Look away

So yesterday, I came home to a big box.

The final part of the bike that isn't the frame but is still required to make great bike race, packed with love by the devil.

Industry Nine has done the Red I thing....

And the Black I thing...

So I asked them if I could get Pink I's. At first they suggested I go to the local preschool and rub myself with children's plush toys, but after some haggling they agreed it would be in everybody's interest to make my dreams come true... aside from the pink rims which would add $300 to the cost of the project. Fashion has a price, and sometimes that price is too high for a guy who has bought used underwear at Value Village.

They are a thing of beauty.

Post-etching anodizing for a stealthy (pink) look. Back matches the front in the manner it should.

For a complete set of two wheels.

They are round and big, like a doughnut from Thom's dreams.

They are also much more useful to me with tires and rotors installed (but slightly heavier).

Lighter than my old set-up by over half a pound, almost 3/4lb with the Ashima rotors. Yes, white rims weigh 60 grams more than black (per wheelset), but black wheels do not make the girls wanna get nekkid.

Wanna know more about Industry Nine? Thom went on the factory tour, learned some important information, and left most of it out in this video from Cyclingdirt.org.


Now it is just the frame to go. With this project closing up soon, I'm already thinking about my next project.

It involves selling my 52cm Kestrel crabon road bike for the very best price and moving away from gears altogether. My road bike has affected me in an adverse way more than once, so I say good riddance unto you, foul temptress. Gears are like cookies. I grab all I can get my hands on until I reach the point where it's unhealthy. Limit me to one cookie at a time, and I'm much better off dealing within those constraints.

My one cookie frame should be on order soon and life should get harder soon enough.

One final note:

Backcountry Research is back open for business, but because demand for older product was so high during the shut down of 2012 that new product is temporarily back burnered until such time that they can catch up on back orders.

So I can blame you for me not having my Fönbag (pronounced fōn- bahg) yet.

Thanks.