Well I've dropped the ball here now haven't I? After the bicycle accident, I was in physical therapy for 4 months, working on getting strength and flexibility to my hands. They're much better but still a bit mangled. I rehabed my knee riding my geared road bike on a stationary trainer for a few weeks. My sore hands were what kept me off the bicycle for even longer.
In September I did get out again on the geared bike to stretch my legs. I made it 12 miles before realizing I'd spent all the energy I had. I turned around and limped home. There have been a few other short rides, 25-30 miles, not much more than that. I haven't ridden the Langster since the crash. It still has quite a bit of dried blood on it.
Another autumn brought another lay off despite the agreement made with my employer that I would not accept a job up in Portland, ME but rather stay on in Portsmouth for year round employment. Sometimes I think I'm getting over it, but the anger will still rise up if I think about it. So now I'm stuck in the unemployment system of New Hampshire State, something I had hoped to avoid. I don't expect this to be read by thousands of admiring fans. But if you are reading this and are in the Portsmouth/York, ME area and need some work done on your bicycle or bicycles, please consider hiring me to do the work. I do excellent, complete repairs, I'll save you money and treat you and your ride with respect. I'll even show you how to do repairs if you wish to learn.
Otherwise, I'm looking at leaving the bicycle industry at least for the mean time. There is no other bicycle shop in this area I imagine myself working at. I also don't want to work in New Hampshire anymore.
So for now I won't delete this site. Who knows, perhaps I will have something to post over these cold months to come. Then again, there might not be much going on here either.
If you do happen to be reading this and have any bicycle related questions you'd like answered, please send them along and I'll respond in post style. Take care and keep the rubber to the road, JoshB.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Crash on the Memorial Bridge
What happened is I was riding my new bke to work across the Memorial Bridge into Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Every day I ride across the steel grating that keeps us from falling into the Piscatiqua river. Of course I walk across on the wooden walkway if the roads are wet. It is well known and accepted that the transparent gift of moisture transforms the quarter inch thick coarse steel webbing into super slick meat grinder.
This particular day, June twenty third it had rained an hour before my approach to the grating. OK. Maybe it had been fourty five minutes. I looked at the road - dry save for the wet stripe left under the car tires. The decision was made as my tire hit the steel. I went down about two thirds of the way across, just over the New Hampshire state line. In a daze I put my bloody bike in the back of a man's pick up and crawled in behind it. I was watching my blood dripping down all over my Bailey bag. I was seeing the town go by, watching people moving along sidewalks and inside of stores, going about their regular days.
I remember feeling grateful for the cool damp breeze that soothed my skin as we drove towards the hospital. I saw the square, Cafe Kilim. We drove past the bike shop and I saw my co workers bringing bikes outside, getting ready to have a regular day, one I was supposed to be a part of. Instead I was headed for Portsmouth General.
I fished my phone out of my bag and managed to call the shop. It took me a minute or so to remember the number, not even sure I'd dialed it right until Nat's voice greeted me through the tiny speaker. Strange to think now that calling work took precidence over calling Eli, who I called next, and explained the situation as we approached the Emergency Room entrance.
Over 8 hours I was tested, questioned, observed, x-rayed, cat-scanned, braced, stitched and patched. Besides the obvious deep lascerations on my left knee, right index finger, and face, I had a fracture on my right index finger, and one underneath my left eye. Thirty nine stitches, an immobilizing cast, splint.
This was a stupid, any day type of crash that could happen to anyone. The nursess in the ER were saying they treat cyclists who go down on the steel grating all the time. So if you ride, I really hope you will wear a helmet. Once again it was the difference between writing this story now, and risking far more than a pound of flesh. You can also look at it from a financial perspective. My treatment and recovery is going to cost a hell of a lot less because I was wearing a $70 helmet.
This particular day, June twenty third it had rained an hour before my approach to the grating. OK. Maybe it had been fourty five minutes. I looked at the road - dry save for the wet stripe left under the car tires. The decision was made as my tire hit the steel. I went down about two thirds of the way across, just over the New Hampshire state line. In a daze I put my bloody bike in the back of a man's pick up and crawled in behind it. I was watching my blood dripping down all over my Bailey bag. I was seeing the town go by, watching people moving along sidewalks and inside of stores, going about their regular days.
I remember feeling grateful for the cool damp breeze that soothed my skin as we drove towards the hospital. I saw the square, Cafe Kilim. We drove past the bike shop and I saw my co workers bringing bikes outside, getting ready to have a regular day, one I was supposed to be a part of. Instead I was headed for Portsmouth General.
I fished my phone out of my bag and managed to call the shop. It took me a minute or so to remember the number, not even sure I'd dialed it right until Nat's voice greeted me through the tiny speaker. Strange to think now that calling work took precidence over calling Eli, who I called next, and explained the situation as we approached the Emergency Room entrance.
Over 8 hours I was tested, questioned, observed, x-rayed, cat-scanned, braced, stitched and patched. Besides the obvious deep lascerations on my left knee, right index finger, and face, I had a fracture on my right index finger, and one underneath my left eye. Thirty nine stitches, an immobilizing cast, splint.
This was a stupid, any day type of crash that could happen to anyone. The nursess in the ER were saying they treat cyclists who go down on the steel grating all the time. So if you ride, I really hope you will wear a helmet. Once again it was the difference between writing this story now, and risking far more than a pound of flesh. You can also look at it from a financial perspective. My treatment and recovery is going to cost a hell of a lot less because I was wearing a $70 helmet.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Canadians Smuggle Illicit Smoke Into U.S., Boarder Authority Powerless To Stop It
An eerie feeling I haven't had in years, since living in the Pac NW, on a beautiful, warm day, low humidity, yet the air is thick, smokey. This morning I thought a neighbor was burning stuff, a perfectly normal way to spend Memorial Day here in Northern New England. Perhaps a lot of brush, or a lot of neighbors, like a neighborhood burn day, all burning big piles of brush and broken furniture. Turns out all the smoke is from Canada, which is apparently on fire in a serious way.
My good intentions to leave by 9am on this first day in weeks I've had time to ride, were thwarted by my efforts to install a newer generation VDO wireless cadence computer on the Langster. The computer was given to (the shop I was working at) in an effort to convince we at the front lines of bicycle retail, that they had taken care of all the bugs they had been known for in the past. At least that is my excuse. Without the manual, the confusing VDO set up proved to be a momentum destroyer. I started looking for support instruction PDFs or whatever online for the computer. Not finding that, I somehow ended up on Craigslist looking for all the answers to other questions. Add talking to Tom about his trip to Missouri, making a sandwich, making another sandwich and eating it, I rolled out at quarter to noon.
Remembering a ride I had to abandon just outside South Berwick this last winter, I decided today was the perfect day to hit it. Out past Spring Hill, to Blackberry Hill, Berwick, Long Swamp Road, etc. After that I was lost and can only attempt to reassemble my route looking at the maps. I got a little too lost, running out of water lost, wondering where the hell civilization was lost. I made a few good guesses and found myself back on School Road Rte 9 headed back towards Berwick. A few more guesses got me to North and finally South Berwick where I knew the Nature's Way market would most likely be open. I limped into town and sure enough the OPEN flag was flying. I ordered a sandwich, grabbed a banana and an orange juice. Out on the sidewalk at a table, I took my shoes and socks off and ate. It felt so good to eat.
With the bottles full, I headed back out towards Emerys Bridge Rd. I was pretty beat. Ogunquit Rd would have been easier on the legs and head. But Belle Marsh would cut miles off the final leg. Belle Marsh it was, climbing, dirt road, Belle Marsh. I did not allow the bike to scream down the descents. Instead, I held back, resisting the momentum of the pedals turning to keep things manageable.
Turns out I just got off a 74.25 mile jaunt through the countryside. According to the VDO, I averaged 24.5 mph with a max speed of 38mph. I know better though. At least the cadence was accurate: Average 75rpm cadence with a max of 158rpm.
Check out the route, click here!
My good intentions to leave by 9am on this first day in weeks I've had time to ride, were thwarted by my efforts to install a newer generation VDO wireless cadence computer on the Langster. The computer was given to (the shop I was working at) in an effort to convince we at the front lines of bicycle retail, that they had taken care of all the bugs they had been known for in the past. At least that is my excuse. Without the manual, the confusing VDO set up proved to be a momentum destroyer. I started looking for support instruction PDFs or whatever online for the computer. Not finding that, I somehow ended up on Craigslist looking for all the answers to other questions. Add talking to Tom about his trip to Missouri, making a sandwich, making another sandwich and eating it, I rolled out at quarter to noon.
Remembering a ride I had to abandon just outside South Berwick this last winter, I decided today was the perfect day to hit it. Out past Spring Hill, to Blackberry Hill, Berwick, Long Swamp Road, etc. After that I was lost and can only attempt to reassemble my route looking at the maps. I got a little too lost, running out of water lost, wondering where the hell civilization was lost. I made a few good guesses and found myself back on School Road Rte 9 headed back towards Berwick. A few more guesses got me to North and finally South Berwick where I knew the Nature's Way market would most likely be open. I limped into town and sure enough the OPEN flag was flying. I ordered a sandwich, grabbed a banana and an orange juice. Out on the sidewalk at a table, I took my shoes and socks off and ate. It felt so good to eat.
With the bottles full, I headed back out towards Emerys Bridge Rd. I was pretty beat. Ogunquit Rd would have been easier on the legs and head. But Belle Marsh would cut miles off the final leg. Belle Marsh it was, climbing, dirt road, Belle Marsh. I did not allow the bike to scream down the descents. Instead, I held back, resisting the momentum of the pedals turning to keep things manageable.
Turns out I just got off a 74.25 mile jaunt through the countryside. According to the VDO, I averaged 24.5 mph with a max speed of 38mph. I know better though. At least the cadence was accurate: Average 75rpm cadence with a max of 158rpm.
Check out the route, click here!
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Specialized Mondo Tires SUCK SUCK SUCK!!!
When I EP'd the Langster, I also ordered some upgrades to their not very attractive component package. Sworks post, Tarmac Expert fork, etc. I also ordered A PAIR of Armadillo Elite 700x 23c tires, the best tire I've ever rolled on. What I got was all my goodies and ONE Armadillo tire. So I swapped the Mondo cheapo tire on the rear rim for the Armadillo and figured I'd replace the other tire later. I was reluctant to BUY another Armadillo just yet because I had already ordered TWO. Why would they think I only needed one tire?
So today, my first day off since building up the bike, I went out to ride the usual roads; the dirt, the potholes, hills, and dales. I got about 7 miles from home before the front tire went flat. That's about 30 miles on that tire before it went flat, my first in over 2 years. And no, I didn't have anything to fix a flat with me. I've gotten lazy with all the non-flat luck I'd been having.
I took my Specialized Pro mtn shoes off and started the 4 mile walk home barefoot. After fuming for 15 minutes about how Specialized has fucked up the last 4 out of 5 orders I've placed with them, I realized the air was just warm enough, smelled sweetly of flowers, and it was all in all a beautiful day. So I didn't really mind a little walk. Although after just a mile of barefoot hoofing on the paved shoulder my feet were getting sore. Luckily for me, a large pick up pulled over and a nice gent leaned out to ask if I needed a lift. He got out of the truck with a Trek jacket on: one of us. A mountain biker in the past, Mike was just the rescuer I had hoped for. We talked bikes and he drove me right up into the driveway. Thanks again Mike!
If your new Specialized bike came with Mondo tires, I'm sorry. See if the shop you bought the bike from will credit you for them while they're still new and buy yourself a pair of pricey but well worth it Armadillo Elites. Trust me, worth it. I have blisters on my feet now and it's a bit late to head out again today. Rain tomorrow, I guess I'll wait until the next day off to try again.
So today, my first day off since building up the bike, I went out to ride the usual roads; the dirt, the potholes, hills, and dales. I got about 7 miles from home before the front tire went flat. That's about 30 miles on that tire before it went flat, my first in over 2 years. And no, I didn't have anything to fix a flat with me. I've gotten lazy with all the non-flat luck I'd been having.
I took my Specialized Pro mtn shoes off and started the 4 mile walk home barefoot. After fuming for 15 minutes about how Specialized has fucked up the last 4 out of 5 orders I've placed with them, I realized the air was just warm enough, smelled sweetly of flowers, and it was all in all a beautiful day. So I didn't really mind a little walk. Although after just a mile of barefoot hoofing on the paved shoulder my feet were getting sore. Luckily for me, a large pick up pulled over and a nice gent leaned out to ask if I needed a lift. He got out of the truck with a Trek jacket on: one of us. A mountain biker in the past, Mike was just the rescuer I had hoped for. We talked bikes and he drove me right up into the driveway. Thanks again Mike!
If your new Specialized bike came with Mondo tires, I'm sorry. See if the shop you bought the bike from will credit you for them while they're still new and buy yourself a pair of pricey but well worth it Armadillo Elites. Trust me, worth it. I have blisters on my feet now and it's a bit late to head out again today. Rain tomorrow, I guess I'll wait until the next day off to try again.
I have found the future of Fixie Road Bars!
Previous searches for a 31.8 clamp diameter flat bar with lots of forward and back sweep ala Soma Clarence or OnOne Mary, I found the Ritchey line of 10deg. flat bars. For some reason I can not determine, carbon varieties of this specimen are not yet available through the regular channels. I was able to appropriate an older model, the Ritchey Pro alloy 10deg. flat bar.
Although superior to the regular drop bars that twist arms and make for less torque when ascending grades perched on a fixed cog bicycle, the 10 deg. sweep on these bars seems less impressive in person than did illuminated on the screen. I am even reluctant to cut them down to a respectable size from their massive 770mm width as I may just enter them into stock or offer them up on EBay.
Searching the web to see what was out there, peaking in at the various sites of the major players in the MTB handlebar market, I came across these beautiful things:
31.8 mm clamp diameter, a heafty 25 degrees sweep, carbon option on the way. Modern efficiency realized. I'll be watching closely for these to hit the streets. Stay tuned to the ever winding saga of Decking Out the Langster...
Although superior to the regular drop bars that twist arms and make for less torque when ascending grades perched on a fixed cog bicycle, the 10 deg. sweep on these bars seems less impressive in person than did illuminated on the screen. I am even reluctant to cut them down to a respectable size from their massive 770mm width as I may just enter them into stock or offer them up on EBay.
Searching the web to see what was out there, peaking in at the various sites of the major players in the MTB handlebar market, I came across these beautiful things:
31.8 mm clamp diameter, a heafty 25 degrees sweep, carbon option on the way. Modern efficiency realized. I'll be watching closely for these to hit the streets. Stay tuned to the ever winding saga of Decking Out the Langster...
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Langster Arrived
Finally my 2010 Specialized Langster has arrived. It showed up at the shop Thursday. We were wicked busy and I tried not to think about it too much, sitting in that box, waiting to be built.
Friday was my day off. I got into work at quarter to 8 am hoping to build 'er up. Only to find out somebody needed to go do 40 tune ups at Timberland company headquarters starting in an hour.
I got done at 7:15pm and headed back to the shop. I got the lights on in the shop and finally dug the box out of the pile of boxes in the garage. In the stand, I noticed the Langster and Specialized logos and in fact, all markings on the frame were sort of cheap looking adhesive decals. That was a bit of a disappointment. They had to come off. They looked so... flimsy?
I started swapping out OEM parts for my preferences. Sugino Messanger cranks off. FSA Pro Carbon crankset with Sugino Black Zen chainring, gold Sugino chainring bolts on. Langster fork off. Specialized Tarmac Elite fork on. Aluminum seatpost off. SWorks carbon post on. I'm waiting on gold spoke nipples and a track cog. EAI Gold Medal or VeloSolo gold anodized aluminum?
Pictures will follow soon...
Friday was my day off. I got into work at quarter to 8 am hoping to build 'er up. Only to find out somebody needed to go do 40 tune ups at Timberland company headquarters starting in an hour.
I got done at 7:15pm and headed back to the shop. I got the lights on in the shop and finally dug the box out of the pile of boxes in the garage. In the stand, I noticed the Langster and Specialized logos and in fact, all markings on the frame were sort of cheap looking adhesive decals. That was a bit of a disappointment. They had to come off. They looked so... flimsy?
I started swapping out OEM parts for my preferences. Sugino Messanger cranks off. FSA Pro Carbon crankset with Sugino Black Zen chainring, gold Sugino chainring bolts on. Langster fork off. Specialized Tarmac Elite fork on. Aluminum seatpost off. SWorks carbon post on. I'm waiting on gold spoke nipples and a track cog. EAI Gold Medal or VeloSolo gold anodized aluminum?
Pictures will follow soon...
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Silent Action Ride No. 1: Sunday May 9th
Well I waited at (Bike shop previously employed at) until 9:30 to see if you'd show up. Perhaps you were persuaded by the 25+ mph winds out of the WNW to enjoy breakfast a little longer, maybe read the paper, do the crossword.
I rode back over the bridge to my studio in Kittery to dump off the Bailey bag before heading directly into the wind along Rte. 103 in Eliot. I figured this way I could take the brunt of abuse all in one lump, and then enjoy the reward of a tail wind for the return trip. When I tell people I really dig riding the fixie over dirt roads, and they think that's nuts, I reply that the dirt roads are often better groomed than the paved roads around here. See Route 103 through Eliot to illustrate this point.
And what a wind it was! Tucked down behind my flat 15 deg. bars, trying to push through. I made my way into Rollinsford and didn't intend to stop until I spotted my friend Peter in front of Black Bean Cafe with a cup of coffee. So I pulled in the reins and stopped to chat and drink a cup. While there I also ran into (previous employer) customer Terrance Parker with his daughter in for some breakfast, and SeacoastAreaBicycleRoutes member Sophia.
Coffee gone, I got back on the road headed for South Berwick and Vaughn Woods Rd. My plan worked quite well, with that same hard wind I'd fought on the way out, now on my side pushing me home at a good clip, spinning the cranks as fast as I could manage, ascending grades at over 17 mph.
All things considered it was a great day for a ride with the lilacs in bloom everywhere, the blue sky with soft white clouds floating on the current, the fields and countryside bright green with life. Sorry you missed it.
Portsmouth, Kittery, Eliot, Rollinsford, South Berwick. Total miles: 33.
Check the route details at Map My Ride.
I rode back over the bridge to my studio in Kittery to dump off the Bailey bag before heading directly into the wind along Rte. 103 in Eliot. I figured this way I could take the brunt of abuse all in one lump, and then enjoy the reward of a tail wind for the return trip. When I tell people I really dig riding the fixie over dirt roads, and they think that's nuts, I reply that the dirt roads are often better groomed than the paved roads around here. See Route 103 through Eliot to illustrate this point.
And what a wind it was! Tucked down behind my flat 15 deg. bars, trying to push through. I made my way into Rollinsford and didn't intend to stop until I spotted my friend Peter in front of Black Bean Cafe with a cup of coffee. So I pulled in the reins and stopped to chat and drink a cup. While there I also ran into (previous employer) customer Terrance Parker with his daughter in for some breakfast, and SeacoastAreaBicycleRoutes member Sophia.
Coffee gone, I got back on the road headed for South Berwick and Vaughn Woods Rd. My plan worked quite well, with that same hard wind I'd fought on the way out, now on my side pushing me home at a good clip, spinning the cranks as fast as I could manage, ascending grades at over 17 mph.
All things considered it was a great day for a ride with the lilacs in bloom everywhere, the blue sky with soft white clouds floating on the current, the fields and countryside bright green with life. Sorry you missed it.
Portsmouth, Kittery, Eliot, Rollinsford, South Berwick. Total miles: 33.
Check the route details at Map My Ride.
Friday, May 7, 2010
Silent Action Rides: No Coasting!
I should have posted this earlier. Oops I guess. I'm signed on to lead a monthly fixed gear ride through (Previous employers) bike shop in Portsmouth. The intention is not to alienate any non-fixed gear riders. The idea is to get cyclists to consider a fixed gear bicycle as more than just a novelty around town bicycle, and to introduce the idea of riding fixed gear bicycles to those interested in a new adventure.
It' a blast spinning down the country farm roads on a fixed gear bike; no shifting, no drivetrain noise, leveraging up inclines and spinning like mad down the other side. Riding a fixed gear bicycle is great training with the added resistance of having only one gear for all the hill climbing while improving cadence and efficient circular pedal turning on descents.
The rides will meet at 9am on the second Sunday of each month. The first in the Silent Action series will be this Sunday, that's two days from now. We'll go about 30 miles or so to start. I intend to introduce longer rides each month. If you want to come along, bring two water bottles, snacks, flat repair apparatus, your fixed gear bicycle, a helmet.
We're not racing and we're not putzing. We'll ride a comfortable pace averaging about 15-18 mph for a couple of hours.
It' a blast spinning down the country farm roads on a fixed gear bike; no shifting, no drivetrain noise, leveraging up inclines and spinning like mad down the other side. Riding a fixed gear bicycle is great training with the added resistance of having only one gear for all the hill climbing while improving cadence and efficient circular pedal turning on descents.
The rides will meet at 9am on the second Sunday of each month. The first in the Silent Action series will be this Sunday, that's two days from now. We'll go about 30 miles or so to start. I intend to introduce longer rides each month. If you want to come along, bring two water bottles, snacks, flat repair apparatus, your fixed gear bicycle, a helmet.
We're not racing and we're not putzing. We'll ride a comfortable pace averaging about 15-18 mph for a couple of hours.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Narrowing The Search: Langster -vs- Capo
Studying all the options available to me for a stock fixed gear frameset, I realized something: size does matter to me. I'm referring to the head tube size, 1" versus more current 1 1/8". I'm somewhat surprised that most manufacturers making fixed gear framesets are still sticking to 1" steer tube designs, while the rest of the cycling industry has been building frames for 1 1/8" steer tubes since the late 90's. Infact, many manufacturers such as Specialized with their steel Langster, take us back even further into the Dark Ages, spec'ing bikes with THREADED STEER TUBES! My only guess as to why anybody would do such a thing, would be to appeal to a marginal segment of the cycling community: wannabe hipsters. By offering a steel frame, with a 1" threaded steer tube fork, their 2010 model Steel Langster imitates a classic road bike frame converted to fixed gear.
I myself must admit I am attracted to classic steel road bikes. My road bike is a sparkle red over chrome painted Daccordi fabricated from Columbus SLX tubing in the mid-90's. But if i'm going to buy a new bike, damnit, I want a 1 1/8" threadless steer tube with all the weight savings, carbon fork compatability, and stiff handling that comes along with it! Fashion can not trump functionality.
This brings my search for a fixed gear frameset down to two options: The 2010 Specialized Langster base model, or the 2010 Cannondale Capo 2. Both offer 1 1/8" threadless steer tube forks. Both come in low profile black finishes. Both are aluminum frames.
The biggest difference in design, are the Langster's compact style frame versus the Capo's more traditional frame with a horizontal top tube. Although more asthetically drawn to the Capo's straight lines and tight angles, after riding the Langster a few times, I can see the wisdom in the compact frame design, especially in the larger sizes. At 6'4" , I need a 60cm top tube to stretch me out comfortably. The Capo comes in a 63cm seat tube length that offers a 60cm top tube, while the Langster's "virtual" seat tube height is 60cm. And at sizes such as these, in a traditional frame design, looong seat stays are required, creating more leverage to flex the rear wheel when "givin' 'er".
With a compact frame design, the seat stays stay shorter, making for a stiffer rear end and also transferring the vibration picked up from the rear wheel to a lower point below the saddle, giving more distance for the vibrations to be dissipated in before reaching the rider's tender ass.
Add that up with a carbon bladed fork spec'ed on the Langster -vs- the punishing straight bladed aluminum fork on the Capo, and it soon becomes clear that for a strictly street machine, the Langster, with it's goofy sloping top tube and all, wins out in the end. But the proof will be in the pudding. I'll be headed out for a few hours on the Langster in a few moments. This will be the first longer ride on aluminum frame I've ever done. Wish me luck....
I myself must admit I am attracted to classic steel road bikes. My road bike is a sparkle red over chrome painted Daccordi fabricated from Columbus SLX tubing in the mid-90's. But if i'm going to buy a new bike, damnit, I want a 1 1/8" threadless steer tube with all the weight savings, carbon fork compatability, and stiff handling that comes along with it! Fashion can not trump functionality.
This brings my search for a fixed gear frameset down to two options: The 2010 Specialized Langster base model, or the 2010 Cannondale Capo 2. Both offer 1 1/8" threadless steer tube forks. Both come in low profile black finishes. Both are aluminum frames.
The biggest difference in design, are the Langster's compact style frame versus the Capo's more traditional frame with a horizontal top tube. Although more asthetically drawn to the Capo's straight lines and tight angles, after riding the Langster a few times, I can see the wisdom in the compact frame design, especially in the larger sizes. At 6'4" , I need a 60cm top tube to stretch me out comfortably. The Capo comes in a 63cm seat tube length that offers a 60cm top tube, while the Langster's "virtual" seat tube height is 60cm. And at sizes such as these, in a traditional frame design, looong seat stays are required, creating more leverage to flex the rear wheel when "givin' 'er".
With a compact frame design, the seat stays stay shorter, making for a stiffer rear end and also transferring the vibration picked up from the rear wheel to a lower point below the saddle, giving more distance for the vibrations to be dissipated in before reaching the rider's tender ass.
Add that up with a carbon bladed fork spec'ed on the Langster -vs- the punishing straight bladed aluminum fork on the Capo, and it soon becomes clear that for a strictly street machine, the Langster, with it's goofy sloping top tube and all, wins out in the end. But the proof will be in the pudding. I'll be headed out for a few hours on the Langster in a few moments. This will be the first longer ride on aluminum frame I've ever done. Wish me luck....
Friday, April 16, 2010
Full On Balls to the Wall Spring In Action!!!
Well, the Defrost shoes are packed away as are the Sorrel boots and all that other winter stuff. Spring came on early and strong. I started wrenching again at (that bike shop that promised me year round employment only to fire me on election day) in late February with a set schedule starting in March. And as of late, I've been putting in around 50 hour work weeks to keep up with the volume of repairs and assemblies coming down the pike.
Every spring I get back on my beloved '79 Trek 940 Fixie and realize that it is indeed too small a frame for me. I'm 6'4" riding a 58cm frame all over the countryside. It just isn't right! I had hoped my friend Jonathan at Cascadia Bicycles would be building me a custom frame this winter. But Specialized bikes needed him more. He has moved to Morgan Hill, CA to build prototypes and other such projects for the Specialized Bicycle Co.
So I've been looking at what's available for my budget, under $1,000. Now being a shop employee and searching for a brand outside the family is definitely frowned upon. The management wants all employees to represent. But I heart the ride qualities of good chromoly. Specialized has brought in the "retro" steel Langster, trying to corner the hipster fixie market. But the chromed frame and 1" threaded steer is too much. Cinelli already has that market and they're Italian. The Langster would be alright. At least the base model has been tastefully covered in black this year instead of the '09 polished aluminum that reminds me of NEXT bicycles found at the neighborhood WalMart. But the sloping top tube is not asthetically pleasing to me. Looks sort of like a hybrid frame or something.
Cannondale is offering two models of the CAPO this year. Capo 1 is that unflattering polished aluminum. But it does come with Mavic's new Ellipse track clincher wheels! Pretty sweet. And I dig the hidden headset. The fork is gorgeous. But straight blade aluminum blades sound like a precursor to some serious back pain.
I've also looked closely at the Soma RUSH. Not too bad. Really a stripped down no nonsense basic frame. Nothing fancy, nothing shabby. But what is up with the 1" steer tube? There are not many options left for decent carbon forks when it comes to 1" steer tubes. The same is true of the Surly Steamroller, which also suffers from a reputation for super flex and seems almost frumpy these days. I don't need to run a 38cm tire. I just want efficiency, speed, and comfort. Too much to ask?
Apprehensive of the "classic track geometry" manufacturers boast for fear the ride would be too harsh for long distances, I had fit specialist Josh Pierce assist in finding the angles of my Trek 940. Originally a touring frame designed for 27" tires, I swapped the fork for a 700c OCLV fork I found in the garbage. This dropped the front end down thus steepening the angles. Turns out I've been riding on some seriously steep angles: 75.5 deg. seat tube, 74.5 head tube! These are at least a degree steeper than typical track geometry. Before finding those numbers, I was looking at the Gunnar Street Dog, a fixie frame with road geometry. Sweet Tange OX Platnum tubing, pretty slack angles. Another intersting looking bike was the Milwaukee Bicycles Cream City. Again with the 1" head tube, limiting choices for forks.
All this has led me back to home. What is available at the shop? Langster, CAPO, Cinelli, Charge, Pake, Steamroller, Rush. Quite a few options, really. Most offering 1" steer tubes, which I am ready to part with. I think all my bicycles currently have 1" steers, threaded forks. I'm ready to modernize. I'm ready for carbon blades, 1 1/8" Chris King headset, 31.8 handlebar. So now I'm down to the CAPO and the Langster. The CAPO has the style points in spades. The stand over is pretty nuts at 63cm frame size. The more compact Langster would seem to be a stiffer design and comes with a hidden headset, carbon fork.
Where will the money go, what will I be riding into summer? Stay tuned as the saga continues...
Every spring I get back on my beloved '79 Trek 940 Fixie and realize that it is indeed too small a frame for me. I'm 6'4" riding a 58cm frame all over the countryside. It just isn't right! I had hoped my friend Jonathan at Cascadia Bicycles would be building me a custom frame this winter. But Specialized bikes needed him more. He has moved to Morgan Hill, CA to build prototypes and other such projects for the Specialized Bicycle Co.
So I've been looking at what's available for my budget, under $1,000. Now being a shop employee and searching for a brand outside the family is definitely frowned upon. The management wants all employees to represent. But I heart the ride qualities of good chromoly. Specialized has brought in the "retro" steel Langster, trying to corner the hipster fixie market. But the chromed frame and 1" threaded steer is too much. Cinelli already has that market and they're Italian. The Langster would be alright. At least the base model has been tastefully covered in black this year instead of the '09 polished aluminum that reminds me of NEXT bicycles found at the neighborhood WalMart. But the sloping top tube is not asthetically pleasing to me. Looks sort of like a hybrid frame or something.
Cannondale is offering two models of the CAPO this year. Capo 1 is that unflattering polished aluminum. But it does come with Mavic's new Ellipse track clincher wheels! Pretty sweet. And I dig the hidden headset. The fork is gorgeous. But straight blade aluminum blades sound like a precursor to some serious back pain.
I've also looked closely at the Soma RUSH. Not too bad. Really a stripped down no nonsense basic frame. Nothing fancy, nothing shabby. But what is up with the 1" steer tube? There are not many options left for decent carbon forks when it comes to 1" steer tubes. The same is true of the Surly Steamroller, which also suffers from a reputation for super flex and seems almost frumpy these days. I don't need to run a 38cm tire. I just want efficiency, speed, and comfort. Too much to ask?
Apprehensive of the "classic track geometry" manufacturers boast for fear the ride would be too harsh for long distances, I had fit specialist Josh Pierce assist in finding the angles of my Trek 940. Originally a touring frame designed for 27" tires, I swapped the fork for a 700c OCLV fork I found in the garbage. This dropped the front end down thus steepening the angles. Turns out I've been riding on some seriously steep angles: 75.5 deg. seat tube, 74.5 head tube! These are at least a degree steeper than typical track geometry. Before finding those numbers, I was looking at the Gunnar Street Dog, a fixie frame with road geometry. Sweet Tange OX Platnum tubing, pretty slack angles. Another intersting looking bike was the Milwaukee Bicycles Cream City. Again with the 1" head tube, limiting choices for forks.
All this has led me back to home. What is available at the shop? Langster, CAPO, Cinelli, Charge, Pake, Steamroller, Rush. Quite a few options, really. Most offering 1" steer tubes, which I am ready to part with. I think all my bicycles currently have 1" steers, threaded forks. I'm ready to modernize. I'm ready for carbon blades, 1 1/8" Chris King headset, 31.8 handlebar. So now I'm down to the CAPO and the Langster. The CAPO has the style points in spades. The stand over is pretty nuts at 63cm frame size. The more compact Langster would seem to be a stiffer design and comes with a hidden headset, carbon fork.
Where will the money go, what will I be riding into summer? Stay tuned as the saga continues...
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Long Time, No Postie
It's been a while since I've been on here. No new route maps, riding advice, whatever. That's because I haven't been riding so much lately. Turns out I have some really bad circulation to my feet. They get wicked cold easily. I broke down and bought the Specialized Defrost shoes. I went riding on a 40 degree day and my feet froze. Painfully froze. The last post was in prediction of a good riding day in December according to the forecasts. I headed out west intending to circle the Berwicks. I got just outside South Berwick before turning around. Only 15 miles west of Kittery it was still way too cold. Ice on the roads and my feet were freezing. It was a death march getting back home. i stared at the ground infront of me, trying not to think about the distance between me and warmth.
I have begun acupuncture to improve blood flow. My friend works at Manchester Acupuncture Studio, which is a new-ish concept that allows for multiple patients to be treated by one practitioner, bringing the price down way low. Treatment is sliding scale $15 to $35, and they let you decide what is affordable. I highly recommend it to anyone not feeling like the perfect human specimin. They can help with addiction, depression, injuries, you name it.
I have so far gone three times and the experience is totally wild. We sit in a room of about 15 lazy boy chairs. One of the practitioners comes over, checks your pulse and asks how things are going. Based on your reply and other signs they are trained to look for, they decide which points will be poked. Then, you just close your eyes and sit back. I go into sort of a trance, where I think I'm conscious, but I'm not sure. I begin to go through daily life issues that I've been stuck on and think about solutions, I see light patterns drifting and flowing like Aurora Borialis or a flock of starlings sweeping around the sky. Totally wild experience. You can be as quick as 30 minutes, or fall asleep for hours, your choice. I prefer to 'cook' a shorter time as it was brought to my attention that I was a tad grumpy after a longer session.
The clinic is in Manchester, NH. There are similar clinics in Portland, OR, and other places that I don't know about. I can't recommend checking out this experience enough. There are often other things to do around Manchester, such as intimate experimental sound arts basement shows, the Courier Art Museum, Consuelo's Taqueria. So you can make a day of it..
I have begun acupuncture to improve blood flow. My friend works at Manchester Acupuncture Studio, which is a new-ish concept that allows for multiple patients to be treated by one practitioner, bringing the price down way low. Treatment is sliding scale $15 to $35, and they let you decide what is affordable. I highly recommend it to anyone not feeling like the perfect human specimin. They can help with addiction, depression, injuries, you name it.
I have so far gone three times and the experience is totally wild. We sit in a room of about 15 lazy boy chairs. One of the practitioners comes over, checks your pulse and asks how things are going. Based on your reply and other signs they are trained to look for, they decide which points will be poked. Then, you just close your eyes and sit back. I go into sort of a trance, where I think I'm conscious, but I'm not sure. I begin to go through daily life issues that I've been stuck on and think about solutions, I see light patterns drifting and flowing like Aurora Borialis or a flock of starlings sweeping around the sky. Totally wild experience. You can be as quick as 30 minutes, or fall asleep for hours, your choice. I prefer to 'cook' a shorter time as it was brought to my attention that I was a tad grumpy after a longer session.
The clinic is in Manchester, NH. There are similar clinics in Portland, OR, and other places that I don't know about. I can't recommend checking out this experience enough. There are often other things to do around Manchester, such as intimate experimental sound arts basement shows, the Courier Art Museum, Consuelo's Taqueria. So you can make a day of it..
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