Ideally.

Last fall, I broke the rear dropout on my Jamis (see A Surefire Cause of Inappropriate Verbiage). I went for a ride at the Tree Farm with Marty and Nick, and borrowed Marty’s Vassago Bandersnatch (see Bike P0rn: Vassago Bandersnatch Custom Build). We put the clipless pedals from my Jamis on the Bandersnatch and I rode that with glee. After the ride, we took the pedals off of the Bandersnatch and I placed them in my bike box.

About two days before the Barry Roubaix, another friend, Chris, put the replacement frame part on the Jamis. I told him I would put the pedals on the bike “tomorrow.” Of course, I forgot. I didn’t realize my mistake until I arrived at the Barry Roubaix, about two hours from my home.

The problem was that my pedals were no longer in my bike box. I had put them on my Trek EX7 for a test ride on the trails I built at Mom and Dad’s. Fortunately for me, one of my “Jon” friends had some Shimano SPDs, so he put those on the Jamis for the day, and I raced a very painful Barry Roubaix.

Two days after the Barry Roubaix, I met Glen and Ali at Highland and realized that I still had not put my pedals on my bike. Fortunately, I had my platform pedals and used those. The next day, Glen put the clipless pedals on my Jamis and put an end to the hellish pedal debacle.

People don’t know what to expect of the new decade, especially since most don’t have extra-sensory perception, and those of us who do really aren’t able to tell the future, although they may be able to “see dead people.”

Some feel that the new decade is going to deliver us from the burden of debt and will deliver healthcare and other social services for all. Some feel that the federal government is going to bankrupt itself and will dissolve. At Moronacity, the dawn of the new decade is simply a time for BIKE P0RN!

On November 14, Marty Shue lent me her Vassago Bandersnatch (see Official Business at the Novi Tree Farm), a steel 29er that is perfectly qualified for being the first bike p0rn feature at Moronacity. I was very excited to try a steel frame at the trail. I’ve never ridden a steel mountain bike and I wanted to experience it for myself to find out why people chose steel over the more technologically advanced aluminum and carbon fiber counterparts. I am in complete agreement with Marty and Coffee Talk’s Linda Richman when I say that this bike is “like buttah.”

Mind you, I did not take all of these pictures because I thought it would be a great idea to put bike p0rn on Moronacity, no; but I did take these pictures because Marty’s custom build is a sweet bike that rides so well that Marty’s husband, Nick, was keeping a close eye on me so I wouldn’t take off on the bike never to return. He knew that I would gladly leave my Pathfinder and broken Jamis behind in favor of keeping the custom-built Vassago Bandersnatch.

This is me exiting “the crater” at the Novi Tree Farm. Notice my giant smile. It is the result of riding the Vassago Bandersnatch at the fun Novi “Tree Farm.”

Marty explained to me that Vassago 29-inch frames are not like many of the others. Apparently, many companies use 26-inch geometry that is expanded into a 29-inch size. Vassago did a redesign by tailoring the geometry for a 29er. For me, the bike was very easy to ride. It didn’t feel like a bigger bike and I felt centered. I tackled a couple of obstacles at the Tree Farm that I most likely would not try on a bike that did not feel quite right. For example, I would not have ridden everything had I been riding Jon’s Gary Fisher like I did on Thanksgiving day (see Thanksgiving Morning Ride at PLRA.

The Vassago Bandersnatch steel frame is like buttah.

Raceface Deux XC cranks. I’m not going to pretend that I know anything about cranksets, but I will tell you that shifting was smooth and pain-free.

I’ve had iffy shifting on all of my bikes. All of my bikes also have Shimano hardware. About halfway through the Tree Farm, I mentioned the smooth, flawless shifting to Marty. I was pretty surprised, and pleasantly so. She mentioned that it was a SRAM derailleur, something I’ve never used, before. When I looked for the SRAM logo and found confirmation, I had my “aha” moment. I was a convert. My future investments in shifting will be with SRAM. Funny, cuz I already use SRAM chains.

The SRAM X-9 rear derailleur was a pleasant surprise with smooth shifting throughout the ride.

I never used a carbon handlebar, before. Many will argue that it is mostly a weight-saver and not really worth the extra cost, especially in the case of those who are carrying extra weight on their bodies, but carbon also has a dampening effect that translates into a smoother ride. I don’t think many will argue with creating a smoother ride for the upper body and hands.

The Ritchey WCS Carbon Rizer Handlebar.

Marty also has ergo grips on the handlebar, which made the ride much more comfortable for me. I have a problem with hand numbness when I ride, which tells me that I need to find a more comfortable setup. The Rizer handlebar complete with ergo grips felt great and I had zero numbness.

Currently, the Vassago Bandersnatch is my favorite bike. Unless I ride something I like better between now and the next time I can afford a new bike, this is going to be my next ride. I took the pictures of Marty’s build because I’d like a copycat of her bike. I will consult with my bike guys to find the latest and greatest options for my new build, but Marty did a great job nailing an excellent build.

Many people figured I bought a new bike. The reason? My 2005 Trek Fuel EX7 went out on the Trekker’s email list and the Red Jacket Forum’s Classified section for sale. It is currently for sale for $600. Why? Well, ok. The truth comes out:

Yes. I bought a new bike. The Bike’s Shop’s co-owner, Steve, ordered my new Jamis a couple days ago. It arrived today and he called to tell me it was there and ready to go. He put it together so I could take it to my race in Munising, tomorrow. I’m doing the 30-miler of Tour da Woods, and a nice, fast bike is exactly what I need.

I went to the bike shop, Tuesday, to see if I could test ride a couple of bikes. I tried a couple Marins over the last couple weeks, and they didn’t do anything for me. Steve set me up with a Jamis Dakar XCR Comp to take to Tech and ride. I rode it for 70 minutes. I would’ve ridden it for three hours, but the heat was too much. I started out on the Outer Loop and jumped off of all the little hills and swooped through the corners like a mad woman, all while giggling like the big child I am. The bike was a perfect fit. The suspension gave me what I wanted. It climbed quickly and easily. I could put my front tire wherever I wanted. IT WAS PERFECT!

I went back to the bike shop and told Steve that he either had to let me ride “this bike” for the race on Saturday, or get one-day shipping on the Jamis Dakar XCR Expert cuz I wanted that bike!

I don’t think Steve knew how serious I was. He replied with an “ok” and went with that. “Steve, can you call Jamis, now, and find out if they have it?”

“Sure! I’ll call right now.” He called, left a message, and stressed that they might not have any left since it was the end of the season. The rep called back a couple minutes later and said there was one left in my size.

WHEW! Tell me it’s not fate!

It’s currently sitting in my truck with my bike box. Everything is packed and ready to go. Tomorrow, I will take the maiden voyage on my new bike at the Tour da Woods race in Munising.

Life is good.

Last time I was in Copper Harbor – I think it was two weeks ago – my rear shock got a little soft. I pumped more air into it and all the air leaked out when I took the pump off. Chris, at Keweenaw Adventure Company, managed to get it in working order for me to enjoy some serious riding this week.

The shock went soft during Wednesday night’s ride. I put more air into it only to have the air leak out, again. I was mildly upset. I couldn’t take it in until Friday, so I threw the bike in my truck and took it to The Bike Shop after work, today. Don’t worry, I warned Steve with an email the other day. I rushed elsewhere to pick up a check and cash it. Then, it was off to Dairy Queen (thanks, Marty! ). I called the guys at the bike shop and took orders for an ice cream delivery courtesy of me. They were happy.

While I was doing all of that, Steve repaired my shock. It was a simple fix (valve issues). I was fully prepared to swap parts between my new and old bikes and ride my Trek Fuel EX7 in the race, but Steve was pretty adamant about getting my EX8 race ready for tomorrow. We all ate ice cream. Then, Steve decided to give my bike the works. He adjusted my front brake rotor – it was previously rubbing and squealing and Glen adjusted it enough to be bearable until I could get it to Steve (thanks, Glen!). He checked over everything and made sure everything was tight, adjusted, and shifting well. The cost? DQ Blizzards.

For the most part, Steve and Caleb are the only guys I’ve done bike business with. From my first days as a newbie biker afraid of the unknown bike shop guys, they’ve offered me excellent service. When it comes down to it, they’re two happy bikers who want to keep everyone else riding, and they go above and beyond for their clientele (you should’ve heard the requests they were trying to fulfill for out-of-towners before the Keweenaw Chain Drive).

It’s no wonder my bike guys get homemade chocolate chip cookies and DQ Blizzards.

I came home with a bike, quite happy, and made Steak au Poivre with mixed veggies. I followed that with raspberry rhubarb crisp topped with French vanilla ice cream (thanks, Dad) and some KBC Ambers. I know this isn’t the best way to fuel for a race, but I’m happy, fed, and ready to go for tomorrow.

It was a bit difficult making this change. You see, I decided to go with WordPress, which is much more complicated in that it is necessary to have a basic understanding of Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) if you want to have a personalized template. These last two days were spent trying to manipulate templates, and failing miserably. Fortunately, WordPress gives access to simple templates that are wonderful for customization. I must admit, I’m selfish and I don’t want to have the same template as other people. Yes, I know this template is quite similar to my Blogger account, but I did personalize that with color changes, and this is a little different in format. Face it, there is only so much you can do with a blog, and I didn’t want to change the color scheme because I think the blue does a lot for the pictures I post.

The best feature of the WordPress software is the smiley capability. Everyone knows I like to use smilies.

Bear with me. I needed to go live so I could check links and formatting on the different blog pages, so you may find errors over the next couple days.

Enough about blogging! It’s time to ride!

“They’re the second most important piece of safety equipment.” This is what one of my bike guys likes to say about sunglasses. Although, if you’re like me, riding through the dark forest, your sunglasses aren’t so sunny. They are lightweight glasses with interchangeable lenses. Mountain biking days call for clear lenses, road days for amber.

I like clear lenses for mountain biking because I ride in the Keweenaw forests where the trails are well protected by the sun. I like to see everything in true color rather than through tinted lenses. I use amber lenses when I hit the road. My baby blues are sensitive to light, yet I like a brighter view, so amber works perfectly. I have smoke-colored lenses that I don’t use much, but they’re there if I need them.

I’ve had stones and sand thrown at me by passing automobile tires and leading mountain bike tires. Rain has smacked against my face as have tree branches. My glasses protect my eyes from all of this. This is why glasses are the second most important piece of safety equipment.

If you can’t figure out what the first most important piece of safety equipment is, click here.