Must be the Thomson seat post :D. Seriously, suspension frame with headset and fork from a 'boutique' maker like Turner - - yeah, $475 is an understandable price.

I used the truing stand to dish the wheel, got it centered between the calipers, worked all the side-to-side movement out, and smoothed out the humps, but they aren't gone.

Cleaned up the cassette, put it all back, Replaced all housing and all cables, new chain. Tomorrow is adjustment and finish up day...
All I need is zip ties...

As far as being resourceful, I didn't want to do something that would jack up his equipment. It just takes a little bit of time for me to look over stuff and suddenly something usually pops in my head. As for as the threaded rod, I don't have anything that would of worked here so I made due without.
Trek is almost back alive!!!

Thanks,
it didn't sound too unreasonable. I know mtbikes depreciate pretty quick in general, but I wasn't sure how the higher-end bikes depreciated.

The old infamous Trek has been resurrected!! I put it all back together today, and adjusted the drive train, put on the koolstop pads, and except for a few minor adjustment issues and zip-ties (I don't have any, and the store on base is out) it's rideable again! I took it up and down my road today in the snow, and didn't have many issues. Bike seems like it will be fine in the snow, I was tackling some decent snow piles with no issues.... HT Action!!!

anyway... just thought Y'all would like to know that this nightmare is over.... now I need another project lol.

Since this is my mess around, "I don't care TOO much bike" now I ran full length housing on front a rear brakes, and put some housing between wear the cable goes from the FD to the first cable stop, and such, to keep the roost of it.
Got LX FD and RD... It's no longer dead lol.... for now......
all thats left is to ziptie the cables and stuff, because right now its electrical taped.

..http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._2171859_n.jpg

I see a lot of complaing on here about lower end components,(X4,deore,ect) so I've been running the x4 rear that came on my HR for about a year and a half.I also chose to keep the stock cranks and wheelset just to see if all the fussing was really in order. What I have found is thet the X4 rear is is as reliable as my XT if you keep it tuned in and the cables clean and thats the same with any components. The Suntour cranks have held up well. I didn't even try the suntour fork,I just couldn't do it. The wheel set needs a little tweaking from time to time but it's not too bad. The way it's worked out for me wheelset and fork are the weakest point on an entry level bike such as a hardrock and the like. I did swap the stem, bars and seatpost but that was fit issues so I didn't count those...........that is all.

^^ Thanks for that, 66. Y'know, I think your report deserves its own long-term-thrash-test-review thread of its own. How 'bout it - - care to give us an expanded rundown?

I'll see what I can come up with.......

Would be interested to hear about this.

Page 67

Put the triple back on the mountain bike today, repaired most crash damage (obviously not the cosmetic stuff). Frame is okay, good - it's a tank but I love it. Looking forward to hitting the dirt on it again soon.

No school this past monday for teacher work day.
No school wednesday for the two inches of snow that melted over night.
No school tomorrow for the snow we are anticipating.

Friggen awesome, 2 day school week/3 day weekend.

Lucky.

I had my first ever snow day ever earlier this week.

I was just romping around in the snow after cleaning off the front walk. Then a huge branch broke and I got covered in it.

Seven and a half hours after the predicted start of the snow, it finally starts snowing.

Ha! It started at around noon and now it's going. About 6 inches, expecting 20-28.

I was surprised that I was actually able to get in my full training ride today. Despite having road rash on my right hip, once moving it wasn't bad at all.

what happened to your hip?

Had a kid run out in front of me yesterday while doing a sprint interval on the pista. Hooked the front wheel to the right a bit too far and due to toe overlap jammed my left foot, which sent me otb and smack right onto my right hip, slightly bruised as well.My first concern was my right shoulder, because I whacked it pretty good. Shoulder seems to be fine over 24 hours later.

Had to retape the bars, tore the tape something awful.

Ouch, that sucks.

I was just outside again and a tree that's been there my whole life snapped clean in half and missed me by about a foot. Maybe I should stay inside.

Thinking of getting this single-speed 29er for warm weather commutes. What do you think?

http://www.ridefixedgear.com/files/i...%20Brera_0.jpg

That would be fitting for your commutes to Starbucks. ;)

You'll enjoy it.

Thanks, I took your advice and looked in the Bianchi line and like what I see. Now I have to find one. It doesn't appear that they are sold in Canada or specifically in my area. Even the closest US dealer appears to be crazy far.

Can you get Masi around you? They make some nice, well-priced bikes of the same style. My LBS sells them cheaper than the US retail on the site (http://www.masibikes.com/fixed/).

And the Norco Spade is a nice looking bike: http://norco.com/bikes/road/touring/spade/ - you could probably get it under $800

Schwing!!! Thanks for the tip. I found a Masi dealer close to work.

http://www.masibikes.com/gallery/p.p...03IisgIg%3D%3D

http://www.masibikes.com/gallery/alb...e_maroon_1.jpg