Make It a Double

    Whew, so much has gone on since the last time i posted. let's see if i can make the long bad story short and the good stuff fun.

    first up, i took a bad fall on may 31st, that landed me in the hospital for a week and home on disability for 6 weeks in a back brace 24/7. i fracture all 5 lower vertebrates in my back. i'm much better, but i'm still ache. 2hrs is the longest ride i have taken and i was in agony from it, so right now an hour is what i can do.

    now the good news. my wife is pregnant!! very exciting news, our firsts, the twin boys are due to arrive in the beginning of december. yes, i did write, twins and yes they are boys. i'm pretty excited about that and i can't wait to buy them bikes, i already got my eye on something at the bike shop.

    life has been good lately, i know it can sneak up on you and make it bad but the wifey is feeling good, as expected and there is more food in the house now. while sitting at home for 6 weeks, i have looked around and saw all the things i neglected over the summer, in order to go riding instead of doing the things i should have done. well now, i'm making other jobs a priority. all the things i neglected are getting done and that includes some biking issues.

    i finally convert my 1991 Klein Rascal into a single speed. i will take pics this weekend to show you. it's pretty light, i kept the xt levers and SE scott peterson brakes on their for a bit but are removing them soon. i guess i'm a weight weenie, i want the bike lighter, like my 5.5 pound turner frame (why did i think i could make a 5spot light). anyway, i'm replacing the brakes with avid single digit 7's and brake levers and i need to find a 5 bolt bash guard. anyone know of any?

ride for me!
happy trails
~dirty bert

Upgradin'!

    i'm look to do a lil upgrades on my bike. when i first set out to build my bike up, i selected all the parts that i wanted and knew that were good. so i basically got my dream bike and parts to boot. after riding it for 2 years, i finally figured out that i need a new stem. it's not like i broke my old stem but it's to short for me to climb with. the front end of the bike pops up on steep climbs. it has nothing to do wit weight distribution but for the fact that it's a 90mm and i want 110 like i have used in the past.

    i saw this stem, called Rotor S1 stem. It's being sold by Speedgoat. the 110mm weighs 108 grams and cost 160 bucks!! i mean i'd like a light stem. i'm no huckster, nor smooth on my bike but the price of the stem out weights the actual cost of the stem.




    i'm sure i will need to replace the cassette soon, as well as the chain and the rear tire has seen better days. i will try to get the XTR cassette, i got the chain already and new tires, i'll ask around and see what everyone else is using and liking or dislikin'.

    i went to local bike store and bought 3 tubes for $19.50!! jeeze! u got to be kiddin' i just saw online at Price Point, 10 tubes for $19.98! yes i know, i'd have to pay for shipping and then have to wait for it to come, but the mark up at the shop is insane! support yer local shop, yea yea yea, i know but come on!

happy trails
~dirty bert

MY NEW, KINDA OLD 1991 KLEIN RASCAL

    Here's my new toy. A 1991 Klein Rascal with some original XT parts and I'm planning to convert it to single speed. I'm looking to buy Cooks Brothers or Kooka cranks, I may keep on the Scott Pederson SE brakes until I an get my hands on more powerful Avid stoppers. The 26" wheels, I'll keep and also the rigid fork. The one-piece Mission Control stem and handlebar looks cool, as well as the black to green fade. The bike is in great condition, since it's 16 years old.





~happy trails
dirty bert