Long time no update...

Well, I don't know if I'll ever get back on a regular schedule of updating this blog. The fact is there are a lot more important things I need to focus my energy on these days. But I'll try. In the free time that I do have, I've been working on bikes.. (go figure) Here's some of the results.

BEFORE:



AFTER:



I removed both derailurres (Duh) and the rear break. I had to drill out the rear drop outs (wish I'd gotten a picture of those) as they were only half 'open' from the factory, so you couldn't slide the wheel back and forth to adjust chain tension. That was an ordeal that took almost all afternoon with a drill and a rat tail file.

Then there's the oh so trendy bullhorns



I just flipped and chopped the original steel drop bars. Not sure if I'll get a bmx style brake leaver or leave it as is. One thing's for sure. I better make the rear wheel fixed soon, cuz one brake ain't enough to stop my fat ass!

So the last thing to do is to chop the downtube shifter lever mounts



And get a fixed/free rear hub and rebuild the wheel. Then I'll have my little urban hipster fixed commuter. I'll be SO Chicago...

When in Rome....

No.. I haven't gone and moved again.. :D

It finally happened.. I went and got a road bike. While some may consider this the selling of my soul (you know who you are..) I just look at is adaptation. I'm not getting out onto the dirt as much as I'd like, and riding the mt. singlespeed on the pavement isn't much fun.

My buddy Tom picked up this old Giant Kronos from one of his neighbors. He couldn't use it, so he passed the deal along to me.



So far I've removed all the reflectors, swapped out the old Gel seat, and removed the middle chainring and front deraillure. So it's currently a 1 by 7. Eventually I'll swap the rear hub for a flip-flop and make it a fixed gear with a front brake... I'll try to post up my progress....

That's all for now....

soup

Beat up!

Man. I'm wrecked! Ray's will take it out of you... I managed to keep the rubber side down, for the most part, but just the riding will leave me sore tomorrow. That and the face plant I took in the foam pit...

Bryan, Adam, and I met at Crispy's place this morning around 8am. We pilled in the F-150 and headed south. A short drive and we were pulling into the lot behind Ray's. The guys gave me a tour starting on the Gary Fisher XC course. We moved on to the Sport Course, pretty cool, but rough in my 36/16 gear on the Loki.

Next was the Expert area. This is, of course, where everyone hangs out. Tons of lines for stunt riding, such as a double teeter-tooter, an elevator, and skinnies galore.

Also off the Expert area is the rhythm jump section. Crispy and I had decided to devote a good portion of the day to learning to jump. This was the place to do it. I had a blast. The only jump I was able to clear and land on the tranny was the one comming off the Red Bull wall ride (see below), simply b/c I was able to get enough speed off the wall. I'll do better next time!

We rode until about 7pm. By then either our bikes or bodies or both had quite, so we started for home. 4 Chicken Grilled Stuffed Burritos, a lemonade, a root beer, and one bitchy-ass taco bell drive thru girl later, and we were on the road. Thanks, Crispy, for drivin'!!

Here's some pics from the day:


Ok. I'm going to bed now.

It's a start

I got the Loki from Soul Cycles Friday after Thanksgiving. Had it built by saturday afternoon. Got the first 2x4's nailed together that same day. :D Ok. so I didn't get much in the way of pics of the bike, this'll have to do.

It's a bit of an adjustment riding such a small bike on flats, but I likey...

This bike is just waiting to hit Ray's. Some day I'll acutally get down there for a spin around the park. Maybe even see a little hangtime?

Check out my new Baby...

I'd been meaning to get a pic up of the Bianchi I've been riding the last few weeks courtesy of my Buddy Keving P., but never got around to it. Now I'm able to bring you a pic of MY Bianchi P.U.S.S. :D

This frame was up on MTBR, brought to my attention by Duke over at mysinglespeed.com... Long story short, it should be in my hot little hands by next week!

My Hooligan

so, you ask, why all the angst over one speed? well, I'll tell you. This year I plan to undertake not only my first full season of racing, but also my first full season riding a singe speed bike (if you discount all those years when I was a little tike one my bmx'er..) So I guess I'm just trying to get pumped for the pain to come...

Here is the fruit of my labor over the past month or so...



The frame is a Soul Cycles Hooligan 19" single speed frame with an eccentric bottom bracket allowing for different gearings. It is aluminum, and fully rigid.

This will be my first bike with disk brakes as well. I took the opportunity to put on some nice shiney red rims w/o that stupid silver machined sidewall. I like'em.. I built the wheels myself. so far with about 20 miles on they've held up.. I have yet to put them back into the truing stand, so we'll see..

The rest of the bike is nothing special. I'm hoping to get my hands on a red Chris King headset one of these days..

right now on the road I'm running a 42x17 (65 gear inch) ratio. I'll start the season on the trail at 34X15 (52gi) and work my way up. I dont' think it will take long before I can race 55gi around most of the trails in SE michigan. (famous last words)

so, there she is.. try not to drool on'er

soup