Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Frame is Black

I just had my road bike repainted...BLACK! I considered red, but why not stick with the original color? Interesting that Colnago did not care to imprint any kind of serial number other than a 9. The steel frame got rusty after being ridden inside on a set of rollers by a novice who didn't figure out to cover the frame to protect it from nasty rust inducing sweat. I'm really looking fwd to putting it all back together and riding it on those rollers now that it's too cold to buzz around outside in this Minnesota weather. I also have my MTB all ready to go for the first snow, because I just have to give it a try. I kind of want to assemble a fixed gear road or a single speed MTB, but that will have to wait to see how the finances go, ya know?
BORAT
Do not see this movie!! This was the worst movie I've seen all year (including all my netflix!). I wanted to see it because it is popular, my finacee was hesitant. It's mean humor. I'm good with that, but it's the same jokes that we see EVERYWHERE!! The exception being the anti-Jewish humor. Just because he's Jewish doesn't give him the right to bash Jews for two hours. I don't mind art making me uncomfortable, but this did so for no reason, I took nothing from it. I also don't buy the premise that the people in the movie didn't know they were being filmed. Too many camera angles and too good of lighting to pull that off. Nuts!

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

The PRESSURE

I've been MTBing for a few years, and these past couple have gotten more serious about it. I've started entering a few races and joined a couple organizations which help maintain trails in my area: CAMBA and MORC.
One of the fun things for me is learning something new. Like today: I had always scoffed at lowering ones tire pressure to the 35-40psi range for MTBing. Pinch flats, it will make me slower I thought. A friend finally got me to try it today and instead of my usual 55psi I went at 40psi. The difference was amazing and immediately apparent. My tires used to bounce off of rocks as if my tire was a giant ball bearing. Now at the lower psi my tires can actually grip the rock! Cornering is also better, but I didn't want to push that one too hard.
Biking in MN at 68F in November: it doesn't get much better than today.

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

I got to ride my MTB today after installing a new, lighter, better crankset. It started to rain, so I decided to just leave right from home instead of packing up and heading for a MORC trail. I hit a trail that I can usually only see in the fall when the flora has died off a bit for the year. I'd call it a secret trail, but there were a couple of dogs being run off leash by a pedestrian. The trail is one of the first I've been on in St. Paul and I really enjoyed getting back on it. My problem of dropping the chain when switching from the middle to smallest cog (front) is still there. But I'd like to think it improved somewhat (that's what my emotions are telling the part of my brain that hates spending money).