This weekend was overcast and cool yet most likely perfect for riding a bicycle.
I have a goal to learn how to 180 bunny hop before winter gets here.
My activities included lying on the couch reading a book and occasionally getting up to find food.
I suck.
The title is a complete lie, I cannot grind. I do have pegs on my bike which might communicate to other riders that I grind, but they’re a lie as well. To be fair to myself, I put them on the bike so I’d be forced to learn, and I’ve been riding around my city trying to find a nice low ledge to learn on, but alas, such things seem in short supply. I did find one spot with a nice low ledge that is obviously a popular grind spot, but I’ve yet to try it.
Last night I was encouraged to attempt a feeble grind on a ~20″ ledge at the skate park. Try as I might, I simply could not get my front wheel on top, and my rear peg on the ledge. Repeatedly, I’d get the front wheel up and then just dig the peg into the side of the box. I don’t know what’s wrong with me but my mind can handle getting the front up, but it forgets completely about pulling the rear end up. I’m told the problem is simply over-thinking.
Which is probably true now that I over-think it. I’m a research kind of guy, the internet has cultured me into someone who puts massive time and energy into researching and dwelling on whatever my current interest is. Last year I was so intent on my research of a particular hobby, that it actually gave me the first migraine headache I’ve ever had. I can only assume that while I’m pedaling toward an object, my brain is putting so much thought into the process of the bunny hop, that I just flub the entire thing up.
My new project.. stop thinking about it. I know how to bunny hop, I know what I have to do to get onto the ledge, I just need to forget about that part and focus on spotting my landing.
I should build a grind box and annoy my neighbors with hours of grinding.
Shock and awe, I’m trying to build a new bike. I know, I have a nice one already but there’s something fun about wrenching in the garage that has me building bikes left and right. I’ll say the same thing I always say, it’s cheaper than working on a car!
I’ve had this old Terrible One frame for a few months and it never felt right. That’s probably due to the 20.5″ top tube measurement which I wasn’t exactly aware of when I purchased it. I tend to buy a lot of junk while I learn a new hobby and while this isn’t junk, it’s not working for me. So I stripped all the parts off the frame and ordered a new frame to put them on.
When the new frame showed up -it’s a simple Enigma V1 in case you were wondering, I promptly tossed it on the bike stand and started assembling it. Unfortunately I ran into a problem when I slid my Eastern 720 cranks and Solid 36t sprocket into the bottom bracket; it doesn’t exactly fit. A quick glance at my Hoffman confirmed that I had been a little short sighted when I assumed I could just swap everything over, today’s frames just aren’t built for larger sprockets anymore. I tried to use spacers to push the sprocket away from the frame but that resulted in a very bad chain angle.
Woe is me, I have to unlace my back wheel and find a 48h cassette hub in the 10 or 9 tooth variety. I might just spring for the Danscomp Poverty cassette hub, it’s cheap and probably adequate for my poor riding skills. I’ve not read any reviews on this particular hub but it’s safe to say that there will be those who hate it, and those who love it. I’ll just have to give it a try.
Notice a lack of bike content? It’s because summer showed up late and brought humidity with it! The summer in Michigan has been rather mild this year and suddenly August erupts with high 80 degree temps and crushing humidity. I’ve been staying in doors where the AC keeps me safe and cool.
Obviously that’s a bit of an exaggeration, I’ve been out in the garage a bit during the past 2 weeks putting together 2 complete BMX bikes to try to sell off the collection of old parts sitting in the corner. So far I’ve managed to trade one complete bike for some 9mm ammo, and I have another bike 85% finished which I’ll be selling next week to a guy I know. Then maybe I can start to make sense of the mess that has become my garage.
As for riding, I haven’t been to the bike park in 2 weeks. Tomorrow’s weather looks nice in terms of keeping the park attendance low but the park is indoors which means it’ll probably be near 100 degrees inside. Not sure I feel like putting myself through that although I should, I need practice!
This is as small as they can get right? No one can do anything better, we’re done? Please?
Macneil is the smallest post EVAR winner!
In case you want to order one, you can do so here.
I, for one, am not a Mark Web hater. The guy does have some skills.
It’s sad when your bright shining moment of a week is the fact you got on your bike 3 times in the given week. But, as most of my time has been spent working in the garage for the past few months, I guess it’s ok to revel in the small triumphs.
On Wednesday, I actually made it to the local skate park for the first time. Granted, I didn’t do much more than roll in and out of some quarters, but it’s more than nothing.
Thursday I went to Modern skate park in Royal Oak, Mi which is a bit more of a comfortable place since I’ve been there a few times. That was a good time with a lot of sweating (they should get A/C in there!).
And finally, last night I made it to the skate park down the street yet again. Not a lot of progress made other than rolling in and out of a larger quarter than I ever have, and I practiced my fakies as well.
This all sounds pretty lame when it’s typed out. I should just say “I went out 3 times this week” but I’ll leave the embarrassing newbie stuff there. I planned on getting up early today to ride but instead was greeted by a wild storm, followed by an insane amount of humidity and heat. I’m spending the day inside eating pizza instead.
I believe the last time I left you, I was on tube #3 for the front wheel of my new bike? Let’s make that #4. Or rather, #4 is dead and gone.
The culprit is these super cheap rim strips I ordered from Ace. Sure, they cost $0.99 so they were a steal, but they also cost me$14 in tubes thus far. So I ordered some Kink strips which are supposed to be 28mm wide and should cover a lot more area and prevent the problem from repeating.
I also took the time to order another Premium 2″ tire so both of my bikes will have matching tires again. And I also have the Mechanik 1/2 link chain on the way as well to hopefully dial in the rear end of the Bama a bit better.
I’d love to talk about all the riding I’m doing, except I’m not riding. I did take the Bama on the first “long” ride down to my favorite empty industrial area to practice my bunny hops and manuals and as I hopped down the curb onto the street, the rear tire shifted forward and my chain became a dangling useless thing. It’s not fun to scooter your way home 2+ miles only to find out that you forgot to crank the rear wheel down tight after adjusting the chain. Then, as I push it into the garage to tighten the chain and head back out, I hear the dreaded hiss of that #4 tube leaking. That ended the night and I spent the rest of my time tearing the bike down in preparation for the new parts which will be showing up on Wednesday.
I took the T1 out last night to ride a little bit but my wrists were in pain and I generally suck at even the most basic moves. So I came home defeated and sulked in the basement. I’m really bad at practicing things, I always want instant gratification.
Last night I got the Hoffman Bama I’ve been working on put together. Yet, as always, there’s more to spend money on. Like, the nice KMC 710SL is too long or too short, never where I want it. I suppose I could get a half link..
Or the 2.25″ front tire that just won’t fit in the forks I bought.
Or how I’ve already replaced 3 tubes in the front tire thanks to a rim strip that keeps sliding.
Oh well, it rides and quite nicely. And it’s a lot lighter than my T1. I’ll post more on that later, I just decided to go to the bike store for a half link.
I want to murder this back wheel. It has an up and down wobble that I cannot get out and I messed up a bunch of the spoke nipples in the process.
Hopefully I can find black spoke nipples somewhere tomorrow. And with some luck, I can start over and get this wheel trued without throwing it across the garage.
Another useful link that hopefully helps me fix this problem:
http://www.odysseybmx.com/dailyword/2003/09/70-wheel-truing/#more-3085
