I checked out a new $1k mountain bike today. My old one is worn out and has no suspension. This would be an upgrade in some ways but would make it more comfortable to ride.

I do use most of the stuff I buy (usually to the point of wearing it out). Went thru the stuff laying around and put a few decent things on the pay it forward thread. Maybe the bike can be donated after I save up for the Trek.

Dave

old race bikes with 1" headtubes look SO GOOD with alloy levers because it makes it actually look like an updated vintage racebike. all those high end frames had shiny chrome to accentuate. not carbon! my 7800 restomods rode great but i hated the ufo chainrings so i swapped the big one out for a 10spd rival one to make it look even older.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3181/5...00abe045_b.jpg
https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7193/6...0f232fb5_b.jpg
campy levers transfer from the flats of older bars better than shimano and sram.
i used to be a dedicated shimano guy, but im loving the sram 1x on the stinner. the only italian in my stable currently is my track bike.

https://scontent-nrt1-1.xx.fbcdn.net...5a&oe=5AB222EA

Finally put drop bars back on my bike, in the interest of kicking my own ass back into shape again. 36cm Bontrager shallow drops, feel great. Been working 60-100 hour weeks for the last year and am about to go part time because **** that, and I need to get back in shape and spend a lot more time on two wheels.

And that spot of electrical tape is because I slightly miswrapped the tape and would rather do that than rewrap that ****.

After much deliberation I'm probably not gonna get the Marin and build up a Wabi instead.

Today I signed up for the 2018 Southern Cross gravel race.

This will be my first actual timed race on a bike.


-Tim-

gl Tim!

Hit another 3 hrs/55 mi of high zone 2 yesterday before work.

I almost turned around due to fog. I'm serious - I had never experiences anything like it. Like turning off my bike light at 6:15 AM (when it's still kinda dark) and riding the brakes on flats it was that bad. At first it was kinda neat and I persevered because I knew the microclimate was short (Rose Canyon bike path), but I was still soaking wet by the end, through my wind vest, jersey and down to the base layer. Nuts!

As soon as the road rose up to UCSD on the hill the fog ended abruptly - it was like riding through soup. I was a little pissed that I was chilly and wet but once I got truckin' up the coast I started to feel fine again.

So my current set of wheels is going on the Wabi and gonna build a new set for the cross bike as such:
Surly rear hub (silver)
WI Tracker Front (silver)
Sapim Laser spokes (black)
DT Swiss R460 rims (black)

Silver nips or orange nips? (purple maybe?)
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4564/...0d646f44_b.jpg

Cross bike is getting a WTB Volt saddle and the pink+black San Marco is going on the Wabi build with matching Supacaz tape.

Today I have 7 more days till I can ride!

Dave

why build two singlespeed bikes? whatever. but brass nipples only! anodized aluminum nipples will give you nothing but trouble. same with black spokes.

It is better than spending on some other things. I see multiple people come out of Total Wine with shopping carts full of booze whenever I go to REI. They load up SUV's full of the stuff.


Why are you off the bike?


-Tim-

I'm curious, what's the issue with black spokes?

Dave

they are noiser than their silver counterparts (regardless of buttings/gauges) when they rub together.

Tim,

I would probably pick the bike over booze too. Usually 1 Guinness and I'm good :)

Had hernia surgery 3 weeks ago. The doc said today it was a big repair, and to go slow. Told him 40-60 mi is normal for me, so he says to ride 30 min in another week. I'm glad it's on the radar again :)

Dave

I hope you have a full recovery and can do more gravel in the spring.

I've ran alloy nipples on every bike I've rode and never had an issue. Same with the black spokes on my current wheelset.

Alloy nipples in winter = you're gonna have a bad time. Black spokes being too noisy is like the height of bike-OCD though.

Today I did a 28mi road ride, pretty chill.

Some guy got out of his car to yell at me for being in the left turn lane when I was turning left on the way home. His main argument seemed to be that I'm not a car, which is true, but... And he was also having a hard time understanding why I was in front of him ("Because I got here before you" didn't seem to compute). He said what I was doing was illegal. I told him to call the cops. They're out there, folks.

Today I lost 10 lb since December 15.

I was 198.6 lb and today 188.6 lb. That's almost 5% of me just gone. Poof! :)


-Tim-

Thanks. I have a gravel ride that runs from Alpharetta to Woodstock that is 20mi each way that we could try. It goes thru some rural areas and there are a bunch of horse farms too. Should be a lot of fun!

Dave

93.7 mi in 5:05 today w 3261 elevation, surrounding a group ride from miles 25-50. The group ride was fast and fun, sorta let loose a little too much on the front knowing how much more I had to ride. That made the last half of my ride a little sore and slightly unpleasant, but I was still able to stay on the gas without too much difficulty.

Today I bought 1 gallon of odorless mineral spirits to degrease chains. I was surprised to see they check if you are 18 when you purchase it. Why is that?

Toxicity maybe? Proper disposal of the stuff is not something I'd trust kids with. On the other hand, I've bought several different kinds of solvents for use in painting over the years and was never carded for them, so I dunno.

Today I did 26 miles on the road bike.

I'm sure it was a mistake. There is no restriction in Georgia. Whomever sold it to you must have seen the word "spirits" and thought it was alcohol.

I get carded for Topo Chico.

That's funny about the Topo Chico. I wanted to buy some tonight for the wife, but they didn't have any. It's normally with the seltzer water, right?

Dave