[Phatboing]

2000 miles is as good a time as any to beginning coveting the next bike.

My last purchase was a Salsa Colossal Ti, because speed.

A longer-winded explanation is that all through Freezing Saddles, I noticed that I was adjusting all my bikes for a more aggressive fit, so I decided that my body’s changing and while I don’t fully understand these changes, a fast bike for riding fast would help. My original plans for a swift pavement bike went …. in a different direction:

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(this is now my all-thing-doer)

It helped that I don’t have a car and could thus shamelessly rationalize myself into that purchase.

@KayakCyndi 83735 wrote:

6500 miles of road riding, commuting, gravel grinding, and touring later…

How long have you had it? It feels like not very long ago I was watching Volagi’s very first promo video for the Viaje.

I did try the Viaje and Bikenetic, and was very bummed that the fit was all wonky, because it’s so pretty.

[Phatboing]

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Went esplorin in the Pimmity regions. Realized I’m in terrible shape for climbing, and Kill Bill will kill me.

[Phatboing]

I have a pair of Specialized Tahoes, which fit my wide flipper feet quite nicely. The sole’s not stiff like the more fancypants shoes, but it gets the job done both on- and off-bike. I also didn’t use them much by the time I gave up on SPDs, so if you’re a size 43 (US 9.5 I think), you could consider maybe buying them off me (complete with shiny new cleats, even).

[Phatboing]

This sounds like exactly the kind of thing I bought the Future Space Sex Machine for.

The engine, however, I cannot fully vouch for.

[Phatboing]

@JimF22003 83098 wrote:

Thanks for the advice. I think I could go to a 28 on the back without changing anything else, but I don’t think that would buy me too much. Truthfully I’m looking for an excuse to buy a new bike, but I’m just not sure how much of this kind of riding I’ll actually do. I’m mainly a road person, and will probably always be one.

I must admit, I had me a good larf upon reading this.

Presented for your consideration:

If I hadn’t gotten such a good deal on my Colossal, I’d have gotten this: http://www.ninerbikes.com/RLT9 (the excuse to get one being that it ticks many boxes for both roading and off-roading)

[Phatboing]

@JimF22003 82967 wrote:

1) increase rear cassette range to at least 32 and preferably 34 or 36 teeth. I think I’ve seen some people switch to a mountain bike RD for this without having to swap the shift levers.

This might be possible while keeping the Ultegra RD. I’m running a 11-32 on the Fargo, with the Ultegra RD (medium cage, I believe), and it’s totally fine and wonderful. I’ve taken it MTB-ing in Lake Fairfax, and the new gearing eliminated all the issues I had with the wheel spinning out on climbs.

Two minor issues: The jockey gear hits the cog when in the highest (11t) gear, and it also hits the cog in the granny-32 combination (but not in the middle-32 combo). The former isn’t a problem because hey, it’s a Fargo, and I have no need to go that fast, and the latter is similarly not a problem, because hey, it’s a Fargo, and I’m not climbing trees with it.

[Phatboing]

@Terpfan 82735 wrote:

The respiratory ailment will last longer than you think. I had the flu last week from Saturday to Saturday and figured by now my lungs would be fine. Instead, 2/3 of the way in, I found myself still coughing hard. Oh well, I did make it. THe cold doesn’t bug me, just the hacking cough.

Uh huh. It is doing exactly that. The cold makes the hacking hackier.

[Phatboing]

… was in a bus. Again. With a psychotic driver who takes turns like it’s a little compact car. Because I’ve only just barely gotten better from a knocked-off-the-bike respiratory ailment, and it’s too cold. I say this as I look at the Freezing Saddles Bicycle Icicle still waiting to be mounted on a bike. Ugh.

Not being able to bike makes me grumpy, and sleepy and some other dwarves.

[Phatboing]

I have a Blackburn AirTower (this one, I think: http://www.blackburndesign.com/air-tower-45.html), and it is wonderful. I have more ‘high volume’ needs than high pressure, but this has been totally competent at both. The valve is maybe a bit tight for Schrader valves, so you have to give it some muscle, but that’s all I can complain about.

[Phatboing]

There were 4-5 CaBis in a pile at the bike racks near the Natural History museum yesterday. Not locked or nothin’, even. Don’t they get stolen? At the very least, someone could have taken the bike, puttered about town the entire day, and run up a big bill.

[Phatboing]

… was in a bus, because after surviving an entire winter, I’ve been taken out for now by an angry imp in my throat regions. In spring!

People in cars (Rt 7 going to Tysons) looked more miserable than I was, though. At least I had a book to read.

[Phatboing]

I’ve christened it Future Space Sex Machine.

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It ate up the Buckthorn hill, and I barely broke a sweat.

[Phatboing]

Does anyone know how to delete your account? I couldn’t find anything on the site, and I’ve decided that I don’t really give a toss about this. I ride year-round anyway, and I don’t want to do the silly insane sync shenanigans.

[Phatboing]

@Yggdrasil 81236 wrote:

14. You definitely harden up, hot and cold begin to phase you less and less.

This winter, it was more like stupid up for me. I’d spent so much time in the saddle that I’d forgotten how to dress off the saddle – I’d layer up like I was going for a ride, but of course, you don’t generate heat walking or standing, so I’d wind up cold and annoyed.

[Phatboing]

@hozn 81450 wrote:

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New bars (Ritchey WCS Logic Curve), new brakes (TRP Spyres), new shifters (Sram Apex replacing old 105), new cables & housing, new fun reflective stickers, new bar tape. It’s practically a new bike!

Coming from BB7s, I am very impressed with these TRP brakes. The stopping power is better and delivery smoother. (And not that BB7s are at all a bad brake.)

I’ve been wondering about TRP Hy/Rds, myself – they seem pretty good, and reviews are positive, but so few stock bikes have them that it’s sad. I’m assuming that if the Spyres are good, the Hy/Rds should be too, right?

[Author]

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