Nothing Changes but the Road Kill: Sometimes that doesn't change much!

A while ago a friend of mine and I were talking when I said that although I missed Montana, it was really becoming homogenized in the sense that all of the cities are the same as any other city in the U.S. with the orange glow of the Home Depot and neon lights of Applebee's and Chili's.  His response was that he drove his son to college on the other side of the continent and that all that really changed from state to state was the road kill.  I love and use it when people ask about moving all the time "Nothing changes but the roadkill" I say.  While it is clearly an understatement; obviously some places are greener or more mountainous, it is very true nothing changes too much.

Hiking in Missouri.  Diga and Nater love to hike.  I love this picture, it makes me wish I were a better photographer.

Well, we have moved again and though it seems that we haven't since the roadkill consists mainly of raccoons and opossum in Iowa/Illinois/Kansas/Missouri, bicycling opportunities have definitely changed.   Dramatic changes.  While the Quad Cities is not my favorite place ever it was an amazing bicycling community.  The hundreds of miles of well maintained bike paths and delightful mountain bike parks seem to have vanished into thin air.  As with my beloved LBS Bike and Hike, Rock Island, IL.

Don't get me wrong, Kansas has an amazing bicycling element;  there are mountain bike parks, Dirty Kanza, some great rail to trail opportunities, and from what I can tell a healthy cyclocross scene.......Just not where I am.  There is one bike shop, the jury is still out on that.  Silly me, I asked them if there  were any bike paths around and they all stopped what they were doing and stared at me as if I was I was the glowing green and holding a sign that said "dumbest guy on earth."  I have been in several times and they act like it my first every time I walk through the door.  It is not like I am some famous guy, but does it hurt to pretend!

The Irish Tsunami all strung out while exploring some new hiking and biking opportunities.  

The best part of moving is exploring new places.  I have been on a few shop rides (they see me riding with them though they act like they don't know me when I walk in the shop) and the landscape is beautiful.  Rolling hills with some steeper and longer climbs than I am used to.  Less corn, more hay and trees.  It is nice.  My big issue is that the nearest MTB park is 30 miles away.  With soaring gas prices I may be focusing on road riding.  It is too bad I am mountain bike heavy and have neglected the road stuff for a while.  This is exactly why I have an arsenal of bikes.  I can do just about anything just about anywhere.  They make moving a challenge but it is worth it.

OGRE + LAS CRUCES + ANTHEM X29er + BASSO + MUKLUK= Go anywhere, do anything!

  

Current State of the Surly Ogre

The guys at Surly did an outstanding job when the came up with the Troll/Ogre concept.  So many times bikes are single purpose built.  While they can usually be altered to fit various needs, they don't work very well.  In comes the Surly Ogre:  a Jack of all trades and a master of most.

A few things worthy of note:  1.)  It does not take fenders and 29er MTB tires well, you can use a decent volume touring tire and fenders fine.  I don't use fenders so I don't care.  2.)  If you use a smaller tire there is clearance with the front derailleur, if you use a mountain bike tire it will rub on the front derailleur so you need Monkey Nuts to provide clearance.  If you plan on using both, set it up with the Monkey Nuts for chain length....I learned this the hard way by setting it up for road and and then needed a new chain when I put on mountain tires.  Aside from that the world is your oyster.

The original idea was that I would use a 45c tire and a 48 tooth chain ring so I could go really fast.  This was also done with the intent of riding it on RAGBRAI.  With the swap of the tire, I could also hit the trails if I wanted.  I was concerned about clearance with the 48 tooth setup, but didn't have any real issues since the trails around here don't have big rocks or stair step type drops.  So for the first year I had a more road specific setup with smaller tire and this worked well for me. My concept of commuting bikes has changed.  I will post pictures next week.

Surly Ogre road/commuter 2012 Irish Tsunami edition major bits and pieces:

Crank set/BB:  Shimano Deore 48/36/26:  This has the Hollowtech crank arms and the chain rings are stamped.  Not the smoothest shifting but I it is hard to find a mountain bike crank with a 48 tooth chain ring....plus it was cheap.  It cranked.

Wheels:   XT Hubs and Salsa Delgado Cross.  I love these wheels, I have had numerous sets made over the years. Salsa got out of the rim business so I will be sad when these pass.  They take a lot of abuse and can be used for MTB XC and cyclocross.

Tires:  Specialized Borough XC 700x45c:  Low rolling resistance with some knobs on the side for loose stuff.

Shifters:  SRAM X.9.  Nothing fabulous, I took them off another bike.  I feel strongly either way about them.

Drive train:  SRAM X.9 9 speed rear mech, SLX triple front mech, SRAM chain with powerlink, SRAM 9 speed cassette.  I am not a fan of SRAM MTB parts, the rear mech is weird.  It was laying around and served its purpose.  As far as I am concerned a front mech is a front mech.

Brakes:  I used Avid Speed Levers and Avid Single Digit 7 brakes.  These brakes worked well, which is to say that they stopped the bike.  No real complaints.

Handlebars:  Jeff Jones Loop Bar......All I can say is that I love it.  I will be getting one for the Mukluk!

Cargo Solution:  Porcelain Rocket Mission Control and Booster Rocket.  Great, but I realize I need a little more space for running shoes and boots and uniform.........

A change of attitude:  This past winter I started riding a fat bike to work.  This changed my commuting mindset a little.  I went from a 45c (1.75 inches) at 75 psi to 3.8 inch wide tires at 4-7 psi.  Can you say "rolling resistance?"  This added about 15 minutes to my ride (due to big tires and snow/ice).  This just meant I had to get up a little earlier.  I like the cushion of the ride knowing I would sacrifice a little, but I am only going 8 miles, it is not like I am trying to race or knock out 300 miles.  So I decided to go to a lower rolling resistance MTB tire and I think I have a good speed/comfort ratio.

Surly Ogre Current State of Affairs:

I decided that since I needed to replace the drive train (I put thousands of miles on it), I would spend a little extra and go to a Shimano XT 3x10 speed.  This meant new shifters and crank set, I decided that I would get what I want vs. settling for what is in the parts bin or on sale.  I am pleased with the decision even though it cost a little more.

Crankest/BB: Shimano XT 42/32/24:  This has machined chain rings and shifts with ease.  I was a little concerned about the 42 tooth for commuting, but it has not been an issue and feels light years faster than the Mukluk.  By light years I really mean minutes....but who is monitoring?

Wheels: XT Hubs and Salsa Semi 29er rims.  Even though these said not for tubeless, I did it anyway.  These are considerably wider than the Delgado Cross.  I put some Continental Race King 29er tires on.  They roll really well, at least compared to the Endomorph/Larry combo on the Panzer.

Shifters:  Shimano XT M780 3x10. I love these shifters, I took the little things off that show you what gear you are in.  Personally I think they are stupid and get in the way.  I love the way these shift.  They are snappy and when you push/pull the triggers there is an audible click and a rapid shift. 

Drive train: Shimano XT Shadow+ 10 speed rear mech, SLX triple front mech, Shimano 10 speed chain, and Shimano SLX 10 speed cassette. I didn't specifically order the Shadow+ option which has a clutch mechanism to reduce/eliminate chain slap.  The shop ordered the wrong one and didn't charge for the upgrade.  I may never understand/appreciate the benefits, but I will say that the XT performs so much better than the X.9.  The SLX cassette now has allow carrier for the three largest cogs to cut on weight, that is a minor feature for me.

Brakes: I used Avid Speed Levers and BB7 brakes. These brakes are the industry standard for mechanical disk brakes. 

Handlebar: Jeff Jones Loop Bar......I love it and won't get rid of it.

Cargo Solution:  OMM Rack.  I got a new fit kit for my Mukluk Sherpa.  It works really well.

I love my Surly Ogre, it is the first bike I have owned where I really feel like I can kick around on it.  It is ok outside in the sun and if it gets banged up at the bike rack I will not lose sleep, the Army Green finish is forgiving.  It is durable and overbuilt.....just like me!

Failure

I feel defeated.  Maybe frustrated is a better word, however, defeated keeps coming to mind.  Part of it was due to an unexpected flat the other part is due to my failure to prepare.  This resulted in me having to call home for a ride.  I failed to ride 20 miles on the first really nice day of the year.

Yesterday, I was riding home from work and I noticed that my rear tire was feeling a little squirrelly.  I am trying to get as many miles in before a century this weekend so I was taking the long way home.  I don't know what caused it to leak in the first place, no punctures or debri stickng out of it.   I put this together a month or so ago and it is been holding air, so I am not sure what caused it to start leaking air.  I guess it resulted in the seal breaking along the bead.

I stopped by a gas station and was happy that I put a presta to schrader adapter in my bag.  I dropped a quarter in the slot (no free air these days) and added a bunch of air but found that the bead was not sealing.  I found myself on the extreme opposite side of town examining my wonderful tubeless tire watching sealant bubble around the rim.  I sat for a few and watched sealant bubble in numerous spots on the tire/rim.  I contemplated just breaking the bead, putting in a tube and riding home.  I checked my stuff and realized that I didn't have a tube so I figured I would tough it out.  I headed back to the bike path and checked it again, I was loosing air.

So I called home, sat in the shade and waited for a ride.  I played with it last night, got up this morning and there is still little bubbles.  There is only a finite amount of time in life. Subtract sick time and work (in this case I can count years that I have lived behind wire and concrete....not prison) the amount of time that a person can get out an enjoy life is pretty limited.  I like to maximize my free time and enjoy it as much as possible.  While the eternal optimist may find something great about sitting on the road by a casino......I could not.

Even today I am really frustrated.  I spent a lot of time and effort getting those tires to seal, so I could sit next to a casino and watch bus loads of old people arrive so they can blow their social security checks.  I will always carry a tube from now on and I will probably just revert back to the good old inner tube for that wheel.  Man...I feel defeated.      

Can we get to summer?

Today a friend of mine asked me why I haven't been riding lately.  I told him it was because the weather is nasty.  He pointed out that I rode all winter in 30 mph blizzards and 15 below temps, how is 40 degrees and rainy bad?  He called me names and questioned my manhood.

This is what I told him:


Cold and Snow=Simple.   When it is really cold the key to riding is temperature control.  Really cold in the morning and cold at night are easy.  Dress so that it is a little chilly when you start the ride and layer.  I like to bring some extra base layer clothing in the event stuff doesn't dry and it takes up little space.

Warm/hot weather=easy.  Sure really hot can be uncomfortable but you can only take so much off.  A long sleeve shirt goes a long way in cool weather.

Cold/wet morning and warm afternoon=not easy.  It is really hard to manage temperature with out carrying a bunch of stuff in the evening.  Most water proof clothing translates to "water doesn't get in and sweat doesn't get out."  This means potential overheating.  Breathable and water resistant can mean "wet and cold" if there is too much moisture.  Then at the end of the day you have to carry the extra stuff home since it is warmer.

I like to keep is simple, light, and on the bike.  I don't like to carry stuff on my back but I will do it if I have too.  If I don't want to carry stuff on my back I have to use bigger bags and not my Porcelain Rocket bags.  I don't like panniers per se and in the summer it is easy to use bike packing gear like Porcelain Rocket because I carry less running stuff to work.

Tonight rain/snow mix.  It is mid-April.   I am ready for summer.  I need BOB to warm this part of the earth.  I have been shamed into riding again thanks to my friend.  Tonight I will pack panniers and tomorrow I will sweat on the way home.  Sad, I know, but we are ready for summer.

That is all.

To Convert to Tubless or Not to Convert to Tubeless: That is the Question

Way to much stuff.  Better to have an not need than need and not have.

Admittedly, I am lagging far behind in the world of tubeless tires, this is my first interaction with the magical world of tubeless tires.  The technology, maybe technique is a better word, has been around for a while.  I typically don't spend much time or resources on something unless I am convinced it is worth it.  Although I drank the cool aid (or should I say "latex sealant") I am still not convinced that they are worth it for me or the average rider.  They have been around a while and people still complain about getting their beads to seat and tires to seal.  The interweb is full of discussion on tips and tricks to get past stubborn setups, even for those specifically designed to be tubeless.  There is so much written about tubeless and countless youtube demonstrations, setting up tubeless tires should not be a mystery or an exercise on patience and/or futility, even though that is exactly what it turns into.

I spent the better part of the week trying to convert some wheels to a tubeless set up.  I spent $100 on stems, yellow tape, rim strips w/stems built in, and sealant.  I did the research and followed manufacturer's instructions.  In the end I prevailed but spent a day plus trying to get these bad boys to seat and seal.  In the end I returned the Stan's rim strips after I successfully did it for pennies on the dollar with Gorilla tape and Stan's stems.  

Pros:
Weight--This does not matter to me because I am big and don't race.  I will still carry a spare inner tube just in case, but that is two less.
Flat protection--I will be using these for commuting to work.  This is key for me as I have often flatted on little pieces of glass or metal.  Could be beneficial in areas with small cacti or thorny things.  Could be beneficial in a race, which I don't do.
Traction--Riding at lower pressure to get better traction with out risking pinch flats.  I kind of care about this as I usually run 30 psi.

Cons:
Challenge to Set Up--I am convinced this is why they are not the mainstream.  They can be messy if they don't seat right away.  They pretty much require an air compressor which most people don't have.  I don't have a ton of time to spend horsing around with wheels, I would rather be riding.
Require Routine Maintenance--The sealant drys up and must be replaced annually if not sooner.
Not Guaranteed to Hold Air--There are some cool videos showing a bike rolling over boards covered with nails.  There are no cool videos showing air burping out and tires separating from rims.  Spare inner tube should be carried just in case.
$$$$$--Wow.....I spent a ton of money on a few products.  Tubeless ready tires cost more than the equivalent tubed tire.  Stems and yellow tape add up.  Sealant is not cheap and I threw at least 8 ounces out from failed attempts.  

Results:

Salsa Semi 29er rims with Tubeless ready Continental Race Kings--Disclaimer--I set up a set of Salsa Semi 29er rims which have a sticker located on the stem hole that specifically states they are not to be set up tubeless.  I also have stood on the top of a ladder that states the top is not a step....and I lived.  So far they have worked very well.  I have great insurance and take full responsibility for my actions!  These are wider rims and need an air compressor.  I used Stan's yellow tape (the wide stuff) and a stem.  I could not get the bead out of the deep groove in this rim so I used a couple wraps of Gorilla tape to fill it in.  It seated nicely but required manipulation and the extra tape.



Giant PX 29er rims with not tubeless ready Tioga Psycho Genius tires--These rims are listed by Stan's as compatible with their systems.  These were a challenge to get seated even for older tires that have been stretched and ridden with tubes.  Really tough actually.  Again, I used Gorilla tape and I had to use levers to work the bead.  The people at the neighborhood gas station probably got tired of occupying their air compressor.

The jury is still out for me though when considering cost and time spent making them work.  I could have bought a lot of inner tubes and patch kits.  Yes it is a pain to pump up a tire on the trail but I don't ever recall hours to change a flat and get rolling.

 Of the four tires/wheels I set up no two had the same setup procedure and each required a lot of manipulation.  I can understand different rims/tire combos, but each one?  Mystery.  I could understand if a professional racer has them for weight savings and protection, they have a lot on the line if they flat.  For the average Joe, I would say it would be based on the environment and vegetation.

They Hold Air!  For the the mountain bike tinkerer.....they are a dream.

To Frame Save or Not To Frame Save: That is the Question?

I put a lot of miles on my Ogre last year and it needed a little overhaul.  I am not sure why, but the Ogre has become one of my favorites.  I suppose it is the combination of a number of things from fit, how it rides, and the fact that I feel like I can bang it around a little and don't worry about it's huge cost or chipping the beautiful Olive Drab paint.   I have stated before my only real complaint was that I am not real fond of some of the areas that collect water and show some surface rust.  So I decided to bite the bullet and treat the inside of the frame for piece of mind.  While it is not an "expensive" bike by today's standards, I do like to make things last as long as I can, especially if it is something I like.

To Frame Save or Not To Frame Save:  That is the question?

Holy Cow, I did not realize that this was such a controversial issue in the bicycling world.  There is a lot of discussion on the topic and not always friendly.  Surly Bikes has a FAQ on taking care of a steel frame.  They list a number of treatment options and even though I keep my bikes indoors but I figured I would do it to be safe.  I turned to the interweb to find both product and tips where I quickly found that there are three schools of thought when it comes to treating the inside of a bike frame.  

1.  "Do it"
2.  "Don't do it, it is Voodoo.  You are stupid and waste your money if you do it!"
3.  "Meh, I don't know if it works but it is cheap so why not!"

Oddly enough the second was the most passionate and many responses were borderline hostile.  After spending some time reading on it I went with option number 3.

The Secret Sauce! 

There are several options that I would have settled for:
1.  Boiled Linseed Oil 
2.  Boeshield T-9
3.  J.P. Weigle Frame Saver
4.  AMSOIL HDMP

I wasn't looking for a "pepto bismol" solution that only coats.  If I was going to spend some time I wanted something that fought rust too.  Besides, I don't even know what boiled linseed oil is.  I decided that I was going to use J.P. Weigle Frame Saver, heck for all I know all that is boiled linseed oil.  I went to my favorite LBS and they said it was currently out of stock at the distributer.  That seems to be a trend.  I tried a number of online sources before I changed my course.  I heard that AMSOIL Heavy Duty Metal Protector was essentially the same thing and a number of people said you could get it at any auto part store so I spent a day trying to get that to no avail.

Then I read where Boeshield T-9 which I use on my chain seals is great for metal protection.  I read a great article where it was the best for protecting metal surfaces on table saws and related woodworking equipment.  So I began the search for a spray can of T-9.......with equal results as before.  I walked into a bike shop to look for some T-9 when I saw a can of Frame Saver.  I spent days trying to find a suitable product and there is was.    

Treating the Frame:

This is not rocket surgery by any means but the last thing I want to do is clean up a huge mess.  I taped off all of the holes with a low tack masking tape and shoved some paper towel into the bottom bracket to absorb run off from the down tube.  The fumes from Frame Saver are pretty strong so I did it out in my garage.

Now it is a party!

Down Tube and Top Tube:  I sprayed frame saver into the Top Tube and Down Tube from the head tube openings.  Then I wadded up some paper towel, inserted it into the head tube and taped it off.  I left the Head Set cups in.  

Chain Stays:  I sprayed the Frame Saver into the chain stays through the bottom bracket holes.  Then I wadded up some paper towel and shoved it into the BB and taped it off.

Seat Stays:  This is where I had some problems.  Because the Seat Tube extends far above the point where the seat stays are welded on I could not get to them with the included straw.  This meant that I would have to spray it into the gas vent holes which the instructions very clearly state you should not as pressure and gas from the can cause Frame Saver to spray back out of the holes.  At this point I donned safety glasses!  Sure enough when I pulled the straw out, Frame Saver sprayed back out a bit.  This was a little messy.  Then I taped over the hole.

Seat Tube:  Sprayed then I put a little paper towel at the top and taped it off.


This thing:  This is the source of a lot of my rust.  Water sprays up there and little rusty orange rivers come out. I soaked this in Frame Saver and then taped it off.

Once I had every thing taped off I rotated the frame around every hour or so.  The next day I pulled the tape off and sprayed it again the same way.

After the second application I brought it into the house (still taped up) and the next day I pulled the tape off to let it dry completely.  This is where I ran into some trouble.  I had a 6:30 a.m. meeting and I wanted to take the tape off before I left for the day.  When I pulled the tape off of the seat stay hole Frame Saver shot out and sprayed all over my face and t-shirt.  It was 4:30 in the morning and I didn't have time to lose my eyesight.  I ran my face under the kitchen faucet for a while but my skin was irritated through out the day.  I don't even understand what would cause that.  It didn't spray back out when I pulled the straw out and it took a few seconds to to put tape over it so gas or pressure should have escaped.  Lesson learned.....wear eye pro!

Clean Up:  Over spray and leaks cleaned up easily with WD-40.  If I didn't plan on disassembling the bike I probably wouldn't do it.  If it is a brand new naked frame I would do it.  Meh!  We will see, if the little orange rivers stop than it was worth it.

The Two Week Weekend Project: Annual Ogre Bike Overhaul

Frame Prep

Saturday I finished what was supposed to be a "weekend" project....that I started two weeks ago.  Part of it was poor planning/timing the other part is due to the fact that I am slow.  I should have ordered the tires I wanted earlier but I was waiting for possible birthday presents in the form of $$$$.  I wanted to "rust proof" the inside of my frame and spent days trying to source the secret sauce to do it. 

This all stemmed from a basic bicycle maintenance course I enrolled in through a local community college.  I will make a long story short but many of the other students looked at both me and my bike with contempt.  I am sure that they ride really fancy bikes with only the finest matching component groups whereas, I pieced my beloved Surly Ogre together from a number of sources which included parts from my El Mariachi and various discount part vendors on-line.  Old and new parts can meet with mixed success. Lets face it a 5 year old used rear derailleur feels just like it sounds, old.  I also pieced it together with specific reasons. 

Don't judge me because I wanted to go Old School and put a 48 tooth chain ring on my fully rigid steel mountain bike.  If I wasn't supposed to, than why does Shimano still make them with a  mountain front derailleur to fit it.  Anyway I digress, I offered to let the instructor use my bike for demonstration in the hopes that it would get a free tune up.  It was in rough shape with loose axles, slightly bent rear derailleur, rubbing disc brakes (due to both bent rotors and the fact that the rear Ogre disc brake tab allows forward to rear movement based on gear vs single speed and various tire choices), and a plethora of minor problems.  It was a great example of why maintenance checks are important. 

I put thousands of miles on it last year and I decided that I would pull it apart and:

1.  Clean everything thoroughly and inspect the parts:  I succumbed to peer pressure and replaced the the 48 tooth with a 44 tooth chain ring, mainly because a Surly Ogre with a 48 tooth chain ring, a 2.1 inch tire, and Monkey Nuts requires a long chain.   I replaced the disc rotors (even the cheap ones are pricey), and I put a longer stem on in the hopes that I would feel less bunched up with the Jones Loop bar.

2.   I  hit the inside of the frame with Frame Saver, something I had been considering doing for a while.  While this is not rocket surgery, it will be a post of it's own.

3.  Replace tires with MTB specific tires vs a Cyclocross tire and go tubeless.  Nothing makes a bike feel brand new and pretty like a new set of tires.  I went with the Continental Race Kings, low rolling resistance though I am now thinking I should have gotten the 2.1 inch width, but whatever.  Tubeless set up will be a post of its own.

I am waiting for the weather to clear just a little bit more before I jump on it and mess it up now that it is "clean."  This year I am going to spend more time riding that gravel so I can say that I did it before it was really cool.

Live Life: The Joy of Pain and Agony of Winning

I feel bad for people who don't do anything. I am active, always have been.  I love adventure.  I crave adventure.  I am not content watching television, playing video games all night (sleeping most of the day), fantasy football, or those card games (magic stuff and Pokemon).  These things do not satisfy me and I don't believe it truly satisfies those people who become consumed by them.  Bodies and minds crave stimulating activity and exertion.  Humans were not designed to be idle and humans have not adapted well to a sedentary lifestyle. 

I wonder what kind of stories they will tell when they get old; "one time I found myself backed into a corner and I had to use my level 10 wizard to destroy your ogre and your spell of something pointless?" And by ogre I clearly am not speaking of the Surly Ogre on which I have embarked on challenging adventures. What will their obituary will say; "John spent his life sitting in his basement mostly in the dark mastering a video game and interacting with others like him instead of developing a relationship and exploring the wonders of the natural world." That rocks.

But not for me.  I often look at people in their fancy cars with heated seats while I am on my Mukluk at -15 degrees and 30 mph wind gusts.  As they look at me, I wonder if they wish they were riding a bike.  Then I realize that is a stupid question......of course they do.  Secretly I wish I had a heated seat.   

I come from a long line of people who do stuff. They got out of the comfort zone and competed; took action vs sit and let the world go by. 

They felt the joy of pain and agony that always accompanies winning!  Yes, I said that right.

We walked away from that one!

Now I am not saying that watching a sporting event or playing cards isn't a good pass time every now and then but those are not activities or hobbies in my opinion.  Those are sufficient to pass time but not to LIVE LIFE.  While my life is not always the adventure I want it to be; I constantly seek it out.  I have to balance everything in my life.  My kids, wife, and job consume most of my life but I have no regrets when it comes to living life to its fullest.  Fortunately they all provide enough adventure to satisfy enough to enjoy life.  The good thing is that I am still young and in good shape (no broken parts) and there is plenty of opportunity.

Winning!  The Chick on her way back before anyone else could get to the wall.

  My daughter is beginning to understand this a little.  Things are not often fun until you get good at them.  That is the joy of pain and agony of winning.  I want my kids to have activities that can be enjoyed for life (as long as the body is willing and capable of course).  I don't want them to sit around and play fantasy sports while reminiscing about how good they were once upon a time. 

I want them to enjoy the activity of life as I do.  That is why I love fly fishing, backpacking, and bicycling.  Each of these require activity (I don't fish from a chair).  I can tell stories of nearly drowning in pursuing fish in fast moving rivers and creeks.  I can tell of sleepless nights in the mountains of Montana and New Mexico, wondering if the lighting could get any closer while on mountain tops.  The list can and will continue to grow. 

Food For Thought, the world is changing!

   

The Surly Ogre: On the Trail

I finally got around to putting disc brakes on my Surly Ogre so I can run 29er mountain bike wheels/tires in addition to my 700c wheels.  The original set up was geared for commuting and I ran 700x45c tires which fit great and had plenty of clearance with the front derailleur.  This would also be true for single speed setup if you are into that kind of thing (I have decided I am not). 

I have been wanting to take the Olive Drab Roller for a spin in the woods so I borrowed the Avid BB7 disk brakes and Salsa Semi 29er wheels from the El Mar.  Adding these wheels with the larger tires required me to install Surly Monkey Nuts (included with the the frame) to get the additional spacing required for the tire to clear the front derailleur.  This meant that I had to get a new chain; I should have set it up with the Monkey Nuts in the first place as it would have made no real difference in performance and saved me $25 last week.  I am also considering dumping the 48 tooth chain ring if it gets in the way.

Live and learn I suppose.


Winston and I took it for ride and I was extremely pleased.  Again, it is based on the Karate Monkey and it is a tried and true frame design which I had considered buying when I was ultimately seduced by the beautiful El Mariachi.  I am not a professional bike review guy so I am not going to use fancy words "spry" or "nimble" or "fast" to describe how it handled, mainly because I am not so therefore the bike will never be.   I will say that I love the feel of a rigid steel bike and with the Jeff Jones Loop Bar, it made short order of climbs and technical spots on the trail.

I have some Maxxis 2.10 CrossMark tires on it now, but I am going to test the Surly "Fatties Fit Fine" with some out of production WTB Weirwolf tires that measure in at 2.55 (I don't know if that is actual or exaggerated as tires often are).  I love those tires, the came on the El Mar but there wasn't a lot of clearance in muddy situations.  I can run them with tubes at 20 psi and not flat.

I am pleased with the purchase, it served me well riding 500 miles across the state of Iowa with 700x32c Continental GatorSkins and it will serve me well on the trails.  As for reducing my bike fleet by one, I think I have a new plan for the El Mariachi to keep it fresh and relevant.  More on that later.

 

Never Ending Tinkering

The Ogre (aka Olive Drab Roller; ODR)



I have a bunch of bikes.  I use them a lot.  I use them hard.  I have mentioned all of this before with my hopes of someone sponsoring a serious commuter and enthusiast to help offset the costs.  At this point I am an unofficial spokesperson for QBP, the folks who own Surly and Salsa (combined I have four).  The best I have received from them is a stem and a handlebar which were awarded for my literary talents and desire to get a tin sign of their logo half way around the world with out it being destroyed.  I have been riding the Muk to work a lot.  My boss calls it the Panzer, I think it is fitting.  The other day, I was trying to get out of the office so I could assist with taking one of the strap hangers to the dentist.  I literally couldn't get past people with the Panzer.  They blocked my way and asked questions, people are fascinated with the size of the tires on the Mukluk.

If you are considering ordering or purchasing a fat bike I will warn you right now; people will inquire, stare, make comments in passing, and ask you what it is for......the questions are endless.  I haul this thing up a flight of stairs and keep it behind my desk (when it is not nasty out) and I will have someone come to speak with me and the whole time we are talking the person is looking over my shoulder at my bike.  One of the people I supervise is completely distracted by it.  He stares and than mid-work related statement says "I am sorry, I can't help it, those are the biggest tires I have ever seen."  They speak to others and their relatives, it is amazing.  Great PR for the Quality Bike Parts.

Today for no great reason I cannibalized my El Mariachi for some wheels and brakes.  I suppose will not ride it again this year.  I have wanted to do some off road on the Ogre but wanted some decent stopping power.  I have it geared towards commuting with a 48 tooth chain ring, but this will allow quick wheel change outs to some wider rims and big rubber.  I have been wanting to do some single track on it, now I can!  I missed a great deal on some disc brake calipers, two sets for $50.  This would have been amazing because I now need (want) Avid BB7 brakes on two bikes.

I also did a night ride last weekend in the freezing cold.  Just before, I switched handle bars on my Giant Anthem X 29er for a Salsa Low Rise bar with 17 degree sweep.  I won that bar and if felt great on the ride, I am fond of a bar with some sweep and with just a little more tweaking on lever position life is good!

On a final note I do not like to post random stuff from bike part companies and their product announcements, but this is special because it takes me back to my 1994 with my GT.

Prince Would Be Proud

 

There was a time when I was riding in purple anodized bliss.  Anything I could get in purple was on that bike.  You name it:  chain ring bolts, bar ends, caps, binders, skewers.  At one point I took the rear derailleur apart to replace the mounting bolt with a purple break away variety.  By the way, that can be a nightmare if you disassemble wrong, tension springs can be a pain.  In fact a friend of mine was doing the same thing and he called me to tell me not to remove X piece.  I thanked him for the advice as I crawled on all fours looking at springs.  Thanks again Dan.  But it was worth the hours of reassembly for that one more accent of  Purple. 

Then it seems Purple died off, but not my love of it.  Great times.  If I had the coin this would be the time to get the hubs and headset.  I wonder if it would look good on the ODR?

The Ogre

The Surly Ogre has become one of my favorites based on comfort and utility. 

I would like to quote a hero of mine, Han Solo, who said "She'll make point five beyond the speed of light. She may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts, kid."  Well except for the point five stuff but that is probably more my fault than the bike. 

The Ogre Crossing the Hennepin Canal

Here are the top three reasons I like this bike:

1.  As the Surly web page says, it is very versatile.  I will not go into all the details since Surly did a great job.  I was considering reducing the fleet by getting rid of my El Mariachi due to the infuriating Bushnell Eccentric Bottom Bracket.  The Ogre fit the bill nicely since I had once considered getting a Karate Monkey which is what the Ogre is based on.  The nice thing about it is the thought Surly put into it, allowing me to do just about anything I want.  I can easily mount racks and fenders.  I can use the wheels from my Las Cruces (which are rim brakes) or I can put disc brakes on.  29er MTB tires or 700c road/touring tires.  If I come across $1500 I can purchase a Rolhoff Speed Hub.  Basically the bike can change as my needs change.

Heavy Rear End:  trailers, fenders, racks, Rolhoff mounting plate on non-drive side.  This baby can do it all.

2.  Very reasonably priced.  I bought the frame from a LBS in Rock Island, IL and I paid under $500 so I was pleased.  Even though I bought the frame and built it up, the complete version is very reasonable but geared more toward the MTB side. 

3.  Very durable, like Han said, she may not look like much but I didn't want some fancy finish to worry about.  While I don't go out of my way to beat things up, I am a big dumb animal.  I didn't want to stress about the kids banging on it or parking it at a crowded bike rack.

The Build:  I built it with two things in mind

1.  Heavy duty commuting bike.  The area I live in has concrete streets with big seams in them.  They are uneven and  when it gets hot the tar softens and you can loose a tire in them.  My cyclocross bike can handle the bumps but I wanted a larger tire (700x45c) and my frame would not accept them.  This bike will take any 29er tire.

2.  Gravel Grinding.  Yeah, I jumped on the Gravel Grinding bandwagon.  After all I am in Iowa and there are lots of gravel roads.  Embrace the local culture, that is what travelling the world is all about.  Even travel to exotic Iowa!

Ready To Pounce

I wanted the bike with a 48/36/26 crank set so I could get a little extra power on the flats and descents.  I would have gone bigger but the frame it requires a top pull front mech and 48 teeth was the limit of the top pull MTB front derailleurs.  It has been a pretty good compromise.  I haven't tried it in a single track scenario but chain ring clearance could be an issue.

Aside from the unique qualities that Surly has put into the Ogre there is really nothing fascinating about the bike, the parts are pretty standard SRAM X.9, Avid V-brakes.......except for the handle bar.  I decided on the Jeff Jones Loop Bar over other options to include the Salsa Wood Chipper.  The Loop Bar really makes the bike stand out and it provides a large assortment of hand positions which is nice.   I have found that the back sweep makes them extremely comfortable.  I look forward to trying them on the single track.  It works well with my Porcelain Rocket handlebar bag.  Well worth the money.    

This winter I am going to replace the headset with one that has sealed bearings.  That will be one less thing to maintain.  I really like the Loaded AmXc headset.  It looks sharp.I also plan to put disc brakes on it, then I can use either cyclocross for commuting or the Salsa Semi 29ers from the red headed stepchild so I can take it on the trails.  That will probably be the final step of making the El Mariachi obsolete (I had to have it just sit there, but I don't ride single speed very much).  Since I plan to replace the headset I am going to strip it down and give it a dose of Frame Saver.

Things I dislike:  Obviously I purchased the bike for many of the reasons listed above.  It is a great bike however, there are a couple of minor things that I dislike.  These reasons involve rust.  When I asked the folks at Surly about this they sent me a info paper on their bikes and rust.  Of course they recommend Frame Saver in the frame.  For the outside they state that unless you leave it out in the rain, the rust is not damaging. That said I hate rust.  I am not sure why, it is offensive I guess.  But the Surly full cable housing guides catch water, captures it, and allows for little pools of rust.

  Water Trap

As do the all of the little threaded holes for mounting stuff.

 Bill and Ted Trailer Mount bolt hole = rust

Fork Blade rack mounting hole = rust



The other thing is this.  I am not sure what this is called but there is a hole into the head tube which makes no sense to me.  



I am not a bike doctor and I certainly am not a rocket surgeon so I don't know what structural integrity this provides. I can tell you one thing, with out fenders water sprays directly from the tires into this contraption, collects and for some reason causes some serious rust that later runs down the frame like a little rusty river.  I am going to hit it with some frame saver this winter and see what happens.

Overall I love the bike and my dislikes are purely cosmetic.

Sans Socks!

In my last post I mentioned that I had I thrown out a pair of socks due to the amount of cockle burs caught in them.  Coming home from a ride sans socks has become a problem for me.  So far during the month of September I have ruined two pair of socks on rides.  The second pair was due to poorly maintained trails and a whole lot of cockle burs.  The first was due to poor planning that was overcome by good old fashioned "field expediency."

The ODR (Olive Drab Roller)

Labor Day weekend is a serious event for the Irish Tsunami.  As stated in previous posts, anytime we have a long weekend it is essential that we have a plan.  We started with an airshow in the rain and culminated with our second year at the Kewanee Hog Days.  I know what you are thinking, this sounds like an Forced Family Outing and you are correct.  It is an annual Labor Day event which boasts the World's Largest Outdoor Pork Barbecue, serving over 30 thousand!   Nothing says a great time like 30,000 pork sandwiches and carnival rides in 90 degree heat!  As for the entertainment.......I was entertained!  If you look at the link you will notice that the site does not show a picture or list any entrainment for Monday.  It just so happens that it was "Hoggyoke" and I have that photo.  

We watched this guy for a while much to my children's chagrin.  I guess they don't appreciate the finer things in life.

Just before we left the house for this event, I decided that I wanted to take my bike so I could ride the Hennepin Canal Trail from Awana to Colona on the way back.  Of course I decided that I wanted to do this ten minutes before we were going to leave.  Having never ridden this before and finding very little written about this trail other than the fact that it is there I made sure I had the basics.  After all, it would only be 25 miles so little planning would be necessary.

Following the festivities, the consumption of a couple of pork sandwiches, and a chocolate milkshake at the Dairy Queen, I was dropped off at the the canal near Awana. 

Overall the trail is very user friendly.  While they advertise that is is road bike compatible, I would venture to say that I would want a cyclocross bike or a touring bike with larger tires (700x28c or 32c).  I was riding my Surly Ogre (which has become my go to ride) and cruising in style.

Then it hit, "it" being two pork chop sandwiches and a large chocolate milkshake!  I had passed an outhouse a couple of miles back but didn't want to back track.  I figured that there would be another one eventually.  I figured wrong.  There was nowhere to go; a canal to the left of me and overgrown shrubs and trees to the right of me.  I pedaled as far as I could go and found no services.

The Hennepin Canal is pretty amazing and during it's construction aqueducts were built to allow barges to pass over intersecting rivers and streams.  Many of these still exist and I figured that going under one would provide the easiest access and the maximum privacy.  I carfully climbed down the bank and support structure, scratching my legs on every thorn on the way.  I safely reached the creek bed, the only problem was that I was missing one essential item.  TP!!!

This is where poor planing and haste intersect to cause a serious problem.  Fortunately for me, I have had a lot of great experiences in life, to include serving as an Infantryman in the Army.  This has provided me with the ability to overcome nearly any challenge that presents.  In the field or in combat you don't always have the luxury or conveniences of modern life.  In situations like that you have a couple of options that are "field expedient."

The options are

1.  Use a sock.  The problem is that you are wearing boots with no sock which leads to blisters and pain.  Last resort, only to be used if you don't have a knife to cut up your t-shirt or you are out of t-shirt (see #2).
 
2.  Use the bottom of your t-shirt.  Cut a portion of the bottom of your t-shirt off.  If you have a knife (who doesn't carry one with these at all times) you can cut sections off the bottom of your t-shirt.  In the Army this is covered by the outer camouflage garment and you cannot see that it is missing sections.  The downfall is that if you take the outer garment you look like a fool with half a t-shirt.  This is also a problem if you are wearing a nice shirt, (see #1)

Because I was wearing a nice biking shirt I chose option #1.  The problem with that was a 20 mile ride and looking like a fool with only one sock.

I am grateful that the Army provided me with some practical life skills.

  

Jones Loop Bars

The other day I noticed a crack in a rim on my Ogre. The wheel is six years old and has been ridden hard. I didn't have time to swap cassettes so I rode my Giant Anthem X 29er to work. It added a solid 15 minutes to the ride. I felt like I was riding in slow motion due to the Psycho Genius tires and the rear shock which does not completely lock out.


The interesting part was that a soft rear end (the bike's not mine) or inefficient tires were not the most noticable aspect of this ride. The most noticable difference was the handle bar. No different than any other handle bar I have ever had (except those annoying bull bars that game on the classic 90's GT bikes) it felt awkward.


The majority of my riding has been commuting on the Ogre with the Jeff Jones Loop H Bar and my body has become accustomed to the natural position these bars provide. Mr. Jones, I am sold. Though the bars cost more than I would prefer, the aluminum are within the price range and I would get them again. While most of my time with these bars has been spent on gravel and pavement, I can only imagine how comfortable they would be mountain biking.


Thank you to Mr. Jeff Jones!

Swinging with Old Man River

I work on an island in the Mississippi River. I have my choice of two bridges; one takes me the long way, the other is less long. The less long takes me across "the Government Bridge."  It is a double deck swing bridge that allows barges to pass through the locks. It is quite a fascinating piece of engineering; it allows trains on the upper level and cars on the lower level and the whole thing pivots 360 degrees. The driving and walk way are steel grate allowing you to see Old Man River roll along beneath you.

 

 

This is the Government Bridge in the open position.  I find it facinating that this bridge can support cars and trains while pivoting on a central axis.  The red is the deck of a barge moving through the lock.



This is all good until the less long way becomes the long way when a barge comes along as it did twice today while I was trying to get to work and when I was on my way home. Unfortunately the 30 minute delay meant that I didn't beat the electrical storm and sideways rain. Sometimes I win, most of the time I don't. The rain meant that I had to put the iPod away which meant that I had to listen to an annoying ping sound that has been plaguing me for a while. This caused me to throw the Ogre on the stand and pull the wheel. I think the bearings are shot.

Maybe getting caught in the rain prevented future catastrophe. Who knows. I captured a small bit of video of the swing bridge close. It is a regular occurance and I always find it amazing.

The Long Way Home

When I signed up for the RAGBRAI at the beginning of the year I initiated my tried and true training plan.



My preparation strategy was the same as before.

1. Ride as much as possible
2. Get a good set of tires
3. Drink a bunch of water
4. Shove my jersey pockets as full of Jelly Belly Caffeine Sports Beans and Pearson's Salted Nut Rolls


This is a tried and true recipe for success.  RAGBRAI is not for another month so really all I need to do right now is #1 the rest can wait, besides, diet Pepsi has water in it.  It is liquid..... The hard part about #1 is finding the time to put in the hours necessary to avoid pain on a 6 day bike ride across the state of Iowa.  I work long hours and the Irish Tsunami must be kept at bay, both of which compete for my time.  Not to mention I like to sleep sometimes.


The best solution is biking to work.  There is a reason that so many people drive.  Bicycle commuting requires planning, organization, and discipline.  The good thing is that I posses all of the qualities necessary to plan, organize, and demonstrate the required discipline; just not all three at the same time.  I have been riding the Ogre to work nearly every day and I can say that it takes everything I have to plan, organize my stuff, and the muster the necessary discipline to get up at 0400 in the morning shave and hit the road.  

Though it is painful to get up at that hour of the morning I do occasionally get nice views as I cross the Mississippi on the Government Bridge.

Old Man River is calm and happy.

The only problem with that plan is that it is only 16 miles round trip, hardly enough to get conditioned for 600 miles.  My solution is to take a couple of days and take the long way home.  Davenport provides ample opportunities with several great bike paths.  Most days, I am exhausted when it is time to go home and changing into commuting clothes is often a challenge.  But the long way home provides a great end to a long and stressful day.  It may not be enough but it fulfills strategy #1.

Finally Complete

The plan was simple, purchase a part here and part there to complete the list of items I had.  If a box shows up from Amazon or Price Point from time to time it is less noticeable than saying, "hey, I need $300 or so to finish this up."  At least that is what I tell myself, there is no fooling Household 6, she know what I am up to and it all adds up to $300.  Because most of my creative brainpower is used for work, I ended up saying "hey, I need $300 or so to finish."  The end result is an affordable durable ride that is capable of just about anything.

I am not going to take pictures of every aspect and part because it really is quite plain.  

I wanted something that I could run on and off road and planned on putting a road crank so I wouldn't spin out on the flats.  It is top pull and since I could not find a top pull road derailleur I went with a Shimano SLX capable of running up to a 48 tooth chain ring.  That is a good compromise because I was looking at a 50 tooth.  I used a Shimano Deore crank with the hollow tech II to provide stiffness.  My only complaint is that spacers and small parts are plastic instead of aluminum.  I am not found of the headset, but it was the right price and it is what you get when you don't do research.

I would say that the highlight so far has been the Jeff Jones Loop Bar.  I love the variety of hand positions, it makes for a comfortable ride.  I did the first 20 miles on it yesterday to listen for creaks, moans, squeaks, or rubbing.  Everything went well and I know that I am going to get a ton of use out of this bike.  It is very versatile and there are plenty of options to upgrade in the future.

I have some multi-cam Porcelain Rocket products on order.

Specs:

Ogre 22" frame

Headset:  FSA Pig headset

Crank set and BB:  Shimano Deore 26/36/48 

Cassette:  Sram X.9 11-34

Front derailleur:  Shimano triple SLX

Rear derailleur:  Sram X.9

Shifters:  Sram X.9 trigger

Stem: Giant Connect 90mm

Handlebar:  Jeff Jones Loop bar

Brakes and levers:  Avid Single Digit 7 Linear Pull.

Wheels:  Shimano XT hubs with Salsa Delgado Cross rims

Seat Post:  Salsa Shaft

Almost Done

I am almost done assembling my new Surly Ogre.  This will be my gravel grinder and commuting bike.  It has a mixture of old and new parts.  Nothing fancy, my goal is quality and function.  My biggest challenge is the gearing.  I was going to go with a road crank for a large chain ring.  Turns out nobody makes a top pull road derailleur.  The result is a 48 tooth mountain crank, the Shimano LX front derailleur will handle it.       

I am excited to use the Jeff Jones Loop Bar.  I anticipate it will be comfortable with the swept back grips and multiple hand positions available.  I am going to ride it a little bit and ensure the position of the brake levers and shifters before wrapping the remainder with handlebar tape.  I think I may need a shorter stem.  Again I will ride then make the decision.

Here is my Multi-Cam Porcelain Rocket Mission Control handlebar bag.