Cosmoline

Crap, the snow is already starting and I'm way behind on this project. This weekend I got the Hoss frame out and started tinkering. So far:

--I've put some hybrid handlebars and an extension on to raise the height of the handlebars a bit. I need to be a little more upright than usual for the kind of urban riding I'm looking at.

--I'm going to replace the existing rear hub with the same 36 2mm Ryno Lite that has worked well for me with my summer bike.

--I'm scouting for the biggest baddest pedals I can find so my size 13 spiked Danner boots will fit on them. No way am I clipping my feet to the bike! I was able to prevent multiple falls last winter by putting my foot down in time. Falling is bad enough, but tipping over with my head landing in front of some Alaskan 4WD monster is not an option.

--The Hoss is a sweet ride and should make an excellent chunder hopper. How well it will balance on the pack ice remains to be seen.

--I'm going to replace the existing saddle with a B-17. Brooks is the only way to ride.

--The cables need to be replaced, which will be a weekend project.

--I'm going to try to mount a carbide lamp up front. It won't run out of batteries! \

--For my main LED front light I'm probably going to insulate it with some pipe insulation to keep the worst of the cold from sucking the life out of the btty's like last year. Ideally I'd like to have a system of LED lights all over the thing, to make it like a christmas tree. I didn't have enough light last year for maximum safety. I want frickin' laser beams coming out of its frickin' head!

--Gotta get some fenders, at least for the front. The back rack serves as a fender most of the time.

--I"m bagging the internal hub concept for now. Yes the alternative entails some risk of freezeup, but I'll live with it.