Wheelin' & Dealin'

Wow it's hard to believe that I haven't written anything since last Sunday. MT is going to be upset with me! That one's for you Mike :-) The better part of my days are spent wrenching at Hampton Trails a few days a week. Here of late I have been working on everything from sweet ti Litespeed's to Walmart junky NEXT's . I also got to repair a Schwinn Airdyne. Folks bring those walmart bikes into the shop wanting all kinds of things repaired. We tell them that they can get another one just like it for what it costs to fix it. But, they insist on having it repaired because "they like the way this one rides". OKIDOKIE! Wouldn't one just like it newer ride better??? boing???

I didn't get to ride the TNR Thursday because I was getting Ang ready to leave for Chicago. She's jumping at a DZ near Chicago at a boogie. A skydiving 'boogie' is sort of like us mountain bikers going to a 24hr race and staying for a week and riding all week afterwards. The adrenaline up there is as thick as pea soup probably.

This is what I have been into lately: CX BIKES (budget style)

I had this '07 Masi CXR, it was a nice bike but something about it just didn't suit me. Being laid off got me wanting to thin the stables for some extra $$$$. After putting it up for sell I got quite a few hits. It finally sold and I started looking for something to replace it now that I'm working a little (part-time) and not living off unemployment. I had several friends tell me not to sell it but I did anyway, they don't ride it. I hardly lost any $$ on it so I did like the people on Wall Street do. I turned it into TWO bikes. I wish I could do that with all my dollar bills!

First was the SS I wanted to build up. I have ridden my MTB SS for the last couple a years and it's not up to par against a true CX machine unless you're a machine yourself (I'm not). All that's left is the brakes and levers and this one is done. They are ordered just waiting on them. This is a true budget build! I'm going as cheap as possible for the SS. I usually just do the SS class for fun. A few years back, the MSG in the SS class was mostly the SS mountain bikers and we had a blast racing each other in this class. Over the past several years pros, 1, 2's and 3's have made their way into the single speed CX class. Hence I get DUSTED now! So I do it for the added fitness and fun but along with it, more pain.

Next was something with gears and within my budget of what I had left over after the SS purchase. Wa-laaa I came across Alex's CX redline conquest. It was in (B A D) shape too! Jennifer handed it to me in pieces- literally! I managed to tear it apart and strip most everything from it. I started over with a different set of wheels with a campy freehub. A buddy of mine backed out on buying these so I took them. It now has Campy shifters and drivetrain (maybe I wont miss any shifts with this instead of the jerky shimano). All that's left to do is get a 10 spd chain, wrap the bars and tune it. The major thing is; I wish it would go as fast for me as it did for Alex! That ain't gonna happen with these legs...lol.

I'm suprised how well it cleaned up to tell ya the truth. I will say, so far BOTH bikes are lighter than my Masi. I would have never guessed that. I'm looking forward to the cross season but I'm so not in shape for it. I haven't pushed my riding to where it needs to be. Being laid off took its toll on me. My plan at the first of the year was to road race and lay off the MTB.......not, I was laid off and that changed everything. You would think that "you can ride all the time" not having a job. You could but I was down a little and lost some, not all motivation. The itch is back now! I think helping Brian @ Hampton Trails has got my desire back stronger. Thank goodness! There are a couple of pre-season cross races in September I think, I may give it a shot. The last SERC race is next weekend also in Fontana. I might have to get me some!

LAter G....................