i can also recommend the oil and herb method but in the oven add some tomato puree and sauteed vegetables and white wine.

think i'll be trying the pyze-guy method now.

on the topic of food, anyone here tried roasting their own coffee beans? i have a coffee project to do for school and i'm going to try out roasing my own beans today and wondered if anyone had pointers.

There is not a Tektro brake on the market that is nice as 105 IMHO.

While not quite right for just dinner I find that making Gravlax from someone is one of the better ways to enjoy it. Try this recipe, I've had really good luck with it.

Haven't tried it yet myself, but lots of people use those oldschool hot air popcorn poppers. For more info than you whould ever want on coffee related stuff:

https://www.coffeegeek.com

thanks for the info darkmother. yes, i have seen coffee geek; i used to spend many hours perusing it while bored at my old job. i've considered the popcorn maker method, but seeing as i don't have one, i think i may just do the stove top skillet method, simple, simple. i'll bring samples next time we do a ride for who ever is interested.

That type of gravlax isn't so bad, it's the traditional (buried in sand and fermented) that scares me. If you're ever in Sweden and someone offers you Surströmming however, run. Run quickly.

Well put.. those guys scare me in their obsessiveness.

Decidedly off-topic....weekly shinny hockey starts again tonite after a 3 week break due to a fire at the rink. Bunch of cyclists with day jobs (meaning no heavy hitting) and a total range of skill levels. 11 P.M. Monday nights at Moss Park Arena.

So....you didn't buy the Soma....you RAT BASTAGE, FARGING ICE PICK!!! Not nice to tease like that... On the cooking tip, thanks for the Salmon idea I need to eat more fish. Health tip if one is concerned about that sort of thing. I took a thai cooking course taught by the Heart Associations' Head Chef, Olive Oil is only healthy when not heated. If you use olive oil in cooking, once heated it becomes almost 100% saturated fat. Left alone it's wonderfully healthy with it's good fats. Cook with canola oil or a olive blend if you must have the extra "flav" from the olive oil. NOTE I am not a health nazi, but apparently most ppl think olive oil is good for you no matter what.... not so. I like my new gloves, they'll do until winter ones are required.

Who's been watching Heroes?

They'd have to invent a whole new sub-skill level for me to play hockey on ice.

agreed. it gets to a point where it just doesn't make a difference in flavour. it's almost reached the point of wine level snobbery. i still can't get over the fact that they call they're tastings "cuppings". i thought that was something you get slapped for.

dare i ask what Surströmming is? i'm guessing someting to do with either salted fish, reindeer or socialism.

Sounds like something Monty Python would either slap me with or bring to the after party.

Please don't make gravlax out of me

nah, you're too sinewy, too skinny from cycling. you'd need someone with meat on his bones, like santa claus.

wes, what kind or brooks did you get? welcome to the dark side!

I got a brooks over the weekend too. British Racing Green B-17 Champion Deluxe with hammered rivets. It looks pretty pimped-out but it seems that at least for now its pimp hand is very strong, so I'm going to have to spend a while breaking it in. Should I listen to sheldon (quick way) or brooks (safe way) on how to break it in?

I think there is only one respectable option....allow the brooks to break *YOU* in.

Once it reshapes your ass the saddle will be quite pleased with itself and allow you to ride comfortably.

My ass might as well be made of silly putty for all the saddles that have broken it in.

Well then go ride my friend, enjoy your new saddle BRG eh?...nifty.
And Ronin.... a pox on you for teasing us about the Soma.....

Ouch... I made an offer they couldn't refuse and they refused.

It was too carbony and zippy for a steal cyclo frame...

I watched half of the first episode while I was on my trainer last night (after watching some other stuff, obviously). And yeah, ditto on the hockey thing. My brother inherited 200% of the hockey genes (Captain of the provincial team, scouted, etc), and I was left with 0%.

stink-city: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surstr%C3%B6mming

They're so bling I don't even want to say.

^^^ I just didn't feel justified in spending 100 extra dollars for Ti rails when the copper ones look so much better.

and will survive a crash much better

i think the grade of olive oil should also be taken into consideration. a cold-pressed extra virgin olilve oil has a much lower smoking point than a more refined "regular" cooking olive oil. this can range from 200-400F respectively. the oil decomposes somewhat when it reaches its smoking point which is generally why you don't want to cook with an extra-virgin. olive oil i mean. if you do cook with either oil, it's probably best to stick to low heat to retain most of the olivey goodness... making sauces, no frying, and of course, no re-using the oil.

According to this guy from the Heart Association, if you heat it (olive oil) you ruin all the good things in it (not only ruin the good, but convert it too bad thing), regardless of blend/quality. I cook with canola and will drizzle with olive oil. On occasion I will toss with olive and throw in the over. Fats be damned....

don't slather it in any crazy leather-treatment oil. if you must, put a really thin coat of proofide on it (top side and underside if you're not using fenders) and just ride it to break it in. it will feel better once you get used to it and you have it positioned the way you like. one trick is to raise your handlebars a little (which prevents you from sliding forward on the saddle and sitting on the nose of it with the taint).

I *didn't* pay an extra $100 though, that's the beauty of it.

ps. mike said it right when he said "if either of those come anywhere near your commuter I'm going to kick your ass". One is on my lemond roadie, the other is still sitting in it's fancy box.