Warning: Semi-nudity in today's post that isn't my nudity

Last night I asked The Pie if my new Dirt Rag came in the mail. She informed me that she had yet to check the mail, but would do so after supper. We both forgot. When I went to bed she reminded me that no one had checked the box, so excitedly I jumped out of bed and checked to see if the paper validation of my hard work had indeed arrived.

Indeed!

This issue has not just one article from me, but two, count them, two articles written by yours truly. My quest to take over the magazine is now twice as complete as it was a month ago. My next goal is to take over the table of contents and perhaps do a micro brew review. The cover shall read Dicky's Dirt Rag by December at this aggressive rate of non-hostile (as of yet) takeover.

Thanks to the modern communication devices known as email, facebook, and my comment section I knew I'd get some feedback on yesterday's post. A few of you wanted to know just how the Rotor ring affected chain tension.

Here's a photo of the ring/chain combo in what would be one of the tighter spots:

Notice that the new chain I installed and originally tensioned weeks ago has stretched slightly and allows for some slack.

Here is everything with the ring rotated to the loosest position:

Not a hell of a lot of difference.

Here is the loosest position without my judgmental finger pushing down on the chain:

Not a lot of slack at all. I realize my test is very unscientific as I could be pushing on the chain in a manner that gets the results I desire, but...

Rotor points out on their very scientific website this reaffirming fact:

"You will obviously have a small change in tension if you’re feet are at 12 & 6 o’clock, but when going downhill you’re feet will likely be positioned at 3 & 9 o’clock (highest tension). Therefore, the only time you’ll be at 6 & 12 o’clock is when you are pedaling, which means that you will be applying pressure on the chain at this point."

Also realize that my chain needs tightened. I have over a hundred miles on that brand spanking new chain, and I haven't done anything to address the slackness due to my very own personal slackness.

Thad, the very man I spoke so highly of in the most recent issue of Dirt Rag (did I mention that I will totally own the magazine by 2011?) left a snide, doubtful, and semi braggart'esque comment about the Rotor ring:

"$135 for a ring? Better be made out of some bad ass makemefastium for that price. Also I bet you can push 33x19 regular, I run 35x19 and it feels better than 34x19 on climbs. Headcase."

Let's not forget that Thadly is still running around on baby wheels and his climbs are in the state of Tennessee where the only thing that is considered big is their tubes of sausage. A 35X19 on little wheels is still dwarfed by the manly 33X19 on proper sized wheels I pushed at ORAMM proving that either my penis grew ten times its size that day or that the Rotor ring just works. I'm sure when you pay $135 for a ring you're also paying for all the R&D work that provides all the really cool graphs that justify the purchase to your wife.

If you are a believer in graphs and want a ring I did verify yesterday that George at Bike29 does indeed have them in stock.

Another comment I received was about the "Genital Non-Displaying Device".

A reader wanted to know how such a short towel managed to still keep my excessively large genitals from being displayed.

I was actually still using my old method of genital non-display that I learned from Buffalo Evan:

It's an old habit that's very hard to break. Apparently this is an approved method of being naked in public while not breaking any laws. All the kids are doing it (probably NSFW, but even if it is, it's still pretty creepy to look at).

Some folks wanted to know about that new and improved totally awesome place to stick your Awesome Strap?

As Thad can tell you (and he often will), he has stuck an Awesome Strap on every point on his bike imaginable. He has stuck them on his hubs, around his bottom bracket, and even on his pedals although that last option made it difficult to actual pedal the bike. My advice is that you stick them anywhere that doesn't interfere with your ability to ride a bike properly, and knowing that Thad has no idea how to ride a bike properly I can see where he gets confused.

Just in case you forgot, I am still working on a huge change for me that is coming down the proverbial pipe. Last night I was in email contact with a legend of the sport of mountain biking in a manner in which I had not expected, and I can only say I felt like getting all Wayne's World in front of my monitor.



Strange days are these.