I miss having a reason to post in here the last few days, namely riding my bike! The only silver lining to all the the snow and ice keeping me off the bike is that I probably shouldn't be riding anyway. My rear wheel is more than toast. I ordered a new wheel last night (a 36h Velocity Dyad built up around a Deore LX hub) that I'm super psyched about.

With the new wheel, I'm making the switch from a freewheel to a freehub and cassette. So all things being equal it should be a stronger, more durable setup than I have now and much more easily serviceable by me as this purchase offered me an excuse to get a chain whip and lockring tool. I'll be able to take the cassette off any time I want. Yeah! Take that, wheel! (and any eventual broken spokes [KNOCK ON WOOD]. Yeah, that's right. I can fix you whichever side of the wheel you happen to be on!)

Anyway, if I were riding now, it'd be w/ a broken spoke and a bent axle on the rear wheel. If it were nicer out, I'd consider just riding anway, since the rear wheel is trash as soon as the new one comes. But reality is what it is and I don't have studded tires. (Don't worry - next Christmas' wish list has already been started. ) Nor would I want to risk bending one of the dropout, so it's probably just as well.

Anyway, long story short, once my wheel is in and the snow has melted away, I'll be happily back on my bike!