Tomi-cide!

<===A little hand made death star!

One of the highlights of Frostbike for me was finally getting my Tomi Cog which was hand delivered to me by Arsbars who made the trip up from the South East to see what winter was really supposed to be like!

Anyway, some folks think I'm mad, but this is one of the key pieces towards the completion of my Karate Monkey Fixie Death Machine. (KMFDM for short) It is going to be an off road fixie. Yep! I'm goin' for it, although it will also see plenty of duty as a gravel grinder bike for base training for the upcoming Dirty Kanza 200. I tinkered with the bike a bit last night and it'll be ready soon.

I got another unexpected addition for the build at Frostbike when I scored a Wipperman BMX-1 G 8 chain for the bike. It's a brute of a chain that the Wipperman folks told me would be twice as strong in tensile strength as a regular chain. I suppose that's a good thing for a fixie, which they assured me it was. Well as well as any 6 foot plus German woman could assure me. "Ze chain....yezz it eez veddy stronnngah." Umm.......okay. I believe you......please don't hurt me! Heh heh! So, anyway, yeah........that's a beefy chain all right. Very heavy at least if not veddy stronnngah.

Not that this all matters yet anyway. We got new ice over the weekend and snow on top of it. Now it is -4 Fahrenheit and a bit of a wind plummets the death chill factor to a point where I'm not risking getting any sicker riding out side. Yep! Got a head cold going. Serves me right, I suppose for all the hi-jinx over the weekend. All will be well, I'm sure.

It just means I have time to really dial in the KMFDM before Slop Season hits. Oh yeah, it's got fenders too. I'm ready!

Tomi-cide!

<===A little hand made death star!

One of the highlights of Frostbike for me was finally getting my Tomi Cog which was hand delivered to me by Arsbars who made the trip up from the South East to see what winter was really supposed to be like!

Anyway, some folks think I'm mad, but this is one of the key pieces towards the completion of my Karate Monkey Fixie Death Machine. (KMFDM for short) It is going to be an off road fixie. Yep! I'm goin' for it, although it will also see plenty of duty as a gravel grinder bike for base training for the upcoming Dirty Kanza 200. I tinkered with the bike a bit last night and it'll be ready soon.

I got another unexpected addition for the build at Frostbike when I scored a Wipperman BMX-1 G 8 chain for the bike. It's a brute of a chain that the Wipperman folks told me would be twice as strong in tensile strength as a regular chain. I suppose that's a good thing for a fixie, which they assured me it was. Well as well as any 6 foot plus German woman could assure me. "Ze chain....yezz it eez veddy stronnngah." Umm.......okay. I believe you......please don't hurt me! Heh heh! So, anyway, yeah........that's a beefy chain all right. Very heavy at least if not veddy stronnngah.

Not that this all matters yet anyway. We got new ice over the weekend and snow on top of it. Now it is -4 Fahrenheit and a bit of a wind plummets the death chill factor to a point where I'm not risking getting any sicker riding out side. Yep! Got a head cold going. Serves me right, I suppose for all the hi-jinx over the weekend. All will be well, I'm sure.

It just means I have time to really dial in the KMFDM before Slop Season hits. Oh yeah, it's got fenders too. I'm ready!

Back To Reality

Frostbike is in the history books. I got a chance to see it all from "behind the curtains", so to speak, as I was there to set up and to tear down. It was a long, whirlwind of a weekend that wore me out, and I wasn't even really working all that hard!

The people that set up Frostbike, (The QBP folks) really were pooped. Some of them were not only "getting the house in order" for the show, but had to work the floor during the show as well. I am in awe of all the detail and thought that goes into Frostbike. Sure, somethings went awry, but we are dealing with humans after all. Mainly it went pretty smoothly, as far as I could tell, and looked like a success from where I stood.

Sunday turned out to be a day that saw me chasing down a few details concerning T.I.V4 and generally just finding out some stuff for my own sake concerning the shop job. I also found myself working the Ergon booth for a bit when it got busy while carlos was out wandering around somewhere. Even ol' "dirtram" was seen pitching in. (Locals may know him as Clay). At the end of it all, I helped Carlos tear down and we were on the road by 4pm. However; we wouldn't see our front doors for 4.5 hours. This trip normally takes just a hair over three hours.

The storm we heard about hit with slushy snow that turned a lot of I-35 and HWY 218/27 into an icy mess. Cars and trucks in the ditch were too numerous to count. Much of the trip we were going 30 - 40mph. The good news? We made it with no drama. A little on the edge of our seats, but we made it. Great driving Carlos!

So, today I get an unexpected day off since schools are cancelled here and I'll be with my kids. A big difference from the hectic pace of the weekend!

Thanks for a great weekend to the following: Carl Buchanan, Jason Boucher, George Wissell, All the Salsa Crew, The Surly Boys, Quality Bicycle Products, and the many vendors at the show that I either met or reconnected with. It was great!

Now it's back to my "regularly scheduled programming"!

Back To Reality

Frostbike is in the history books. I got a chance to see it all from "behind the curtains", so to speak, as I was there to set up and to tear down. It was a long, whirlwind of a weekend that wore me out, and I wasn't even really working all that hard!

The people that set up Frostbike, (The QBP folks) really were pooped. Some of them were not only "getting the house in order" for the show, but had to work the floor during the show as well. I am in awe of all the detail and thought that goes into Frostbike. Sure, somethings went awry, but we are dealing with humans after all. Mainly it went pretty smoothly, as far as I could tell, and looked like a success from where I stood.

Sunday turned out to be a day that saw me chasing down a few details concerning T.I.V4 and generally just finding out some stuff for my own sake concerning the shop job. I also found myself working the Ergon booth for a bit when it got busy while carlos was out wandering around somewhere. Even ol' "dirtram" was seen pitching in. (Locals may know him as Clay). At the end of it all, I helped Carlos tear down and we were on the road by 4pm. However; we wouldn't see our front doors for 4.5 hours. This trip normally takes just a hair over three hours.

The storm we heard about hit with slushy snow that turned a lot of I-35 and HWY 218/27 into an icy mess. Cars and trucks in the ditch were too numerous to count. Much of the trip we were going 30 - 40mph. The good news? We made it with no drama. A little on the edge of our seats, but we made it. Great driving Carlos!

So, today I get an unexpected day off since schools are cancelled here and I'll be with my kids. A big difference from the hectic pace of the weekend!

Thanks for a great weekend to the following: Carl Buchanan, Jason Boucher, George Wissell, All the Salsa Crew, The Surly Boys, Quality Bicycle Products, and the many vendors at the show that I either met or reconnected with. It was great!

Now it's back to my "regularly scheduled programming"!

Much Mellower

Well the second day here was a much less eventful day, thankfully, than Friday was. I spent the entire day wandering around inside Frostbike, meeting people, checking out products, and just generally shooting the breeze, especially later in the day.

I finally met George Wissell of Bike 29 after a couple years of missed opportunities. I had a fantastic time hanging out with him and chatting. Beers were had and stories were told and heard. The evening was still young when I finally cashed it in after a much less embarrassing day. And that's okay with me, ya know? I had fun and made some new connections, so it was all good.

Products on the 29"er side of things were awesome, but...................I can't tell ya yet! So many super cool things are happening that will come out later in the year, so don't think for a minute that 29"ers are "flat lining". Nope, no way. 2008 is going to be a great year for big wheelers everywhere.

I can say that there are more tires coming from Hutchinson, Michelin, Panaracer, and Continental. The new Reba should be really sweet. 80-100-120mm travel, convertible internally, 20mm thru-axle, and stiffer chassis then before. Internals are not known at this time, but I think they have been refined somewhat. It will definitely be a "Top Ten" product for 2008, (if it comes out this year) or '09 for sure.

Today, (Sunday) were hearing news of a snowstorm in Iowa that may inhibit my getting home. We'll see. Carlos has the four wheel drive V-dub, so hopefully we'll make it through.

A long weekends recap for you tomorrow. Stay tuned!

Much Mellower

Well the second day here was a much less eventful day, thankfully, than Friday was. I spent the entire day wandering around inside Frostbike, meeting people, checking out products, and just generally shooting the breeze, especially later in the day.

I finally met George Wissell of Bike 29 after a couple years of missed opportunities. I had a fantastic time hanging out with him and chatting. Beers were had and stories were told and heard. The evening was still young when I finally cashed it in after a much less embarrassing day. And that's okay with me, ya know? I had fun and made some new connections, so it was all good.

Products on the 29"er side of things were awesome, but...................I can't tell ya yet! So many super cool things are happening that will come out later in the year, so don't think for a minute that 29"ers are "flat lining". Nope, no way. 2008 is going to be a great year for big wheelers everywhere.

I can say that there are more tires coming from Hutchinson, Michelin, Panaracer, and Continental. The new Reba should be really sweet. 80-100-120mm travel, convertible internally, 20mm thru-axle, and stiffer chassis then before. Internals are not known at this time, but I think they have been refined somewhat. It will definitely be a "Top Ten" product for 2008, (if it comes out this year) or '09 for sure.

Today, (Sunday) were hearing news of a snowstorm in Iowa that may inhibit my getting home. We'll see. Carlos has the four wheel drive V-dub, so hopefully we'll make it through.

A long weekends recap for you tomorrow. Stay tuned!

Fun, Run, And a Big Whoops!

Frostbike 2008 started out with Carlos picking me up and starting our journey to the Twin Cities by way of Milltown Cycles. Ben Witt got Carlos on a 36"er, which he said later had him grinning from ear to ear after about two pedal strokes. (I told ya so, Carlos!)

Then we hit up a Home Despot, got some supplies, hauled in all the goods at "Q", and set up the booth. I snapped this quick pic of Carlos before I was whisked away by Jason Boucher of Salsa Cycles to tag along with him for the evening.

After a little happy hour gathering, (Approximately 200 folks jammed into a room that should have held about a 100.), we went to some place in Minneapolis called Seven Corners and hit up this micro-brewery/restaurant joint that served up this awesome coffee porter. Yumm...........black goodness and beer.......together!





The room was filled with folks and our party consisted of several folks from Surly, Salsa, QBP, and various international dealers from Germany and Japan. Some magazine writers from Japan, Canada, and this lowly scribe were there representing the media. Well, after several beers and hijinx that can't be repeated on this blog, one of the Surly crew got up and gave this poor Salsa engineer a snuggy. Unfazed, he threw down his jeans right there in the restaurant, pulled his grundies from outta you know where, and zippered back up, much to the delight of our female guests.


We then all piled outside to the street where the Japanese journalists were doing a photo shoot with Jason and Mike Reimer of Salsa. The Surly guys were all saddling up to go to One on One, which is a bike shop/coffe shop/gathering place for the Twin Cities cycling cognescenti. It was decided by the Japanese that they should also proceed to ride with Jason and Mike in tow, while shooting photos along the way. That meant that I was in charge of driving Jason's vehicle to On on One. Well, that's when the Big Whoops happened!


Proving that I am just a rustic, podunk Iowegian, I proceeded to park Jason's car in a tow zone. Yep, you guessed it! $226.00 dollars cash later, Jason was able to get his car out of hock while I shamefully skulked about One On One, trying to dodge the sideways glances of those that were chatting about my dumb move. I decided to check out the legendary junk room in the basement where I would go unnoticed while Jason got his rig back. You gotta check this place out if you ever go to the Twin Cities. This pile I have pictured has a Soulcraft 29"er, a Dos Niner, a Karate Monkey, and a 1 x 1 snow bike rig all together in a knot with other bikes. Amazing!
Everything was for sale, unless otherwise marked. It is just a small chunk of what must be thousands of bikes piled up in this basement cavern.

After Jason retrieved his rig, we split for his place. I gotta say, Jason is one fine man and was very decent to me considering the circumstances. I should have been left outside to sleep in the garage, but he was a much bigger man about it than I probably would have been. Thanks Jason for being so kind. I can't ever repay you that!

So, after a quick nights sleep, we got up, flew over to the "Q" and started in on the show. It's afternoon here now, and more is to come. Well, that is if I don't do anything stupid again!

I might have to walk home if I can't reign it in tonight and be smart!

Tune in tomorrow to see how I do!

Fun, Run, And a Big Whoops!

Frostbike 2008 started out with Carlos picking me up and starting our journey to the Twin Cities by way of Milltown Cycles. Ben Witt got Carlos on a 36"er, which he said later had him grinning from ear to ear after about two pedal strokes. (I told ya so, Carlos!)

Then we hit up a Home Despot, got some supplies, hauled in all the goods at "Q", and set up the booth. I snapped this quick pic of Carlos before I was whisked away by Jason Boucher of Salsa Cycles to tag along with him for the evening.

After a little happy hour gathering, (Approximately 200 folks jammed into a room that should have held about a 100.), we went to some place in Minneapolis called Seven Corners and hit up this micro-brewery/restaurant joint that served up this awesome coffee porter. Yumm...........black goodness and beer.......together!





The room was filled with folks and our party consisted of several folks from Surly, Salsa, QBP, and various international dealers from Germany and Japan. Some magazine writers from Japan, Canada, and this lowly scribe were there representing the media. Well, after several beers and hijinx that can't be repeated on this blog, one of the Surly crew got up and gave this poor Salsa engineer a snuggy. Unfazed, he threw down his jeans right there in the restaurant, pulled his grundies from outta you know where, and zippered back up, much to the delight of our female guests.


We then all piled outside to the street where the Japanese journalists were doing a photo shoot with Jason and Mike Reimer of Salsa. The Surly guys were all saddling up to go to One on One, which is a bike shop/coffe shop/gathering place for the Twin Cities cycling cognescenti. It was decided by the Japanese that they should also proceed to ride with Jason and Mike in tow, while shooting photos along the way. That meant that I was in charge of driving Jason's vehicle to On on One. Well, that's when the Big Whoops happened!


Proving that I am just a rustic, podunk Iowegian, I proceeded to park Jason's car in a tow zone. Yep, you guessed it! $226.00 dollars cash later, Jason was able to get his car out of hock while I shamefully skulked about One On One, trying to dodge the sideways glances of those that were chatting about my dumb move. I decided to check out the legendary junk room in the basement where I would go unnoticed while Jason got his rig back. You gotta check this place out if you ever go to the Twin Cities. This pile I have pictured has a Soulcraft 29"er, a Dos Niner, a Karate Monkey, and a 1 x 1 snow bike rig all together in a knot with other bikes. Amazing!
Everything was for sale, unless otherwise marked. It is just a small chunk of what must be thousands of bikes piled up in this basement cavern.

After Jason retrieved his rig, we split for his place. I gotta say, Jason is one fine man and was very decent to me considering the circumstances. I should have been left outside to sleep in the garage, but he was a much bigger man about it than I probably would have been. Thanks Jason for being so kind. I can't ever repay you that!

So, after a quick nights sleep, we got up, flew over to the "Q" and started in on the show. It's afternoon here now, and more is to come. Well, that is if I don't do anything stupid again!

I might have to walk home if I can't reign it in tonight and be smart!

Tune in tomorrow to see how I do!

Friday! And I'm Off!

Goin' To Minneapolis: Well..........Bloomington, really. I have a bit of a pet peeve, I guess. I remember being in college and asking people where they were from. If they were from small, podunk Iowa town, well they said so. They didn'y say they were from Cedar Rapids, even if there town was only 5 miles away. But ask a person that was really from Oak Park Illinois where they were from and guess what they would say. Yep.....Chicago! I had actually been to Chicago, the South Side, mind you. So, I'd ask, had they ever been to Chicago proper? Lots of them said no. Yeah...................so I'm going to Bloomington, okay? Leaving at 8:00am. Frostbike. See ya there if you're going.

Speaking of seeing people there: I got a phone call from George Wissell last night. He's been trying to meet me, and I've been trying to meet him for two years now. Hopefully that will come to an end tomorrow at the latest, but anyway........the phone call! Yeah, so he calls me and asks when I'll be in town. I say tomorrow, (Friday). I politely ask him when he'll be there. .....pauses....."I'm already here!" (As in, "Whattya mean? I'm already here" tone of voice) He said he was "flabbergasted" at the amount of music the Twin Cities had and that he was going out clubbing. I've a strange feeling that if I miss George this time, it'll have something to do with that!

More Titanium news: Ever heard of Everti? Well, I had a few times before, but I'll admit that they are not to well known in this neck of the woods. Check out the latest titanium 29"er to hit the market with a decidedly old skool Canadian flavor.

Road Cycling's Version of Mecca? Well, with the Tour de France totally mucking up its once vaunted posistion as the "cycling mecca" for road bikers, something else is going to have to fill that void. That void might just be "Mellow Johnny's". Yes, I said Mellow Johnny's! If you weren't aware, the name is supposedly the nic-name given to Lance Armstrong while he was "in yellow" by fellow riders of the peloton. This new shop, in the heart of Austin Texas, will focus on commuter bikes and will feature several items of memorabilia related to Armstrong's seven Tour victories.

Since Lance has a lifetime contract with Trek Bicycles, I wonder what brand that shop will carry, hmm..................

So, that's your bits and pieces for today! I hope your weekend includes some riding. Stay warm!

Friday! And I'm Off!

Goin' To Minneapolis: Well..........Bloomington, really. I have a bit of a pet peeve, I guess. I remember being in college and asking people where they were from. If they were from small, podunk Iowa town, well they said so. They didn'y say they were from Cedar Rapids, even if there town was only 5 miles away. But ask a person that was really from Oak Park Illinois where they were from and guess what they would say. Yep.....Chicago! I had actually been to Chicago, the South Side, mind you. So, I'd ask, had they ever been to Chicago proper? Lots of them said no. Yeah...................so I'm going to Bloomington, okay? Leaving at 8:00am. Frostbike. See ya there if you're going.

Speaking of seeing people there: I got a phone call from George Wissell last night. He's been trying to meet me, and I've been trying to meet him for two years now. Hopefully that will come to an end tomorrow at the latest, but anyway........the phone call! Yeah, so he calls me and asks when I'll be in town. I say tomorrow, (Friday). I politely ask him when he'll be there. .....pauses....."I'm already here!" (As in, "Whattya mean? I'm already here" tone of voice) He said he was "flabbergasted" at the amount of music the Twin Cities had and that he was going out clubbing. I've a strange feeling that if I miss George this time, it'll have something to do with that!

More Titanium news: Ever heard of Everti? Well, I had a few times before, but I'll admit that they are not to well known in this neck of the woods. Check out the latest titanium 29"er to hit the market with a decidedly old skool Canadian flavor.

Road Cycling's Version of Mecca? Well, with the Tour de France totally mucking up its once vaunted posistion as the "cycling mecca" for road bikers, something else is going to have to fill that void. That void might just be "Mellow Johnny's". Yes, I said Mellow Johnny's! If you weren't aware, the name is supposedly the nic-name given to Lance Armstrong while he was "in yellow" by fellow riders of the peloton. This new shop, in the heart of Austin Texas, will focus on commuter bikes and will feature several items of memorabilia related to Armstrong's seven Tour victories.

Since Lance has a lifetime contract with Trek Bicycles, I wonder what brand that shop will carry, hmm..................

So, that's your bits and pieces for today! I hope your weekend includes some riding. Stay warm!

Thursday News and Views

Feeling Better: Woke up this morning feeling much better. Whew! That was a rough one, but I'll spare you all the details. Good thing I'm recovered just in time for this............

Frostbike Madness: Yes, it is that time of year again. Frostbike is the annual "open house" gathering that Quality Bicycle Parts invites all of their customers to every February. It started out small, but has grown tall! Now I would liken it to a mini-trade show of sorts, with several vendors in attendance and the main focus being on product showing and seminars. Still, for as big as the "show" has gotten, "Q" keeps it real by offering a free lunch to attendees and having plenty of smiling, helpful staff around the joint for the entire weekend.

I'll be attending some of the "sattelite" events as well. Carlos, who was tagged by Mr 24 to run the Ergon booth while he played on his bike in the Sonoran sun, is taking me up there Friday morning. We'll be making a stop at the Milltown Cycles shop, famous for the 36"er bike, and talking with owner Ben Witt about his latest project. Hopefully I'll get to actually ride it. Then I'll be setting up the Ergon booth, and after that going to a special shindig for Salsa dealers before retiring for the night. Saturday and Sunday will be all Frostbike with Saturday nights activities still up in the air. Stay tuned for updaes and hi-jinx to be reported on throughout the weekend.

When The Dam Bursts: Hey, if you live in the snow bound areas of the United States, you'll get this. The feeling I'm getting is one of pent up frustration with a winter that has been throwing non-stop punches since the beginning of December. Well, now it is mid February, we're looking at more snow and another Artic blast of air with no end in sight. My prediction: A "feeding frenzy" of cyclists will happen once the snow melts and we get our first warm, sunny day. Yep! The bike shops will get slaughtered with "can you repair my bike today?" and other repair demands, the bike paths will be full of glassy eyed, out of shape riders bent on taking in every drop of sunshine they can, and folks will be waking up the day after that sore and hurting. I predict also that there will be a corresponding spike in ibuprofen and gel saddle sales just afterward. Take that to the bank!

Speaking of Snow.....We're supposed to be getting some more today. Rats! I wanted to ride the Badger today, but my Texas bride doesn't take to driving in the white stuff too well, so she may require my expert snow driving skilz today. I suppose it's all good. It is Valentines Day, after all. Be good to your sweetie today, and lay off the chocolate hearts! Ha ha!

Thursday News and Views

Feeling Better: Woke up this morning feeling much better. Whew! That was a rough one, but I'll spare you all the details. Good thing I'm recovered just in time for this............

Frostbike Madness: Yes, it is that time of year again. Frostbike is the annual "open house" gathering that Quality Bicycle Parts invites all of their customers to every February. It started out small, but has grown tall! Now I would liken it to a mini-trade show of sorts, with several vendors in attendance and the main focus being on product showing and seminars. Still, for as big as the "show" has gotten, "Q" keeps it real by offering a free lunch to attendees and having plenty of smiling, helpful staff around the joint for the entire weekend.

I'll be attending some of the "sattelite" events as well. Carlos, who was tagged by Mr 24 to run the Ergon booth while he played on his bike in the Sonoran sun, is taking me up there Friday morning. We'll be making a stop at the Milltown Cycles shop, famous for the 36"er bike, and talking with owner Ben Witt about his latest project. Hopefully I'll get to actually ride it. Then I'll be setting up the Ergon booth, and after that going to a special shindig for Salsa dealers before retiring for the night. Saturday and Sunday will be all Frostbike with Saturday nights activities still up in the air. Stay tuned for updaes and hi-jinx to be reported on throughout the weekend.

When The Dam Bursts: Hey, if you live in the snow bound areas of the United States, you'll get this. The feeling I'm getting is one of pent up frustration with a winter that has been throwing non-stop punches since the beginning of December. Well, now it is mid February, we're looking at more snow and another Artic blast of air with no end in sight. My prediction: A "feeding frenzy" of cyclists will happen once the snow melts and we get our first warm, sunny day. Yep! The bike shops will get slaughtered with "can you repair my bike today?" and other repair demands, the bike paths will be full of glassy eyed, out of shape riders bent on taking in every drop of sunshine they can, and folks will be waking up the day after that sore and hurting. I predict also that there will be a corresponding spike in ibuprofen and gel saddle sales just afterward. Take that to the bank!

Speaking of Snow.....We're supposed to be getting some more today. Rats! I wanted to ride the Badger today, but my Texas bride doesn't take to driving in the white stuff too well, so she may require my expert snow driving skilz today. I suppose it's all good. It is Valentines Day, after all. Be good to your sweetie today, and lay off the chocolate hearts! Ha ha!

It Got Me!

Appologies to the regular readers of this scribe, but I succumbed to illness last night and have been out of commission for several hours.

Looks like that 24 hour bug, (The sickness, not the endurance racing desire) got me finally! I'm already feeling better, so I hope to resume duties again tomorrow.

Okay, my head is killing me, so I'm leaving it at this for now. See ya tomorrow! Hope you all are healthy and happy.

It Got Me!

Appologies to the regular readers of this scribe, but I succumbed to illness last night and have been out of commission for several hours.

Looks like that 24 hour bug, (The sickness, not the endurance racing desire) got me finally! I'm already feeling better, so I hope to resume duties again tomorrow.

Okay, my head is killing me, so I'm leaving it at this for now. See ya tomorrow! Hope you all are healthy and happy.

"Fixed" My Bike

<===70's era Raleigh Grand Prix. I figured, why not?

Okay, so yesterday I had to sit with my daughter, who had to stay home from school because she was sick. (She's better now) I figured I may as well kick a few things around down in the Lab. So, I finished off the Raleigh fixie project I had started awhile back.

These are the projects I love. An old, unwanted bike in great shape. Transform it into a useful, fun bike that can be used for several things. And all for a very attractive price. I maybe have about $30.00 into this project. I'm not bragging, mind you, I am saying that anybody that pays attention could do the same. These bikes are everywhere if you look in the right places. Granted, you might spend a little more on a project like this, but I think anybody could score a basic platform for this and get it up and running for $75.00 or less anywhere. Really!

This Raleigh I got for free in great shape with all the running gear intact and a leather saddle! (I have used the saddle on my Karate Monkey quite a bit) I ended up sitting the bike in a trainer with the saddle you see pictured, but never rode it, due to my instinctual aversion to indoor riding. So, since I kept looking at it languishing there all the time, I finally decided to either rid myself of it, or transform it into something usefull. First try was an ice bike. I just popped on some 700c wheels and studded tires. Went for a ride back in December and decided that wasn't the right thing to do with it.

Then it came on me. A fixie! I didn't have one and I always was curious. This would be a cheap way to go. Track cog on, a bottom bracket lock ring to hold it, sort of. (I know! That's why there are brakes on it yet!), and strip off everything unecessary. What is kind of nice about the older road frames is that there are no braze ons. So, nothing protruding from the frame to catch your clothes or shoes on. Cool! Clean looking too. I left the original crank on since it is working just fine and it has a nice little chain guard on there. Yeah, there is that big ring just sitting there, but this is a cheap-o set up, okay?

A Specialized forged stem (free) and a Gary Bar (cheap) with a fresh wrap job with some cast off tape (free) and I'm done. It fits a 38mm tire in the back and a 45mm tire in the front. Cushy! Should be a fun townie/gravel bike.

What cheap-o projects can you do? I'll bet some pretty nice ones! Just keep your eyes peeled! You never know when it all might come together for you.

"Fixed" My Bike

<===70's era Raleigh Grand Prix. I figured, why not?

Okay, so yesterday I had to sit with my daughter, who had to stay home from school because she was sick. (She's better now) I figured I may as well kick a few things around down in the Lab. So, I finished off the Raleigh fixie project I had started awhile back.

These are the projects I love. An old, unwanted bike in great shape. Transform it into a useful, fun bike that can be used for several things. And all for a very attractive price. I maybe have about $30.00 into this project. I'm not bragging, mind you, I am saying that anybody that pays attention could do the same. These bikes are everywhere if you look in the right places. Granted, you might spend a little more on a project like this, but I think anybody could score a basic platform for this and get it up and running for $75.00 or less anywhere. Really!

This Raleigh I got for free in great shape with all the running gear intact and a leather saddle! (I have used the saddle on my Karate Monkey quite a bit) I ended up sitting the bike in a trainer with the saddle you see pictured, but never rode it, due to my instinctual aversion to indoor riding. So, since I kept looking at it languishing there all the time, I finally decided to either rid myself of it, or transform it into something usefull. First try was an ice bike. I just popped on some 700c wheels and studded tires. Went for a ride back in December and decided that wasn't the right thing to do with it.

Then it came on me. A fixie! I didn't have one and I always was curious. This would be a cheap way to go. Track cog on, a bottom bracket lock ring to hold it, sort of. (I know! That's why there are brakes on it yet!), and strip off everything unecessary. What is kind of nice about the older road frames is that there are no braze ons. So, nothing protruding from the frame to catch your clothes or shoes on. Cool! Clean looking too. I left the original crank on since it is working just fine and it has a nice little chain guard on there. Yeah, there is that big ring just sitting there, but this is a cheap-o set up, okay?

A Specialized forged stem (free) and a Gary Bar (cheap) with a fresh wrap job with some cast off tape (free) and I'm done. It fits a 38mm tire in the back and a 45mm tire in the front. Cushy! Should be a fun townie/gravel bike.

What cheap-o projects can you do? I'll bet some pretty nice ones! Just keep your eyes peeled! You never know when it all might come together for you.

Monday Musings

<===1972 Gretsch, unknown model. The axe of choice for this past weekends church gig.

This blog started out with a promise of some guitar content, but it has been sorely missing. I decided to throw up a pic of the ol' Gretsch for good measure. Don't let it's "jazz box" looks fool you. This lil' devil can rock with the best of 'em. A bit prone to feedback, perhaps, but that's part of the fun for me. I kinda like feedback! Interesting note: It may be a hollow body git-box, but it's the heaviest guitar I own. Any who..................



I didn't venture out into the artic blast this weekend on two wheels as it would have been a futile attempt at staying upright besides the dangerous wind chills. The wind was incredibly strong all day Sunday and most of Saturday afternoon too. I got a few projects around the house done, got the Badger "tubed" so I can actually ride the dang thing, and took in the NAHBS coverage on the innerweb.

Speaking of NAHBS: That show is an exercise in showmanship more than anything else. It's gone too far in my opinion. Look at the rigs. How many of the ones that garnered all the media attention are actually functional? I mean day to day functional. Some of the stuff I saw looked downright scary to ride what with things poking out here and there. It's almost a sculpture exhibition that features pieces that just happen to have two wheels and a set of cranks. Not so much a bicycle show, not like it was three years ago. It will be interesting to see what happens now as the show is to be in Indianapolis next year. Not a cycling mecca like Portland, so perhaps the show will have a very different feel. We'll see.



<===Darth Vader on a bike? No! It's the "Tomes"!

This is the poster on the door leading to Guitar Ted Labratories. This little gem was at the first shop I worked at. That shop got it as part of Bell Sports helmet promotions. They let me have it later.

This is the epitomy of "rock star' in the bike world for me. John Tomac, the quiet, unassuming guy who rather fancies himself as a cowboy these days was at the height of his powers here in the early 90's. I remember when this shot hit the mags. We all thought that down hilling had hit a new high. The bar had been raised. A freakin' skin suit? And that helmet! Nothing had been seen like it before, and nothing has since. Tomac re-invented himself yet again, and this was the most stunning edition of the "Tomes" to ever take the trail.

Today's down hillers can't even begin to approach the aura sent out across the mountain biking world that this image did. It was a fun time to be in the sport, and I will always admire Tomac and his skills as a mountain biker. The guy is still rippin' too. Amazing!

Monday Musings

<===1972 Gretsch, unknown model. The axe of choice for this past weekends church gig.

This blog started out with a promise of some guitar content, but it has been sorely missing. I decided to throw up a pic of the ol' Gretsch for good measure. Don't let it's "jazz box" looks fool you. This lil' devil can rock with the best of 'em. A bit prone to feedback, perhaps, but that's part of the fun for me. I kinda like feedback! Interesting note: It may be a hollow body git-box, but it's the heaviest guitar I own. Any who..................



I didn't venture out into the artic blast this weekend on two wheels as it would have been a futile attempt at staying upright besides the dangerous wind chills. The wind was incredibly strong all day Sunday and most of Saturday afternoon too. I got a few projects around the house done, got the Badger "tubed" so I can actually ride the dang thing, and took in the NAHBS coverage on the innerweb.

Speaking of NAHBS: That show is an exercise in showmanship more than anything else. It's gone too far in my opinion. Look at the rigs. How many of the ones that garnered all the media attention are actually functional? I mean day to day functional. Some of the stuff I saw looked downright scary to ride what with things poking out here and there. It's almost a sculpture exhibition that features pieces that just happen to have two wheels and a set of cranks. Not so much a bicycle show, not like it was three years ago. It will be interesting to see what happens now as the show is to be in Indianapolis next year. Not a cycling mecca like Portland, so perhaps the show will have a very different feel. We'll see.



<===Darth Vader on a bike? No! It's the "Tomes"!

This is the poster on the door leading to Guitar Ted Labratories. This little gem was at the first shop I worked at. That shop got it as part of Bell Sports helmet promotions. They let me have it later.

This is the epitomy of "rock star' in the bike world for me. John Tomac, the quiet, unassuming guy who rather fancies himself as a cowboy these days was at the height of his powers here in the early 90's. I remember when this shot hit the mags. We all thought that down hilling had hit a new high. The bar had been raised. A freakin' skin suit? And that helmet! Nothing had been seen like it before, and nothing has since. Tomac re-invented himself yet again, and this was the most stunning edition of the "Tomes" to ever take the trail.

Today's down hillers can't even begin to approach the aura sent out across the mountain biking world that this image did. It was a fun time to be in the sport, and I will always admire Tomac and his skills as a mountain biker. The guy is still rippin' too. Amazing!

One Of "Those Rides"

<===The bike that was responsible for all this fun.

Ever had one of those rides where the more you got into it, the more fun you had? A ride where you cleaned an obstacle, then felt like you could do better, and you do?

That pretty much was my commute to and from work on Friday. I dug the Dos Niner (literally) out from the deep recesses of my basement Lab and aired up the tires for the ride in yesterday. Then it was off to see how much of the recent snow I could plow through. The first check comes at a dead end to a seven foot high embankment to a four lane highway crossing. When it is dry, you jump the curb at speed and roll it up to the top. By the time you reach the highway, you've scrubbed enough speed to safely get a look both ways before crossing. When it is snowy? It is a tough little steep, especially with the man-made car snow berm at the top.

Well today I shifted into a lower gear and nearly clawed my way through. That was encouraging. Across the highway the snow was deeper in spots, even though I had a lone snowmobile track to follow. It was unrideable the day before on another bike. This time I cleaned the whole thing, sawing the handlebar back and forth at times, the bike swapping ends at others. It sort of reminded me of things I've seen surfers do.

The rest of the commute was much the same. In another snow field crossing, I was roosting snow and having so much fun I almost let out a "whoop!" You never know how much longer a magic ride like that will last, and I was sorry to finally roll up to work. After work though, I had much the same ride in reverse, so that was a bonus.

Anyway, it was so much fun I couldn't stop thinking about it for hours afterwards. It was just one of "those rides". The kind that make you keep reaching for more and more.

Hopefully one of "those rides" are coming your way soon!

One Of "Those Rides"

<===The bike that was responsible for all this fun.

Ever had one of those rides where the more you got into it, the more fun you had? A ride where you cleaned an obstacle, then felt like you could do better, and you do?

That pretty much was my commute to and from work on Friday. I dug the Dos Niner (literally) out from the deep recesses of my basement Lab and aired up the tires for the ride in yesterday. Then it was off to see how much of the recent snow I could plow through. The first check comes at a dead end to a seven foot high embankment to a four lane highway crossing. When it is dry, you jump the curb at speed and roll it up to the top. By the time you reach the highway, you've scrubbed enough speed to safely get a look both ways before crossing. When it is snowy? It is a tough little steep, especially with the man-made car snow berm at the top.

Well today I shifted into a lower gear and nearly clawed my way through. That was encouraging. Across the highway the snow was deeper in spots, even though I had a lone snowmobile track to follow. It was unrideable the day before on another bike. This time I cleaned the whole thing, sawing the handlebar back and forth at times, the bike swapping ends at others. It sort of reminded me of things I've seen surfers do.

The rest of the commute was much the same. In another snow field crossing, I was roosting snow and having so much fun I almost let out a "whoop!" You never know how much longer a magic ride like that will last, and I was sorry to finally roll up to work. After work though, I had much the same ride in reverse, so that was a bonus.

Anyway, it was so much fun I couldn't stop thinking about it for hours afterwards. It was just one of "those rides". The kind that make you keep reaching for more and more.

Hopefully one of "those rides" are coming your way soon!

Not A Good Day

Warning: a bit of an anti-tubeless rant here.

I finally got my Stan's rim/ExiWolf combo to make it through a night holding air pressure so I thought I should finally be able to ride the Badger to work yesterday. I pumped up the tires to around 38psi or so, (being carefull not to exceed Stan's recommended limit of 40psi) and went out the door.

Maybe it was the weather, (Temperatures around 20 degrees Farhrenheit) or maybe I'm cursed when it comes to Stan's rims and tubeless, (I've done both Bontrager's and Mavic's systems without nearly as much hassle), but this Thursday morning resulted in a very negative situation.

I got about a mile and a half into the commute and had to stop. The rear tire had lost so much pressure I could no longer ride it. I had a frame pump, but it decided to crap out on me, so I couldn't even air it back up to nurse it into work. Result? Walking back home, (It was closer than work) in up to six inches of snow, pushing my bike along the way. Oh yeah...........I was mad! Cursing mad.

When I got home I immediately went for my floor pump that is equipped with a guage to see how far down it had leaked. 20psi right on the nose. Okay, this brings up a couple of things regarding tubeless that I don't understand.

One of the big "benefits" of riding tubeless is said to be that you can run lower pressure. Hmm........really? I don't think so, unless it is a "true" UST tire, meaning heavier than heck because the sidewalls are beefier to hold air pressure. To wit: My tubeless set up, which ended up at 20psi after I lost a bit of air trying to pump it up with a bad frame pump, and after a 45 minute walk home was unrideable before all of that. I mean that the sidewalls looked wrinkled with every pedal stroke like a Top Fuel dragsters rear slicks at the starting line kind of wrinkled. That means I had more than 20psi when I stopped riding. That's low air pressure? Huh?

I grabbed my Diamondback test rig and rode off to work without checking the tires. A bit later, I noticed that I was getting great traction and the handling was fine. The rear tire was squatting down all the tread onto the road surface, but the sidewalls looked normal. No drama.

Checked the air pressures at work once I got there. 17psi rear/19psi front. Tubed tires on standard WTB rims.

Tubeless: 0 Standard tubes/tires: 1

I'll be keeping score in the future, so stay tuned.

Not A Good Day

Warning: a bit of an anti-tubeless rant here.

I finally got my Stan's rim/ExiWolf combo to make it through a night holding air pressure so I thought I should finally be able to ride the Badger to work yesterday. I pumped up the tires to around 38psi or so, (being carefull not to exceed Stan's recommended limit of 40psi) and went out the door.

Maybe it was the weather, (Temperatures around 20 degrees Farhrenheit) or maybe I'm cursed when it comes to Stan's rims and tubeless, (I've done both Bontrager's and Mavic's systems without nearly as much hassle), but this Thursday morning resulted in a very negative situation.

I got about a mile and a half into the commute and had to stop. The rear tire had lost so much pressure I could no longer ride it. I had a frame pump, but it decided to crap out on me, so I couldn't even air it back up to nurse it into work. Result? Walking back home, (It was closer than work) in up to six inches of snow, pushing my bike along the way. Oh yeah...........I was mad! Cursing mad.

When I got home I immediately went for my floor pump that is equipped with a guage to see how far down it had leaked. 20psi right on the nose. Okay, this brings up a couple of things regarding tubeless that I don't understand.

One of the big "benefits" of riding tubeless is said to be that you can run lower pressure. Hmm........really? I don't think so, unless it is a "true" UST tire, meaning heavier than heck because the sidewalls are beefier to hold air pressure. To wit: My tubeless set up, which ended up at 20psi after I lost a bit of air trying to pump it up with a bad frame pump, and after a 45 minute walk home was unrideable before all of that. I mean that the sidewalls looked wrinkled with every pedal stroke like a Top Fuel dragsters rear slicks at the starting line kind of wrinkled. That means I had more than 20psi when I stopped riding. That's low air pressure? Huh?

I grabbed my Diamondback test rig and rode off to work without checking the tires. A bit later, I noticed that I was getting great traction and the handling was fine. The rear tire was squatting down all the tread onto the road surface, but the sidewalls looked normal. No drama.

Checked the air pressures at work once I got there. 17psi rear/19psi front. Tubed tires on standard WTB rims.

Tubeless: 0 Standard tubes/tires: 1

I'll be keeping score in the future, so stay tuned.

Thursday News and Views

Trans Iowa Rule Addition: Remembering the snafus surrounding T.I.V2 and hearing about the lack of a plan for weather related chaos at the 24 Hours of 9 Mile a couple of years back made me think. I figured we had better have a statement on how Trans Iowa would look if that happened again at our event. Hit the site link and check out the Rules section. We have a plan!

Also, we are cooking up an idea for a pre-race meet-up that will include a meal and may have a beverage sponsor. Stay Tuned!

Frost Bike: Speaking of plans...... I was contacted by Carlos, my co-worker last night and we are hooking up for the drive to and from Frostbike. This will mean that I will be getting the insiders view of the whole enchilada from set up to tear down and everything inbetween. I'll bring all of the hijinx to you here and I will be posting on Twenty Nine Inches too. Of course, this means I will also have to be Carlos' free labor for set up and tear down. That's okay, because I know he's a pretty nice guy.

North American Handmade Bicycle Show: Like bikes? I figure you probably do if you are reading this. Well, the most unlikely collection of eye candy is going to be assembled in one place this weekend in Portland, Oregon. I know there will be a lot of coverage so seeing all of the show from the comfort of your home shouldn't be a problem. I've got a question for you out there. How many of the rigs that are going to be shown will ever get "real life usage"? I mean, how much of this eye candy becomes "garage queens" and how much of it gets greasy, dirty, and well......used up? My guess is that a fair amount of these rigs see more time under a polishing rag then under a chamois. Just a hunch.

That's it for today. Topsy-turvy weather all over the nation causing some chaos. Hope you are okay where ever you live. Get out and ride!

Thursday News and Views

Trans Iowa Rule Addition: Remembering the snafus surrounding T.I.V2 and hearing about the lack of a plan for weather related chaos at the 24 Hours of 9 Mile a couple of years back made me think. I figured we had better have a statement on how Trans Iowa would look if that happened again at our event. Hit the site link and check out the Rules section. We have a plan!

Also, we are cooking up an idea for a pre-race meet-up that will include a meal and may have a beverage sponsor. Stay Tuned!

Frost Bike: Speaking of plans...... I was contacted by Carlos, my co-worker last night and we are hooking up for the drive to and from Frostbike. This will mean that I will be getting the insiders view of the whole enchilada from set up to tear down and everything inbetween. I'll bring all of the hijinx to you here and I will be posting on Twenty Nine Inches too. Of course, this means I will also have to be Carlos' free labor for set up and tear down. That's okay, because I know he's a pretty nice guy.

North American Handmade Bicycle Show: Like bikes? I figure you probably do if you are reading this. Well, the most unlikely collection of eye candy is going to be assembled in one place this weekend in Portland, Oregon. I know there will be a lot of coverage so seeing all of the show from the comfort of your home shouldn't be a problem. I've got a question for you out there. How many of the rigs that are going to be shown will ever get "real life usage"? I mean, how much of this eye candy becomes "garage queens" and how much of it gets greasy, dirty, and well......used up? My guess is that a fair amount of these rigs see more time under a polishing rag then under a chamois. Just a hunch.

That's it for today. Topsy-turvy weather all over the nation causing some chaos. Hope you are okay where ever you live. Get out and ride!

How Hard Could It Be?

Speechless: I came into work on Monday and this was on the bench across from mine. Some things are just too weird to explain.

Winter Strikes Again: I was supposed to go to Dcorah and meet with the Decorah Human Powered Trails folks on my ideas for Trans Iowa and The Big Wheeled Ballyhoo. Well, the big snow storm has seen to it that I didn't make the meeting. Oh well, I'll be headed up there in March to make up for it.

Tubeless Update: I've kept after the set up on the rear tire of the Badger and last night was the first night it made it through holding air pressure. Let's see, I said sometimes it takes days to set up a tubeless tire? Yeah..........this one took six days to make it overnight holding air! I suspect that now that I have it set up it will be okay until it flats.........someday..............in the middle of nowhere.............

Frostbike: Yeah, this is going to be fun. Frostbike is the mini-trade show/open house put on by the powerhouse distributor "Q". (That's insider lingo for "QBP" or Quality Bicycle Parts) It takes place on February 16th-17th in Bloomington, Minnesota. I'm going up for the whole weekend and take it all in. Should be a good time. New products should turn up and rumors and news should be running rampant. Stay tuned!

Well, there already are some things bubbling underneath the surface of public knowledge that I can't talk about..........yet! It's getting exciting and I can't even ride outside yet, which makes all the news and rumors harder to keep a lid on, but I will. All in good time! As the strange figure in the box I saw at work on Monday says: "How hard could it be?"

How Hard Could It Be?

Speechless: I came into work on Monday and this was on the bench across from mine. Some things are just too weird to explain.

Winter Strikes Again: I was supposed to go to Dcorah and meet with the Decorah Human Powered Trails folks on my ideas for Trans Iowa and The Big Wheeled Ballyhoo. Well, the big snow storm has seen to it that I didn't make the meeting. Oh well, I'll be headed up there in March to make up for it.

Tubeless Update: I've kept after the set up on the rear tire of the Badger and last night was the first night it made it through holding air pressure. Let's see, I said sometimes it takes days to set up a tubeless tire? Yeah..........this one took six days to make it overnight holding air! I suspect that now that I have it set up it will be okay until it flats.........someday..............in the middle of nowhere.............

Frostbike: Yeah, this is going to be fun. Frostbike is the mini-trade show/open house put on by the powerhouse distributor "Q". (That's insider lingo for "QBP" or Quality Bicycle Parts) It takes place on February 16th-17th in Bloomington, Minnesota. I'm going up for the whole weekend and take it all in. Should be a good time. New products should turn up and rumors and news should be running rampant. Stay tuned!

Well, there already are some things bubbling underneath the surface of public knowledge that I can't talk about..........yet! It's getting exciting and I can't even ride outside yet, which makes all the news and rumors harder to keep a lid on, but I will. All in good time! As the strange figure in the box I saw at work on Monday says: "How hard could it be?"

Revisiting The Yes Tubes vs. No Tubes Debate

I have been holding back on writing on this for several days now, but I've had enough, so here goes! If you haven't read my scribin' on the tubeless mountain bike tire deal, then you can catch up here and here.

My question for tubeless fans out there: How long does it take you to set up a pair of tubeless tires, ready to ride, from scratch? I'm talking using a prepared rim, (which in itself can be a whole bunch of time) sealant of choice, and tire. How long does it take you to be out riding? Here's my point: I could be miles up the trail on you using a tubed set up. There is simply no way a tubeless set up can be acheived without a big time investment. If you have not figured it out yet, yes...........this bugs me. A lot! I mean, I can set up a tubed wheel set in minutes, even if I have to install a rim strip. Tubeless? We're talking hours, sometimes days.

Why? Because you have to get the danged tires to seal up and quit leaking air. That takes time. Heck, some tire installations for tubeless advise you use things like soapy water, do a little shaky-shake dance, or go out for a twenty minute test ride to help the tires seal up.

Soap? Test ride? Funky gyrations? I'm sorry, but I've never had to do that, or anything remotely like it using tubes. Never. And that goofy stuff takes time, precious time that as a family guy, I don't have a lot of. One time it took me about an hour to mount a Continental tire on an old Trek Matrix rim. I think that was a record for a tubed set up. I couldn't imagine taking any longer than that to mount a tire. Then came tubeless and my world got turned upside down!

And then there are the "advantages" of running tubeless. Uh-huh..........riiiiiiiiight! I get it. They mean when you get to ride, right? Because I could have ridden a whole lot more miles this past weekend then I did if I had been using tubes instead of trying in vain to get one tire to set up tubeless to a point where I could count on it not losing air in 45 minutes.

Okay, yeah. I'm a little sore about a time investment that hasn't paid off. However; it's just one more reason against tubeless and for tubes, for me at least. I have already mentioned the higher monetary costs, the messy sealant issues, and the fact that eventually you end up using a tube anyway.

I grant that those living in thorn/goathead territories or that have pinch flatting problems may want to invest this time, effort, and money to at least be able to ride. I get that. But for where I'm riding, ( normally flat about 1-2 times a year with tubes), it just seems ludicrous to me to go to all this trouble to run tubeless. Sorry.........I'm just not convinced. This will be my third attempt at tubeless with the third different system for running tubeless. I figure that if this ends in another change to a tube in the field involving slimy goo and removal of another tubeless valve stem, I think I'll be done with the tubeless thing. Three tries with three different systems is enough to figure it out, at least I think so.

Well, this set up is still in the running so far, so we'll see. Heck.......I haven't even gotten one of the tires to quit leaking air yet!

Stay tuned!

Revisiting The Yes Tubes vs. No Tubes Debate

I have been holding back on writing on this for several days now, but I've had enough, so here goes! If you haven't read my scribin' on the tubeless mountain bike tire deal, then you can catch up here and here.

My question for tubeless fans out there: How long does it take you to set up a pair of tubeless tires, ready to ride, from scratch? I'm talking using a prepared rim, (which in itself can be a whole bunch of time) sealant of choice, and tire. How long does it take you to be out riding? Here's my point: I could be miles up the trail on you using a tubed set up. There is simply no way a tubeless set up can be acheived without a big time investment. If you have not figured it out yet, yes...........this bugs me. A lot! I mean, I can set up a tubed wheel set in minutes, even if I have to install a rim strip. Tubeless? We're talking hours, sometimes days.

Why? Because you have to get the danged tires to seal up and quit leaking air. That takes time. Heck, some tire installations for tubeless advise you use things like soapy water, do a little shaky-shake dance, or go out for a twenty minute test ride to help the tires seal up.

Soap? Test ride? Funky gyrations? I'm sorry, but I've never had to do that, or anything remotely like it using tubes. Never. And that goofy stuff takes time, precious time that as a family guy, I don't have a lot of. One time it took me about an hour to mount a Continental tire on an old Trek Matrix rim. I think that was a record for a tubed set up. I couldn't imagine taking any longer than that to mount a tire. Then came tubeless and my world got turned upside down!

And then there are the "advantages" of running tubeless. Uh-huh..........riiiiiiiiight! I get it. They mean when you get to ride, right? Because I could have ridden a whole lot more miles this past weekend then I did if I had been using tubes instead of trying in vain to get one tire to set up tubeless to a point where I could count on it not losing air in 45 minutes.

Okay, yeah. I'm a little sore about a time investment that hasn't paid off. However; it's just one more reason against tubeless and for tubes, for me at least. I have already mentioned the higher monetary costs, the messy sealant issues, and the fact that eventually you end up using a tube anyway.

I grant that those living in thorn/goathead territories or that have pinch flatting problems may want to invest this time, effort, and money to at least be able to ride. I get that. But for where I'm riding, ( normally flat about 1-2 times a year with tubes), it just seems ludicrous to me to go to all this trouble to run tubeless. Sorry.........I'm just not convinced. This will be my third attempt at tubeless with the third different system for running tubeless. I figure that if this ends in another change to a tube in the field involving slimy goo and removal of another tubeless valve stem, I think I'll be done with the tubeless thing. Three tries with three different systems is enough to figure it out, at least I think so.

Well, this set up is still in the running so far, so we'll see. Heck.......I haven't even gotten one of the tires to quit leaking air yet!

Stay tuned!

First Ride (Sort Of) And Some Pics

<===Drop Bar Specific: Whilst it may look "feckin' 'orrible", as one transplanted Briton has called it, it is eminently functional.

Here is the Badger on its first outing. Stopped short of doing the full on gravel grinder since I still have not gotten the tubeless set up on the rear tire to seal up yet. Therefore the "hot laps" around the neighborhood which allowed "pit stops" back at the house for air refills.






<===A good look at the Gary Bar/Tektro lever set up from the front.

I haven't really gotten any off road on it yet with the exception of some dirt road/grassy field traverse. Everything is frozen up or glazed in ice, so really- it's all like riding on a solid rock. That said, the Badger rides very smoothly. I have a feeling it will really shine off road. The seated posistion is nailed. I may make some small adjustments to the tilt of the bars, but that is all I can tell for right now.




<===Those Tektro levers are linear pull specific.

I really like the bar end shifting. Friction shifting comes pretty natural to me on road, but off road may be a bit different. (Finding the gear, that is) As things stand now, I have gotten consistent shifting with almost no noise. Very stealth like! I do have to adjust the front derailluer slightly to aid in the upshift from the inner ring. One side benefit to running the friction shifters on the Gary Bar is that it extends the drop sections ends about a half an inch. Perfect! I always wanted just a bit more room on the ends of the Midge/Gary designs. The Tektro levers are really working a trick. Off road dirt drop riders using disc brakes need to check these out!






<===The hand posistion is actually just below the nose of the saddle on a horizontal plane.

I did manage to go down.....heavily I might add...on the first outing. A slightly down hill bit of track in the local cemetary was glazed over with ice and both wheels went at once landing me on my lefty side. My hip took quite a blow right at the socket. Smacked my noggin too. Good thing I was wearing the helmet. The bike? Clattered away down the icy slope, but no damage. Too slick and smooth to even cause a scratch! Reminded me of a roadie crash in a strange sort of way. I don't normally fall like that. I am going to be just fine, but that little wreck and the tire problem put me off and I didn't stay out very long. I got home and took a nap. Felt better afterwards for it and I will ride again next weekend. In between I should be commuting, but we are supposed to be getting freezing rain today, (Blecch!) so I may be car bound if my wife doesn't want to drive.

At any rate, there she is! I'll be getting that tire problem sorted soon and will be putting in more miles as time goes on. Reports to follow.

First Ride (Sort Of) And Some Pics

<===Drop Bar Specific: Whilst it may look "feckin' 'orrible", as one transplanted Briton has called it, it is eminently functional.

Here is the Badger on its first outing. Stopped short of doing the full on gravel grinder since I still have not gotten the tubeless set up on the rear tire to seal up yet. Therefore the "hot laps" around the neighborhood which allowed "pit stops" back at the house for air refills.






<===A good look at the Gary Bar/Tektro lever set up from the front.

I haven't really gotten any off road on it yet with the exception of some dirt road/grassy field traverse. Everything is frozen up or glazed in ice, so really- it's all like riding on a solid rock. That said, the Badger rides very smoothly. I have a feeling it will really shine off road. The seated posistion is nailed. I may make some small adjustments to the tilt of the bars, but that is all I can tell for right now.




<===Those Tektro levers are linear pull specific.

I really like the bar end shifting. Friction shifting comes pretty natural to me on road, but off road may be a bit different. (Finding the gear, that is) As things stand now, I have gotten consistent shifting with almost no noise. Very stealth like! I do have to adjust the front derailluer slightly to aid in the upshift from the inner ring. One side benefit to running the friction shifters on the Gary Bar is that it extends the drop sections ends about a half an inch. Perfect! I always wanted just a bit more room on the ends of the Midge/Gary designs. The Tektro levers are really working a trick. Off road dirt drop riders using disc brakes need to check these out!






<===The hand posistion is actually just below the nose of the saddle on a horizontal plane.

I did manage to go down.....heavily I might add...on the first outing. A slightly down hill bit of track in the local cemetary was glazed over with ice and both wheels went at once landing me on my lefty side. My hip took quite a blow right at the socket. Smacked my noggin too. Good thing I was wearing the helmet. The bike? Clattered away down the icy slope, but no damage. Too slick and smooth to even cause a scratch! Reminded me of a roadie crash in a strange sort of way. I don't normally fall like that. I am going to be just fine, but that little wreck and the tire problem put me off and I didn't stay out very long. I got home and took a nap. Felt better afterwards for it and I will ride again next weekend. In between I should be commuting, but we are supposed to be getting freezing rain today, (Blecch!) so I may be car bound if my wife doesn't want to drive.

At any rate, there she is! I'll be getting that tire problem sorted soon and will be putting in more miles as time goes on. Reports to follow.

Badger 29"er Drop Bar Bike: Finished!

<===Just a quick photo before running off to bed!

Well I thought I'd never see this day. The day I finished the Badger. Almost hard to believe, really, but there it is.

A bike that began almost a year ago with a phone call from Rob Pennell. (Yes! He called me!) The process of getting the frame wasn't too bad, even when you factor in the troubles that Rob had last year, I still got this in a fairly timely fashion. (As a side note, I know some folks have had trouble, and I truly feel bad about that.) Really though, with having another custom frame/fork build going on simultaneously to this bike, I couldn't afford doing both. The Badger had to wait. The decisions on how to kit it out had to be agonized over. (Shifters were the primary source of head scratching.) I had to resolve to having this be a long, drawn out affair.

Before going any further, I've got to thank a few folks here. These folks made it easier on me than it should have been. First, Rob Pennell, who started this whole thing out by offering me a killer deal on an awesome custom frame. David Pals, who got me hooked up with the Thomson stem, seat post, and some clipless pedals. ( The pedals are on my Pofahl. ) Jeff Kerkove, who got me hooked up with the saddle. Brent Gale, who hooked me up with the cranks and hubs. Finally, George Wissell, who hooked me up with the rest of the wheel components and the actual wheel build. You guys were all too kind, and I couldn't have done this without you. Thanks!

Maiden voyage planned for this weekend. I'll get some better pics, and I'll detail out the whole bike then.

And Now- For Something Completely Different.... Twin Six is having a "Spring- (Sort Of) Sale". Here are the details and some info on a charity you might consider as well:

Men’s and Women’s Jerseys $40-$60Men’s and Women’s T-shirts $10-$15 Socks Starting at $8 All T6 Bottles $5 The T6 Sack $90

The sale starts Thursday 1/31 and ends Sunday 2/3. Get while the gettin’s good.

Jenny's Light: Twin Six recently lost a dear friend, Jennifer Gibbs Bankston, and her son Graham, to postpartum depression. Jennifer was a joyful spirit who was loved by family and friends with the same intensity that she showed in her love for others. We have been friends with her and her family for over 20 years, and we will always remember her for the bright light that she was.

10% of all sales from our T6 Spring Sale will be donated to Jenny's Light, a newly formed nonprofit foundation dedicated to building awareness, detection and treatment for postpartum disorders.

Donations can also be sent to: Jenny's Light

5021 Vernon Avenue

Edina, MN 55436

Time To Ride?: Warmer weather is on the way. (Well.....a lot warmer than it has been!) I'm hittin' the gravel this weekend. Hope you can find some time and a place to ride this weekend too. Take care, and ride that bicycle!

Badger 29"er Drop Bar Bike: Finished!

<===Just a quick photo before running off to bed!

Well I thought I'd never see this day. The day I finished the Badger. Almost hard to believe, really, but there it is.

A bike that began almost a year ago with a phone call from Rob Pennell. (Yes! He called me!) The process of getting the frame wasn't too bad, even when you factor in the troubles that Rob had last year, I still got this in a fairly timely fashion. (As a side note, I know some folks have had trouble, and I truly feel bad about that.) Really though, with having another custom frame/fork build going on simultaneously to this bike, I couldn't afford doing both. The Badger had to wait. The decisions on how to kit it out had to be agonized over. (Shifters were the primary source of head scratching.) I had to resolve to having this be a long, drawn out affair.

Before going any further, I've got to thank a few folks here. These folks made it easier on me than it should have been. First, Rob Pennell, who started this whole thing out by offering me a killer deal on an awesome custom frame. David Pals, who got me hooked up with the Thomson stem, seat post, and some clipless pedals. ( The pedals are on my Pofahl. ) Jeff Kerkove, who got me hooked up with the saddle. Brent Gale, who hooked me up with the cranks and hubs. Finally, George Wissell, who hooked me up with the rest of the wheel components and the actual wheel build. You guys were all too kind, and I couldn't have done this without you. Thanks!

Maiden voyage planned for this weekend. I'll get some better pics, and I'll detail out the whole bike then.

And Now- For Something Completely Different.... Twin Six is having a "Spring- (Sort Of) Sale". Here are the details and some info on a charity you might consider as well:

Men’s and Women’s Jerseys $40-$60Men’s and Women’s T-shirts $10-$15 Socks Starting at $8 All T6 Bottles $5 The T6 Sack $90

The sale starts Thursday 1/31 and ends Sunday 2/3. Get while the gettin’s good.

Jenny's Light: Twin Six recently lost a dear friend, Jennifer Gibbs Bankston, and her son Graham, to postpartum depression. Jennifer was a joyful spirit who was loved by family and friends with the same intensity that she showed in her love for others. We have been friends with her and her family for over 20 years, and we will always remember her for the bright light that she was.

10% of all sales from our T6 Spring Sale will be donated to Jenny's Light, a newly formed nonprofit foundation dedicated to building awareness, detection and treatment for postpartum disorders.

Donations can also be sent to: Jenny's Light

5021 Vernon Avenue

Edina, MN 55436

Time To Ride?: Warmer weather is on the way. (Well.....a lot warmer than it has been!) I'm hittin' the gravel this weekend. Hope you can find some time and a place to ride this weekend too. Take care, and ride that bicycle!