It's been awhile...

Yeah it's been awhile since my last post, I think which mentioned my smart purchase of that TransAm 29er. I love that bike! I bought it pretty much stock, with a nice fork upgrade since I was using my own wheels. The things I changed:

• Handlebars were 5" wider than my current bars were. I threw a Salsa ProMoto on there that I had, sweet! Only change I would make there would be to go carbon, when I can afford it. 
• Thudbuster. I bought the correct size, so I don't need shims. I hate shimmage. And now I have a new Thudbuster!
• Went back to 1-by.  I couldn't accept having two shifters again. I removed the FD and replaced the 38/24 'rings with one 34T Raceface Narrow/Wide. The chain hasn't even thought of falling off, although I still have the bashguard only because I need shorter chainring bolts....
• Saddle. Swapped out the decent stock one for my old standby, the WTB Rocket V.

Other than that, the brakes, stem, RD and shifter are stock. I mighta saved a few $ building it up, but then again maybe not. The fork is worth much more than the frame, and the Fox ctd etc etc with Kashima Sushimi Ryuchi Sakamoto coating does NOT come with the stock bike.
The paint is super durable. Every time I hear a rock kick up and whack the frame, I look for a scratch or something. NOTHING, so far!
I guess you could say I'm very happy with the bike!

Maiden Voyage again

Well, after a failed attempt at riding a medium, I got the large. Always considered myself a 'medium' rider, but the TT length was an inch too short in the medium Transition TransAm 29. The medium was a sweet blood-red color, but the large white even better. I don't really care for bike colors other than really dark or neutral colors. I would've preferred black but the white with black pinstripes fits well with my Charger wheelset and all the other parts. And if I wanna jackass around with colors, I can add my green alien mojo or something. Only a matter of time before I stain it with my own blood anyways. At least the paintjob seems really durable, with the graphics under a good clearcoat.

Jones'n

Jones'n's* gettin the better of me. After a couple Blue Hills IPA's t the Fat Cat I decided that in the morning, I will mount my 18yo homebrew-studded Fisher Fattrax on the 'ol 26er and ride in whatever I may encounter. I guess that would require some documentation, so stay tuned for pix......


*def.  jones'n
To really crave something. Such as a food or drug that gives you pleasure or relief.

At least I got one ride in this week

Less free time  means less chances to ride....such is my life right now. Two jobs is good for the $$ but makes me get more creative with my time, but even when I do, energy levels are lower....
Anyways, I still rode one morning this week since saturday, and plan to at least hit the trainer tomorrow if not ride but the sh!ttty weather right now isn't promising much.

And the extra dough, some of it, squirreling away for bike-related ( new bike..) purchases and trailhead gas...
Then there's always the early-morning weekend ride.....trail or road doesnt much matter to the jones'n.....

How to properly remove a crown race. First make sure your machete is very sharp

With alternating patches of snow and dirt I both trudge and float over the blizzard's remains.

As was reported a few posts ago, my Redline was up in the stand with the entire drivetrain off, for a good cleaning. The paint isn't real pretty anymore, so I didn't take too much time to make it real shiny, but wiped the grime off and re-wrapped the driveside chainstay with electrical tape.
I replaced the chain and cassette, scrubbed the chainring and crank in the kitchen sink, got rid of all the jammed-in duff from the forest floor. Goes welll with the kitchen's earth-tones theme. Same with the derailleur, but I did notice that onea the pulleys has a crack all the way through to the bearing. So it may fall off someday while I'm riding down the trail. Until then, maybe Blackstone Bicycles will order me a new set for my next trip down south? Should be next week if everything works out. Need to service the 'ol Recon.

Other news is that I picked up a Reba from a guy in Providence yesterday. 80 bucks!... It's an '08, but 'like new' (so's my D460. 2008 was the last year they made them!). Really clean, not what my forks ever look like. Hardly a scratch, and apparently really not ridden much, as the guy took it off a new Voodoo build and replaced it with a rigid carbon fork. WHY anyone would do that, I don't understand. He explained to me briefly something about 'taking it on the chin' , but I guess that's never gonna be my riding style....
With any luck, we'll get pummeled with snow this weekend, I'll have Friday  off, and will get to installin the reba, and slappin on the snowshoes and havin fun!