Why?

"Why?" has got to be one of the simplest complex questions one can ask.
As the 'rainy season' here in SoCal threatens to rear its ugly face, I decided my well tuned and well maintained Surly Pacer would be spared from messy road rides through mud puddles and flowing grit. The best solution seemed to be a fixie so I slapped together a bit of a Frankenbike - a Surly 1x1 frame with 700c wheels, a front disc brake and drop bars. Over time it transformed from road tires to 700X45 semi-slicks and a 46X16 drivetrain to a 38X18 drivetrain, no longer suited for road riding but great for exploring local fire access roads. Thrilled at the creation we ventured out for a 50 mile ride with roughly 3,000 feet of elevation gain (& loss) - which wouldn't be so bad if 2,500 feet of that climbing didn't all come within a 7 mile stretch. A great ride it was. Then came the next day. Stumbling from bed my legs reminded me how long it had been since i rode fixed gear. Nevertheless I felt accomplished.
Hobbling around the office with more sore legs, I shared of the experience with a co-worker who rides and who could appreciate the effort that goes into such a fixed gear ride. Instead, he uttered one word... "Why?"
Really, what could I say? Coasting sucks? I like the threat of getting tossed over the bars or having the legs shredded by the spinning pedals?

Misleading Photos

SoCal mtn biking is nothing like I expected. I kept seeing all these sweet photos of rolling singletrack, only to get here and discover that sections of trail like the one pictured here are few and far between. Doubletrack and dirt roads prevail and steep climbs don't make those dirt roads any more enjoyable. On the upside, its December 1 and 70 degrees and sunny. What do I really have to complain about.

Moving To Cali!

Facing the realization that we will be living in a smaller place (due to the cost of living) once we arrive in California, I had to sell a number of parts that alway keep me tinkerin' when I want to tinker. By the time today's moving sale was over, I had lost (sold):
* gunnar rockhound frame
* 2 wheelsets of xt disc hubs laced to sun mammoth rims
* xt/rhyno lite wheelset
* marzocchi 80mm fork
* 3 manitou forks
* rock shox psylo race fork
* a few rigid forks
* 3 cranks
* countless chainrings
* shifter sets (who needs 'em)
* cane creek air shock
* saddles
* seatposts
* countless tires
* and much much more

I miss the stuff already. But I know that I now have less stuff to move and more room when we get to where we're going. A bitter-sweet taste no doubt. Amazing how attached you can get to stuff that you don't really even use.

Variety... The Spice Of Life

Ok, I admit it ... though shamefully ... that somedays it takes a little kick in the butt to get me on my bike. Riding seven days a week and commuting to work by bike, you cover a lot of ground. Once I'm on my bike I'm great. I've never come home from a ride and said "Geez that sucked!"

Even rides on cold, rainy days come out great. Its just that motivation to get out the door. That and the 'destination' dilemma. I always look forward to riding I guess, I just don't so much look forward to where I'm going.

So I've turned to variety. First, is the bikes... a road bike, commuter bike, fixie 29er, and two singlespeeds. Second, is pavement, singletrack, forest service roads, or a mixture of two or three of the above. Third and last, is mixing long loops with destination type rides, like riding to Sisters (25 miles of mixed surface) for lunch and then back a different way, or even more utilitarian errand type rides around town.

Mix 'em all up and you find yourself anxiously awaiting the next day because its been so long since you've done a road bike / pavement & dirt road / destination ride (or some sort of mixture not done recently).

Trade You My Shimano WH-R550 For Your Wal Mart Wheels?

The more I ride the more I hate 'technological advancements' in the world of cycling. Against my better judgment I maintain a Surly Pacer road bike. Road rides provide a nice break from hitting the dirt. The shifters and complex parts always cause me problems, but none more than the Shimano WH-R550 Wheels, which have now suffered from three broken spokes. Conclusion, they are absolute crap! Even my wife, queen of pampering her bike by finessing her way over bumps and dips, has broken a spoke on her WH-R550 wheel!

This isn't so much a rant about a crap product but rather a precaution to help fellow cyclists from falling into the same sinkhole. Of course I'd advise against any sort of non-singlespeed wheel but I recognize they have their place.... Shimano's place being in the trash can of course.

Smoke Anyone?

After pressing my luck and riding fixie without a lock ring, I decided it was time to get a true fixie wheel built up. Mean Todd at Web Cyclery builds great wheels and even turned it around in seven days -- a surly fixed/free hub laced to a Salsa Delgado rim and a Surly 18t cog.

Then it occured to me that I didn't have a tire for it. I've been running IRC semi-slicks 700X43 with good luck and planned to do the same until, from behind the counter, they pulled out a Panaracer 700X45. I've ripped knobs off the 26" version of these things so only time will speak to the durability issue but gads they're smokin on the Karate Monkey. Low rolling resistance on the pavement on the way to the trail, up to 85psi capability, and plenty of bite when you need to stop quick. They don't seem to get along with sand too well but at less than 2" wide and that much pressure, anything is gonna dive in a bit.

Wade of Vulture Cycles first turned me on to the tires during a group ride a few weeks ago (he rode fixie for 39 miles of dirt and pavement with a number of roadies) but I had never seen them available anywhere and had pretty much forgotten about them.

Give me another 200 miles or so and I'll get back with an updated review.

Are You Claritin Clear?

After a (few) morning(s) of coughing, sneezing, nose-running and just plain being miserable, Donna finally reached the conclusion that she might have some sort of allergies. One late-night stop at Safeway and we had $19 worth of Claritin non-drowsy allergy relief stuff.

So Donna pops one this morning with her coffee, banana and oatmeal and 90 minutes later she's dropping me on our ride like she got Kit's turbo boost button on her handlebar or something. The last few miles of the ride I'm drafting big time and still barely maintaining her pace. Dang! She swears she feels like she's on speed (I'd like to know how she knows what that feels like but I don't bring that up) and that it's the Claritin thats giving her the boost.

So I can't help but wonder exactly what they mean by 'non-drowsy'? Is it naturally a drowsy medicine so they add some sort of speed to counteract the effect or what? It was great to hammer with my better half but not at the cost of possible health risks. So one more day, I agreed to let her try it to see if her body just has to adapt but if the heart is still 'a poundin', no more claritin!