Just over 2 weeks ago I returned to the working world. The money is good but the hours are long and the work is hard. I'm commuting about an hour and 20 minutes each way. It fells like I work, drive, eat sleep............repeat repeatedly. Aside from being under Uncle Sam's thumb, the taxation on my body has me wanting to drink myself in to a stupor at this moment.
We're getting into prime bike season. Riding and flipping. All this "real" work has put a damper on all of that for now. Okay, enough whining. I did manage to list and sell another mixte frame on ebay last week. The rear deralleur for the Gunnar Rockhound arrived from Japan and has been installed along with a new Sram 9 speed chain. In replacing these parts I believe I discovered the real issue with the ghost shifting. The cable was corroded in the housing at the RD. Live and learn. Now I have a back-up RD. I am still considering a new suspension fork but I have not looked. Replacing the headset would be a smart thing to do as well. In the last month and a half I've listed and sold 5 frames on ebay. A couple of them did exceptionally well. Another that went to San Fran whacked me pretty hard on the shipping charges.
I would really like to ride SWK today but my legs and back hurt from climbing around on scaffolding all week. I think I'll just build a campfire and indulge in craft beer this evening. Cheers!
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
April Projects
At times I have been known to put projects on the back burner. I have made some recent progress in rectifying this bad habit, but lets not tread there today. This Fuji Royale was one such project that I have recently begun working on again. This is another bike that I wish I had a "before" pic of. I bought it from some 21st century hippies at a swap meet down by St. Louis during my extended stay near the Gateway to the West, or as the locals refer to it, Home of the Toasted Ravioli. I made the purchase about one year ago February. The saddle was trashed, it had some white marks on the top tube that did not belong, tires........trashed. When I initially looked it over I thought the wheels looked pretty good and everything else seemed to move freely as it was intended. In short, it showed promise. I spent a little time on it last summer (2011). Rebuilt the bottom bracket and headset, rubbed out the white marks and did my basic clean-up on it. Sometimes I'll hit a snag when refurbing a bike and end up putting it on the back burner til my head clears up a bit. This was one of those.
Well, I threw it up in the stand last week and started deciphering the build once again. I rebuilt the hubs and trued up the rims. I also mounted a used set of Panaracer Paselas on the wheels. I would like to use a set of moustache bars with reverse brake levers and the Cardiff Touring saddle. There is still a bit of clean-up left as well. Freewheel and chain need cleaning and I should go through the rest of the drivetrain again as well.
I have a soft spot for this bike and I'm thinking it's something I'd like to keep. My size :)
I'm planning to clean the freewheel tomorrow. I'm ready to pull the trigger on a set of reverse brake levers at any given moment. Once the freewheel and chain are cleaned up and installed i can go ahead and run the shift cables. Once the reverse brake levers are ordered I'll have bought a few days to get the calipers cleaned up.
Who's next! Roughly 2 years ago, I bought a matching pair of Specialized Hardrock's. I had one of them refurbed and I gave it away to a needy soul. It was the better of the two. Now I am left with the runt of the litter. The paint is chipped/scratched up pretty good, the headset feels stiff, cables are frayed and it's heavy. I should be able to rebuild this with what exists and with parts I have on hand. That said, I'm thinking it will clean up nicely.
Here's another one that I'm thinking will be a pretty easy clean-up. A Fuji Thrill thrift store find. When I took this out for pics this afternoon I noticed the rear spokes had some substantial rust. I have a spare set in mind if needed.
Lastly, my trusty old Gunnar Rockhound. I purchased this bike new back in 2000. It was built up by my good friend Hans the Hillclimber (a story for another day perhaps). This old girl has been neglected these past couple of years. Drivetrain has been replaced a couple 2/3 times.
I started riding this bike again last week out at SWK, a park that will chew up bike parts and spit them back out. I knew full well when I saddle up last week that it had ghost shifting issues. I pulled the trigger on a new chain and a new derailleur. The 9 speed Shimano XT RD is being shipped from Japan and will likely take up to two weeks to arrive. I would also like to replace the 175mm crank arms with some 170mm arms. I will be on the lookout for these.
A new fork may be on the horizon as well. It needs to be cleaned up too! Very dirty. Brooks B17 saddle has plenty of life left in it but sadly I have neglected it. It's been awhile since it was treated with proofide.
As i did recently post about, I purchased a very nice XTR wheelset that feels right at home on this rig. The Onza treads feel pretty good too. I am excited about getting this bike dialed in again, although admittedly, I'm concerned about my mechanical apptitude. I've always had professional bike mechanics do the work on this.
Well, I threw it up in the stand last week and started deciphering the build once again. I rebuilt the hubs and trued up the rims. I also mounted a used set of Panaracer Paselas on the wheels. I would like to use a set of moustache bars with reverse brake levers and the Cardiff Touring saddle. There is still a bit of clean-up left as well. Freewheel and chain need cleaning and I should go through the rest of the drivetrain again as well.
I'm planning to clean the freewheel tomorrow. I'm ready to pull the trigger on a set of reverse brake levers at any given moment. Once the freewheel and chain are cleaned up and installed i can go ahead and run the shift cables. Once the reverse brake levers are ordered I'll have bought a few days to get the calipers cleaned up.
Who's next! Roughly 2 years ago, I bought a matching pair of Specialized Hardrock's. I had one of them refurbed and I gave it away to a needy soul. It was the better of the two. Now I am left with the runt of the litter. The paint is chipped/scratched up pretty good, the headset feels stiff, cables are frayed and it's heavy. I should be able to rebuild this with what exists and with parts I have on hand. That said, I'm thinking it will clean up nicely.
Here's another one that I'm thinking will be a pretty easy clean-up. A Fuji Thrill thrift store find. When I took this out for pics this afternoon I noticed the rear spokes had some substantial rust. I have a spare set in mind if needed.
Lastly, my trusty old Gunnar Rockhound. I purchased this bike new back in 2000. It was built up by my good friend Hans the Hillclimber (a story for another day perhaps). This old girl has been neglected these past couple of years. Drivetrain has been replaced a couple 2/3 times.
I started riding this bike again last week out at SWK, a park that will chew up bike parts and spit them back out. I knew full well when I saddle up last week that it had ghost shifting issues. I pulled the trigger on a new chain and a new derailleur. The 9 speed Shimano XT RD is being shipped from Japan and will likely take up to two weeks to arrive. I would also like to replace the 175mm crank arms with some 170mm arms. I will be on the lookout for these.
As i did recently post about, I purchased a very nice XTR wheelset that feels right at home on this rig. The Onza treads feel pretty good too. I am excited about getting this bike dialed in again, although admittedly, I'm concerned about my mechanical apptitude. I've always had professional bike mechanics do the work on this.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
SWK Trailwork
This morning we did a CAMBr workday at SWK. We worked on a couple of tight turns on Dominator. It was a pretty good turn out with 10 bodies showing up.
The first turn was rectified with a slight reroute. A tight flat turn on black dirt can be slick and cause ones wheels to wash out unexpectedly. This particular section was rerouted over a mound which is basically an improved trail feature.
The second was a larger flat turn that is also flat. It comes out of a drop where you are carrying quite a bit of speed and as a result you are forced to scrub your momentum to stay on the trail. Bummer. We built a short berm here, roughly a quarter turn and about a foot high. Hopefully this will allow you to carry speed through the turn now.
Jerry and Jimmy broke off from the main work group and tackled a small water crossing on Jack Rabbit. It gets water drainage during the wet Spring season. In the past we have built it up with rock, which makes a solid crossing for bikes and equestrians alike, while still allowing water to pass through. Jerry and Jimmy built this crossing up with more rocks today as it has deteriorated somewhat over the last couple of years. It has held up well I think. They also did some maintanence on the Colossus water crossing. It had begun to dam up again with more debris which they cleared away.
Since we had an extra hour to kill, the main group went over to the trailhead by the first parking lot and did some needed work there as well. Apparently people have been driving Jeeps on CAMBr Freeway, so the OLPD put some large timbers there to keep them out. We built the timbers up to allow a mountain to cross over. We also trimmed up the bushes on either side of the timbers to allow bike and equestrian access that way as well.
At about noon we all retired to the parking area for refreshments. After an hour or so hunger pangs began to set in and about six of us headed over to Portillos for some grub.
The first turn was rectified with a slight reroute. A tight flat turn on black dirt can be slick and cause ones wheels to wash out unexpectedly. This particular section was rerouted over a mound which is basically an improved trail feature.
The second was a larger flat turn that is also flat. It comes out of a drop where you are carrying quite a bit of speed and as a result you are forced to scrub your momentum to stay on the trail. Bummer. We built a short berm here, roughly a quarter turn and about a foot high. Hopefully this will allow you to carry speed through the turn now.
Jerry and Jimmy broke off from the main work group and tackled a small water crossing on Jack Rabbit. It gets water drainage during the wet Spring season. In the past we have built it up with rock, which makes a solid crossing for bikes and equestrians alike, while still allowing water to pass through. Jerry and Jimmy built this crossing up with more rocks today as it has deteriorated somewhat over the last couple of years. It has held up well I think. They also did some maintanence on the Colossus water crossing. It had begun to dam up again with more debris which they cleared away.
Since we had an extra hour to kill, the main group went over to the trailhead by the first parking lot and did some needed work there as well. Apparently people have been driving Jeeps on CAMBr Freeway, so the OLPD put some large timbers there to keep them out. We built the timbers up to allow a mountain to cross over. We also trimmed up the bushes on either side of the timbers to allow bike and equestrian access that way as well.
At about noon we all retired to the parking area for refreshments. After an hour or so hunger pangs began to set in and about six of us headed over to Portillos for some grub.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
SWK Workday
Who schedules a trail work day the morning after Paddy's Day? While admittedly, I am not particularly Irish, I do ocasionally embellish. Yesterday was not an exception. My brother-in-law, Timothy O'Kernican, has been calling me every few days for the last few weeks to remind me of the approaching holiday. Since I have had a several hours to recover from the leprachon frenzy I will try and remember some events of the day.
It should also be noted that I put out a call to my Snotfoot'ed bretheren to help out with some of the trail work as the scheduled Sunday ride was to be at SWK. Hopefully, with the potential for some aftercarbs, there will be a few volunteers.
9:00 am, call from Timothy, "We're leaving for The Claddagh at 11:30 am". The logo on the wait staff T-shirts was some sort of ring with a pair of hands cupped around either side. After some quick googling I found this definition courtesy of wikepedia.
The Claddagh ring (Irish: fáinne Chladaigh) is a traditional Irish ring given as a token of friendship, love, or marriage. The design and customs associated with it originated in the Irish fishing village of Claddagh, located just outside the city of Galway. The ring was first produced in the 17th century, though elements of the design date to the late Roman period.
While at the Claddagh we actually met two different Irish people, apparently fresh off the boat in New York Harbor. The first, a young gentleman who sat with our group in the outdoor area on a spectacular sunny/breezy afternoon. The other we met indoors while listening to the Irish band. The band members were friends of Tim and the Irish women known only as "Shelly" and her Italian friend were band groupies who intended to follow the band to it's other destinations as the evening progressed. Tim and I, along with our designated driver, Victoria O'Kernican headed to the Friendly Tap at around 4 or 5 pm in Plano to check out some of the local flavor. It was a bit bland, not much activity at the old Friendly Tap. No matter, we had plans to move over to the Kendall Pub in Yorkville for more Irish tunes. The KP did not disappoint. A great beer selection and a fiesty buch of Bagpipers. They also had a one man band playing a nice variety of folk tunes, which I thoroughly enjoyed. He was wearing one of those harmonic things that allows the musician to play harmonic with out removing his hands from the guitar, ala Bob Dylan and Neil Young, 2 of my favorites. The one man bands' face lit up when I made a request for such. I enjoyed listening to a few Dylan and Young covers before the O'Kernicans drug me to the car from my drunken barstool. I get the impression they are not fans of folk music the way I am.
My first Paddy's Day experience, yes thats right, my first time actually celebrating St. Patrick's Day was as delightful and bleary eyed as one could hope for. At least the parts I can remember.
I learned this afternoon through my cell phone messaging service that several of my Snotfoot friends hung around to assist with the work day. Ahhhh! The power of suggestion and false promises among my Irish brothers. Cheers!
It should also be noted that I put out a call to my Snotfoot'ed bretheren to help out with some of the trail work as the scheduled Sunday ride was to be at SWK. Hopefully, with the potential for some aftercarbs, there will be a few volunteers.
9:00 am, call from Timothy, "We're leaving for The Claddagh at 11:30 am". The logo on the wait staff T-shirts was some sort of ring with a pair of hands cupped around either side. After some quick googling I found this definition courtesy of wikepedia.
The Claddagh ring (Irish: fáinne Chladaigh) is a traditional Irish ring given as a token of friendship, love, or marriage. The design and customs associated with it originated in the Irish fishing village of Claddagh, located just outside the city of Galway. The ring was first produced in the 17th century, though elements of the design date to the late Roman period.
While at the Claddagh we actually met two different Irish people, apparently fresh off the boat in New York Harbor. The first, a young gentleman who sat with our group in the outdoor area on a spectacular sunny/breezy afternoon. The other we met indoors while listening to the Irish band. The band members were friends of Tim and the Irish women known only as "Shelly" and her Italian friend were band groupies who intended to follow the band to it's other destinations as the evening progressed. Tim and I, along with our designated driver, Victoria O'Kernican headed to the Friendly Tap at around 4 or 5 pm in Plano to check out some of the local flavor. It was a bit bland, not much activity at the old Friendly Tap. No matter, we had plans to move over to the Kendall Pub in Yorkville for more Irish tunes. The KP did not disappoint. A great beer selection and a fiesty buch of Bagpipers. They also had a one man band playing a nice variety of folk tunes, which I thoroughly enjoyed. He was wearing one of those harmonic things that allows the musician to play harmonic with out removing his hands from the guitar, ala Bob Dylan and Neil Young, 2 of my favorites. The one man bands' face lit up when I made a request for such. I enjoyed listening to a few Dylan and Young covers before the O'Kernicans drug me to the car from my drunken barstool. I get the impression they are not fans of folk music the way I am.
My first Paddy's Day experience, yes thats right, my first time actually celebrating St. Patrick's Day was as delightful and bleary eyed as one could hope for. At least the parts I can remember.
I learned this afternoon through my cell phone messaging service that several of my Snotfoot friends hung around to assist with the work day. Ahhhh! The power of suggestion and false promises among my Irish brothers. Cheers!
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Saw Wee Kee Work and a Fox River Trail Ride
We started off the day with some trail work at Saw Wee Kee in Oswego. Some Ninja has been building trail out there during the winter months and we had to discourage some of that activity by filling the openings with deadfall and digging holes along the new routes. Our intentions here are honorable, I assure you. Our mission is to maintain existing trails. This includes making them sustainable to foot, bike and equestrian traffic. A few days ago I posted a pic of a proposed project (say that ten times fast). I will post it again along with an after pic.
When riders come over this rise they tend to hit the brakes and skid to the bottom. Time will tell if the new work will hold up.
After the workday I went over to the Fox River Trail, also in Oswego. I took the Miyata 610. This bike was new in 1983 and purchased by me at a garage sale a couple of years ago for $10. I have done quite a bit of work on it. My intentions are to use this as my daily rider and I have been trying to get it dialed in to my liking. I'm on my 3rd set of pedals. Every set I've tried on has had a bent shaft on the left pedal, including the set I rode today. I'm not satisfied with the center pull brakes either. So the plan is to swap out the center pulls with a set of side pulls. I should also mention that the cable routing is a bit of a mess as well. When I install the side pulls I can straighten out the cable routing. Now to find a set of clipless pedals without a bent shaft.
I am otherwise pretty happy with the Miyata. Today we took her for about a 20 mile ride. Starting and the Route 34 bridge and riding up to the bridge in North Aurora. There I took a short brake, drank my remaining supply of water and ate a peanut butter breakfast bar. The ride up felt like a breeze even though my fitness level is in question. When I heade back to Oswego after my break I figured out why it was such a breeze................TAILWIND! The tailwind has now become a headwind for the return trip. I was poorly hydrated for this ride and I was feeling the effects for most of the return trip. Dry throat, sore knees and slow cadence all reared their ungly heads. It was a beautiful and warm day that I managed to survive. I'm looking forward to the next ride and hopefully the soreness over the next few days will be limited.
After the workday I went over to the Fox River Trail, also in Oswego. I took the Miyata 610. This bike was new in 1983 and purchased by me at a garage sale a couple of years ago for $10. I have done quite a bit of work on it. My intentions are to use this as my daily rider and I have been trying to get it dialed in to my liking. I'm on my 3rd set of pedals. Every set I've tried on has had a bent shaft on the left pedal, including the set I rode today. I'm not satisfied with the center pull brakes either. So the plan is to swap out the center pulls with a set of side pulls. I should also mention that the cable routing is a bit of a mess as well. When I install the side pulls I can straighten out the cable routing. Now to find a set of clipless pedals without a bent shaft.
Friday, March 9, 2012
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
SWK Spring Scout Out.
I did a walk through at Saw Wee Kee Park in Oswego Tuesday afternoon to scout some potential trail work projects for CAMBr West. Temps were near 60 degrees. Normally there is a lot of mud and water to contend with on the trails. With the mild winter we've enjoyed in this region there is no melt off. Specifically, many parts of Wildcat are underwater in the Spring and when I walked through this trail I found no mud or standing water. It will be a good Spring for mountain biking at SWK.
This is the water crossing at the start of Colossus. I wish I had taken a "before" pic. Normally the damn-up here is much worse. I pulled out all the logs, sticks and muck and got the water flowing through. It may flow for a few days before the water levels out. Then we can go in and pick the rocks that have washed through and rearrange them on the high side again. This is a yearly maintenance task. I think it makes for a nice water crossing, especially when you splash through the crossing on a hot day.
I will propose a repair of this downhill rut. I think we could break down the dirt on the left side of the trail and pull it into the trail. We could also cut the lip down. Then pack it so that the water sheds down and to the left.
Trail damage from horses can tend to be an issue this time of year. It will usually work itself out over time with rain, bike and foot traffic. At times riding through it can be bone jarring. If it is real bad we'll propose a workday to go in and rake it out. Again, with the mild Winter, things look pretty good right now.
I did find a few other minor trail projects. Most, similiar to the scenario pic'd above.
This is the water crossing at the start of Colossus. I wish I had taken a "before" pic. Normally the damn-up here is much worse. I pulled out all the logs, sticks and muck and got the water flowing through. It may flow for a few days before the water levels out. Then we can go in and pick the rocks that have washed through and rearrange them on the high side again. This is a yearly maintenance task. I think it makes for a nice water crossing, especially when you splash through the crossing on a hot day.
Trail damage from horses can tend to be an issue this time of year. It will usually work itself out over time with rain, bike and foot traffic. At times riding through it can be bone jarring. If it is real bad we'll propose a workday to go in and rake it out. Again, with the mild Winter, things look pretty good right now.
I did find a few other minor trail projects. Most, similiar to the scenario pic'd above.
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