Monday, March 25, 2013

Little Garage time...

We needed to figure out the brakes on Joab's new bike.  So we got to log a little garage time Sunday afternoon.   While we were there I took some pictures.


Well here's the reason we were in the garage.  Bleeding brakes.  Finally got everything the way Joab wanted it.


Left side of the bench.  Yes thumbies rule.


Middle bench.  Lubes...growler...old Marzochi arch.  Sorry no Right bench today.  He wasn't up to it.


Many bits from many HS33's thru the years


Row of seats.  Some old, some new.

The traveling tools.  Joab's tool box and all of mine.  Never know when you'll need that tool....

 My youngest working hard.  Getting that new rig ready to fly.


Trying to keep working a little longer...


Waiting for Summer.


Sleeping bikes.  Waiting to be rode.


Little Indoor playset.



Friday, March 22, 2013

March 22nd Commute - The new ride



After the first few blocks you could feel it.  Maybe feel isn't the right word.  Sense it.  There was something different.  I thought long and hard how to discribe it on the way to work.  What was different.  Was it the bike?  Was it the weather?  Was it me?  Was it the 5mph tail wind?  The bike felt different and it should have.  The bike I was riding today was my new Yipsan steel 650b wheeled wonder.  I've started calling it spinner.  In reference to how the glittery panels on it look like the same glitter on a spinner bait.  The bike just rolled, dare I say flew up the hill this morning(again it could have all been the tail wind).  It functioned great and made the ride up totally worth it.  It should be noted that there's a winter storm warning out for tonight.  I say weather be damned.  Until your hear, I'll ride.  I've been fooled enough this season.

Temp - 28/45 degrees
Wind - 5mph sustained/ 15mph gusts

Me:
Head - 8 Good (Underarmor stocking cap and fleece buff)
Hands - 6 Good (Again, Gloves were fine in the morning and too heavy in the afternoon)
Chest - 6 Good (Can't wait to try out my upcoming Birthday present.  A jacket that won't be drenched by the time I get to work)
Legs - 6 Good (Fine)
Feet -5 OK (Cold toes)
Overall Physical feel - 8 (Not much wind and gears add up to a good ride.)

Bike ratings as follows.  One will mean total equipment failure.  Ten means it totally served it's purpose and I need to write more positive reviews on it.

Bike: Yipsan Spinner
Tires - 7(Stayed inflated)
Brakes  - 8(Not a word)
Drivetrain - 8(I really do like having gears)
Overall/Other - 9(really liking this bike)

Total Score: 63

Things to change - Bike set up.

Things I noticed -  I hate headwinds.

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Here we go again or 650b the other white meat or Where did I accumulate so much Karma?

     In the last few weeks I've been trying to nail down what I'm going to ride in Odin's revenge.  If you follow my blog or know me on Facebook, you've seen the updates and changes I've been making to a old 1999 Specialized Rockhopper.  Different handle bars, changed the brakes, lighter fork, and I was hunting for new tires.  Well a wrench has been thrown into those plans.  It's a golden wrench, but a wrench none the less.  The thrower of said wrench is Mr.Yip.
     Renold Yip founder and owner of Yipsan cycles contacted me and asked if I'd like to ride one of his steel steads for the race.  He and I had talked many times over the last few years about his frames, riding, tire size, etc. He knew I'd been wanting a custom frame for some time.  So when he saw that I was riding in Odin's revenge this summer he decided to offer up one of his bikes.  Since I was heading to the front range to pick up a frame for my youngest son, we scheduled a meet.  To see if the fit was right for me and discuss the specifics of the bike.
    Talking at Renold is always fun.  Like talking to most other bikers, you share a common thread.  Yet with Renold, you always end up learning a little something.  At least for me it seems this way.  Some reasoning for having a certain part a certain way.  It's probably the same if you talk to other frame builders.  Like having a artist explain what they were trying to get across in there painting.  It's a personal thing to the creator.  Things are sometimes interpreted differently by the on looker or missed altogether.  There were quite a few light bulb moments talking to him about the design of his bike.  Things I just don't see.  Mainly cause I'm just drooling all over, blinded by all the custom steel tubed beauties in his shop.
    In the end I drove away with one of Renolds creations on the roof of my car.  A shiny steel 650b stead.  To use and maybe in the future buy.(lol...maybe)  So I have a gas can and tangler bag coming for it.  Move my dirt drop bars over.  Mount my light and GPS.  Get a set of suitable tires.  Then ride ride ride.  I have no idea what lucky star I stumbled under to get offered this bike.  Driving away from Renolds house all I could think of was that there is no way I had accumulated enough karma to warrant being loaned such a cool bike.  A huge thanks to Renold for letting me ride a piece of art.






Wednesday, March 6, 2013

March 6th Commute - Colder then expected.

I can tell that working out has been helping me.  I can feel a lot more power in my legs.  However I still felt like crap climbing the hill with a 15mph headwind.  Wow did that suck.  It's hard to determine what to wear.  The morning temp is 22° and the trip home in the afternoon is 55°.  I'm trying to keep in simple and not bring a change of clothes to work.

Temp - 22/48 degrees
Wind - 10mph sustained/ 15mph gusts

Me:
Head - 2 OK (Should have worn my neck wrap)
Hands - 6 Good (Again, Gloves were fine in the morning and too heavy in the afternoon)
Chest - 7 Good (Still in awe of the cheap windstopper jacket.  However it's one weakness is that it doesn't breath)
Legs - 6 Good (Fine)
Feet - 8 Good (Keen boots with Underarmour socks)
Overall Physical feel - 4 (Freaking headwind coming up the hill sucks!)

Bike ratings as follows.  One will mean total equipment failure.  Ten means it totally served it's purpose and I need to write more positive reviews on it.

Bike: Redline Monocog
Tires - 7(Stayed inflated)
Brakes  - 6(Little squeeky)
Drivetrain - 8(I've developed a click I need to take care of)
Overall/Other - 7

Total Score: 62

Things to change - Neck wrap for these temps.

Things I noticed -  I hate headwinds.

Sunday, March 3, 2013

3-3-13 Gravel Run

Redline Monocog
Got in a decent ride this morning.  The wind sorta sucked but we managed.  I mounted up the Groovy Luv bar on the Monocog.  So far so good.  But of course what would a good ride be with out a flat.  The front tire went limp with a few miles left to get home.  Aired it up and made it back, but by the time I was loading the bike again, it was flat.  There's green gunk running out all over the tire.  Thorns are gonna be a problem this year.  Tuffy thorn strips anyone?