things I love…..

Greetings Readers!
 
I was thinking about bikes and parts today having recently come from the LBS where I ordered some new parts. I swear, bikes are like Computers, you can’t keep up with all the new stuff! Every day something new comes out that you’ve never seen before. I can’t keep up with all that bling!
As I was barraged by all the new gizmos and gadgets at this higher end bike shop I thought I’d compile the things I love in particular as to individual parts, and or products. Tried and true stuff I spend my own money on. I’ve no specific loyalties to parts and or pieces, loyalties I have with people. So a part has to perform for me or it’s just replaced. Sometimes the bling is just that, with little or no substance. I have tried all kinds of parts (parts encompasing everything on the bike) over the years and this list is an example of what works, and what I’ve found to perform. Bang for buck and all that. Just my opinion folks, nobody is payin me to pimp their stuff. All of my bikes include some variations of these basic staples. I have built all of my bikes myself, and have hand picked the individual frame builders, and parts. I love a “custom built” bike. Something you just won’t find on the showroom floor. If I was building a bike today, it would be built entirely by a combination of this list…..
 
Handbuilt Steel and Ti frames by:
Carl Strong, Independent Fabrication, Richard Sachs, Mike Zanconato, Vanilla, Moots, Mike DeSalvo, and Jim Kish.
Carbon Forks by Reynolds, Easton, and Alpha Q.
Headsets: Chris King exclusively.
Seatposts:  It’s not the fanciest, it’s not even carbon. I love the Thompson seatpost.
Saddle: Selle Italia SLR Gel Flow, the only saddle for my arsk, I own no other.  
Stem and Bar combos: Road, Deda Tool/Newton and or, Ritchey WCS/Salsa Bell Lap for cross
Brakes: Road, Zero Gravity, fantastic product. Cross, Paul Neo’s. There a pain to set up, but the best in canti stopping power.
SRAM drivetrains with: (I really like the SRAM stuff, and I’ve ridden Shimano for many years) FSA K Force Lite, or SLK Lite cranksets, ceramic BB’s, and chainrings. (unless your talking RED)
Pedals: Road, Speedplay. Cross, Egg Beaters. (beaters are a great invention, someone should have thought of 4 sided entry long ago)
Custom Wheels: this is tough, there is a ton of really good wheels out there.                                                                                                               Road, Reynolds mid V/Attack. And or, Zipp 303 rims custom built with DT Swiss Hubs and Sapim CX-Ray spokes. (who can afford um)
Cross, Chris King Hubs custom built with Niobium aluminum alloy tubular rims, and Sapim Laser spokes. (I love Chris King and DT Swiss Hubs)
Factory wheelsets by Reynolds or Zipp, Fulcrum’s too. (again, who can afford um) Mavic’s are workhorses, Ksyriums have been battle tested in cross for years. I haven’t had great luck with Shimano, American Classic, or paired spoke design wheels. Again, there are lots of great wheels out there.
Tires: Road, Vittoria Open Corsa EVO CX, no other clincher road tire comes close. Honorable mention: Michelin Pro Race.
Cross, Tubulars by Challenge, Dugast, and FMB. (I have this newfound obsession, this preoccupation, this compulsion over tubulars that is steadily growing to very unhealthy levels)
 
So there you have it, the Pack Fodder endorsement for road and or cross bicycles.  Yup, that ought to carry some pretty big weight, my personal recommendation! LOL! Why these companies outta be sending me some Federal Reserve Notes (good for all debt, both public and private) to advertise on my blog! Yeah, that’s it, where’s my free parts?
Just joking, as a consumer just like you, I gotta pay my own way. The aforementioned list is worthy of my hard earned dollar. FWIW, take it with a grain of salt, after all, what do I know? I’m just “Da Fodder”.
 
PS, all you Campyphiles out there feel free to substitute Campy for SRAM.
 
Cheers!
 

Is it cross season yet?

Greetings Readers!

 

So’s I’m sitting in the car dealership this morning getting my oil changed, bored outta my mind without internet service. What? No internet service? What year is this? Sheesh. I thought waiting rooms were required to have wireless internet? Didn’t that bill get passed?

 

Anyhow, I’m bored so I go back into my picks from last years cross season, it’s been a while since I’ve viewed them and sho nuff, they put a smile on my face. J I’ve been thinking about cross all day, I love it I tell ya. Why? Well if I could articulate that in a literary sense, I’d be raking in the scratch from having sold millions of copies of my latest novel in the trilogy. That’s a tough thing to just summarize in text.

 

I love the whole thing; I love the people, the bikes, the racing. I love that my family came out to see me suffer, and get my mojo on. I love that people you don’t even know are screaming for you, and the more you appear to be suffering the more they cheer? I love that the Elites will not only give you the time of day, but hand out advice and support. I love the seemingly insurmountable odds that you’ll do well, and when you do it rocks your world. I love the grit. I love the runups, the barriers, the off camber sections, and I love the mud. I love having that really good battle with your nemesis (or two) for lap after lap, neither of you giving an inch and then trading some mud on the bell lap. I love the pain, the suffering; I love the battle that goes on within my own head. I love the mud flying off of the tubbies of the guys in front of me, in seemingly slow motion. I love seeing my pal Ken out there racing. I love the frenzy that is the start of a cross race, that crazy sprint right off the bat that shocks the hell out of you. I love the finish too, that final climactic rush of empting out your body’s reserves, knowing it’s over. You just leave it all out there, and after the finish I love that I just feel like I’m going to puke for half an hour. There is absolutely nothing that jacks me up like a cross race. Those are a cherished 10 weeks a year people, let me tell you.

 

It was great to view those pics, keeps me focused, and keeps me hungry. I can’t wait for this season. I can’t wait for the side show to come to town again for 10 weeks. J

My better half is planning to take a stab @ cyclocross this season, which is going to really be something. Cross, it’s a family affair. I’m almost, almost that is, looking forward to having her race cross more so than getting to race myself.

So I keep focused, keep riding, keep trying to coach myself, all with the eye on the prize.

What’s the prize? To compete of course. I want to give it my all, to leave it all out there and come in with a top 20 finish. Keep in mind we’ll typically get 130 riders +/- in my class at a Crusade Race. So a top 20 is a lofty goal. As long as I’m given’r, I’m satisfied with my race. I just won’t “sit in” or “mail it in” I’m more than willing to suffer like a dog for a less than desirable placing, that in of itself will usually net you 5 or 6 spots.

I definitely have the right attitude; it’s the legs that I’m working on. If only I had the legs……..

 

Tonight is my cheat night, pizza and beer. Tomorrow, we ride………

 

Cheers!