Biking for the old and the restless

Soma post ride build

2016-01-26T13:37:00.000-08:00

My original intention for this bike was to be a do it all adventure bike. However, after the build I had to make some adjustments. I replaced the seatpost with a promax carbon fiber post, then I replaced the stem for a longer version and carbon fiber. Then I bought a set of challenge gravel grinder 700x38c tires.

With the Kenda Karmas 1.9 tires the ride was supple but, obviously slow. I will change them back when I ride more single track. I was surprised to find that the carbon fiber bits and the 38c tires felt as supple as the 1.9's at nearly half the width. I think the combination of chromoly frame and the curved forks soak up the bumps pretty well. When riding over washboard roads you can barely feel them. I also think it is a combination of seat, carbon fiber post and stem. This is a very comfortable bike. I have added some blackburn frame and top tube bags.

This bike rides fast on hard pack and asphalt. I notice with the narrower tires I'm shifting less. That could be due to my fitness level now too. I'm running Cyclocross gearing up front mated to mountain gearing in the rear. I really wanted this bike to be a multipurpose machine. I have yet to do any mountain biking yet but, I will post more on that later.

There is a lot of farm and fields out by where I live. You could literally spend hours on these dirt roads. They are very flat, mostly hard pack and weave in and out between corn, grape, cotton crops and cattle ranches.

I think I have my bike dialed in for what I ride and what I want to ride. I'm glad I got the Soma the flat top fork really gives it an old school look. Geometry is comfortable and the frame for me has the right amount of springiness without feeling tight.

Soma Wolverine Build

2015-11-24T14:40:00.000-08:00

http://www.somafab.com/archives/product/wolverine

I received these pictures via text from my wife. Unfortunately, I did not have a chance to pre-sell the idea of me building another bike. She was cool but, I knew I had to buy her off and it would be honey do's for the next few weeks.

What I had planned to do was part out my all mountain Kona Honzo and then build up a do it all bike. I had always been intrigued with touring and had been reading lately about bikepacking.My Honzo was some what specialized for pointing it down mountains and it excelled at that however, it was not lightweight and not much fun on purely single track. I did love that bike and the idea of it but, I could never ride it to its full potential. Somewhere along the way I decided to build up a cheap drop bar 29er. I purchased a Gravity 29er SS,

Gravity SS 29er

I put some Gary OS bars on it and found I loved it. So as proof of concept I decided to pull the trigger. I knew I wanted a steel frame and fork, a somewhat slack head tube angle, enough room to run 50mm tires, disc brakes, and the ability to put racks or attachments on it, also, I wanted to run fully rigid with dirt drop bars and did not want to spend an arm and a leg for the frame.

I looked at the Surly Straggler didn't like the drop outs, Soma Double Cross, not wide enough tires, Salsa Fargo too close to a mountain bike and expensive frame. I looked at the Vassagio Fistacuff etc.

I finally landed on the Soma Wolverine. I really liked the Geometry, loved the color and the frame price was right.

Just unboxed

Soma Wolverine Build
	Condition	Cost
Brookes B17 imperial narrow	New	129
Promax seat post 27.2mm	New	17
Shimano Downtube stops/adj	New	12
Celt seatpost clamp 30.00mm	New	12
Deda perferated bar wrap	New	13
Jagwire racer cableset	New	32
Salsa Cowchipper 44cm	New	75
Microshift barend shifters	New	69
Derailleur Shim	New	6
SRAM Rival Front Derailluer 2x	New	22.99
SRAM Rival CX crankset 46x36 gxp	New	142.86
Tektro RL520 brake levers for vbrakes	New	25.99
Kalloy Uno 90mm stem 6 degree	New	21.34
15mm - 9m qr adapter	New	23
Avid BB7 MTN Brakes	New	75
FSA Orbit Headset	New	29
Soma Wolverine frame 54cm	New	529
Kenda Karma 1.9 l3r KSCT	New	52.24
10 spd shimano chain	New	17.71
Lizard skins chain stay protector	Used
Wellgo c161 pedals	Used
XT shadow 10spd Der	Used
XT 11x36 Cassette	Used
Crane creek cross levers	Used	17
Easton EA70XC wheelset	Used
		1321.13

I started to assemble envisioning dirt and gravel roads, single track and bike packing.

Staring session

The Wolverine frame is setup to take hydraulic brakes. Why is that relevant? well if you wanted to switch over it will be easily doable. However, If you are building this bike and purchase a JagWire Road cable kit you will run out of cable before you are finished. This is due to a full length cable and housing for the rear mechanical brake.

Soma Wolverine - Almost done!

I was prepared that night to ride my new bike. I was really bummed because I had to purchase more cable and housing. I decided to adjust the front and rear derailleurs and the rear brakes and take it for a spin anyway. I cannot believe how solid this machine feels. I just took a run around the block. More to follow.

2012 Kona Honzo

2014-06-02T12:58:00.001-07:00

I had been looking to build another bike however I wanted to build something a little unique and fun. I researched a few All mountain hardtails Hona, Transition, Yelli etc. I was looking for steel but, would settle for aluminum.

I knew I wanted a slacker head tube angle for down hill stability, a short wheelbase or chainstays for sanppy handling and a generous standover for some room. So I put together a comparison chart of selected frame geometry. I used the bike I had already built as a comparison base the gravity p4. So began my search. I looked up retail prices for frame only of the bikes in the comparison list to get an idea of what It would cost. I really wanted the Yelli even though the top tube had an odd shape I thought it gave the bike character. I started searching and found one on Ebay however for some reason I got tight and wouldn't bid over 270.00... well lost that one for 5 bucks. As I continued to research all these frames I learned I was on the right track. These frames would be ideal any one of them for what I was looking for. I found a 2012 Kona Honzo frame on PinkBike. It was used and in really good shape plus it came with the headset and seatpost collar. After haggling back and forth a bit a deal was made.

Gravity point 4 build update

2014-02-11T11:01:00.000-08:00

Build update - Made some changes to the build and lost 2 pounds. See specs below

Kitchen shot

A little help from my friend!

On the trail!

Gravity 29er build spec's
Type	Brand	Model	Weight	pct. Of weight
Front End
Fork	Rock shox	Recon Silver TK 29er 100mm	4.5	16.52%
Stem	Azonic	Barreta	0.562	2.06%
Handlebar	Spank	Spoon	0.727	2.67%
Grips	ODI	TLD Lock on	0.25	0.92%
Shift Levers	Shimano	Deore	0.2	0.73%
Front end etc. total			6.239	22.90%
Frame
Saddle	Sette	Amp	0.529	1.94%
Frame	Gravity	29er	4.1	15.05%
Headset	Crane Creek	Zero 10	0.145	0.53%
Seatclamp	KCNC	QR	0.05	0.18%
Seatpost	Easton	XA70	0.6	2.20%
Water bottle holder	Black Burn	competition	0.1	0.37%
Frame Total			5.524	20.27%
Drive Train
Pedals	VP Comp	VP001	0.776	2.85%
Chain	Sram	PC 951	0.7	2.57%
Chainrings	RaceFace	Single Speed 34t	0.1	0.37%
Bash Guard	Race Face	Light	0.209	0.77%
Bottom Bracket	FSA	Mega XO	0.9	3.30%
Crankset	FSA	Gravity	2	7.34%
Drive Train etc. total			4.685	17.19%
Front Wheel
Front Tire	Continental	XKING 2.2	1.499	5.50%
Tube frt	Tubeless	stans	0.125	0.46%
Front Brake	Hayes	Stroker Trail	0.9	3.30%
Front Wheel	Easton	EA70XC	1.9	6.97%
Front wheel etc. total			4.424	16.24%
Rear Wheel
Rear Tire	Continental	RKING	1.65	6.06%
Tubes rr	Tubeless	Stans	0.125	0.46%
Cassette	Shimano	SLX CS-HG-61 29er Cassette	0.7	2.57%
Rear Brake	Hayes	Stroker Trail	0.9	3.30%
Rear Wheel	Easton	EA70XC	2.4	8.81%
Rear Derailleur	Shimano	SLX	0.6	2.20%
Rear end etc. total			6.375	23.40%
Total			27.247	100.00%

I was thinking about converting from 9 speed to 10 speed

2014-02-10T15:10:00.000-08:00

When I built up my 29er I moved my 11-34 9 speed cassette over from my 26er bike. I noticed that my granny wasn't as granny as I thought with the big hoops. I converted my setup to a 1 x 9 which was perfect for simplification and the trails I ride. I was considering going to a 1 x 10 setup mainly for the granny gear then I discovered the 29er specific 9 speed cassette. It gave me the granny gear I was looking for and saved me hundreds of dollars in switching to a 10 speed drive train. The 10 speed cassette provides a higher gear but, that isn't relevant to me.

Front Ring 34T rear 12-36t Cassette

Shimano HG61 9 Speed Cassette 12-36t

Shimano Deore HG62 10 Speed Cassette 11-36t

Ghetto Tubeless

2013-09-17T13:43:00.004-07:00

Ghetto tubeless can be an inexpensive alternative to the stans setup. However it may not work for everyone. So be warned.

Parts
16oz Stans no tubes tire sealant
1 roll of 1" gorilla tape
Some oil free rags
Rubbing alcohol
2 Presta valves with removable core (can be cut from old tubes)

New tires work best but, is you are going to use the ones that are already mounted you might want to clean the rim and tire before dismounting the tires.

Step 1.

Remove tire/s
Remove rim strip

Step 2.
Clean the rim bead and the area where the rim strip was with rubbing alcohol
Clean the tire bead of your tires with rubbing alcohol

Step 3.
Apply tape to the center of the rim and overlap about an inch.
The main point is to seal the holes where the spoke nipples where inserted in the rim.
The Gorilla tape comes out to about 17.5 mm. make sure it does not interfere with the rim bead.
If the tape does interfere with the bead because the tape is two wide then use an exacto knife trim.
You can also use a tire lever to move and seal tape

Step 4.
Find the valve hole and make a slit in the tape where valve hole is.
Make sure valve stem is trimmed.
Insert valve stem into slit tighten the retaining nut.

Step 5.
Mount tire leaving a portion unmounted so you can pour in four ounces of stans. If you have the stans injector disregard.
Now completely mount tire.
Hang tire holding wheel. Pump tire with track pump. You might need a compressor. Fill tire to max pressure.
If it doesn't seal try using soapy water around rim and bead.

Point3: Unbranded Gravity 29er Point 3 Frame & Fork Tora TK

2013-09-06T14:38:00.001-07:00

Gravity Point 3 Frame and fork

After I built this bike up from parts. I wondered how much it weighed. I searched the internet to find what the average weight for a hard tail 29er. I seen some unbelievable weights from 20 lbs and less to 35 lbs. I then decided to get my parts list and do some research. One of the key points that makes sense is the components/parts/spec and weight truly does determine the price of the bike. I also found that most all popular bike frames are made in Taiwan or China and usually only by a handful of frame manufactures. Kinesis is one of the largest frame manufacturers overseas http://www.kinesis.com.tw/frames/S1025-2013.php. USA made frames definitely have their niche and produce some really sweet rides. Intense cycles comes to mind.

I tallied up the components and weights in five groups:

Frame
Front End
Drive Train
Front Wheel
Rear Wheel

I'm sure it could be argued to divvy the components up separately but, I did it this way so to section off areas of the bike to see where I might be able to shave some weight.

A critical decision point, value versus cost. Race bikes usually are not intended to be super durable as the team sponsor has the dough to replace parts as needed. The primary focus of most race bikes is to make the bike light as possible and handle extremely well for the rider and that bike is tuned to the rider. Of course the bike must hold up to a number of races in succession but, how many Clydesdales race in comparison to a normal racer on a circuit. I would be afraid to ride a bike that costs 8k as I could not afford to fix the stuff I broke as a weekend warrior I'm 5' 10" @ 220lbs.

Analysis

Frame

In my build the frame accounts for 19.75% @ 5 lbs for the weight of the bike. The frame only being at 4.18 pounds is not super heavy nor super light. This frame less the fork was around $144.00 after selling the Tora fork for $125.00. I could save a 1/2 a pound by purchasing a better frame I would love a Niner frame!

Had I known then what I know now I would have likely purchased a Sette Razzo 29er Alloy Hard-tail Frame @ $199.00 and weighing in at 3.5 lbs saving a 1/2 pound however, the chain-stay is .20" longer than the Gravity.

Front End

Wow, I could not believe that the front end less wheel and brake accounted for 22.66% of the bikes total weight @ 6.69 lbs. The over weight component here is the Fork when combined with the front wheel and etc. it would account for nearly 40.28% of the total bike weight at 11.89 lbs. The recon weighs in at a hefty 4.8 lbs. For 270.00 this shock performs flawlessly. I could shave 1 lb by changing to a Recon Gold tk for another $100.00. I would have to sell my recon silver first and likely would end getting maybe $150.00 for it on eBay. So in reality it would cost another $219.00 to loose a pound.

Drive Train

This is a hard area to cut weight first off I could go with clip-less pedals but, then I would need to purchase clip-less shoes which ups the cost to save the maybe 1/4 pound weight the shoes and egg beaters are considered in weight versus cost. For me that is not worth it. I could switch out the current FSA Crank-set for a Shimano SLX M665 Crankset w/ Bash Guard 8/9 Speed and save a 1/2 lb for around $200.00

Front Wheel

Right off I could replace out the slime tubes and go tubeless and loose nearly a pound for each wheel (14.4 ounces). If I did the ghetto setup it would barely cost anything other than gorilla tape and a used 26er presta tube and slime in a bottle. If I used Stans tubeless kit for $65.00 it would relate to shaving nearly two pounds of rotational weight for front and rear. If I were to change out my Easton EA70XC wheelset for Stans ZTR Arch EX 29 Black the new purchase price would be $595.00 plus shipping and tax. I could save nearly a 1/2 pound. The Easton wheel-set would need to be sold on eBay maybe getting $175 - 200.00 meaning I would still need to come up with nearly $400.00 not worth it to me at least now. I could shave a bit of weight with the Hayes brakes but, they perform flawlessly and are not part of the rotational weight of the wheel. When looking at weights of brake sets you are talking about ounces and grams in my opinion if you have a good brake set why change it for a few grams?

Rear Wheel

Basically the same story as the front wheel with exception to the cassette. Right now I run the 29er specific cassette which is already lightened up quit a bit plus has a 36 tooth cog. Here is another spot where there is very little difference in terms of weight unless you have the bottom of the barrel cassette. The SLX derailleur works flawlessly to save a few ounces/grams to go to XT does not interest me at least yet. Where else can I shave rotational weight? Tires. Over the current tires I have now I could shave 50-150 grams per tire.If I wanted to spend $65-85.00 per tire. Does this make sense for a weekend warrior who never races? To ride on a tire that has no protection flimsy sidewalls and little to no tread? Not worth it to me.

Summary

This is considering my build and recycling the parts I have and or selling them. You could spend much more on XT/XTR/XO or other higher end items.

Lighter Frame save 1/2 lb - $200.00 and up
Lighter Fork save 1 lb - $219.00 and up
Lighter Drive Train 1/2 lb - $199.00 and up
Tubeless 1.8 lbs front and rear - $ 65.00
Lighter Wheel-set - 1/2 lb - $400.00 and up

For $1083.00 I could lose 4 lbs off my current setup that is $270 per pound! I have built my current bike for around 1300.00. I'm sure I couldn't find a 26 lb better bike for that!

I think I will do the tubeless hack! and ride more to lose the fat on me.

29er build spec's
Type	Brand	Model	Weight	pct. Of weight
Frame
Frame	Gravity	Point 3	4.18	14.16%
Water bottle holder	Black Burn	competition	0.1	0.34%
Seatpost	Easton	XA70	0.6	2.03%
Saddle	WTB	Speed V	0.8	2.71%
Headset	Crane Creek	10 ZS	0.15	0.51%
*Frame etc. total*			*5.83*	*19.75%*
Front End
Fork	Rock shox	Recon Silver TK 29er 100mm	4.8	16.26%
Stem	Truvativ	Hussefelt 60mm stem	0.7	2.37%
Handlebar	Crank bro	Cobalt 3	0.5	1.69%
Grips	ODI	TLD Lock on	0.25	0.85%
Shift Levers	Shimano	Deore	0.2	0.68%
Bar ends	Titec	Shorties	0.24	0.81%
*Front end etc. total*			*6.69*	*22.66%*
Drive Train
Pedals	Wellgo	LU-A52	1	3.39%
Chain	Sram	PC 951	0.7	2.37%
Chainrings	RaceFace	Single Speed 34t	0.1	0.34%
Bottom Bracket	FSA	Mega XO	0	0.00%
Crankset	FSA	Gravity	2.9	9.82%
*Drive Train etc. total*			*4.7*	*15.92%*
Front Wheel
Front Tire	Continental	XKING 2.4	1.5	5.08%
Tube frt	Slime	29 x 2.2	0.9	3.05%
Front Brake	Hayes	Stroker Trail	0.9	3.05%
Front Wheel	Easton	EA70XC	1.9	6.44%
*Front wheel etc. total*			*5.2*	*17.62%*
Rear Wheel
Rear Tire	Continental	RKING	1.6	5.42%
Tubes rr	Slime	29 x 2.2	0.9	3.05%
Cassette	Shimano	SLX CS-HG-61 29er Cassette	0.7	2.37%
Rear Brake	Hayes	Stroker Trail	0.9	3.05%
Rear Wheel	Easton	EA70XC	2.4	8.13%
Rear Derailleur	Shimano	SLX	0.6	2.03%
Rear end etc. total			*7.1*	*24.05%*
Total			29.52	100.00%

Gravity Point 3 Frame and Build

2013-09-05T16:58:00.001-07:00

Final build comes in just under 30 lbs.

I'm very pleased with the build the frame and bike feel stable but, lively. The rear chain stay for a no name frame is not bad at 17.5 inches not the tuck of some of the name brand bikes but, this frame/bike climbs well and is very fun on fast single track and downhill. Building this bike or better yet putting all the parts together was an absolute pleasure and I'm glad I did it at least once. I did pull some parts from my 26er like the bottom bracket, crank, shifter and derailleur. I probably spent more than I should when I could have purchased a comparable bike for the same or less. But the experience in tuning, fitting etc was my real point.

Parts list

Frame - Gravity Point 3 (Sold off the Tora fork)

Handlebar - Crank Bros low rise Cobalt 3 720 mm

Stem - Truvativ Hussefelt 60 mm

Grips - ODI lock on

Shifter Right - Shimano Deore 9 speed

Bar ends - Titec shorty

Fork - Recon Silver

Brakes - Hayes Stroker

Rotors - Alligator 180mm frt and 160mm rear

Seat Post - Easton EA70XC 27.2 mm

Seat - WTB Pure V

Wheel Set - Easton EA70XC

Crank set - FSA Gravity

Bottom Bracket - MegaXO

Pedals - Wellgo flats

Rear derailleur - Shimano SLX

Cassette - 29er 9 speed Cassette 11-36

Front Chainring - 34t Race Face SS

Bashring - Race Face

Chain Guide - Black Spire stinger

Front Tire - Continental X King 2.2

Rear Tire - Continental Race King 2.2

Front and Rear tubes - Slime Tubes

Some of the local trails

Morning Drive - Foothills consist of lots of hard pack and sand in some areas and loose of hard pack. Some small to mid size rocks I.e. golf ball to softball size.

From the top looking down you cannot

tell it is about a 75 foot drop off, if not more.
This area is ridden by dirt bikes and mountain bikers. I would guess a lot of the trails had been originally created by dirt bikes.

Entrance to Mr. Toads. There is some good climbs and a very fast single track section that could kick your ass if you are not paying attention.

Left Arm and Left Leg used to brush some speed off instead of using brakes:)

A little raspberry/dirt rash from Mr. Toads brushing up against one of the outside turns in this very fast very short single track going too fast. Hard to explain you have to try it for yourself.

riding...The Streets of Bakersfield... be safe

2013-07-12T16:21:00.000-07:00

Hey you don't know me but you don't like me

You say you care less how I feel

But how many of you that sit and judge me

Have ever ~~walked~~ ridden the streets of Bakersfield?

source: http://www.lyricsondemand.com/d/dwightyoakamlyrics/streetsofbakersfieldlyrics.html

I like to ride and would everyday if possible. I really like the connection to my fixed gear bike.I do not do any tricks like some do. I leave that trendy stuff to the X and Y generation. Also, my gearing is probably too high but, I prefer speed over the fancy stuff and frankly I'm too old and scared to try some of that shit those kids do.

I run a 48T x 16T gearing which I think is around 80 gear inches and not totally downtown friendly for stop and go. I also run a front brake. It is my pacifier and also helps to slow down. I'm fully aware of the potential to endo but, it is a compromise between looks and safety. Yeah I know some say ditch the brakes for the aesthetics of the clean lines of the bike. Some say what is wrong with you keep the brakes. I say I will do WTF I want.

This bike is definitely fast and I have gotten up to around 27mph while sprinting and when in top shape can maintain 20-23mph.

Riding the streets of Bakersfield is like playing dodge ball with retards. Seriously... The biking culture is just starting to take off here but, still there are plenty of people who think cyclist should not be allowed on the road and who are more than willing not to share the road. I try to ride mostly the bike paths and outskirts of town. I like to ride fast with little stopping so I suppose that may mean I'm not part of the sub-culture of the fixie crowd. However, I have had my share of close calls and fun.

Hell even on the bike path some people are ignorant to the fact that a bicycle is a moving object and if you stop and stand in the middle of the bike path with your girl friend, family, friends or pets both parties stand a chance of getting seriously hurt. Some of the tough guys around here like to play the "I'm not moving out of the way" as a test of their man-ness to own both lanes of the path. I'm not sure if this is due to the ignorance of another biker being rude to pedestrians or just the fact that we have so many bad-asses in Bakersfield.

One day while riding down South Hst this woman and her teenage kids in a Ford Exploder almost hit me I was as far right as I could be (in the gutter) but, apparently that was not enough. She honked her horn and her kids yelled out the window at me. Funny thing is there was a stop light about 500 feet ahead. She was a few cars back at the light and as I pull up I noticed all of them are texting on their phones and all the windows are down. I pull up slowly and get to the back window and shouted as loud as I could SHARE THE ROAD!!!! They all jumped out of their skins and as their phones flew out of their hands and up into the air I decided it was probably not good idea to go in the same direction as them. I guess they all thought I was number one because as I moved to the sidewalk and was watching them pass through the light they all gave me the finger LOL.

Another time I was heading south on Chester and this lady was parked in the bike lane on the side. She made eye contact with me through her rear view mirror of her truck. I thought that was odd since it was a few seconds before I would pass the driver door. As I approached closer I noticed her looking at me through the side mirror of her truck. In an instant it dawned on me. I thought REALLY? no people are not that crass are they? In any case I decided not to trust her so I veered a couple feet further out from her truck while passing her and low and behold that bitch opened her door at the exact time I was passing her. Well she got the number one signal from me and a loud FUCK YOU LADY!!!

One beautiful summer day I decided to take a long ride from my house to Ming lake. This would be about a 40 mile round trip. No this was not a fixed gear ride as there are two many steep grades. I rode my touring bike (a 1992 trek multi-track setup with rack and panniers etc). Most of this route takes the city streets, then some bike path and finally a highway. About 3 miles out from Hart Park these guys in a Saturn Vue think it would be funny to throw there pop bottles at me while driving 60 plus mph. I'm fairly certain they did not take into consideration that what ever object they toss out the car would also be traveling at that speed. As fate would have it they were driving the only Red Saturn Vue that was parked at a picnic area at hart park.Geniuses I guess they did not think we were both heading in the same direction and that I possibly would be pissed off and try to find them while I was passing through the park. LOL. Just so happens that I find the car parked. But, it looks like a Mexican wedding with lots of folks partying and having a good time. Am I stupid? well sometimes but, not this time. I ride around the park until I find a park ranger and as luck would have it some sheriffs were setup for search and rescue because during that time of year people get into the river and drown. So I ask them if they could contact a park ranger for me. They ask me why and I tell them what happen. Two park rangers show up and I give them a description of the vehicle. One stays with me and the other tracks down the people who own the car. Soon the ranger relays back to his partner that he has found them and to come on over.

I ride over and the one ranger asks if I would like to press charges I say no but I would like to talk to them. The other ranger says you are not going to doing anything stupid and I respond not today. I meet the guys responsible and they are falling all over themselves apologizing. Obviously, I wait until they are finished and yes of course I chastise them. I tell them like them I'm a brother, a father, a husband and a son, I'm also an uncle and friend. I tell them that although what they did seemed harmless they could have seriously hurt me. That could be them and I could be them. I get on my bike and ride to Ming lake. Not too shortly later one of the rangers pulls up to me and says I do not know how you did it (from loosing my cool) and that I was more than a man than him. I thank him and think to myself not in my eyes but, thank you.

Every so often while riding fixed I forget that I'm riding a fixed gear bike. Not sure if in my case it is because I also ride quite often my mountain bike which is multi-speed or, if it is just brain fade. I haven't stacked yet knock on wood but, it usually happens when least expected. For example, the other day I was coming down an over pass on my fixie and was hauling ass; once I knew I was going to make the light I started sprinting. After I nearly passed thru the intersection, for some reason I thought I could coast. Luckily I have toe straps so the bike did not throw me but, it tried and I bet I had the stupidest look on my face as well as the spectacle being shot off the seat then pulled back down by the momentum of the bike. I almost shit myself. The shock of being shot out like that caused be to almost loose control the front end went left to right to left to right until I straightened out and started riding smoothly like that was some sort of trick riding I was doing.

I have forgotten my bike was in fixed mode a number of times it seems it is usually when I'm tired or taking a sharp turn for what ever reason I think I can coast... The one thing it always does is give me a rush of adrenalin and of course I look around to see if anyone has caught me LOL. I mostly ride for fun and fitness and absolutely love all of my bikes. My wife however is not as enamored with them as I am. Hopefully I can convert her.

Where the weight is on your 29er

2013-06-25T10:55:00.001-07:00

29er build spec's
Type	Brand	Model	Weight	pct. Of weight	Notes
Frame	Gravity	Point	4.18	13.69%	Bike Island
Bottom Bracket	FSA	Mega XO		0.00%	incl in crank set
Stem	Truvativ	Hussefelt 60mm stem	0.7	2.29%
Handlebar	Easton	XC70	0.3	0.98%
Seatpost	Easton	XA70	0.6	1.97%
Chainrings	RaceFace	Single Speed 34t	0.1	0.33%
Cassette	Shimano	SLX CS-HG-61 29er Cassette	0.7	2.29%	12/36t
Front Tire	Continental	MKII 2.4	1.8	5.90%
Rear Tire	Continental	MKII 2.4	1.8	5.90%
Crankset	FSA	Gravity	2.9	9.50%	removed poly bash and granny. Using race face bash alum
Tube frt	Slime	29 x 2.2	0.9	2.95%
Tubes rr	Slime	29 x 2.2	0.9	2.95%
Fork	Rock shox	Recon Silver TK 29er 100mm	4.8	15.72%
Rear Brake	Hayes	Stroker Trail	0.9	2.95%
Front Brake	Hayes	Stroker Trail	0.9	2.95%
Rear Wheel	Shimano M525 Disc	Mavic A317 29Er Wheels	5.4	17.69%
Front Wheel	Shimano M525 Disc	Mavic A317 29Er Wheels		0.00%	incl w/rear wheel
Shift Levers	Shimano	Deore	0.2	0.66%
Pedals	Wellgo	LU-A52	1	3.28%
Chain	Sram	PC 951	0.7	2.29%
Rear Derailleur	Shimano	SLX	0.6	1.97%
Saddle	WTB	Speed V	0.9	2.95%
Grips	ODI	TLD Lock on	0.251	0.82%
Total			30.531	100.00%

MTB 1x 9 drive train

2013-06-22T20:13:00.001-07:00

Basics - Gravity crank set mega exo bb black spire stinger 29er specific cassette race face 36 tooth chain ring slx rear derailleur.

Recently I purchased a frame an fork from bikeisland and so far have been very happy with it. I have made changes since I originally purchased it by adding a 60mm truvativ hussefelt stem, easton xc 70 685mm bar, removed the front derailleur and shifter, converted my gravity 2 speed crank to single speed, continental MKII 2.4 tires and then added a black spire stinger chain guide. I did this after many rides dialing in the bike on flat single track, fast and flowy single track and downhill rides locally and in surrounding areas.

The two biggest and best additions I have found for me is the 2.4 front and rear tire which makes the hard tail less hard and provides more contact and grip, the other was the 60 mm stem. The shorter stem took some getting used to which I did not think would happen; not only is it more comfortable placing you in a more upright position and body weight more balanced on the bike but, it really changes the handling. The steering response is quicker and more precise too.

The other two items that made some significant improvement where the replacement of the Tora shock. Although I really liked the fork, for it to work appropriately it would have required a spring change for my weight. So I sold it for a fair price on ebay and purchased a new recon to replace it. What I really liked about the recon is the air adjust-ability. The other item was an add-on which I purchased used on Ebay. A chain guide. Sure it might not be considered a performance improvement it really is! No more chain slap which always made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end and, also no more chain jump!

1992 trek multitrack

2013-05-11T23:30:00.001-07:00

This bike is unbelievably heavy. Old school chromoly american made frame. Smooth as butter and after over twenty years still shifts and rides extremely nice. On this day I rode nearly 40 miles and just enjoyed myself.

Gravity point 29er

2013-05-11T23:20:00.001-07:00

I know this is not the drive side, which everyone says should be pictured however I wanted to show off my red disc rotors lol. This was taken before I changed out the front tora shock, the conti 2.2 MKII rear tire and the easton vice stem. I was riding some local single track and stopped to take a break in some sparse shade. I also replaced the kalin seat post for an easton offset ea70 seat post.

Normally for my mountain bikes I purchase kenda. I think kenda makes some really great off road tires. For my road bikes I have purchased nothing but conti's. I decided after much back and forth between conti and other brands and finally settled for conti MKII tires front and rear. I will say I have been really impressed with them. The version I purchased are not the black chili nor protection series but, have plenty of grip. One thing to note they do not have transition knobs so if you are used to having transition knobs beware these feel like they are going to wash out but, immediately grab and dig in plus they roll unbelievably smooth despite the large void between the lugs. Depending on where I ride it is made up of loose over hard pack, hard pack, sand and rocks and these tires have done a very good job for me.

Gravity Point 3 Frame and Fork

2013-04-01T15:45:00.003-07:00

Recently I purchased a frame and fork from http://bikeisland.com. I never built up a bike before although have done most of the tuning and etc on my other bikes myself. I have a number of bikes already but, after reading about 29ers and all the debates going back and forth between 26ers and 29ers I wanted to check it out for myself. I have been riding a Motobecane fantom trail for a couple of years and love the bike However, I still wanted to experience the 700c/29er on a mountain bike. I have wanted a full suspension bike but really do not ride on a lot of trails that require it.

To begin my 29er build. I decided on the gravity point 3 with the tora fork.I could have spent more to get the recon fork with the same frame but, found that the recon basically replaced the Tora fork and was a hundred bucks less plus you could purchase the motion control for the tora and make it a better then the Recon. My Fantom dart 3 shocks were probably the crappiest part on that bike with the 28mm stanchions you can actually feel the lateral flex; someday I might upgrade that fork. I have a feeling I may be riding the 29er more.

Some of the components and parts I already had on the fantom trail. I had to purchase the wheelset and Hydraulic brakes. I purchased the Shimano Deore 565 wheelset from http://blueskycycling.com and got the Hayes stroker brakes from http://pricepoint.com. I already had the tubes and tires, Crankset, 9speed SRAM cassette, ritchey stem and handle bars, ODI grips, deore shifters and the slx rear derailler. I did buy a WTB seat, pedals and Giant coated shifter cables at Bluesky also.

I took the Gravity out on its maiden voyage this weekend and was immediately impressed. This bike was not as squirrelly as the 26er I guess that is why they say the 26er has a more lively riding characteristic. The 29er seems to roll and climb better which I would guess has something to do with a longer wheelbase of the 29er. I did notice that the larger front wheel wanted to act like a plow when turning sharply which I never experienced on the 26er of course some could be due to the type of tires I have on the 29er CST Critter which are probably the cheapest tires you can purchase. The Tora shock is miles above the Dart 3 shock and smooths out the bumps well.

I weighed the 29er when I got back and found that it was around 31 pounds which is not too bad considering the components.

Tora around 5 lbs
Wheelset around 5 lbs
Frame close to 5 lbs
That leaves around 16 lbs for everything else. Not too bad unless you are a weight weenie.

Track Frame Geometry Comparison

2011-12-31T09:22:00.000-08:00

Advertised Track frames	Seat Tube Length Ctr-Ctr	level top tube Length	chainstay	BB drop	fork offset	head tube angle	seat tube angle	ctr to ctr wheel base	stand over
Mercier kilo tt	53	54.8	401	60	28	73	74	974	800
Bianchi Pista	53	53.5	380		28	74	76	947	774.7
Fuji Classic	52	54	408	58	4.5	72.5	74	972.9	755.6
KHS Flite 100	52.5	56.5	401	62	37.5	73	74	974	800
Soma the Rush	53	53.6	388			74	75.3	953	787.4
Pake Rum runner	53	54	388	58		74	75.3	955	787.4
Swobo Sanchez	51	53.5	400		43	73	75	973	762
Masi Fixed Uno	53	54.5	402	70	45	73	73.5	969	760
Surly Steamroller	53	54.7	398	70	38	73	74	966.6	780.5
Raliegh Rush hour	53	53.5		58	45	73.5	75	975	780
Tommaso Augusta/Ninja Pro/BAMF assassin	53.2	53.7	390			74	75

Kilo TT Stripper Preview

2011-12-26T18:35:00.001-08:00

I really like this bike! the ride is quite amazing and the geo is perfect for my style of riding. I have it set up single speed using white industries 16 Tooth freewheel matched up to the stock truvativ 48 Tooth chainring/crank which gives me about a 81 gear inch which I really like. In stock trim this is a fine machine.

I decided to move over some parts from my other bikes to this one. Brooks b17, Origin8 17degree stem, transx bullhorns and then added new vuelta xrp pro wheel set, all rolling on conti gatorskins.

I commute to work, ride the bike paths and use this as an exercise machine. I was in the elevator the other day and this dude says to me shaking his head nobody wants gears anymore....I replied back shaking my head you will never understand until you commit.

I troll the cycling forums and it never ceases to amaze me how passionate some folks are about their opinions from top to bottom in regards to online versus LBS bike purchases. You have people asking for opinions and those who are more than willing giving out theirs.

I can tell you first hand; the phat cycles phixie at 4 bills (that I purchased from the LBS) has no comparison to the kilo tt stripper for under 4 bills both in bone stock trim.

IMO the kilo tt is even sweeter after some personal touches. I don't care what anyone says.

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Detel Bikes Marathon 2000

2011-11-19T14:38:00.001-08:00

For my birthday (50th) my youngest son bought me an old used road bike from a friend plus a bike work stand. I was pretty stoked! I'm a bit of a bike junkie so it fit perfectly as I already have many bikes.

This one was unique as I read online since it was only built one year of which went out of business that same year (according to a blog I read). The bike was in good condition with Suntour components and still had the steel wheels. I pined for a few weeks what to do with it? Leave it bone stock, retro some components to new technology, setup as a 27" single speed what?

After a while I finally decided...leave it as stock looking as possible, upgrade brakes (dual pivot Tektro calipers) and wheels (27" Weinmman) to an aluminum wheel set and setup as single speed with Fizik bare tape to finish off the handlebars. The handle bars are inscribed with the Cinelli wreath logo etc. The headset bearing races have inscriptions also.

I finished with this little project and think it turned out pretty sweet. The frame is made from 80's Japanese chromoly tubing and the ride is really nice and smooth the paint has nicks but, I think that gives it some character. The 27" wheel provides a unique ride too.

My Daughter wanted to join the bike club as her high school and I told her I would let her use the bike. We bought her a lock and she used it for two weeks until some little cocksucker decided to take it for his own. What the hell is wrong with people! Damn that was a nice bike. Whoever did this better hope they disassembled it for parts because if I ever see some prick riding it regardless if they are the ones who stole it they will wish they had never seen that bike. I have the serial number from the bottom bracket and know every little detail of that frame and components. Oh well...

Fixie fixation

2011-10-08T15:14:00.001-07:00

Today I decided to flip my ss to fixed. I then rode 25 miles in town and on the bike path. Wow! I think I will leave my front and rear brakes on though. Talk about one of the best workouts I ever had! No coasting whew. I did try some skidding and IM sure it requires some learned technique. Its not for me. skidding means loss of control. As I rode I learned that a pause in pedal stroke is not a good thing especially around corners. luckily I didnt wreck. I also realized that you can go as slow as you want and as fast as you can literally. Certainly there is a range of speed that is much different when compared to a freewheel bike. Much more controlled by a persons level of fitness. Well I love the buzz of the tires, hum of the ss chain and, the occasional tingle of the spokes. The orchestra of the machine

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Origin 8 Tiki (Moustache) Handle Bars

2011-08-27T06:13:00.001-07:00

I really love the old school look of these handle bars. I took a 15 mile ride the other day after putting them on. After half way through the ride I decided to raise them up a bit. Most people it seems put the brake levers on the bend using road levers or they put the cross brake close to the stem, I have also seem some put reverse levers too.. Personally, I did not like the way that looks and opted to use cross levers (aka safety brakes) in a linear fashion. I’m kind of amazed at how different the bike handles compared with riser or road bars. I did notice I needed to move my seat back a bit more then when I had the other bars maybe because I used a shorter stem. Also, I used cotton bar tape. Not sure what I think of this yet. I wanted to have a vintage look and feel with the benefits of newer technology.

Vuelta Pista Track crank set - creaking

2011-07-31T14:30:00.000-07:00

I bought the Vuelta crank set to replace the Lasco crankset that came on my Phatcyles phixie. As soon as I got the new crank I removed the old Lasco and installed it thinking all the problems with loosening and creaking would be gone.

I was wrong. I brought my tools with me and went on a ride. I would tighten the Vuelta every so often on the ride and kept thinking to myself why is this thing still creaking. I cannot tighten it any more! I got home after the ride demoralized and wondering why I replaced the Lasco. The drive side was quite but, not the other.

The following day after a bit of courage I removed the non drive side arm. After inspection I found that the spindle had some areas where there were humps due to small dents and light damage to the end of the spindle on two of the sides. I went to the garage and found a small fine file and carefully filed them down, I looked inside the crank arm and notice some small burrs from this spindle and did my best to remove them without damaging the aluminum. Afterwards I wiped off the residue and applied a very thin layer of marine grease. (yes I have read from multiple sources the do's and don'ts, whys and why nots and, pros and cons of this) Then I installed the non drive side crank arm. Wala creaking gone!

I guess it makes sense that the four flat contact points need to be level otherwise you will likely get this creaking noise and wonder how to stop it when tightening the crank bolts doesn't work. I was also worried that I would damage the new crank arms so I'm glad I checked it.
Update: 8/24/2011 - I have ridden a number of miles and use this bike as a daily commuter and exercise bike when I cannot get to the mountains. The Vuelta crank I believe to be a good value compared to cost. Also it is not so fancy to look odd on a sub 400.00 single speed.

After further research I could have definitely of got a better overall SS/Fixie online for probably a third less.

Phat Cycles Phixie Review - Lasco vs Vuelta Pista

2011-07-30T10:20:00.000-07:00

Since I have purchased the bike I have had to continuously tighten the crank bolts. I commute with this bike and ride for fun and leisure. This is a PITA. Seems this is probably the worst stock component on the bike. So far after 300 miles I have had no other issues with the bike or the ride.

With the constant tightening and creaking I presumed the stock crankset would not last much longer. I could feel them flex when I mashed on the pedals to sprint and etc. I started looking online for inexpensive but, better quality cranksets. The stock crankset that comes on this bike is Lasco brand these are the same no-name brand sold on ebay that come in different colors.

I went with a Vuelta Pista crankset from bikeisland.com

I notice upon removal of the bolts for Lasco crankset there were no washers installed. They did use bolts with a washer molded into the head. Once removed I could see that the arms where they bolt to the BB was chewed up and that there was aluminum material on the bottom bracket taper and the taper was becoming ovalized. I presume that the aluminum used on the stock set is weak and likely not forged for strength.

The Vuelta crankset has a 46 tooth chainring as opposed to the stock Lasco crank with 44. When I installed this crankset I could immediately feel the difference in improved stiffness plus the higher gear was nice too. I haven't logged any miles with this crankset yet but, the initial ride seemed promising.

Update: 8/24/2011 I like the cranks and the 46 tooth matched up with the 16t freewheel. I think that puts me at around 77 gear inch.

Phat Cycles Phixie Review - Single Speed/Fixed Gear

2011-07-16T15:59:00.000-07:00

Since I purchased this bike last weekend I have put 110 miles on it. It is my new favorite out of my stable. The bike originally came with flat bars which I probably road about 40 mi of the 110 with them. I had some ergo cylco-cross bars hanging around and decided to replace the flats with those. Also I replaced the cheap CST 23mm tires with a set of 25mm Conti ultra gator skins then added some look clip ins I had in my drawer of bike goodies. I wouldn't admit to anyone publicly (i.e. wife) that the bike in my opinion is set up near perfect for what I want. ( I want to replace the cheap crank and bb and add front brakes later) I took it for a longer ride today 29.47 mi according to my smart-labs exercise tracker on my droid. I have to tell you that in my opinion the ride is sweet and very sporty. The bike simple and clean. I stripped all the stickers except for a grateful dead sticker my son gave me and the bike shop one. Surprising the wheels roll smooth and so far no problem with wheel trueness etc. (I weigh approx 229 lbs) despite the crappy roads around here. So far this bike fits my purpose as a daily commuter, SS road bike and an exercise machine.

I'm still mulling over trying it as a fixie don't know how practical that would be for me or, that I'm in good enough shape to not coast once in a while.

Couple things:

The KMC chain has already stretched multiple times
The BB seems to be fine but, I can feel the crank arms flex when I mash the pedals
The wheel set seems to be OK and roll nice
The frame is very stiff by design/style (I like that)
When they warn you to make sure the wheel axle bolts are tight before every ride that is for a reason
The frame has crappy welds

This is a good bike at a good cost that can be very practical. If you ride around town and the bike paths this bike will suit your needs perfectly. I have wanted to purchase a multi-speed road bike (I do have a cyclo-cross) but, can't see the purpose to expense value for me. If I someday decide to ride in the hills and mountains than I guess that would be a good time to look into one. When I road around my cyclo-cross I never used the gears much on the bike path and around town.

Update: 8/24/2011. The only thing so far about this bike that has been a PITA is the stock crank set. I have since replaced it added a front brake and removed the wheel and frame stickers. Although I have only had it a few months I have ridden it hard through city streets, bike path, commuting and for exercise. For that purpose this bike has served well so far.

But... I bought this bike on the spur of the moment when at a LBS. After further research and getting past the newness I started to notice certain things.

The Bad: Crappy welds - how did I over look this? No really they are crappy. The even more crappy crank set. I realize this is a bare essentials bike with bare essential parts. There is something sweet about simplicity. But, not dumping in a crap load of cash into it would be difficult for someone with upgraditis.

The Good: It rides very smoothly, it is quick and handles surprisingly well, it would be difficult for thieves to take parts off it. Looks good as long as you are not too close.

The solution: I suppose I could replace the frame with a better one but, what then? Put crappy components on a good frame? Well for now I will try not to think about the things that bother me and simply ride it and ride it simply.

Bike addict blues (New Drug - Phat Phixie)

2011-07-12T10:40:00.000-07:00

Does it ever end? I mean I started in June 2009 with a cyclo-cross bike - Motobecane fantom cross, made some minor upgrades and adjustments so it would be more comfortable. Learned a lot and enjoyed it.

in December 2010 I bought two mountain bikes one for me and one for my daughter. A Motobecane LTD 500 and, a Windsor Cliff 4700

in March 2011 I gave my Cliff 4700 to my youngest son and my oldest son the fantom cross. Then I bought a Motobecane fantom trail and, here recently in July I purchased a Phat Cycles phixie single speed/fixed gear bike.

All bikes have received there fair share of upgrades and additions, change outs etc.

Then a thought occurred to me is it madness or sickness or some other thing?

Fantom Cross ~ $550.00
LTD 500 ~ $300.00
Cliff 4700 ~ $370.00
Fantom Trail ~ $595.00
Phixie ~ $400.00

That rounds out to about $2200.00... This of course does not include all the other little upgrades and additions to these bikes. Some of the parts upgraded where then swapped to other bikes. I could only guess between tires, handlebars, cranks etc I have spent another $1000.00 over the course of 2 years.

So $3200.00 over the course of 25 months means I have a habit of $128.00 per month. WTF is wrong with me?

I'm thinking to myself what can I upgrade next on the phixie? what should I do first? apparently I can't help myself...I want a new drug. I know some people think shit you could have bought one really nice bike for that kind of money or why do you need so many bikes? or who in their right mind spends that kind of money on bikes. I think really in the grand scheme of things that is really not that much especially if you cannot afford it.

I don't know but, I can tell you I love each one of them as they all ride differently and have different attributes. Of course now my phat cycle is my favorite but, I'm still itching to go mountain biking soon.

I think I need professional help.

Neuvation Mountain MAX wheelset

2011-07-07T15:58:00.001-07:00

Neuvation Mtn Max

I'm not cheap but, I like to get the most value I can. I'm not so impressed by name brand but, that is probably because of how I do things. I admit in the long run I probably do spend more than just buying the high end item upfront. IDK. The problem with me is I like dinking with stuff. I like to work on my own stuff, tweak it, learn it, take it a part, put it together, change it, improve it, whatever etc.

I purchased this wheel-set at an unbelievable price and figure what really do I have to lose? They have to be better than the loose ball-bearing wheels at least at a minimum roll more smoothly with cartridge bearings right? I know the battle rages on which technology is better or more durable. Plus these wheels are lighter than what came stock on my bike too. I suppose due to my weight I'm considered a Clydesdale so far I have had no problem but, again I probably do not ride as aggressive as folks half my age. Nevertheless I listened to the Neuvation story drank the kool-aide and honestly if I get a full season out of them I will be happy. If I get more then I will be impressed. Only time will tell I will update this blog as the season progresses. I also purchased a set of the Mountain MX wheel-set as spares and to hold my 2.3 tires

Update: 8/24/2011
Have had no issues to date with Neuvation MTN Max wheelset

Gravity MegaXO Quad (FSA)

2011-07-07T15:34:00.000-07:00

Gravity 2 x 9 with Bash

I just purchased this crank and plan to have it installed tomorrow. I was going to attempt to do it myself but, after pricing out the tools to do so (separately not in kit form) I thought well for 25 bucks it is worth having the LBS do it. I was pretty stoked since I got this crank-set and bottom bracket for a sweet price brand new. I guess I should have read more reviews but, not sure that would change my mind much. This crank-set is advertised as a XC/AM crank-set. After reading others reviews my heart sank. People were actually claiming they were bending the crank arms (they are hollow). Well too late for me. In any case I have to wonder what kind of riding these guys do - then thought, although I ride aggressive it is probably not as aggressive as 20 or 30 somethings.

I do not do steep drops, high jumps or a lot of aggressive downhill so time will tell. I'm replacing what came stock on my bike a FSA DYNA-DRIVE 22/32/44T with Powerdrive around 994 grams less the BB. The gravity one comes in around 1102 grams with BB. Not sure there will be a significant weight savings my goal was to lose the 3rd ring and gain the external bearings.

Once I have the part installed I will follow up with my thoughts.

Update: 8/24/2011: Have yet to have any issues with crank arms bending etc. That others reviewers spoke of.