Nice Rack!

I am just trying to get a few extra hits on the blog today. 8-)

If you can remember that not too long ago, my rack was smashed. Well I picked up the new rocky mounts and installed one them. Pretty easy installation even though they sent me the Lariat instructions for my Noose model rack. I like the simplicity of the rack. So far the only downfall I see/hear is that when I make a turn without a bike in the rack the skewer bangs back and forth. If I was not so lazy, I could just pull the skewer out when I am not using it.

So what's left for the year? My first single speed race is what is left.

I signed up for the SWANK on November 4th. It will be my redemption so that I do not dwell on the SM-75 all winter. The SWANK is a 42 mile race in Pisgah on some really cool trails. So I hear. I am going to ride the SS in a race for the first time. I will be sure to give it my all but I really will be there for a good time and that is all.

I am very distressed about biking technology right now. Let's recount what has happened this year with my two bikes.

The full suspension bike has had the front fork blown out twice and is currently in good health.

The rear shock blew out in the cowbell and I had it refurbished. It only lasted 100 miles this time and it is blown again. It is currently dead.

The frame has cracked twice on me this year so I was moved to an XL that I recently had fitted to myself. The frame has < 100 miles and is currently in good health.

My new wheelset is warped on the CAKE. The front wheel took one semi-hard hit in the cowbell and was ruined. I am still running it though. Ruined is a relative term.

On to the second bike. The steel single speed Karate Monkey. What has gone wrong with this bike? Oh nothing except for my stupid mistake which caused me to lose some oil in the fork.

My conclusion? It should be obvious but I am compoletely distraught at this point. I am thinking that next season I will be riding a geared hard tail 29'er. I will not commit to SS all the time and I will not commit to Fully Rigid. Those conversions will happen when I am an old tough man that can take that kind of abuse.

A friend recently said "It doesn't really matter as long as you are out ripping up the trails." He is exactly right!

My 29'er/26'er observations from the weekend will be my focus tomorrow.

Later.