2015 Riding season....Yeah!

Sorry for my long absence, last year was fairly odd and tumultuous. It's over now and we are getting ready to enjoy an amazing 2015.I won't be getting any new bikes this season but I do have some new odds and bits I'll be reviewing in the next few weeks.

First I'll be converting my Singular Gryphon from a singlespeed to a 10 x1, Using a SRAM Rival Shifter mated to a X-9 Derailleur.

I will also be reviewing the following products. Kask Mojito Helmet, Scorpion Bike Stand, Feedback Sports work Stand, Serfas headlight USL-505 and a set of Wheels from Neugent Cycling!

This year I am planning on running a few MTB races and I am registered to do the RAIN Ride this year. I promise I will be more active on my blog this season.

Cheers!

Mountain Bike Racing Season is finally Here!!!!

Its been a long Winter, and Spring hasn't really co-operated, but its time to go out and race!

I took my trusty Singular Gryphon to Bendix Woods in New Carlisle, IN. The race was part of the NIMBA Series  info here!  NIMBA Page

NIMBA stands for Northern Indiana Mountain Bike Association. It is a local Chapter of IMBA, Their focus is building and maintaining trails in Northern Indiana. Currently the maintain the following trails.

1) Rum Village -South Bend
2) Potato Creek-North Liberty
3) Bendix Woods- New Carlisle
4) TK Lawless- Vandalia MI ( I know MI is not Indiana, but it is just over the Border!)
5) and Coming this Summer Bonneyville Mill-Bristol

NIMBA operates a Race series to raise Funds to build and maintain these trails.

So this Sunday I got to participate in my first MTB race of 2014 at Bendix Woods.
BENDIX TRAIL MAP

The start of the day was cold, cloudy 40 degrees and the wind was blowing. The Trail was in awesome shape!  there was a decent turnout considering the weather, and it appears the long winter has made some folks still sluggish. I felt great, I ran my Single Speed Gryphon in the 40-49 sport class, I did well and snagged third! Even won a T-Shirt in the swag raffle and enjoyed some free hot dogs! Great Day, Great Race and Great Fun! The next NIMBA Race is at Potato Creek on June 1st, this is an awesome trail, has a great flow and is fast! This is a race you'll want to make if your anywhere within driving distance!

Seasucker Hornet Winter update!

When I first was interested in a seasucker rack there was some concern of them not working in Cold Weather. well the do! Just make sure that your Vacuum cups a warm when you put them on, and they will hold all day!

I took my Singular Gryphon to Potato Creek to ride in the snow, it was 28 degrees and at least 3 inches of snow on the trail, sun was out and it was a great trail ride!

Wider is Better! Looking for Mr. Good Hoops!

Ever since I was a little kid on my P.K. Ripper, I have believed better wheels are the key to performance. I  have been using the stock wheels that came on my All-City Mr. Pink. The stock set up was Shimano 105 hubs laced to Mavic CXP 22 rims. A very durable wheelset but heavy and definitely no bling either. I wanted something sub 1600gram, but still able to support my 200lb body.

After looking and reading on the Web I decided I also wanted my new hoops to have a wider rim. The basic road rim is 19cm wide, but lately there have been some rims that are 22-24 cm wide.
The wider rim offers a better contact patch, allows you to run a slightly lower tire pressure, which will add comfort and prevent flats. HED and Zipp have been pushing the wider stance rim, and even though they are known for carbon they both offer aluminum wheels, Hed has the Ardennes and Zipp has the 30 clincher.

Another source for wider rims is Neuvation, I looked at the R28SWCX, which is really a great value. Neuvation has some great pricing and other wheel options. I also looked at Novemeber Bikes, when I first looked at November their wheelset  FSW 23 was listed as using a Velocity A23 rim, but for 2013 they changed rims, I believe they are using Kinlin's I am not sure which model. I also looked at Velocity as I heard they now offered complete wheels, through the Wheel Department on their website. I looked at the Velocity A23 Comp.

Here is a rundown of the 5 wheelsets I considered,

HED Ardennes CL           1642 gm  $850
Zipp 30 Clincher              1655 gm  $850
Neuvation R28SWCX      1470 gm  $495
November FSW 23           1570 gm  $525
Velocity A23 Comp          1580 gm  $550

And the winner is!!!!!!

VELOCITY A23 Comp

I went with Velocity for several reasons, as you can see they were not the lightest or the cheapist, (Neuvation won both those claims and probably my runner up)

1) The A23 Rim is made in The U.S.A. ( I like that)
2) The A23 Comp wheelset is Built in the U.S.A. (Grand Rapids, MI to be exact)
3) Velocity lets you choose Rim and Nipple colors!! (the Old BMXer in me is a sucker for ano!)
4) The A23 can be run as tubeless
5) Velocity lets you use Billmelater to pay

So I went and place the order, about 5 days later they show up at the house, perfectly boxed and package no damage! I noticed that each wheel is signed by the builder (McBryde) which is cool.
the spin well and seem nice and light, When I ordered the wheels I paid for rim strips and valve stem to go tubeless, Prior to their arrival I picked up a set Bontrager R2 TLR tires and some sealant.
In my excitement to get the new hoops on my bike I didn't pay attention and I over tightened both valve stems ( I know rookie mistake) I have done dozens of Tubeless conversions on MTB's and have only done that once before. So for now I am running tubes but will try Tubeless as soon as I get more stems.

So far I have about 350 miles on the A23's cornering is much better than with stock rims, the spin up quickly, and I haven't had any pinch flats (even running tubes)

I will post a long term review after the have been setup tubeless and have many more miles on them.

Rode to the Beach, or the Accidental Century!

 Went for a ride today, plan was to ride 80 miles and and stop by Lake Michigan and snap a photo.
Well the first part went smoothly, Made it to St. Joseph MI, had lunch and took this pic...

Then on the way home made several wrong turns  and ended up doing  a century plus 1 mile.
My All-City Mr. Pink is awesome on long rides, I am so happy with the quality and feel of this machine!

SeaSucker Hornet Review

Today I am reviewing the Seasucker Hornet. I was looking for a rack to use on my Jeep Liberty. My needs for a rack were simple, carry one bike to the trail head with out damaging the bike or the vehicle, and if possible I prefer to keep the front wheel on the bike.

I didn't want to go with a roof mounted system as the Jeep is fairly tall and it would be a chore to mount a bike on the roof after an exhausting ride. I also didn't want any rack that holds the frame by the top tube, which eliminates most Trunk mounted styles and all the lower priced hitch mounts.

I currently do not have a hitch on the Jeep (and that's not a deal breaker to get one just the added cost) There are a lot of good hitch mounted racks out there.
But I wanted something that wasn't bulky like a Yakima or Thule (Both great racks and would buy if I needed to carry multiple bikes all the time) I looked at the Saris Thelma, and I just couldn't do it. The Bike rack I almost bought was the 1up USA Single Bike Rack. It looked clean and not overly bulky, The 1up rack is $299 plus shipping and I would need to get a hitch installed $179 plus tax. So I was saving up $500 for this project when I stumbled across the Seasucker Hornet.

I had eliminated the Seasucker racks from my search early on, It had nothing to do with my faith in there suction technology but all the 2012 designs required you to take the front wheel off. When I came across the Hornet I was immediately curious about it. I Read some reviews and found there website helpful.(SeaSucker Hornet) 
and at $175 it seemed to be a bargain!

Another feature that sold me and I didn't think to add as a requirement is the flexibility to use on several vehicles (Between me and my wife we have had 6 different vehicles since 2009!) This little rack would work perfectly on My Jeep and Her Honda (which has since been traded into a Chevy Spark which the Hornet still works with!)

I have used the Hornet at least  ten times already, no super long trips yet, but I have had it a freeway speeds for 50 miles and taken it on some bumpy road and on real severe train track and it hasn't budged! It easy real easy to keep an eye on your bike while driving by using your rear view mirror.

And putting the rack On and Off is so easy.

You start by opening your hatch and installing the tether strap, which is really only there to be a back up fail safe if both Cups become unconnected. Incidentally each cup is rated for 140lbs, so carrying one 25lb MTB or a sub 20lb roadie is not going overload this system.

Then you attach the suction cups to your glass I have been carrying windex just to make sure the glass is always as clean as possible!

Then you place your bike handle bars on the cradle, it works with both flat or dropped bars.

Then you close the cradles with U shaped locking pins.

And then you simply tie on the strap and you are ready to go!

It works with my Singular Gryphon and my All-City Mr. Pink.










So in conclusion I am very happy with it. And feel this rack fits my needs perfectly, your mileage may vary.....

PROS.... 1) Easy to Use
             2) Affordable
             3) Versatile (different bikes & different cars)
             4) Quick to take on and off 
             5) Front wheel stays on
             6) Whole system stores in small pouch when not in use  

Cons.... 1) Can only carry one bike
            2) No way to lock bike to vehicle ( I wouldn't recommend this rack if you needed to leave the bike on the car over nite.)

             


 

All-City Mr. Pink 500 mile Review!

I finally got 500 miles on my All-City, Mr. Pink! and here in Michiana in April, that ain't easy! First off this bike is a blast to ride, It is not a true race bike, meaning it's not twitchy at slow speeds. It is not a touring bike, meaning it is not sluggish in handling. Could you use either way? Sure! But the real purpose of this bike is to be ridden!

All-City went out on a limb creating the Mr. Pink, but hey what else would you expect from a Party Brand! The Frame is finished beautifully it makes you feel like it is a custom, but its not! The attention to detail is awesome and you can just tell the folks at All-City are paying homage to the classic Italian steel steeds from the past. I am not going to take time to brake down piece by piece the spec list as it is a solid no-nonsense build that flat out works, and is fairly priced. If you want to see the stock build wander over here...http://allcitycycles.com/bikes/mr_pink

I haven't' owned a Shimano equipped roadie since 2008 (Ultegra) This Gen of 105 is crisp and is very very precise. And the ride quality from the Columbus Zona Frame is amazing, I almost feel like it gets smoother with every 100 miles I put on her!

The only negative is the 28c Conti's although very smooth are sluggish at speeds higher than 20mph ( I am planning on switching to 23c but just wanted to try the stock combo first) Also the Stock wheels are are a super solid build and very durable (105 hubs and Mavic CXP 22 rims)but are fairly heavy, they are awesome for randonneuring, commuting and credit card touring and really are a great wheel,but I am planning on putting on a sub 1600g wheelset, just to liven things up a bit.

I am currently planning on attempting to Ride Mr. Pink in the Ride Across Indiana (or R.A.I.N. ride)
which is a one day, one way 160 mile ride across Indiana, and I am positive the Mr. Pink is definitely ready for the task!

It's been a Few Months, Sorry!

It's Mid April and I have been trying to ride as much as possible, Mother Nature has been putting up a fight though! I will be posting reviews over the next few weeks of all the cool stuff I have gotten since winter.

First off a new road bike......

Introducing Mr. Pink from All-City, I have logged almost 500 miles and will be doing a nice indepth review.

Other Items I will be Reviewing in the upcoming weeks....

Garmin Edge 200

Strava

Seasucker Hornet

SportCrafters Rollers

Winter, Snow and the"Gryphon"

Winter, Snow and the"Gryphon"  I have had the luxury now of riding my Singular Gryphon in most conditions, Wet, Dry, Sandy, Windy, Technical, Fast and now Snow & Ice. This bike shines it always brings a smile to my face. This is the best all round bike I have ever owned.

I took this pic a"Rum Village" in South Bend IN.

new Roadie on Order!

 have pulled the Trigger on a New Roadie! I will be riding an All City Mr. Pink this year! I am hoping to take this beauty on several Centuries and maybe even some Brevets in the near future.

I want to than the fine folks at Spin Zone for their Help!

Lizard Skin Bar Tape......

I Have Been running Salsa brand bar tape on my "Singular Gryphon" since I built it. with the wet winter months now here and having completely destroying my Salsa tape on a night ride (Dang Saplings), I decided to try something new. I after reading a few reviews online I went with Lizard Skins DSP. It is thicker than cork tape and seems to feel way more durable.

It was easy to install and in the directions it tells you Not to stretch during installation. I have only done one ride so far but it was in damp, cold conditions and the grip was fantastic and the tape doesn't hold water like some corks do. The Tape is ideal for drop bar MTB's or cyclocross. There are a few negatives, the first being Price , it cost almost twice normal tape ( if it holds up twice as long then the point is moot) and the bar plugs suck, the first one broke during the intsall so I am still using some old school Cinelli's that have been in use since mid summer when I lost a Salsa plug from a crash. I will post more in the spring to let everyone know how the tape held up through the winter.

NIMBA Mid Week Time Trial at Rum Village

NIMBA, which is Northern Indiana Mountain Bike Association, has been holding a Mid Week time trail, it is an informal races series, no points or plaques just fun. Even though I am still about 20lbs away from racing shape I headed out to Rum Village for the fun.

The rules are easy. 1 lap, follow the marked course, every starts one minute apart. Oh and you must be a member to participate. After seeing how well maintained the NIMBA trails are it is easy to join this group. I joined as a family and I can honestly say its probably the best $25 I have spent all year.

The course was mostly fast though some corners are getting sandy from the dry season we have had. I had a good time on my Singular Gryphon, and even though I didn't have a blistering time I didn't embarrass myself.

Here are the results that I borrowed from The NIMBA facebook page:

1. Pat Kulwicki 27:16, #2 Ryan Fisher 28:14, #3 Matthew Flournoy 30:07, #4 Pierre Crevier 30:45, #5 Jason Krause 31:32, #6 Daniel Scott 32:50, #7 Joe Canarecci 33:08, #8 Alex Diaz 33:28, #9 Bob Ayers 33:44, #10 Adam Rocker 33:59, #11 Jim Hintz 35:11, #12 Lou Cappadona 35:17, #13 Emily Andrews 35:17,#14 Ryan Kelly 36:11, #15 Chad Mcglocthan 41:53

Thanks to NIMBA for the effort and I will see you next Wed. when the series shifts to Potato Creek!

Singular Gryphon 250 Mile Review

I have been riding my Singular Gryphon a lot the past two months, I have well over 250 singletrack miles on it and close to another 150 on pavement. I have ridden it on everything I can find from fast on semi technical terrain ( well as technical as there is in Northern Indiana)to a lazy Charity road ride. The bike continues to impress me.I knew the frame and the way I was specking it out would be a solid build. I also knew the bike was going to be a good all-rounder, But the way it shines in singletrack has made me a huge fan. The handling is very crisp,I can handle tight switch backs with ease. It also handles jumps and drops equally well. I have owned several 29ers, 69er and a 650b (not to mention a slew of 26" bikes back in the day).

The Gryphon out performs them all. One of my past favorite bikes was my Karate Monkey, the two complaints I had with the KM were 1. I felt like I was always trying to get the bike to turn in the twisties and 2.the old style KM fork was harsh. One the Gryphon I don't have to wrestle the bike in the twisty stuff I just lean and we go! and the front fork is much more compliant. Part of the key to the magic is having a frame and fork engineered to go together, by not making the Gryphon geometry suspension corrected, it allowed them to really dial in the handling.

After my time on a KM and a Gary Fisher Rig I acquired a Trek 69er. I loved the way the 69er carved the twisties, but missed the smoothness of having a big wheel behind me. Once again the Gryphon carves like the 69er but the back wheel eats up and absorbs all the bumps.

Something else I have discovered on my saddle time, is that Drop bars are very off road friendly! I really feel that Being in the drops is very if not more stable than when riding a wide straight bar. On my past single speeds I have run the everything from the the wide Salsa ProMoto's, Jones H-Bars and a Mary Bar. I am currently running an Origin8 Gary Bar and I may or may not eventually try a Salsa Woodchipper.

I am not a lightweight (200lbs) but there is not a lot of flex when I hammer and I feel more like I am sitting in the bike rather than on top of it(which is common for most 29ers) I would highly recommend a Singular to anyone. The attention to detail on the frame is top notch, the welds are clean, the paint and logos are flawless and Customer service is top notch! I posted a pic on mtbreview.com and Sam (who owns Singular) saw in the pic that I hadn't received a Headbadge with my frame. He posted that I should contact him to get one. I sent Sam an email and within ten days I had a beautiful pewter Gryphon Headbadge to install on my frame! To me that is awesome after the sale service, I have never seen or heard of John Burke (Trek) or Mike Sinyard (Specialized) cruiser the boards to see if their customers where satisfied.

I haven't posted the complete build specs yet so here it is:

Frame/Fork : Singular Gryphon

Headset : Chris King

Stem : Ringle Evolution

Bars : Origin8 Gary

Tape : Salsa

Crankset : RaceFace Evolve SS

Chainring : Salsa 32 tooth

Pedals : Eggbeaters Stainless

Chain : Sram pc 970

Rear Cog : Surly 18tooth

Wheelset : Hope Pro Evo Hubs laced to Stans Arch EX Rims

Tires : Bontrager 29.3EXP (setup tubeless w/ Stans)

Brakes : Avid BB7

Levers : Cane Creek

Seat Post : Thomson Elite lay back

Post Clamp : Salsa

Saddle : WTB Shadow

"Biking the Bend"

BIKE THE BEND 2012

This past Sunday I rode in South Bend's annual "bike The Bend" ride. It is a non competitive ride, that is enjoyable and it really brings the cycling community together. I saw everything from Boutique Brand Titanium rigs to 20 year old Wal-Mart bikes, and everybody had a great time. The organizer's laid out a 37 mile course through South Bend and Mishawaka running mostly along the river trails. There where some unique stops along the way like the Studebaker Museum in Old Downtown South Bend & The Potawatomi Zoo. I rode my Singular Gryphon on the entire course,stopping at every Sag stop to get my "passport" stamped.

I also want to thank the Local Law Enforcements for their efforts, the did an incredible job keeping the routes open and car free the entire way! I heard that over 1500 cyclist registered for it!

I finished up where I started at St. Patrick's Park. They had Games for the kids, live bands, food venders (Had me some hot dogs from Skinny's) one attraction that caught my eye was a ride using bicycles. I really can't explain so I will show you....

A trip to Potato Creek State Park, Indiana

The weather was beautiful 72 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. So I loaded my Singular Gryphon int my CR-Z and headed to Potato Creek State Park. Potato Creek is about 15 miles south of South Bend. Being a State Park you have to pay to enter. The daily user fee is $5, or a yearly pass is available for $36 and is good at any Indiana Park.

The trail itself is roughly 7 miles long, it really doesn't have much elevation changes, but it does have a real fast flow. It's not real technical at a normal pace, but if you Hammer it there are some corners and drops that may catch you off guard. It really is a fun well marked and well maintained trail system.

I will be back real soon!

the Singular Gryphon has landed

Just got done putting my "Gryphon" through it's maiden voyage. My wife made a little video to mark the occasion....enjoy

Wheels!

Almost got enough parts to build "the Gryphon"

The Gryphon Has Landed!

My frame just arrived! a beautiful Singular Gryphon! thanks to Marty at "The Prairie Peddler".
this pic is a tease more will follow I promise!

Some parts for the project

New Project Coming!

I know its been awhile but I finally have gotten squared away, debts paid and promises kept (some of them late... sorry RM) but I am putting a new ride together for 2012











I will show more after my frame arrives and I start building!