Oh my teary eyes, how much I've missed you!
That two wheeled beauty I have befriended
9000 miles and so much much to do!
To the LBS, I'll get you mended!

Oh, now how you stand all resplendent
With new stem, headset and fenders black
no hydraulics for it was meant!
Let's get you home tae fit yer rack

The Surf (aka Rabbi Burns) 2010


Got a Cube Nature over a year ago and did some big miles in the first year. It became apparent what was actually needed to undertake a years worth of commuting so:

New Fork - Surly Karate Monkey CroMo 29er (got rid of the stock hydraulic job....no use)
Two wheel rebuilds with DMR Revolver disc hubs front and rear (cartridge bearings...banish the cup and cone hubs)
New FSA headset (cartridge bearing)
Shorter stem (I was feeling a bit stretched over the bike)
And a Avid BB7 disc brake system with Avid levers and Goodridge cabling. I needed a system that i could easily maintain and was robust (ditched the failing Hayes Stroker Ryde set)

Trying to find optimum position so I have not cut the steerer yet. It feels a lot better than it did set up like this though and I'm looking forward to doing some big miles. The angle I went for on the rebuild was to make the bike as easy to maintain as possible but only time will tell if I've made the right choices.

other info:

Shimano Deore OEM 48/36/26 crank on XT hollowtec II bottom bracket (the last XT BB lasted 6000miles!!!!!)
XT long cage derailleur (again the XT jockeys lasted 6000 miles)
Thomson seat post seems to have remedied my habit of breaking them.
And Ergo grips...comfort is everything.