PedalTrout

So to promote the new Bicycle co-op LaBikery a Bunch of people, shops, clubs and organizations put on a slow bike race at the moncton farmers market. 

Link to Gallery of event:
 www.flowinc.ca/SpeedShots/?p=387

The Candidates for the the Mayoral election participated and Chris Lewis Founder of ECWT Bike club supplied some awesome very unique bike to ride.

So, a little progress report.

First off, a little note about giving back. Last Sunday 14 or 15 of us attended a commissaires course hosted by BNS pro-bono.  That was a great time. It was surprising, for me at least, and disturbing that we have so little people to help run events in Nova Scotia. So, with some old friends, and a few new ones, we took the plunge, read the material, watched the slideshow and had a great and informative time all around. I didn't know how much of a crucial role commissaires and other support people played in hosting, organizing and running a race. I am stoked to get ready for the coming season. It also seemed like we had enough DH'ers to run the XC events, and enough XC'ers to run the  DH events. That would be cool. We shall see.

Secondly, a blurb on giving to one's self. It's good to indulge in a little treat sometimes. I figured I'd build new wheels on the cheap, but with decent stuff.And the timing was right, seeing as how my rims are VERY concave from the braking over the last 19 years.  So, ordered a set of DT Swiss XR425 rims. Welded, eyeletted, machined braking surface, 32 hole, good looks. Narrow and light. At least compared to my old hoops. I laced those to a Shimano M900 XTR rear hub and a Deore DX front hub. Kept it all together with DT Swiss Revolution spokes. They get THIN. 1700 gram wheel set, which may not be uber-light in some people's books, but for a dual duty wheelset on the cheap, I'm pretty tickled with them. And I dropped more than a pound off the old set. They built up fairly well, other than the spokes being a bit on the long side. The next time I use that same spoke calculator, I'm taking 2mm off the suggested length. But, other than that, they wound up nice and tight, centered, round and true. It feels a fair bit livelier and spins up and down faster as well. The fact that I think they look the part as well is a bonus. Black rim brake wheels were always a fav of mine back in the day. Total investment in hoops, spokes, rim tape, presta tubes, (gack!), is 168 bucks and change. Not too bad, I guess. And I have an 8/9/10 speed freehub now, so I have more possibilities in the future. Doubt that will happen, though. I like my 7 speed setup. Speaking of which, I am running, (flawlessly), a 9 speed Deore Shadow Series rear derailleur with my 7 speed shifter and cassette. It's pretty sweet compared to the old short cage A20 that was on it, in it's heavy/flimsy glory. No more chainslap, super positive shifts and more clearance. I'll take that any day.

And as far as actual riding goes, I have been doing a fair bit as of late. On the nice days, I take the Concorde to work, and leave my backyard and hit the trails for about half the distance to work. I usually ride the guts outta 'er, so I get a decent workout in twice a day that way, and keep the skills sharp. That includes paved path, single track, double track, crusher dust trails and the road. So, some technical riding, and some high speed sections. So itchy to get that number plate and put it to use. Speaking of that, I better apply for my license soon...

Until next time,
Aaron "In the Yellow Vest with the Vintage Ride" Perrott

Well, here we are settled into our new home. It's on a green belt with trails in it. We have rock walls in our yard. It's fun. I also have an old bike with rim brakes. And being half Scottish, I can move and pile stones and boulders like nobody's business. I think, at least. So, let the fun begin. 

I started setting up some "features", like a stone approach to the first rock wall. We have raised beds about 3 feet high with concrete steps a foot high each, etc. So it's very structured. With a light rigid bike with rim brakes, it's a trials riding dream right outside my kitchen. Brings me back to a time gone by...

I remember riding a track into the ground in my backyard as a boy in the trailer park, building ramps, hanging out with my buddies reading bike magazines, or on a really, REALLY good day, getting ahold of a VHS riding movie, rented from Sportwheels, and eating microwave burritos while we kept wearing out the tape. Some of my happiest memories were actually of riding pretty close to home.

Now, however, I can pick up really big rocks, in comparison. And I'd say my riding has improved, too. So, I can ride home in the woods, mostly, from my local woods, and keep riding right in my own back yard. I can practice some skills, and then call my buddies over and watch stuff in my man cave/shop in the basement.

Why grow up sometimes, when you can just get older? And really, riding is all about the fun.

Hi Everyone,

The spring has sprung the grass is rizz. We've got new riders joining the ranks. Some have been away from the sport for a long while, some are wet eared noobies. Welcome to all of you.

When I was younger I made some faux-pas on a group ride and got "guidance" like "If you ever do that again on a group ride, stop coming" or "You almost got someone killed, smarten up". I'm not going to be that harsh :)

Often on a group ride people are reluctant to offer "correct" each other because one person can very quickly be labeled as a know it all or become a buzz kill. Thats true, but I still think education and guidance are important. So I'm going to write a little blog here to introduce some common trail etiquette.

Its only "guidance" do what you want.

Show up with a well maintained bike: We're hucking ourselves down narrow trails lined with trees at a decent speed. Your bike is what holds your guts from falling out. If you show up to a ride with a bike that you have not properly maintained, you put your self at risk as well as riders around you. Plus if you do get injured, then everyone else has to waste their time helping you because you weren't prepared. This doesn't mean having a full course in bike mechanics. It means the bare minimum to be safe.

Be an ambassador for your sport: When you encounter other trail users, give a nice big wave a smile and a Good day! Be kind to dogs, people love that. When there are walkers, announce how many more riders they can expect to pass, and encourage your fellow riders to slow down. Make it obvious to the other trail users that you are being polite and respectful.

Give way to faster riders: If someone is on your tail, lets your ego slide and let them around you. Likewise if you are on someones tail, feel free to say "hey, can I slip by". It won't hurt their feelings. Do it where its safe.

On Tailgateing: Don't do it. When a group of 5 or 6 riders sets out from the head of a trail section, allow a bit of room/time between each departure. This lets riders feel the flow unrestricted, and prevents pileups on crashes. It also allows you to catch air and crash without getting run over :)

Yield after you fall or lose gusto: If you are traversing a difficult section and you fall over (and are not hurt), GET UP and scoot out of the way as fast as possible. This prevents you getting run over and prevents pileups.

Never be afriad to tell any of these things to a new person on a trail. Just use tact so you aren't a buzz kill. It makes the ride better for everyone. 

Bazinga.
 

So, after a little move from the city to Lower Sackville, the wife, myself, the cat and the Concorde are all pretty much settled in our nuggly little home. On a green belt. With paths going to a forested area. Yes. A kilometer or so away. Stay tuned for trail development updates.

Anywho, the old bike has been getting a few upgrades in the mayhem even. A discarded Deore Shadow series rear derailleur has been pilfered from the poor bin, albeit with a missing cable anchor bolt that I rigged up from my parts bin. It's a 9 speed, and the bike is a 7 speed beast. And it works awesome. Good old Shimano. Lighter weight, more robust, better shifting, no more chain slap. Just isn't exactly "vintage" looking. Ah weel. I can always strip the anno with oven cleaner and polish it, right? Maybe not. So, no more banging the rear derailleur on/off of stuff. Noice.

"Aaron, what about hoops?", you might ask. Or you might not. I don't know if you are actually interested or not, but it makes for an awkward segway. I have ordered a set of DT Swiss XR425 rims, eyeletted, welded and with machined brake tracks. And they even look half decent in the pictures. Like it matters. So, stringing those up to my XTR rear/Deore DX front hubs with DT Swiss Revolution double-butted spokes in silver. Should make for a relatively zippy wheelset. And no worries about the sidewalls blasting off like my deeply worn Araya CV-7's it now sports. 

And even more exciting is the addition of a FREE Dura-Ace cassette lockring on the rear! Gotta shave those grams!

All the cables and housing on the bike are new, the new BB is working a treat and I even managed to score a sweet old Suntour XC Pro crankset in 175mm. I am currently rocking a Sugino VP Triple in 165mm, so this could be nice. Just need to make sure the chainring bolts will all come out. And pedals. I need to get some pedals.

So, with the sale of my venerable old Devinci, I've funded a wheelset and pedals with scrilla left over for various other floatsum and jetsum, sundries and other crap I'm sure it will need at some point.

Think I'll repack the headset the same time I do the "new" hubs. MMMmmmm... Ceramic Grease! Om-nom-nom-nom. 

Until next time,
Aaron "Which Box Did I Put That Part In?" Perrott 

So, the bike has been getting a shakedown as of late. I have a bottom bracket on order for it to replace my loose ball pack-it-youself-weekly BB with a regular cartridge set up. The Devinci looks pretty much sold at this point. That frees up some funds, but it also means the Concorde will need a little bit more beef for daily trail riding. Namely things I started to wreck at Whopper the other night. As of now, it has a free pair of plastic platform pedals on it, but I'm looking at getting some lightweight alloy flats for it. And I have marfed up my big ring twice in one day. So, the hunt for a big ring guard began. And with much gratitude and many thanks to Sportwheels in Lower Sackville, I have an awesome old-school peroid correct one, in silver, complete with the sawtooth design I crave so much.  If you ever need something weird/vintage/old/odd ball, they just might have it. And I even scored a nice free part tonight. Someone was throwing out a *mint* vintage XTR rear hub with 7 speed freehub, just because they completely destroyed the rim. Snipped all the DT spokes, wiped it clean, and carried it home. Now, I was going to buy a set of race wheels or something, but I might just lace up a nice hoop to this for the rear. Actually, now that I think about it, I have an XT or XTR front hub that was on the Christmas tree packed away some place... So, I might string up a new set of wheels sometime soon. I hope they still look old school!

I'm going for that abundance-of-underwhelming-technology look .

So, "dumpster diving" at the shop pays of yet again! 

Until next time,
Aaron "Are you gonna ride that?" Perrott 

Last night I had a revelation.

Turn back the clocks to 1993. Canti's are stopping bikes. Only the cool people had suspension forks, with massive travel in the 1 or 2 inch range. 21 speed drivetrains ruled the roost, and us poorer folk had to settle with loose-ball bottom brackets, hopefully with rubber seals, to keep those 165mm cranks spinning huge rings. Frames were chromoly steel, but aluminum was, regretfully in hindsight, coming on the scene. Cool guys had Kool-stops, bar ends and frame bags. And then there were toe straps. Or not.

Fast forward to 2012. Big hydraulic brakes, 6 or more inches of travel. 30 speeds are common. Much slacker angles and shorter cockpits. Sealed cartridge bearings throughout.  These modern rigs are getting pretty spiffy. So, I figure it's time for a new bike. I decide to start saving up and selling things off. Figure I'll get one of them 29er's. 

So, the Devinci goes on Kijiji, Pinkbike, here on the 'Trout, etc. My old Concorde turns into the do-everything-in-the-meantime rig, as opposed to my race bike. And you know what? I learned just how much I liked it. It's much akin to when you start riding single speed, where you think out loud, "What was I thinking?"

The best riding frame I've ever owned. Probably the lightest bike I've had, so far. And it's so simple. It goes, it stops, it turns where I point it. When I'm done, I wipe it off and lube the chain, ready for the next ride.

How about those antique brakes? Well, I run Kool-stop Eagle II's in Salmon, I keep them set up properly, and I can easily see how they are at a quick glance. And they certainly do stop. Now, this next bit might sound funny, but for my riding, they almost feel *better* than my BB5's on the Devinci. Crazy talk? Perhaps. Are they noisy? Only a bit when they get damp, but not much worse than a lot of the guys disc brakes I ride with. Stop good? Well, they scrub the speed well, and are more grabby at low speed, which I love on really technical stuff. So, good for me and my style, which is all that matters.

7  Speed? Love it. I'm running 24/34/46 in the front. Which reminds me. I need to locate one of those old-school bash guards that look like a Skil saw blade... Anywho, with a 12-28 cassette, it still works really well in the woods. It climbed up EVERYTHING on the Lake Loop at Whopper, and I cleaned a section I never have before on any of my other trail bikes so far. Up and over, with it's light weight and nimble handling. If anything, the lack of super low gears, like 22 x 36, keeps some momentum up and keeps the cranks loaded a bit.

No suspension? I don't mind. I love riding rigid. I still can at this point, so I'll keep rocking it. Every trail is fun again, there are no pivots  to replace, no air to pump up, no seals to replace, no oil to change. Just pure, unadultered fun. On the rough side, mind you. But fun.

So, it's surely not for everyone, but just having a reliable, capable little bike under me is enough for me. I will keep riding this thing for the years to come, and just keep it going. Now, some things will be getting harder and harder to find, but that's when a fella can upgrade. 7 Speed is not being produced in high quality, but it's still around a bit in decent quality, for now. I can always go 10 speed in the future. Just run a road cassette. Those are HUGE nowadays! My crank is fortunately able to run a 127-127.5mm bottom bracket, but a lot of older bike are even wider, so modern cranks might be called for. Which is fine.  And Cross bikes are keeping the canti dream alive, for now. But hey, you can "upgrade" to v-brakes as well! Or front disc, on a newer fork...

So, after a great ride last night at Whopper on my old bikey, I enjoyed my simple ride, chatting to all my riding friends as we rode, all on vastly different bikes. Rigids, hardtails, big duallies, 29er's, xc and trail, and even a DH bike. The stars, (and a couple bright planets!), were out, the air was crisp, no wind was to be felt, and it was just us and the trail. And that's the way it should be.

If you need the new/fancy gear, it makes your riding more fun/easier/safer and you can afford it, then by all means, go for it! But, if you can make do on whatever you have, then keep on riding, my friend. Don't let people get you bummed on your older/simpler gear. I know guys who never ride because they are always waiting on the new bike or parts to come in, to replace what were perfectly fine, or in some cases even awesome, bikes and parts. And that, is a shame.

Now, call up some pals, or gear up a nice solo shakedown, and ride!

I had recently had a 29er and wasn't overly impressed with it's performance. My decision to purchase another one was based on the changes that have been made to  geometry, and suspension and handling characteristics to 29ers in general.

The Shinobi is the middle of three levels of 29er full suspension models available from Norco.  The specs include a SRAM X9 rear derailleur (2x10), RS Revelation fork and Fox shock and Elixir 7 brakes.  Everything works great period.  The fork was damaged in shipping, however, Norco stepped up and had a new one to me in no time. 



The ride is amazing! Obstacles are definitely easier to roll over and the bike is so much easier to get up hills as it maintains it's speed.  The geometry allows the rider to sit in the bike as if it was a traditional 26er, thus little to no transition from a 26" wheeled bike.   Lofting the bike over obstacles takes the same effort as with my Fluid 1.  My confidence level increases as I ride this bike.  It's no wonder that 29ers have been ridden to victory in World Cup events!

The wider bars did take some getting used to as did the 2x10 drivetrain. Nothing a few rides didn't iron out.  The only thing that I have changed so far were the heavvvvvyyyy Kenda Nevegal tires.  I picked up a set of Kenda Small Block Eights and the bike actually seems faster and more enjoyable to ride.

Overall, great bike, and I am officially a convert to the 29er!

Well, the Norco Bushpilot that's dragged my sorry butt around for the past couple of years is finally being retired. At least from my service. It can now go on to fill someone elses needs. Which is just fine by me. I'm not bitter, but I sure am looking forward to spending time on my new Giant Escape 1.

You see, I was of the opine that a mountain bike makes for a good commuter. Which it might, but here's what I've found over the past few years.

Mountain bikes are heavy. Well, they can be. But, anything remotely light will be too nice to commute on year round and would be pretty upsetting to give away to some undeserving criminal. So, you have the weight. Also, in that price range, you get HEAVY non-functioning and soon to be rusty suspension forks. And they get sloppy in a right hurry. Considering mine had steel handlebars and disc brakes, among other things, it was no light weight. And fat knobbies are fun to keep spinning up hill in a headwind. So, 1 point for the purpose-built commuter.

Mountain bikes can be cumbersome to outfit. Short chainstays are great in the woods. Not so great when you are trying to get racks and bags to not get smoked by your heels. And a lot don't even have eyelets anymore to screw racks and fenders into. I have a very "custom" setup on the Norco, which is partly why it is all going with the bike. Disc brakes compound the problem, specially when the rear caliper is mounted outside the rear triangle. Older v-brake/canti MTB's are not usually near as bad, but the newer stuff is a right pain. 1 more point for the commuter bike.

Mountain bikes can run out of wind downhill. 44t x 11t set ups on a 175mm crank can only do so much for you. My big 28/38/48 triple on the Giant gives me great range. And a chainring guard. Hello! Grand total of 3 points for the skinny tired wonder machine so far.

Mountain bikes can, however, take a beating. You've seen our roads. Sheesh. Also, I like to ride up, over and down stuff. Like rocks, curbs, stairs, drops, walls, etc. Mostly due to my riding style, (Or a lack thereof).  And I like to throw in some trails along some routes sometimes to, ahem, "shorten things up a bit". I need to rethink that a bit with the new bike, or really pussyfoot around when I do. Give a point to the MTB.

Now that the cross country capabililties have been mentioned, we also have to look at the all-weather capabilities of the machine. I thought discs would be the be-all end-all, but given the fact I used to commute on chromed steel wheel and steel side-pull caliper brakes, anything is a marked improvement. The discs can be just as noisy, almost as effected by the elements, and are a fair bit of extra weight and maintenence in comparison to the rim brake options. Specially with racks and bags in the way. Good bags can be removed easily to facilitate repairs, but mine didn't. It was not fun. And in reality, commuting doesn't pose the same situations as mountain biking, usually. A good v-brake or cantilever or even road caliper brake can be set up to work well. Specially with decent pads and cables. And it can be easier to set up proper full length fenders on a real commuting bike. This not only keeps you dry, but will vastly improve the lifespan and proper functioning of your bikes components, like the drivetrain and derailleurs, headset, etc.  Also, I was dramatically impressed by my seemingly unaggressive 700 x 32c tires in the snow in comparison to regular 26" MTB knobbies, and even purpose built winter MTB tires! If there's a bottom, they will find it, with amazing  ground pressure for traction. All my fears and worries are gone. Ice might be another story, but nothing grips ice other than steel, so I might mount up a dedicated set of studded tires on spare rims next winter for the few days it poses a threat. And, as an interesting side note, the skinny tires spray outward far less, keeping your feet free of the "waterfall effect". Up to 4 points now...

So, my personal opinion? A converted/scabbed together MTB commuter for running errands in the city might be fine, but for serious long-distance daily commuting, you can't beat the right bike. Not limited to, but usally equipped with 700c wheels. Lots of rack and fender options. Low weight. Simplicity. I love a rigid bike, and moreso on the road, it offers lower weight, almost zero maintenence and lively performance. Flat bars or riser bars are perfect. Ergo grips were a wecome surprise. Go with your favourite pedals still and a lightweight, narrow rack like the Axiom Streamliner DLX is a crazy good product. I am not nearly as worked out at either end of my ride now, which is good and bad, but moreover, I have an even bigger smile. I am impressed.

Keep these points in mind when thinking about your next purchase. If you can only have one bike, and want to trail ride, mabe a quick-release rack for seatposts and clip on fenders are the best you will get to allow a convertable MTB. But, if you want to do some light touring/day rides, have a longer commute, or don't want to get quite as worked up, go with a flat/riser bar 700c bike. With all the bells and whistles. Well, at least a bell.

This long time mountain biker is quite convinced.

Well, it looks at this point like I am going to be thinning the herd a bit. So, the Devinci and my old commuter will soon be up for sale. Which makes some much needed room, and also frees up some funds. So, what better way to waste my money than to spend it on a 20 something year old bike? Perfect. 

First splurge might be a nice Mavic wheelset I just discovered. Crossride UB. Just need a spacer to throw on my 7 speed cassette. Wait. Speaking of 7 speed, I might even forgo that altogether and get the bike geared up 2X10 with full SRAM X5 or X7 ten speed with an X9 on the back end. And maybe gear up some v-brakes for it. I looked at Avid Single Digit Ultimate brakes, all CNC'd with pivot bearings, but for waaaay less money and even less weight, there are better options out there for brakes. I also scoped out a nice non-suspension corrected carbon fork. Which will dictate going to a threadless headset. And then maybe a carbon stem and bar. Carbon seatpost, if I can find one in 26.6mm. SRAM 2 speed crank with 28/36 tooth rings. Ceramic BB. Ah, the temptations of working at a shop...

Maybe just the wheelset and a fresh BB for now. It's going to be a fun summer. We are looking at buying a house very soon, so just having less bikes to drag around will be nice. So, it looks like the Concorde will soon be my only mountain bike. Going to kick it old skool full time. Maybe just upgrade things as it's needed. Either way, keep an eye out for the green machine this summer. And by the looks of the BNS calendar so far, it is shaping up to be a fun summer. I'll be dummy riding the antique. 

Until next time,
Aaron "Era Technology Blender" Perrott