AustinBike

According to Charlie the trail was way too muddy today. I am going to do something urban instead because there is no reason to mess with the trails. Show them some love and let them dry out for a few more days.

Finally, something I can actually speak about with real knowledge - I was in shoe repair for years. Basically today's shoes are vulcanized to the soles (as well as being glued). Replacing a sole on a bike shoe pretty much requires a new sole that comes from the manufacturer and is custom fabricated for that exact model and that exact size. This is why a manufacturer will replace warranty claims vs offering to repair it. Odds are high that the repair will not be perfect and it will probably come apart on you (repair machinery is far less efficient than some manufacturing lines...) I would hit up the manufacturer on the shoe, there is a good probability of getting a replacement. If you do take it in to have it repaired, they are not going to look as nice and will not last as long. Take a look at the shoe itself, there is a sole and a side - these are a single piece and you can see where the stitching on the side is (upper edge of "sidewall".) This is actually where they go together because this is all one piece. To repair it a shoe repair would grind down the sole so that it is uniformly flat, glue on a new sole, then put an edging on there to hide the layers and hold it together. This will be glued, not sewn and will end up making the shoe look more like a Chuck Taylor basketball shoe. Basically you don't want to see the side layers because this is where they start o come apart. The new sidewall is not decorative, it is functional, holding the new sole to the rest of the shoe. My professional advice is go after the manufacturer. If they say go pound sand, get another shoe and stay clear of 510.

Chuck, that does not look anything like your gravity bike....

Slightly different. At least I'm hoping...

Got a visitor this weekend, so I am off the bike anyway. Time to do some hiking.

I have something like that. I believe (seriously) that the dog might be autistic. He did not enjoy being strapped onto a person.

That thing looks great, I’m going to keep my eye out for one of those

Sweet trailer, much better than the one I have now, but want something with the cargo up front in case Señor cabeza de papa decides to jump out and make a run for it. Yeah, a leash will stop him, but only while I drag him. The front makes monitoring the situation a lot easier.

Yeah, those look nice. But at $2K+ for the frame, outside of my ballpark. Hoping to stumble over something under $500 (and assuming it needs a lot of work).

Of course, he doesn't have to walk places, he's carried around like a goddamned prince. I should be that lucky.

yeah, the garage space is limited, but I might be able to store it where the current dog trailer is stored.

I have a trailer already (see below). Dog is not wild about it. My wife also takes him in her basket, but not for long distances. A cargo bike would solve that and give me the ability to haul things like groceries. I guess I could use the dog bike for that...

If anyone comes across something like this, I'd be real interested in buying one: Looking for the 2 wheel version, not the 3-wheel version. Saw a bunch in France but when I got home and started googling it, they appear to be several thousand. Looking for one that is gathering dust and needs to be disposed of; perfectly happy if it has not been tuned up in a while. For a few hundred I'd be willing to take it on as a project. Looking for both a dog carrier and maybe even groceries as I use my car less in retirement.

Yeah, great ride. Light rain meant that the air was cool and the dust was tamped down. Nothing was slick and conditions were perfect. Anthony was right, always ride. Got done and over to Red's Porch before the deluge hit. Overall win-win!

You sir, are winning the internets today.

Yeah, there are OEM posts and OEM designs, so it is possible that multiple manufacturers are either rebadging an OEM product or creating their product from a licensed OEM design. I am pretty sure that PNW makes their own products (from my conversations with them) so they may be using some of the third party designs for a time to market advantage. Their website says: 3. We buy direct. I'm sure you've heard all those sleazy diamond commercials over the years "BUY DIRECT AND SAVE". Well, while we don't agree with their delivery of that message, there is something to say for not going through many layers of middlemen. We get our parts directly from manufacturers, don't have a large staff and focus on online marketing. This strategy changes the way most brands do business and is similar to how many brands in other industries have been successfully doing things for years. So they clearly OEM some (if not all) of the parts. Just like how an iPhone is made, basically. It really comes down to 2 things: how well you manage your supply chain and how well you manage your service. 2 companies can OEM the same product and end up with different experiences because one has tougher engineering tolerances and will reject too many for being out of spec. They would tend to have higher prices. They would also be more confident in doing returns. So even if they are the same as Brand X (i.e. bought the same OEM design) they COULD be better. Brand X could have lower tolerances and thus get a better overall price (and be less willing to go with a longer warranty knowing that there is a greater probability for failure down the road.) Quality, features and price, pick any two. Not saying Brand X is a bad product, just that it is HIGHLY unlikely that PNW ever touched their stuff. PNW just isn't large enough to do that.

I am not 100% sure that Brand X is actually made by PNW, the numbers don't seem right (if they are made in Seattle it id doubtful that they could sell the exact same product in the UK at a much lower price....) What I really LOVE about PNW is their support. 3 year warranty. When I broke mine (and I literally mean that I BROKE mine) trying to service it, they sent one out second day air so I would have it in time for the BCGB death march. They have awesome support. Not sure you can get a Brand X replaced that quick due to customs and international shipping. Also, Brand X has a 2 year warranty and PNW is 3 years.

^ This. I went 1x9 and never looked back. I rarely touch my 42T cassette ring because I can't get enough torque, I climb much better in my 36T for steep climbs and 32T for moderate climbs. Most of a 3X system are overlaps that just add weight for combinations you will never use. Most of my miles are on a singlespeed, including the greenbelt. If you decide to go 1x9, get a narrow-wide, it is cheaper and easier than a chain guide and will keep your chain on the crank better. Also, you can probably cut your chain down a bit as you no longer need the big ring.

Where is the Chuck R&I quote board when you really need it?

Yeah, not really bomb proof, the Taliban used Hilux pickups a lot, based on the videos, they don't stand up to bombs that well. https://www.wearethemighty.com/tech/how-the-white-toyota-hilux-became-the-favorite-vehicle-of-terrorists

I will be there ~4 again to get some early single speed miles and will plan to meet the social pace group ~4:45 or so in the lot. Bringing bratwurst.

I guess I have a Garmin 510 because I do not have crash notification. Could have used it last weekend by Taco Man's house 😉

Going 1x9 may be an easy way for you to quickly solve this problem. I did this years ago on my 26er. I realized that I never touched the big ring and only occasionally used the granny. So I removed them and went 1x9. Basically I had ~95% of the range that I had before and was missing out on only the steepest climbing gear. Then I realized that a little more climbing help was needed so I dropped to 30T on the front. That $35 investment in a RaceFace narrow-wide chainring gave me a little more climbing room, and I dropped some of the top end crunching for riding on pavement (which I only did in the EB...) Eventually I changed out the cassette and derailleur for a 10-speed (which is really cheap now as it gets to end of life) and bought myself some additional range. Eventually tossed on an extended cassette, a 42T which I generally don't recommend. Sunrace is the only company making a 42T 10-speed cassette and it is crappy, I much prefer the Shimano, but those top out at 36T. If you wanted to go all the way up to 11-speed you get some additional climbing power. But, that becomes a more expensive proposition. Even so, going all the way up to 11-speed is probably still cheaper than a Garmin. And depending on how you ride, the simplicity of 1X setup is something that you will benefit from every day, all the time, where a Garmin (for maps) will really only benefit you on those occasions where you get lost. Now, let's talk about that Garmin. First, the 520 is not good for maps, I have one and it is mediocre at best. If you want a Garmin to help you when you get lost you are looking at the 800 series. I would not buy a x20 series, if you are going to spend the money, go with the newer x30 series, which are $300 for the 530 and $400 for the 830 (the one you would need). While I ride with a 520 on my stem all the time, I do it for stats. It is incredibly useful in helping me know how long I have been riding, how much climbing I have done, my average speed and all the other nerdy stuff that I want to know. But it is not essential. I miss it when I have forgotten to pack it, but it is also liberating at times to not be staring at it. If I was concerned about riding my way when I get lost, I'd use my smartphone, which is way better with a larger screen. Yeah, you have to stop and pull it out, but when you are lost, stopping is THE most important thing you can do. Trying to figure out your way while you are riding might just put you more off course. Here's some simple math:

Does he have a friend that is a good mechanic? If so, we should talk about droppers.....

In fairness, even though I was sweating like a whore in church, it was November. But the black claw chicken soup must be served at scalding temperatures for the magical healing powers of the claw to take effect.