I Got Me a New Bike... This Time Not a Frankenbike: 2012 Cannondale Jekyll 4

Yup. 

I joined the rest of the world and bought a complete. After showing off the pictures of my new bike, people posted comments, like, "This is not a Dion bike..." or "I thought you were too hardcore for full suspension..." Ha. 

Honestly, I've been riding pieced together frankenbikes as long as I've been into bikes. I've never owned a high-end complete, even when I was a kid. I guess my last few completes were bought online, but I've never bought myself something off the floor like a normal human. I've never got to enjoy "free maintenance and repairs" from the shop. I've always done it myself. 

I spotted this thing at Sports Basement in Sunnyvale, Ca. after having lunch at our usual Vegetarian Asian restaurant. I really wasn't "looking" to buy a bike, just browsing. I've had, in the back of my mind for a few months now, a thought to consider picking up a full suspension bike - to be more exact, a trail bike. Something that rails the flow. I mean, I've been riding these rigid bikes or hardtails for so long now. The last FS bike I had was a Motobecane DS Comp. Not a bad bike, and at times I regret selling it. Oh well. 

Sports Basement is a sporting goods store with a good bike shop, but it leans more towards the roadie and townie crowd. The MTB's look like they've been sitting on the floor for some time, and if they were shelter dogs, they would've been put down by now. The two that caught my attention were the Ibis Mojo and the Cannondale Jekyll 4 ("The Jek" is what I call it). The Mojo was a lower end build of a high end bike: through axle up front with a 9mm QR in back, XT and SLX components. The Jek is an X7 build, through axles both front and back with the Cannondale proprietary Fox DYAD RT2 rear shock and a RockShox Sektor TK coil fork up front. 

I what initially got my attention of the Jek was the price. It's only a year old and it was marked down from the MSRP of $2,700 to $1,800. Dude, I could afford that - just got to let go of a bike or two to offset the purchase.

The Mojo was $2,750. That would take a little creative maneuvering of money and selling more than what I feel comfortable with. Plus, after riding the Mojo (they only had a medium) - it felt small to me. the Jek is a large and fit me much better.

For shits and giggles, I test rode a Cannondale Scalpel FS 29'er. Um, no thanks. 26" wheels for a trail bike. Thank you.

With a 10% discount and a purchase of some Crank Bros. Candy 2 pedals, I was out the door with a brand new bike. As wiped out as I was from my buddy's bachelor party the night before, I took a nap and went for a test ride.

Ride 1: Feeling it Out

It was everything I expected. Full-Suspension is just weird for me. So many levers, adjustments to be made, finicky settings, etc. I took the suggestions of what people were saying online about the DYAD RT2 shock and set it up accordingly. What resulted was a plush ride, but serious pedal strikes - so the shock was too soft for what I need it to do. The front fork is way too soft for me and needs a firm spring. That will come soon, and I'll report the results of that on my 3 month review of the bike. Because - as it sits with the medium rate spring for lighter riders - I don't think the bike is "there" yet. 

Fit, color, graphics, ergo's... all very nice. The bike climbs as I thought it would - slow'ish, steady, not XC speed at all. But what really surprises me is the flat-out speed it possesses. I feel this might be a result of the lateral stiffness and rockin' the big ring (yes, it has a triple) is not a knee injuring activity. One would think that the Hans Dampf tires it comes stock with would resist rolling, but they seem to work very well with this bike.

Ride 2: Adjustments and Fine Tuning

Again, I struggled with the full-suspension. This time, I was dabbing all over the place, having to walk sections I normally would glide right over and just having a frustrating day. It was also 96º, windy and dry. I had not played with the suspension settings on this ride, and I was experiencing the same issues with pedal strike. 

I flipped the stem and lowered it slightly. The stock set-up felt like a beach cruiser.

I played with tire pressure, lever reach and seat post height. Between the heat, poor traction and with the past weekend starting to catch up with me, I didn't have much of a ride, but counted it as an "adjustment" ride.

Ride 3: Getting better - The Fireroad Test

Many of us, if not most, have to deal with fireroads in some form or another. Personally, I hate fireroads - but they are a part of MTB'ing and unless you're getting shuttled up the hills or if you only ride singletrack, we must sit and spin up these things. 

Coyote Peak Tower climb at Santa Teresa County park is a decent climb. It's steep, long'ish and sits at around 1,200ft. of elevation (although the elevation gain is 600ft. and is 3 miles long). It feels worse than 600ft.

This day of riding, I did play with the rear shock settings, and set just a few steps below the manufacturer recommendations. That made a huge difference - very plush on the rocks and rough, and efficient for the technical climbs. I cleared everything as I normally would.

The DYAD rear shock has two positions: long travel and short travel. There is a bar mounted lever that allows the rider to toggle between the two. I have played with this setting and discovered that the short travel is pretty much good for fireroads and extremely non-technical riding. When things get slightly rough, the long travel provides better traction and more pedal efficiency. 

For the fireroad climb, I set the rear to "short travel" and deployed the dual-position (DP) feature on the Sektor TK fork which lowers the fork from 150mm to 100mm. I also locked it out.

To my surprise, the Jek motored up the hill without issue. I thought the weight would play into things, but I really didn't feel it as much as I anticipated. The bike also didn't wander - but that could be attributed to the lowered fork. There were no traction issues, even in the loose stuff.

I was +/- 1mph slower on this bike up that climb than my 6lbs. lighter, On-One Inbred 29'er with XC wheels. This was to be expected, but I was surprised the climb wasn't worse.

Positives, Criticisms and Upgrades

Pros:

• Great bike fit. This varied between riders, but this bike, off the floor, fit me perfect. Just a few minor adjustments and I was very happy.
• Fox DYAD RT2 rear shock: sweet design and great feel.
• Ride quality is stable, efficient and great lateral stiffness
• I broke all my downhill personal records on the first ride!

Criticisms:

• Limited adjustability of the stock RockShox Sektor TK fork: You must replace the spring tuned for your weight. I am 200lbs, and the medium spring it comes with makes the bike squirrel'y dive'y and just not a pleasant ride. Handling is compromised without getting this dialed. I have the firm spring on order and looking forward to getting it dropped in.
• Weight. My bike is 32.58lbs as shown, but will likely be over 33lbs after I do the upgrades. However, the geometry and ergos help in this regard and you don't "feel" the weight as much as you'd think you would. 

Upgrades:

• The immediate upgrade I did was the handlebar. For a trail bike, you would think Cannondale would stock this with a nice, wide handlebar. But instead they give you a 680mm handlebar. I swapped out their narrow bar with my wide Answer DH riser bar the afternoon I bought it.
• Bash guard. Just a safety precaution, but with the triple, I wouldn't want to come home with a bent chainring. The MRP bash guard is en route, and will add the extra protection needed for big logs and rocks.
• Dropper post. Found an X-Fusion HiLo dropper post on eBay for $140. While the reviews are mixed on this post, I think it will add a dimension to descending that is greatly needed for my trail bike. I have always been against dropper posts, but now, after riding a true trail bike, I can see the point.

I will update the review of this bike as time progresses. I hope this helps some on the fence about the Cannondale Jekyll 4.

Reflections on the Old School BMX Reunion (OSBMXR) at Woodward West - a FIRST TIMER Perspective

Now that I've had a week gone by, it's given me time to reflect on my time spent at the OSBMXR. Being a first timer, I wasn't sure what to expect; Steve Swope's itinerary helps some, but not all. I hope my report helps other first timers get a feel of what to expect and what to bring. Also, there's a little insight of how this event changed me.

Tehachapi, Ca.

Tehachapi is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. Even as a MTB'er who explores the great South Bay Area, Ca. hills and forests, this place was magical. Woodward West is about 15-20 minutes outside of the small town, and everything you need for the weekend in terms of food and amenities can be found there - so if you forget your toothbrush or want to go dine out, it's just a short drive away. Nothing fancy, but whatever is there get's the job done. Since I don't eat fast food and I'm a vegetarian, my choices were limited, but I was able to "make do".

Woodward West sits at about 4000' above sea level, surrounded by mountains and green meadows. Wildlife has found its place there, as cottontail bunnies, deer and snakes wander about the Lodge at all times of the day. At night, the coyotes can be heard within earshot howling and barking, and bats flutter about as you drive to-and-from the Lodge and hangar as the sun sets.

If you stay at Hilltop - like I did - you will bunk with other OSBMXR attendees - so if you come with a group of friends, make sure you arrange to all room up. I went alone and had a great roommate - Dean Johnstone - a vert/park rider from Bristol, UK. The rooms are bare minimum, but have a bathroom with a shower. The beds are small bunk beds, and you will need to bring your own bedding, including a sheet to cover the basic foam cushion. Bring what you need for a weekend stay: a towel, soap, oral hygiene, etc. It is very much like camping as basic as it is.

The other rooms have one single bed, and if you get one of those, I would recommend you bring a cot or air mattress to sleep on if you have roommates. Honestly, I may bring an air mattress next year, even if I do get a bunk bed. It wasn't the most comfortable thing to sleep on!

If you have an RV, trailer or camper bed, sleep in there. Rooms are $20 a night, which is a great deal, but if you are self-sufficient, sleeping in the Lodge parking lot doesn't seem that bad. Then, bother one of your friends to use their shower in the morning.

Even if you are a brown boy like me, bring sunscreen. Especially if you are white. All the outdoor riding is in direct sunlight, and you definitely get burned. Also, hydrate as one should hydrate. I was so pumped to be there, I don't think I drank enough water at all.

I would also recommend bringing an ice chest full of goodies for the weekend. Food is essentially nonexistent there unless you want to drive into town. I did buy lunch and dinner tickets, but those meals were very small. I didn't even eat the dinner. If you are on a special diet like I am, I would highly recommend you bring your own stash of food. 

Bring all the tools and small parts you think you will need. I brought extra gyro and brake cables, tubes, extra brake pads and all the tools I would need "just in case". Last thing you need is to be in BMX heaven with a bike that's unrideable.

One last recommendation for a first timer is to arrive on FRIDAY if possible. I drove 5 hours from San Jose to Tehachapi, and if I didn't have all that adrenaline going, I probably would've dropped dead. I can rally as much as a man can, but that drive starting at 5am on Saturday morning simply SUCKED. I also missed a whole day of riding on Friday. I would've preferred to arrive there on Friday, get acclimated, and took my time. Saturday, I was up from 5am to 1am, and rode all day during that time. I don't know how I did it, but I was running on octane that day.

Riding Woodward West

Woodward West has about everything you would need as a BMX'er. There are about a half dozen parks, a dirt jump area, a flatland area (which I will get into in a bit) and, of course, MEGA RAMP. You must have full pads and a helmet to ride the park.

The hangar is filled with wood structures, including a big vert ramp, a handful of mini ramps, a foam pit and a resi-ramp. There is also a "street" area with benches, rails, platforms and a banked wall ride.

Outside, there are a few cement parks, a wood park and dirt jumps. Everything is ridable - sort of like the scene in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, "Everything is eatable".

The flatland area is one to contend with, however. It was small and slanted. It was ridable, but definitely not level. You find yourself going uphill in some areas and downhill in others. Some acclimation was necessary. Stuff I would normally pull, I just couldn't pull.

Mega Ramp was gnarly. I've never seen such a structure in my life - to a planter-box guy like myself, it was terrifying. Seeing the guys ride it was incredible and is something that you have to witness yourself to appreciate it - pictures do not do it justice, especially if guys are airing 15-20ft. above the coping. Adam Carolla would say, "This is why the terrorists hate us..."

The Vibe

In reality, a BMX'er doesn't have to travel far to ride. We all have our local spots, so while Woodward West is an amazing place to ride, we don't go there for that alone. The Vibe was so positive, so uplifting and gratifying, this is the reason why people travel from all over the country to attend this event. 

I got to meet nearly all the freestylers I grew up idolizing. Not only meet them, but ride with them. If I could travel back in time to a 14 yr. old version of me and tell myself that in 24 years, I would be hanging out with Martin Aparijo - my little brain would've exploded. Standing on top of the vert ramp while Mat Hoffman and Dennis McCoy floated above my head was incredible.

Meeting guys like Jose Yanez and seeing him - in his mid-50's - still rock a backflip like he did in the movie "Rad" was mind-blowing. Speaking of "Rad" - sitting in a theater while Eddie Fiola and Martin Aparijo gave us the inside scoop of the filming and production was very entertaining. 

Vans showed up and brought 200 pairs of free shoes and a pile of free t-shirts. Others brought swag and gave it out; thanks to Primo for the hat and shirt! Special shout out to the Curb Dogs, as well. Thank you, Maurice Meyer for the shirt and being so welcoming to the NorCal crew.

The weekend was capped off with a party at the Lodge. Drinks, food, socializing and an EPIC flatland jam. My edit below says it all.

L to R: Jorge Luzuriaga, Rick Allison, Martin Aparijo, Brian Gavagan, Dave Nourie, James McGraw, Eddie Fiola and Todd Carter. Photo: Steve Peralta

The Take-A-Way

Going to this event changed me. 

Being away from technology, TV and without a constant bombardment of negativity, politics, etc. gave me time to reflect what is important to me and what is not. It made me appreciate what I have and what I'm striving for. It even set into place for me what my career means to me and what it does not mean to me. It helped me identify who I am and what I love. It put into perspective why people act the way they do - both in positive and negative ways.

I love riding. I despise racing and alpha-male dominant inspired scowl-face competition. This event put into focus why I ride - why I got into BMX and why it has called me back. I can now confidently turn away from the cross-country MTB testosterone pissing matches with a smile. That no longer matters to me. With all respect to those that race, I can see how it can fuel some. To me, however, it destroyed my passion in a major way.

I know to some, that's a lot of mumbo-jumbo, but I needed something like this to inspire me again. I was getting burned out on MTB'ing, and training for racing really was the nail in the coffin. In fact, if it wasn't for this event putting it all back into focus, I was finding it harder and harder to unhang that MTB everyday to ride, because "training" was eating away at my passion and my riding soul.

I gleefully ate my race fees and dropped out of racing Sea Otter this past weekend, and I couldn't have been more satisfied by doing so. I woke up at 7:30am (sleeping in for me) and had pancakes instead.

BMX offers freedom. The ability to be creative; to do a trick, or simply roll down the street. To me, the restrictive nature of pumping away at personal records and Strava leaderboards was really eating away at the very core of why I ride. Thankfully, 300 fellow BMX'ers helped me get my passion back.

While this event re-surged my passion for MTB'ing, I also found that BMX has no limitations for me. I discovered that I am only limited to the restrictions my mind sets. I don't have to box myself in with a title such as "flatlander" or "park rider".

As my roommate, Dean, said, "It's all BMX."

More pictures can be found by "wired" on BMXMuseum's site HERE and HERE.

Adventures in BMX: BMX groms, saving a pill zombie's life and getting amped for OSBMXR...

I just don't get this kind of experience on my MTB. Maybe it's because I'm too busy chasing Strava segments. Anyway.

Sunday is my designated BMX day... and that's when I injure myself so much, it's actually relaxing to MTB. Currently I have random bruises, scrapes, and a kinked neck. I tell people this: the reason why I don't crash on my MTB is because I use all my crash tokens riding my BMX. It's true.

Whenever I ride, I always end up passing by BMX groms (little pre-teen kids) and they always check out what I'm riding, and wondering why a guy their Dad's age is scooting around on a 20" bike. I busted some manuals, 360 bunnyhops and a couple hang 5's and that got them clamoring up and asking a million questions. Here are the one's that made me LOL:

1) Do you know Ryan Nyquist? (because I ride a Haro in S. San Jose)

2) Can you bunnyhop over that? (pointing at a rail that was literally 4ft. high)

3) Can you barspin?

4) Can you flat 3?

5) How do you keep your balance like that?

6) Did you ride in the Dew Tour?

7) Do you have a son that rides BMX?

8) Why is your seat so high? (I have a WHOPPING 5" of seatpost showing)

9) Why do you have so many pegs? (4)

10) Why is your bike so quiet? (Freecoaster)

11) What's a freecoaster?

12) Why don't you have a better bike? (I love my Haro! LOL.)

13) Why do you have a front brake?

14) Can you jump these stairs?

15) When did you start riding? ("When I was your age")

16) etc.

The BMX scene down here in Almaden is literally nonexistent. These kids never seen flatland, or even a hop to fastplant. Their minds were filled with barspins and tailwhips. They loved it all. Then I realized, I may be able to inspire these kids to keep riding just by being an old man on a bike showing them how to do a few things.

Then I realized I'd be a fuggin' awesome BMX dad. THEN I realized, this is how BMX has survived over the years. This is why us old guys can't stop. There are generations ahead of us that need to be inspired. Anyway, I taught them how to to footjam tailwhips and got them thinking about wall rides. One kid even learned how to peg manual. My work was done... so I thought.

Then there was this chick:

So, I'm riding home (jazzed for a little Game of Thrones action) and I see this female stumbling across the parking lot with bare feet. Then she went up to a Ford Club Wagon and was trying to open it with a Scion key. Then she paused, got all wobbly, then tried some more. So I stopped her, and asked her some questions - then I asked her if I could try and I took her keys from her. She was so high, she didn't even resist. I told her to sit down and asked her if there was anybody she knew or family or friends that could come get her. No cell, no ID... she said her boyfriend jumped out of the car. I stayed with her and she was talking gibberish, talking about how "Jared cheated on her with a girl from Facebook" and "...you can be from Jupiter and align with the spirits. Then I asked if she was drinking and if she took some pills.

"I took some pills last night..."

"What about today?"

Dead stare. Like Walking Dead. PILL ZOMBIE!

So I called 911 and P-Marshall's doppelganger showed up and I took off.

Nobody was going to help this poor girl and God forbid the Club Wagon was actually her's and she went off driving, high on 'scrips.

BMX always provides weird adventures. I highly recommend you get one.

Old School BMX Reunion

All those who have been invited to OSBMXR 2013 and are attending are starting to post comments, pictures and videos. I am so friggin' amped to go, I haven't been this excited about BMX in a long time. I'm starting to feel really dialed with my Haro, and it's time to start going for things like fakie tree rides and 360's off things now. It's strange, because after getting back into BMX, I thought I was pretty much keeping it to flatland - but now that I have a do-it-all bike, I've found joy in street riding again. I forgot how decent I was at it, so the new bike has opened up new doors for me. 

Here's Maurice "Drob" Meyer (of the infamous Curb Dogs) and old school freestyler, Rick Allison, doing it right. I don't know neither Drob nor Rick outside of just a little back and forth on Facebook, but it looks like both freestyle icons are ready to roll. According to Rick's FaceBook posts, he is now here in California (SoCal). I remember him being a total showman - looks like nothing has changed! If you ever come up to NorCal, Rick, you got a crew to ride with.

Maurice "Drob" Meyer - hip transfer with a flattie

First Impression: Haro Zebra Frame

I turned 38 this month. Yesterday, in fact. 

I got birthday cash (yeah, still at my age) - and I bought a new frame with that cash.

I had one of the best BMX rides I've had in a long time, yesterday.

I've been eyeballin' the Subrosa DTT (double top tube) since they announced it - and boy, I really wanted one. In particular - the street frame in size 21". Although I ride mostly flatland, I love street. I can ride flatland on a street frame, but riding street on a flatland frame just plain sucks. I've owned flatland frames in the past; they have extremely short top tubes (18" generally), high bottom brackets with tiny Spanish bearings, twitchy geometry... just a very specific design for a very specific niche of riding.

So, having had my mind set on a 21" street frame, the Subrosa was on my list of "want" items. Well, it is tax time - and I usually pay every year (I've had to pay taxes for the last 10 years). The total birthday cash I got was $270 (yeah, not bad!) and the Subrosa DTT goes for $379. Even Kip at Master Blaster Planet  offered me a great deal on shipping - but I just couldn't justify it. Because with that new frame, I would have to get a new BB (because my GT Pro Performer was an American BB, and this takes a mid-BB), headset, and I also wanted a new stem (Subrosa, of course), pivotal seatpost and a comfy pivotal seat. With the Subrosa DTT frame and all the fixin's - I would be well into the upper $400 range. Going that far away from my birthday cash wouldn't be a prudent decision during tax time.

The other frame I've been looking at was the Haro Zebra frame. Reviewing the specs, it is  full chromoly and the geometry and weight matched the Subrosa DTT street exactly. The difference was the price - $159.99 at DansComp. Other features of the frame were removable brake mounts and gyro tabs. And boy, do I need both! I was able to get the frame, BB, headset, Shadow seatpost, Kink Sexton seat and Subrosa stem for $275, shipped.

After riding my mid-school 2000 GT, I really thought I just sucked. I lost my 360º bunnyhops, high bunnyhops, wall rides, etc. Flatland didn't come easy, and forget about decent street riding. Really, I thought it was just me. And while my BMX skill level isn't that grand by today's standards - I can throw down as good as an old BMX'er does. Not so much on that GT, though.

I left a couple black rainbows.

Well, well, well... the Haro "woke up" my riding. Not only could I hit every flatland trick I know, but street was absolutely flawless. I was able to bunnyhop, jump, fastplant, manual, g-turn, half cab, nose manual, etc. I spun my 360º bunnyhops, and yes, on my birthday, I re-learned bunnyhop wall rides, which I haven't done in years. It was as if I was 16 yrs. old again.

I will be attending the Old School BMX Reunion down in Woodward West this year, and with the new equipment, I feel A LOT more confident going there.

The weight doesn't bother me at 29.66lbs. Yes, I know we live in a world of weight weenies, but hey, I'm no stranger to heavy BMX bikes. You just kinda get used to it... I figure if I stripped it down to one of the brakeless, two pegged, slammed-seat BMX bikes the kids are riding nowadays, it would come in at around 25lbs - but for me, that just wouldn't work.

2013 Haro Zebra

Here's the bike check!

• Haro Zebra Frame 21"top tube
• KGB (??) Flatland Fork with adjustable dropouts
• United Integrated Headset - Campy Spec
• Odyssey Gyro
• Odyssey EVO Front and Rear Brakes
• Kool Stop Pads (rear)
• E-Clat Clear Pads (front) 
• Subrosa Hold Tight Stem - 50mm
• Bone Deth Deadman Bars 9" rise, 28" wide
• Chang Star brake levers (came off my GT)
• Animal Hamilton Grips (soon to update to Odyssey Aaron Ross Grips)
• Shadow Conspiracy 320mm seatpost
• Kink Sexton seat
• GT seatpost clamp
• Sun Big City Lite/Taska U-Free Freecoaster Wheelset (10t driver)
• Haro 30t sprocket
• Fit FAF Tires 20 X 2.1
• Rant Mid BB
• Colony 8 Spline Crank Spindle
• Poverty cranks 175mm
• Odyssey PC Pedals
• KMC 1/8 Chain (soon to update to Shadow Conspiracy half-link chain)
• 3 Colony Jam Circle Pegs
• 1 Generic steel peg (left rear for grinding)

Team Social Pace DerpDey Ride

Opening up my posts with "Man, I haven't posted here in awhile..." seems redundant at this point. I feel like I've started my last 5 posts like that - but it's true. Life gets crazy busy, work, holidays, riding, etc. But mostly work for me.

This week-in-blog won't be complete without a full and fair report about my DerpDey (birthday) Ride that we had on March 24th. The idea was to not really celebrate my birthday, per se, but to celebrate riding stupid bikes. I wanted everybody to try their best to leave behind their carbon fiber, 11sp, 19lb. race bike, and unhang that weird, old, steel, klunker of a MTB from the rafter. Unfortunately, not everybody has such a steed - so, it turned into a "brung what'cha rung" ride.

We all showed up at the usual spot. Some brought some Derp bikes - most notably - Pmarshall's WWII skiptooth beach cruiser. Pics are below for proof, and it was definitely derpy. Later on that day, other riders were saying things, like, "Wow, we've seen some weird bikes today... some crazy dude was on a beach cruiser!". Robert brought his sweet fat bike with a modified lefty fork, Brett had his fat bike; Chris on his CX bike, etc. We climbed Rocky Ridge and had shots and beer at the top.

There were countless pinch flats on this ride - it got so bad, that the group started to run out of spare tubes. Chris locked his keys in his truck. When we asked why didn't he just call his wife, he said he locked his phone in there, too. He was drunk off warm beer and sitting in the dirt like a homeless guy when we found him. TJ and Brett crashed, but in Brett-like fashion, he - filled with beer and shots - went out to try and crush some Strava segments.

It was hot, people got sunburned, but the reports back indicated that this was the most fun, hilarious ride the guys have been on in a long time. This wasn't even about MTB'ing - it was about being with friends - and I must say - this was the best birthday with friends I've had in years. Thank you all for coming out and spending the day together. You guys are worth more than gold to me - and without getting all sappy, I am extremely grateful for such friends.

Comments and more pictures can be found HERE.

Pics!

Real Word Cycling (RWC) BB Replacement Bearings

In January of this year, I felt my Shimano BB bearings going to shit - again. I can tell when they're headed for the garbage - doing some weird ticking thing with every pedal stroke. After all, on a cyclocross bike, most of us are using road bike BB's not really designed to be descending bumpy fireroads at break-neck speed.

A few fellow Quadzillians referred me to Real World Cycling BB bearings. RWC offers a variety of things dealing with moving parts: bearings, derailleur pulleys, suspension parts, headsets, etc. The lowest cost BB bearings they offer state:

One of the most important features of a bearing relating to smoothness and longevity is the ball size and the quantity of them. Below are 3 scale drawings of our Enduro Bottom Bracket bearing, a competitors’ standard Bottom Bracket bearing and a really sub-standard design of Bottom Bracket Bearing we purchased from another website.

While the static capacity of our bearing is 726 lbs. and the sub-standard bearing is only 229 lbs., if this is not enough to convince you of ours, consider the fact that the larger balls of the Enduro bearing will roll easier and with less energy loss than the smaller balls in the other bearings.

The Enduro balls will spin about 1/2 as many times for 1 crank rotation, and, because of the deeper ball groove they sit in, will stay in alignment of the ball path and with less friction during the high torque forces exherted by a typical crankset.

A deeper ball groove also lends to the lateral strength of a bearing. The groove or ball paths in our bearings are the deepest possible, cupping the bearing to the maximum height and support; see the Side Profile Illustrations:

Bike Riding is just Not Climbing...

For the past year, I've been pondering how and why being a fast climber is the pinnacle of MTB riding and road riding. At least, outside of the loose-jersey DH guys, this seems to be what many are striving for. Many times I've read - and experienced myself - people's "fitness running out of talent"; you know the folks who haul ass uphill just to white knuckle and on brake a descend? I also understand people's fear and risk trade-off's - although with some focus on skillful descending, many (if not most) people can overcome this.

A lot of people talk about working on their fitness for climbing - and granted, most of us can use that sort of focus. Myself, I've been trying to get faster on climbs for the past 5 years (since I started MTB'ing seriously). However, why not take a few rides out of the week to focus on downhill skills, cornering, obstacles and flow? These skills, at least in my Cat3 point of view, are equally as valuable to being a great climber.

I appreciate it when I see fast riders at the top of Strava on both uphills and downhills - but also find it strange to see fast climbers WAY behind me on DH segments. I ask: What happened there? Even though I get smoked at races, it amazes me how much faster riders will hold me up on the downhill sections.

People use the old cliché: "Races are won on the climbs..." - but what good is that if you're not racing?

I get that many people ride for many reasons - and some people will just huddle-up to their strengths. My strength is downhill, technical and flow (God Bless BMX) - so I work on my climbing to try and balance my riding... but I still work on my downhill a LOT. Not only is it fun, but to me, it makes sense to be a well-rounded rider.

Now that I got that off my chest, here's Chad Degroot's segment from Baco 10...