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Tuesday, April 10

Getting back to the business of getting back to business

So other than hanging out, cramping, talking about my butt problems, and watching bike racing type stuff, Saturday was a fail.

I decided Sunday would not fall to the same fate. I woke up at a leisurely 8:50AM and got to work on my next article for Dirt Rag (after checking my email, looking at facebook, lurking on the forums, checking my stocks, ordering some Yankee Candles, and spewing my liberal agenda on that other blog I maintain). Writing for Dirt Rag is sometimes like homework, and so I treat it thusly... I avoid it for as long as possible, and then I loosely plagiarize something awesome that nobody can remember. If my next article reads a little like Tale of Two Cities, now you know why.

With the article in the bag, I went straight to work on some other stuff that's been hanging over my head. Drew from Industry Nine handed me my pink parts AND my road-now-cross wheels that are now upgraded to i25's. Armed with enough endcaps and cassette spacers, bikes that were complete and semi-complete were put into proper order.

The By:Stickel/DickStickel Meatplow got upgraded to squish with the addition of the Fjox fjork. I've been dying to ride this bike with squish as it wants to go fast downhill... faster than I can go with the rigid. Slacker and shorter than any previous SS hardtail I've owned, this bike will haul the mail in this configuration. Perfect timing too, since the Canadian invasion is this weekend.

They're already in Asheville, but they can be stopped. Just distract them with 90's sitcoms and free internet. As Socialists they're not used to having access to the internet after 9:00PM, but they are very healthy.

The Misfit diSSent Brontoawesomeous Meatplow V.5 has been brought back to life.

New brakes and pieces parts and it's all good to go. It's nice to have two single speeds put together that have two different personalities. With the race wheels mounted up on the Bronto, it sits at 19.8lbs, making it the lightest SS I've ever owned. Not über light compared to a crabon frame with wispy wheels and tires made out of spider silk, but the lightest I have that I can call mine own.

Horses for courses. I has them.

The Fire Mare takes another couple steps towards completion.

Brakes and cockpit selection... and sitting down with the Gates belt drive and making friends. I can't decide if I'm going with drops or flats up front, so I guess the next step is breaking out the ruler, cassette spacers, slide rule, oscilloscope, and a half stick of butter (Gates says you shouldn't use chain lube on the belt). Then I'll head outside for some scary brake-less riding with each cockpit in order to make a very hasty decision before I kill myself or end up in someone's garden.

Yes, I'm dragging my feet. I don't know why. I think I'm scared that I'll start riding cyclocross all the time and develop "feelings."


Yes, the photos suck. I was too impatient to wait till daybreak to take them, and too distracted last night to think about tomorrow which is now today.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Lets just say you were riding along on a trail nice and peaceful like. Then you snag that big fucking hole in your ear on a tree branch. Thnik that would hurt?

dicky said...

There are no trees in cross racing. Only tears and skinsuits.

TheMutt said...

I bet that squishy fjork doesn't last two weeks.

dicky said...

Then I shall shoot for three.

Dash said...

Any investment advice? I went long on a roadie last year, but that market tumbled during 2011. I'm thinking HT 26ers are due...

dicky said...

I would tell you 650b, but that might be considered insider trading.

pv said...

How's the colonic's comin'?

Green stuff ya put in yer Beaver might help...that and not suckin' off sprinklers in the park anymore.

Anonymous said...

Is your saddle actually over the rear axle like that? That photo makes it look close...wheelie machine!

And run drops on the CX bike...like God intended...you know you want to. Flats are for mountain bikes...

just sayin'