If I had a giveaway...

The options would be:

1) Lakeshore Bike Pint Glass -- drink and think about the next bike, new components, the last ride, the next ride...
2) Foam Pipe Insulation -- works great for protecting bikes during shipping
3) Free room rental (futon) for the Ore to Shore weekend or Superior Bike Fest along with personal tour guide.

Churning Rapids - Hancock, MI

We rode our rigid bikes on the Churning Rapids bike trails in Hancock County, MI. What a beautiful day for riding--50 degrees and sunny. We saw seven people and two dogs in our three hour adventure on the sign-filled trails.

Bill had some rear derailleur trouble in addition to rear break rubbing early in the ride. About half-way through the ride he wrenched on his cranks and his rear wheel popped out of the dropout on one of the pieces of trail. He says he is going to swap out the Easton skewers.

There were many different trails that intersected throughout the trail area -- both single track and two tracks. The IMBA (recognized?/certified?) trails were well maintained and as more people ride them, the better they will be. The trail system reminded us a lot of the Kettle Moraine trails in southeastern Wisconsin with the baby head sized rocks along the river trail. You can even work on your ratcheting skills while crossing the river.

What we rode: He rode his new Bianchi SOK and I rode my Gary Fisher Rig.

Where we rode: http://www.keweenawtrails.com/trails/maasto_churning_2009_10_lg.jpg
We started at the Christianson Road trailhead in the north part of the Churning Rapids: Great Oak Trail south to Oaks Cross Cut, south on Spring Creek, east on Sunset Trail to the River Trail. Somewhere along the River Trail we popped out onto the highway M203 where we rode the road back north to Brooks Road. At Brooks Road we turned back into the trails which meant climbing Brooks Road --similar to the Mount Marquette road (steep). At the top there was more single track that wrapped around a biker's house (Bill saw an Indy Fab bike leaning on the house). We got back on the Sunset Trail then headed north backwards from the way we rode south. The trails (thank goodness) were smoother and more flowy on the way north.

First Ride: Salsa Big Mama '09

He rode the trails north of town and was able to ride the bike right from the house--rather than hooking it to an SUV or putting it in the back of our Subaru. First impressions are good. Stiffer than the Rip9 that he rode last year. "It's confidence-inspiring like the Reign but you can pedal it." Hey says the Reign was a HOG.

I was the paparazzi when he returned yesterday evening:

(Monona Terrace, University of Wisconsin: thinking about the bikes that were on the way this week)

Reign Accommodations

When he bought the Reign it was close to stock. He made some accommodations to it during the time it was with him. 1) He replaced the air shock with a coil shock 2) upgraded the front fork 3) made special protective sleeves for the fork out of neoprene and velcro. 4) new wheelset 5) swapped handelbars and grips 6) went 1x9 on the gears 7) and back to 3 x9 8) probably swapped cranks 9) swapped pedals 10) anything else I'm not sure? brakes? cables? headset? cassette?

Out with the Old

The Vassago was sold on ebay and the Reign is in the process of being sold. They are being sold as the frames only. Some of the other components were saved for the two new bikes.

Speedgoat has sent a Salsa Big Mama frame that will arrive sometime tomorrow.

Jenson USA sent a Bianchi SOK 29er with gears. It arrived a day early (yesterday). Assembeled, customized, and ridden today.

I think the fork from the Bianchi will go on the Salsa, the Bianchi is being ridden rigid with the carbon fork from the Vassago.

New pictures soon.

What changed: He wanted gears. He wanted 29 inch wheels. He didn't like the hassle of the Reign (in order to ride it at a trail he would have to either get a ride from a friend or put it in the back of the Subaru). The Reign's fork doesn't fit on the Thule rack system that we have on the car. He really liked the Vassago, but when he rode with friends who had gears on their bike he felt like he always had the wrong setup 32x16, etc.

My prediction (in white highlight to see): I think he will want a steel bike. I think he will want a suspension fork on the Bianchi. I think the Bianchi will be sold before summer's end because the frame is too big. I think he will update the components on the Salsa -- wanting a better suspension fork than the one that he is swapping over from the Bianchi.

Giant Reign XO 2008

He went out for a morning ride on Saturday on his singlespeed rigid Vassago. He got the itch for the full-suspension bike after swapping bikes throught the ride with some of his riding pals.

Remembering a Craigslist ad for the Reign, he made contact with the owner and the deal was done on Sunday morning in a parking lot.

Two more wheels in the house and a lot more suspension. He "picked up" the 2008 Reign locally from a guy that recently switched to a Giant Trance. The Reign has Maestro suspension--which means I can wear my Giant bicycles t-shirt with the Maestro logo on the front without feeling like a weirdo.

The Vassago remains.

Friday Night

Friday night after a few beers in town. Basement internet-surfing and bike-building. Easton XC-2 wheels replacing the Stan's Arch. Tires seated in a matter of minutes(seconds) and a new birthday bike pump here: http://www.lezyne.com/index.php/products/floor-pumps/alloy-floor-drive-4.html.

March Update

Stan's Arch wheels are not in our house anymore (thank goodness). He spent an entire day (7am-5pm) working on bike stuff particularly hours trying to seat the tires while using a crappy pump. FAIL.



Dear Bill,
For your birthday I am going to get you a Lezyne bicycle floor pump. I hope it is the last one you ever own.

http://www.lezyne.com/index.php/products/floor-pumps.html

Anyone have experience with these products?



There was talk last week of selling the Vassago. After reviewing the bikes of '09 I think I convinced him to keep the steel bike.

Bikes of '09:
Niner SIR9 - Green, Steel, Rigid
Niner RIP9 - Blue, Full-sus
Gary Fisher Rig - '08 model that I'm now riding
OS Blackbuck - rigid, singlespeed, 29
Trek Remedy - Full suspension 26-inch (couch)-another bad decision (my thought)
Fisher Cobia - Brushed crome color-this was a bad decision (my thought)
Niner MCR - I don't even remember this bike. I think it was dark brown and glittery.
Gary Fisher Rig - '09

Early Spring Riding

The Vassago is pretty sweet. It is very similar to the Ferrous.

He went out for a 3 hour ride this past Saturday morning. Some frozen over backroads, and then some snowpack singletrack. The temps were perfect for riding on the snow. He got out back on to the road just as the snowpack started to get spongy from rising temps and sun.

Quiet Bikes

Don't you want your bike to be quiet? No chain slap, no creaks, etc.? Then why would you want this?




Seems awfully loud to me.