Commute - 7.17.2012

This mornings commute was awesome. Could have been awesomer(yes it becomes a real word if I type it on the internet) if I'd just had a tad more gearing on the single speed. I came into the climb up the hill this morning about 20yards behind a roadie in full kit. He was keeping a nice easy pace and I thought, maybe I can catch up and say hi. The idea of me on a rigid single speed mountain bike catching up with this guy just made me smile. So I threw some extra coal on the fire and opened up the steam. I was spinning as fast as I could and just didn't have the gearing to catch him. If I'd had the slingshot, I would have but, it also wouldn't have been as sweet. Gears make it feel like cheating. So it's time to change the ratio on the SS. Something to give me a little more top end.

The 4th of July - Bikes, Barns and Booms.

A short sweet ride ended at Luke Fasoldt's house.  Where his barn had tried to fly a few nights earlier.  Bit by bit, slice by slice we moved the barn from it's new resting place to a pit.  Much quicker then we all expected we were done.  We enjoyed some fireworks, friends and food.  Can't ask for more.

The Hammer - The rise of a bottle opener

A good buddy of mine came knocking yesterday afternoon. He has a small forge and recently has been wanting to make some bottle openers to sell at fairs and gatherings and such. The problem is my buddy doesn't drink. So he had to come to me to test it out.

The design works very well.  I was successful in opening multiple beers for myself and friends.  It has a great look and becomes quite the conversation piece.  I'm guessing he'll eventually want this one back and I'll have to commission him to make me a few.  Till then this one will keep opening beers and spreading joy to the world.

Fruita Trip 2012

Text and pics.  Video to follow.

This is the third annual Fruita trip.  It's my first.  I've had a Fruita trail book for over a year.  I had want to go last year but just wasn't able to pull it off.  This year however worked.  Plan was to leave Wednesday, drive to Fruita and set up camp.  Ride Thursday, Friday and Saturday.  Then pack up and come home.  Packing list and planning was pretty much the same as most bike trips.  Helmet, bike, camelbak, beer...etc.  Only a couple of things were different.  It was suggested that I pack ear plugs.  Also Luke brought a cordless hammer drill with 12" masonry bit.  We were all bringing a different type of bike.  I was on my Turner Five-spot.  Five inches of full squish.  Curt on his Slingshot.  More or less a hardtail with front suspension.  Then Luke on his fully rigid, single speed.  Punishment on two wheels, but It does get the girls.

We set out at noon on Wednesday.  Bikes loaded on top of Curt's truck and the back filled to the brim with camping supplies.  I wasn't driving so the trip across Colorado seemed to fly by.  Good friends talking about mtn.bikes makes for a fast trip.  The drive up the Monument was beautiful.  Our camp site was the same.  I got to find out why we had packed the hammer drill and masonry bit.  In previous trips they had trouble getting stakes in for the tent.  So this year the hammer drill helped set a few stakes.  There were still places where the drill wouldn't work.  Darn tough rock.

The plan for Thursday was to get in as many trails on Road18 as we could.  I woke up before everyone else and made some coffee.  Took a walk around the edge of the Monument.  Heck of a way to take in the mornings coffee.  The view was stunning.  Only made better by the rising sun.

 Trip to Road18 was quick.  We proceeded to ride Primecut, Kessel Run, Joe's Ridge and PBR.

Then in maybe one of our poorer decisions we decided to ride the 18hours of Fruita race course....backwards.  We didn't know we were going the wrong way.  We just went the wrong way by chance.  The course was beat, rutted and hot.  I can only imagine what it was like for the racers the weekend before.  Yes I said the weekend before.  Another minus.  Most of the route was covered with what felt like six inches of flour.  It was like riding on flat tires and sounded the same.

Lukes leg and dirt line

My mood soured pretty quickly after only getting a third of the way in or so.  Once we were done however I was in for a treat.  We went to the local pizza joint.  The Hot Tomato.  Wow, what great pizza and beer.  Awesome place.  If your in the Fruita area and don't eat here.  Your missing out.  Try the Stinky.  My favorite.

I can't remember if it was my idea to run to Moab or if it was someone else.  Whoever it was, that was the plan made.  Luke told us stories of Slickrock and other trails they had done on four-wheelers years before.  I had a deep want to see the 220grit red rock of my youth.  On the map, the drive to Moab isn't that long from Fruita.  For some reason it felt like a eternity.  Once there we hit a bike shop and a convince store for post ride brews.  We rode a bit of Slickrock trail and then a bit of Porcupine Rim Trail.  We needed to get back in time to meet my Cousin and her husband for dinner at the Ale House in Grand Junction.  I think most of the way back to Fruita I talked about returning to Moab and riding there.  I will return.

Saturday we were headed to Kokopelli trails.  We warmed up on Rustlers, then headed up Mary's Loop to Horse Thief.  What a awesome trail system.  When you can make a climb as enjoyable as the one on the end of Horse Thief is.  You've done amazing things.  Great rides I can't wait to get back and do again.  Ended off the day with a soak in the pool at Fruita and eat's from the Hot Tomato again.


Sunday we packed up, had breakfast with my Aunt, Uncle and Cousin Andy.  Then sprinted home.  Fun time had by all.  What's the date for next year?

Link to some other misc. pics from the weekend....Fruita weekend

The END

Why Station Wagon's are cool.

Like many mornings here at work the topic turns towards cars.  Today's discussion went from "good gas mileage" to classic station wagon's.  How did this this noble people hauler get such a bad rap in America?  Why do the words "Station Wagon" conger up images of the green, wood paneled bomb from American Vacation?  How did the wagon loose it's battle to the Mini-Van?  MPG, Comfort,  Drive ability, maybe one or all of these but don't tell me it lost on account of it's appearance.  Sure there have been a few ugly wagons.  Tell me how many good looking minivan's you've seen lately thou?  Take a look at the 2012 line up.  Which one looks good?  Further proof...

Which would you want on appearance alone?

Bike Email

Good friend of mine sent me this the other day and I just had to share it.  Great responses by all.  Enjoy....

Simon - Aesthetics.

It's no secret bikes now are ugly.  Fat hydro-formed square plastic tubes, 15 colours stripes, racing stripes and anything else they can come up with to make this years new, and last years out dated.  Need an example? The new rocky mountain element or just about any road bike you can buy.

As you all know I am playing with the idea of a ti true north road frame.  Smaller tubes, no paint, no decals.  clean. 
I don't want the bike to be outdated, but classic.  So my question is...silver or black bits?  15 years ago, black components on a road bike were rare. now, everything is black.........but is it worth finding old stuff?  Like silver square taper cranks.  stem, headset.  build wheels with silver hubs, spokes and rims.................
Does a grey bike need the black for contrast or would silver make it classic-ier?

Todd - Silver!!!  Enough said.

Me -  Long reply to follow soon. 

Gerald - Simon, I’m  drinking a Tank House right now, and now I’ve got to think about aesthetics. Silver all the way, but perhaps a bit of anno with a seatpost collar and headset. Definitely silver for the cranks, hubs, rims, seatpost, and stem. Don’t forget the chrome pegs for the front and back.

Me - Simon, you know I have to disagree, thou on some points your totally correct.  I don't mind some of the hydro-formed frames now days.  There light, strong, flowing lines, good looking bikes.  Do I agree with all the stickers and misc stripes that adorn some of the same bikes...no.  I've included a few examples.  I know you like the nice symmetry of a couple triangles.  I get that.  I'm just saying it's not that bad.  Not bad at all really.  So just remember what a old friend said when your in a bike store next time and some Hydro-formed, 29er, 1.5" headtubed, tubeless bike is raising your blood pressure.

"It's all about two legs, turning two cranks, turning two wheels. Its just too simple for most people to comprehend." - Chris Cannon

Enjoy your Friday bud.

Simon - i'll let gerald answer................

Gerald - Hey I’m still laying in favor of more traditional straight tubed frames. I don’t mind a bit of hydro forming and understand that it does provide a function in some circumstances, but when I checked out the photo’s Garrett submitted, I could not help but think Chris Bangle on acid.

Whether you like it or not, Chris Bangle upset a lot of BMW fans with his ice and fire hydroformed  body panels. For some strange reason Car+Driver like a bunch of other wankers love the styling of the new Sonata which to me is taking  Chris Bangle to the extreme as if they are on acid.  Unfortunately I see this on the way the big boys design their bikes. As far as I can remember, Rocky Mountain was one of the first in not the first that took hydroforming to bike frames. A lot of you will not know this, but a lot of the first hydroforming of tubing was  pioneered right here in Woodstock Ontario. Rocky’s tubesets were Easton RAD tubing.

At first these tubes added a certain cachet to the look of the bike and then everyone else jumped on board, and this is where they started going ape-shit to outdo the competition. If I think of some of the current frames that have toned down the use of hydroforming, I think of the Ellsworth Truth, the Titus FTM and Ventana. I really wonder what we will think of the Santa Cruz, Yeti and Uzzi ten years down the road.  I just have to think of the old curvy framed Cannondale Raven from the past and think who in the hell would want one today in their collection. It might be a collectors item, but it sure is not a thing of beauty.

I have a question. Imagine you have a custom built or for that matter, just a high end frame. You have the frame for a very long time, say 5-10 years, and it shows no signs of fatigue. The  frame  can be  straight tubed steel, straight tubed or mildly hydroformed aluminum or a wildly hydroformed aluminum frame like the Santa Cruz, Yeti etc. Which one would you send to a frame painter for a custom repaint?   I’ve had several repaints over the years.     

If you want to see some classic frame design, new and old,  pick up the current edition of Paved. In this issue they have a interesting interview with Sky Yaeger and then add a pictorial of some of her faves. She does have good taste in her builds.

Simon - let me put it this way.  james and i hit ray's in december.  me on a 98 element, him on his pivot..............i love the pivot, it's a great bike.  but the rocky got the comments.

Me - This email is going on my blog. Awesomeness. 

Simon - I'm just saying......the pivot is definatly a better bike.  100000% better.   

Todd - My official response to all of this nonsense is brewing.

Gerald - Come on Todd,  it’s  shitty outside and we have nothing better to do? 

Todd - Fine.

My official response?  You all suck. 

I have never been a fan of hydroformed tubing.  Take a traditional American-made Reynolds tubeset, make it from aluminum instead of long-lasting quality steel in one of 4 factories in Taiwan to "save on manufacturing costs," and then just for fun, square the tubing with high powered water-jets or however the hell they hydrofrom them and THEN weld them together?  i am just not convinced that makes for a better made frame.  

But whatever floats your boat I guess.

So why do you suck?  Because I own such a bike.  I have always known this.  One of my bikes is an 08 Trek 69er,  a ridiculously expensive single speed that if I'm not mistaken, was one of the first hydroformed bikes.  I say this because there is no other apparent reason for that bike to have cost as much as it did OTHER than to have incorporated state-of-the-art manufacturing processes that were not used on less expensive bikes of the day.  Admittedly I bought it a year or so later at half price because it didn't sell, but that's another story for another day.  And now every $400 Trek 800 has similar tubing, but what the hell.

Having said this, I have always preferred the more classic designs.  I prefer the simplicity of a good hardtail.  When I finally did purchase a full-squshie, it was a older design that had a more classic look.  It does NOT have hydroformed tubes.

So because of this email I went downstairs to go determine why I like my bikes  as much as I do.  And then my eyes wandered towards my favorite bike.  The bike the rides better than the rest.  The bike I've put more money into that any other.  The bike I reach for when I ride for escape and comfort.  That's right - my Santa Cruz Chameleon.  And then I looked at it a bit closer.  It's a little squared off in the back.  Hey, those rear tubes are squared!  Oh shit - those are hydroformed.

Apparently I own two such bikes.  Damn.

Which I suppose validates Garrett's comment, which is that it is not necessarily the tubing, but the horrible paint jobs and pin striping that is on most all modern bikes these days.

Which I apparently don't own.

So I take comfort in the fact I still love bikes with bits anodized in lots of color - just like high dollar bikes in the 90's.  Thus making me old school cool. Except fo the fact I am apparently decorating hydroformed tubed bikes, making me a big old loser.

Sigh.....

Oh, and Simon?  Back to your original question?   Use silver parts.  More classy.  More elegant.  And all the hydroformed bikes come with black parts as you know.  So go against the grain my friend.  Stand out against the common $5,000 boring carbon Trek.  Be one with the titanium and use parts that are not only long-lasting, but compliment the color and appearance of a classic road ride. 

Todd - I just read what I wrote.  Somebody needs to take the keyboard away from me when I have drunk too much vodka.

Sigh.....

Simon - dude, i woke up to it, and it had me laughing.  true to form todd.....loved it!

Me - Same here epic.

 

Curt Gowdy - EARLY 2012

With such a mild winter and very dry spring so far we were able to get out to Curt Gowdy before April.  Here's the vid...

http://vimeo.com/39627192

Gowdy_00 2012 from Garrett Olsen on Vimeo.

The film doesn't show the blood and gore that happened.  Josh was showing off in the parking lot and found a way to open up huge bloody patches on his hands and knees.  Joab tried playing with his older brother and managed to clothes line himself on a strand of barbed wire.  Jake came out pretty much unscathed as did I.  Fun time had by all.