What’s Your Take on Aluminum vs. Carbon?

One of my friends asked me this the other day. It's hard to say since I haven't had much time on Carbon bikes. The Carbon bikes I did ride I never noticed anything about the frame that set it apart. I guess I really didn't even think about it...which might speak volumes. Usually if something is working well, you don't usually notice it. I wasn't concentrating on the frames at all and was more concerned with bike fit, cockpit feel, and pedaling and suspension characteristics. I guess if I had more time to ride them maybe I would have noticed something different. I think the fact that I don’t even think about it means I love it. One less thing to think about, getting me closer to that feeling of just me and the trail. Isn't that the end goal? Improving the rider experience? Probably not but it should be. That’s why I also ride a singlespeed; simple, light, and quiet. Really lets you focus on the trail.

My Soul Cycles Hooligan. I've since upgraded the rigid fork with a suspension fork and the Aluminum riser bar with a Carbon flat bar...so far I am loving the Carbon flat bar...wider is better.

I did get a chance to ride a full Carbon Rocky Mountain Altitude at NEMBAfest this year. My first impressions were good and I really liked it although spending an hour or so on a bike just doesn't give you a very good feel for how it performs. I think if I could afford it I would totally get a Carbon bike as long as it has a threaded Aluminum BB, which the Altitude does not have. I've heard horror stories about press fit BB’s into carbon frames coming loose on some bikes and frankly it just doesn't sound like a good idea. Integrated cable routing is also a good idea on Carbon frames, which the Altitude did have. The last thing you want is cable rub ruining you $5000 bike.

Rocky Mountain Altitude. I rode this bike at NEMBAfest this year, only difference was it had the Raceface bits which I prefer. I really liked it although the cockpit was a bit cramped for me.

So what are you're thoughts? Do you have a Carbon bike? How about an Aluminum one? Or are you in the Steel is real camp of thought? Leave me a comment and let me know what you think.

Handlebar Setup for the SS Revisited

The Easton EA50 bar with the two inch rise does not work well. The width is great but it makes the steering too twitchy. I had another Titec stem which is longer, 120 vs. 105, so I put that on to see if it would counter the effects of the riser bar.

Hopefully the longer stem will work

Verdict? While it is better, it's still too twitchy and it just doesn't feel right. I do have a low rise Bontrager Select bar that I can try. It's not the right width but maybe it'll be good enough till I get the funds for a new wider flat bar.

What's the Best Handlebar Setup for a Singlespeed?

Oh wait, don't tell me...it's dependent on the rider and type of riding right? So I guess I should also add that this is a 26" wheeled bike. Well whatever the case I wish it was easier to figure this stuff out than the tried and true method of swapping parts until something works.

I have been running my SS for the past two to three years with basically the same type of cockpit setup. I've been looking for different types of bars, like a big 12 degree backswept or H-bar versions, but i could just never bring myself to drop the cash only to find out I don't like them. So I left it as is. But more and more I find that the bar I have on there feels wrong, especially when I'm climbing and really torquing it. Tonight I measured the current bar, a Raceface Air Alloy Low Riser,  it comes in just over 25". It's a 1" riser bar with standard upsweep and backsweep angles and a 31.8mm clamp section. Now I am not a big guy but I am a bit wider at the shoulder than some so I figured maybe I just need a wider bar? I have a few bars laying around that I can try and I came across an Easton EA50 bar that used to be on my Rocky. This bar measures 26-3/4" and has a 2" rise, the other details are the same as the current bar. It's a bit beat up and a bit heavier than what I have now but should work fine. I could trim this bar down if I wanted it shorter but I am not sure what the higher rise will do, other than the more upright seating position. My fear is that it will be even more twitchy but I do have some stems I could try, longer stems, that would help slow down the steering a bit and bring it back to its previous bar height.

A well used Easton EA50 is on test

So what is the best handlebar setup? What are you using? What have you had success or failure with? Let me know, I could use the help.

Masterworks Wood & Design Salvages Condemned City Trees to Make Beautiful Wooden Bicycles |

Proof that sporting a woodie in public can be okay...

Masterworks Wood & Design Salvages Condemned City Trees to Make Beautiful Wooden Bicycles |:

'via Blog this'

Local Ride: Central Park, Schenectady, NY

Yet another great day to ride on Wednesday. The sun was shining and I think temps were almost in the 40's. Trails were hard and fast again. I am glad I got out too because I knew the weather was going to change...and it did. I woke up on Thursday morning to everything covered in wet, heavy snow and now freezing rain was coming down. Shitballs. Had it been colder or the snow less wet, I would have attempted to ride. But with the wet snow and the weather channel calling for more rain, I am going to have to stay off the trails till they freeze again.

Local Ride: Central Park, Schenectady, NY

Trails are hard and fast, just watch for the leaves in the corners

I've been taking full advantage of the mild weather we've been having. Rode last Friday and today on my lunch break at SCP, and in Luther Forest this past Sunday. Still not feeling 100% but I'll be damned if I am not going to get out and ride while I still can. Gonna try and get out tomorrow too. Might head over and ride at Colonie Town Park, depends on how much time I have. No excuses for the rest of you. Get out and ride Fuckers!!!

Local Ride: Luther Forest Trails, Malta, NY

These trails actually begin in the state's Saratoga Technology and Energy Park, but they extend onto the Luther Forest property. I just always called it Luther Forest. Another great day to ride today. Temps were perfect, not too cold and not too warm. There were some areas that were soft and wet but for the most part it was hard and fast. The only thing that kept my speed in check were the leaves in the corners...well that and my fitness level.

I haven't ridden here since summertime last year. There have been a few changes, some new sections of trail and some new technical features. Since I don't ride here often I wasn't quite sure what the preferred route should be. Luckily I had a map, made by one of the trails frequent riders, to help me keep my bearings.

Except for one or two ridiculous but not impossible climbs, this place is perfect for a singlespeed bike. Lots of flow and not terribly technical so you can keep up your momentum. I am glad I brought the singlespeed. One, because of the fitness benefit to me and two, I wanted to see how the tires would fare on these trails. These trails are similar to the ones in Schenectady Central Park but there is more elevation gain and less rocks and roots. Overall I think they performed well, although they take some skill to get the most of them. Traction, braking and grip were all very good but rolling resistance and weight of the 2 ply casing were a negative. One area where they excelled was on fast descents, which of course I am not surprised because it was what they were designed for. I felt much more confident bombing hills with the Maxxis Wetscreams than with the Kenda Nevegals. Not sure why, maybe the heavier tires make the bike more sure-footed or maybe the 2 ply casing sucks up the bumps better. Whatever the reason, I love going downhill fast and these tires allowed me to do so.

I've also been playing with the air pressure in the fork. Not sure if I should lower the pressure but I didn't want to blow it out because of the cold weather. I'll have to look into this a bit more because setting the fork air pressure to 130 PSI for both positive and negative chambers was giving me too much sag. I had it at 150 PSI initially so maybe I'll try 140 PSI and see how that goes. Oh and I am still loving the pedals.

I have been sick with a cold since December 30th so my new year hasn't been great so far. Still, I cannot complain with all the good weather we've been having. Even though I probably should not have been riding, I went anyway because who knows how many more days we are going to get like today? Now, I am not going to gloat and continually beat a drum about how great the weather is because I know there are a lot of people waiting to ski and snowboard. But I am going to enjoy a nice day and take the opportunity to ride if it presents itself, which it did. Really for me there is almost nothing as relaxing and enjoyable as a mid afternoon ride on a warm winter's day with the sun peaking through the trees.

Overhaulin' the Singlespeed

I've been meaning to give some rebuild love to the SS for sometime now. Haven't done a thing to her since I put the fork on over the summer and it showed. The chain and cogs were gritty, the brakes in the rear were almost ineffective, the Crank Bros. Mallet's are beat to shit along with the EBB, and the entire bike was covered in mud and sand from various locations throughout the NE. One of the things I love about singlespeed bikes is the simplicity, which often makes rebuilding quick and almost painless. 

New EBB Installed

Since I had to pull most of the bike apart to get to the EBB I figured I would just overhaul it and clean it up. I had some trouble getting the crank bolt off, felt frozen, but nothing a little leverage couldn't handle...thank you laws of physics. I cleaned up the chainring, crank spindle interface, and BB cups, greased it all and installed it back onto the frame.

Yup the old one is pretty beat up

New EBB installed

New Crank Bros. Smarty's Installed

The Mallet's I had on here were used for years on my RM Switch and since I got new ones, these were relegated for SS use only. They were worn when I put them on the bike, now they are really worn out. Drive side actually has enough play that you can feel it in each pedal stroke. I picked up this set cheap for a 29'er build I never got to completing. I got them for less than it would cost for replacement cleats, which I also needed. I've heard mixed reviews with these but I think they will be fine for what I need. Certainly they are better than what came off.

Crank Bros. Smarty Pedals, Orange with Black Plates @ 282 grams

Tire Swap: 2.3 Kenda Nevegals for 2.2 Maxxis Wetscreams

I absolutely love the Kenda Nevegals for this bike. The 2.3's offer a fast-rolling large volume tire which gives extra cush on the backside as well as excellent grip and predictability, assuming pressure is where it needs to be. But the one thing I loathe is their inability to play well in wet to muddy conditions. They pack up, become unpredictable in corners, and they slide right off wet roots unless you're really careful about placement and weight distribution. I replaced these with a set of 26 x 2.2 Maxxis Wetscreams. Of course these tires were designed for DH riding in muddy conditions but I know lots of riders that use this tire for muddy to slushy to snowy conditions during the winter with good results. Two things I like about these tires...I picked the set up for just $20 and the orange stripe matches my new pedals. Two things I don't like about these tires...the added weight of the 2 ply casing and the rolling resistance of these huge knobbies. After a few rides I'll know whether or not these tires will work well. I could always go right to the studded Nokians if they don't but I am hoping they will. 

26 x 2.2 Maxxis Wetscream with MaxxPro 60a Compound

Check out the siping and square knobbies

Rear Brake Not Really Working

I had to remove the calipers from the bike, remove the pads, clean the pads with sand paper, clean the calipers, re-install them on the bike and then finally hit the rotors with the sandpaper to give them their bite back. Not sure why the rears were not working well. I suppose something got into the pads and contaminated them, reducing the friction, causing poor performance. I also readjusted the calipers to eliminate some rubbing. I just have to clean the rotors with rubbing alcohol to remove any oils that may have made it onto the rotor surface.

Last but not least I cleaned the cog, chain ring and chain and lubed them up nice. It was unbelievable the crap that was coming out between the links. I cleaned the rest of the bike as well as the fork stanchions. I spent the last two nights, after the kids went to bed, overhauling this bike so I could get out and ride today at lunch and it rained last night…a lot. No ride...so bummed. I would have preferred snow, cause I could have ridden in that. I can’t stand when ride plans are crushed by bad weather. Anyway here she is...all dressed up and no where to go.

Winterized and ready for more

Lunch Time Ride - SCP

Rode the trails in Schenectady Central Park today during lunch.  What a great day for a ride...weather was perfect...for Dec. 19th anyway. They were frozen and fast with surprisingly very little frost heave. There are some new fallen trees though, too big/heavy to move by myself. Had to skip some sections due to time constraints, but still awesome.

OMG...How Much Did You Pay for Those EBB's!?!?

Seven bucks each. That's right...$7! So I bought two. I got these from Chad at Soul Cycles. They were on closeout with some other parts. Regular price for these were almost $40 I think. I've actually been meaning to replace the one on my 1st generation Hooligan since it's chewed up and beat to shit but just did not want to pay that much. Glad I jumped on them when I did because they are all gone now.

New Fork for the Singlespeed

As much as I like the responsiveness and light weight of a rigid fork, it was beating the snot out of my elbow and wrists. Since I use a computer extensively at work and at home, something a little less abusive up front was necessary. Over the summer I picked this Reba Team fork used, from a friend, locally for $80. What a word of difference this fork has made. Dual air spring, motion control dampening and even has a remote lock out, which I have used more often than I would have thought, for those extended climbs when you're really torquing the bar. The added weight is no longer noticeable and my wrists and elbow are happy...and that is of course what really counts.

The Weather is Here...Wish You Were Biking.

Going for a ride in Schenectady Central Park right now. Gotta love this mild winter weather. This is what I like best for lunch.

What's Your Bike of Choice for Early Season Riding?

Finally after months of inactivity (for the most part) there's no more snow on the trails and the weather is finally warm enough to ride comfortably. So the question is what bike do you ride? I know not everyone has more than one bike, but the true addicts like myself do. So which do you choose? Do you take the roadie out first and try to get your legs and lungs back in shape before hitting the trails? Or do you choose the XC hardtail with a shitload of gears so that you can ease into the riding season? Maybe the freeride bike with 6 inches of travel?Yeah it only had a crapload of gears because you removed the big ring for the sexy RF bash guard, but man isn't that ride plush with all that travel? Or maybe the singlespeed? That's right I said the singlespeed. "Why the singlespeed?" you ask..."Isn't riding this so early in the season basically the equivalent of kicking yourself in the nuts?" "Why yes...yes it is." I answer. But it's good and I'll tell you why.

My Soul Cycles Hooligan

There's been alot of debate over the years about gears vs no gears, the 29'er crowd is going through the same thing right now. Before I tried it I was like how is this better than gears? IMHO it's not better...just different. Look, I love all my bikes the same and they all have a specific use or they do one thing better than the others. The bottom line is the singlespeed bike is a fitness and skills building machine! Nothing else will get you in shape quicker than a singlespeed. Momentum is the key, if you don't want to walk up the hills you have to ride faster. Because you have to keep up your momentum, you become better at choosing good lines. This is crucial if you ride rigid. Up until this year thats what I've been riding, a rigid singlespeed, which is basically a bike with one gear and no suspension. Unfortunately, the tendinitis (tennis elbow) that plagued me last year will not allow me to ride the rigid fork...at least not for a while. No huge benefits to riding rigid anyway other than a lighter bike, slightly improved steering response, and no fork maintenance. Well, maybe to some those are huge benefits. Personally I like a little cush up front when riding some of the rocky and rooty terrain we have here in the NE. It's actually amazing how such a low tech piece of equipment can make you a better rider. No pain no gain I guess. So that's what I am riding right now, how about you?

Winter has finally arrived

I put the studded snows on my singlespeed last night...it is now officially winter. Go fourth and rip it!

Bicycle Drag Racing

This is how we used to race we I was a kid...bicycle drag racing
I had a bike just like these. Ape hanger bars, banana seat, single speed, lots of chrome bits and it was canary yellow with black racing stripes. I still remember the first time I rode it. My first real bike...the Big Wheel didn't count even though that was cool in it's own way. Till this day no other bike I've owned has had an impact on me like that one did. Okay maybe the Rocky comes close.

New cog on the SS

I was finally able to replace the rear cog on my SS. I had an ACS Claws 20T that was shit, the bearings inside were shit and the grease was just coming out. I traded a friend of mine (thanks Jeff) a stem for a new Shimano 20T he had in his basement. It's thius cool gold color too...so unique. I had my LBS swap out the cog for me.

What a difference! I rode it Monday night on a group ride and it was so quiet and smooth...one of the things that drew me to riding a SS in the first place. I rode it again today on some local singletrack. It feels good to be back on the singlespeed again.

Singlespeed parts swap...part V

I got the bike back and the headset looks nice. So much smoother too...guess that's the difference between ball and cartridge bearings. Riding this weekend is out since the wife is working nights. Looking forward to riding next week.I'd like to set up a weekly singlespeed ride like we used to have a couple of years back with the SMBA crew.

Singlespeed parts swap...part IV

Had a friend make me spacers that were the proper size and installed them on the back side. This allowed me to mount the fasteners flush to the cog which just looks better.

I still have a problem with a dull knocking noise that sounds like it's coming from the rear hub but could be that the new chain is not meshing with the slightly used rear cog. I am going to bring it in tomorrow to have the headset replaced so I'll see if I can have a new rear cog ordered too. The chain line seems to be off ever so slightly and I have adjusted it as much as I can. It should work fine and I don't think this is a cause of the knocking.

Singlespeed parts swap...part III

I picked up my new cog from High Adventure Ski and Bike on Monday. It's awesome having them so close to my work that I can run over during lunch and get exactly what I need. I am glad I went with the FSA over the Salsa because the look of the black with machined raw areas really tie into the Race Face crank I am running. I installed it last night and re-sized the chain to account for the extra two teeth. Two problems with this chain ring, it wants to mount on the opposite side of where the old one was which changes my chainline and the chain ring bolts I have are too long. I did find some spacers I could use and they work but I would rather get the proper sized bolts for this setup. Also, I'll need to adjust the BB cup spacers to try and shift the crankset over and try to maintain the original chainline.

I replaced the brake cable housing to the rear brake with some Jagwire housing I had lying around from previous bike builds. This cable is much stiffer and doesn't compress like the old one so response and brake feel is improved. I decided not to use the full length housing and utilize the interrupted cable guides on the frame instead. There are a couple of reasons fro this, they are tucked under the top tube so there's less chance of me catching the zip tie with my leg (I done this too many times and have bruises to prove it) and separates the movement of the handlebars and front cable housing from the rear caliper and rear cable housing. This eliminates the caliper engaging with the handles cranked to one side or the other.

One other thing, while adjusting the headset I noticed that it wasn't as smooth as it used to be. The setup I have now is cheep Aheadset with ball bearings. This headset has been on there for like the past four years and I think it's time to replace it. I have an old Race Face Team SL headset with cartridge bearings that I may put on there. It would be a huge upgrade to what I have on there now.

So I need to reposition the crank to improve the chain line, get the proper chain ring bolts or shorter spacers, and replace the headset. Good thing it's still raining here, otherwise I'd be pissed that I couldn't ride this now.

Singlespeed parts swap...part II

So I replaced the worn front cog and chain which according to my Park Tool chain stretch tool needs to be replaced. I also removed the Bushnell EBB and replaced the BB. Not sure which change fixed the knocking but its gone and that's all I care about. I am still waiting for my 34T FSA singlespeed ring to arrive at my LBS so for now I have a fairly new ramped and pinned 32T installed temporarily.

I swapped out the 90mm x 7 degree Bontrager stem for a 105mm x 10 degree Titec stem. So far it feels good, may have to adjust the height but the length seems good. This will also be stiffer than the Bontrager stem.

I also swapped the plastic water bottle cage for a couple of swank Bontrager carbon ones. These look really nice...almost too nice for this bike. I may try and pick up some carbon headset spacers to replace the steel ones. They'd be lighter and would tie in with the cages.

Next I need to replace the brake lines. they seem too flexible and engage the rear caliper when I turn the handle bar too far left of right. I am sure I have some lying around, just have to be sure it's stiffer than what I have now. Can't wait to get some free time so I can get a couple of rides under my belt with the new setup.