Old and new

Some things I learned this week that I somehow missed in the last decade. Please comment to correct me if I'm wrong but this is what I've heard. (Eh, sonny!? Retrogrouch needs you to speak louder!)

1) if you try to use a new the new external-bearing-bottom bracket/crankset (what is that called anyways?) on an old cross bike (Y2K), it don't work (see picture). It'll work if you run a 1x1 or 1x9 and mount the inner chainring on the outside, but then it's an issue to have an outer chainguide (unless possibly you use Paul's awesome new chain guide). What is up with that?! Seriously, did they make everyone change their frame specifications to shift the BB to the driveside or something when I wasn't looking? I tried spacers but over 5mm of spacers on the driveside is needed and then the cranks press so hard on the bearings they don't turn round and round. Go figure. So either back to the 10yr old Ultegra octalink cranks or jerryrig this crankset with a new chainguide spacing kit. The Cyclesport boys have it in their control now - I've given up (that is a first, i NEVER give my bikes for someone else to work on but I'm done...too much time and money spent already!).

2) New cross bikes have 1 1/8" steerer tubes, and even newer ones have a split-flaring diameter somehow going from 1 1/8" to 1 1/4". Stiffness with those carbon forks is paramount I guess as they shutter and occasionally break. (However, a good 1" steel fork is hard to beat. Isn't disposable after a crash and bends back into place! Yeah yeah, they're much heavier, but train a little harder or lift some weights.)

3) New cross bike rear hub spacing is 135mm like mountain bikes instead of 130mm road spacing. This is cool actually (if it weren't for my old wheels being 130mm) because you can use nice a lightweight mountain wheelset - like tubeless Stans (even with discs!?) - and trade out with your cross specific race wheelset. I like when they use the same specs between bike types as you don't have to have multiple of the same things for all your bikes. Interchangeability = cool.

Ok, all for now. Anything else you can think of?

Snowy weekend

The Finter season is here. Not fall, not winter: Finter. Trails are getting closed from the snow (unless you got a Pugsley-type ride), and skiing can't happen yet as it's just too thin out there. I'm ready for full on winter now. My skis are calling.

Wednesday AM Cross Ride

Nice work Dubba:

http://www.velonews.com/article/99980/boulder-s-weekly--cross-ride-is-like-a-disease-that-keeps

It's been a long time since it started, and it's added a TON of people since it was just the Pilots at Vics. It's cool to see Cross get so popular and so much airtime in Boulder.

Sans Cross

You've probably noticed I'm not writing about Cyclocross anymore. Well, that's because I've stopped riding and racing for the year sadly. No injury, but a bunch of other things of higher priority and obligation, have come up that make it nearly impossible for me to train well and race this season. I seem to be on an 'every other year' plan anyways. I love racing cross, but if I can't ride enough and race enough to be at a certain fitness level, I just don't want to pay the cash and take travel time to race just for the sake of racing and get my ass handed to me.

Next year I plan to be back. Maybe with a revived spirit to race, and an updated cross bike I hope. No, not a newfangled carbon frame and fork. I like steel, I'll pay in training for the extra two pounds. The IF is great, it rides PERFECTLY...it fits live a glove. But is now 9 years old and there's some chipping paint and surface rust forming in several spots. At the very least he'll need a new powder coat. But more likely knowing me, I'll get a powdercoat and a new training and racing set of wheels - my current ones are over 10 years old! I gotta say, that it's impressive (the wheels, not me) to be riding and racing on a set of wheels built by Sean at Vecchios for 10 years...! Nicely done Sean!

So there it is, next year I'll be back. And to Pilot and Dubba, I'll be gunning to at least keep you in my sights...if not occasionally drop you. Word.

Jessie doesn't need a lucky rabbit's foot, she has her lucky stuffed
orangutan foot!

Morning double-shot with Bear wondering where his is?!

333 skis

This is one of the cooler things I've seen involving skiing in a long time:
www.333skis.com
Custom skis for $333 and handmade in a solar-powered trailer....?
Hoping to inspire more locally built and relatively low-impact skis he offers builders shop specs and tips. To quote Backcountry mag's interview, "Let's not be stupid consumers, all we're trying to do is claw back market share from Chinese manufacturing. Let's bring it back - one ski at a time."