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CBaron

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Posts posted by CBaron

  1. 11 minutes ago, mack_turtle said:

    You must be one of those Lizard People that Alex Jones has been warning us about! 

     

    Funny you say that, because I mention to my wife I think I have 'lizard blood'.  Many times during the cooler weather months, once the sun comes out and shines on our trampoline, my wife will find me out on the trampoline literally sunning myself.  It just makes me happy.  I truly abhor the cold weather months when I have to roll out from the (warm) house into the cold temps wearing not much more than spandex & arm warmers.

    • Like 1
  2. 1 hour ago, mack_turtle said:

    I know a few people who can ride for hours in blazing heat. I don't know how they do that. Must be genetic or many hours of intensional training to allow the body to do that. Until I can get out of this hellhole, I think the only answer is to keep my rides under 90 minutes.

    I wear a 3L pack and two 24 ounce water bottles on these hot days, one of the bottles is filled with one of the many electrolyte mixes I have tried. I "camel up" the day before by drinking as much water as I can stand, combined with supplements. after 90 minutes, my water is totally depleted and I start to get a headache. this has been going on for a decade with no relief. I asked my doctor and he said "drink some Gatorade."

    I've pretty much been one of those guys.  Born and raised here in TX and I quite like the heat.  To be fair once the thermometer gets above 96-97* it becomes less bearable.  But, I was dropped off yesterday after work at Suburban Ninja (at 4:15pm) and rode 3.5hrs of trail and street all way back to my house near WC.  Not once did I think to myself if was overly hot or I should not have been doing it.  In fact, I only had 3 water bottles with me.  Admittedly I was a little under-watered by the end and wish I had consumed one more during my ride.  But I'm all-good today.

    Later,
    CJB

     

    • Like 2
  3. 17 hours ago, AustinBike said:

    I don't know about the Ripmo, but when I demo'd the Ripley I was unimpressed. I wanted to like it and on paper it was perfect. But the seat tube angle was too steep and that put me too far over the stem. I even swapped the stem to a shorter one for my second ride and that ended up just putting me more upright than with the longer stem (which seemed to put me over the front wheel.) One mile on the Occam and I was sold and texted Wes so get one ready for me. 

    Now you are correct in your assessment of STA.  I did leave my Ripmo test ride thinking..."Sure is fun to bomb down God's, and even climb back up.  But I'd HATE to have to pedal this thing 10 miles home on the road {or ride the EB on it]".  Modern STA is a problem for me in that I pedal to the trail a good bit.  Back when I was custom making my own frames, I'd spec a 72* STA in my personal bikes (with no setback).  I considered seat post setback a sign of incorrect dimensions.

    -CJB

  4. Possibly.  Part of my non-cycling life is carved out buying, selling and (basic) restoration of classic cars with my son and his best friend.  My oldest has paid his own way through college so far by doing this.

    Cheers,
    CJB

    276947110_317388103681348_6834251690684339031_n.jpg

    IMG_4715.jpg

    IMG_1517.jpg

    • Like 5
  5. 10 hours ago, AntonioGG said:

    If you're more XC than trail, the Oiz TR is an excellent bike.  I test rode the Ibis Ripley V4 and didn't like it for me (plus it's crazy expensive).  I like a more reactive bike.

    I find this an intriguing statement.  My personal proclivities for a MTB are slightly different than most people, but I do share that appreciation for a reactive bike.  However, I test rode an Ibis Ripmo 2 yrs ago and was very surprised at how well it performed.  On paper, and from other peoples comments, I'd like to spend a weekend on the OIZ TR.

    Later,
    CJB

  6. Man, I'd love to own this.  I've got a work bench left over from the HH bike shop with a stainless steel top.  I've been planning to bolt a vice onto.  I've got a very decent sized basic vice for that purpose, this one just looks like a solid old beast.  I'm not exactly sure what i have to offer for trade.  I need to go dig around my garage stuff.  I might have some road wheels, I do have an old beater fork, maybe some carbon seat posts, Magura disc brakes (that need a bleed)... nothing terribly exciting

    Just thinking out loud.

    -CJB

    • Like 1
  7. Just now, TAF said:

    I haven't been in years, but didn't we all just park back then and walk/ride through it? I guess now it's a drive-thru thing or something. I remember chugging a couple of Lone Stars and running the Trail of Lights 5K in the early aughts - is that still a thing?

     "Back in the day" we would all ride through the TOL and then ride 'parade-style' down congress and then it would turn into a quasi-critical mass ride as everyone splintered off around downtown.  I believe 2006 was last year for the big congress parade style and it was so massive that it got larger than the logistics could handle.  Then in 2007 (tandem photo), we were only allowed to ride through the TOL and no congress avenue (although a group still cruised down there albeit bandit-style).  My family road all along the town lake HAB trail back to our car parked at Austin High.  I don't think anything goes on now (bike related).

    Later,
    CJB

  8. On 1/16/2022 at 1:24 PM, RedRider3141 said:

    image.thumb.png.41e728b4e71370ac6b0d511f84329ef2.png

     

    I found my tandem+trail-a-bike+trailer photo.  I dug it up from our Xmas photo box.  Circa 2007.  I believe this was one of the last times we were all aloud to ride out bikes through the trail of lights.

    IMG-4599.jpg

    • Like 4
  9. 14 hours ago, Jessica said:

    we just bought tickets to Grand Junction for 9 days between June|July.  The plan is to bike Grand Junction, Telluride and  Fruita.  Flirting with the idea of Slick Rock.  

    Yikes!  Thats a hot time of the season there.  My family and I went there (GJ) in August a few years ago.  Being from ATX helps, but by noon things where quite hot (and I love the heat).  The problem is that there is not really any shade anywhere.  Telluride is a whole nuther story...that place will be great.

    Cheers,
    CJB

  10. 2 hours ago, schoolie said:

    Just making sure... are you snugging this bolt up against the frame and locking the lock nut?
     

    But thats my point if it is snugged up against the frame, I see absolutely ZERO way for that side of the sliders to move fwd.  Thus it would point to the other side being the sliding culprit, which means braking forces.  I had a dropout doing this exact think on one of our TF bikes that were running 'experimental slider' DO's.    It was very unintuitive until the clues all lined up.

    • Like 1
  11. 8 hours ago, Taco Man said:

    I had two different Redline Monocogs that used that type of Chain Tensioner.  Worked great with Rim Brakes but not with Disc.   I hard rear brake would shift the tire against the frame every time.

     

    I suspect its this.  Not slipping due to pedaling torque, but due to braking forces.  With the tensioner screws on the end, it simply could not move fwd (but rather only rearward).  Its not a super intuitive problem to solve.  But I'd start by taking it apart and filling down the paint (& black anodizing) so that you can have some purchase between the two surfaces.  Than as @AntonioGG suggested, maybe getting higher quality bolts and increasing torque to them a good bit.  But I suspect your culprit is the (lack of) friction between the two surfaces with allow it to slip FORWARD under (disc) braking loads.

    Later,
    CJB

    • Like 1
  12. On 1/16/2022 at 1:24 PM, RedRider3141 said:

    image.thumb.png.41e728b4e71370ac6b0d511f84329ef2.png

    I'll see this tandem with a tag-a-long....and then raise you a Burley trailer.  

    We've got a MTN tandem and when our kids were young we'd do a setup like the above, but we'd also add the littlest dude into a Burley trailer.  We could have all 4 of us on the same rig.  I'll see if I can find a photo somewhere.  I know it was our Xmas photo a decade ago or so.

    Later,
    CJB

    • Like 2
    • Haha 1
  13. On 3/17/2022 at 10:17 AM, mack_turtle said:

    I'd like to hope I'll never need this, but if one was to plan a very long bikepacking trip, it could come in handy. 

    https://uniorusa.com/products/pocket-spoke-and-freewheel-remover-wrench

    Holy crap that is genius!  I've never really needed to tighten or loosen my cassette while out on the trail....but....during the EB my rear center lock disc rotor kept loosening up on me.  I had to stop about every 5 miles and snug it up best I could.  This thing would have been invaluable in that scenario.  Cheap, small, effective.  Love it

    -CJB

  14. 7 hours ago, RonSurly said:

    Sherpa! Haha yeah I retired the rigid single speed a couple of years ago. Now it’s FS and gears only!

     

    5 hours ago, sherpaxc said:

    Yep.  Me too.  Oh well.  It was a good run while it lasted!

     

    All my heroes are are packing it in....I feel like I'm about to enter the movie Cocoon.  Next thing you know @Hakalugi will be running dropper posts...

    • Like 1
    • Haha 2
  15. On 3/16/2022 at 1:08 PM, AntonioGG said:

     Attending the R&I last night made a big difference.

    ....instead of forcing things.  I got that bit of wisdom from @CBaron since he described going through something similar ...

     

    Yeah and in some ways I'm in a mini-funk again after my crash back in October.  

    I feel like the key is to 'know yourself'.  And I know that I'm sentisitve to the seasonal changes in the year.  Once the days get short and weather gets cold I find myself getting a little melancholy.  WRT the bike and my personal life.  So I have to find ways to trick myself into riding.  For me, a like being around people, so that means more group rides (R&I, C&D, TnT, Bagel ride, etc..)  Additionally, in the middle of a cold winter when a warm 'blue bird' day pops up, I'll take the day off work and go riding in the middle of a nice warm beautiful day.  It really helps to restore me.

    What @AntonioGG is referencing, is that the few times I've really thought about being done with the bike/cycling, I've simply walked away for a while and tried something else.  I moved into the MX world for about 3 yrs at one point....I tried trail running for many months.  But eventually, I come back to my 1st love and find that my return is usually with vigor.  If I FORCE myself to ride against my desire/urges not to, then I find myself loathing in the situation.  I know this all may sound strange, but like I said, you've gotta know yourself.  And sometimes I can be a head-case!  LOL

    Good news for me is that the warm weather is knocking at the door and that is when I really start to get rejuvenated with the season change!

    Good luck in your endeavor.
    CJB

    PS-  I'm a dedicated hardtail guy and I've got a M/L Trek Stache you are welcome to demo for a weekend if you want to try some 'strange'.   Seriously, take me up on it if you'd like

    • Like 6
    • Thanks 1
  16. Every day seems to be demo day if you happen to be interested in anything Velorangutan sells.  @xl_cheese has a pretty permissive demo policy and I think they have a decent assortment of options.

    Outerbike would be a bit more complicated but could be made into a fun MTB getaway with a ton of demos thrown in.  I attended the one in Bentonville a few yrs ago.  It rained every day.  😞

    Later,
    CJB

    • Like 2
  17. 21 hours ago, HoneyBadger said:

    I've never seen the quad guy, but about a month ago I did manage to finally catch a teenager on a dirt bike that had been riding Double Down. Caught up to him the BCRT by a taking shortcut through the trees and popping out in front of him. I grabbed his handle bars and politely told him dirt bikes are not allow. He called me sir and apologized, haven't seen him since.

    I know that back when 1/4 notch and DD had dirt, someone riding a dirt bike out there had been a thing (MANY yrs ago).  Do you think this was the same guy by any chance?

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