Category: fixed gear

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Surly V4?

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Updated and nearly dialed in for flat(ish) bar use. Stem length is something that I’m adjusting – from the 11cm to a 12cm, both with about the same rise. The 11cm OS will allow me to swap to my drop bars by popping the plate – which means I’ll have a stem / brake / bar combo pack for either drops or dirt. Just have to decide if I want to pull the whole assembly, or just the bars. Once the position is finalized (end of this week?) I need to re-cable both sets of bars. The double dingle is now a quadillator – giving me the following gearing: 42/17 42/19 40/19 fixed and 40/22 single speed.

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IMG00151

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Return of Summer

The rain has returned after a short break. With the wide(r) semi knobbies the fixed xc is sporting my old mtb tail fender. The Showers Pass jacket continues to impress.

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Double Dingle

42t and 40t chainrings
42t and 40t chainrings

I recently updated the Surly Cross Check drivetrain to create a double dingle. 42t and 40t chainrings up front, 17t and 19t dinglecog on the rear. With the same chain I can run a 40×19, 42×19, or 42×17 giving me a gear range from 57.2 gear inches to 67.1 gear inches with 35 semi slick cross tires. I need to remove the fenders and mount up some Ritchey Speedmax Cross 40s to get a bit more tire under me for some trail riding. Perhaps a bikepacking S24O this fall?

17t and 19t Surly Dingle Cog
17t and 19t Surly Dingle Cog
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Utility

After a recharge nap I set out to fix the leaking faucet / pipes / drain / sink in the kitchen. A turn of the shut off valves ended in a crumbled mess, so I had to get at the main water line in the basement. Hunched over, working under the sink, crawling in and out of the cabinets – it was like work. A ride to the hardware store. Then a return under the cabinets to hook everything back up, only to find that the faucet itself is leaking from its innards. Off to the home improvement superstore on the other side of town.

I added a bit of rope as I ran out of straps - but it rode home quite well - and comfortably aside from the sweat.
I added a bit of rope as I ran out of straps - but it rode home quite well - and comfortably aside from the sweat.

Fixed Surly, Carradice Barley, and my messenger bag. Plumbers putty and an updated Pur filter in the Barley, the faucet barely tucked into the messenger bag. Back under the cabinets. Installed with minimal knuckle gnashing and no mishaps save a reversal of the hot and cold (the original plumber put them in backwards) and the filter doesn’t fit without some special adapter. Turn the main back only to see a drip drip coming from the main valve. A slight turn of the wrench to snug it up – I don’t want to blow a gasket and have a flood in the basement – and all seems well for the moment. I need to search around and see if we have a main outside of the house – I’m worried now about the gasket in the basement valve… and have no idea how to repair it without shutting us down from without. Not a bad day after all – sunny skies, three bike rides, and a household chore knocked off the list. I’m hoping the fine weather sticks around and I’ll get in a decent ride tomorrow. Coffee cruise first thing – and if all systems are go perhaps a run out to some dirt.

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Hard Fall

Took a hard fall on my way to the Sunday ride. 15mph or so heading downhill on the slick slick snow and ice. Even with the studs and knobbies the front wheel washed out in the car tire snow wake. Once it started there was no recovery. I got out of my pedals and landed clear of the bike in the lane on my left side. Elbow bashed and I have a football sized bruise on my left hip. No traffic behind me so I popped up, did the mental systems check, snagged the bike which slid 10′ down the road, slipped on the ice in my cleats and was slowly moving again. Sat with the boys sipping coffee and we stayed warm inside for most of the morning. When we finally hit the road we climbed up to UVM and then I decided to headed home… content that I got out and thankful that I escaped with only some serious soreness and bruising. Bike seems fine, front wheel has the slightest wobble – but the Surly is covered in grime – so I need to do a quick cleaning and have a look and see if anything is out of alignment.

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Fluffy

Fluffy Sunday ride. When the sun was out it was gorgeous. 1/2 of the Sunday crew took off on the XC skis – so we enjoyed the coffee at City Market and slopped and slid through town. I broke off to cruise the side streets in the neighborhood after a slog on the lakefront MUP. The Nokian 35’s did OK in the snow… wish I had a Pugs with really wide tires for the deep stuff. Battery on the camera went dead – maybe due to the cold + my lack of remembering to charge it – so no fluffy pics with blue sky.

The Surly on a fluffy afternoon.
The Surly on a fluffy afternoon.
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12-25-08

Fixed gear ride in the hills and snow south of Utica, NY.
2 plows, 6 cars, lots of snow.



Happy Holidays!

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Early Snow


That didn’t work too well. Headed off to the Y @ 5am. Feet digging into the fluffy stuff with every turn of the crank. Decided to wait it out.

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Sunday Social Ride


We’ve turned our Sunday morning long rides into meandering social rides as the weather turns to winter. Last week we meandered about town, through the intervale, and ended at Flatbread to warm in front of the fire and enjoy some local brew and pizza brunch. This week we took off for ‘the cut’. We keep to the MUP and quiet roads so we can chat and catch up. This week I was on the Surly riding fixed, Jim was on his all-rounder and John made the winter bike into a budget fixed gear. It was his first ride fixed – we had some comedy as he adjusted to the gearing and ‘never stop pedaling’ – but overall he did great. His JB weld freewheel fixed wheel special held strong. Temps were mild with a strong storm moving in. Snow capped the high peaks in the ADKs to the west and the Greens to the east.

Jim enjoys cold water, John brought the thermos of hot coffee…

John on the all-terrain-a-fixed-a-saurus.

The JB Weld fixed wheel special. A freewheel thats been stripped of some of its innards and epoxy welded fixed. Not sure what method John used – but here’s a good write up.


Mansfield and Camel’s Hump.


The ADKs and Whiteface.