Rides and Races - Toronto Fixed

Do you have a picture of what you need? I have some miscellaneous hardware laying around but I'm not sure what I'm looking for... my sidi/look combo doesn't seem to have any adaptors at a glance, but it's been a long time since I put it together.

Here you go:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3631/3456193487_3e89db673f.jpg?v=0

. ^ So guess who pulled a sub 2:40:00 ride on his first time out at P2A? That guy.

2:40? that's a good time. it was so crazy windy out there today.

thanks sanchez that's what i was wondering... i'll check out MEC... it's either that or the track push on grips for the bottom of the drop hoops... i don't know yet

or i could just break out the chopped risers again?? would that just be plain too much tarck?? lol

Full results from P2A: http://parisancaster.com/results.html

I at least beat a few people in the 60km singlespeed category. I wish there was a race similar to this in the fall as well. It would great if this sort of thing was more than a once/twice a year experience.

Thanks for the heads up - I was wondering how long it would take for those numbers to be up.

Next year I will lie about my entry information. 12 year old girl named, Michelle + enter as SS. Also - need to start blood doping.

Seriously, though - it was a ton of fun.

Paris -Ancaster! Best of luck all. Wish I was riding.

Pain. Wind. And lots of freshly-plowed fields we seemed to be riding right through the middle of.

We hit this one section about 20km in where the was dead in our faces across the field, uphill, and the ground was super-soft... and special guest rider Allison Sydor drop(e)s the hammer on our sorry asses and gaps up to the next group. Just like that.

Just a quick reminder of why she's the pro, and I'm the schmoe.

Sydor slider

Oh man, those field sections were the abolute worst! Riding across spongy velcro into a headwind does NOT equal good times!!! That and another looong false flat-to-roller - all in a headwind - had me dying and GRINDING that effing gear for all I was worth. Worse place EVAR to lose contact w/ a group and have to ride solo. That said, the singletrack sections were all a blast this year. Nice and tacky - comedy central at the mud slide as usual.

I've got to say though that 38:16 ended up being a pretty good singlespeed gearing to use for the day. I tried to keep an efficient balance of running/riding hills (the start of the first hill turning right off the rail trail I ran, but as soon as it flattened out a bit I hopped back on and road the slightly less steep 2nd half of the hill).

I think I'd be able to talk myself into racing SS again, especially if I had more base training in my legs (after the 2hr mark I definitely started to fade/cramp) and if the forecast called for less wind.

I have white bar tape on three of my bikes and yeah, it gets a bit grey but it does look pretty good. MEC sells some really great Planet Bike handlebar wrap for only $7, that is what I use and it lasts for quite some time. Just be a little extra careful and it will rock hard on that bike.

I have a Fuji Tarck that I am going to powder-coat white and have black components with white bar-wrap. A white saddle will never work for me, I am just too gross.

an alternative is to get those rubber tube keirin grips. at least when they dirty, they are pretty easy to clean and hold up to frequent cleaning. although i have read that a bottle of simple green/mr clean and a towel seems to have the dirt just wipe off. I have these on the ends of my pursuit bars and they are only slightly grey.

can't really say for saddles tho as my white turbo saddle is okay, but i can't wear jeans on that bike...

spiffy conversion, was that frame originally made for 27"s?

Jet, if you want to flip that wheel i had dibs on, feel free, as there is an ad on craigslist and im sure that guy needs it more than I do!

btw the donut was liberating sat morning. i didnt' see anyone tho, were all u ahead of me?

P-A was great. Sure the wind was a killer but that just builds character. ;) I had a good result and am very happy with my effort. My last P-A I did a 2:56:04..good for 187 in my age group. This year I did a 2:37:19...good for 90th in my age group and 269th overall. A 20 minute improvement and I had to fight with the wind. 43 year old chain smoking mechanic who doesn't ride enough and I smoked a whole bunch of people I had no business beating. No accounting for experience I guess. :)

I was surprised to see the number of Kona cyclocross bikes out there. Seems like Kona is the go-to brand for cross in our region. Also, True North was strongly represented for the size of that brand / shop.

P-A was great. Sure the wind was a killer but that just builds character. ;) I had a good result and am very happy with my effort. My last P-A I did a 2:56:04..good for 187 in my age group. This year I did a 2:37:19...good for 90th in my age group and 269th overall. A 20 minute improvement and I had to fight with the wind. 43 year old chain smoking mechanic who doesn't ride enough and I smoked a whole bunch of people I had no business beating. No accounting for experience I guess. :)

Keith's on EPO. You heard it here first.

Pee in the cup , pee in the cup....
Good goin' guys , sounds like a blast.

Wasn't today's ride in just something special?

I forgot to unpack my shoes after the race and unwrapped the plastic bag to an absolute horror show this morning. Couldn't bring myself to wear them at that moment so I took transit. Gotta burn/wash them tonight before I can ride in them again.

</the horror>

I was surprised to see the number of Kona cyclocross bikes out there. Seems like Kona is the go-to brand for cross in our region.

Totally brahhh!!! I want a Kona Cross bike. also, I think I saw you ride by my house this weekend on Hallam.

wow. This is stupendously amazing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z19zFlPah-o&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.swobo.com%2Fhtatbl%2F&feature=player_embedded

wow. This is stupendously amazing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z19zFlPah-o&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.swobo.com%2Fhtatbl%2F&feature=player_embedded

Okay. That was pretty neat. The flip off the tree was freaky awesome.

I've always wondered what drives a person to realize they, in face, CAN do such things.
I think I'll try a McTwist off a tree truck, cept on my bike instead of my skateboard.

*rage black-out*

This dude seems to be unable to grasp the concept of "singlespeed" - really glad I still ended up above him in the rankings.

http://forums.mtbr.com/showpost.php?p=5610114&postcount=153

'some people may call it cheating....'
tsk tsk bad form......

Have the dinglespeed, pick a gear and run with it.

*rage black-out*

This dude seems to be unable to grasp the concept of "singlespeed" - really glad I still ended up above him in the rankings.

http://forums.mtbr.com/showpost.php?p=5610114&postcount=153

You could always suggest he run a double in the front with a chain tensioner in the rear.

e: Yeah, that guy fails.

Ya, and he could use a derailleur as a tensioner ... and then maybe instead of having to pull over with an Allen key he could just use some STI shifters to pick which singlespeed gear he wanted to ride in ...

I've always wondered what drives a person to realize they, in face, CAN do such things.
I think I'll try a McTwist off a tree truck, cept on my bike instead of my skateboard.

It's just wild to see people doing such completely unique things on a bike. And I thought track stands required a lot of balance...


*rage black-out*

This dude seems to be unable to grasp the concept of "singlespeed" - really glad I still ended up above him in the rankings.

http://forums.mtbr.com/showpost.php?p=5610114&postcount=153

What a twit. In what universe could you think a dingle makes it a single speed. It isn't the no derailleur class, it's the SINGLE SPEED class. Whatever, when you're only racing for pride and you cheat it's something of a dead end.

Ya, and he could use a derailleur as a tensioner ... and then maybe instead of having to pull over with an Allen key he could just use some STI shifters to pick which singlespeed gear he wanted to ride in ...

What's more incredible is a link in that thread, arguing the definition of single speed...

What's more incredible is a link in that thread, arguing the definition of single speed...

I have raced a dingle bike in the SS category before, knowing full well there is no way I would actually change gears. But that is what it comes down to right, a mindset?

If you race a "dedicated" SS bike with a freewheel, tool, and wrench in your pocket are you "racing SS" or no? Pretty tough to police something like that. Especially with one of these puppies......(yes i own one)

http://www.bikepro.com/products/freewheels/fw_jpg/c1_hypercracker.jpg

Hey, Will: http://www.wowmtb.com/photos/2009/P2A2009/CANONFinish3/images/IMG_1430.jpg

Bollocks. I've had a weird popping coming from my chainring area that always occurs in the exact same spot (can't hear it, but can feel it when pedalling at the top of my downstroke on the right foot at low speed) so I figured after eliminating the bottom bracket (spins freely), the chain (took the chain off and reinstalled at a different position, still happens in the same spot) the pedals (have since switched pedals) it could only be the chainring. Tried taking the bolts out, 3 came out fine, two loosen and then just spin. Now I can't get them tight again as I don't have a chainring bolt tool.

Now I've gotta hit urbane tommorrow and hope nothing breaks in the meantime. Arg :(

I have raced a dingle bike in the SS category before, knowing full well there is no way I would actually change gears. But that is what it comes down to right, a mindset?

If you race a "dedicated" SS bike with a freewheel, tool, and wrench in your pocket are you "racing SS" or no? Pretty tough to police something like that. Especially with one of these puppies......(yes i own one)

http://www.bikepro.com/products/freewheels/fw_jpg/c1_hypercracker.jpg

Ahhh the Hyper-Cracker....havnt seen one of those in a while. What happened to Pamir Engineering anyway?

I raced with a dingle on my bike last year. I never changed ratios during a race but could have had I chose too. But then again I prefer to avoid the derision of my SS comrades.

Derision? Actually, ya, that sounds about right.

Bollocks. I've had a weird popping coming from my chainring area that always occurs in the exact same spot (can't hear it, but can feel it when pedalling at the top of my downstroke on the right foot at low speed) so I figured after eliminating the bottom bracket (spins freely), the chain (took the chain off and reinstalled at a different position, still happens in the same spot) the pedals (have since switched pedals) it could only be the chainring. Tried taking the bolts out, 3 came out fine, two loosen and then just spin. Now I can't get them tight again as I don't have a chainring bolt tool.

Now I've gotta hit urbane tommorrow and hope nothing breaks in the meantime. Arg :(

Clean the area where the nut goes into the chainring and the outside circumference of the nut itself. Grease the bolt then try reinstalling it. Most of the time you can get the chainring bolt to tighten to a fairly good torque without having to use a tool on the end (sometimes not even). At the very least if that works you can ride it the short distance to a shop and grab the tool to do it completely.

I grabbed the tool today on my lunch. The trouble was that I could get the two bolts loose, but after loosening a bit the backing would just spin so I couldn't loosen or tighten them any further. On the ride in this morning it looks like the popping is solved at least. When I was loosening the bolts last night the chainring popped and shifted when one of the bolts loosened so it looks like it somehow got torqued and then held that way by the bolts (or so I can deduce from my totally uneducated guessing).

Either way, another tool in the toolbox is always useful


EDIT: ARG!@#!@ Neither end of the chainring bolt tool fits my chainring bolts!

Any of you good folks have a 32h Shimano rear hub, that could be spaced to 126mm?

EDIT: ARG!@#!@ Neither end of the chainring bolt tool fits my chainring bolts!

I had the same problem, didn't realise that there were differences in the bolts and ordered a tool online. Cue me going to MEC and buying all varieties of chainring tools ;)

Better way is go to a shop, ask for/find a tool that WILL work and either buy it from the store, or ask what type it is and source it yourself.

Good luck.

Got my back track wheel bearings replaced and holy hell fire does my bike ever feel different.. so smooth... mmm buttery. :)

How long did they roll for?

:love::D My latest race weapon

Pic is only showing up as a thumbnail ...

Any of you good folks have a 32h Shimano rear hub, that could be spaced to 126mm?

As long as you are not using disc brake you could use any Shimano hub. Lose 4 mm of spacer off the non-drive side and grind the axle down the appropriate amount. Using a 130 in a 126 spaced bike shouldn't be a prob either.

Pic is only showing up as a thumbnail ...

It looks fine on my puter. the second pic shows my scale reading 19.26 lbs.

How long did they roll for?

Not long, cones were loose during some of the winter spells which accelerated the decline.

Put the wheel on Nov 5th and got them replaced Saturday (18th). That's about 2820 miles according to my log. Had it not been for the loose cones, they would've been fine for much longer I'm sure - my front hub is original since bike build and is going strong (a couple of days over a year and ~7500 miles). My own fault for not checking them, but hey, you live and learn.

e: trueno, I was climbing the CN Tower on Saturday morning, and Sunday I just slept in. Will hopefully rejoin in just under 2 weeks, I've been very slack-y the past week or so.

Pic is only showing up as a thumbnail ...
R U still planning on coming with me on Sunday? 2 other guys on the team need a ride so if you can go with Wes that would be smashing.

As long as you are not using disc brake you could use any Shimano hub. Lose 4 mm of spacer off the non-drive side and grind the axle down the appropriate amount. Using a 130 in a 126 spaced bike shouldn't be a prob either.

Yeah I have a 135mm hub, but the long dustcap hides the spacers I'd remove. I could lose it I guess. One hub with the flat and recessed dust cap would be better. Nyways...

You want just a hub or an entire wheel? I think that Rino/Ambrosia wheel that I offered up to someone is spaced at 126mm but I think it is a freewheel....will that work? Maybe I should thread a track-cog on there and sell it as a track wheel on cl ;)

R U still planning on coming with me on Sunday? 2 other guys on the team need a ride so if you can go with Wes that would be smashing.

Will do.

:love::D My latest race weapon

I'm notcing a theme. Last year was the "Summer of Keith." This year is turning out to be the "Summer of Keith's Bikes." There is some serious bike porn coming out of your neck of the woods lately. Wondering now what else is coming ...

Hey, Will: http://www.wowmtb.com/photos/2009/P2A2009/CANONFinish3/images/IMG_1430.jpg

That climb was balls.

BTW, it is 2009 get a cell and/or answering machine......you gloves are in.

That climb was balls.

BTW, it is 2009 get a cell and/or answering machine......you gloves are in.

I know, I know ...

Anyone know much about the Scott Team cyclocross bike? My buddy who hit the cab is getting a new bike from insurance proceeds and realized that he doesn't really ride off road anymore, so a new mountain bike might be silly, but a cross bike would allow him all the options.

Keep a close eye on the geometry info. Go more off the numbers than the nominal size names.