Support Your Local Bike Shop

I am sure we as cyclist have heard that phrase a million times..keep the money in your community..support the local bike shop...and I agree...to a point...with the invent of internet shopping years ago businesses sprang up and some have thrived by offering us cyclist parts and gear at unbeatable prices...Jenson USA and PricePoint along with Nashbar and Performance Bikes to name just a few..seldom can the local shop match the prices these companies offer...and yes I still order stuff on line...especially when I know it is not common to find at the shop or the shop says they can not get that part or not a dealer for that company..or if I find a closeout deal that is killer...

So when do I use the shop...when buying a bike..of all the bikes I have owned I have bought all but 2 at the local bike shop.....when I need something right now to fix a mechanical..I do my best to keep the coin in the shop..several reasons...a bike shop is like the mall for us biker types...we go in just to look at stuff over and over...we know the people that work there...we hang out and talk bikes..gear..and other stuff..most shops now have gotten huge...tons of stuff and tones of gear..kind of hard to hang out and talk shop...the days of the little shop are going by the wayside...we still have one of those here in the area...Bicycle Center Of Fort Worth..it is a cool place to hang out and talk bikes..the owner (Rocky) is a great guy and knows bikes..it is competing with the bigger shops and yeah he may have to order stuff for you if he does not have it in the shop..no biggie..he usually gets it fast...but the main reason I rediscovered this shop was customer service...and knowledge..the dude can flat out work on bikes and work on them right...he did my latest build and was as stoked about it as I was..the attention to detail and final build was above my expectations..I hung out and watched him work on the bike some..was cool to sit there and see it come together..and though some of the parts I gave him to use where used the bike looked brand new when he finished..he took time to clean the used parts before assembly...he could have placed it on the floor and you would have thought the entire bike was brand new..and it was pretty much..but even the used cantis we used looked new...he takes pride in his work and it shows..so as an appreciative customer I feel I should give a shout out to this shop...if you live in the Fort Worth area do yourself a favor and check it out..Rocky built a mountain bike up for me years ago..frame up...the thing is still rocking and is still as solid as when he built it..if you do it right and ask the right questions you will be surprised that building your own bike with the parts you want and built right here can be rewarding and cost wise can be a great alternative to buying a bike and then realizing you should have got this or that on it and the upgrading starts...

And for those of you that read this..before you buy a bike at Wal-Mart or Target check out a bike shop..they have entry level bikes for kids, adults, that are affordable and are of better quality..plus you support the local economy and develop a relationship with the shop...experience the entire cycling experience..ride..talk...dream..bikes...the best place to do that is at the bike shop.

Surly Cross Check Ride Review-From My Persepctive

So I got the pedals and and have put about 60 miles on the Surly...keeping in mind I built it up as a traditional cross bike...so after reading some reviews about the bike being a great deal..but there where better steel frames out there...ok....that some people would notice little difference riding this steel frame vs say a aluminum frame...ok....those where really the only knocks I could find anywhere on the bike...so I went into this with a open mind and told myself I would be honest with my opinions on the frame...no one wants to ever admit they made a bad purchase...if i spent 5g on the bike I would be singing its praises all day long...even if it was a dog...but minus the parts I already had I have like 600 or so in this bike...if it was a dog I would throw the bone and toss it with it...

Truth of the matter it is a great bike..as soon as I got on it and hit the road I could feel that classic ride of a steel frame shining through over the little bumps and imperfections of the road...with the carbon fork and very little rake it steers and responds to my input instantly..so I did some rode miles on it and to be honest I am sure the 700x35c Kenda SB8s helped absorb some of the road as well as the frame..but the steel feeling was there...it is hard to explain that feeling...a buttery smooth but solid feeling ride..you almost loose the sensation of speed due to the plushness of the ride..true dat!

Next I hit some gravel roads and the bike sprang to life the cross tires came to live and away I went...once again the smooth ride was there..plush...kind of similar to my carbon cross bike for comfort..no comparison when comparing it to my aluminum frame..where that frame you feel every little bump..rock..rut...this one smooths it out and you get that feeling of gliding over the gravel...a nice change of pace...and honestly I am not sure if I will ever own another aluminum frame for cross...

But the big surprise still awaited me...and surprised I was...I hit some smooth xc type trails with it..I am not sure it is the fork...with very little rake and where I have the rear wheel sitting the wheel base on this bike is short...so it accepts input from the cranks and gets to up to speed pretty quick...it handles..the only comparison that comes to mind is it reminded me off a hard tail 26er....weird but there it is...it railed around the corners..tracked great...what little obstacles there was it rolled over them with very little frame chatter and kept on rolling..comfort wise it was on par with my Carbon Cannondale Super X...speed wise as both bikes are pretty much set up the same I think I may be faster on this Surly...not sure and I am going to test that theory at Gateway soon by doing a full out lap at speed on both bikes and compare..but the thing handled like a spot on cross bike....

So in conclusion one could go out and spend thousands on a high end cross bike and it would do an outstanding job...or one could save that money...buy one of these frames and build your ultimate bike...your way..your specs...and if I get bored with it being a cross bike I will throw on a flat bar and some uber wide tires and roll it on trails..or throw some racks on it and go for an adventure...it truly is a do all bike and the only compromise is what you decide to build it with...

I have owned a lot of bikes...some where awesome...some never lived up to the potential ...the Surly in my opinion will be one of those bikes I hang onto....I will ride it everywhere...love it for what it is..and to me it represents that spirit of cycling that has seemed to be lost to the new industry of lightness vs durability..bling vs functionality...dudes it is a real bike...meant to be ridden and ridden hard..

And on a side note...the thing is super easy to bunny hop...just saying!!      

Just A Thought

So with this weather we have been having how can one not ride a bike...I mean...one must..no excuses...well unless work and life get in the way...but really this is a oddity for us North Texans..so with that thought in mind I loaded up the rig and headed to the Trinity...where I noticed several things..if we ride our walk by ourselves we are pretty much obeying trail etiquette with out even trying..I mean we are riding in a single file line...to the right..pretty much using our space in the correct way..so a biker almost takes me out at a trail intersection...he was merging onto the main trail...failed to look left and when I announced myself he ignored me...the nerve I thought...as I swerved to avoid the collision I noted his earphones in his ears..hence why he could not hear me...wanker!

Several people waking side by side and as I announced myself they refused to get over..move into single file..pretty much refused...like I was invading a foreign country and they where going to defend it no matter what...so here are two examples of riders/hikers..both guilty of real bad trail etiquette..and you know what it reflects on all of us...perhaps they refused to get over because they almost got freight trained by the wanna be peloton that rips through the Trinity on a regular basis...I know they have almost taken the wife out once on their race for glory near Benbrook...the ones with the MBBC Jerseys...so perhaps the walkers are making a statement and stand against all bikers...kinda sucks...on one point I really can not blame them..on the other hand safety should always be first among all of us trail users...which brings me to the dude with the earphones..bro you almost took me out...simply because you chose to ride with some tunes floating through that space of your left and right ear...tuning out all activities going on around you..bad enough you could not hear anything but did not your mommy teach you to look both ways before merging onto a street or main lane of traffic..but I guess you do not have to because in your mind your special...people get hurt doing crap like that bro...if you want to ride with your Ipod cranked up so loud you can not hear whats going on around you I guess that's your right...if you want to leave the helmet at home..once again your right...but when you get freight trained do not be pointing fingers..and when you cause someone to get hurt...well that's is on you...to the rest of us riders/runners/walkers that obey the rules...thank you..as they say you can not fix STUPID!

Bike Set Up-Trend vs Real World Application

So I was reading on a forum about bar width...you know how wide your bars are on your bike...stem length...I started thinking back to my first mountain bike..pretty sure it had flat handle bars and they did not seem to be that wide....as long as I can remember I have always run my bars as narrow as I can get them...I mean sill narrow like in the 540-560mm range or 40-42cm on drop bars...I have never had a issue with steering control..never had a issue with the front end feeling squirrel y.. maybe I just learned to ride that way..I use 90mm stems on all my bikes except my 6 inch bike that has a 50mm stem...as a matter of fact I have run wider bars and found little to zero change and actually to me it made the bike feel weird up front...not to mention the possibility of clipping trees and other obstacles on the trail....on a DH run that is not a factor..but as I sat thinking I started wondering how much of this stuff that is evolving in the bike industry is fuel by actual improvements versus the need to push products on us to continue to generate income..

I have read where people as what size bike they should ride...the bike feels a bit small or large and it is suggested get a longer or shorter stem to make the bike fit..my thinking is if it feels a bit small or large than maybe it does not fir...just saying...go to a shop and get a proper bike fit and when they nail the size down then they can adjust stems and such for personal preference..

It seems there is now a 11 speed drive train on road bikes now...I am sure somehow this will trickle into mountain bikes at an affordable price point at some point...now I will admit the 2x10 system to me is one of the best things to come along in some time when it was introduced...I mean you hardly hear about the DYNASYSTEM anymore...or maybe it is just me...

Tubeless systems are another thing which I applaud as a great thing for the sport...I hardly deal with flat issues any more since switching to the tubeless system years ago...that is a good thing...

I am always down with innovation when it comes to clothing and gear the better protected and comfortable we are is a good thing also..

I dig clip less pedal systems...only because I have been using them for several decades now...a flat pedal lets you rock about any shoe you want and when you are off the bike you tend to be able transport yourself a little better with regular sole shoes...just a thought..

I pretty much gave up on spending money on gels,bars,beans,waffles or whatever the latest thing going these days..some Fig Newtons, cookies, a candy bar, or whatever can still deliver some nutrients on a ride..and on the cheap...I still use a energy drink from time to time but these days good ole water still seems to do the trick at least for me...I think it comes down to what we train our bodies to deal with and we evolve with that training..

Buying your bike can be a daunting task and very confusing to new people in the sport...be realistic with your needs vs wants..just because it looks cool does not mean it will serve your needs as a cyclist...if your not sure what you are doing go to a bike shop..develop a relationship with the shop and ask as many questions as you need to feel comfortable with your purchase...and when it comes to bikes always buy the best bike you can afford...as you begin to ride and put serious miles on your rig you will get the upgrade bug and start sinking money into a bike to get it to a point of a bike you should have bought in the first place...

Around here I still ride hard tails on every trail we have sometimes..does it beat me up sometimes..yep..does it rip..yep..does it climb..yep..does it make you a better rider..debatable to some but to me..yep...makes you choose your lines a little more carefully..thus you start learning to read trails and how to negotiate obstacles..then get on a FS bike and just flat out rip through stuff...again maybe it is just me..

Don't get me wrong I love all things bling and all things bikes..but I think there is a fine line that gets blurred between what I need and what I want..no doubt a good bike is gonna cost more than a few hundred dollars...but it is going to be worth it..and yes...you can tell the difference from riding a proper set up good bike vs the ones you may get at a department store..

These are just some ramblings as I sit here and dream about a tricked out rig while watching the Tour De France..oh yeah I would so rock one of those rigs.....just saying!    

Surly Cross Check Completed

So Rocky from Bicycle Center Of Fort Worth called today and said the bike was ready...well almost we need to get a set of pedals for her...he ordered a set and should have them soon...the picture does not do the thing justice...in person it rocks...what really surprised me was we tossed it on the scale and with the build we went with it weighed 21.06 pounds...

Took it for a little ride around the shop with some flat pedals...the thing feels smooth..real smooth..it accelerates well under power..the fit feels perfect (54cm). Rocky's attention to detail was superb..everything is squared away on this rig and it just looks like a piece of art work in person.

Of all the bikes I have owned I think this just became one of my favorites...it felt kind of strange sitting on it looking down at the steel tubes vs the over sized tubes of most bikes these day..it has a old school look and feel fused with modern bits and pieces that just give it that look of mmmm..mmmm.mmmm.

I will post up some impressions once I get some good miles on it. Once again my thanks and appreciation to Bicycle Center Of Fort Worth.

All Mountain-Cannondale Moto

I remember way back in the day like the early 90s I use to see Cannondales at races and always thought I would love to have a Cannondale...they where made in the US and their aluminum frames looked so clean...the welds where superb and they just looked great...I never got a Cannondale road bike as I used Specialized as that was the bike a lot of us where steered to and used and honestly in the early days even some of the Specialized models where awesome bikes...when I started really getting in mountain biking I went with a Specialized Enduro...and the bike was a great bike but the geometry and I never got along...so my search for a suitable replacement began.

Now some folks may say a six inch travel bike for the DFW area is a little over kill...and I would tend to agree with them..but there are some advantages...one heck of a plush ride to began with..pretty much tames every trail we have around here..and they are fun to ride...now the down side...heavy..yep..they will make the thighs and lungs work a little harder on the climbs..but I always tell myself I am getting a great work out...so I ended up a few years back getting a carbon Cannondale Moto..35 pounds...switched to a 2x10 11x36 drive train...slapped a dropper seat post on it and threw some Sun Ringle Charger Pros on there as well...final weight ened up being 35.7 pounds..the bike will climb and climb well...one just has to approach the hill in a methodical and deliberate cadence...going down..just point it and hang on..choose a line..slam it..air it out..roll over stuff..through stuff...it is like being on a tank...longer travel with a 20mm fork feels so connected to the trail...on the turns and curves it stays connected and planted to the trail...the choice of tires has a lot to do with that on any bike..but I have run several tire combos and always had positive results..

The Lyric 115-160 U Turn adjustable fork is great..this thing soaks up bumps and is confidence inspiring on the rough stuff...I hardly ever run it below the 160mm setting but when I do it does aid in the climbs by lowering the front end some...the fork provides great feed back and is fairly easy to set up..I have mine worked on by Sram and have had the internals upgraded..small bump compliance is great and when the hits get big the fork responds and soaks the stuff up...

The KS Dropper...allows me to drop the seat post on the fly for better control on down hill stuff...hardly use it...I suppose when you get use to a riding style of leaning back over the rear tire you stick with it...plus I have had to send the thing back as the first one was defective and would not stay completely extended (developed play) in it..took them 3 weeks to get it back to me..I think there are better systems out there..

Sram X9 drive train..in my opinion works great..sharp clean shifts...gotta dig that..looks..just a good system..

Sun Ringle wheels are awesome for the price..they came with everything in the box to go tube less and all the adapters for the three common axle sizes..they are solid and been bomb proof pretty much..

I have ridden the bike in New Mexico and Colorado..and all over Texas...one of the reason I chose a long travel FS bike...it pretty much allows me to ride almost any trail anywhere...when getting a bike like this weight was not a deciding factor for me...durability and function was..

And now for the Cannondale part...the Crack-n-fail...well mine has held up..no issues..I know others have had problems with Cannondale bikes..when Cannondale tried their hand in Motocross they pretty much doomed themselves...they have gone through the rebuilding process and being bought out their parent company is now Dorel I believe..not sure...I know they are one of the few companies left that offer a life time warranty on their frames and they used to have a trade in program where you could return your used frame and purchase a newer one at a discounted price..not sure if they still do..I also bout a Cannondale cross bike and have no issues with it either...would I buy another Cannondale...I do not think so..no reflection on Cannondale..but I will not buy another Trek or Specialized either..at least for now or the near future..there are a lot of alternatives to the major players in the bike industry and I have been exploring those alternatives and their products..I am seeing as far as bang for the buck I am coming out ahead going that route...as we consumers began to educate ourselves about the products we use and want and do our research I think a lot of us are looking for alternatives to the increasing rise in bikes and at least IMO the prices seem to be going up while they selection of components seem to lowering...when bikes are costing near 2g and have a Sram x5 partial drive train seems a little pricey for entry level type equipment on mid level type bikes..seems these days to get the real good stuff you better be prepared to shell out the coin...when prices start getting up there in the 3-5 grand area I think I would rather do a custom build and get the bike just the way I want it with what I want...maybe it is just me...but I think I would rather support the little guy as they vs the giants in the industry..I think we all evolve in out thinking in anything we are passionate about..maybe I am just evolving...later dudes!    

Surly Cross Check Update

So the bike is still in the build process...I did stop by to check it out though...several things stood out..the pictures do not do it justice...in person the thing looks tight...has an old school feel to it with just a smidgen of class but over haul screams build me the way you want and I will not be like any other bike around....just saying...perhaps some counseling could help me with...not sure..

Went with the Easton Carbon fork on it vs the Surly...mainly because I already had one and did not want to just see it sitting there...dudes and dudettes that thing looks tight on that frame...kind of a race look to it but not road bike look...not sure how to word it...the shizzle seems like a good word..

I had read the CC has a short head tube and I can confirm that...I have enough steer tube left to hang hats and coats on...will be cutting it down to appropriate length and fit...the welds look great and the paint looks great..I did the fonts on the stickers as it gives it a certain attitude...had the frame treated before build to ensure I could stave off any rust down the road as it is a steel bike...

As I stood there looking at the bike on the stand..half built..bits hanging off of it..waiting to be completed I could not help but stare at this bike...I have several cross bikes and road bikes that cost well over what this bike did..based on frame only..and for some reason I envisioned myself riding that bike everywhere..it has been a long time since I had a steel frame bike...and it was almost like I was seeing an old friend from days gone by...and I was watching life being breathed back into a classic that a lot of us bikers have forgotten about or written off...steel...in this day of high zoot carbon and aluminum it is not unrealistic to have bikes in the 15-16 pound range..light and fast...full of colors that almost rivals a nascar paint job...the ultimate cool....and behind someones barn is sitting a neglected old steel frame bike...rusting away...living out its last days being broke down by the elements of nature....maybe as I am getting older I am getting kind of nostalgic in my ways...not sure...when I decided to build another bike my goal was a steel frame..there are plenty of high end and budget minded steel frames out there...my research kept bringing me back to Surly..hardly any bad reviews on them..price really can not be beat for a frame and fork...you can change the way the bike is built as often as you change your morning coffee flavor...

I have never dealt with Surly and only sent them one email with a few questions and they got back to me the next day..just like Airborne Bikes that says a lot about a company and as a long time rider I feel compelled to start spending my money on companies like these...I still have bikes from S/T/C and they are great bikes...but I shelled out some coin for them..and after my experience with my Goblin I wonder where all that money went and how much profit someone made...and one company in particular stood out...the Big S...last year I emailed them about a part for my older Enduro that the bike shop no longer carried or new how to get...when I emailed Specialized and clearly stated I already tried the bike shop...they had no idea how to get the part and was wanting to know if I could get the part directly through Specialized...several weeks went by and I received a 2 line email telling me to check with my local authorized dealer for assistance with any issues I had with my Specialized bike...I wonder if they even read my email..oh well...I did end up getting the part from another Enduro owner..my last count I have owned and still own (some) close to 15 Specialized bikes..thats a lot of money I have given to a company as well as a lot of us who ride and race bikes..this is not about bashing bike manufacturers as there are a lot of great bikes out there by a lot of companies..and yes most all of them are made over seas now...but my thinking led to me think outside of the box..I ordered a Goblin..mail order..worked out great...I ordered the Surly through a authorized dealer and it worked out great..I am using a shop that I like and I trust the owner to build the bike right as he has done on every bike I have had him work on..the Surly is being built in a shop that is owned by one man..he sells and works on all bikes..he is his only employee..the shop is small and you can go in and hang out and talk bike stuff..surrounded by new bikes and old bikes a like..it has sort of a vintage feel to it..not a shopping mall feel..I have never been one who needed instant gratification so I can wait for the right bike...I told him to build it the way he wanted and how he wanted...that is how much that dude knows about bikes..and I know it will be great...and in the end that is the part of the process that makes that one bike..that one build unique and special..it represents more than a great deal on a great frame..it encompasses the whole bike experience..when I am out riding the bike I will know what went into getting it built from a frame to a rolling piece of art...built by someone I know...knowing I supported the LBS...because that is what supporting the LBS is to me..yeah something tells me the Surly is going to be a special bike..Thanks!