Gold

After my review last October of my Misfit diSSent Fe Peter suggested that I ride an ALC for comparison sake and back to back review.  Why not.  I love my steel diSSent, but it might be nice to try the aluminum one too.  To be honest, I have not ridden an aluminum frame since my last full suspension bike.  I am curious how it will compare to the steel and if I will like it as much or more . . . or less?

I was able to distract the crazy cat lady long enough from her longing stare into Gizmo's eyes to get the frame, bid my adieu, hi-tail it to Tall Tree Cycles to knock out the headset of Pinky and press it into the new frame.

The Vegan Vagabond was in the Big Smoke last week and swung by the empire for a visit and was able to pick up the frame for me to try out.  Yesterday, when she met me at her door she was holding a frame wrapped in bubble wrap, but I could make out it's distinct colour - black with . . .
"What's that?  s that . . . gold?!?!?  F*ck me!  That's fugly!!! "
Cheesy ugly gold and black.  Yuk.

What made the whole thing worse was VV informed me that her diSSent had recently been upgraded with pink decals.  WTF!?!?! 

My beautiful pink diSSent will be on the sidelines for a wee bit while I test out it's aluminum version.

Gold is for fat guys who wear speedos, lay on the beach tanning by day and are into the swinger's scene by night.

I love paragon sliders and was doubting the Misfit version, but they don't look half bad - no stopping screw/tensioner bit to fiddle with either.

  All built up . . . but something is missing.  Can you spot it?

The steel tubing is slightly smaller than the aluminum, by 2mm.  Need to find a 32 mm seat-clamp to finish the build off.

Pfffffft, gold . . . .

 The new frame will get it's maiden voyage in about a week and a half or so when I head to North Carolina (who wants to come?).  I am going to beat the shit out of this frame out of spite for the ugly gold lettering and lack of pink lettering.  Dicky get's a complete custom build and I can't even get pink decals???

Country roads, deer and hairless men

I managed to get two rides in this past weekend. One indoors, the other out-of-doors. The 'plan' was to get out both days, but I found myself sitting in front of the computer Saturday morning watching the Milan-San Remo race - it was pretty exciting and I couldn't peel myself away to suit up for a ride.  When it was all said and done with Goss just beating Cancellara at the line by about a half of a bike length I had enough time before work to jump on the trainer for a short 45 minute spin. 

 My time management skills were not working well the past few days, so I ended up with a small window before work on Sunday afternoon.  Despite cooler temperatures I headed south out of town towards the flat country roads to get a two and a half hour ride in.  The roads were bare and dry - I don't think I even rode through one puddle.  As expected, with open stretches and lower elevation, there is much less snow south of the city than up in the Gats. 

Oh deer me.  Deer in a farmer's field eating left over corn bits.

Roads were moderately quiet, except for River Rd and the stretch near the airport - not one honk, curse, swerve or rev'd engine towards me the entire ride. And I had them pretty much to myself as I only saw two other cyclists out and about.

Tools

 I was just over on the crazy cat lady's blog (a.k.a. The VV) reading about The Right Tool For the Job and it got me thinking about two recent bike specific tools that I have recently come in the possession of.  Over the years I've been gradually been building my home bike workshop's tool inventory - in between buying bikes, new parts and Doritos finding the money to squander on tools is no easy task. 

With some gift certificates that I received over this past Christmas I bought myself a Park Home Mechanic Truing Stand - it's much, much cheaper than the professional grade, does a very good job at allowing you to true wheels and is much better than my old idea of how to true a wheel.  To go along with this, and hopefully some wheel building for a new bike in the future, I added to my collection a Park Spoke Tension Meter. 

It's fairly easy to true a wheel, but to do so properly, making sure that the wheel is balanced and strong throughout you really should be making sure that all the spokes are evenly tensioned.  In the past I've used the 'twanging' the spokes like a guitar method listening to how they sound.  This works if you have an ear for it, but me, I'm a little musically challenged. 

While picking up the spoke tension meter I also nabbed me a Park derailleur hanger alignment gauge.  Yes, I know what you must be saying: "Don't you ride single speed?" Yep, I does.  But, I also have a road and CX bike that are both geared (though the thought of running a single speed CX bike this fall does sound like fun).  Also, with my hints of a new wheel build at some point in the future, I may be needing this tool from time to time. 

I got these two tools from the fine folks at Biking.com.

Dirty Flat

I was very excited Wednesday night. The forecast for Thursday called for sunny skies and plus ten degree weather. Whooot! Conditions were going to allow for my second out-of-doors ride in three days. With my day off I was going to try and get in a long'ish ride.

Crossed the border and headed over into La Belle Province for some scenery and some hills.

Mine Rd.  More like Land Mine Road.

Was on my way into Wakefield when my rear end (not my arse) was getting soft (yes, my arse is also soft) and wiggly (again, yes, my arse is also wiggly).  Flat.  Phooey.  Nothing worse than changing a rear tire in dirty, salty conditions.

Filthy. Should have taken a pair of rubber gloves this early in the season.

Did I say nothing worse than changing a rear flat in dirty, salty conditions?  Wait . . . there is something worse: having long horizontal dropouts and running fenders.  Had to take one side of the fender off in order to get the wheel off. 

As I was changing my flat I realized that I had forgotten my repair kit.  It must be early in the season as normally routine stuff isn't that routine yet.  I had a spare tube, but no patches in case I got a second flat.  I decided to cut my losses and turn for home so that if I did get another flat I wouldn't be so far away.  Despite not getting in a long'ish ride and getting totally dirty it was so nice to be out and about in the sun. 

Be prepared if you are riding on the Quebec side, there is lots of melt run off on the roads making it tricky to tell if there are big pot holes that you're riding into.  Keep your head up. 

Melting dog poo = Spring

I was reading Matt's blog post over on the Tall Tree Cycles blog about his past weekend, getting out riding and how he knows that Spring has finally sprung.  I, unfortunately, was nowhere near a bike this past weekend and instead found me out-of-town, surrounded by family eating birthday cakes.  Yes, cakes.  Two in fact.  It's not that I didn't enjoy myself with family and eating cake (cause really, what's more fun than eating birthday cake?!?), but I would have loved to have gotten out on the bike this past warm weekend.

I regress.  I know it's Spring when there are copious amounts of melting doggie doo-doo everywhere.  When I see that, I know it's time to be riding outside.

It was only my second outdoor ride this season Tuesday and it was a beauty.  Despite the -3 degree temperature (-7 with windchill), it didn't feel all that cold at 11 AM . . . that is, after the initial ice cream headache went away within the first 5km.

I made my way up into the Gats and avoided my usual south-of-the-city-Spring-boringly-flat-route.  The teeny weeny hills seemed like mountains this early in the season.  Still, it was so nice to be outside on the bike.

Rode up to P7 (Kingsmere).  I'm always torn this time of year.  The skate skiing is near perfection - fast and almost effortless with the warm temperatures.  But this is the time of year that I need to be putting on the Spring miles. 

Even with fenders you're going to get dirty.  I wonder how much melted dog crap were in all those puddles I drove through yesterday?  The bike got a thorough washing when I got home - no poopy, no salt to remain.

Paid For

Best Intentions - Part II

I came home tired, cold and hungry from work Saturday afternoon.  Still, I mustered up the energy and gumption to fill up a water bottle, air up the tires, set the tension on the trainer and even get my riding clothes ready to go.  I was going to prove that I had the mental toughness and physical aptness to get on the bike for the third day in a row.  Over the stench of my chamois after two days of riding I could smell the smell of success.

My best intentions, however, had me ending up here:

Something inside me gave way to an easier, softer (and bubblier) way.  A bubbly bubble bath.  The farthest thing from riding the trainer.  And to boot I ate a half a bag of Gold Fish while soaking in the tub (what a sight indeed - a hairy wet whale eating his daughter's snack food - how ironic).  SIGH!  Disappointing to say the least.

That night I was in bed by 8:39 PM and asleep by 8:41 PM.  Meh.  Tomorrow would be another day I told myself.

Tomorrow (Sunday) was another day.  Another day of not being on the trainer.  Phooey.  I opted out of riding by justifying I got some exercise after work by shoveling the drive-way after the big dump of snow, freezing rain and rain that we got overnight on Saturday.  Again, failure to follow through with my plan, my intention.  Success at justifying not exercising.  Total FAIL.

Alas, I've learned it is futile, at least for me, to plan. 

Despite my failed attempt to complete seven rides in a row on the bike inside in the depths of my cold dark basement, I did manage to ride Monday and again Tuesday.  Two structured rides, each over an hour (yet, under two) long.  Four days of riding out of six is better than nothing.

Intentions are sometimes difficult to follow through on and it is easy to give up and justify an easier softer way.  However, action is THE way.

Best Intentions

 Are we judged on our intentions or our actions?

Unless we walk around mumbling our thoughts out-loud for the world to hear, then obviously we are going to be judged by what we do.  Our inner thoughts protect us from criticism and judgement.  It's taken me a long time to learn that . . . to sometimes keep my mouth shut . . . that's hard to do with your foot often inside of it.  However . . . .

. . . last week I almost put up a post on my intention to ride for seven straight days on the trainer (ummmm, if I am telling you all of this after the fact am I still going to be judged??).  My annual pilgrimage to North Carolina is less than a month away and I am nowhere near being cycling-fit-and-ready.  Just like my school days before mid-terms I figured cramming as a result of mismanaged time would have to do.  My goal was not only to attempt to get my fitness somewhat closer to being acceptable for an early Spring trip to NC, but also drop a few pounds in three or four short weeks so climbing those long, steady climbs might be easier too.  Goals too lofty and out of reach?  Perhaps.  But I was determined. 

I began earnestly last Thursday with a mixed one hour training session - some endurance work, a few sprints, some temp mixed with some LT zone and even some one legged spins.  Success - day one down.  The next day my arse was feeling a bit sore and I was feeling a bit lazy, alas, I got on the bike and put in only forty minutes of endurance work.  Not quite as long as I would have liked, but still a success. 

Day Three tomorrow . . . .

Mega

If you find yourself meandering down Bullock Dr. in Markham, Ontario the next couple of Fridays, and have the means to purchase a bicycle-related item, don't forget to drop in for a cup of tea and a scone (almost a certain guarantee that no pink bikes will be for sale).

Brazillian Mow Down

SAO PAULO (AP) — A motorist sped his car through a pack of more than 100 cycling activists in southern Brazil, sending bikes and screaming riders flying through the air and landing hard on the asphalt in a scene captured on amateur video and posted online.
At least 40 cyclists were injured, with most suffering cuts and broken bones, but nobody was killed, authorities said.
Police said the suspect, whose name they did not release, fled the scene of the incident Friday evening in Porto Alegre. He was brought in for questioning Monday after authorities found his abandoned car over the weekend.
The man claimed riders surrounded his vehicle and began beating on it, causing him to panic and fear for his life, police said.
But the lead investigator in the case called that version of events "fanciful," without giving other details.
Inspector Gilberto Montenegro told Globo TV network's G1 website that the man could face charges of attempted homicide. Under Brazilian law, prosecutors can decide whether to bring charges only after police close their investigation, which may take 30 days. The man is currently free.

** Are you f*cking kidding me?  Free?  What would be the difference if someone walked into a crowded space, like a shopping mall, with an automatic weapon and began to open fire willy-nilly?!?!  The intent is the same.  F*ck me! 

Montenegro also said the number of people hit and injured rose to 40. Previously, police said 16 people were hurt.
Cyclists in the Critical Mass ride told the Folha de S. Paulo newspaper that no riders were threatening the motorist.
"He drove behind us for two blocks, and people were trying to stay calm. Then in the third block he ... floored it on top of everyone," Marcelo Guidoux Kalil told Folha. "It was a scene of war, with twisted bicycles and people bleeding on the ground."
In the video, thuds and sharp sounds of metal on metal are heard as the car accelerates directly through the pack of cyclists.
Scores of riders and eyewitnesses screamed and asked bystanders to call police and ambulances as they began administering first aid to the victims.

*Story here.

A group ski and a nearly frozen pecker

Saturday, group skate ski with Curvy Butt, Zamboni, Dr. Kim and You-Know-My-Name-Is-Simon. Conditions on the parkway were primo. Finely chewed up granular sand like snow made for beautiful glide and control.  It was the most funnest ski I've had this season for a few reasons: 1) good group of fellas, 2) skiing in a group pushes you to keep up, 3) lots of laughs.

Ski Club.  The first rule of Ski Club is you must not talk about Ski Club.  BUT, you can rap about it . . . as Simon appears to be doing in the above photo.

Best line of the day:  "Hey Zamboni, Mario Cipollini called.  He wants his glasses back."

Champlain Look-off.  With the warmer temps over the past week or so, the exposure at the top lends itself to melting away down to the pavement.

From P9 we skied =>  P10=>  Fortune Parkway=> Champlain Parkway=>  to the lookout=>  to Ridge=>  Burma=>  Fortune Parkway=>  back to P10=>  P9.  Burma was in the worst shape I've ever seen it.  It was a roller coaster horror show; from start to end no grooming, frozen post holes from hikers, frozen ski ruts & ridges, and lots of debris.  It was, however, an excellent opportunity to work on balance and keeping yourself upright.

Dr. Kim, the best'est ski instructor ever, put on a little clinic at the end of our ski giving us a few pointers.  Skate skiing is all about technique.  I've said it before, it is the most difficult sport I've ever done.  Thanks Dr. Kim for all the great advice - anything that's going to get me up the hill a little easier is always appreciated.  

Sunday Curvy Butt and I got out for a small skate loop.  With the new snow down it was somewhat slow going.  It didn't help that Demise hadn't gotten out to groom in the morning.  I was totally gazed-to-the-tits climbing Fortune.  Maybe it was the new snow, maybe it was the lack of grooming, maybe it was because I hadn't recovered well enough from Saturday's ski.  What I think the problem was the fact that I didn't eat pizza the night before.  More on my scientific study later in the week. 

At Wattford (is it Wattford or Watchford?) Look-out CB had to stop for a minute because his pecker nearly froze off.  That's the price you pay for not wearing wind-front underoos.  He had to double himself up to get some warmth on Mr Happy, who now was Mr Frozen. 

 P9=> P10=> Fortune Parkway=> hung left on Ridge Rd=> out to Wattford=> down Penguin=> Gatineau Parkway=> P8=> P9.  Lots and lots of people out yesterday enjoying the sun and snow.

'It' was only going to get more cold bombing down Penguin to the parkway. 

Jonesing for outside

Fender time of year.  If I had the $$ I'd stroll/ride down to Tall Tree Cycles and pick me up a set of these beauties.

 The car in the shop Wednesday prompted me to ride to work.  My 'official' first outside-ride-of-the-year.  If you can call it a ride.  About 25 minutes to work.  Just enough time for me feet to being to start feeling the cold.  It was only - 5 (23 F).  I was toasty warm everywhere else, but my feet. 

Nice face.  Want a banana?

The short ride to & from work had me jones'ing (do the hip kids still say that?  I know that Charlie does) to get out and ride. 

14 Minutes

I made the decision a few months back not to register, schedule, announce, sing from the top of a mountain any races that I 'planned' on this season.  Last season was a total bust as far as racing goes,  as Deter pointed out in one of his recent posts, but not so greatest, post.  Illness, injury and bad timing kept me off the start line for all but two races last season.  If I didn't have bad luck, I wouldn't of had any luck at all last year. 

Taking on a laissez-faire attitude towards racing I decided to register for races/events as they popped up on the radar.  I also decided not to 'race' . . . cause really, do I look like the racer-boy type?!? Pffft.  

196 lbs of chubby, hairy, pudgy big-bone'ness doesn't get you across the line anywhere near the top of the pack.  I was going to go to events to RIDE, see new trails, meet new people, see old friends, push myself a little, and generally have fun times (cause if you're not having fun, what's the point?).  

Alas, the race bug caught me when the Lumberjack 100 blipped on the radar.  I decided the night before registration opened that I was going to do it this year.  I had the opportunity to do this last year and ended up passing on it . . . which in the long run I probably couldn't have done anyway due to illness/injury.

So, there I was in front of the computer not more than six hours after registration opened and then discovered that the race was sold out in 14 minutes.   14 freak'in minutes.  Booooooo.

If anyone has any contacts, friends, leads, or influence of a mtn bike worldly nature and could possibly pull some strings to get me into this race I would gladly do whatever it takes to get an entry.  Whatever it takes.  Whatever it takes. WHATEVER IT TAKES.

Steel vs Carbon vs Squishy

Carbon . . . so many to choose from.

Is it time for a change? 
Seems the internet, especially Bike Rumor, has been saturated with new carbon 29'er hardtails.  Are the interweb Gwads trying to tell me to switch from my favourite metal (steel) to man-made lightness?  If I can't get below my Jebus pre-described/pre-determined weight maybe I need to drop the weight other places?!? 

Or . . . .

Maybe I accept my manly girth and look to make the ride that much smoother (you know, so all the fat don't jiggle so much) and go to full squishy. 

If I was to leave the world of rigid, hardtail single speed bikes what should I ride? 

Secret Lies Lay in the Rubbish Bin

Pretty innocent looking photo.  My workshop garbage can on the floor beneath the end of my waxing bench to catch all the scrapped off wax.  What lurks inside of the rubbish bin are secrets.  Secrets of nutritional infidelity.

Since October/November'ish I've been gradually getting my weight down from an all time high of 211 lbs.  Over the past couple of weeks it seems that I've plateaued at about 196 lbs.  Or at least that's what I've been telling myself.  15 lbs is a good chunk of chunkiness to drop, if I do say so myself.  It's about the weight of a bike! 

I've even begun to accept the fact that this may be my predetermined and natural weight that Jebus feels is correct for ME.  And who am I to argue with Jebus.  I feel healthy even though I don't look 'cycling fit & healthy'. 

However, I think that I've been lying to myself a little and have been in denial.
 

A. Bits & Bites  B. my daughter's Goldfish snacks  C. Valentine's Day Hershey's Kisses  D.  Cliff Bar wrapper.

Whether it's been late nights getting off work and caving in to cravings on the drive home or falsley justifying a hard ski or trainer ride with "I really burnt more calories than there are in this bag of salty goodness . . . so I'm actually ahead!" . . . . either way, I've been indulging a bit too much.

My rubbish bin is evidence of that.  My late night snacking empty wrappers never make it into the kitchen garbage can, but instead get buried deep inside the workshop bin full of wax scrappings and workshop throw-out-ted'ness.  It's my secret place where I stash proof of my dietary infidelity.  Perhaps hiding it means it never happened.  Maybe I have deep psychological problems. Yes, yes I must.

Plateau because Jebus feels it's my fate to weigh 196lbs my arse.  Time to put down my pudgy foot and get back to what was working for me.

Early Thursday Morning Ski

Fortune Parkway 0830 Hrs

Huron Shelter

Burma (a.k.a. #3)

Deflated

Donating blood is good for you (and others).

Cross country skiing is good for you.

Donating blood and then cross country skiing isn't good for you.  In fact I have first hand experience it will leave you like a deflated balloon on the side of the trail if you try it.

Friday I donated blood. I try to do so every 56 or so days.
It's my attempt to drop weight. 
No, seriously. 
No, seriously it's good to donate your blood.  You should do it too.

The entire process doesn't take that long.  I'm usually in and out within 45 minutes or so, with most of the time going through procedural stuff: paper work, check your iron levels, personal info, have you been sick recently, dental work in the past week or so, tattoos in the past six months, had sex with someone who has lived in Africa and worked with feces throwing monkeys, etc.  Pretty standard stuff.

I can fill the 450 ml (1 pint) bag in under 4.5 minutes.   The bag always looks bigger - like the size of a milk bag (do the Yanks buy their milk in bags?).  They pulled the needle out of my arm at 5:55 PM. "Plenty of fluids, rest and no heavy lifting or exercise." Sure, sure - no problem.

Pffffttt . . . they only mean that for the weak and crippled. Surely an exquisite athletic specimen such as myself should have no problem going for a 2 hour night ski.

• 8:00 PM - Curvy Butt and I are on the way into the Gats.
• 8:30 PM'ish - skis on, at the trailhead, we begin
• 8:35 PM - "Why the f*ck is Mark going sooo f*cking fast!?! F*cker!" I feel like I'm dying.
• 8:50 PM - I need to lay down on the trail in the snow. Head spinning.
• 8:55 PM - My second lay down.  Head feels like it's fallen off my body and rolling down the hill I just slowly skied up.
• 9:05 PM - I pull the plug and begin heading back to the car alone, sure that the coyotes will sense that there's prey close-at-paw, wounded - an easy and rather large all you can eat buffet.  Curvy Butt plods along without me.

 I've don't think I've ever *really* exercised after donating before.  I've been donating since my mid-20's and have never felt weak, ill or nauseous.  But man-o-man . . . this time left me completely wiped out.

I know how having 450 ml taken out affects you.  I wonder how having 450 ml of oxygen enriched blood put back in affects you? 

Team Spider Tech

'Member when I was wondering what happened to Svein Tuft?

Team SpiderTech, Canada’s first professional cycling team to achieve UCI Professional Continental status introduces

Canadian Squad

-  Team sets off for 2011 inaugural racing season powered by C10 a unique alliance of leading Canadian companies -

TORONTO, February 4, 2011 – Team SpiderTech today unveiled Canada’s first ever professional cycling team to achieve UCI Professional Continental status, one level before the Tour de France.   Never before has a Canadian team been in pursuit of the Tour de France, considered the highest level in pro cycling in the world.

According to Team SpiderTech founder Steve Bauer, Olympic silver medalist and fourth place finisher at the 1988 Tour De France and one of only two Canadians ever to wear the coveted yellow jersey, this team has what it takes to compete against the best in the world.

“Each year since 2008, we have climbed successively to the next level of professional cycling in our pursuit of the Tour,” said Bauer.  “For the first time in Canadian sports history, a Canadian professional cycling team achieved Division 2 status, a Professional Continental license, which means we will race at events across Europe and in North America that will host many of the top professional cycling teams on the Tour.  We will get experience, we will challenge and by 2013 we hope to reach World Tour status and be invited to race at the Tour de France,” he added.

That's Svein on the left.

A Canadian team to root for in the Tour!?!  Whaa Hoo!  What'd be even more wicked is if we brought fighting to cycling (like hockey).  A bunch of skinny, toothless Canucks with shaved legs on bikes dropping the cycling gloves on a climb up some French mountainside to duke it out with some European rider.  Whaa hoooo!

Pristine skate lane, Simon and my sore arse

Pristine, untouched beautiful grooming . . . finally.

Got out for a skate ski on Monday while the temperatures were still warm and the snow was reasonably fast.  I must have just missed the groomer leaving Gameline because I had some fresh skate lanes for my entire ski up to the turn off to Champlain.

I doctored this photo so you could see my skate stride.  A flat ski is a fast ski.

Simon says, "See Simon go, go!" Yes, you are seeing double.

I met up with Simon near the base of Pinks.  Simon is very new to skate skiing.  In fact he's been on the boards for less than a dozen skis, including three days of lessons.  Not only is he taking to skate skiing like a duck to water, his height and leverage naturally help his stride and he's got some supremo fitness to boot.  Despite having somewhat better skate skiing technique (only based on the fact that I've been doing it longer - it certainly isn't a natural skill for me!) Simon still managed to drop me on the Pink climb as I had to stop to catch my breath.   What's more is the fact that he's signed up for the 29  Gatineau Loppet later this month . . . this English limy is a nutter for sure.

The Gatineau Loppet

Yes, I know.  This IS a bike blog of sorts.  I was on the trainer yesterday.  My mind hates the trainer.  My arse hates it more.