Ski biking

Heading home.
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Fisticuff Project Progress

To complete my Snickers Brown Fisticuff I still need:
-frame and fork (I'm halfway to raising the funds, baby!)
-30.0 seat clamp
-Avid Mech Road brakes and rotors <check>
-8sp shimano bar end shifter <check>
-star nut <check>

To have my Fisty the way I want it, I need:
-pink bar wrap
-new saddle <check>
-700X45 Panaracer Fires for default Fisting
-nicer road brake levers than the crappy Nashbar ones I have
-maybe a stem if the ones I have laying around don't fit right
-a set of tubular disc wheels and tires for CX race day Fisting (That's right Irene!  Tubular discs.  And I have the rims laying around collecting dust now, just waiting for the disc hubs, spokes, rim strip, glue, and tubies to come along somehow)

Stoopid Wheel 2 for the Fisti to be Built!

Don't try this at home!  36H Real front disc hub (Real nice!!) laced to a used 32H Salsa Delgado Cross rim with used spokes.

Notice how there's empty spoke holes at 2 o'clock and 8 o'clock in the crappy cell phone photo closeup below.

Spoke Calculator (download spocalc here) called for 291.9mm on left and 293.2mm on the right.  But I didn't have those lengths laying around the shop;-(  So I used what I had...24 @ 288mm spokes and 8 longer 294mm spokes for the holes to the sides of the 4 blank holes on the hub.  Short nipples on the left side and long nipples on the right.  I prefer short nipples myself;-)

I always use 14G spokes and brass nipples because they are strongest (oh, and cheapest!!).

It was kinda hard to chase the hop out of this one while building because of...

• used rim


• different length spokes that were shorter than the spocalc recommended


• different length nipples


• half a dozen stripped nipples that needed the #2 spoke key instead of the #1 that used to fit them (do you like stripped nipples too?)

This mix required lots of chasing the hop around the wheel in the truing stand.  And don't even try to get even tone out of these spokes, mother plucker.  "Plink, plunk, plonk, dink, deenk, plunk,"  is kinda how she sounds when you pluck your way around to test even tension.  But alas, it came out true enough for the Kenda Cross tire.

The rim has also got a lot of brake wear, but I figure it'll be OK cause I'm going to run discs on the Fisti.  It also has a little flat spot front the previous owner bashing a pothole, but it's what I had laying around.

Total cost = $10 for the hub I found on Craigslist (the rest of the parts I had in shop collecting dust). 

Stoopid wheel = Priceless!

Reduce, reuse, recycle, retro-grouch.

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Stoopid Wheel 1

Hey check out this build.  On my geared hardtail now.  Who says you shouldn't go down Pigs Run on a 36 hole rim/24 hole hub stoopid wheel?

SOLD!!! Schwinn Homegrown 4 Banger XL Complete Bike - $400

• XL 21" Schwinn 1999 S-Series 4 Banger frame. Aluminum front triangle, Carbon swingarm. Suspension designed by Yeti's Mert Lawill for Schwinn.


• Rock Shox SID frame shock - air shock with positive and negative chamber and rebound adjust (Schraeder adapter for shock pump included).


• Hayes 9 disc brake caliper/hose/lever


• left brake level XT


• Problem Solvers hydraulic brake line guides


• XTR  Front Derailleur


• no-name seat post clamp (NOT THE ONE IN THE PICTURE)


• crank  LX with bash ring


• rear derailleurs XT


• shifters Left XT AND Right 8sp LX


• fork MARZOCCHI 2001 Z3


• headseat RITCHEY


• stem RITCHEY


• handle bar GT


• tires PANARACER FIRE


• wheels DEORE RHYNO LITE


• rear cog 8sp SRAM


• seat post Control Tech


• saddle San Marco


• Avid BB5 front brake


• WTB Lock On Grips like these http://www.bikeparts.com/search_results.asp?id=BPC309214 (NOT THE GRIPS IN THE PICTURE)


• Shimano 545 Pedals (NOT THE PEDALS IN THE PICTURE)

All parts in good working condition with the usual scratches from use.  I bought this frame used after I had back surgery and thought I wanted a little squish. But I got into single speeds instead and I've probably put about 300 miles total on it in all the years that I've had it. I hate to get rid of a collectors item like this but I need to fund another bike venture;-)

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SOLD!!! Fixed Gear Schwinn World Sport $160

Interested in a tight and true city/commuter bike that won't break the bank?

Up for grabs is this 1980's Schwinn frame converted to a 700c fixie. I've enjoyed riding this bike both on and off road. I even raced it cyclocross once with some dirt drop handlebars and CX tires on her. I hate to sell but I need $ to fund another bike project.

Highlights
-58cm frame 4130 Chromoly with cable stops removed
-40X16 fixed gearing
-Sugino Super Maxy crank with 40T ring (36T inner ring included)
-SDG SlimJim bass-boat-blue saddle
-new KMC Z Chain
-Diacompe single pivot front brake with new pads
-BMX brake lever
-700c Weinman rims laced to Shimano hubs
-Custom fixed cassette freehub body and solid axle with 15mm nuts (DIY version of the Surly Fixer - http://www.bikeman.com/HU9020.html?utm_source=GoogleBase&utm_medium=GoogleBase&utm_campaign=GoogleBase)
-Bontrager Hardcase 32mm tires
-DK seat post
-sawed off straight hipster bar with OURY grips (will swap for a wider straight or riser bar if you want)
-custom quill stem adapter and Nashbar 1" stem

The pedals pictured are NOT included. I'm happy to throw some plastic pedals on if you like.

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Ben's pine wood derby heat

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go better cheddar. BB

heavy seize

Mmmm!
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HEART RATE

walking around the playground at Centennial Park.

Derby Cars

zoom zoom!

Off Road Rollers

It's been too muddy lately to go mountain biking so I got me a set of off road rollers.
They are really fun and loud!

 

 

MagicShine Bike Light 1st Impressions

As if you care....

1. Bought this light from Geomangear.com as an XMAS present to me.  Can't beat the price...$100 with shipping and helmet mount for a 900 lumen light. They shipped it next day too;-) but because of XMAS volume USPS took ten days to ship it priority mail...WTF;-(  Came with a full charge too.


2. Super bright and seems pretty well constructed. 


3. I like the battery indicator light on charger...you don't even have to plug it into the wall to see if battery is fully charged.


4. Five modes: 900 lumens, 500, 200, strobe (can you say seizure?), and SOS (or is that OSO?)


5. Very easy to hit the power button with gloved fingers.  LED inside of power button is a nice touch..it stays on if you leave the battery plugged into the lamp even when the lamp is off.


6. 1m extension cord comes in handy for jersey pocket and helmet mount.


7. Battery is sooooo small and light;-)  I lost 4lbs by switching from my old 2 light setup with sealed lead acid batteries.


8. Rubber band mounts for handlebar and helmet mounts don't slip but do allow for easy adjusting on the fly.


9. Helmet mount needed customization to work right click here.


10. The frame mount nylon bag with velcro is definitely the CHEESIEST light mount I have ever seen!   I had to customize it too to make it workable click here.

How To Improve the MagicShine's Helmet and Frame Mounts

1. Helmet Mount - This original helmet mount comes with 12in straps on both sides.  I can't figure out why unless you want to mount it to a basketball.  I had to do a bit of customizing the stock velcro straps to make it work for me.  This involved scissors, needle, and thread, and about 20 minutes.  PS:  I think found a much better way than this guy suggests.  Helmet mount is now on the old Bell super tight and working great.
   
   
   
   

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2. Frame Mount - The OEM frame mount nylon bag with velcro is definitely the CHEESIEST light mount I have ever seen!  You can see for yourself how cheesy here.   It doesn't even come close to holding the battery tight to a stem/frame.  It has plastic loops for additional velcro strap but they end up touching each other when mounted on the frame so there's no making use of these loops to cinch it tight.  I just cut of an old TwoFish frame/pump mount in half and Gorilla Glued it to the battery pack and will use its two sided velcro strap with plastic loop to hold it fast.
   
   
   
   
   

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Resolutions?

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Happy new year from NC. abby made a resolution to quit training wheels!
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