Beater!

Got this beautiful Univega Safari Ten at a yardsale. Took off all the shifters and whatnot, relaced the rear wheel onto a Hi-Stop coaster brake hub, and slapped some flat bars on there. Beat-r-riffic!

Nexus 8

So in the search for a simplified drivetrain, but not willing to suffer the pain of a single speed. I needs me a granny gear!

The Nexus 8 rocks. The Surly Singleator is a shame, but that that is the best I could do wihtout replacing the dropouts, which I would love to do. The other bummer is that the shifter cable stops don't play nice with the Nexus, so I had to run full cable housing, which adds a lot of friction. It still shifts well, and the gear range is fine. On the one ride I have taken it on - lots of climbing and rolling singletrack - I never got above 6th gear. 1st was nice and low - real close to the old 22/32.

The best part is the absence of chain slap. And the ability to shift while not rolling. Both strange and wonderful.

Ultimate pre-ride breakfast

Peanut butter and Gnutella bagel. Aw yeah.

off topic

Here is a link to the beautiful 1972 Chouinard catalog. Talked about in the latest Rivendell Reader and considered a gem of the low key style - yet forcefully ethical. Definitely a cool zine if nothing else.

I spent my high school years climbing. Never got very good at it, and never led anything above maybe 5.9 or so. Led my Pops up the 3rd flatiron though. That was probably the high point of my climbing carreer. He isn't even a climber. That took balls to follow my dumb ass up there and rappell down. I mean he probably hadn't rapelled since Basic Training!

Speaking of zines, I am still waiting for my copy of Matt Chester's 700see. I sure hope he got my 5 bux. Maybe I should try again.