:beer:

Ok... the stars are aligning. My new shifters, cables, 11-28 cassette, and clamp-on FD are to be delivered to Performance Bike at Perring Plaza Shopping Center today!

I'm going to be under $2500 when it's done. I don't think that's too bad considering I'd have spent nearly $4000 for a pre-built one. And, I would have had to wait a lot longer to get it. Stoked!

<ding ding ding> :beer:

I woke up at 3:30am due to the brightness of the snow reflecting light.

Couldn't get back to sleep, so I installed some new brake pads on the Giant and replaced the Speedplay pedals with MTB pedals. I still have MTB cleats on another pair of shoes, so I set them aside for later.

Here's what it looks like outside of my back porch door:

http://twitpic.com/show/thumb/u5mcv.jpg

Wishing I had the Ridley about now. I could use a fat tire bike today.

Snow riding technique on icebike:

http://icebike.com/Articles/TechniquesDeepSnow.htm

There were a few riders from Stoneleigh planning a 7am snow ride. I tried snow once, couldn't get down the street.

On mountain bike, cross, or road?

Well, I tried--for about 20 minutes and gave up. This is the deepest snow that I've ever attempted to ride the road bike in. I quickly discovered that road brakes suck in deep snow.
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http://twitpic.com/show/thumb/u6wio.jpg
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http://twitpic.com/show/thumb/u6sls.jpg
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The guys in Stoneleigh are mt bike guys. I tried it once in like 10" of snow and just couldn't get traction. You need those big fat snow tires they use on the Iditabike.

I was doing ok staying upright and moving at a faster speed than walking, but my brakes would not grab no matter how hard I pushed on the levers for both front and back brakes. Since I live on a little bit of a hill, I really didn't want to try and go down them without being able to stop, but the one on the Mace Ave end would have been the better one to try--except for the car traffic that surely would have been on it.

Cross bikes and studded tires
 

NR,
The Ridley looks like one serious piece of machinery. Should give you a very versatile, durable and responsive all-arounder.
Looks good too!
Rode my Schwalbe studs in to work today, and I can without question attest to the fact that this ride would not have been possible without them. Since the rail trail is now covered in 18 inches of snow, I had to re-route to the back roads up in the hills above Glen Rock which are still 70 - 80% snow covered. Took me some extra commute time, but the tires worked. Slow, but still faster than cross country skiing!
Andy

Hell yeah. those are the commute stories I like hearing.
NR, Charlie, you guys take the bikes today?
Me: still in jammies. :D

I'm home waiting for the frame to be delivered--just checked and it's on the UPS truck.

I'm off from work until 4 January! :D

If I were to have tried to commute on the Giant, I think that once I got to Mace Avenue, I would have been ok, but I would have been stuck going up Rossville Blvd and Putty Hill for the entire trip--no quieter side roads, cuz they're not passable with my machine.

So, I'm at home trying to keep busy so that I don't obsess over waiting for my order to arrive.

Thanks, Andy. I'm sure, that with the right tires, I'll be able to conquer more riding surfaces.

I was dressed for work this morn'. I had my studs ready to roll but alas I am forced to stay home. Feds are out for the day. I checked to see if my train was on time before i left this morning. They were on Fed holiday schedule. WTF. Checked the fed site and no work!!

Well then, a tip of the hat to bandanaman. He's bested us all. :thumb:

Wow, what a day. Got my frame! It feels soooooooooo... light. Hard to believe that it's actually almost 3 pounds.

I looked at the headset. It almost seemed like I could have put the thing together myself, except the interference fit of the bearing cups seemed a little tight. I didn't want to try it for fear of splitting the head tube. I would have had to go to Home Depot to rig a press--basically two big-assed flat washers or metal plates held together with a very long bolt with a nut on the other end to pull the bearing into place would work. But, I wouldn't have had anything to cut the steerer tube.

Anyway, I went to Performance to pick up some other parts that I had ordered, get a good cable cutter, and a new saddle to throw on the bike. Next, I made a trip to Princeston Sports. I decided I'd let them take care of the headset. The target day for pick-up is Wednesday.

So, now, I'm playing around with some of the other parts I have--the new shifters--I am especially interested in finding out how they works since they have thumb levers similar to what is found on Campy shifters. The shifter came with cables, but I think they're cut for road bike use, not cross bike. I'm glad I bought another set.

Stuff is scattered all over the floor. It almost looks like Christmas came early.

Bandanaman sounds like a fun ride into work monday

I tried for a second time to go to work on the train/ bike. I was once again thwarted. Trains are on holiday schedule all Christmas break. So after standing around in the cold for 20 minutes(carrying my studded tires) one of the other guys called MARC. Next train was 1.5 hours later. Back into the car. I may never bike this storm. At least I made it to work.

NR: 3 lbs!! My fenders weigh that much.

PS Lots of black ice out there so I drove to the train on the first leg of my journey due to only 1 set of studs. Taking the lane is essential as many shoulders are sketchy at best.

Hey I forgot: We just turned the corner, days are getting longer. To all of you Druids, Happy Winter Solstice.

I'm glad I have a project to work on or I'd be going stir-crazy (whatever that means) by now.

Dis-assembly has begun on the Giant while I wait to get the frame back from the LBS:

http://twitpic.com/show/thumb/uneng.jpg

I'm cleaning up the handlebars and stem at this point.

Next will be to pull the seat bag off, tail light, chain, crank, FD & RD, chain keeper, and BB.

When I'm done, all will be left on the frame is the brakes and seat post with saddle.

I don't have any plans for today other than this, so I'll be taking my time--cracking open a beer or two or so along the way.

So, it looks like I'm not going to get many more miles for 2009. The number below, may be it.

Maybe I'll shoot for 10 k in 2010. I stopped counting and logging my workouts a few months back. Not sure I could do 10k with the running and other stuff, but we'll see.

NR- Wanna borrow a bike so you can get that last 612 miles? The little that I've been out driving I notice the roads are very narrow with too much snow on the sides, taking up the shoulder and some of the road. I wouldn't do it. 14 k miles for a year is way impressive, over 1k per month!

My frame hasn't been shipped yet, no hurry.

Thanks, Harry, but I can wait until I finish the build. I'm really stoked about it.

The Giant is nearly torn down. I'm down to the bottom bracket. After that, I'll be cleaning parts. Hmm, since I'm not married, I suppose I may be able to get a good cleaning in my dishwasher--LOL! :roflmao2:

I like the look of these new Forte 10-speed carbon shifters. Here they are temporarily mounted on my handlebars (click pic for a bigger version):

http://twitpic.com/show/thumb/uoas9.jpg

They are only about 2 grams heavier then the new DuraAce 7900 and 100 grams heavier than SRAM Red.

Well, she's stripped down. All I have to do is pick up the frame tomorrow and populate it with the new and old parts. I have to bring in the spacers and stem that I'm using, so that they can cut the steerer tube to the correct length.

http://twitpic.com/show/thumb/up0ac.jpg (click for larger version)

Next time, I'm going to do everything myself. The headset is not rocket science. All I need is tooling--headset bearing cup press and a saw to cut the steerer tube to the proper length.

there really is nothing very complicated about a bicycle. like most machines, incompatibility can make a whole host of problems.
but, if you've got the right stuff to hang on it, a bike build up is commonsensical, relaxing and fun (IMO).

BTW NR I've likely got the 25th- 4th off. Some LD? -GB