a rose by any...

other name, would still smell the same.  i've been thinking about this topic of a few weeks now, and in this months issue of bike mike ferrentino writes in the column 'grimy handshake' about all the different types of bikes that have come out.  and that it used to be 'easy' to buy a bike.  all you really needed to know was what type of riding you were going to do; which was typically road or mountain.  now if you're going to buy a bike, you really need to know more information to pick up the right bike for what you intend to do.

for road there are now different road bikes depending on their geometry, or bar type.  for mountain, the start is hard tail or full suspension.  then after that there are you have to look at how much travel you want, and geometry.  and this gets too complex that i want to get into here.

my quick point is that we have become too categorized, and in the 'specialty' realm of bikes too snobish.  there are fringe aspects of cycling, and if you don't 'fit' into their (these are just uber snobs who consider themselves experts) then you don't belong. 

let me give you my example.  a few years ago i came across a bike called a monster cross (mx).  the definition of this bike is essentially a cross bike with really fat tires.  so keeping the idea of a cross bike; drop bars, rigid fork, but with fatter tires than 38c has become the definition that i have found.  well...my friend and i have since built one up for ourselves, but we have had to use a 29er mountain frame, 29er tires, still with drop bars, and rigid fork.

but i am about to go outside this definition and put a front shock on my mx.  and this is going against the prevailing definitions out there.  so then my mx will cease being a mx, and just be a mtn bike with drop bars; according to 'them' (conspiracy theory, or king diamond album).

part of my point becomes...do you remember when a bike was a bike?  you either had a ten speed, mtn bike, or bmx; and that was it.

the industry has become too complex, and the fringe aspect of the 'culture' (hate this word, but it works) is too snobish.

just ride a bike.  have fun.  enjoy the ride.  don't get caught up in all the crap.  remember why you got on a bike in the first place.

[amitabha...]

dedication...

commitment.  what do these words mean?  what would you give up?  what wouldn't you give up?
martin luther king once said...if you have nothing to die for, then you have nothing to live for.

during the vietnam war buddhist monks performed what is called 'self-immolation'.  it is a form of suicide by fire.  often done for political or moral reasons as a form of protest.  (never mind the jackass in the background lighting his cigarette)

i'm still trying to wrap my mind around it.  i get it, yet i don't.

how far are you willing to go for what you believe?  is a belief worth it?

just think...the buddhist pictured here, believed in something so deep, a concept that most of us can't even comprehend, that he lit himself on fire.  comprehend that...


enjoy the simulacra...

[amitabha...]

first test ride...

today on the new cross bike.  finally...

it was about 34 degrees out, and i dressed too warm.

first let me go over the parts list.  most of this was off of my old cross bike, and some is new...
dt swiss 240 hubs laced to rr 1.2 rims panaracer tires
salsa bell lap bar
fsa stem (in pic is a race face deus, but i had to switch it)
race face deus seatpost
specialized saddle
avid shorty brakes
egg beater pedals
sram red levers, xx rear del, force front del, and force crankset (cross gearing) & bb (30), cassette and chain.

the ride...i just did a quick spin around my neighborhood, down and up some hills, into a park with some trail.  out the door; quick & light.  as it ought to be for being all carbon.  stomp on the pedals and go.  really nice and smooth.  the carbon really did the job on soaking up the bumps on the road, and on the small trails in the park that i hit.  the ride was not harsh at all.  this is a great change from the steel vicious that i've been riding for the past ten years.  the bike is also twitchy in its handling.  this is something that i have come to really look for in bikes.  just think it, and it goes.

as i was riding up a pretty steep hill, i could feel the stiffness in the tapered head tube.  it really makes a difference when i was standing on the pedals and putting an ass ton of torque on the handlebars.  nothing moved; which is what ought to happen.

i don't think i need to say anything about the components.  this is my custom setup.  this is what i believe a cross bike ought to be.  the boutique version (i.e. complete bike in store) does not have these components.  but in any case...sram works effortlessly.  smooth shifting, esp. from the 34 to 50.  such a jump in gears, and it just went right up.

this bike will be in the quiver for a long time.  can't wait to take it out on a longer more intense ride.

[amitabha]

times are...

tough.  we all know this.  some of us are just lucky to pay our bills and live.  our luxuries are not our 'to do' list anymore.  the economy isn't bouncing back like our 'leader' said it would.  instead; he's just spending us more and more into debt, and reliance on other countries for our existence (this is another post for another time)...but for now, let's deal with something more close to home...

the northeast ohio sewer district is planing what they call 'project clean lake'.  what they plan on doing is to cut the amount of sewage being dumped into the lake.  now...this seems like a great idea.  because who wants a dirty lake?  who wants to pollute lake erie?  our lake is a treasury, and ought to be treated like one.  however; whose responsibility is it to keep it clean?  i pose the question this way, because who set up the system in the first place?

it wasn't the citizens of northeast ohio.  but rather the sewer district in the first place.  and it seems that they didn't take into consideration all possible scenarios and outcomes.  and now our system is polluting the lake.  so now who fixes the problem.  better yet...who pays for the mistake in the first place?

you and me...those who pay the bills.  the project that they have in mind will cost three billion dollars over the next 25 years.  the average bill is about $320 a year.  by 2035 it will be about $1000 a year.  the rate increases will start 2012.

why are we paying for this?  how are we going to pay for this?  i really don't think that i will get a pay increase at my work to cover this bill as time goes on. 

this becomes another story of how the government does not work for the people, but only in their own interest.  my point becomes...this should have never have happened.  people in these types of positions need to plan for all possible outcomes and future possibilities.  cities grow (hopefully).  cities have waste.  plan for the worst case, then we wouldn't have to re-visit these problems, and have the people (who have a hard time paying their bills now) pay for the fixing of the mistake.

rest of the story...
wtam.com

[amitabha]

christmas season...

Is upon us without it even being here yet. My little girl sleeps in the car while my wife does some quick shopping, and all I see around this shopping area is x-mas junk.

I want to bring back the essence and enjoyment of thanksgiving, instead of it being a speed bump on the way to another holiday.

Do we not then loose sight of why we get together at this time of year?

[amitabha]

i was able...

 to get a ride in today in between my classes.  so i decided to head on out to the rocky river metroparks, and doing some monstercross (mx).

after a big rain like last night; i didn't expect to stay warm and dry.  the picture to the left is just a sample of what i went through...literally.  the rocky river metroparks has great trails for brushing up on some cross skills, and with a race this up coming weekend; i thought i would.

with these trails not used much, they are all leaf covered.  so you have to keep an eye out where to go.  and with these trails not maintained in any way puddles like these were a plenty.  and not knowing how deep the hole was put a little extra surprise in the mix.  making any type of sharp turn was not happening.  i'm sure it didn't help that i had no idea of how much psi i was running, but i let out some air to hedge my bets.  still...i was slipping and a sliding all over the place.  that being said...the 29 inch wheels worked great getting over a few missed placed logs and ruts.  i was clearing stuff with ease.  i'm hoping to give this bike a bigger challenge soon.

during the ride i felt o.k., but sluggish.  i'm hoping to get another ride in before the race to work out any more bugs i may have. 

speaking of bugs...for most of the ride i was unable to shift into my 'big' rig.  so i was playing with the tension on the derailleur and limit screw.  it all seemed for not.  until...i cleared a log, and wham!  my non-drive side arm fell off.  nice.  i know there's a lesson here...make sure your shit works before you take off on a ride.

[amitabha]

how good are you at a wheelie?