Formula

38/19 + 700×40 CrossTires + Burley + LittleOne + Gear + CSA Pickup + Errands = 42/16 + Saddlebag + 700×32 Slicks

Gear is still too tall to play in the rocky and rooty woods without hike a bike(ing) and my MTB skills need work. I do suspect though that regardless of how low I get the fixed ratio I’ll just find steeper rockier places to climb. And I haven’t really tapped into the ‘mountains’ yet. I have a triple crank from an old Bridgestone in the parts bin that might have to set it up as a single to get smaller rings on the front. Need some bike cave time to sort it out. Would love a reasonable tooth jump with a double dingle so I can switch from road(ish) to dirt(ish) with the same chain. I foresee a MTB in my future. Something that was bound to happen as soon as I parted with the Yeti FRO. Hadn’t ridden it in forever and it fit the Yak better than I – so it is now being ridden on a near daily basis – in the woods and dirt and single track of central VT – instead of hanging on a garage wall. CrossCheck suffers from too high a top tube and non ideal geometry for true MTB use. Maybe a 29r frame and fork I so can transplant all my parts…