Just got back from a trip to Baltimore. Spending 6 days with Alex and Tank, drinking our brains silly every night, and being free from everything else was … needed. As Alex put it, our time together could no longer be called a bender, it had turned into a spirit quest.
Call it a reboot of sorts. That’s what I am right now. Rebooted.
It’s February. There’s enough daylight now that you can see outdoors at 5:30pm. Change is in the air. I’m pumped to ride the fat tires again.
Of course, videos like this help. A lot.
Enjoy it – I can’t wait till I can get my new wheels.
Looks like QBP will be carrying Supernova Dyno Lights soon and that means no more battery-lights for the Mendota!
In the interim I’ll be picking up a Planet Bike Blaze Dynamo. It’s a lot less expensive, and it’ll work for the month or so till those are *supposed* to arrive. I love my current light for it’s brightness, but I won’t lie and say I’m not the best at keeping things charged up. Not long after I took this photo, for instance, the light started flashing and BAM – I was without my main light to see. Not a huge deal with all the ambient lighting on the bike paths, but less than ideal.
Definitely don’t like to skimp on lighting. It’s one of the things I see out riding around town that most cyclists could use a little more of. Defensive lights work when it’s dusk, but when it’s dark you really need some offensive power.
Because it’s relevant to right now : GEAUX SAINTS!!!
I’m a Wisconsinite through and through. However, when our long and cold winter swings by, for the last 26 years I’ve never partook in any winter sport.
Not hockey.
Not skiing.
Not snowboarding.
Not even ice fishing.
I’ll admit I’ve taken to snow biking/commuting the last couple years, but nothing that you would classify as only do-able in winter. It’s a little odd that all this time I’ve done nothing to really embrace winter, or show my true Wisconsin heritage.
That’s finally changing!
I got some awesome SNOWSHOES for Xmas this year. Mucho Thanko goes to my parents. I’ve only been out on them a couple times so far and I love it. Winter X-training! This also gives me some time to get out on some trails and get more exercise. Looking forward to some days off and hitting the powder. A trip to Jim’s is in order, that’s for sure.
Also need to bring in the MTB and get it ready for some snow-bikin’. More to report when that actually happens. I’m fighting a bit of a bug right now, so no biking at all for another day or two. Yes, I’m bummed.
I’m a bike geek. I see something that is shiny and cycling related a little voice in my head goes “ooo … you totally need that.”
I average about 50/50 when it comes to fighting that voice. With greater attempts to actually save a little money here and there, the “it’s cool but I don’t REALLY need it” has been winning out.
Not this time though.
To start out the new year I’ve switched my beloved Mendota to a full Alfine-equipped-super-commuting machine. I’ve also solidified my place at the shop for being “that guy.” A win of epic proportions.
I did this for a couple of reasons.
1) It’s piano-key black, which looks AWESOME and it’s different.
2) It’s ACTUALLY a functional change to the bike that I use for commuting, running errands, and riding around in hellacious street conditions. Having a dyno front hub also means that I won’t have to worry about charging up my batteries for my higher-powered lights! Something that I end up doing quite often — especially in Winter.
I know, the idea of doing something FUNCTIONAL to one of my bikes might seem surprising. It’s a new year! Time to make some progress!
In addition, my brakes got a nice upgrade as well. I’m running Avid hydraulic brakes with carbon levers. No more problems with cables freezing up, and the carbon levers do better at insulating the fingers from the cold. (At least that’s what I tell myself.)
Drivetrain wise I’m running a 44t front ring and the 18t rear cog on the setup – the hub covers the same range as my old 2×9 setup, just losing out a little on the highest end; where I never spent anytime pedaling anyways. Getting used to the gear-range steps has taken some getting used to since it’s not equal among them, but I’ll post up my thoughts on that after I get some more riding time in.
The bike now sports a sweet Snow Trooper look to it as well. (I’ll change that to Storm Trooper come spring.) Ride quality is vastly improved with the stronger wheels. Shifting is excellent running full length housing from the shifter to the hub – I don’t foresee any problems with the salt & slush at all for the rest of the season!
Since the bike was setup for gears originally I matched things up with an Alfine chain tensioner as well. Works super slick – I do lose that “single speed” look but it works, and that’s what matters. Chainline is perfect with this setup as well, something that I didn’t know I could achieve.
Complete specs as follow -
Gary Fisher Mendota 21″
Bontrager RXL Seatpost, Stem and Riser Handlebars
PDW Dapper Dan Ergo Grips
Alfine Trigger Shifter
Alfine front/rear dyno hubs laced with DT Competition Spokes on Bontrager Mustang 29 rims.
Bontrager RXL GXP Road Crankset
Shimano A530 Pedals
Salsa Crossing Guard Chain Guard & 44t Ring
Avid Juicy Carbon Brakes w/G3 Centerlock Rotors
Nokian Hakkapellita W106 Studded Winter Tyres
Disc ReeLights w/capacitor
Bontrager Rack & Trunkbags
SideTrak CliMitts Pogies
SKS Chromoplastic Fenders
The only original part on the bike that I haven’t changed from stock is the headset. Yes … I’m hoping to fix that problem.
Enjoy the winter! Keep riding – no such thing as bad weather, just bad gear. 
I took 2 weeks off the bike completely. No indoor riding, no winter commuting, I even let my leg hair approach length levels that I haven’t seen since my teens.
That ended the other day, thankfully. The legs are smooth again, I’m back on the trainer and now back to braving the frozen tundra on two wheels.
Chris Shaw – our Tech Service Manager at TBS East and wheelbuilder extraordinaire (he worked as a wheel engineer and tester for many years at Trek before coming to the store!) finished building me up a sweet new pair of wheels for my ever-changing Mendota. I’ll post the details up in my next post with photos – but the upgrade has made a HUGE difference in how the bike rides, and how it feels overall. You might be able to catch a glimmer of it in the photo below … but if you can’t check back (hopefully) tomorrow for my writeup on my Alfine-equipped Fisher Mendota.
Stay warm!
Title for the first post of the year comes from RJD2: Since We Last Spoke. I think it sets a good tone for the post. ;D
Didn’t quite hit 4000 miles.
Didn’t learn how to do a handstand.
DID hit personal and store sales goals for the year.
DID get rad on my bike.
Other cool things that happened since the 14th of December:
Got snowshoes.
Completed Alfine build on my Mendota
Took 2 weeks off biking & commuting. Missed it a lot.
Jen can do handstands, so she said she’ll teach me. Resolutions for the next year? None really. Going to continue to improve at the store, get rad on the bike, and have fun. I am making a conscious effort to cook more and be back at the gym a few times a week instead of only cycling all the time.
2009 was AWESOME. 2010 is going to be even better!
Filed under: Commuting | Tags: Commuting, Madison, Photos, Weather, Winter
I get back from Florida for one day and BAM. Mother Nature finally decides to spring Winter (hahahaha. I’m funny.) upon us by dumping 17+ inches of snow one day, and dropping the temps far enough to need a longer thermometer.
No complaining on my part though. Winter brings some much needed diversity to the year, and the cycling season. The riding season isn’t done by any stretch, it just is altered to deal with the changing conditions. Riding through the cold temperatures, the packed snow, the silence of very few people being out during a snowstorm is just spectacular!
Enjoy some photos from my first real Winter ride of the year. Expect gratuitous gear shots and the like in the future.
Always got dry gear with my Banjo Brothers Commuter Backpack
Slowest commute home ever … biggest grin ever.
