Are you ready?

Tidewater Challenge on Sunday...Am I ready?




Yep, Im ready...

New Goods

So for starters, thanks Gary! Fisher that is. Many of you know I was riding a Rig most of the season. I really wanted one of the Superfly SS models but wasn't as hot on the sliding dropouts. Sliders requisite either a bolt-on hub or some kind of tom-foolery with tensioners that may or may not work with a quick-release hub. This isn't a big deal for casual riding but for racing it becomes a real pain in the arse.

So I opted for a Rig equipped with a trusty eccentric bottom bracket. Now this season my good buddy Ted out at Fisher decided to change things up a bunch and replaced the Sliders on the old Fly with a new design:



So that did it. I knew I had to have one of those. Place the order with Fisher and a few days later BAM!! Fly. And boy does it. I have ridden some bikes in my day, and I have ridden some 29ers. Four different 29ers now: Soma, Niner, Rig, Fly. Many of you out there heard all of the praise I had for my Niner. I would even venture to say some folks out there in the world bought a Niner based in part on how thrilled I was with mine. Well let me tell you now folks, nothing beats a Fly.

I have been more stoked by the Superfly than ever bike I have ever had. I had my doubts about the G2 with the rig, but I think that's because the Rig wasn't designed ot be a racing bike, whatever the difference between the Superfly and the Rig, the Fly is a whole different bike, or animal I should say. So you all know I dig it; its lighter, smoother, faster, and way sexier.

So here we go:



So whats the same?
Still got the custom Industry Nine wheels, Thanks as always to Frank down in Asheville. And of course the trusty BB discs, and don't forget the rockin foam grips from Bontrager, KCNC QRs and the rest of the goods off of the Rig. All told its just barely over 19lbs. I sold the old Rigid fork, and and planning on scoring one of the new Bontrager Race X Lites (more to follow) as soon as theyre available. I hear Jesse Lalonde has his down to a little under 17lbs. Reckon I can get there? Not sure I want to.

So what is different?
I have a new Gobi on there, one that matches. I also have the Full Bonty XXX Lite kit, bars and seatpost. If y'all haven't checked out the new Bontrager stuff, you should. Its really awesome. I think the kids these days would call it "dank." yeah...dank.



I also have a new set of levers, courtesy of Avid. They were kinds enough to send along the newest Blackbox Speed Dial Ultimates. You all know of my love for mechanical disc brakes, well these babies take it to the next level entirely. Designed by an alien race, and gifted to president Reagan on his first trip to the moon (in the future that is) these brakes have all kinds of trick stuff I had never seen before. A little lighter than the SLs I had previously and cnc'd, all coming in a sick matching black package.

Cockpit:


A set of white Nokon cables and housing will be coming soon (because Gold is soooo Niner), as will some new rubber from Fisher to finally finish off the deal. Im also planning on a new set of I-9s, perhaps Red? Maybe purple! That'd go about as well as Orange. So if anybody wants a set of I-9s give me an offer.

Now all there is left to do is finally conquer Tidewater. Every year I go out to the Tidewater Challenge and hunt for Single Speed glory, and every year something goes wrong. Last year I made the mistake of racing the Mountain Crit the day before and didn't have the juice for the big day. A year before I flatted, big time, and the year before that I don't even know, probably just slow. But this year I can do it. Im there, its there, jam-time!

So yeah, I dig the new bike, and I dig all of you out there. So if anybody would like to go for a ride, I would really like that. But I'm rambling. Hugs and kisses......well maybe just smiles and grins.

haha, the ad guys finally get singlespeeds

First of all you all need to visit my 29er crew blog to learn alllll about my Shenandoah Mtn 100 craziness. Here you go. Now on with the show:

So all the hype of singlespeed road bikes "urban fixies" or whatever must be wearing of, or at least reaching a critical mass. I saw a bunch of ads the other day and I just had to post them. Check it:



Now even little Asian girls can have ripped tree trunk legs, but that's not all, even OLD men and little hipster dweebs can have swole quads:





eeeeeewwwww...

Sneak Peek

Ok so for starters, those of you who didnt see my Dark Mountain Disaster, here it is:



As a result my newest toy is not yet finished so it will not yet be presented (however it is rideable and boy is it fast).

So here is a little sneaky peak of my new toy:




Lets just say this one has had my name on it for a while now:




Stay tuned, now that I'm back at school blog posts will come more and more frequently.

Euro-trash?

So I know that visors are supposed to be all preppy and crap; but what does that mean for this guy spotted at the Tour of Ireland?



He has turned his cycling cap into like a 1980s sweatband visor kind of thing....I kinda want one. Now where is that campy old cycling cap, the pink one of course.

No Giro

So thanks all of you for all of the welcome home messages I have received. It feels good to finally be back in the land of the big wheels (and freedom and all that crap). Watching some late night TV the other night however I was reminded just how backwards our country is unfortunately. I tuned into ESPN to try and catch the new of the Giro from that day (from the ticker tape on the bottom of the screen because there definitely want going to be any actual coverage) and was shocked to see what was playing on the 'ol Entertainment and Sports Programming Network. NO Giro, duh, but I was quickly riveted nonetheless by what played...thats right, the National Spelling bee (live-ish) from WAshington DC. Here are of a few of my favorite moments:




Unfortunately that video only contained the winner; who no doubt deserved the award and the 40 large he received as a prize. However the only slightly less coveted award at the National Bee is the "best mustache for a kid who has yet to ht puberty" award. And this years award goes to the runner up:


Wow, so glad I was able to watch this instead of the Giro.

I wanted to find the video for "im on a boat" but apparently its not available in the UK. Sucks! Oh well in lue of that here we go:



So that's right folks, by the time many of you read this I will in fact be either on my way or home already. And just like Ozzy says its been sooooooo long. I'm ready for my Blue Ridge back, I'm ready for all my old friends and my family, I'm ready for mountain bikes for cheesesteak's sake! See ya'll soon.

-GWW-