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Monday, October 30

2005

I wasn't blogging back in 2005.  I was doing stuff... mebbe posting on MTBR... because we did that back then.

Anyways, that was the year I did Trans Rockies for the first time.  On a rigid single speed.   Despite the fact that everyone on the TR forum (yeth, they had a forum) said it would kill me. 

And a week later, it was done and dusted, and I was racing at Single Speed Worlds in State College, PA.

Of all the things in this image, I only still have the Youngstown State University jersey.

Things I don't miss:

Hayes Mag brakes.  Better than v-brakes, but that was about it.  I bled my first set in the kitchen sink with the lever mounted on a toilet plunger.  As primitive as can be...

Short socks.  I dunno why I was obsessed with them.  It took me years to figure out that having dirt funneled in around my ankles was terrible.  It was a step up from my sockless in Sidis days.

One water bottle.  Yeth, I had Dean only put one cage on my semi-custom frame.  Back then, it was a one bottle ride or a 100oz on my back  What a moron.  Me, not them.

Hadley hubs.  Good gourd.  I remember tearing into the rear hub and finding a roller bearing that looked like it was an artifact from the H. L. Hunley.

High post.  Nuff said.

Shorts, not bibs.  Bibs seemed so "roadie" to me.

Jerseys that only unzip down to about mid-chest.  I can only assume that there was a zipper shortage back then. 

26" wheels.  I can't believe that I clung to them at least a year longer than most of the other idiot single speeders I knew at the time.   I still think a 1,000 gram, high volume front tire is ideal for rigid riding... if only one existed right now.

Life is so good in 2017.

3 comments:

RK said...

You're right about short socks. Never thought about that. But dirt will still get in on the outside of sock, don't it? Man, I'm still on 26 rigid and v brakes. How do I even enjoy riding?

Anonymous said...

HTere is a Fjørk on that bike toooooo

dicky said...

That's a Walt Works custom rigid frok.