ever think about...

ghetto ride...
Originally uploaded by divine_gear

what bike you could do without, if it was ever stolen? cold hard fact...it happens all the time, hell, even to lance. he's the lucky one, and gets it back (but if he never did, i'm sure trek would have given him a new one); however we (the common people) are not so lucky.

well, i faced this question a few weeks ago. i was sent a letter for jury duty, and i didn't want to drive and park in downtown. so what bike to take that i would feel 'safe' that it would be left outside all day, and not be stolen, and if it was i wouldn't care as much. i thought about the fixie, but that's brand new, and so cool. i thought about the trek vw, but i've got too much money invested in that. then about my flat bar road bike, but that is really my wife's, and then i'd have to get her a new one.

so i sat down and built up this little ride. a trek twelve-twenty with downtube shifters. dia-comp all over the place, sram four.zero rear, one zero five front, ritchey/mavic wheelset (old school), ritchey headset, mich. tires, and some saddle. the mix of the front shifter, and rear derl. was fun to play with. the front shifter has a index and friction setting, so having it on the friction setting made it work with the rear derl. not a bad set up.

all parts were either given to me or taken off of other bikes. the only things that i paid for were the tires, tubes, and bar tape. not a bad set up for locking it up somewhere for a long time, and not really worrying about it.

although it does ride pretty nice (i have to really get use to down tube shifters), the frame really is small for me, toe overlap, and knees hitting the handlebar when i get out of the saddle and stomping on the pedals going up hill.

oh...i didn't get call for jury duty.

amitabha...

new parts...

new race face deus crank set...
Originally uploaded by divine_gear

begin to accumulate in the workshop. no time to put them on, because of the little one, but no worries there.

one such part is this little number. the race face deus. this will be put on the smoothie. i've been looking for a good reason to take off the xtr, and this seemed like a good enough reason to me.

light and stiff. can't wait to try these out...if i ever put them on and ride, but i've got more important things to spend my time with...

amitabha...

been meaning...

new steamroller...
Originally uploaded by divine_gear

to post this for a while, but due to our new family member; i've had more important things on my mind...

anyway; this is my new steam roller in the new cream roller color. all of the parts are from all my other fixies:

ritchey bullhorns, cane creek tt brake lever, salsa stem, surly hubs to salsa rims and matrix rims, dura-ace crankset circa seventy-four, time pedals.

the new stuff is the headset, the hope headset i had on the gristle, tektro front brake (required the long arms), easton seat post, and a serfas saddle.

after many attempts at other fixed geared frames, i woke up and said the steam roller is the way to go (again). sold ride quality. it is set up as a forty-two/sixteen.

took it out last night on the shops first ever single-speed/fixed gear shop ride around chagrin falls. it was almost thirteen miles. hellwig and i were the only fixed geared guys. (missed you ben). everyone else was on freewheels (we allowed two to be on geared, they just couldn't shift; cheaters)

the ride started out great out of the shop down three zero six, and onto savage. we lost two right out of the gates (due to wrong gearing, and first timer single speeder). i leaped out to the front right away onto savage. there then came a right turn off of savage, and i started to mix it up with the group b.s.ing with everyone. i can't tell you the rest of the route simply because i don't know my way around chagrin falls like i ought.

however; jacob took us through some alleys, and some trails that i didn't think that my tires would hold up.

i'm not sure what it was; but going up all but one hill, i was up front putting the hurt on. i think part of it was that i wanted to put the hurt on jg (see what talking smack gets you); until he made a wrong turn. but more importantly, the surly handled great.

after the ride it was drinks and food at trifles. good stuff...

it was great to get out for a ride with the guys. the rides are few and far between...quality over quantity.

amitabha...

yesterday...

parade bike...
Originally uploaded by divine_gear

was the annual blossom day parade in chagrin falls. the shop takes part in it every year.

a lot of drink was had by me. and it then became very difficult to steer a front loaded bike down and up the parade route, on a hill no less. needless to say...this is the last time this bike will be in a parade. not a good drinking bike; plus it is heavy as hell to carry on and off the car.

set it up with the pizza basket with a pizza box, and a whiskey container (both empty). mashed a cage into shape for a flask (filled of course; but not for long), man sized beers in the rear basket, and all personal fx's in the bag.

children cramming the route, all wanting 'hi-fives'. candy thrown out on the street. keep the bell ringing just to make sure that they heard you, and i circled around the truck. stayed up front with the rest of the drunks in our line.

good times were had by all.

amitabha...

on tuesday...

may fifth my wife and i welcomed our new edition to our family...

lydia poppy hamad



amitabha...

the tequila...

new parts on the tequila...
Originally uploaded by divine_gear

is coming along quite nicely. i've upgraded some parts recently to get a couple steps closer to my vision for this ride.

first up the headset. there was aheadset on there, but i switched to a crank brothers directset cobalt sl headset. smoooooth. as far as functionality goes, i think the headset is one piece you should not skimp on.

next the crankset. i forgot when i upgraded the shifters to x.nine the chainrings were still indexed. oops. so i went with a race face evolve xc crankset and bottom bracket. good stuff. shifts much better (obviously), light weight, and good looking.

along with worrying about the front shifting, i upgraded to the x.nine front derailleur. much better here.

for the rear brake i went with the avid ultimate brake. light weight, and stiff.

and since a long tow path ride on this, i put on a pair of cane creek bar ends.

more to come on this ride throughout the summer. including a new wheelset and fork.

amitabha...

here is...

a hit for the race that took place in sikkim just recently. who's going back? this race might be dead in the water...

amitabha...