Monday March 19th, 2007

Feeling much better after the Tri Flow incident. I must admit that my knees and elbow do not ache as much as before. I did go for a 40 mile 29er ride on Sunday with Buddy Michael. We both ran Gunnar Ruffian 29ers. Lots of people must of thought we were an item or something like that. We rode down to Water Fall Glen did some riding there. The trails were frozen when we started and towards the end they started to get soupy. WE walked up the big hill to strech our winter legs out and then we rode home via the assfalt. It really felt good to get out and do such a ride. I was glad to see that my build on Michaels bike worked like a charm. We had to do no adjustment at all and he love the Roll of the big wheels. I have three issues of the magazine Rouleur at work that I forgot. I am anxious to see what they are all about.
Received the Salsa Chili con Crosso and will give that a shot. I still love my Bianchi Cross but I need to do some experimenting with the new stuff to be able to sell. Been selling Gunnars at work and I like that. They make a great bike and I met the Guys at Waterford and they are really cool people. Buy American Damn It!!! Stop buying cheap chinese Carbon!!!
Also working on building a Porteur bike from Ira Ryan in Portland. I want to have a bike that can handle loads. I dont want Panniers, I dont want a rear rack. Big honking steel rack up front. Above I reprint photo from Ira Ryan's website with all respect.
The bike is designed for loads. This bike will serve to go shopping, dropping off ebay packages at the post office. It can handle loads of over 50 lbs. The concept comes from the old Porteur bikes that were used in Paris in the early 1900's. The newspaper delivery was done twice a day since two editions came out daily. The Porteurs would go to the paper center and load up their bikes and deliver. Every year races were held to find the fastest Porteur. Something similar to the Messenger World Championships of Today.
If you are interested in a quality frame made by a Passionate person check out Ira Ryan Cycles. Oh yeah they are all steel.
out for today,
Ari

Watch your Drink

Glad to be writing this tonight. Today at work I took a big gulp of TriFlow out of a gatorade bottle that was on the counter. My bro was going to take some home to loosen up some stuff. I was running around the shop like a crazy chicken. I came back looking for something to drink and I noticed the Gatorade. Thought to my self, maybe its my bro's I'll take a chug. Sure enough I took a chug of Triflow and then I noticed something was wrong because my mouth felt oily. I realized what I drank was not Gatorade. Called my bro and he told me it was triflow. He came over with the car in a flash and with Triflow gallon ran to the hospital. Nasty is all I can say. My throat is still bad and I have to see my Doc on Monday. Must take Pepcid for 5 weeks to clear it all out. From now on its no more half finished containers at the shop, and always drink from where you know its safe. Keep all them nasty bike chemicals away from the little ones too.

When is the fall coming??

See when you are old skool cylist there are some things that must be explained. In the old days we craved to have any info as to what was happening in the competitive world of cycling. We were shut off to the world. We waited for months to see who won what. Our only sources of info were Velo News and winning magazine. I am a huge fan of Cross. There is no other sport that I love as much as I do Cross. At most I got some bad photos and a little write up of the more important races and the worlds. This winter I have indulged in watching some complete races right here on my lappie. I truly have been spoiled. Following closely with cyclingnews and some other belgian news agencies. I speak german, a bit of french and english so I have been slowly deciphering the Flemish. At this point I am interested in learning some flemish because I want to go to Belgium next year. At night I have put a 6 pack of cold Stellas on the table and watched each video over and over again.
The season is over and at the worlds we triple medaled with Jonathan Page taking the silver, along with a silver in the juniors and womens.
What more could you ask for? Cyclocross in America is healthy and carrying a lot of progress and weight. Belgium is the size of Delaware and I will be bold in saying this. Watch out because we are going for gold next time!!
Sven,ERwin, Bart, Lars, Richard Groenendal are incredible riders. Watch the future elite stars develop::::: Lars Boom and Niels Albert.
I can't wait till fall.
out,
ari

When all you want to be is a Chump

So today I had the pleasure to work on the above photographed bike. I honestly don't have an issue working with such bikes because yes some people cannot spend a ton o money on a new model. However, I work in one of the most affluent neighborhoods in America. That includes North, Central and South America.
The above photo is of a 20 year old Peugeot City Express that some under-man brought in to turn into a "Race" bike for his wife. This poor woman is supposed to show up with this freaky bike to do a triathlon. My heart dropped when I saw this whole idea becoming clearer in my head.
How can some man have the you know what and allow his beloved wife to go to a competition with such bike? What will the other competitors think?Being ashamed of yourself is just not enough. I cleaned and cleaned till I eliminated some years off the bike. I found the slickest, narrowest contis to give her all the advantage possible. I oiled everything and gave her new cables. Beyond that there is nothing else...... no hope. I really wish she does well and that Mr. Chump will be somehow convinced to come in the shop and buy her a new bike.
Don't ever let a bike mechanic think you are a chump.
Ari

Gitane Vitus XO Cyclocross

Todays dedication goes to my old Gitane crossbike. I had seen and ad in some obscure pricesheet that we got in the shop in the early 90's. It read "60cm gitane Cyclocross orange" price was 199.99 dollars U.S.
There was no specs for seatangle, headtube angle, top tube,standover, Virtual, Reality, Assumed, No diagrams with a million lines, Numbers, absolutely nothing.
At that price I just thought why not buy the damn thing and check it out. Apart from the frame and fork I ordered two sets, one bikes worth, of mafac cantilevers (complete with cables, hangers and all) at 4 dollars a pair.
I received the bike and as ups dropped it off it was already glowing out of the box. This damn thing was bright. I assembled with much haste, Mafacs, suntour barends, 105 crank, un72bb, crap wheels, 6 speed freewheel, old 600 shimano rear der, simplex front, sakae post, crap saddle, crap bars, crap stem, stronglight headset, look moab pedals, yes the real big ones.
The bike was incredible, the geometry dead on. I could plow through mud and snow like nothing. It was light, the brakes worked fantastic. I rode the crap out of this bike for almost 15 years. Under penalty of law I will swear that I never had a mechanical on this bike. Under penalty of law I swear I never had a flat on this bike. I always marveled at how well it rode and how much fun I had on it.
I did many cross races on it and at some point I switched the fork to a Guerciotti cross fork. It made the bike ride even better.
I finally decided to pass it on to someone else and I dissasembled the bike. Once I took the parts off I gave its last breathe. It was just tired of hauling my ass around.
I cleaned it, sprayed the inside, took the stickers off and sold it on ebay for about the same money I bought it.
I am currently looking at a Salsa Chili con Crosso. Scandium. The supplier that had made the carbon forks for these bikes had a huge fire and lost all the forks. It seems to me that this bike is my next cross bike. I am too ashamed to look at the geometry, so when I order it I will just ask for a 60cm.


Ride hard,
Ari