mack_turtle

Can anyone comment on the status of trails here? https://facebook.com/events/s/east-austin-trail-tour-at-litt/5013412248712983/

SATN if you know what trails to avoid. There's some chunk mixed in there for sure, but not much elevation. Muleshoe Bend is mostly green. There's a few green routes in Reimers Ranch but it might not be worth the long drive. Slaughter Creek Trail, with the only entrance on 1826 is beginner-friendly with a few character-building rock gardens thrown in. It's a relatively short, one-way loop with a bonus spur. Impossible to get lost and easy to gauge your progress to see how skillfully you tackle the obstacles that are there.

nevermind. I measured my butt and this seems like it will fit. Interpret that however you want.

Anyone from SW Austin want to carpool to help with limited parking?

Time to get into Philip K. Dick.

Austin Public Library has this available as an audiobook in the Libby app. The stories of scandal over women "taking to the wheel" and "turning in their skirts for bloomers" are hilariously quaint now. people absolutely lost their minds over riding bikes all the time, and were horrified that women were gaining freedom because of bikes.

to give: used, hard, black bar tape. I had this Arundel bar tape on my gravel bike, but I didn't like the hard texture. It might not make good bar tape, but because it's so tough, I thought someone might want to wrap their drive-side chainstay in it, or wrap the handle of a tool for a little extra grip.

Highlight of my day: seeing how much some if my favorite vloggers are enjoying e-bikes. https://youtu.be/0LLiojFAY4o

Currently in the audiobook of The Peregrine by J.A. Baker. English birdwatcher's 1967 account of time spent observing peregrine falcons. The prose is so rich that it's like watching a very well-done nature film. Even better is the fact the Richard Attenborough is reading it to me.

I keep seeing Surons and their ilk around here. Where does that fit in? The last two I saw in Bauerle Ranch were not even wearing helmets and clearly didn't know how to control their bikes.

I have the smaller version of that and i love it. Sometimes I use it as an extra pocket and don't bother with the bladder. So comfy that In forget it's even there, water or not.

ended the year with a smile.

I need to finally pay for the whole thing and then just wait for shipping to come through. Based on recent experiences with shipping, global systems are run with the same kind of efficiency that Southwest Airlines has, so I'll get it some time in 2024. just kidding I need to treat inside tubes for anti-rust and assemble. hopefully the headtube and BB tube don't give me any grief. that internal dropper post port looks like it might force a tight bend, but I'll deal with it one way or another. That bend in the seat tube is super low, which should give me plenty of room for the long dropper post I bought in anticipation. I just hope the geometry holds true to my intentions.

I had to return to this discussion to alert you to this new technology: encasing your helment in a 1990s PC Mainboard box means that the obviously disintegrating aero plastic mold is just like new! bonus points if you noticed the hottest trend in curly-bar-bike freddom: steer-to-shift housing coming from your brifters: (I can't tell you how many times I've actually seen something like this roll into a bike shop.)

I've been out there twice. Fantastic terrain. with all the construction, I don't feel confident telling people that it's the same trail from one month to another.

Just waiting for the logo to be added, then shipment!

@CBaron I'm having two pairs of bottle mounts put on the downtube—above and below. It's the same as my current frame. I usually carry a hip pack with 1.5L or a 3L backpack. The top tube is super low and will be supported with a simple diagonal tube. More standover! I specified the seat tube bend to accommodate a 2.5" 29er tire with a 420mm minimum chainstay length, and located the bend to fit a 180mm dropper post. I currently have a 150x30.9 PNW Bachelor that will be replaced with the 180x31.6 OneUp that I bought on a Black Friday sale. That's part of the reason I didn't bother with a seat tube-mounted water bottle. It's unlikely that I'll need the CS tukt that far forward often, as the gear combo I like is usually in the 425-430mm realm. The reach measurement is at least 25mm long than what a currently have. Considering I need at least a 70mm stem for my Karate Monkey to fit me, that should work nicely with a stem no longer than 50mm. Think of it as a Middlechild or Nimble9 built around a 120mm for instead of 140-150, or a budget ersatz Sendero.

Wheel Building is a lot like crocheting, I suppose. Someone give me wheels to build to keep me busy until this blows over!

Change IS bad. We fear change. I kid. I like my handlebar low, and I think it's likely that many people have their handlebar in a position that is "comfortable" but not great for hard-charging terrain due to that height. However, body proportions and riding style vary greatly, so this fork is probably too short for anyone taller than me. YMMV and a grain of salt and all that. do what works for you. if anyone wants to come over and geek out in the garage about bike fitting, I'm usually here. (Note, I couldn't bend at the waist to touch my toes if someone commanded that I do so and put a gun to my head. Yet here I am with my grips optimized well below my saddle top. My new incoming frame has very different geometry, so we'll see how much things move around with that. )

Yeah, that steerer tube is going to be too short for most people. Most people also have their handlebar way too high, though. The height that works for me is the correct one.

Here's mine as of today. Main tubes are tacked together. needs more welds, some supports and gussets, and then paint. I might have it in time for my 41st in a few weeks!

We've had Pickles for much longer than expected. He's still available. Quite possibly the cuddliest dog I've ever met. He's about 15 pounds. He's house-trained but I can't promise that he'll stay out of mischief if you leave him alone for too long

SOLD! Upgrayyed my fork, so this Fox 34 Rhythm Elite is for sale. Boost spacing, 51mm offset, 120mm travel, can be extended to 140mm. Listed as a 27.5+ fork, but I've stuffed a 29x2.6 in there with a fender. Steerer tube is cut to hardcore length at just under 6.5". Includes an ASS sticker! $200 I bled the damper a few months ago and I've changed the bath oil and wiper seals at least years since I've owned it. Stanchions look short here because the fork was deflated. It's a full 120mm travel fork.

I could put these on my gravel bike.

Thank, but I currently have a 70mm and I want to try something longer to un-cramp myself.