Just some random bike related pics.

Scrambler update 2

So I got my bike back from the LBS.  Replaced the BB but it was still making the clicking noise so the mechanic turned the wheel so it was fixed and it made a different weird noise.  Tried changing the freewheel and that solved it.  When the mechanic handed me the old freewell, the ball bearings inside were very audibly rattling around.  So if you get one of these bike (which I still recommend), I would suggest replacing the freewheel.  Its cheap and will save you some pain later on, especially if you are out on a ride when it goes bust.  And if you are riding this bike around town like I do and you want a bigger gear, I would go down some teeth on the freewheel as it looks like there isn't much clearance on the chainstay to run a bigger ring than the 46T it comes with.

Scrambler update

So I have the Scrambler in the shop.  Getting a Shimano bottom bracket put in because the stock one is a POS, but that is to be expected on a bike that cost $330 shipped.  I'm not upset about it and it doesn't make me want to give a bad review of the bike in and of itself.  The stock BB kept making a really loud clicking noise randomly in the pedal stroke, though more often when under hard pedaling.  It was a little worrying because I could both hear it (the steel frame acted as an amplifier) and feel it.  My first thought was that the spindle wasn't staying level, i.e. it was wobbling.  Took it in to my LBS and the mechanic took it out for a spin.  He was back in about 2 minutes and confirmed my suspicions.    Hell, for $25 I'll have a BB that will last a few years.  Normally, a BB swap is something I would do in my garage in about 10 minutes, but the LBS had every size JIS BB that Shimano makes except the 68x103mm size the Scrambler uses so they ordered one for me and a couple for the shop.  I just told the mechanic to do the BB swap since I am packing all my things for a move and didn't want to deal with it right now.  I'll post up a real review of the bike when I get it back and have put some miles on it!

New bike day!

Everyone loves new bike day, and for me, that happened yesterday!  I purchased an Eighth Inch Scrambler V3 and it got delivered yesterday while I was at work.  Needless to say, I raced home and built it up! I haven't been on a shakedown ride yet, just a couple times up and down the street to adjust everything to how I want it.  As soon as I got done with that, it began to storm with hail and lots of rain, so I was indoors the rest of the night.  Pictures and first impressions ride report to come soon!

I suck at this.

So it seems I can't keep a blog updated to save my life.  However, I am updating this now.  I haven't had anything new going on in my biking world recently, just maintenance on bikes and riding for work still.  However, my girlfriend has shown an interest in riding bikes with me!  So I helped her build up a rig.  She wanted simple, so SS was the obvious choice.  Having picked out an old 10spd Ross frame as her starting point, we stripped the bike down, cleaned it, sanded it and gave it a nice semi-gloss coat from a rattle can.  Then we began assembling the bike with various pieces I had lying around or that she bought.  I did spend some cash on a set of wheels for her as well as Cane Creek SC05 Compact levers since she has small hands.  I really dig on the levers.  Long story short, I finished the build while she is in Florida for a field school (with my Tomasso, no less) and so I have been riding around town on it.  I like it and think it will be a good beginner bike for her.  It was 46x17 gearing with the cog spaced on an old 5spd freewheel body.  Chainline is spot on.

Also, while on gearinches.com, I came across this DIY for a sweet wall hanger for a bike:

http://kylethewilson.wordpress.com/2012/05/27/diy-wall-bike-hanger/

Lame

I fee lame for not having updated this as soon as I had intended. I picked up a second job (which I will go into later) and I just haven't been on the computer nearly as much, but for good reason.

First, I will talk about the Super D on August 28th. It was hot. Really hot. The trails were also extremely dry and dusty. I did two runs or so with my brother during practice (as he hadn't really ridden the course much before) and felt good. I was giving myself cues as to where to raise and/or lower my seatpost for the climbs and to bomb the downs. I was really glad I did this so that I wouldn't have to really think about it during the race. My WTB Wolverine tires were feeling good and my suspension was spot on. My runs felt great and the Hammerschmidt was feeling fly.

On race day, I was lined up behind my buddy John, for whom this was his first race. He is pretty fast and we are more or less equal on skills. 2 minutes after he took off, I was up. I started off rather slow, or at least that is how it felt to me (when doesn't it?). Once I got going, I relaxed and started to get into the groove. The first 2+ miles are downhill, so my post was low and I was set to bomb. I made it through all the rockgardens just fine and was feeling good. After the last mean switchback, I was too far off to the right and lost traction and ate shit on the side of the hill. I got back up and kept going though. After the race, I heard several guys did the exact same thing where I did. Once the climbing came up, I felt extremely slow, but I was pounding away in 8th and 9th gears so I must have been cruising. The last part of the course is straight bombing zone and that is what I did. The last switchback is a good spot to watch and there were quite a few spectators. The got a treat. I took the turn fast and leaned in to it hard. Well the course was even dustier than practicebecause of everyone riding it. I washed out and hit hard, backrolled and was up instantly and trying to save time. Passed the finishing gates and tried to let the adrenaline settle. A bike medic followed me out and asked me if I was ok. I was, just scraped up on my left leg.

Once results were in, I found out I came in 4th in my age group (19-29) with a time of 25:40 (3 minutes and 19 seconds faster than last year!). I was pretty happy with it, considering I fell a couple times. John finished 2nd in our age group with a time of 24:32. So I had gained 52 seconds on him despite my falls. I was pretty pumped. It was the hardest I have ever pushed myself and it felt great.

So the new job I picked up is with Jimmy John's as a delivery rider. I am absolutely loving it. I get paid to ride! Last week I pulled in 146 miles in 6 days! I am riding my Schwinn SS and it works well. Two days ago, I took a turn too fast and hard and washed out. I skidded about 15 feet around the turn and into a stopped truck. I dented the truck a bit, but the driver was cool about it. I tore up my elbow pretty badly and my should has some nice abrasions. My jersey took some damage too. It was a very busy intersection at 1:30pm. I just hope it was as cool to see for all of the people around as it would be in my head.

That is it for now. I just wanted to update a bit!

It's been a long time...

It's been a long time (almost a year!) since I last updated this blog. I don't have any particular reason why I haven't updated it. I have thought about doing so numerous times, but, alas, I haven't done so until now. A lot has changed with regards to my riding. I am not sure why, but Summer always seems to become my time for road riding. Yeah, mountain biking is my shit, but I do really enjoy long road rides. It's the pleasure of tuning everything out, all my worries and woes. I am totally emmersed in the ride. My mind shuts off and this tiny part of my brain is all that is accessed. This part of my brain only does one thing: it says "Keep going." So that's what I do. I just keep going. If there is a hill, I go. If there is nothing but flat, I go. It is this bliss of ignorance of all else except "keep going" that I enjoy. I don't quite get this on singletrack rides. My guess is that this is because I am constantly trying to push myself and find the best line through, over, or around obstacles. On my road bike, the only obstacle is myself.

I have done several road rides so far this summer and have racked up a few hundred miles. Not much, but I didn't really start to ride until I was done with classes at the end of June. Two rides stand out above the others in my head. The first was a 64 mile out and back trip I did because I was bored. I hadn't ever ridden that long consecutively before and I definitely felt it. I hadn't been as exhausted as that in a very long time and it felt good. I had also pushed my body and my mind further than I had done previously. Six days after this awesome ride, I rode my bike up to Indianapolis for my graduation party. This was a 58.xx mile ride. Even though it was only 6 miles shorter, it felt much shorter to my head and my body. I'm sure the fact that I didn't have to climb three Cat. 5 hills twice helped. I rode to Indy with a total ride time of just 4 hours and 7 minutes. Not bad, but I am sure I can improve.

Many other developments have occurred in my stable as well! I built up an '80s Schwinn World Sport frame as a SS commuter/tourer. It has 46x16 gearing and bullhorn handle bars. I am really digging it and I enjoy riding it more than I thought. I also bought a 2010 GT Sanction 1.0 brand new not too long after my last post on here. It is a sick machine and I have definitely pushed my skills and nerves far past where I was. I have also stripped my 2000 idrive frame down and I am converting it to a SS full suspension machine! I will post pictures of it when I am done, as it is a super budget build.

After the Sub 9 Super D last year, I competed in a TT at Town Run Trail Park in Indianapolis as a fund raiser to HMBA. I competed in SS class and got 1st. My brother was the only other SS competitor and he used my bike. He signed up after we learned I was the only SS guy so that I would have competition. I smoked him, but he did a geared run first. His SS time was better than his geared time though.

I will again be competing in the Sub 9 Super D this year and it is coming up in late August. I would like to do the Brown County Breakdown, but funds are tight at the moment...

Pics and updates to come!