Ride Joe Ride

Quiring Pictures

2010-06-20T11:44:00.002-07:00

Quiring Steel Singlespeed For Sale

2010-06-20T11:43:00.001-07:00

$2500

I can't believe I have to do this, but I do.

I am selling my custom Quiring steel 29er single speed MTB. It is about 4 years old. The tubes are a mix of True Temper OX Platinum and Columbus Nivacrom. The geometry is very similar to a Niner medium hardtail. It has paragon sliding dropouts. The right-hand slider has a derailleur hanger, and the frame has cable stops if you want to set the bike up with gears. The paint shows some wear and scuffing, and there are a couple of small chips in the paint on the downtube and toptube. There are no dings or dents. I've treated the frame with T-9 every year, and the bottom bracket shell still shines like new without any rust or blemishes.

The headset is a Chris King. It is the same age as the frame and is working just like new.

The Niner carbon fork is new, as are the Thomson X2 stem and Masterpiece seatpost and the Easton Monkeylite Carbon Handlebar. These parts were just installed with less than 5 hours of use.

The crank is a well-used White Industries ENO crank with a hard-to-find Boone Ti chain ring in 34t. The bottom bracket is a Phil Wood with ti axel with less than 500 miles on it.

The wheelset is Industry 9 Ultralight SS. This is one of the early models, and it has seen some miles. The rear hub was rebuilt less than 500 miles ago, and the entire front wheel was rebuilt (hub serviced and new rim installed) last season. The rims are a bit scratched and the rear decal shows a good bit of wear, but both wheels are straight and true. Please note that King cogs do not fit well on this wheelset; I use Surly cogs without trouble. Fresh Mariposa red rim tape is installed, but I am currently running tubes.

I have a bunch of different tires that you can choose from. Let me know what you like and if I have them on hand I will mount them up. Currently has a Specialized Resolution 2.3 front and a Michelin AT XC on the rear. The Michelin has less than 100 miles on it, the Specialized less than 500.

If you don't want the Niner carbon fork, I can replace it with an older RockShox Reba 29er 80mm suspension fork or a Salsa rigid steel fork and we can talk about adjusting the price accordingly.

Why am I selling this bike? I have another one just like it made of titanium. I needed two bikes when I was doing 24 hour solo racing. I don't see myself doing that type of racing anymore, and I can't justify keeping two top-of-the-line race bikes in the stable.

Frame: Quiring Custom Frame, Paragon Sliding Dropouts, cable stops and right-hand dropout with derailleur hanger for conversion to gears.
Effective TT: 23.75
Seat tube, Center to top: 17.5"
Head Tube Angle: 72 degrees
Seat Tube angle 73 degrees
Chainstays: 17.5"
Fork: Niner Carbon (new)
Headset: Chris King
Stem: Thompson X2 (new)
Seatpost: Thompson Masterpiece (new)
Handlebar: Easton Monkey Lite SL (new)
Seat: Fisik Poggio
Crank: White Industries ENO
Bottom Bracket: Phil Wood Ti
Chain ring: Boone Ti 34t
Cog: Surly 18t
Wheelset: Industry 9 Ultralight SS
Tires: Specialized Resolution Pro 2.3 front, Michelin XC AT 2.0 Rear
Hayes Stroker Carbon, 160mm front and rear.

Kona Picture

2010-06-19T14:31:00.001-07:00

Bike for Sale

2010-06-19T14:07:00.001-07:00

2008 Kona Hei-Hei 29er, 18"

$850 OBO

I've ridden it for two years. I has maybe 2500 miles on it; it was the #3 bike in my stable. I has normal signs of use for that number of miles. The bike still works great; cable and housing were changes this spring; fork and shock were rebuilt last year.

I'm getting a long-travel bike so this one has to go! Below are the specs from Kona, with the few changes I made noted with an asterisk. Specifically, I put on a Chris King headset and a hand-built rear wheel from Mike Curiak.

http://www.konabikeworld.com/08_heihei29_w.htm

Frame size	18"
Frame tubing	Kona Race Light Scandium Butted, 3.5" Travel
Fork	RockShox Reba SL 2.9 100mm*
Rear Shock	Fox Float RP2
Headset	Chris King*
Crankarms	Race Face Deus XC X-Type
Chainrings	44/32/22
B/B	Race Face Deus XC X-Type
Pedals	None
Chain	Shimano HG73
Freewheel	Shimano LX (11-32, 9spd)
F/D	Shimano XT
R/D	Shimano XT Shadow
Shifters	Shimano XT
Handlebar	FSA XC-282A OS
Stem	FSA OS 150LX
Grips	Kona Race Light
Brakes	Hayes Stroker Carbon Hydraulic V6
Brake Levers	Hayes Stroker Carbon Hydraulic
Front hub	Shimano Disc M525
Rear hub	Hope Pro II*
Spokes	DT Stainless 14g
Tires	Maxxis Ignitor 29 x 2.1
Rims	Bontrager Mustang Rear*, Sun EQ 2.3 Frontr
Saddle	Selle Italia Flight
Seatpost	FSA FR270
Seat clamp	Kona QR
Color	Ball Burnished/White

Back on the bike, and in the gym, and on the mat...

2009-11-25T14:28:00.002-08:00

Yesterday was a good day. It started with a yoga class at River City Bikes. Nothing like 75 minutes of stretching and strengthening to get the day started right! I can really feel the difference that yoga has made in my cycling; my core is stronger than ever, even if my legs and lungs have some catching up to do. Yoga will be my secret weapon this season. Thanks to Ellee for getting me started and keeping me going!

I set out for what I thought would be a nice 3-hour ride in the afternoon. It turned into a 5-hour ride. The one big climb on the course was gravel. Well, it should have been gravel, but recent rains made it more like mud. Thick, sticky mud. It was a long slog up that hill, and it turned into kind of a long slog along the ridge line as well. Good training, but it did mean I coasted in slightly after dark.

A few quick bites of food, and it was off to the climbing gym! I started climb outside this summer and really enjoyed it. Climbing indoors isn't quite as much fun; I don't like following the established routes. But it is good cross-training, and I look forward to doing some more challenging climbs outside in 2010. So it was 2 hours in the gym, climbing and hanging out with friends.

Training starts in earnest next week. My post card didn't get to Iowa in time, so I don't know if I will get to race TransIowa this year. If not, I might look for some other long distance event to fill that hole.

And so it begins...

2009-11-20T19:22:00.002-08:00

I sent in a postcard to register for Trans Iowa. Assuming I get in, that means a winter of training. At least I won't be training alone; Ellee wants to ride along and plans to contest the Dirty Kanza, another race to which I hope to pay a return visit.

The white singlespeed cross bike was sold, and a nice Surly Long Haul Trucker took its place. I am using it for commuting, but also hope to do some touring with it as well. I have less than 100 miles on it so far, but it seems like a solid bike. Heavy, but solid.

I plan to use this space as I have in the past; stories about training and racing. Now that some races are on the schedule, there should be more bits and pieces to share. If that sort of thing interests you, stay tuned!

Mexico Riding Pictures

2009-09-23T09:48:00.005-07:00

Just a few shots of riding in Mexico. Note the jank bikes. Note the maintainance being done on jank bikes. Notice Joe and Ellee still out riding (and enjoying) bikes!

Greetings from Mexico!

2009-09-09T09:57:00.002-07:00

I am taking some time off the bike.

For the next little while, I will be traveling around Mexico with my girlfriend Ellee. While we might get to ride bikes one in a while, I won't be training on the bike in any way while I am here. This will be the longest I have spent not training in years. Part of me is sad, because there are lots of places down here that would be great on the MTB. On the other hand, lots of old injuries are healing and I expect to get back to the states in a very well-rested condition.

I have sketched out a race schedule and a training plan for 2010. I'd like to revisit some old spots (TI, DK) and enjoy some new challenges as well (Tahoe, Big Bear) but nothing is really set in stone yet.

So, expect to see very little in the way of updates here over the next couple of months. When I ride, I'll post something up. Otherwise, my focus will be on other things. If you want to know how my non-riding life is fairing, check out Facebook. I'm at least updating status every couple of days.

Take care,

Joe

Cross Bike Pics and Specs, 54cm, $1500/obo

2009-08-17T18:21:00.004-07:00

Frame: Raleigh Rainier, aluminum, horizontal dropouts, 54cm TT
Fork: Easton EC90x, carbon
Wheels: Used 2004 Mavic Ksyrium, round and true
Tires: Used Specialized Armadillo
Crank: Used Shimano XT, 44t single chainring
Cog: Chris King steel 15t
Post: FSA Alloy, white
Bars: FSA Alloy, white, ergowing
Stem: Kore, White
Seat: Shimano Pro, white/black

Bikes for Sale!!

2009-08-16T20:49:00.003-07:00

I have two bikes for sale:

1. 2008 Kona Hei-Hei 29er full suspension MTB. $1500/obo

It has mostly XT parts, upgraded saddle (Selle Italia Flite) and rear wheel (Mike Curiak-build Hope Pro II on Bontrager Mustang rim). The fork has been bumped up to 100mm, and fork and shock were recently serviced. The bike has been ridden on some tough trails and has taken a tumble or two and bares some scratches as evidence of that fact. Shifts great, pivots are solid, and has many more years of service left.

2. Raleigh Ranier single speed cross bike $1500/obo

Brand new frame, fork, handlebar, stem, seat, seatpost, brakes, levers and tape. The only used parts are the wheels (2001 Ksyriums) and crank (2007 XT). It is set up with 44/15 and road tires now, but I could put almost any gear combo you might like and I have a few newish 'cross tires that could go on there as well. I've had the frame for a while but only just built it up. It has less than 50 miles on it, and they have all been on the road.

I'll post pictues of both a bit later, or you can send me a note at partridge dot joe at gmail dot com. I'd like to sell them to a Portland local, but will ship at the buyers expense.

Thanks! Help a brother fund a trip to Mexico!!

Cream Puff Pictures

2009-07-18T13:50:00.005-07:00

Cream Puff Update

2009-07-14T12:02:00.002-07:00

Results are up: http://www.mudslingerevents.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/creampuffresults09.pdf

Could have been better; 13th of 22 finishers in the singlespeed 35+ catagory, 70th of 167 overall.

Pictures to follow later in the week.

Cascade Cream Puff Race Report

2009-07-13T12:34:00.000-07:00

Cascade Cream Puff Race Report

Conditions: Cold and rainy. Very cold on the ridge, no warmer than 60F at the bridge.

Gear:
Quiring Ti 29er, 34x20 gearing
Rockshox Reba Fork
Industry 9 wheels with Kenda Small Block 8 tires

Summary
The Cascade Cream Puff is a very challenging 100+ mile mountain bike race with 18,000 feet of climbing near Oakridge, OR. I chose to run a gear that was too big for the course; 32x21 or maybe even 32x22 would have been better. I also chose the wrong tires for the conditions that existed on the course; the rain made several of the singletrack descents quite treacherous.

What Worked

Eating Real Food - Instead of Hammer Nutrition products, I decided to eat whatever was stocked at the aid stations. This included sandwiches, homemade cookies, a cinnamon roll, trail mix, Gu packets and bottles of Gu2O. I had plenty of energy for the race. As a bonus, my stomach in not in a state of revolt which would be the normal outcome of using race food.

New Seat – I have worn out all my Selle Italia SLR saddles, so I put a WTB seat that came with my geared bike. Today, my ass feels GREAT! No chafing, no soreness, no patches of skin waiting to die and peel off.

What Needs Improvement

Gear Choice – When Corndog says 34x20 is too hard for the course, listen to Corndog.

Suspension Fork – I might have been better off with a rigid fork, a fat front tire, and the Jones bars. The Reba didn’t seem to offer much help on the fast singletrack downhills, and I would have appreciated losing two pounds and gaining stiffness while climbing.

Conclusion

It was good to complete an endurance race! My last long race was Spokane 24 Hour in 2008. Considering my preparations and planning for this race, I am pleased with the result.

This is by far the most challenging 100-mile course on which I have raced. 18,000 feet of climbing is no joke, even when most of it is on dirt roads. The weather was a big challenge; it was extremely cold, at least for July. Even so, I felt good all race. I also successfully tested some new nutrition and equipment options.

One final note; a post-race massage given by someone who really knows what they are doing is INCREADABLE! Although my knees are sore, I have almost none of the normal soft tissue problems that I have come to associate with endurance racing.

Pictures and final results to follow.

American Classic Wheels for Sale

2009-05-26T18:08:00.007-07:00

For Sale, $800

American Classic Carbon 58 Wheels

Tubular, 700c

Tufo S3 Lite, 21mm front, good to very good condition

Tufo S3 Pro, 21mm rear, two rides, glued at River City last year.

Includes wheelbags, AC Skewers, 11-25 10-speed cassette, and two sets of carbon-specific brake pads.

These are wicked-light deep-dish carbon tubular wheels. I used them twice; once for a training ride and once in a race. I bought them used last year. They are in excellent shape.

I'll deliver them to within an hour of Portland, or you can pay for professional packing and shipping.

I'd keep them, but I have been out of work for 5 months and need the cash... :(

McKenzie River Pictures

2009-05-26T18:02:00.007-07:00

Doing what we Do

2009-05-08T08:10:00.002-07:00

Nick, Tommy and I rode in Oakridge yesterday. 5000 feet of climbing between mile 3 and mile 11.

What is worse: dragging a 30-pound full-sus bike up that climb? Or pushing a 34x20 on a 29er? I can't answer that question, but I do know this: the descent was amazing!

Oregon, I (heart) you so much it hurts!

Monday Funday

2009-05-05T09:11:00.002-07:00

I went out for a nice road ride with a couple of the boys from the Yakima team yesterday. There had been talk of 100 miles, but the reality of the route combined with some shaky legs and the threat of pissing-down rain shortened the ride to a mere 100 kilometers instead.

Great roads and minimal traffic on the route mean I will revisit and extend this course. Right around 5000 feet of climbing, and that with the bailout option for the last 10 miles. I suspect this could be a 100 mile route with 10,000 feet of climbing. Oregon, I (heart) you!

So, what was the weather like? Two hours of cool and overcast followed by two hours of steadily dropping temps and steadily increasing rain. The last 10 miles were flat, but the price for that was lots of cold rain and riding along a major truck route. That is to say, lots of road spray and swerving semi rigs. Love it!

Rumor has it that there will be a trip to Eugene/Oakridge later this week, and perhaps some XC racing over the weekend. Thinking long range, another trip in/over/through Moab/Fruita/SLC/Boise is in the works. I just can't get enough of that desert riding...

Bear Springs Trap XC Race Report

2009-04-27T09:20:00.000-07:00

Bear Springs Trap XC
April 25, 2009

Conditions:
Cool and Sunny; significant snow cover in spots
24ish mile course on Mt. Hood

Bike Setup:
Steel Quiring 29er, Steel Salsa Fork
Specialized 2.3 tire front
WTB Nanoraptor rear
I9 Wheels
32x19 gearing

This blog started as a way for me to record information about my races. Since I am doing a few more XC races this season, I’m going to restart that practice.

I did not have a great start to this race. It wasn’t clear when the singlespeed race was going to start. A group of us were clumped together as the Pro and Cat 1 racers were starting. Although we had agreed amongst ourselves to wait until after those racers were away before beginning our race, we saw other singlespeeders take off and were forced to follow suit.

The race started out going up a long, steep ATV trail. There was quite a bit of snow on this hill, and most racers were forced to walk. I never start well, and this race was no exception. I saw a group of singlespeeders find a line to the far left, but I was committed to a line on the right and watched them move off into the distance. I spent most of the first mile running and dealing with traffic. By the time I got to some snow-free singletrack, I was a bit annoyed and had to focus on having fun and enjoying the ride. This mindset made for a better day on the bike but isn’t the proper mindset to win a XC race.

I spent the first four miles or so stuck with a group of about six riders. They were just fast enough that I couldn’t easily pass them, but they were slower than me in all the technical and uphill sections of the course. At the end of the start loop I was able to power up a long, technical climb and pass these riders. The rest of my day was spent chasing down the riders that had put time on me at the start.

I noticed that many of my main competitors suffered flat tires on this course. I saw at least three riders that I recognized from other races sitting on the side of the trail fixing flats or dealing with other mechanicals. The course was quite technical, with wet roots, sharp rocks, and a shale field that all provided the opportunity for problems. I was fortunate to have no mechanical problems on the day.

I was very pleased with my bike setup. Although the course was rough in spots, my decision to run a rigid fork was the right one. The combination of a fat 29er tire and my technical riding skills got me through almost all the tricky spots on the course. In fact, there were several spots on the course where I was forced to dismount because riders ahead of my on full-suspension bikes were unable to continue, although it was clear to me that I could have maneuvered over those obstacles with little difficulty. I think I could have run a gear that was one tooth harder; there were very few climbs on the course and I was able to sit down and spin up most of them. One tooth harder would have allowed me more speed on the road sections. I think I could have carried more speed in the bermed singletrack sections as well.

As always, the steel Quiring 29er performed flawlessly. Every time I ride that bike I think kind thoughts about Scott Quiring. The bike is solid; I never worry about the chain dropping and I feel like every ounce of energy I put into the pedals contributes to pushing me forward. Although the steel Salsa fork is heavier than my carbon fork, it was the right choice for this course. The steel fork inspires confidence in rocky and technical terrain; I just don’t worry about it getting damaged in a crash or from flying debris on the trail. I also felt good about the performance of the I9 wheels. While they can sometimes feel too stiff in a 24 hour race, they were perfect for the three-hour effort required for this event. The tires were also a good choice. I was very impressed with the Nanoraptor in the rear; it hooked up in the snow and mud far better than I expected and the low rolling resistance on the road and singletrack was greatly appreciated.

In the end, I was pleased with my performance. Although I was never able to get fully into ‘race mode’ I was able to do well enough to achieve 5th place, about 15 minutes off the leader and within 5 minutes of a podium spot. I’ll take it!

2009-04-21T16:03:00.007-07:00

Boise. Fruita. Syllamo. You never know where I will show up next. I roam the countryside like a wraith but I'm no longer full of wrath. Angry Joe has been retired. A new age has dawned. But be mindful: you may see me at the start line of your next race, where ever that may be.

Pain

2009-03-23T12:38:00.002-07:00

It pains me to write this post. Writing this post means I am back in Portland and not out in the Utah or Colorado desert.

Pictures can be found here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36665065@N03/sets/72157615812478994/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/23166155@N07/sets/72157615676485955/

http://picasaweb.google.com/kristinw/FruitaMoab

Took a quick trip out to Fruita and Moab. Rode most everything at 18 Road, and Mary's, Lion's, Horsethief and Troybuilt from Kokoppelli trailhead. Then over to Moab for Slickrock (the hard way), Amaasa Back, Flat Pass and the capstone; Porcupine Rim.

The damage? Mangled hand on Horsethief, shredded skin on Slickrock, sidewall blowout coming down Flat Pass and a variety of scrapes and bruises from sundry get-offs on Porcupine.

We had a very interesting group; three gents and two ladies. Three 29er's, one long-travel bike and one hard-ass on a 26er full-rigid ss. Only minor mechanical and medical issues. And I got to entertain the crowd at Eddie McStiff's with push-up for the manager/former Army Ranger 1st Sargent. Good times!

Equipment Notes:

You can do these trails on a ss bike; 2x1 on a 26er works but you better be a hard man. One tooth easier might be a better choice for mortals.

Full-sus is better. Firm up the suspension; high-speed impacts and the need to pump-and-jump mean too soft settings will lead to trouble.

Leave the light tires at home; lots of sharp-edged rocks. This is especially true on Porcupine Rim; I'd bring a set of heavy tires and tubes just for this trail. Nevegals at least.

You can do slickrock on Mountain Kings, but something like a SB8 or Nano would be better. Of course, Amassa Back would eat those tires...

Anybody can ride 18 Road and have a good time. On any bike. I'd ride that shit on a unicycle if given the chance.

Wow

2009-03-11T16:55:00.002-07:00

Time flies when you're having fun. I'm having too much fun to update this blog it seems.

I have been riding. Alot. Some boring training miles, some really fun recreational miles. Some on the road bike and some on the MTB. Or the other MTB. Or the full-sus MTB. You get the picture.

Heading off for Super Secret Spring Training Camp this weekend. A bunch of folks from Portland, some folks who hail from Michigan, and some people I haven't met yet. I can't say where we're headed, because if I told you you would just about explode with jealousy and I don't want to do that to you. I like you. You're my friend.

Rumors

2009-02-20T09:22:00.001-08:00

There is a rumor that Norba 24-Hour Nationals will have a jersey category for singlespeed this year.

I was wondering what was going to motivate me this year.

Now I know.

:)

Flashback

2009-02-05T15:38:00.003-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVoSkIP2huk

Singlespeed Cyclocross World Championships from 2007. No bathing suit content, but you can see me @ :50, 2:59, 6:21, 9:24 and a nice stoppie as I almost run over someone at 9:50. I'm sporting a very conservative Founder's kit, riding a Slingshot DD-X with fancy blue Velocity Deep-V rims. Check it!

Also, training for 2009 continues at ridiculous levels. I am more machine than man now. Racing season starts next week with a nice road race, with an XC race the following week. Pictures? Maybe. Pain? Certainly.

Last Week

2009-01-27T01:13:00.013-08:00

14 Hours

150 Miles

Nice mix of road and mountain, ending with this:

East Day

2009-01-23T21:26:00.002-08:00

Although the elevation profile doesn't look like it, this was a pretty easy day. 4000' of climbing, but we rode those climbs nice and slow. Only one hard effort; a downhill sprint to a stop-ahead sign. I was still a little cooked from yesterday. Well, from the entire week I guess.

Off to syncline for a 4-hour ride tomorrow. I'll try to take pictures.

Yet another wonderful day...

2009-01-22T21:49:00.002-08:00

I think Garmin says 5000' of climbing on this one.

In other news, my good friend Jason from Pivot has a sweet Mach 4 for sale. Only ridden on Sunday, and wiped down with a soft rag after. Or something like that. Anyway, the details are here; help a brother out and get yourself a deal in the bargain.

Back to the road bike

2009-01-21T17:16:00.003-08:00

The first climb was 'contested'. Well, at least in theory. The second was done at a relaxed pace. Should be mountain bikes for the rest of the week. And it looks like rain might be on the horizon. Good thing, it was starting to feel like San Diego around here...

Full-Sus in January? Oh, Yes!

2009-01-20T20:53:00.002-08:00

Garmin says 4000' of climbing. Granted that half of that was on pavement, but I was still hauling 27 pounds of fully-suspended joy up those paved climbs. The only problem with this ride? It was too short...

Two Rides - Good Times

2009-01-18T13:23:00.003-08:00

Riding

2009-01-17T17:13:00.002-08:00

I'm riding almost every day now. Fitness, while elusive, is at least within sight.

I did a great ride with Bernie today. A little over 2.5 hours with a monster climb in the middle. What do I mean by monster? 3.5 miles, something like 1500 feet. My HR was just under and just over LT the entire time. We both about puked our guts out by the time we got to the top.

The ride was about 43 miles with a total of around 3800 feet of climbing. Not bad for a Saturday morning.

Riding with the Yakima boys tomorrow. About the same kind of ride, I suspect. Same general area as well. As long as the weather holds (45f, sunny) I'll keep riding the road bike. The rain is bound to come back, and then it's Quiring time again.

On that note, I did a great ride on Tuesday with Bernie and Jeff Palma. It was dark. It was wet. There was some wicked fog. However, I spent most of the ride composing love letters to Scott Quiring; the ti 29er he built for me is just about the best thing since sliced bread met peanut butter. The bike is solid, confidence-inspiring, light, impervious to rain, and most importantly makes me feel like a superstar! I can't say enough good things about this bike; I fall in love with it every time I get a chance to push it a little.

Rumor has it that Syncline is clear of snow. I also hear that some maintenance was done out at Scappose last week and it is read to be ridden. (Those are MTB trails for those of you reading in the midwest. How are the trails out there? Pretty good I guess, if you like to xc ski...suckers!) If it stays dry just a little longer, I might have to get the full-sus out for a ride.

Have I mentioned that I love Portland?

Base

2009-01-06T11:34:00.001-08:00

Sit-ups.
Push-ups.
Deep knee bends.

Running.

Gym.

Base Miles.

January!

Blogging Off-Season

2008-12-23T14:39:00.002-08:00

What can I say? I suck.

Ok, that might be a bit harsh. But I do feel bad that I haven't updated this site in a while. I notice that it's been almost a month since my last post. Let me recap what has been going on:

The first three weeks of the last month have been great! Some of the best riding of the season, with trips to Oakridge (home of the Cream Puff 100) and Wilson River. How can I explain these trails; I've you been there, I don't need to say anything because the names are sufficient. If you haven't been there, there is nothing that I can say that will adequately describe the experience. Particularly if you come from the Midwest. How about a 9 mile climb? What to say about 10+ miles of descending on singletrack? Is there a good way to describe two-wheel drifting into a corner with a drop-off of several hundred feet only inches away? Some of the best riding of my career happened during those three weeks, and none of it more than three hours away.

God, I love Portland!

The last week has been...interesting. The biggest snowstorm in a decade dumped around 18" of snow on Portland. (For comparison, it snowed here once last year; a trace of snow that was gone in a couple of hours...) My car is buried. The city has been more or less shut down since Sunday. It is not safe to be out on the roads; not because I don't know what I'm doing, but because the poor drivers in Portland only get to drive in snow every couple of years. It shows.

In the early part of the storm a few of us were able to get out and ride. Snow riding is ok, but it's not why I came out here. After nearly a week, I'm ready for the white stuff to be gone. If I want snow, I'll drive to it thank you very much.

After the new year, I plan to revamp the site and put up some possible races for next year. Maybe clean out some of the deadwood in the links sections, add in some of the fresh faces from the Left Coast. And maybe some New Year's Resolutions: 1. Take more pictures...

Till then, take care and Happy Holidays!

Yes, I'm still riding...

2008-11-23T21:04:00.004-08:00

Who I am...

What I'm riding...

Quite a bit of riding lately. Trying to give the full-sus a workout before the rain hits. Did St. Helens up to the snow line and beyond today. That wasn't enough, so we hit up some other trail the name of which I can't recall. It was a good group; Uma, Bernie, The Youngest (and Quietest!) Mountain Biker Ever and me. About three hours all together; enough so that I was ready for a big plate of pasta at the end. I'll post up a few GPS profiles later, if I can remember my Garmin password.

Enough with the pictures...

2008-11-12T20:03:00.002-08:00

...although I do have a few more good ones that I have yet to post. I think I'll save them for a rainy day.

Of, I forgot! It has started to rain here, and it shows no signs of stopping. I rode last night with Super-Nick. No mere rainstorm/fog-bank/dead battery combo can stop that man. He is like a force of nature.

The ride mentioned about marks the start of the winter riding season. There is a bunch of good riding to be had in and around Portland in the summer. But the riding that is available in the winter can just blow your mind. We rode stuff last night that you just can't imagine if you've only ever ridden in the midwest. Constant rain for 1.5 hours, but the trail is in fine shape. Riding in fog so thick you think in came from a foam machine. Climbs and descents that you only see in those "Cranked" videos. And not another soul on the trail...

Work will keep me off the bike tomorrow. I hope to get things wrapped up so I can do some riding on the weekend. Also, I want to spend some time thinking about an idea I have for a birthday ride. Could be interesting if things pan out...

SSCXWC: The Pictures

2008-11-10T20:43:00.008-08:00

I made FIRE!

We Made Foam! Lots and Lots of FOAM!

Pre-Race Photo Shoot...

HOT racing action...

Post-Race Cooldown...

What half the field was forced to look at all race!

Hey man, how about some pictures of the actual race...

2008-11-03T20:32:00.005-08:00

Thanks to Robin for the photos...

"Day at the Race"; a photo essay...

2008-11-02T15:12:00.006-08:00

Back in Business

2008-10-25T08:38:00.006-07:00

Usually, it takes just a couple of tools to tension Paragon Sliding Dropouts; a 5mm allen wrench and a 5mm box wrench. However, the hex bolts are made of a very soft alloy and if they are not properly lubed they can require significant torque to remove. Sometimes the amount of torque required exceeds the the ability of the bolt to maintain structural integrity; i.e. the bolt head rounds out.

At this point, a few new tools are required.

First, get a drill. Make sure it is old, the chuck is weak, and the bits are dull. Then proceed to drill a pilot hole for an ez-out. Great so far! Now, reverse the drill and attempt to use the ez-out. When the drill starts smoking and you smell ozone; stop. Let the drill cool off and then try it again. Repeat until the ez-out breaks off inside the bolt head. Ok, you are done for today and need a few more tools.

Got to the hardware store. By a dremel tool and a very wide flat screw driver. Cut a slot in the face of the bolt. Watch the pretty sparks as the cutting wheel contacts the hardened steel of the ez-out. Use the screwdriver and an adjustable wrench to work the bolt loose. Success!

Sorry for the blurry photo. Anyway, if this all works out you get to convert your mtb from psychocross to night-rider configuration and end up with something like this:

Ah, good times!

NIGHT RIDER!!!

2008-10-21T21:42:00.002-07:00

The first night ride of the season.

Three Mountain Bikes. Zero operational Mountain Bikes. They are either suffering from stripped bolts, serving at a parts-donor, or set up as a cross bike.

Nick Gibson to the rescue!

"Here man, ride this bike." Titanium Merlin, Full XTR, 4 inches of Fox at each end...

It was like heaven, except for the little girl wheels.

Did I mention that my HID was DOA? I rode behind Nick all night. His light guided me home.

Proof that I'm still riding...

2008-10-21T12:34:00.002-07:00

http://photos.oregonvelo.com/p/cc080305/cc0802smy051233

First off, I don't want to hear any shit about how I have water bottle cages on my 'cross bike.
Second, I don't want to hear anything about the flat bars, disk brakes, leg hair, etc.

This is my off-season, people!

Anyway, I wound up 60th out of 80 finishers in the ss class. Not much of a result, but at least nothing broke. There was one long climb on the course that just killed me every lap. No snap in the legs, no fire in the belly. Like I said, this is the off-season.

Anyway, no racing this weekend. There are two races on the coast, but I will be going to a wedding and/or hanging out with friends from out of town. But since I can't seem to get enough of this humiliation and pain, I'll be back racing again on November 2nd.

And then the SSCXWC looms on the horizon. Will I have a fancy new bike? Will I get through the qualifying rounds? Will Dylan ride in a dress? Only time will tell...

Nobody likes to DNF...

2008-10-12T17:53:00.004-07:00

...but when you look behind yourself and see this laying on the ground, there isn't much you can do.

On the other hand, I did look good rolling up to the race like this:

Those Quiring bikes just look great. I had to take off the Jones Bars for cross, but even with skinny tires and flat bars the bikes look the part, even if I can only make them go so fast.

So, back to the drawing board for next week. I guess we are racing in Rainier. Hopefully all the parts will stay on the bike...

I don't look good...

2008-10-06T18:13:00.002-07:00

...in any of the pictures from this race. I've got to work on my posing skills.

Cross Dressing

2008-10-06T17:53:00.002-07:00

Ah, Alpenrose. This was my second year racing at this venue. (Can you believe it? I've been in Portland for over a year now...) The recent rains made for a slick course, and I opted for the ti Quiring with cross tires. It was a good choice. Added in old-skool Michelin mud tires and some 34x16 gearing and I was ready to rumble.

And rumble I did. If you look closely at the photo, I am bleeding from the arm and leg. Got into a slick corner just a little too fast. If you're not crashing, you're not going fast enough.

So how did I do? I have no idea. As you can see in the photo, my number is kind of flapping around so I was only scored for one lap. I sent a note to the organizer, and expect that I will be placed accurately after the film is reviewed. I was on the lead lap (although not in the lead group...) so I should be in the top third at least. We'll see.

Other team mates had good races. Dave won the C race, and Nick won B's. Look for Nick to be tearing it up with the A's from now on. Serves him right for being so fast.

More cross racing in store, pretty much every weekend from here on out through the end of the year.

That's about all for now. I'll post up some more pic's later if I can find any.

Internets!

2008-10-06T10:00:00.001-07:00

Both computer and internet are working again! I'll post some race reports, photos, and all kinds of other great stuff later.

For those about to 'cross...

2008-09-22T18:13:00.002-07:00

I salute you!

Did Starcrossed up in Seattle this weekend. It hasn't rained out here for about two months, but the skies opened up just in time for the start of 'cross season. It rained most of the day Saturday, and by the time we got to the venue it was full on wet and 50F with rain still falling.

Traffic was awful on the way up; I missed the start of the B Masters race and had to toe the line with the young guys. Oh, and I got to start in the last row of a 80+ racers. On my singlespeed. With a 200-yard paved start.

All that aside, I had a good race. Passed people all day. I need to learn how to be more aggressive early in the race. I spent the first two laps being polite and wearing out my brake pads. My bike was handling like a dream; I could corner inside almost everyone. I just started going real hot into the corners and nipping underneath my competition. I get into someones wheel once and went down, but otherwise had a clean race.

Long story short, the team had a good day. I had a fair day performance-wise, but I really enjoyed the experience. Ryan got 1st, Nick got 2nd. I ended up 50th. Hey, what can I say? It beats sitting on the couch.

I'll post some pics later if I can find any. Seems like there were 20 cameras on the course.

After my race I got to hang around and watch the pros. That was a treat; it was like watching Formula 1 cars head out after the go-carts get finished. I ride with a few of the local pros from time to time, and am used to watching them pull away from me like I am sitting still. In this race, they worked hard to break the top 20. There is always someone faster out there somewhere.

Next up, there is a race down in the Willamette valley this weekend. Note sure if I'm up for that with most of the team out in Vegas. Then the first weekend in October starts Cross Crusade...

Pain on the Peak Photo Dump

2008-09-15T06:52:00.005-07:00

Hi! Is this the Pain Cave?

2008-09-13T22:00:00.002-07:00

Why yes it is! Come on in and have a seat!

Cross racing started today. I did two races, Masters B and Singlespeed. I rode my singlespeed for both. I was overgeared (again) and never really had a chance. I should receive two (smallish) chainrings this week...

First race, I was doing pretty well until I crashed going fast down a fairly steep hill with a pair of left-hand turns at the bottom. The first two laps I railed the turns; I could feel the tires sliding, but I kept it in control. The third lap the bike slid out from beneath me, and I hit the ground pretty had. I lost on position, but got right back into it. On the next lap, I crashed in the same spot, perhaps a bit harder this time. Tore my shorts, got a nice patch of road rash, jammed a bunch of dirt up in the brake lever, and generally had a miserable rest of the race. I finished. DFL, but I finished.

I swapped tires after that race. Is there ever a good reason to run Kenda Small Block 8 tires? I'm not sure there is. I threw on some tires with a bit more bit, and prepared for 45 more minutes of suffering.

Suffer I did. Being overgeared, sore, bleeding, and dealing with brake rub meant I was pretty much just trying to fight my way to the finish. I did finish, and managed to avoid the DFL spot. But not by much...

Gotta get healed up for starcross in Seattle next weekend. As noted, I should have a wider set of chainrings to choose from and I will run some tires with grip from the get-go. Now if you'll excuse me I have to go rub some ointment on my wounds...

Am I still riding?

2008-09-07T12:49:00.003-07:00

Yeah, I guess you could say I get out once in a while.

130 miles, 13,300 feet of climbing.

I've been a bad, bad blogger...

2008-08-28T06:57:00.002-07:00

1. I still need to finish the UP Trip Report

2. I've been up to St. Helen's; that should be worth a report (Hint; I killed an I-9 wheel...)

3. I won a sprint at the 3/4 race at PIR (Yakima went 1-2-3!), and I got in a 2-man breakaway that nearly went the distance.

4. I got my ass handed to me at the Kruger Kermesse.

And there is some really interesting riding just around the corner. Starcross, the Gentleman's Race, more cross racing (and a new singlespeed cross bike!) to write about.

Portland: I (heart) U!!!!!

!Rock!

2008-08-21T11:56:00.000-07:00

Yooper Loop Road Trip

2008-08-18T12:10:00.002-07:00

After logging 170 miles at 24/9, I rested my legs, back and butt Sunday evening. Monday I was up early, transforming my steel quiring MTB into a road touring bike. This consisted of:

-removing Reba suspension fork, installing rigid carbon fork

-removing heavy dirt tires, installing 'flat proof' specialized armadillo 23/25c road tires

-installing a 44x15 gear ratio

That accomplished, it was time to get some rest and prepare for the first day on the road...

I was up early Tuesday as I wanted to get on the road and get the first day of travel under my belt. Right away, I noticed that I had over-estimated what I could cram into my Ergon BD1 pack and under-estimated what I would like to carry with me on the trip. I ended up leaving some things behind at the hotel in Wausau; two books, a few items of clothing, etc. Still, I headed out on the road with a very full pack with two bundles strapped to the outside.

I got about 7 miles down the road before things started to get interesting. The unmistakable sound of air escaping from my rear tire did not fill be with joy. I've had great luck with the specialized armadillo tires; prior to this ride they have never let me down. Anyway, I got off the bike and looked at the tire and tube--no visible problems. Oh, well. Just bad luck I guess.

Continued on down the road, until about mile 44. The unmistakable sound of air escaping from the rear tire was even less welcome this time around. Off the bike, dismount the tire and tube. Flip tire inside-out; still not visible problem. Super-close inspection of tube reveals no damage. Hmmm, this is not good. Review of repair supplies reveals one (1) spare tube remaining, three CO2 cartridges, and zero (0) pumps on hand. This could get interesting.

Mile 50 brings me to an interesting site; a gas station/county library/personal residence. I walk in and started talking to the station attendant/librarian/homeowner; did she have a tire pump that would fit a presta tube? (A pretzel tube?!? What's that?) How about a tire patch kit? (Yep, for a car tire...) Perhaps some CO2 cartridges? (You mean like for a BB gun? Sure, I've got a few right here...) I also picked up a bungee cord to strap some of the crap hanging off my pack to the handlebar instead.

Anyway, I headed off with not much more than 50 miles to go. The rest of the day passed without significant event. The roads were good, the weather was hot but not awful. I had no problems with dogs or irate drivers. My a$$ was a bit some, but my legs and back were doing just fine. I have to hand it to the people at Ergon; the BD1 was comfortable on my back all day long and that thing had to have 40-50 pounds of gear and water stuffed inside.

After reaching the hotel in Crivitz, WI I wandered over the the grocery store, bought some neosporin with pain reliever (a bit of ass chap in the works...), some beer and a magazine. Then next door to subway for a foot-long steak sub. Eat, drink, read, hit the sack. 104 miles down, 261 to go...

2008-08-17T15:39:00.002-07:00

I know I owe you all some updates from my road trip, but since I got back to Portland I haven't been feeling my best; you know, aversion to light, craving for human brains, etc.

Also, it has been blasted hot here and that plays havoc with my compy. As soon as it cools down I'll post some updates.

Not quite what I had in mind...

2008-08-12T06:17:00.003-07:00

Twelve laps. 7th place.

Some races, everything goes just like it should. See Spokane 24 for details. Sometimes things just don't go your way. This was one of those races.

I don't feel like getting down into the gritty details, but I had just about every kind of problem; mechanical, physical, psychological. None catastrophic alone, but together they were more than I wanted to deal with. And as always, I came away with a bunch of lessons learned. Here are a few:

-Flying to a 24 Hour race is a pain
-Heavy tires are great for 12 hours
-I9 wheels are too stiff for a 24-hour race
-a fork that is set too stiff isn't cool
-a fork that is blowing oil isn't cool
-you can never have a gear that is *too easy*

Oh, the list could go on. But I think that is enough for now.

Later this week, I'll share the story of the 450 miles I logged on the singlespeed in the week *after* 24/9.

Hint: It's a *much* happier story.

Tick Tock; Tick Tock

2008-07-23T21:53:00.003-07:00

The watch keeps ticking.

The time of reckoning is drawing near.

Tick tock; tick tock...

Photo swiped from here.

Things that are awsome

2008-07-19T23:37:00.001-07:00

1. 54mm carbon tubular wheels
2. Super-light tubular tires
3. Flying up the hills and on the flats.

Things that suck:

1. Flatting on tubulars.

Still here...

2008-07-15T23:21:00.002-07:00

... still doing what I do.

Rode tabor last week. I was not a dominant force. Nick killed it, however, and won the race and the series. Good on ya, Nick!

Had a great ride out a Larch Mountain in Washington this weekend. Some crazy ups and even crazier downs. I'm talking about exposed, 300+ foot drops, flint-edged rocks over the edge, with dinner-plate sized loose rocks on the trail. At 20+ mph. My fancy I-9 wheels may never be the same...

As Paddy pointed out, I have strayed a bit from the singlespeed orthodoxy of the past few years. Don't get me wrong; I still turn to the single when I need to get the job done and I can't imaging doing a 24 on anything but a single. But for some of the straight-up fun rides out here on the left coast, a handful of gears and 3" of cushy suspension is just the ticket. And the team hooked me up with a pretty sweet deal on the Kona Hei-Hei 29er, so I couldn't say 'no'. All in all, I've been very happy with my purchase.

Sounds like some MTB and some road this weekend. The weather has taken a turn for the best out here, and I plan to make the most of it. Between rides, I'll finish prep work for 9 Mile. I have plans for that race. Big plans. Redemption plans.

Don't test me.

Just kidding.

But really; don't test me...

I may not be fast, but I sure look good...

2008-07-09T21:35:00.003-07:00

Bikes...

2008-07-05T17:40:00.003-07:00

...are for riding, so that's what I did yesterday.

Took the kona out for an easy ride with Nick and Dylan. "A couple of guys might show up on downhill rigs..." we were told. No sweat, I didn't want to go too fast today anyway.

Too bad it was Matt Slavin and the guy that got 4th at Cream Puff (in singlespeed) the week before. And a sprinkling of other fast dudes from Tonkin's MTB School and elsewhere. Ouch. 25 miles, 4 hours and about 5000 feet of climbing later, I was bushed. But I've just about got the suspension dialed on the kona.

The new road frame is nearly built up. Just need some h-bars and tape from my boy Jeff Palma. Mt. Tabor will be tamed!

Also need to make a few small adjustments to the Short Track Weapon. 8th Place was ok, but podium is better. Or at least top 5.

News Flash - I've got my eye on you...

2008-06-26T22:20:00.003-07:00

1. I bought my airline ticket for 9 Mile today. The die has been cast.

2. I did an all-michigan MTB ride tonight. Me, Bernie, Jeff Palma, and Nate from the Hellriders. We rode Scapoose. Then we feasted on Mexican food. Good Times!

3. I broke down and ordered a cheap road frame to replace the Airborne that was cracked at the Mississippi Crit. Mt. Tabor must be Dominated!

Monday

2008-06-23T21:03:00.005-07:00

Tried to race short track. 5 minutes late to start, but that didn't stop them from selling me an entry...

Anyway, the Quiring Ti is set up for the super-fast short stuff. Dirty, with 2 cages, a computer mount and an Ignitor on the front it is sitting at 19.4 pounds.

Oh, I likes me some Quiring... :)

Sunday

2008-06-23T06:56:00.004-07:00

30 miles, 5000 feet of climbing, lots of vigilantes and non-vigilantes, only one flat and lots of laughter and good times.

About that whole leg-shaving thing...

2008-06-20T12:53:00.002-07:00

Smooth as a baby's bottom!

Fuckow

2008-06-19T19:44:00.002-07:00

1. Lost the roller thingy for the DD-X that allows it to run a front shifter. Can't put gears on that sucker without it.

2. Managed to bend the alloy hanger on the road frame back into shape. (Yes, I know that is not smart; read on, it doesn't matter...)

3. During cleaning of said road frame, noticed that the frame is *cracked* at the seat stay - seat tube junction!

4. Camera seems to be broken, so I can't even take picture of said frame in lame bid for sympathy.

This seems like a good time to get back to mountain biking...

Update

2008-06-16T11:47:00.002-07:00

So nothing in my shoulder is broken. At least, I don't think so. I went for a MTB ride yesterday. It was a longish day, with about 25 miles and 4000 feet of climbing. The shoulder was sore, but I felt like I was riding pretty strong all day.

But it still hurts. And now the whole thing is developing what I'm sure will be a pretty dramatic bruise. When it gets good and colorful I'll take another picture.

Not sure what is on tap for this week. I wanted to get out and do Tabor again, but I don't think I'll have a road bike that is ready to go. I could put gears back on the DD-X, but I'm not sure I want to go that route. That bike has developed into a nice commuter. There is supposed to be a team ride starting up soon on Thursday evenings, but that would also require a road bike. We'll just have to see how things work out...

Hey Man, let's go race a crit...

2008-06-15T00:20:00.005-07:00

...that sounds like fun!

Not!

I'm still here...

2008-06-12T17:33:00.002-07:00

...and I'm still riding. Did a fun/hard ride on Sunday. Been doing some bike commuting. I'm off to do the Fat Tire ride in just a minute.

Some stuff from the last post sold, some is still lingering around. Let me know if you want any of it.

Big bike stuff this weekend. No time to post about it right now, but look for some stories in the near future...

Bunch o' stuff for sale...

2008-06-06T17:52:00.002-07:00

The time has come to clean out the spare parts bin! This stuff is all going on craigslist/ebay/mtbr next week, so if you want something speak now or pay 20% more later...

Airborne ti frame, used/scuffed/ridden hard but still straight and serviceable. Rim brake only. $200

Boone ti chainring for White Industries ENO crank, used but very good condition; $65

Brand New ENO Cranks; 175mm, no chainring, never used: $140

Used Eno Cranks; 175mm, used and scuffed but still work great, includes used but servicable 34t chainring: $100

New Eno Chainring, 44t, mounted and chain installed but never pedaled, silver: $20

New Eno Chainring, 34t, silver: $20

New Eno Chainring, 32t, green, $20

Phil Wood ti BB, 124mm, +5mm offset, 2 installation tools, and 2 alloy english-threaded mounting rings (i.e. everything you need to install this sucker...) I installed it once but never pedaled with it. It is in brand-new condition. $125

FSA Carbon Pro Crank Arms (no rings), 175mm, ISIS splined, 110 BDC, used and scuffed but working fine: $50

Thomson Elite x4 stem, silver, 10 degree x 130mm, used with a few cosmetic scrapes but fully-functional: $40

Thomson Elite x2 stem, black, 17 degree x 130mm, used with one small scratch (10mm) otherwise like new: $50

29er Wheelset; shimano 535 hubs laced Sun Equilizer rims. Six-bolt disk only, no rim brake. With cassette, skewers, and Maxis Ignitor tires installed. These are brand-new take-off wheels from a Kona Hei-Hei 29er; they still have that little plastic thing behind the cassette. Heavy, but good for winter/back-up use. $100. I really don't want to ship these...

I think that's it. If you think I'm off-base on a price, let me know and we can work something out. You pay whatever actual shipping cost turns out to be. I have pictures of most of this stuff that I will send on request.

Buy this stuff and help fund the rest of my season! :)

(Mostly) Recovery Week

2008-06-01T21:03:00.002-07:00

Has it really been a week since the 24-hr race? I guess so...

Didn't ride at all until Thursday. Since the car is in the shop, I commuted to work (10 miles) and road the Fat Tire Farm ride (25+ miles). That was enough. Rode to work on Friday but otherwise chilled.

Saturday was the Team Time Trail. I'd never done a TTT before; I'd never done a road TT before, for that matter. Although the results were not stellar, a good time was had by all. I think it worked out to be about 25 mph average for 1:07 or so. Not shabby for a bunch of cat4/cat5 TT rookies.

Getting back into the swing of things this week. Maybe some PIR, maybe some Mt. Tabor; it's hard to say at this point. If the weather is good, who knows what might happen?

24 Hours Round the Clock 2008 Race Report

2008-05-28T17:35:00.002-07:00

Many things have to go right to win a 24-hour solo singlespeed mountain bike race. A minimum level of physical fitness is necessary to stay on the bike for 24+ hours. A certain degree of mental toughness is required; no matter what shape you are in physically, it is a mental challenge to keep riding hour after hour. Proper equipment is an important part of the equation; if parts keep falling off your bike, it is hard to keep riding. Luck is also helpful. At the 24 Hours Round the Clock race over Memorial Day weekend, I had the minimum necessary amount in all of these areas and was able to notch up my first 24-hour solo singlespeed victory.

The defining characteristic of this race for my was the lack of drama. The weather was benign, the course was mostly flat and not technically challenging, and all of my equipment function as designed. My food plan was executed to the letter, my pit stops all went smoothly, and I suffered only one small crash with no significant consequences.

I limited my long training rides in the early season this year, capping rides at around 6 hours for the most part. I was worried that this would leave my unprepared to a long day in the saddle, but instead I was able to enter the first long race of the season with strong but well-rested legs. My body felt good for the entire race, and I was able to finish with some reserve of energy.

I went with a completely liquid diet for this race. Heed and Sustained Energy mixed to 300 calories per bottle were consumed every 60-90 minutes. I had Gu2O on hand, but ended up drinking very little. I supplemented the food bottle with Hammer Gel when the laps got closer to 90 minutes. I never got sick or felt excessively hungry or thirsty during the ride.

The twin Quiring bikes were perfect! I rode the ti bike for the first 10 laps and the final lap. I could really feel the bike soaking up the braking bumps on the course. This bike had a Reba suspension fork, which was useful for the couple of 100-foot rock garden sections of the course. I did find that running the Ignitor up front and Small Block 8 in the rear at the minimum rated pressure produced a ride that was a bit too harsh. I believe this is due to the design of the Stan's ZTR rims and the stiffness of the Industry 9 wheels. I could have let a bit of air out of both tires without a problem. I switched to the full-rigid bike for 6 laps. The overall weight of the bike was a bit less than it's ti brother because the carbon fork is so light. Running fat tires (Nevegal front and Karma 2.2 rear) made the bike feel even more plush than the ti model! I chalk some of this plushness up to the compliant build of the Mike Curiak wheels vs. the ultra-stiff I-9's.

The competition at this race was pretty stiff. Many of the racers had done this race before; the number 2 and number 3 finishers from last year we present. I was able to get out ahead on the first lap and stay ahead all race. The number 2 rider stayed a consistent 20-30 minutes behind me for most of the race. I was able to open the gap a bit in the final laps, eventually reaching a 45-minute cushion. I found that racing from the front is a good tactic for me. Being the leader on the course was the extra bit of motivation I needed to keep riding strong until the very end of the race.

The Best Support Person Ever lived up to her title. In this case, I gave her very little to do, but just knowing that she was there ready to jump into action put my mind at ease.

Some final thoughts: While I am glad I did this race, I don't know that it is a venue that I will return to next year. I liked that the promoter paid cash in the single speed category; that is almost unheard of! But the course wasn't very challenging and I found myself getting bored. I'll let it settle for a while and see how I feel with some further reflection.

Not it's time to start thinking about Cream Puff and beyond that; 9 Mile...

Spokane 24 Hour in Pictures

2008-05-27T11:47:00.006-07:00

The Run

The Race

Sweet, sweet victory!

Angry Podium.

The aftermath...

Results

2008-05-26T14:45:00.002-07:00

17 Laps
250 Miles
1st Place Singlespeed

Body=battered but serviceable.
Bikes=perfect in every way (both suspended [11 laps] and full rigid [6 laps]).

Pictures and stories to follow.

Countdown

2008-05-22T17:46:00.002-07:00

I leave for Spokane tomorrow. Mostly packed, and I pick up the old Q from the bike shop (shortened the brake lines and trued the wheels...) tonight. Gear lists have been checked and rechecked. The car will get packed tomorrow and then it is time to head northeast.

Weather looks interesting. It has gone from sunny and cool to wet and cold-ish. That's fine for me; it's a good way to separate the men from the boys. And I guess I don't need to buy any more sunscreen.

Lots of pictures and a few videos should be available on Monday or Tuesday. Quick race report as soon as I get back.

A taste of things to come...

2008-05-18T11:14:00.004-07:00

Still no pics...

2008-05-13T18:35:00.002-07:00

...but I took the new ti bike to the shop to have a couple things done to the brakes before the big 24hr race in Spokane. Threw it on the scale. The verdict: Dirty, Jones bar, with computer mount, 2 water bottle cages, and a Reba and an Ignitor on the front she still came in at 22 lbs even.

That means sub-20 in XC trim.

Nice.

Still Here...

2008-05-12T20:50:00.003-07:00

...still riding bikes. Lots of interesting stuff happening. Still don't have my camera back from d-bag so still no pics! I know, my blogging rep is falling away fast.

Return of the Mystery Stomach Ailment this weekend. Went to the doc today. Blood screens back in a few days. Most likely nothing serious, but lets run some tests 'just in case'.

I'm down with that.

Snappy Cap in route. We'll break her in real good Memorial Day Weekend!

Stay tuned...

The Nate Versluis Training Method, version 2.0

2008-05-04T21:24:00.001-07:00

Best done after a 75-mile day on the road bike.

Quick non-picture update

2008-05-03T18:18:00.002-07:00

My camera is still a Dylan's place. Soon the site with be adorned with bike porn; just bear with me.

Busy week at works means not as much riding as I would like. What little riding I've done has been on the new bike, which continues to impress. I gave it a pretty serious mud workout today. It passed the test with flying colors.

Nice weather tomorrow means a long ride on the road. I switch out the rear shifter cable and housing on the road bike yesterday. That was the first time that cable had been changed. I bought that bike in 2003. I'm not sure what that means, but I wish all my bikes were like that.

Oh, wait a minute. None of my other bike *have* shifter cables...

Anyway, pictures and ride reports to follow.

Quick Update

2008-04-27T17:05:00.002-07:00

Built up the new Ti Quiring frame last night. Did a 4-hour shake-down cruise today in Forrest Park. Verdict? Awesome with a side order of Perfection! The steel bike is great, but it is nice to be back on ti. I had a vision for this bike all the way back in '06 when I ordered the steel bike from Scott. After many twists and turns, I have what I think is the ultimate set of bikes for single speed endurance racing. Pictures to follow shortly, both of the new bike and of the two bikes together.

Man, I really like these bikes. Thanks, Scott Quiring!

In other news, I think I have most of the bugs worked out of the road bike as well. I think it will get a shakedown on Monday and maybe a trip out to PIR to mix it up in the 4/5 race on Tuesday.

Ruminations and Revelations

2008-04-24T18:15:00.003-07:00

So, I've been reflecting on Sea Otter. Here are a couple of thoughts:

1. Short Track - I am not a short track kind of guy. Go super-hard from a dead stop on a tiny course. Sort of like cross without the barriers and mud. Or cool atmospher or beer. The race was over before I got warmed up.

But the cool thing about this race is that I got to ride a Pivot FS bike. Now, you know me; I'm not a FS or geared kind of guy. But this trip was about trying new things, and this race was an opportunity to do just that. The bike was awesome! It handled the course with ease, and although I didn't lock anything out it didn't feel like riding a sick water Buffalo. I'm kind of bummed that I didn't get a chance to ride this bike out on the XC course. I was offered the opportunity, but declined in favor of a plate of pad thai.

2. Road Circuit Race - I have to admit that I was surprised to do so poorly in this race. I'm no road racing stud, but I've won Cat 5 races before. More than once. So to get dropped at the start just didn't seem right. I was dealing with a stomach issue, not enough sleep, etc. But still; dropped from a Cat 5 race? It just didn't seem right.

So I was looking at the road bike this afternoon. I noticed that the new Rival crank I had installed just before leaving for Sea Otter was tight. Very tight. Like, I had a hard time turning it. I almost did a post before I left about how I greatly favor the Shimano method of attaching cranks as opposed to the Sram method. The pinch bolts (or whatever they are called) on the Shimano stuff is idiot-proof. Apparently, the Sram stuff is not. I loosened the bolt on the non-drive crank arm and what do you know? Now the crank spins... I know, I know; excuses are like ass-holes. Nevertheless, this makes me feel at least a little bit better.

So make of that what you will. It was still a good trip; the stories I heard on the way down and back were worth the price of admission. But some better results should be on the horizon soon. That will be fun, too.

All sorts of update...

2008-04-21T20:18:00.004-07:00

New bike on the way.

New team kit on the way.

I can't race Expert XC (39 of 43) Short Track (lapped and pulled) or Cat 5 Road Circuit Road Race (lapped and pulled) to save my bacon.

But I still like bacon.

Overall, the trip to Sea Otter was a good one despite the poor results. I had some sort of stomach issue that kept me from eating right, and the 13+ hour drive on Thursday didn't help. But let's face it; short races are not my thing. I was feeling pretty good 2 hours into the XC race; that is not how those races are won.

I got to stay with the Yakima Bike Vigilantes, with whom I will be riding this season. They are a great bunch of guys, and I think this will be a fun year no matter what results get put up.

Looking forward to getting the new bike built up and ready for Spokane. Not sure about goals for that race yet. Stay tuned for pictures and stories...

Off to Sea Otter!

2008-04-16T21:08:00.003-07:00

I leave for Sea Otter tomorrow. I'll be traveling with the Yakima Bike Vigilantes. Should be a good time. Jason will be there as well. Good times will be had by all.

Perhaps some pictures will be taken. We'll see.

Good news should just be flowing off this page over the next few weeks. A bike here, a bike there. Some new kit. All capped off by the best support crew ever coming out of retirement for the Spokane 24hr race over Memorial Day.

Mmmmm, the sweet, sweet smell of victory. It's in the air; can you smell it?

I can.

It's Saturday, that means...

2008-04-12T18:08:00.002-07:00

...time to ride bikes! 111 miles on the singled-out DD-X. 6:15 moving time. Not bad; I would have done the sub-5 hour hundy but I got bit by the headwind. Oh, and that one hill in the middle of the ride. The graph makes it look more dramatic than it really is, being that it's only 600 feet or so. The rest of the ride was dead flat.

The weather here went from crap to awesome in one day. It was sunny and in the 80's here today; there were so many people in the park by the river that I thought maybe there was an anti-war protest going on or something. It was just about standing room only in there. I went through five water bottles on my ride, and I now sport tan lines.

Only one other noteworthy ride this past week. As mentioned before, Eric Tonkin puts on a ride on Wednesdays called "Mountain Bike School". He ought to call it "Mountain Bike Catholic School" because when I finish it I feel like I've been worked over by a pack of sadistic nuns with weighted rulers. I've come out of that ride with fresh bruised both times I've done it. The ride isn't long at under 90 minutes, but it is full-on hammering from the word go. When my eyes aren't bleeding from the climbs, my shins are bleeding from the high-speed get-offs on the descents. In other words, it's mountain biking! I love it.

Easy week coming up, until Thursday when I drive down to Sea Otter and do three races in three days. Not looking for any great results, but I do plan to have a good time.

What to eat? How to ride?

2008-04-07T22:13:00.006-07:00

How I chow...

How I roll...

Funny how I look just as happy doing one as the other!

By the way, the name of that dish? "ManCakes"; I kid you not. If you eat three, they put your picture up on the wall. Someone suggested that this post should have been titled "Eat Joe Eat!"

Bottom picture credit to Dave Roth. More of Dave's pictures can be found here.

So, what'd you do on Saturday?

2008-04-06T17:27:00.002-07:00

Me, I did 45 miles and 8700 feet of climbing in just under 4 hours, according to Dr. Garmin. Used the road bike with a 39x25 small gear. Walked a very small portion of one climb, and cleaned all the rest. Had to make use of my 40-rpm singlespeed training. This ride put the hurt on my pretty good. Did I mention it was in the mid-40's? Or that it rained for the last 90 minutes? Well, it did.

I skipped the XC MTB race today. The legs just weren't feeling it.

More interesting news to follow later this week...

On your left...

2008-04-01T06:28:00.002-07:00

I did my first duathlon on Sunday. The format was run-bike, the distances were 6 miles and 15 miles. "That's not too bad..." I thought to myself as I registered.

Ha!

The run was a 'Trail Run', except about a quarter of the time there was no trail. I was simply running through the woods like a deer. Or maybe more like a hippo, or a llama. Down super slick slopes, up ravines, through brambles; it was a pretty intense course. Although difficult, this course slowed down the faster runners, allowing me to get to the bike section in the top 20. The six miles took me about 57 minutes.

I was quite pleased when I got to the bike section. I could see that there were still quite a few bikes left on the rack, and I knew that I had the right bike (single speed) and the right experience (lots of time riding in mud...) to do well on the course. I started passing other riders right away. It was very hard riding, since the course was mostly covered in slick mud and had several deep bogs. Some sections were quite rutted and others had puddles of unknown depth. Taken together, the bike course was challenging but well-suited to my bike, setup, and riding style.

In the end, I was the 5th person across the line out of 56 starters and 47 finishers. As luck would have it, I was second singlespeed. The guy who won the overall was on a Gary Fisher Rig. Two out of the top 5 on 29er singlespeeds...at a duathlon! Gotta love it.

Results: http://www.xdogevents.com/Assets/Results/DIRTYEVENTS08.HTM

Pictures from the event to follow. They took a ton of pictures; should be interesting. The bike is trashed, as you would expect from a mud fest.

Riding this week on Wednesday and Thursday. First XC race of the season on Sunday. Did somebody just cry "Havoc!"...

Still Here...

2008-03-29T18:07:00.002-07:00

Sort of an easy week on the bike. The weather here turned cold (for Portland) and I have been right on the edge of getting sick. So instead of riding, I did some running and some bike maintenance.

Running? Why in the world would I wan to do that? A little something called the Dirty Du. I decided to do that instead of another road race. I can do road races almost any weekend here; how often can I trail run and ride my bike in the same event?

The clincher? They have a singlespeed class... I predict a top-5 finish. :)

First real MTB race of the year is next weekend. Then it is just a hop, skip and a jump to Sea Otter and that puts 24 Hours of Spokane right around the corner.

Good Times...

A use for the fixed DD-X

2008-03-25T20:22:00.000-07:00

http://www.mttaborseries.com/fixed

Portland; I (heart) you!

Last Week Wrap Up

2008-03-25T06:41:00.002-07:00

Rode on Thursday. It was very wet and very cold. I mean VERY cold. One of those leg-shaking, teeth-chattering suffer-fest downhills out of the park. It rained from start to finish on this ride, and I suffered the entire time. That makes two weeks in a row of less-than-perfect weather and/or body conditions at the Park. Somthin's Got To Give....

Saturday was a nice road ride. I made a wrong turn, so I only ended up with 2.5 hours, but I packed in over 4000 feet of climbing. It was a cool but sunny day, and there were lots of other cyclists on the road. I took Germantown from Highway 30 up to Skyline again. It was much easier on a geared bike. Go figure.

XC Skied on Sunday. The snow was sort of crappy, but it was actually nice to see some snow for a change. And talk about snow; the bathroom at Teacup had snow up to the roof! Pretty cool. There was more snow falling during the ski; heavy, wet snow. All in all, not the best skiing of all time, but still a good workout and a fun time.

Hardcore stretching (let's not call it yoga...) yesterday, and some walking and bike maintenance on tap for tonight. Not sure what the ride schedule looks like for the rest of the week. It is supposed to be quite wet and cold; if that is the case I think I might strap on the running shoes.

There is a road race on Sunday, and I have started looking at the course profile for Horning's Hustle and Sea Otter. Sea Otter should be fun; I'm thinking about road racing Friday and Saturday (Cat 5 4ever...) and Expert SS XC on Sunday. Mmmm, tastes good *and* it's good for you...

Wednesday in the Park

2008-03-19T21:45:00.002-07:00

29 Miles; 4100 feet of climbing. Lots of road and lots of gravel. Very little singletrack.

It was a very good ride tonight. There were 3 29er SS, 2 26er SS, a full-sus and a hardtail. Nice mix. The Yakima Bike Vigilantes were well-represented.

I felt really good. I put on a gear that is two teeth harder than last week (32x18 vs. 32x20) and I was cleaning stuff that had me off the bike last week. Go figure. Felt good all night, and still feel pretty good right now. Back was fine. Having the Jones Bars back on was the right choice. More leverage and easier on the arms and shoulders.

Back to the park tomorrow for the Fat Tire ride. Not sure what is in store for the weekend; fixie ride? First 100-miler of the season? Gravel grinder? I don't know, but I'm looking forward to finding out!

Fixed?

2008-03-15T17:44:00.003-07:00

My first real fixed ride. I have the DD-X set up with a White Industries ENO Eccentric hub. I have a 16t freewheel on one side and a 16t fixed cog on the other. After hemming and hawing for the past few weeks, I decided to give the fixed side a try.

Note to self: 48x16 + 2100 feet of climbing (and descending!) might not be the best way to try out this fixed gear thing...

This was my first time taking Germantown Road up to Skyline. I figured it would be a climb; I didn't realize it went pretty much straight up with no rest. About half way up, it started to hail. I didn't care. I was in full suffer mode by that point. Still, it is kind of cool in retrospect. I look forward to giving that climb a try on my other road bike.

Note for new arrivals to the Northwest

2008-03-15T13:07:00.002-07:00

Although you will be tempted to spend all your time riding, take a few minutes and lube the screws that hold your cleats to your pedals. Don't wait six months; do it now.

Trust me on this.

While you're at it, just go ahead and put some lube on pretty much every fastener on your bike...

Thursday and back to Forrest Park

2008-03-13T21:57:00.003-07:00

About 28 miles; about 4000 feet of climbing. Alas, it was 95% dirt road or regular old pavement. Still, not too bad for a weeknight ride.

The weather has returned to a more winter-like feel. That is to say, 40's and rain. The ride was clear at the start, but the last 30 minutes on Leif Erikson and all the pavement on the way home was in a pretty steady downpour. My hands and feet were fairly cold by the time I got home.

To be honest, I wasn't really feeling the ride tonight. It was ok, but I wasn't feeling great and Brandon was able to drop me at will. The tiny gear didn't help, but for some reason my heart just wasn't in it tonight.

Slapped the Jones Bars on for this ride. I forgot how nice those bars are; they transmit a small fraction of the trail chatter to my hands that I am otherwise forced to deal with when running aluminium bars. The rigid fork was back on as well; I don't want the sus fork to suffer with the rain, and let's face it: that reba is not light. I knew I'd be back on gravel for a while, so the carbon fork got the nod.

Gonna be a light weekend for riding. I'm on call at work, so no cool trips will be had. Good chance to clean up bikes, maybe do a few tune-ups. We'll see...

Syncline Pics

2008-03-11T06:25:00.002-07:00

Swiped from Dylan. Although these are good pics, they really don't do the day or the trail justice. You can find more here. Thank you, Yakima Bike Vigilantes, for a great day in the saddle!

The wheels keep spinning

2008-03-09T17:10:00.003-07:00

Rode Syncline today. Not as much climbing as I thought, but as you can see it just keeps coming and coming once it starts. The downhill was something to behold.

The day was perfect for riding, and a perfect ride was had by all. Seven riders, no crashes and no real mechanincals. Everybody rode all day in good spirits. The views from the switchbacks and from the top were pretty incredible. Pictures were taken and will be posted or linked to at a later date.

On the down side, I tweaked my back a bit. I believe the weekly rides will calm down a little bit as we adjust routes to accommodate daylight savings time. At least I hope so; I need a chance to recoup the back!

Did I mention that it was in the high 60's and sunny all day? And dry as a bone on the trail? It was. It felt like summer. And this trail is 1:15 from my front door.

What was it like in Michigan today? :)

Garmin Seems to be working...

2008-03-05T22:03:00.002-08:00

The ride wasn't all that long, but 3700 feet of climbing in 13 miles is no joke. I slapped the Reba on the Quiring, which made for some fun descents. The climbs were a bear, however. In any case, it was a good ride.

Fat Tire Death Ride on tap for tomorrow, with a possible Syncline trip on Sunday. That would make for a pretty good week.

Garmin; back from the dead?

2008-03-05T06:20:00.002-08:00

Taking Nick's advice, I tried hooking the Edge 305 to the charger one more time and just leaving it there for a few hours.

Bingo! It seems to be working again! I'll take it on the Yakima ride tonight to make sure all is as it should be. If so, then I will chalk this one up to operator error.

Thanks to Nick for the sound advice!

RIP Garmin Edge 305

2008-03-04T06:52:00.003-08:00

My GPS died.

It has worked well since I took it out of the box. It worked great on Thursday, but the battery mysteriously died overnight between Saturday and Sunday. Now it won't turn on at all. It won't take a charge. It is dead.

I've got an RMA from Garmin. They were very cool over the phone. It was a gift, so I don't have a receipt, etc. I'll keep you posted.

Squeak squeak squeak...

2008-03-02T16:52:00.002-08:00

...was the mystery sound emanating from someplace in the bottom bracket area of my road bike for the last 10 miles of my 65-mile ride today. Annoying, but even that (and the prospect of paying for a new bottom bracket) couldn't dampen my enthusiasm for today's ride.

I was up at 6 AM to be a Dylan's for a 7:30 ride start. This was my first road group ride with the Yakima Bike Vigilantes , so I didn't know quite what to expect. Lucky for me it turned out to be mostly a nice base-miles ride.

Although it was quite cold and foggy at the start, it ended up being a stellar day weather-wise with lots of sun and temps in the 50's. The route took us out to Multnomah Falls and back. This route has one significant climb in each direction. Long-time readers know I'm not a climber, but I was able to hold my own today. I think Dylan was taking it easy on me...

I somehow discharged the battery on my computer, so I don't have any ride details. I bet we were on the move for around 4 hours, but that is just a guess. One flat and my squeaky bike were the only mechanicals. Several shouts and gestures from passing trucks.

The most interesting moment of the day occurred while we were on the side of the road taking pictures. A fleet of eight recumbents rode by. I say 'fleet' mostly because they all had very brightly-colored fabric fairings, and when they turned around it looked like a racing regatta making the final turn! Cool stuff!

Full week of rides on tap. Some road, some mountain and who knows what else. I suspect a road race on Sunday, but that is TBD.

So, what did you do on Thursday?

2008-03-01T09:13:00.002-08:00

Not much. 2:40 ride time, 5500 feet of climbing, 80% singletrack. All in the dark.

Top Speed? 30 MPH. In the dark. On Singletrack.

Did I mention that I (heart) Portland?

Global Update

2008-02-28T06:44:00.002-08:00

In Michigan, cyclists are snared in the ice grip of Old Man Winter.

In Portland, the sun shines down and the air smells like flowers and other growing things.

In Arkansas, the goats and llamas are cowering in fear and a pile of empty Founder's bottles and growlers piles up outside a remote cabin.

Training for the season has gone in fits and starts. Not having a set of 200 and 300 mile races right from the get-go has allowed a bit of playfulness to creep into the spring base phase. Enough of that! With a 24-hour race over Memorial Day weekend, it's time to get down to business. A calendar was printed, notes were scrawled across it, and now it is time to start pushing pedals in earnest.

--
I've seen a vision of the future. Beneath and EZ-Up in Spokane, WA sit two bikes. They are the mirror image of each other. A rider walks toward the bikes; he is lean and ready. His entire demeanor is calm, but his eyes burn. He does not see the bikes; he only sees tools. He does not see the trail; he only sees the finish line. He does not taste the water; he thirsts only for a beer at the end of the final lap.

And his shorts are a bit too tight.
--

Modified ride schedule this week. Lots of road on the weekend. Full-on training program starts Monday. Stay tuned...

Ride Joe Ride

Quiring Pictures

Quiring Steel Singlespeed For Sale

Kona Picture

Bike for Sale

Back on the bike, and in the gym, and on the mat...

And so it begins...

Mexico Riding Pictures

Greetings from Mexico!

Cross Bike Pics and Specs, 54cm, $1500/obo

Bikes for Sale!!

Cream Puff Pictures

Cream Puff Update

Cascade Cream Puff Race Report

American Classic Wheels for Sale

McKenzie River Pictures

Doing what we Do

Monday Funday

Bear Springs Trap XC Race Report

Pain

Wow

Rumors

Flashback

Last Week

East Day

Yet another wonderful day...

Back to the road bike

Full-Sus in January? Oh, Yes!

Two Rides - Good Times

Riding

Base

Blogging Off-Season

Yes, I'm still riding...

Enough with the pictures...

SSCXWC: The Pictures

Hey man, how about some pictures of the actual *race*...

"Day at the Race"; a photo essay...

Back in Business

NIGHT RIDER!!!

Proof that I'm still riding...

Nobody likes to DNF...

I don't look good...

Cross Dressing

Internets!

For those about to 'cross...

Pain on the Peak Photo Dump

Hi! Is this the Pain Cave?

Am I still riding?

I've been a bad, bad blogger...

!Rock!

Yooper Loop Road Trip

Not *quite* what I had in mind...

Tick Tock; Tick Tock

Things that are awsome

Still here...

I may not be fast, but I sure look good...

Bikes...

News Flash - I've got my eye on you...

Monday

Sunday

About that whole leg-shaving thing...

Fuckow

Update

Hey Man, let's go race a crit...

I'm still here...

Bunch o' stuff for sale...

(Mostly) Recovery Week

24 Hours Round the Clock 2008 Race Report

Spokane 24 Hour in Pictures

Results

Countdown

A taste of things to come...

Still no pics...

Still Here...

The Nate Versluis Training Method, version 2.0

Quick non-picture update

Quick Update

Ruminations and Revelations

All sorts of update...

Off to Sea Otter!

Hey man, how about some pictures of the actual race...

Not quite what I had in mind...