What a Difference a Day Makes!

Sunday I was dragging. I had this swell new bike and my legs were dead. I was thinking to myself "how do people race from April thru December without completely imploding"?
Maybe my protein level was low, or maybe it was in anticipation of my afternoon's activities, but I was whipped.
how I spent Sunday afternoon
But today, on this glorious close to 70 degree day, I was renewed. I figured I'd still be sucking wind, but I had legs I hadn't felt in weeks.
When I got home on Sunday, I fried a couple eggs; the smell of eggs came wafting from a house close to the res. during my ride and set off a craving that had to be satiated. Later that day I ate Quinny's PBJ since he was having nothing to do with it (can't waste good food, right?). For my own actual lunch I had a soy burger.
Today, again I had eggs, as well as my usual cereal, and for lunch, lentil bean soup. Maybe my tank was just low and needed to be topped off?
I had planned on jumping on this training program; I had followed a similar diet my junior year in college, but had supplemented it with cigarettes and beer.
Maybe I'm going to actually think about what I put in my body, or rather should I say, what I eat. But I don't know, could lead me down a dark path. One of training plans, intervals, specificity, 4x4's and all sort of math.
Ooh, "shudder"...and this started off about what a great ride I had today!

First Impression Weekend

Friday

I couldn't wait for the end of work to come on Friday. I had a fairly light day planned, which would leave me plenty of time for my maiden ride on my new Singular Swift. After sitting in traffic on 95, and getting in a little face time with customers, I was at the trail head.

Now it's always a good idea to take a bike you're getting used to riding at a place you're not all that familiar with. Added points if hunting may or my not be allowed in the forest, and hunter's trucks are park at the perimeter.

So I found myself at Cockaponset.

I was in that part of the state, and I'm getting a little bored with the same old same old, so here we are. Riding out of the trail head the first thing I noticed about the Swift was the height. The A/C is 20mm higher than any other fork I've ridden plus the head tube is almost an inch longer than that of my Karate Monkey, giving the Swift about an inch and a half more height at the bars. But all my contact points were where they should be, so off we went.
Another thing I noticed pulling out of the lot was a little braking vibration. This concerned me; I don't want the front end shuttering around every time I brake. Fortunately my concerns were unfounded. Not once did I notice any vibration braking out on the trail.

Climbing felt awkward at first. It would take some time to get used to the bars being this high I thought. But on the other hand maybe I should give it a chance before I run out and get a stem with more negative rise because I was climbing everything. Wet, leave covered, rocky climbs that I'd only ridden once or twice were evaporating before me.

The Swift is very balanced feeling. In the singletrack everything is super intuitive. I got to a downhill section of mountain laurel choked switchbacks and thought to myself "No way are you making this" as I came to a particularly tight turn. But being so centered on the Swift, the rear end just followed me around. Conversely on the way back, I though "there's no way your making this climb", yet other than riding off the trail at a turn do to leaf cover, I did.
I was impressed with just how much stuff I was making. I consider myself a decent technical rider, I guess you have to be somewhat adept to ride in New England, but I was surprising myself with some of the stuff I was making. And the fork. It has got to be one of the best rigid forks I have ridden. Those long slender legs do a great job of absorbing chatter, while remaining precise.

Saturday

Riding on my home turf from home, this would give me a more honest and accurate impression of the Swift. I hate to sound like a suck up, but this frame is really growing on me fast. I'm getting used to the higher front end and I'm starting to think there might be some advantage to it. Climbimg doesn't seem to be hindered, and I think it might be aiding me on the technical stuff. I was making all sorts of "challenge stages" (remember Galaga?), in fact I made some things I haven't made in ages, as well as something I've never made before. I rode up "the shute" of Little Moab along the powerlines (if you know the res.). I found myself hammering down descents that I'd usually be coasting and braking( I'm usually something of a, how can we put this politely, a big pussy, on descents). Again can't say enough about the fork; just spectacular.

Sunday

More of the same. High front end? What high front end? Although the frame and fork has been confidence inspiring, 72 y/o Charlie Beristain reminded me of just how much of a pussy I am as he blasted past me on a hairy fireroad descent (I was going 30.5 mph!). When we got to a more technical, all be it slower descent I took the lead again. He felt it looked like I was effortlessly carving the downhill. I don't know about effortlessly, but without a lot of thought I'd say.

So to sum thimgs up, Sam must be really good at math and junk, because the frame and fork work exceptionally well for the riding I do.

Exciting New Development

In my last post I refered to "an exciting new development", well here it is:

When Cadel Evans announced he was leaving Lotto to persue new challenges, the rumor was he was going to attempt the most highly saught after cycling prize; the SSWC and it's much coveted tattoo. Obviously he'd be riding for Singular in a show of Aussie solidarity with Singular's founder, and head honcho Sam. That'll show those damn Kiwi's!

Well that didn't quite pan out.

As a consolation Singular gets ME!

Their people talked to my people, who talked to their people who talked to my people,who talked to some other people and a deal was struck.

I first became aware of Singular on the Velonews bike talk message board. I thought they were beautiful, but singlespeed? 29'er? Disc only? Never work for a guy like me.

Fast-forward 4 years and I wouldn't consider riding or racing anything else (SS, disc brakes, 29'er, etc). Live and learn.

The first thing that struck me about Singulars was the color. So reminicent of one of my childhood loves; the Bugatti type 35.

But beauty is more than skin deep. Sam's attention to detail and careful consideration of the engineering are what really count. He has a belief on what works best for any given cycling application and sticks to his convictions. For instance, I'm on the very edge size-wise that Sam feels a 29'er is a benefit to. Any smaller and the Hummingbird 26" (or 69'er) would be a better fit in his opinion. That's why his smallest size 29'er is a medium. Also, the fork is designed with a long 485 mm axle to crown length and 48 mm of rake; seems like all the bigger players are jumping on forks with greater offset these days; hmm....

So without further ado, I present the Singular Swift, my race bike for 2010.

Derailleur hanger in case I succumb to using gears.
Phil Wood EBB
It even came with all these cool housing / brake hose clips so you don't have to use zip-ties.
Not only that, but it comes treated w/ Frame Saver, head-tube and disc brake mounts faced, threads chased, and thread lock applied to the water bottle bolts.

Soup Sandwich

In anticipation of exciting new developments I was stripping some of my favorite parts from my Karate Monkey. While I was at it I figured it was a good time to set it up fixed for the Winter. I found it quite ironic that after completing the swap, I stumbled upon this blog, and an alternate view of fixed gear mountain biking.

Without a rear brake and a racer-boy light rear tire Mary Jane was a svelte 21.2 lbs; lighter than I'd ever seen her.

Out on the trail there was an awkwardness that was expected. Getting back up to speed riding fixed offroad has a bit of a learning curve. It's easier than people think, but does take a little getting used to. The biggest thing is when you get to a log, or ledge or some obstacle you have to follow through. You can't try to set up for it like you would on a freewheeling bike. Once you're up on the log you'll likely just be able to pedal through it, you might hit a pedal and fall on your ass, but more than likely you'll just pedal through it. Once you get your fixed legs, you'll be able to hoist your rear wheel and adjust your pedals when your wheels in the air.

Anyways, just riding along, lalala, fixed is fun, riding along the ridge, cliff drop to swanky homes to the left, trees to the right and SHAMWOW! I crash on an outcropping of rocks. As I being riding again, I here a tink tink tink.

Rock x (spokes+high tension)=Broken spokes.

Stopping to inspect my wheel, not only were two spokes broken, but a crank ring bolt had abandoned ship, it's 4 friends wanted to follow suit, my crank spider had come loose, and my Surly Fixxer was loose.

Fucked up like a soup sandwich!

Now this was going to take time to fix. Fixed is about not having to repair your bike. Simple easy. In out done.

Good thing I had an extra hour Sunday.

A little "fixed-gear's friend" on the Fixxer
Making a new single ring crank bolt

Riding fixed downhill offroad feels like when a cheesy action film (think Road Warrior) speeds up the film to make things seem like they are moving faster. I don't know if this actually has any value as far as training or performance. It's like being able to rub your belly and patting your head at the same time. Actually it's a lot easier, because I can do it.

Crazy stupid fun.

End of the Month, End Of DST

It's the end of the month and that means one thing; time to deliver some sinks so I can get paid!

It works out well that things slow down just a touch in the last week of the month, probably because everyone is starting to think about paying their rent or mortgage, so I can carve large hunks of time out of the afternoon to make super-sized delivery loops.

It's most important to have your delivery loop end near somewhere good to ride, today for instance my last stop was scheduled for 3:30 PM on the West side of West Hartford, which just so happens to be where my home away from home is.

3:30 PM should work out perfect I thought. Unload the vanity top, polite chit-chat while the lady of the house pays me (cash, thank you), and be at the Res. by 3:45 PM.

Unfortunately her sense of time wasn't as acute as mine. Doesn't she realize this is going to be one of my last after work rides without lights? What's wrong with her! Didn't she notice how the weatherman screwed the pooch again and messed up my whole weekly riding schedule? The nerve!



Screw it! It's 3:47 PM, and the sun is sinking fast, I'll try again tomorrow.



Pull out of her driveway only to be stopped by housewives talking in the middle of the street. They keep looking at me, gesturing that they are going to get out of the road, yet the don't do it? Finally the seas of estrogen part and I'm on my way.

To riding my bike that is. That's what this is supposed to be about.

I'm a little concerned of something wicked coming my way beneath the blanket of leaves so I'm running my tires on the hard side for me (25 PSI).

Leaves don't only hide rocks and roots, but puddles. More like ponds in some cases. Remember that part about the weatherman? I've go to wonder if I'm bouncing around so much due to what's under the leaves or my over inflated tires?

The sun is getting low as I hit the Western ridge. The abstract beauty of the leaves and light is breathtaking. I'd illustrate this with a picture, but of course in the rush to get to the trails I don't have anything to take a picture with. Close your eyes and use your imagination. Isn't that pretty?

I was contemplating putting the"not race wheels" on the Fun Machine and hitting the road tomorrow, but now I don't know. How many more days like this will I have on the trails this year?

Bee's Knees or Dog's Dinner

Back it he day looking like I'm going to wet my pants

Back in the day I dated an Irish girl who would use colorful colloquialisms such as "the bee's knees" or "the dog's dinner". If your unfamiliar with theses phrases, I'll use them in a sentence for you, a sentence much like Martina would say to me back then: "That party last night was great, the bee's knees, but Charles look at you, you look like the dog's dinner, you drank so much".
So I was thinking of forming a rating system with these two phrases on either end of the spectrum when it comes to rating bicycle parts.
The problem is I need to fill in the space between the two extremes.
For instance, Conti Race Kings might be the bee's knees on hardpack and fast trails, but although there performance is lacking on real sloppy trails, I wouldn't call them the dog's dinner.
I need something of a lesser extreme.
I could just explain this in a descriptive sentence like "Although fast as hell on hardpack, when the trail is sloppy it's like last call on St. Patrick's Day", but I'd rather have a 5 phrase system to cover the bases of product rating.
Any clever verse will be gladly plagiarized for my own entertainment, with no credit what so ever to the author.
So what do ya got?

Too Many MTB Blogs

I was at a bookstore the other day borrowing a copy of Mountain Bike while I drank a coffee. At the back there was a graph of what's hot and what's not. Their presumption was there are way too many mtb blogs.
I disagree; I don't think there are enough.
Maybe the percentage of readable to self absorbed babble is a little skewed, but I could use a few more good reads.
Whether it's Monday and I want to see how everyone's race went, sometimes comparing my race experience with theirs, other times living vicariously through them.
Sometimes I want to try and get the lowdown on a course I haven't ridden so I have a clue as to how to gear or what tires to run. Or read about place I've never been, or foods I'll never eat (ever).
Sometimes I just want a good laugh, or commiserate with my fellow riders experiences.
So help me out here; keep 'em coming!