rebirth of old faithful

[chief]

hey carlos, i was talking with ben today out @ mcalister and he made an interesting recommendation. transform my old gt saddleback into a single speed. wadda ya think. can i do it relatively cheap?

[carlos]

only way i know how is to get a chain tensioner (you can use a rear der) and get a single speed hub. bam! ya loose the big and small ring up front and you invest in some freewheels for that single speed hub.

there is a way to convert a shimano multi speed hub to accept only one cog but it requires a ton of spacers and doesn't always work too well.

OR you can just leave the cassette on and block the rear der to one cog. kind of a so so set up.

anyway, loose the front der and shifters and you're ready to blow those knees out! yeee!!!!! haaaa!!!!!

a rigid fork might be really cool too.

[chief]

sounds kool, but i said really cheap! guess i'll be hittin those pawn shops!

[aLaN]

Speaking of pawn shops.....

At Kerville they are talking about $100 downhill. $100 first place.

Rules.....

Bike is less than $100 value and no supension.

keep that in mind when you are at the pawn shops!

[chief]

maybe i can find one of these at the pawn shop - hmmm - think i can sup up the gt like this? carlos?

http://www.luxurylowrider.com/tribabcp.htm

wonder how it would handle at comfort?

[carlos]

i'm sure it would handle just fine, chief. at most, you might need to move the seat a little further back.

in the mean time ckeck out Surly. SS frames WITH fork, all Cro Mo, for $300 bucks. not bad huh?


http://www.1x1speed.com/

[joetoeclips]

Chief:

I was contemplating the same thing; I can get a killer deal on a Haro Werks frame, make that my race hardtail and convert my Schwinn into a single speed...just gotta convince the wife a fifth bike is a good thing.

Keep me updated on your progress.

[chief]

the process will be slow. gotta pay for a root canal, and upgrade some parts on my truck. i'm getting the rancho shocks with in-cabin damper adjustment kit. also going in for tune up, new brakes, new fuel pump, lube, and oil change. bike stuff has got to be put on hold for a bit.

[Big T]

Sounds like the rebirth and old faithful refer to your truck. I am doing it the opposite. Bike first, truck second. Got my priorities all screwed up or right on the money depending on who you ax.

[chief]

well, my truck is a born again p/u! 2 years ago i put in a new engine and last year i dropped in a new transmission. now it's just getting it fine tuned and replacing original parts. my baby is an 89. old. oh yeah, new steering brackets going on also!

[aLaN]

Originally posted by Big T
Sounds like the rebirth and old faithful refer to your truck. I am doing it the opposite. Bike first, truck second. Got my priorities all screwed up or right on the money depending on who you ax.

I'm with ya Terry.

This spring I planned to purchase a new frame then boom by computer crapped out. So I get a deal on a killer new computer (800 MHz PIII, 30 Gig, DVD, CD RW ahhhh!) so I plan to get my new frame. Then car-b-que. Pffft!!!! Over a grand of rewiring and alternator crap. So I say to myself maybe next year I’ll get a new bike…..

Screw it. Next year only God knows what financial obstacles will be in the way. SO I have a little heart to heart with my car. I let it know that while it was in the shop (for 4 weeks) I got around just fine on my bike, and even drove to Tyler with a rented Caravan (which I liked very much).

I ordered my new frame and still drive my little POS around. If it dies I really don’t care because before to long I am going to have a BADASS bike!

I understand your priorities! Life is too short not to have a killer bike!


zzzzz!
:p

[chief]

these are the babies i'm putting in the truck in august. whole system! jeah!

http://www.autoaccessorizor.com/rancho.asp

[Chris aka Killer]

you gotz the priorities straight my brothas!

Speaking of bikes, I found out that Schwinn is going to warranty my FS homegrown with a Rocket '88, They will ship it to bike world as soon as they get a shock in from Fox.

Also, I took the 21" hardtail homegrown frame in to Ride Away to get Built up. Hopefully I'll be riding in by the end of the week.

Heres the specs:

Frame: 2000 black Homegrown
Shock: 2001 electric blue SID SL
black Thompson elite seatpost and Stem
Easton monkey lite riser bar
Race Face BB and Cranks
XTR der. brakes and shifters.
Yeti grips

Any suggestions on a Wheelset for my new baby?

[Big T]

Rocket 88. Sweet. I was looking at that frame once. That or as Carlos once said, an Ellsworth Truth would be a good one. So now jou going to have two bikes, si no? Killer. That esplanes the knickname.

Man, you have had some major bummer dilemmas lately dude. Take it easy, you don't want to go into a slide. Things will get better and there's always tomorrow. Good luck.

;)

Alan, I have to say that your car problems at the same time of my car problems, helped to ease the pain. Plus, my wife and I work about 4 miles apart so we carpool. At first I felt that I needed to get another car right away.

Now, I hardly think about the 2nd car. All I can think of right now is my bike. And not just any bike. A bike like I have never owned and only dreamed about before. See, I had already forgotten about the car shit.

BIKES FUCKING RULE!!!

[Chris aka Killer]

dats Tres Bicicletas, Ese!

-Chris "el matador" Armstrong

bicicleta numero uno

[Big T]

Diiiiaaaammmnnnn Diiiiuuuuddddeee. 3 biiiiiooooottttccccchhhheeesss all to jouselves. Jou shellfish mang.

[Chris aka Killer]

22 more to go!

[Chris aka Killer]

woohoo!

[Big T]

Cho-off. Hehehehe

[aLaN]

Speaking of bikes, I found out that Schwinn is going to warranty my FS homegrown with a Rocket '88, They will ship it to bike world as soon as they get a shock in from Fox.

Excellent!



All I can think of right now is my bike. And not just any bike. A bike like I have never owned and only dreamed about before.

Yup! The IF is not the most flashy or expensive bike, just a simple hardtail. But since seeing one up close in Lajitas it was my dream bike. Ride now, pay later! I called Ruben at Ride Away yesterday and nothing yet. But this week or next week. He he he. Plus I have a new chain, cassette, handlebar, grips.....

But it is even more than just about dream bikes. It is just about the bike.

[Big T]

True. And I've even dreamed of my pieces of shit bikes. It is all about the bike. I am just happy to be bumping up a notch.

[John]

Any suggestions on a Wheelset for my new baby?

I am real happy with Chris King hubs and Bontrager Mustang rims. Bontrager makes different rims. Alan got the lighter weight, and I got the heavy duty ones. You are taller, but probably weigh less and may be able to use either one. There was not much of a weight differential so I went for heavy duty. See what Carlos has to say.

[carlos]

race only or everything wheels?

kings would be oh so sweet on that thing. Gold Kings, black spokes, gold nipples, and black mustangs.

i'm in a golden mood i guess.

[Rene]

and gold handlebars, wide whitewalls, and a gold banana seat, vato!! Make sure you drop it about 3 inches, ese!!

[carlos]

chris, you'll also need to toss those dumb-ass biker chorts you wear and get some Dickies.

[h.j.]

And I'll airbrush "Armstrong" on the side holmes!:cool:

Unless you want that tatooed on your back.

[h.j.]

On another note. This weekend is an informal 12hr race out at comfort?
If so, can I show up in the evening and do one lap for the hellofit?
FOR FREE??

[almeraz]

Originally posted by h.j.
On another note. This weekend is an informal 12hr race out at comfort?
If so, can I show up in the evening and do one lap for the hellofit?
FOR FREE??

YEA , IS WHAT I LIKE TO DO THIS WEEKEND NOT THE 12 HR. RACE BUT, I'LL LIKE TO DO SOME LAPS FOR THE HELLOFIT.
DOES SOME BODY KNOW IF WE CAN DO THAT??????

[TechniKal]

Man - you guys are all freaking addicted to new bike crap. Move to Austin, where the resident nazi LBSs charge full list price or above, and you'll cure yourself of that problem -real quick-. Or just get married and try to explain to your lovely and beautiful SO just why you need to spend more on bike parts each month than you do on the mortgage.

Of course, then you'd probably just spend countless hours browsing online bike stores, salivating over the tiny little pictures of bike porn instead of doing work... not that I would know anything about slacking off at work or bike porn or anything like that... slurp...

Speaking of SO's... my wife led her first group ride last night - a Beginner's 'Ride Like a Girl' ride on the Greenbelt. This is a chick who hadn't ridden a bike in 10 years when I met her a couple of years ago. I'm so proud... But now, she's starting to question why I've got fancy schmancy parts on my bike, and she doesn't... I fear I may have created a monster - one that will effectivley cut my bike budget in half...

[Big T]

Like I always say, "Don't party or ride with your SO and you will have more for yourself".

Of course you have to avoid looking at yourself in the mirrors or the guilt will bring you down. But, hey, I can live with that.

[aLaN]

Originally posted by TechniKal
But now, she's starting to question why I've got fancy schmancy parts on my bike, and she doesn't... I fear I may have created a monster - one that will effectivley cut my bike budget in half...



Kyle;

If you planned this correctly your Santa Cruz would be speck'd with LX and XT.

You can "upgrade" your wifes bike to XT while you go XTR! Just tell her that the really cool stuff is black and the XTR grey is low end crap! A good husband would want the best for his wife.

Good luck!

*disclaimer*
the above statement was posted by a single, never been married person with no real clue about women

Ah hell just give it a shot and let us guys know if it works!

[TechniKal]

Still Single Alan Posted:

If you planned this correctly your Santa Cruz would be speck'd with LX and XT.

You can "upgrade" your wifes bike to XT while you go XTR! Just tell her that the really cool stuff is black and the XTR grey is low end crap! A good husband would want the best for his wife.


That's kind of what I've been doing. It was working out well - whenever I wanted something new, I'd suddenly "discover" that Michelle's bike just happened to have a problem with the exact same part. I'd buy a new part, move the old part from my bike to hers - then get kudos for being a good and observant husband. Unfortunately, this scheme has run its course. She's riding with chicks that are worse gear junkies than I am - and starting to ask questions about full suspension bikes... I'll be really pissed when she starts dusting me on the climbs...

Kyle - who can proudly say he's never owned anything XTR.

[Big T]

XTR what is that? Is there life after XT. Of course, I am a Shimano junkie. Just not the hydroponic (XTR) parts. Too expensive!!!

[TechniKal]

Originally posted by Big T
XTR what is that? Is there life after XT. Of course, I am a Shimano junkie. Just not the hydroponic (XTR) parts. Too expensive!!!

Agree with ya there Big T... My calculations:

I weigh about 90800 grams fully decked for riding. The difference in weight between a full LX group and a full XTR group is about 250 grams. The price difference is about $700 - or 300%. So, I can spend 300% more to save ~ 0.25% of the combined weight of the bike and me - and I'd be hard pressed to tell any difference in performance of the two groups on the trail.

XTR is great - but I'd prefer to spend my extra money on a better frame, nicer tires, beer, etc.

[aLaN]

Originally posted by TechniKal


XTR is great - but I'd prefer to spend my extra money on a better frame, nicer tires, beer, etc.


Then upgrade your frame! I am sure that your wife would love you if you told her that she needed a full suspension Santa Cruz.

But where do you go from there?

Gotta ride! Goin ta 700!

[George]

Originally posted by TechniKal


She's riding with chicks that are worse gear junkies than I am -

Well daaaaamn smokey, hook a brutha up! I'll play sugar daddy.

I mean, I don't know, you can put me in the same group with Alan about women, but a chick that rides? I figure you're at least half way there- you don't have to put up with "how can you spend so much time and money on your bike" or "I don't want to spend our vacation riding in Moab, I want to spend it shopping in Milan" or....





The difference in weight between a full LX group and a full XTR group is about 250 grams. The price difference is about $700

I will ALWAYS go back to my initial argument against personally upgrading to XTR: I can take a dump and that "upgrade, err download" saves me more weight and costs far, FAR less than a lighter, new component set... hell, on that note, I upgrade to Campy Records before every road ride all the time! But I think that's sharing a bit too much information.

[TechniKal]

Originally posted by aLaN



Then upgrade your frame! I am sure that your wife would love you if you told her that she needed a full suspension Santa Cruz.



Great idea... now if I could just figure out how to make her grow a foot or so taller and it would work!

[TechniKal]

Originally posted by George


Well daaaaamn smokey, hook a brutha up! I'll play sugar daddy.

I mean, I don't know, you can put me in the same group with Alan about women, but a chick that rides? I figure you're at least half way there- you don't have to put up with "how can you spend so much time and money on your bike" or "I don't want to spend our vacation riding in Moab, I want to spend it shopping in Milan" or....



Then Austin's the place to be - every Monday night we have 40 or so Mountain Biking' Mommas meet up to ride in the 'Ride like a Girl' series. A veritable candy store of little chickadees - who are automatically cool because they ride. I can't believe you guys haven't set something up like that in SA.. Sure beats the hell out of trying to pick up some over-stuffed, over-painted hoochie in a bar - not that I would know anything about picking up over-stuffed, over-painted hoochies in bars...

[h.j.]

Originally posted by TechniKal

- not that I would know anything about picking up over-stuffed, over-painted hoochies in bars...

Hey Kyle, a great man once said "It not quality grasshoppa, It quantity";)

[chief]

Originally posted by h.j.


Hey Kyle, a great man once said "It not quality grasshoppa, It quantity";)

yeah, it's like a choice between 1 shiner bock or a six pack of lone starr!

[Middy]

I really like the way you guy's think. This is the funniest Thread I've read yet. I actually laughed outloud.

THANKS, Middy.