Duderonomy

Two decent enough rides on the Vassago Meatplow V.8 this weekend for me to say some things and stuff.

I wanted to get out to the US National Whitewater Center and beat the heat Saturday morning, but...

Nia needed to open a bank account because "job," so I didn't get out there first thing in the morning like I wanted.  It's one of the best places in town to really open things up tho, so heat be damned.  Not sure how far I rode, but long enough that my t-shirt had hit full saturation levels.  That picture is right above the rooty section at the bottom of the Weigh Station Loop, where I once and for all launched a hard tail down the roots on the right side.  If you're not from around here, that means nothing.  Suffice to say, it's a great line on a fully, challenging to launch into with a hard tail, but bueno on the Vassago (as built).

Sunday, I headed to DuPont with Bill Nye and Colin.  I wanted a "mountain light" ride... more or less.  So, DuPont.

Most of the greatest hits; Pine Tree, Cascade, Hooker Creek, Hickory Mountain, Ridgeline, Issac Heath... and then Bill Nye got a rumbly tumbly on the way over to the Airstrip, so Colin and I bee-lined it over to Cedar Rock while Bill Nye headed back to the car.

Got to the top and had to wait my turn at the photo booth because some guy didn't understand Cedar Rock decorum and was busy posting his picture to Snatch Chat (or whatever the kids use today) instead of removing his offending squishy bike.

Waited my turn...

I'm the first person to take this picture (of my behk) ever.

So, the plusses and minuses thus far.  Let's start with the negative because that list is short.

1. The bike does not climb very snappily.  I don't think I can blame it on the bike at all tho.  I've been rolling on @700 gram rear tires for so many years that I can't remember when it started.  Mostly the Ikon, Ardent Race, and Rekon (all 2.2-2.25).  Even when I ran the Tomahawk 27.5 X 2.3 on the By:Stickel, I was on a @800 gram tire.  The 2.3 Aggressor that I'm running is over 900 grams and built to haul ass.

"The Aggressor is designed for high-speed modern mountain bike trails. Advanced knob shaping creates extra gripping edges, and reinforced side knobs offer enhanced stability when cornering at speed."

Most of my other tire selections were deigned to be "fast rollers," this tire is almost a half pound heavier, and I'm throwing it into piles of shit with reckless abandon... so, this tire is doing what I asked of it.  On top of all that, I'm much heavier than normal and in possibly the worst shape I've been in this time of year in... fifteen years?

Mebbe it's just me.

2. I do have some noise from the internal drooper cable banging around in the down tube.  Something I can fix pretty easily with some foam tubing I happen to have in a drawer somewhere... whenever I get around to it.  It would have been way easier to do when I first built it, so that just reduces my motivation to correct the issue all the more.

3. The chain stays are one link longer than what I'm used to since... 2012?  I don't remember when I got the By:Stickel, but starting then.  Mebbe that only makes sense to a single speeder, but I can't get the 32 X 20 Pisgah gearing to work with the same length chain I'm used to.

But all that said...

Plusses.

1. I have a slightly harder time getting the front end up, but I don't know if it's the chain stay length, the steeper than normal seat tube angle, heavier front end... or a combination of all these things.  It just requires a little more effort and remembering what bike I'm on.  All this ends up in the plus column because all those changes make the bike a very confident descender... which is what I wanted the bike to do best.  I can not complain.

2. I loved my Step Cast 32, and as expected, I loved my Step Cast 34 that much more, like 20mm more.  That thing just works so well that I leave it in Open Mode all the time, unless I'm climbing gravel or pavement.  Kudos.

3. Both tires do everything I expected them to do.  The 2.5 DHF Minion just digs in, and with the Step Cast keeping in on the ground, it's just super confidence inspiring.  That said, if/when I race this bike, I'll put on some MUCH lighter meats.

4. The overall geometry puts me less in of an all day XC pedal mode and pushes more into the fun happy place.  I'd say it feels bueno, although I can't put a finger ALL THE WAY on what "it" is.  Other people design bikes.  I just ride them.

5. Component-wise, I wouldn't change a thing... aside from the thing I'm gonna do tonight that will drop about 300 grams.  If I can fit a 170mm drooper (and Fox makes one), I'll get it.  I still need to get a bell for it and justify spending $60 on a bell again, because no, I'm not getting the Chinese knockoff. 

That and I wanna pick up a Once Up EDC Tool...

because it's just that handy.  Bill Nye has one, and although I might chuck it for endurance racing purposes (heavy and more tools than I need), it certainly puts me one step closer to riding shirtless again.

Very, very looking forward to Stokesville Lodge three day weekend starting Friday!