TwoSpoke Forums And Twitter

One of the co-administrators of the cycling forum TwoSpoke, a Mr. Travis Haynes, contacted me about doing a link exchange and I happily accepted! Go to their site and give it a look-see. I will be honest, I haven’t taken too much time to go around and visit everything on the site (there’s information of everything for everyone!), however, I will be cruising around the forums trying to get as much information possible on buying and traveling with a Salsa Fargo. I know I seemed set on the Vassago Fisticuff but, the Fargo has better reviews (that I’ve seen so far) and I actually test-rode it so, that was pretty much the deal breaker haha!

Also, I have secretly been using Twitter for a while now (my profile says I’ve been signed up for 2 years?!?) and so if you ever want to know when I update this thing, check that. I know I heard some ‘boos’ and ‘hisses’ but I honestly hardly post anything. I really only use it to read the Twitter updates of everyone else mainly Chrome Bags (because the guy who does the updates is friggen funny) and One Less Car. And that’s enough on Twitter…

Anyway, go check out TwoSpoke!
and then GO OUT AND RIDE!

Tonight, I Hate Fresh Snow

It took about 2 hours to get home, pushing a 30+lb bike through about 5+ inches of snow. This makes the 29er bike look better and better…

My facebook style entry for the day, goodnight. It’s 3:13 am and I’m supposed to be at work at 11. Why do I do this to myself you ask? I have no clue…

It’s The Holiday Season…

…and the folks over at Salsa Cycles is helping all of us good little kiddies reach good ‘ol Salsa Claus with our holiday wishes. Here’s what I had to say:

Dear Salsa Claus,
I’ve been really good this year, and I’ve been riding every day, and so I was kinda hoping I could get a brand new Fargo for Cranksmas. I promise I will take care of it the best I can. I’ll try my best but those wide open roads and (now snowy) dirt trails are calling my name and I hate it when I get voicemails…

Thank you!
Love,
Aqua Dublavee

I hope he gets my letter. I’d hate to wait ’till my birthday…

Fun Changes And Updates

It’s been a long time since I updated this thing. I wish I wasn’t so busy with work so I could write on this more but hey, that’s life.
In September I was looking at the Adventure Cycling Association’s facebook and stumbled across their note giving away free year memberships to their facebook fans! I just made the cut of the 100 lucky people but long story short, I am now an ACA member! This is the best present because now I can get all the resources I need to really plan my cross-country trip! By the way, I’m not moving to Pittsburgh anymore. I’m going straight for Portland, OR. After receiving the membership I started really researching the bike I am going to get to do so.
I read review after review of the Vassago Fisticuff and found that the majority of users of the bike didn’t like the overall performance of the bike so I started asking around on the Bike Pgh forums and got some suggestions on new bikes with these guidelines: 1.) I want a bike that is good for commuting. 2.) I want disc brakes (they’re the only kind of brakes that work with my style of riding and I’m tired of v- and cantibrakes failing on me.) and 3.) I want a bike I can take in the woods and play around and then take it back on the road to beat someone in a sprint . The bike that was suggested that I like the best is the Salsa Fargo.

I saw the bike before and never really paid any mind to it but upon reading reviews and other peoples riding stories, I just had to ride it for myself. I went down to Freeze Thaw and talked to one of the guys there about it and he said he loves it and he thought I would as well. So I rode it. And now I can’t live without one! The drivetrain on it is as smooth and responsive as my ‘cross bike so that takes care of the commuting and racing needs. The 29er wheels and tires roll so nicely over the cracks and rough pavement like nothing ever happens. You can hardly tell that they are mountain style wheels. The best part of all is the drop bars and brake levers, the geometry of the bike keeps it feeling like a mountain bike but, you still sit upright enough to be comfortable for commuting around town. The brake levers are comfortable as well because they actually slope to conform to your fingers whether you’re riding in the drops or up on the hoods. The bike also fits me well enough to be able to keep my seat height the way I like it and still be able to just sit on the bike, feet on the ground, when stopped. The beautiful thing about the bike I tested is that the guys at Freeze Thaw got a custom built CETMA rack for it which I can obviously get when I purchase the bike. I’m now addicted and going to go back and ride the bike a few more times until I have the money to buy it. This isn’t even scratching the surface of what this bike can do or what it includes (like 6 water cage bosses including 2 on the fork ). Check the bike out for yourself and see if it’s something you’ll dig too!

Salsa Fargo Page

Bates Crates And Updates.

First I’d like to give my congratulations to Cole of 1 Less Car (www.1lesscar.com) for his success in creating a great porter crate and having it published in Trek’s new catalog! They’re great and I might have to get myself one with my wooden Cetma rack .

I feel like someone trying to follow a fad but I don’t care. That stuff is useful and I find them to look pretty cool. Call me a hipster, I don’t care.

Anyway, I also have some pretty good news for myself. I received an email today from Eric B. of Bike Pittsburgh (www.bike-pgh.org) asking me if I wanted to help out with a new bike program called PA Walks and Bikes. I would be able to help be a sort of correspondent from here in State College. This is great because it helps me get even deeper into this lovely bike scene I have opened the door to, as well as helping me get good contacts to help me along the way. More information is hopefully coming soon. I’ll keep you posted with everything as it happens.

How’s that for getting back online? Chea. This is fun.

So yeah, check everything out. I need to get back in the know and read up on my bicycling news.

Take care!

Late Late Updates

Well I’ve been too lazy/busy to update. Sorry for anyone who actually reads this thing (please leave a comment if you do; the feedback would be appreciated ). Anyway, here are some updates (you might want to get some coffee):

• The New Bicycle Project:

I have been riding the Raleigh I found quite a bit lately with only comfort modifications; a new saddle and new bar tape. The old bar tape was basically regular tape on metal. I had some really funky sore spots on my palms because of it. The seat was just really hard and uncomfortable especially since I’m used to riding on cruiser and hybrid saddles I finally got motivation to get upgrades for my bike and I’m really happy with the results:

I took apart and cleaned the rear brake caliper and installed a new cable with white housing . Now the next step is to get new cables and housing for the rest of the bike…in due time of course.
I am going to confirm my first idea and once this bike is done it’s going to have all new components with the frame and fork to be unchanged (maybe except for a new coat of clear coat).

I also added a brake upgrade considering how I pretty much don’t have any brakes on this thing haha.

Told you I haven’t really worked on this bike. I was too excited, what can I say?

• The Bike Trip Across The Country/Life In General:

I’m glad I set the date for this trip to 2 years from now because I am definitively not ready in any way for it. I don’t have the bike for the trip, nor the parts for the bike, nor the means of getting such items. Also my friend Leon has convinced me to move to Pittsburgh so I’m going to hopefully be getting a new job and such which I’m planning on using all the money towards all things bikes. As soon as I get down there I’m joining Bike Pittsburgh (www.bike-pgh.org) so I can get a nice kick start into a formal biking world. The hardly existent bike advocacy/culture in State College (and SC in general…) is a real drag so I’m going to go to where it is already in full swing and try to thrive in it

Even More Updated Updates:

Ok so those are one set of updates that I started a draft of in July and never printed till now (September). Like I said, I’ve been lazy and busy. The plan to move to Pittsburgh is still in full effect. After living there for a while (and hopefully not being sucked back into the black hole of State College), I plan on making my permanent home in Portland, OR.

Other than that, I’m pretty much just working all the time. And if I’m not working, I’m playing pool, drinking, or partying. Yeah, pretty boring life ’till Pittsburgh. Anyway these have been choppy updates I know, I’ll organize it some time. I’ll actually try doing updates and such as I was doing before. I also plan on doing some reviews and such, like the new Chrome bag that I just got and absolutely love!! Well that’s all for now. A start in the very least.

Take care.

The Start Of A New Bike Product Series.

The bicycle iPod holder…

Click the picture to check out his site.

I was thinking about making this myself. My plan was to mount something onto my bike so I can play music through speakers on by bike and to use the bike computer applications I downloaded for my iPhone. On his site he asks for feedback so if you are interested in this it is definitely worth it to check out his site to read more about it and give him some ideas or what have you.

New Build Update

Raleigh status: rideable.

To my surprise, this bike is in pretty decent condition. My hypothesis seems to be right in how I figured that this bike was ridden often enough, it just sat for a while and whomever had it just threw it out once their lease was up.
Sucks for them, awesome for me.
Basically all that needs to be done are a full tune up and new components. The rear wheel needs to be trued badly because it rubs on the brakes a whole heck of a lot and when walking the bike, the back wheel tends to lock up and just skid. Riding the bike however allows it to run as it’s supposed to but you can feel it hitting the brakes which is annoying and inhibiting me from seeing the true speed of this bike

My plans for this bike as of now are to just tune it and ride it as is until I can get the parts I need to fix it up properly. Here’s a quick list of what I need so far:

• New wheel set I put a newer front wheel on the bike but a matching pair would be better especially with matching tires…
• New chain Though the existing chain is in pretty decent condition, I don’t want to have to trust it when I’m riding around town, especially with idiot drivers who hate bikers.
• New brake and shifter cables I might even get new break levers and try to go for bar end shifters but the old school look and feel of the respective systems now are keeping me from doing so as of yet.

One of the reasons why I’m just going to ride the bike as is for a while is so I can become more comfortable using friction shifters, seeing as how I’ve never ridden a bike with them before. Overall, I can tell this bike is going to be a lot of fun and definitely a great commuter bike. I’ve decided to just use my ‘cross bike for joy rides, adventures, and other bicycle shenanigans

Total bike build cost: $0.00

Until next time,
Have fun riding!

New Commuter

So, since my ‘cross bike decides to have something wrong with it at least once a week, I’ve decided to retire it for the time being and build myself a new commuter.

I’m going to build this dumpster find up

Raleigh Sportif Road Bike

It will also help me to get on good terms with the guys over at Freeze Thaw because I know they will LOVE this bike . Plus I still want to try to get a job there…forever my goal I suppose. Anyway, keep riding and I hope you had a happy 4th! This year was my best year ever!

One Of The Best Ways To Bike Cross-Country…

By charity!

I got an email the other day from the Centre Region Bike Coalition (CRBC) mailing list that requested donations of food and supplies for this group of people crossing the country. They are part of this organization called Bike and Build (www.bikeandbuild.org) that helps to raise money for housing across the country! They hold rides throughout the summer every year so I would be able to catch a ride or 2 or 3 . This may just be the ride I do and just stay out West. I would be able to go on an assisted tour, do some good deeds along the way, and have a cool bike to keep afterwards hehe!

So check them out, sign up, and go ride!