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Wednesday, September 12

Why. Am. Sea. Eh.

Let me start by saying that I planned on weighing the bike last night, but then I went out for beers with Bill Nye after work, and then I came home and sat on the couch holding the runt of a litter of seven all night.

Thorry.  I'll do better at some point with that.

So, how did I finally decide on new behk?

Like I said before, the By:Stickel Meatplow V.6 was limited, but only because it was primarily designed to be an endurance racing machine.  27.2 post for comfort. No bigger than a 2.2 tire.  100mm or similar A-C rigid compatible frok.

I finger the pulse of the "industry" pretty hard when it comes to new single speed options when they come out.

I've come close to pulling the trigger multiple times, but when it comes to sacrificing my wants and desires, I quickly came back to the fact that I already had a bike that is a compromised... so why chuck it for yet another list of compromises?

So the By:Stickel Meatplow V.6 got 27.5 wheels so I could get a bigger tire in the back (and the non-Boost front)... sacrificing the superior roll over of a 29" wheel.

It also got a drooper stuck in its seat pipe, but a 27.2 drooper limits droop to 125mm.  I would say the more squish I have up front, the more droop I want in the back...

I would say that, but I have 150mm on my rigid behk and would take more if Fox makes it happen someday.

So left with the options of throwing more band aids on the By:Stickel Meatplow V.6 or buying a third single speed (still with some compromises) negating the purpose of the former with the latter, I did the only logical thing.  I bought a full suspension bike with gears.

I never tire of trying to stick my square peg in a round hole...

No matter how it gets done.

So obviously, I'm not geriatric enough to enjoy all the pleasantries of going full Eagle and having couch-like ride qualities.  I ended up surfing the net, prodding the "industry" once again with my fingering finger.

Consult MTBR.com, check out every dusty, dank nook and cranny on the internet, recent Interbike coverage, every bike site known to man and check again and again.

And then I found something I didn't know had happened.

I've looked at Vassago's bikes before.  I'd considered an Optimus ti frame in the past, but the geo numbers weren't quite what I was looking for in either a race bike or a happy fun time bike.  But one day, it was all different.  The geometry, specs and features were not what they had been previously.  Internal 30.9  drooper post rooting, Boost spacing, clearance for a big 'ol tire, and optimized for a 120mm fork.

To be honest, I actually considered the new 2018 steel VerHauen.  It hit the boxes as well.

But...

I want this bike to suit two needs.  I want a happy fun time bike with gigantic tires that stick to the ground like improperly disposed chewing gum and can handle a hard tail being slammed down Black Mountain at 90% reckless abandon.  I also wanna be able to pull off the chubby tires and put on racer boi (for me) meats so I can use this bike to do some racing when I don't feel like beating my dick off on a rigid bike.  I needed something that can be light and racey while also being chunk-gnar friendly.

I've got a soft spot for the magic metal that is ti.  I've had to watch my beautiful By:Stickel paint (and decal panels) take a beating over the years.  Sure repainting is always an option, but I love how ti just never looks beat up and shitty. 

Of course, I coulda went down the full custom road and bought a new Vertigo with updated for happy fun time bits, but...

That was the most I've ever spent on a hardtail frame (or a squish frame FWIW).  It's so worth it, and that frame is a lifer... so long as I can keep it in froks and wheels.  Stupid self-obsolescencing "industry."  If I had to only have one bike in my life... yeth.  The Vertigo.

Fortunately, I don't.  I've made room in my life (and my tiny home) for four behks, and this one certainly has its place. 

I definitely feel like I'm set for awhile now.

6 comments:

Derron Tanner said...

Welcome to the 4 behk club! You're going to love it here.

N+1 said...

You are just going to want to join the 5 behk club...

dicky said...

I've been a member of the four, five, six, and I think seven behk club. When we moved into the tiny house, I decided four needs to be the max (not including the behk I built for The Pie to ride on the trainer that's collecting dust in the Murder Room under the house).

That's all I need as long as I live and work in Charlotte... I think.

Vertigo Cycles said...

Glad to read that the Vertigo is a lifer. My feels will be spared for a while longer.

Anonymous said...

If you only want one bike for all the racing/playing...this is the bike!
https://www.scott-sports.com/us/en/product/scott-spark-900-ultimate-bike

It has Twinlock that will make the bike rigid to climb and open to descend and it's all done with the flick of a switch! I've ridden many bikes out there and when I threw my leg over this bike and rode it...Wow!

Anonymous said...

Stay safe this weekend!