What bike do you build in your dreams?

Last night I built a hardtail 29er.

Frame: Niner EMD
Fork: Sid
Hubs: Hadley Rear / Hope Front
Rims: Stans Arch EX
Drivetrain: XT
Brakes: Avid Elixer 5's
Tires: Maxxis Ikons
Carbon Bits: Bars, Post

It was a nice dream.  I woke up late.

Sticker Shock

Mountain Biking is booming right now and that's awesome, but something else is happening too.  Everything is becoming crazy expensive.  Yes, the fact that I am broke factors in, but I have always been broke, what with the beer habit, teaching, the kid and ya-de-ya-ya.  Seriously though, there is a strange disconnect developing.  Entry level stuff for entry level riding is reasonable, but good stuff for us middle of the road riders seems to be, sell my car and starve my kid, expensive.

I did the math in my head while riding my beat-up singlespeed Redline with bike swap wheels, and an antiquated fork and even if I gave up beer for an entire year, I would still only have about $780. That is the price of A solid wheel set or A solid Fork.  Despite the fact that this made me feel much better, knowing that I could keep my beer, it still leaves a lot of folks with a dilemma.

I had an expensive bike once and I am past the better bike, better rider stage.  I have all the bikes I need, but for the sake of writing something on this blog, I thought this was a worthy topic.

Is it my imagination? Should tires be $80 each, bikes $5K, chain lube $20, Cassette $150-$300, decent shorts $100? My former teacher self would argue market forces dictate prices and the easy answer to my own question is, "Yes they should or they wouldn't be."  Or am I experiencing the "Community Bike Shop versus Boutique Bike Shop" culture clash?

Whatever the case, if you read this post, you are likely thinking about its content or more likely thinking you just wasted five minutes of your life.  I am thinking its time to go have a beer and cannibalize some stuff in my garage so I can have the "new and different" feeling on my old bikes without spending beer money.

Oh and for the record, yes I am having a beer on a Monday night.  Its the end of my weekend. As my friend G Scott once said, "Don't judge me bro".

Happy Trails.

For The Ladies.

This chica is hardcore.  Ride hard, play hard.  She does it all.

Mommy and Racer.

12 hours of intense.

The beauty of finishing a 12 hour race strong.

Prize for completing her first 12 hour race.

Slick Rock relaxing in Moab.

Making it look easy in Moab.

Captain Ahab. Her face says it all.

Top of the climb before descending Porcupine Rim.  The photographer obviously sucks.

Post Whiskey Off-Road recovery drink (Baileys).

A Biblical Style Bicycle Tale

Let me preface this tale with some history.  Years ago, when I first began riding a singlespeed, I opted for a 34x18 gear ratio.  I was young, dumb, and reasonable strong.  I hung with it for a while, but when a rear wheel with a 20 tooth freewheel stuck on it (literally) fell into my lap (thanks Hines), I succumbed to the more reasonable gear ratio.

Fast forward about seven years to the present.  Doo-Doo's new rear wheel has an aluminum freehub body.  I found a good deal on a cog with a wide profile base, but its an 18.  Clearly, I'm still dumb.

A Biblical Bicycle Tale

On the first day thy legs were displeased and protested violently.

On the second day thy legs unwillingly succumbed to the abuse and with some protest, climbed.

On the third day there was rejoicing from the quadrahamstricalf crew, for they accepted the pain as part of progress.

On the fourth day there will be new found strength and crushing will commence.

Redline Doo-Doo Brown Revival Part 2

Upgrade Rear Wheel

 Doo-Doo scrapped the old joytech, 360 degrees between engagement, bearing binding, hub laced to a cardboard WTB Speed Disc hoop from circa 1999, and called this old Bontrager Scandium wheel back up to the Big League.  Its tubeless, has decent engagement, and, aside from the gargantuan rear tire, its pretty light.

Rejuvenated

So far Doo-Doo has received the following treatments:
1) Suspension fork w/ lockout
2) Matching headset
3) Isis equipped crankset (its a step up from square taper?)
4) Upgraded rear wheel w/ quick release

Up next for Doo-Doo is a front wheel conversion to a tubeless system and new brakes (the Hayes HFX 9's were obsolete about a year before they came out, although mine work well, minus the sticky rear piston).

Stay tuned.

Let the Good Times Roll...

Redline Doo-Doo Brown Revival Part 1

My Redline has see  it all.  Its been a junk bike, a race bike, a travel/backup bike.  Its had suspension, and been rigid.  Its had good wheels and junk wheels, flat pedals and clips.  Its been a fixie, a dirt jumper, a wanna be trials ride.  In short it has earned itself a revival.  It will be called the Redline Doo-Doo Brown Revival (my homies from college may recognize the name).

"New to me" fork with fresh seals and travel reduction from 120mm to 100mm.

Part one of the revival is the upgrade back to a suspension fork.  I like to have my cake and eat it too, meaning it has a lockout.  The folks at Marzocchi were also kind enough to confirm the forum dietary chatter (never trust a forum blindly, the internet does lie!) regarding removal of the damper spring so it dropped a few grams during its workup.

Next on the agenda are wheels.  The front wheel is bomber so it stays.  A bomber wheel seems fitting for a bomber fork.  It has a date scheduled with Stan in the near future.  The rear wheel is getting donated to the shop.  In its place will be the tubeless ready, scandium Bontrager Rhythm Pro wheel I've been sitting on for a few years.  That also means a Surly cog and Surly Tug are in the near future as well.

Stay tuned (Funny, because I'm basically telling myself to read the junk that I write).