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Tuesday, September 11

New Behk: V.8

After Pisgah Monster Cross, the desire to head home was strong.  The race was over super early, and standing around day-drinking under the blazing sun sounded like the opposite of what I wanted to do.  Besides that, I was pretty sure I had a new behk to build at home.

I made sure that when I walked in the door, I dealt with all the baggage and smelly things that one might come home from a race with before even tearing into the giant box.  I took everything out, unpacked the little boxes that were in the big box, and decided it was best to wait until tomorrow (it was supposed to rain all day) to build it up.

Okay, mebbe I put the bottom bracket and crank on before I went to bed.

I woke up a few times in the early AM and fought the desire to start building a bike at an insane hour.

I gave up around 6:00AM.

Yeth, it was still dark outside.  Yeth, I illogically mounted the rear wheel in there prematurely just so I could see what it would look like.

There were those slight snags and small dropped tiny tools and bits slowing me down, as well as the live World Championship downhill racing diverting my attention.  I have to admit tho, every time I can thread a bottom bracket entirely into the frame by hand... that's a good day.

I did a fair amount of pacing about as well.  Building on the porch in the early morning, moving into the living room later in the day, back out to the porch to shorten the brake lines... tuning a suspension fork?

Bikes are so much work.

Eventually, the bike was built, the live World Championship coverage was over, the suspension "tuned," a decal put where it belonged...

And it wasn't raining outside (or inside for that matter)... and it didn't look like it would for some time, so I kitted up and went for a ride.  My legs were super tired from Pisgah Monster Cross, the heat/humidity was semi-crushing, and I had that whole "mebbe I forgot to tighten something" feeling, but I went out anyways.

New behk stoke can not be contained.

Such an awful image with zero depth...

Ten minutes into my ride, I came to a drop on the Tech Loop that I won't do rigid since it has zero transition and very little approach speed.  I'm thinking, "do I send it?"

I mean, did I build this bike competently, given that I was watching bike cycles racing on the TV and wandering around the house and shaking from coffee consumption with not enough food.

I sent it anyways.

And then I went back and did it again.

I knew I wasn't gonna enjoy an entire Backyard Trail loop in my condition, so I headed to the highlights.  Over to the Cannon Jump Line next.

I would say it built up quite nicely.

I did not opt to upgrade to the Cane Creek eeWing cranks.  Not saying I won't ever.  Just saying I didn't now.  These will do fine to get the bike rolling.

I spent some time fiddling with the placement of the Cane Creek Dropt lever (also my first install of an internal drooper).  I guess had I looked at their site, I woulda saw an image showing me exactly where it went, or at least got a start.

It is right where I need it tho.  Smoothest lever I've ever pushed on, super easy actuation, and I haven't even played with the couple fine tuning adjustments available.

Plenty of clearance on the Fox Step Cast 34 for a 2.5 Minion DHF on an Industry Nine Pillar 310 rim... unfortunately my half-assed fender that I used to zip-tie to the arch is not Boost compatible.  Sigh.
I went with the cockpit from the Vertigo Meatplow V.7 instead of the ENVE cockpit I bought... because...

Back and forth and back again.  This stem looks better on this bike and is shorter by a pinch.  I'll need to go and ride both before I settle on something.

I mighta rode around for an hour or so.  All I can say is, man... I missed having a decent amount of squish in my life.  So much easier for screwing around and doing dumb things.  Also, having that 2.5 tire glued to the earth in the corners... lawd.  I can't wait to get this thing in the mountains.

So, of course there's a hurricane coming this week.  Of course.

Anyways, this is the bike I was trying to force the By:Stickel Meatplow V.6 into being.  It was just designed around a smaller XC rear tire and a few other things that held it back.

Oh yeah, one more thing that makes my Vassago Optimus ti frame just a bit more special...

Mebbe tomorrow or the next day I get into the why/what/so forth about how I decided on an Optimus titanium frame, and why I feel buenos about all that.

 

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

"New behk stoke can not be contained" So TRUE!! Congrats, nice looking build. Looking forward to more deets tomorrow... and I know it's not a race weight-weeny bike but the lb's would be good to know as well.

Anonymous said...

I love how you opted for the bottle holder under the down tube 🤘🏼

Anonymous said...

Reach too, if for nothing other than I don't need to upgrade my bike (we are similar apples tall and I need to justify my enjoyment of said ride).

Anonymous said...

Looks great btw!

Anonymous said...

Glad to know I'm not the only one who can't sleep through the night when a new bike is waiting to be built in my garage. I keep going back and forth on the lightness and awesome feel of a good rigid fork and the simple painlessness of riding with a bit of squish up front. Seems the only good solution is a bunch of bikes with different sets of options and a big pile of spare parts for when I need MOAR OPTIONS. First world problems, eh?

Anonymous said...

Best thing here is custom penis etching

Anonymous said...

Welcome to the LEGION. Vassago's are the shiz!

graveldoc said...

Nice bike. The wisdome with keeping it single speed must have certainly kept the build more simple. I say that after putting together a new road bike last week and having to fuss with shifting mechs for a couple of days. I like your behk! Looking forward to your feed back.

TJ Morton said...

Good lord! As if I didn't already want a new bike badly enough! That is effing HAWT!

Anonymous said...

The LEGION, el o el.

Anonymous said...

This bike is like Dicky dating a 6'tall supermodel... unmatched and awkward in every-way, but with a giant smile on dickys face, and a tent pitched in his baggy shorts.

hellbelly said...

I want one of those stickers.

Anonymous said...

What other frames were up for consideration before you purchased the Vassago?

dicky said...

Pretty much custom or nothing at that point.