tea, sorry!

3. Trip to Madtown! I will be having to ride up with someone else to the show. I still am down to one car yet. ( a long, sad story!) So, in order that my wife and kids can get around while I'm gone, I'll be hitchin' a ride with the rest of the shop crew. We are due to arrive on Saturday, so I'll be looking up the following folks: dirtram, Poppa Vinnie, jed gammel, Pawn Shop Willie, and any body else hanging around on Saturday. I am planning on doing some dirt riding at the new mountain bike park too. We will probably bug out Sunday morning, late. See you there! Unfortunately, I won't be able to bring up a bike, or ride anywhere up along the way. I'm sure that the others wouldn't be too keen on sittin' around whilst I was galavanting around in the woods!

4. Coffee Machine, 86'ed! The ol' coffee machine died last night, so I had to break out the Mr. Coffee micro machine for this mornings black goodness. Word to you coffee addicts, ALWAYS HAVE A BACK UP PLAN! You never know when a coffee emergency may arise in your life!

Okay, enough of the trivial! Some more bicycle related stuff will be up later this afternoon, so stay tuned!

Too Wet To Plow!

Got rained out on the commute this morning. I think the group ride probably got a little wet, as well. I'll have to wait to hear from Mr. 24 on how his "ragin'" went! Swirling Black Hole of Bicycle Parts Update: The thing must have imploded upon itself last night! I got to work this morning and it was completely gone! I suppose it reached critical mass, and just sucked itself into oblivion..........or something!

Well, the Trek Show fiasco has garnered some attention apparently. I'm getting some e-mail about it. I just wish that companies like Trek would realize that things like this tend to have a negative effect on bicycle shop employees. I do not have the same level of trust and loyalty that I had before this "incident". Think about it this way. I was pretty pumped to see the new model year merchandise. I was excited to talk about it, then the news that Trek wanted to charge my shop $200.00 for me to come. It used to be no charge! What? They must not want me to come, because neither my shop, nor I can swing that kind of cash, just for me to come up and stay overnight. Well, thankfully that has been resolved for this year. What about next year? hmm...............maybe we could all camp out, ragbrai style and have a wing-ding! Sounds good to me!

This years Trails Festival may turn out to be a wet one! Saturday's forecasts are calling for scattered thunderstorms throughout the day. whoopee! Dodging raindrops and lightening bolts sounds like an exciting way to spend my Saturday. Of course, Mr. 24 would just call it an extreme case of swamp-ass conditions and merrily go about his business, but then again- he's not quite right now, is he? Well, I suppose he's no less touched than I am! I just hope that the surly people stay at home! I have got a totally jacked up schedule this weekend, and I won't suffer fools gladly! Bad attitude? hmm........... maybe, but I seem to remember being promised that I wouldn't have to work on weekends the rest of the summer awhile back, and it being still summer and all..............Let's just say that a split shift on a supposed weekend off isn't going down too smooth! Add to that the weekend that I have to work on Saturday coming up on September the 10th, ( still technically summer) and you might see how a bad attitude would be hard to resist! Well, maybe not! Maybe your nicer than I. maybe! Okay, whining mode off!

I guess it must be the gloomy weather, because this post sounds pretty negative! Time for the bed, sleep, and a new day tomorrow! OUT!

Too Wet To Plow!

Got rained out on the commute this morning. I think the group ride probably got a little wet, as well. I'll have to wait to hear from Mr. 24 on how his "ragin'" went! Swirling Black Hole of Bicycle Parts Update: The thing must have imploded upon itself last night! I got to work this morning and it was completely gone! I suppose it reached critical mass, and just sucked itself into oblivion..........or something!

Well, the Trek Show fiasco has garnered some attention apparently. I'm getting some e-mail about it. I just wish that companies like Trek would realize that things like this tend to have a negative effect on bicycle shop employees. I do not have the same level of trust and loyalty that I had before this "incident". Think about it this way. I was pretty pumped to see the new model year merchandise. I was excited to talk about it, then the news that Trek wanted to charge my shop $200.00 for me to come. It used to be no charge! What? They must not want me to come, because neither my shop, nor I can swing that kind of cash, just for me to come up and stay overnight. Well, thankfully that has been resolved for this year. What about next year? hmm...............maybe we could all camp out, ragbrai style and have a wing-ding! Sounds good to me!

This years Trails Festival may turn out to be a wet one! Saturday's forecasts are calling for scattered thunderstorms throughout the day. whoopee! Dodging raindrops and lightening bolts sounds like an exciting way to spend my Saturday. Of course, Mr. 24 would just call it an extreme case of swamp-ass conditions and merrily go about his business, but then again- he's not quite right now, is he? Well, I suppose he's no less touched than I am! I just hope that the surly people stay at home! I have got a totally jacked up schedule this weekend, and I won't suffer fools gladly! Bad attitude? hmm........... maybe, but I seem to remember being promised that I wouldn't have to work on weekends the rest of the summer awhile back, and it being still summer and all..............Let's just say that a split shift on a supposed weekend off isn't going down too smooth! Add to that the weekend that I have to work on Saturday coming up on September the 10th, ( still technically summer) and you might see how a bad attitude would be hard to resist! Well, maybe not! Maybe your nicer than I. maybe! Okay, whining mode off!

I guess it must be the gloomy weather, because this post sounds pretty negative! Time for the bed, sleep, and a new day tomorrow! OUT!

I Thought We Were Finally Over This.......

The Swirling Black Hole of Bicycle Parts has reappeared in the shop area at work!
Guitar Ted Productions

Well, I guess we aren't getting this out of our system. "Someone" seems to think that Mr 24 and I need to run an obstacle while we are at work! We had a similar problem earlier in the year. I think some people are just wired a little differently. They just can't seem to function without a certain level of chaos in their lives. Unfortunately, this tends to have a very negative effect on those of us in society that could just as well do without such nuisances. Anyway, place your bets on how long this mess will lay undisturbed and the winner will be deemed wisecracker of the week! Tip: It's already been dormant for three full days, so far! Jeff swears he can hear it softly speaking to him....suck.....suck.....suck......

Warning to anyone visiting our shop! Stay out of the shop area! You might just get tripped up by the Swirling Black Hole of Bicycle Parts! Well, if that doesn't get you, then Carlos Lord Jackal of the Sith may obliterate you from his Imperial Star Cruiser now circling our planet! Carlos, you are trippin' us out here, doode!

Pancakes are about to arrive here at the Guitar Ted family table! OUT!

I Thought We Were Finally Over This.......

The Swirling Black Hole of Bicycle Parts has reappeared in the shop area at work!
Guitar Ted Productions

Well, I guess we aren't getting this out of our system. "Someone" seems to think that Mr 24 and I need to run an obstacle while we are at work! We had a similar problem earlier in the year. I think some people are just wired a little differently. They just can't seem to function without a certain level of chaos in their lives. Unfortunately, this tends to have a very negative effect on those of us in society that could just as well do without such nuisances. Anyway, place your bets on how long this mess will lay undisturbed and the winner will be deemed wisecracker of the week! Tip: It's already been dormant for three full days, so far! Jeff swears he can hear it softly speaking to him....suck.....suck.....suck......

Warning to anyone visiting our shop! Stay out of the shop area! You might just get tripped up by the Swirling Black Hole of Bicycle Parts! Well, if that doesn't get you, then Carlos Lord Jackal of the Sith may obliterate you from his Imperial Star Cruiser now circling our planet! Carlos, you are trippin' us out here, doode!

Pancakes are about to arrive here at the Guitar Ted family table! OUT!

Good News On "The Show"

Well, it looks like maybe things will work out for me to attend the Trek Show afterall! I guess there has been enough squeeking on the net here to bring the attention of the wheels at Waterloo to bear on the problem. Good! I'm a bit grumpy about how the brass in Trek-land tried to pull that off under the radar, but I'm the forgiving type. (smile- wink!) So, I guess I'll be seeing some old friends and aquaintences, which should be fun! Also, the dirt on the new 29 inch wheel stuff will be dug up and proffered here for ya'all's perusal. Can't wait! Plan on the dirt demo too! It promises to be a hoot! ( So says Poppa Vinny!)

I got word that I have bike check in duty on Saturday am. for one of the trails festival rides. ( Insert yawn here!) I'm sure there will be plenty of gratuitous tippers on hand, pleased to return in greenbacks what I have offered in service! ( kaf! kaf!) Keeping in mind, this is Waterloo,Iowa we are talking about! Speaking of which...did you hear? Waterloo was mentioned in national radio news reports as being one of the cheapest housing markets in the U.S.A. Just goes to show you, it's not Waterloo, it's Ghetto-loo! Bet we'll see a huge influx of potential housing buyers from that news! Awesome!

Shop repair madness is abating somewhat. Seems that the new bike business is starting to pick up already again, though. Just sold a bike today to a returning college student, so we have a bit of that to look forward to. Plus the night ride for the trails festival should wipe us out of lights. If you don't know what I'm talking about, imagine 4-500 people out on the local bike path all at the same time, at night, with cheesy 2.5 watt halogen candles strapped to their bars! Add in copious amounts of alchohol, perhaps a smattering of recreational drug use, and a few meth heads, and you have a recipie for disaster! I went on this ride once..........once!

Okay, that's it for me! Time to hit the hay and look forward to getting my Salsa stem tomorrow! Wahoo!

Good News On "The Show"

Well, it looks like maybe things will work out for me to attend the Trek Show afterall! I guess there has been enough squeeking on the net here to bring the attention of the wheels at Waterloo to bear on the problem. Good! I'm a bit grumpy about how the brass in Trek-land tried to pull that off under the radar, but I'm the forgiving type. (smile- wink!) So, I guess I'll be seeing some old friends and aquaintences, which should be fun! Also, the dirt on the new 29 inch wheel stuff will be dug up and proffered here for ya'all's perusal. Can't wait! Plan on the dirt demo too! It promises to be a hoot! ( So says Poppa Vinny!)

I got word that I have bike check in duty on Saturday am. for one of the trails festival rides. ( Insert yawn here!) I'm sure there will be plenty of gratuitous tippers on hand, pleased to return in greenbacks what I have offered in service! ( kaf! kaf!) Keeping in mind, this is Waterloo,Iowa we are talking about! Speaking of which...did you hear? Waterloo was mentioned in national radio news reports as being one of the cheapest housing markets in the U.S.A. Just goes to show you, it's not Waterloo, it's Ghetto-loo! Bet we'll see a huge influx of potential housing buyers from that news! Awesome!

Shop repair madness is abating somewhat. Seems that the new bike business is starting to pick up already again, though. Just sold a bike today to a returning college student, so we have a bit of that to look forward to. Plus the night ride for the trails festival should wipe us out of lights. If you don't know what I'm talking about, imagine 4-500 people out on the local bike path all at the same time, at night, with cheesy 2.5 watt halogen candles strapped to their bars! Add in copious amounts of alchohol, perhaps a smattering of recreational drug use, and a few meth heads, and you have a recipie for disaster! I went on this ride once..........once!

Okay, that's it for me! Time to hit the hay and look forward to getting my Salsa stem tomorrow! Wahoo!

Easy On The Wash Cycle There, Son!

Note the water on the floor. It all came out of this bikes headset when I hung it in my stand today to work on it!
Guitar Ted Productions

Today I got a wet surprise when I hung this nice Trek 5200 in the stand. Water! Ach! "Must be another open bottle in a cage", I thought to myself. Nope! It was coming out of the headset. Last time I cracked open a headset, I didn't find any water. Just grease and bearings. So, where did all that water come from? Well, my guess is this fellow washed it after his ragbrai adventure. Water, especially the high pressure delivered kind, likes to get into places it doesn't belong. Like the inside of your frame! This particular bike sat for a couple of days in the back room of the shop before I got it out to work on it. Soooo, that means that the bottom bracket got marinated in a watery bath for at least that long, if not longer. When I removed it, sure enough, I could tell there had been water all over it, and probably inside it too. Nice! But what do I know? Maybe this guy wants a new bottom bracket. This might just be his twisted call for help! Hmm.......maybe NOT!

Remember cycling fans, water in your frame is BAD! Go easy on the wash cycle. Don't be gettin' all manly with the Briggs and Stratton power washer, okay? Gentle! Try mixin' that word in with your cleaning routine, and you'll have a happy bike. Use water out of a bucket with a sponge, if you have to use water. I like spraying on a product called Pedro's Bike Lust for that sexy shine! But other stuff used in moderation can work too. Like Formula 409, or plain ol' Windex. Hey, maybe just clean your bike! Like, once in while, okay? It's a good way to inspect your bike, ( something else you should be doing!) and it keeps mechanics at the shop happy. Nothing like working on a worm gutted, greasy, white lighteninged, neglected bicycle. BAH! Come to think of it, maybe the owner of the 5200 had me in mind after all! I got to work on a clean bike, AND I got to laugh about it at the same time! WOW! Am I happy, or what!? Thanks, Buddy!!!

Easy On The Wash Cycle There, Son!

Note the water on the floor. It all came out of this bikes headset when I hung it in my stand today to work on it!
Guitar Ted Productions

Today I got a wet surprise when I hung this nice Trek 5200 in the stand. Water! Ach! "Must be another open bottle in a cage", I thought to myself. Nope! It was coming out of the headset. Last time I cracked open a headset, I didn't find any water. Just grease and bearings. So, where did all that water come from? Well, my guess is this fellow washed it after his ragbrai adventure. Water, especially the high pressure delivered kind, likes to get into places it doesn't belong. Like the inside of your frame! This particular bike sat for a couple of days in the back room of the shop before I got it out to work on it. Soooo, that means that the bottom bracket got marinated in a watery bath for at least that long, if not longer. When I removed it, sure enough, I could tell there had been water all over it, and probably inside it too. Nice! But what do I know? Maybe this guy wants a new bottom bracket. This might just be his twisted call for help! Hmm.......maybe NOT!

Remember cycling fans, water in your frame is BAD! Go easy on the wash cycle. Don't be gettin' all manly with the Briggs and Stratton power washer, okay? Gentle! Try mixin' that word in with your cleaning routine, and you'll have a happy bike. Use water out of a bucket with a sponge, if you have to use water. I like spraying on a product called Pedro's Bike Lust for that sexy shine! But other stuff used in moderation can work too. Like Formula 409, or plain ol' Windex. Hey, maybe just clean your bike! Like, once in while, okay? It's a good way to inspect your bike, ( something else you should be doing!) and it keeps mechanics at the shop happy. Nothing like working on a worm gutted, greasy, white lighteninged, neglected bicycle. BAH! Come to think of it, maybe the owner of the 5200 had me in mind after all! I got to work on a clean bike, AND I got to laugh about it at the same time! WOW! Am I happy, or what!? Thanks, Buddy!!!

Ride Report: Gravel Grinder To Ingawanis

Today was the shakedown cruise to Ingawanis for the new set-up on the Karate Monkey. Also, it was the first time in almost three years that I'd ridden up there. That's a downright shame! This place has more trails, and better riding than about anywhere in Iowa. There are a few things that could be better, but I'll get to that in a minute.

First, the new handle bar set up is going to the cat's pajamas! Yes, going to be! I've got one minor problem to solve yet, but that will happen just as soon as the Salsa Moto Ace stem I ordered shows up. The parts bin special I have on there now is pretty marginal, and in fact, it let the bars slip, and rotate foward on a downhill today. I decided to get out of Ingawanis after that! No need to eat it because my stem isn't right! Other than that, these bars rock! Several hand posistions kept my hands happy, and numb free for the duration of the ride. I even found an "aero" type of grip/ posistion that worked great. (That reminds me- I need new brake hoods, too!) The brakes worked exceptionally well. The control on downhills, and switchbacks was good. (YES! They have switchbacks in Ingawanis!) Climbing was awesome! I didn't even think about it until after a few uphill grinds, but holding the bars in the drops, standing, and pounding was so natural. I was able to keep the rear end hooking up with no problem. Some of that was due to the nature of 29 inch wheels, no doubt. I did feel a strange sensation during a particularily tough climb towards the end of my time at the camp. Liquid running down over my fingers! I was squeezing the life juices out of the bar tape! Kind of yuck! Oh well, sweat has gotta go somewhere! So, these bars have found a "permanent" home on the Monkee- for now! At least until I'm convinced that there is something better!

A few words about the camp. I am really impressed with the different types of terrain, and the length of trails that Camp Ingawanis has. Several newer trails have been opened up, and the established ones are very fine! I did not make it to the South Unit today, and I understand that it is "better" over on that side, so take the next statements with that in mind. The North Unit is a maze of trails that are bewildering, and I actually got lost for awhile! I finally ran into Paul Meyerman, one of the key individuals in charge of the trails up there. He gave me some pointers which helped me navigate a little better. If you ever run into Paul, please thank him! He has worked like crazy on this trail system, and it's maintenance! Anyway, the trail map at the sign in might help, if it was available to trail riders, but I doubt it. Those trails out there are not marked, and it's easy to get turned around out there. Perhaps a marking system of some sort will be worked out someday, but I'm not complaining! I'm just tickled that we have a place so near to Waterloo/ Cedar Falls that is so nice to ride at! I'll have to hit the South Unit next time up. If you can race on the 28th of this month, you'd better jump at the opportunity to ride these trails! You also can purchase a yearly trail pass from the Ranger, (Tim) or from Paul. Follow the check in procedure, and enjoy!

See the "photo blog" below for more of today's ride!

Ride Report: Gravel Grinder To Ingawanis

Today was the shakedown cruise to Ingawanis for the new set-up on the Karate Monkey. Also, it was the first time in almost three years that I'd ridden up there. That's a downright shame! This place has more trails, and better riding than about anywhere in Iowa. There are a few things that could be better, but I'll get to that in a minute.

First, the new handle bar set up is going to the cat's pajamas! Yes, going to be! I've got one minor problem to solve yet, but that will happen just as soon as the Salsa Moto Ace stem I ordered shows up. The parts bin special I have on there now is pretty marginal, and in fact, it let the bars slip, and rotate foward on a downhill today. I decided to get out of Ingawanis after that! No need to eat it because my stem isn't right! Other than that, these bars rock! Several hand posistions kept my hands happy, and numb free for the duration of the ride. I even found an "aero" type of grip/ posistion that worked great. (That reminds me- I need new brake hoods, too!) The brakes worked exceptionally well. The control on downhills, and switchbacks was good. (YES! They have switchbacks in Ingawanis!) Climbing was awesome! I didn't even think about it until after a few uphill grinds, but holding the bars in the drops, standing, and pounding was so natural. I was able to keep the rear end hooking up with no problem. Some of that was due to the nature of 29 inch wheels, no doubt. I did feel a strange sensation during a particularily tough climb towards the end of my time at the camp. Liquid running down over my fingers! I was squeezing the life juices out of the bar tape! Kind of yuck! Oh well, sweat has gotta go somewhere! So, these bars have found a "permanent" home on the Monkee- for now! At least until I'm convinced that there is something better!

A few words about the camp. I am really impressed with the different types of terrain, and the length of trails that Camp Ingawanis has. Several newer trails have been opened up, and the established ones are very fine! I did not make it to the South Unit today, and I understand that it is "better" over on that side, so take the next statements with that in mind. The North Unit is a maze of trails that are bewildering, and I actually got lost for awhile! I finally ran into Paul Meyerman, one of the key individuals in charge of the trails up there. He gave me some pointers which helped me navigate a little better. If you ever run into Paul, please thank him! He has worked like crazy on this trail system, and it's maintenance! Anyway, the trail map at the sign in might help, if it was available to trail riders, but I doubt it. Those trails out there are not marked, and it's easy to get turned around out there. Perhaps a marking system of some sort will be worked out someday, but I'm not complaining! I'm just tickled that we have a place so near to Waterloo/ Cedar Falls that is so nice to ride at! I'll have to hit the South Unit next time up. If you can race on the 28th of this month, you'd better jump at the opportunity to ride these trails! You also can purchase a yearly trail pass from the Ranger, (Tim) or from Paul. Follow the check in procedure, and enjoy!

See the "photo blog" below for more of today's ride!

Ever wonder why Mount Vernon Road got that name? Yeah, I didn't think so! Anyway, here is the cemetary by that name on that road that I passed on the way to the camp.
Guitar Ted Productions

Ever wonder why Mount Vernon Road got that name? Yeah, I didn't think so! Anyway, here is the cemetary by that name on that road that I passed on the way to the camp.
Guitar Ted Productions

Entrance to main campground at Ingawanis. The Ranger's house is directly to the left, after entering. Stop by and let Tim know your around. If he isn't, go to the sign in board down the service road to the left side, under a covered bulletin board.
Guitar Ted Productions

Entrance to main campground at Ingawanis. The Ranger's house is directly to the left, after entering. Stop by and let Tim know your around. If he isn't, go to the sign in board down the service road to the left side, under a covered bulletin board.
Guitar Ted Productions

Sign in board. VERY IMPORTANT!! Please sign in if/when you ride at Ingawanis! Don't forget to sign out too!
Guitar Ted Productions

Sign in board. VERY IMPORTANT!! Please sign in if/when you ride at Ingawanis! Don't forget to sign out too!
Guitar Ted Productions

Stream crossing, Iowa style. This is where you get to the "South" side from the "North" section of trails.
Guitar Ted Productions

Stream crossing, Iowa style. This is where you get to the "South" side from the "North" section of trails.
Guitar Ted Productions

The guys at the scout camp have vegetation like this to deal with. Man high flowers! Props to Paul Meyerman for his hard work!
Guitar Ted Productions

The guys at the scout camp have vegetation like this to deal with. Man high flowers! Props to Paul Meyerman for his hard work!
Guitar Ted Productions

One of the many climbs. This one is riddled with busted up limeston, and roots. That's my backpack on the right, and my bike is barely visible at the top.
Guitar Ted Productions

One of the many climbs. This one is riddled with busted up limeston, and roots. That's my backpack on the right, and my bike is barely visible at the top.
Guitar Ted Productions

Some of the new singletrack in the "pine wood" section
Guitar Ted Productions

Some of the new singletrack in the "pine wood" section
Guitar Ted Productions

On the way home, I met this! It's best to get out of the way when you see these critters!
Guitar Ted Productions

On the way home, I met this! It's best to get out of the way when you see these critters!
Guitar Ted Productions

Testing..1,2,3.....Testing!

Here's a good side view of the Karate Monkee in it's new form.
Guitar Ted Productions

Going out for a shakedown of the new bar, stem, and brake set-up on the Karate Monkee today. There should be an initial impression/ ride report to follow. I finally got the brakes working the way I would like. That makes me a lot more confident in an off road situation! I think they are just about as good, if not equal to what I had with the flat bar set-up, which was awesome.

Give your thoughts and prayers to Mr 24, who is stuck today with a nearly hopeless situation. It's called Work. Well, there is a little more to it than that, but I'll let it go at that for now! Hopefully, it'll be so busy that the day will fly by, and he won't have time to think about it.

Oh! and I have some new Hammer Gel product to try out, too. Thanks Buddy! (You know who you are!) Note to Eduardo: Yes, I will be toting several bottles in my back pack again today! And, give up the "stick and ball" sports! Puh-leeze! Tri-geeks don't do b-ball!

Summer is on the downslide! It's a beautiful day! Fah-gedda-bout da lawn! Maybe I'll pick up some grazing varmints on my ride and turn 'em loose on the vegetation out back! Have a great ride!

Testing..1,2,3.....Testing!

Here's a good side view of the Karate Monkee in it's new form.
Guitar Ted Productions

Going out for a shakedown of the new bar, stem, and brake set-up on the Karate Monkee today. There should be an initial impression/ ride report to follow. I finally got the brakes working the way I would like. That makes me a lot more confident in an off road situation! I think they are just about as good, if not equal to what I had with the flat bar set-up, which was awesome.

Give your thoughts and prayers to Mr 24, who is stuck today with a nearly hopeless situation. It's called Work. Well, there is a little more to it than that, but I'll let it go at that for now! Hopefully, it'll be so busy that the day will fly by, and he won't have time to think about it.

Oh! and I have some new Hammer Gel product to try out, too. Thanks Buddy! (You know who you are!) Note to Eduardo: Yes, I will be toting several bottles in my back pack again today! And, give up the "stick and ball" sports! Puh-leeze! Tri-geeks don't do b-ball!

Summer is on the downslide! It's a beautiful day! Fah-gedda-bout da lawn! Maybe I'll pick up some grazing varmints on my ride and turn 'em loose on the vegetation out back! Have a great ride!

Friday's Funny Papers

"Death Sled" spooge! Somewhere in there is a bottom bracket!
Guitar Ted Productions

Friday's Funny Papers

"Death Sled" spooge! Somewhere in there is a bottom bracket!
Guitar Ted Productions

Jeff modeling a customers "Death Sled" Remember kiddies, always wear eye protection when riding a "Death Sled" There's always lots of crap flying around when entering the Nether World!
Guitar Ted Productions

Jeff modeling a customers "Death Sled" Remember kiddies, always wear eye protection when riding a "Death Sled" There's always lots of crap flying around when entering the Nether World!
Guitar Ted Productions

Aliens attack! Carlos the Jackal has been brainwashed by extra terrestials! Check out his entry form for an upcoming 24hr race
Guitar Ted Productions

Aliens attack! Carlos the Jackal has been brainwashed by extra terrestials! Check out his entry form for an upcoming 24hr race
Guitar Ted Productions

Another Reason I Don't Like 10 Speed!

Shattered carbon fiber seat stay. Courtesy of Shimano 10 speed chain.
Guitar Ted Productions

Ever get the feeling that you really don't like something, but you just can't say why? You keep getting bad vibes, while everyone around you says your just being paranoid. You know, people just think your a little too passionate about your misgivings, okay? Well, here is my validation for thinking that Shimano's 10 speed systems are evil beyond compare.

The shop I work at sold this fine carbon fiber framed rig with Ultegra 10 speed hardware. The chain was installed according to Shimano's own instructions. Right to the letter! Then, after a few fitting sessions, this bike has been ridden everday for at least three weeks, if not four. Finally, the chain side plate pulled out of the installation pin and whack! Broken derailluer, chain, frame, and tweaked rear wheel! All because of the way the 10 speed system works, er.....doesn't work! It is just a matter of time before more of this stuff starts happening. Chains are too thin. Cross chaining the drivetrain is just not understood by the common person, and parts are astronomically priced. And this is supposed to be better? Okay, I'm missing something here.

I remember when everything was eight speed. People weren't clamoring for more gears. Parts life span was reasonable, as were the replacement parts. You could cross chain till the cows came home and nobody got hurt. Derailluers got ripped apart only if you were unlucky enough to flip a stick up into your spokes, or you had a run in with the local squirrel patrol. Now, sadly, those times have slipped away for this....THIS MADNESS! This 10 speed crapola that will be worn out before you can get into quadruple digits on your cyclo-computer. This narrow chain that breaks if you look at it sideways and rips derailluers of in the blink of an eye. Junk I say, pure junk!

Well, the good news, if you can call it that, is that everything is going to get covered under warranty. Wonder how many times this has to happen before the in box to a certain Japanese company starts getting jammed up?

Another Reason I Don't Like 10 Speed!

Shattered carbon fiber seat stay. Courtesy of Shimano 10 speed chain.
Guitar Ted Productions

Ever get the feeling that you really don't like something, but you just can't say why? You keep getting bad vibes, while everyone around you says your just being paranoid. You know, people just think your a little too passionate about your misgivings, okay? Well, here is my validation for thinking that Shimano's 10 speed systems are evil beyond compare.

The shop I work at sold this fine carbon fiber framed rig with Ultegra 10 speed hardware. The chain was installed according to Shimano's own instructions. Right to the letter! Then, after a few fitting sessions, this bike has been ridden everday for at least three weeks, if not four. Finally, the chain side plate pulled out of the installation pin and whack! Broken derailluer, chain, frame, and tweaked rear wheel! All because of the way the 10 speed system works, er.....doesn't work! It is just a matter of time before more of this stuff starts happening. Chains are too thin. Cross chaining the drivetrain is just not understood by the common person, and parts are astronomically priced. And this is supposed to be better? Okay, I'm missing something here.

I remember when everything was eight speed. People weren't clamoring for more gears. Parts life span was reasonable, as were the replacement parts. You could cross chain till the cows came home and nobody got hurt. Derailluers got ripped apart only if you were unlucky enough to flip a stick up into your spokes, or you had a run in with the local squirrel patrol. Now, sadly, those times have slipped away for this....THIS MADNESS! This 10 speed crapola that will be worn out before you can get into quadruple digits on your cyclo-computer. This narrow chain that breaks if you look at it sideways and rips derailluers of in the blink of an eye. Junk I say, pure junk!

Well, the good news, if you can call it that, is that everything is going to get covered under warranty. Wonder how many times this has to happen before the in box to a certain Japanese company starts getting jammed up?

Bits and Pieces

1. Today Jeff was walking dead! He looked like he was stoned! He blamed it on his sleep paterns being screwed up from 24hrs. of 9 mile. I think he's been sniffin' glue!

2. You just gotta click on the Matt Chester link in my sidebar! This guy has a very unique point of veiw, as well as being pretty humorous. Well, I'm not sure he means to be funny, but he is. Wack at it's best!

3. The new Karate Monkee set up: Okay, okay! I promised pics, and I'll get 'em up, but I want to share what I've got going on. I took off the Titec 118 Ti bar, Avid 2.0 Single Digit levers, Control Tech stem in electric cord orange, and the wonderful Ergon Grips. I put on a generic high rise stem and the marvelous On One Midge handle bar with Bontrager gel tape, and old Shimano SLR aero levers. Yes, it's a drop bar, but not just any ol' drop bar! You'll just have to wait for the pics!

4. More shop repairs now than almost any other time this year. Weird! I thought cycling season ended after ragbrai. Hmm............

5. Krazy schtuff! More wacked people with wacked machinery coming in. It's nuts, but hey! It's business. Just need a little relief to catch up to something like normalcy again. Pint Bros. Update for dirtram: They're still alive and living in W'loo these days. A shout out to ya from them!

6. Recent questions and comments were very welcome. Thanks, and don't be afraid to sound off.

Bits and Pieces

1. Today Jeff was walking dead! He looked like he was stoned! He blamed it on his sleep paterns being screwed up from 24hrs. of 9 mile. I think he's been sniffin' glue!

2. You just gotta click on the Matt Chester link in my sidebar! This guy has a very unique point of veiw, as well as being pretty humorous. Well, I'm not sure he means to be funny, but he is. Wack at it's best!

3. The new Karate Monkee set up: Okay, okay! I promised pics, and I'll get 'em up, but I want to share what I've got going on. I took off the Titec 118 Ti bar, Avid 2.0 Single Digit levers, Control Tech stem in electric cord orange, and the wonderful Ergon Grips. I put on a generic high rise stem and the marvelous On One Midge handle bar with Bontrager gel tape, and old Shimano SLR aero levers. Yes, it's a drop bar, but not just any ol' drop bar! You'll just have to wait for the pics!

4. More shop repairs now than almost any other time this year. Weird! I thought cycling season ended after ragbrai. Hmm............

5. Krazy schtuff! More wacked people with wacked machinery coming in. It's nuts, but hey! It's business. Just need a little relief to catch up to something like normalcy again. Pint Bros. Update for dirtram: They're still alive and living in W'loo these days. A shout out to ya from them!

6. Recent questions and comments were very welcome. Thanks, and don't be afraid to sound off.

Tech Question of the Day

Hey, just a note that since I am a professional bicycle mechanic, I am glad to answer any tech questions you may have out there concerning your bicycle(s). Today's question is from "Jed", who writes.....

Hey GT, Quick wrench question... I recently put a new chain on my mtb, along with the necessary new middle chainring. I'm still getting some slippage - chain length is correct, I'm sure. Any thoughts? Thanks!Jed
9:11 AM.

Well, Jed, you mention that you changed the chain and middle chainring on your mountain bike, but don't forget your cassette cogs! Remember that anytime you change one part of the drivetrain, that the new parts may not mesh with the old ones, which can certainly cause "skipping", or poor shifting. Those cassette cogs actually wear out faster than your middle chainring does. The cassette cogs come in contact with the chain more times than the bigger front chainrings do, plus the force applied to the big rings is spread out over more teeth, reducing wear and tear. I'd make sure to change out the cassette, and I think you'll find your skipping will go bye-bye!

Now, it is possible that something else is causing your problem, like a bent derailluer hanger, mal-adjusted shifter cable, dirty cables, or bent cogs, but if everything was pretty good before you changed parts, I doubt it.

If any one out there has any other questions, just give me a shout here, in the "post a comment" section, or at seveneye7@mchsi.com . I'll be glad to try to help you!

Tech Question of the Day

Hey, just a note that since I am a professional bicycle mechanic, I am glad to answer any tech questions you may have out there concerning your bicycle(s). Today's question is from "Jed", who writes.....

Hey GT, Quick wrench question... I recently put a new chain on my mtb, along with the necessary new middle chainring. I'm still getting some slippage - chain length is correct, I'm sure. Any thoughts? Thanks!Jed
9:11 AM.

Well, Jed, you mention that you changed the chain and middle chainring on your mountain bike, but don't forget your cassette cogs! Remember that anytime you change one part of the drivetrain, that the new parts may not mesh with the old ones, which can certainly cause "skipping", or poor shifting. Those cassette cogs actually wear out faster than your middle chainring does. The cassette cogs come in contact with the chain more times than the bigger front chainrings do, plus the force applied to the big rings is spread out over more teeth, reducing wear and tear. I'd make sure to change out the cassette, and I think you'll find your skipping will go bye-bye!

Now, it is possible that something else is causing your problem, like a bent derailluer hanger, mal-adjusted shifter cable, dirty cables, or bent cogs, but if everything was pretty good before you changed parts, I doubt it.

If any one out there has any other questions, just give me a shout here, in the "post a comment" section, or at seveneye7@mchsi.com . I'll be glad to try to help you!