Crossed Up

If I can`t ride my bike then I`ll tinker with it. Today I wanted to go down to Cinci to race at East Fork State park but my body did not. I have been fighting a saddle sore since Tuesday and since then it has gone from the size of a elongated dime to the size of a grain of corn. Despite its small size it has kept me off the bike for 3 days straight and I AM DYING to ride. Hopefully the combination of lots of Neosporin and time out of the saddle will kill this super zit.

Last night I spent some alone time with my truing stand and finished off another two wheels. I installed Stans yellow tape and a tire and tube inflated to high pressure to help pack the tape down. This morning I remove the tube and installed a valve stem and sealant. With my new wheels tubeless I cut around 150 grams and gained a more durable wheel (32h, 3 cross) and better flat protection. The bike as shown weighs 14.6 lbs, no pedals and 15.2 with pedals.

With more riding the rim braking surface will turn silver as the anodizing is worn off. The chain will also stretch out with more riding and will need to be replaced so it wont fall off.

I Love Mary

Good ol Moose Call, just blow over the tube.

Turning Nipples

The Pieces PartsThe End Product

One wheel requires no less than 2 hours of work. Twenty minutes of lacing and the rest of the time is spent tensioning, stressing, truing and repeating until the wheel is perfect. Then the wheel is ridden until it looses tension and then is brought back up to the specified tension. After the initial bedding in period the wheel never should go out of true or lose tension. I have three of the four wheels laced up and one fully built and with my current amount of free time I might finish by next Wednesday.

Lawyer Tabs

------Fox F29 -----------Variable Speed Dremel ---------Fast Wheel Removal

"This is a Tough Race"

This is a tough race. I think Tim Carson said this a few times.

**Tired and sore
The race was the third Vultures knob Groovy series race, the weather was looking like rain and my tire was looking bald. I paid my entry fee and went out for warm up loops. The wind really started to pick up and the rain came down. The race was intended to begin at 6:00 but was delayed due to lightning and then delayed again for lightning, forty minutes later the race started.

The course had been cut down to a shorter and less dangerous loop with the removal of the over-under and the trail conditions had gone from gravy to poo in one hour. The field was stacked well, Carson, Walker, Twining, Clark and Wilhelm. I was looking at an up hill struggle. The race started and I entered the single track 6th. I soon moved up to 5th within the first mile and had almost captured forth by the end of the first lap. My legs were great, plenty of pop. My tires (Karma front, Crow rear) however were less able. I was taking corners sub muddy racing speed and was spinning the tire on the flats and downhills, my rear end was all over the place. A mile form the end of the first lap I crashed hard enough (my only crash) to take me out of the race. I was right on Clarks wheel and was pushing hard. My rear end got way off to the right in a downhill and when I hit the bridge at the bottom I fell and hit my knee on the bridge. Now I don`t want to be a skirt but it really hurt and I struggled to return to the start/finish area. My knee was looked at by Rody Walter, and was given an icebag to reduce swelling. (Thanks Rody) While waiting around I was told Brad DNF`d also, but due to bike problems. As the race went on more riders finished and DNF`d. There were a good number of DNF`s but I`ve seen much worse.

The Expert race finished something like this, Twining, Carson, Walker(who broke his shoe and switched with a spectator), Clark.

I would also like to make a special note that I am now riding for Gary Fisher Bikes, thanks to my friend and Trek inside sales Rep. Bob Myers.

New Kit, Pretty

Dr. Knob and Bubbles

Mr. Bonifant

...not really sure but he was on a 29er

Tim Carson.. Mr Blur

Dave Walker and his prototype shoe combination.

That big naked guy.

Tullis got a bo- boo, Rody assists in cleaning the wound, it could of used two stitches for sure.. Gnar.

Ryan Wayne Skinned his Knee pretty good by the looks of it.

My Machete

Tuesday is trailday. I headed over to the Vultures knob race course (a 12min ride from my house) to do some trimming before the race on Saturday.

I decided to take my cross bike instead of a 29er. It was looking lonely in the corner of the garage.

The Cherrybomb.

These berries are sweet but not ready to eat. I had to cut this branch down, it was hanging low in the trail.

Today my dad and I made a trip down to the state park for a hot lap. He had just picked up his new bike at the shop Saturday and without even bedding in the brakes hit the trail. Just a side note, it looks very similar to mine.

I finished my lap in 2:10:34 making it my second fastest lap ever. For the first 16 miles my legs felt good then went ad after mile 22. I mashed the final climbs till my shoulders burned. I was amazed that I finished as quickly as I did given the condition of my legs. I got back to the car and sat for some time before dad returned. I noticed a cool chain mark on my calf, to bad it does not say Sram on it. When dad got back he started telling me about his first trail ride on a 29er. He was amazed by the amount of traction the bike had. He said he could stand up and mash without worry of slipping out where normally he would sit down and gear down. It was great to see he enjoyed his ride on the new bike. It was also a relief to see that the 29er effect was real and that I`m not totally off my rocker.

Parts Tuning

Today, Tuesday is my day off from work and instead of riding the trails I busted out my Dremel and file set.

-Shifters-

I recently got a my grubby little paws on a set of Sachs Quarz shifters.. these are a weight weenies wet dream. The set weighs in at 122.4g, 32g lighter than my tuned X.0 twisters but are only compatible with a 2:1 ratio...Shimano. I decided that I would use the front shifter only and after a bit of material removal I dropped 17g from my setup.

-Derailleur-

Some might know that I used a rather unique front derailleur setup that requires me to use a braze-on adapter. If you are unsure of what I am referring to then check this link out >Linky<
I decided to remove a little excess material from the adapter hoping to get my front derailleur set up down to 90g. The clamp started out at 30.3g and after some grinding, filing, sanding and bolt tuning I got it down to 21.7g unfinished. Currently it will remain unfinished until I get some more free time to smooth the edges out and polish it.

-Pedals-

I have a set of Crank Brothers Short Sl spindles heading my way that will be in on Thursday. I`m oping to drop a few grams along with a few mm`s on my Q-Factor. Hope fully I will not need to be looking at a different frame to accommodate this narrow Q-Factor.

A Salute to the SS

A Rest Day

Well, yesterday I raced the Mohican 100k Mountain bike race in Lodonville Ohio. I went into the race hoping just hoping to finish and half way through the race found myself hoping I was in first place. I had done no prior training for the race other than my usual ride to work on my fixie.. slow pokin goin, hard as hell back. When I heard Tim Carson and brad Wilhelm had been training for the event I got it in my head I wouldnt have a shot and even thought about bringing my camera along for some sweet pics.

The race started in downtown Loudonville and shot us up the biggest hill out of the valley. I started mid pack and towards the top of the hill I found my self in the top 30 and before we entered the single track I was sitting in the top 20. At that point I was super stoked and had made up my mind on weather I wanted to go for a win. I saw Tim Carson on the side on the trail fixing a flat and later saw Brad Wilhelm on the trail side looking at something in his drivetrain which turned out to be a chain problem.

About 21 miles in I`m guessing. The Pack was gone (8min in front) and I was simply taking my time and having fun as Bob noted in his photo gallery.

Somewhere in the middle of nowhere.

At the 3rd aid station around mile 43. At this point I was feeling it (small leg twinges in places I have never had leg twinges in). Bob offered me some chain lube and I impulsively declined it and then accepted it three seconds later, I don`t think I was firing on all cylinders at the time.

Feeling vintage yet? My dad just after crossing the finish line. He did the 100k as well.

Lake Shot

Panoramic
(people were moving around alot)


My Sunday rest project.


Nice rims..


In the end I wound up in second by 9 minutes and my fellow club member John Lorson took 1st in the SS 100k race.