New York September 2022 NYC Meet-Up

[Phil_F_NM]

Campy Shamal wheels are cool but I always hated working on them. I've seen them in both bladed and thick cylindrical carbon spokes. Those look like a combination of the two. I've been out of the pro mechanic game since late 2016, and I don't really keep up with all the new stuff in road cycling. Two of my racing wheelsets I built were laced with Sapim CXray bladed spokes which were then, and still are my favorite for competition. Better in the wind than the big blades by DT and no cutting of the hub flanges necessary.

Here's what I took out of storage today and got a test ride on:
http://gallery.leica-users.org/d/536277-2/Miyata_10092022.jpeg
My 1981 Miyata 610. It's my poor man's randonneuring bike that I built from bare frame and fork I got in 2011. I purchased it from Chris and Shelly, right after they started Fairmount bikes and hired me as one of their first employees. The Miyata was hanging in the window as a place for storage and I asked Chris about it then did some measuring and took it home. It's been through a few different iterations and this latest one I did in 2016. It's a full Suntour Superbe/Superbe Pro bike but the rear derailleur is a long-cage Cyclone because I want this to be able to shift across a wider range. Hubs are very first generation American Classics. Freewheel is one of my collection of Suntour New Winners. Pedals are new Shimano RX100 SPD SL. Oh, the seatpost is a stupid rare Shimano XT in a 26.7mm (because that's what the Miyata 610 seat tube is spec'd at) that I actually want to try to move to the Univega and replace with a Suntour Superbe, but I need a spare $200 for the desired post. Ouch. One of these days. Maybe I should just get the Sakae post that the bike came with...

Here's the latest build of my 1983 Univega:
http://gallery.leica-users.org/d/536280-2/Univega_100922.jpeg
Sorry about the distortion in the photo, kind of.

There, I posted some photos, now we're almost back on topic as a photo thread.

Phil Forrest

 

[Calzone]

Campy Shamal wheels are cool but I always hated working on them. I've seen them in both bladed and thick cylindrical carbon spokes. Those look like a combination of the two. I've been out of the pro mechanic game since late 2016, and I don't really keep up with all the new stuff in road cycling. Two of my racing wheelsets I built were laced with Sapim CXray bladed spokes which were then, and still are my favorite for competition. Better in the wind than the big blades by DT and no cutting of the hub flanges necessary.

Here's what I took out of storage today and got a test ride on:
http://gallery.leica-users.org/d/536277-2/Miyata_10092022.jpeg
My 1981 Miyata 610. It's my poor man's randonneuring bike that I built from bare frame and fork I got in 2011. I purchased it from Chris and Shelly, right after they started Fairmount bikes and hired me as one of their first employees. The Miyata was hanging in the window as a place for storage and I asked Chris about it then did some measuring and took it home. It's been through a few different iterations and this latest one I did in 2016. It's a full Suntour Superbe/Superbe Pro bike but the rear derailleur is a long-cage Cyclone because I want this to be able to shift across a wider range. Hubs are very first generation American Classics. Freewheel is one of my collection of Suntour New Winners. Pedals are new Shimano RX100 SPD SL. Oh, the seatpost is a stupid rare Shimano XT in a 26.7mm (because that's what the Miyata 610 seat tube is spec'd at) that I actually want to try to move to the Univega and replace with a Suntour Superbe, but I need a spare $200 for the desired post. Ouch. One of these days. Maybe I should just get the Sakae post that the bike came with...

Here's the latest build of my 1983 Univega:
http://gallery.leica-users.org/d/536280-2/Univega_100922.jpeg
Sorry about the distortion in the photo, kind of.

There, I posted some photos, now we're almost back on topic as a photo thread.

Phil Forrest

Phil,

Cool and retro.

You and Snarky Joe have bikes with fenders, meanwhile none of mine have fenders.

Been looking at clincher wheel sets, and it is pretty overwhelming. I have little idea of the good, the bad and the ugly.

Some of the Dura Ace wheels are interesting, and then there is Mavic…

I don’t need tubeless, just want something light, strong and durable. Nothing crazy like carbon rims.

Just wondering if it is more cost effective to buy some used wheels, or better to get my 32-hole White Industry hubs laced to a new clincher rim.

Cal

 

[Phil_F_NM]

Mavic had some quality control issues for a while and I don't know if they persist but I've seen unworn Mavic clincher rims blow out from tire pressure, usually at the weld seam. I used to be a die hard Mavic fan but not anymore. They lost me when they dropped the Open Pro and tried to tell us the Open Sport was the same thing. At every shop I've worked at since 2007, Mavic had the worst QC when it came to rim finishing. Bits of aluminum wandering around inside the rim driving riders insane after a custom build. I think Velocity and Sun-Ringle have passed them in volume quality. If you want brute strength and the best you can find anywhere on the planet, order from Starbike in Germany and get a Ryde (formerly Rigida) rim. The ONLY reason I went with a Sun Rhyno Lite on my Univega front wheel with the Shutter Precision dynohub is that the Ryde Andra 40 was out of stock with an unknown time for replenishment. Lo and behold, a week after my Rhyno Lite arrived, the Ryde rims were back. No worries, the Sun rims are round-the-world worthy as well.
The fenders on the Miyata are Velo Orange hammered aluminum. The ones on the Univega are aluminum reinforced plastic for mountain bikes.
As for your future wheelset, get a double wall rim and lace it up 3-cross with double butted spokes 14/15ga, with brass (not any alloy or titanium) nipples and you'll be good to go.

Phil Forrest

 

[Calzone]

Phil,

I have a set of Mavic Cross Max 26 inch wheels that I found that are mighty fresh. The front has bladed racial spokes and the rear is a mix of two cross on one side and radial on the other. UST. So the look are kinda modern and not so retro in style. In a ways these are like Joe’s “crazy-wheels.”

Not so easy to find 26 inch rim brake wheels anymore. Know that I also have retro Mavic skinny rims using White Industry hubs as an extra wheel set that is all retro.

I think 3-cross and double butted are the way to go on a double wall clincher rim. Perhaps a Velocity Aero rim. I’ll recycle the White hubs that are on the tubular racing wheels. I think I want to stay with the retro look of back in the day. It is going to be a 9-speed anyways, and perhaps more period correct.

Know that for the Steel and Ti IBIS’s I have a welded, not pinned, Sun-Ringle Rhyno rims I loaded up on, to the point that even after building out three rear wheels I’ll still have a spare rim.

Not sure if they are Rhyno lites because there is a version that is slightly lighter that is pinned. Pretty much 24 inch BMX racing rims with 36-hole and a welded seam. Sturdy and overbuilt is good.

My experience with the smaller diameter wheel is that it is very much overbuilt and stronger than any larger diameter wheel. Anyways on my IBIS’s the front end is very light, and the rear wheel is where the load is carried.

Good to hear about the Rhyno Lite being sturdy and good quality.

Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday I expect deliveries. The bike buildups are at a relaxed and slow pace…

Cal

 

[Phil_F_NM]

The welded version of the Rhyno Lite is the XL, which is a misnomer as it's not extra light. It's wider, heavier by a few grams, and is a triple-wall rim for BMX racing. I thought about getting a set for my Univega but I didn't want my tires having more of a square cross-section, so I went with the tried and true rim. Nothing wrong with pinned rims. Back at Via, I laced up wooden rims for ancient safety bicycles a couple times and they often times have slipping tongue-and-groove joints. Regardless, the joint or the pins don't matter if the build is a good one, it's all tensegrity.

Get a torque wrench for your cassette lock ring on your old White Industries hub since that's probably the last one fitting that vintage you will have. I gave my buddy a set of White hubs for spare parts and the rear had a cracked freehub body. The freehub bodies from the 90s are failing and White Industries isn't making replacements for them (but may have old stock), so before you recycle that hub into a new wheel build, make sure you can get a replacement freehub body from White. This is why I stick with Shimano. I'm no longer racing (and when I was racing I was riding Shimano or Campagnolo) and I don't need dead weight savings at the cost of non-replaceable parts or incredible cost parts. I can get a Shimano freehub body for any post-Uniglide 8/9/10 speed LX hub, brand new for less than $30 and they just work. Like riders literally circling the earth on one. The only other rear hub I would trust as much as a Shimano would be a Sturmey-Archer AW 3 speed, which has proven itself to be the most reliable mechanical transmission in the history of human locomotion. Well over half a Billion original and copies have been made for about a century, and are still being made, so spare parts are available. I have a total of five AW hubs, one is an Alloy shell model. There is no way in my life that I'll ever be able to wear out more than two of these. I should build them up into some modern bikes...
If any of y'all know of a folding bike (Raleigh Twenty in particular) for a decent cost, let me know, I'm looking to add one to my commuting stable.

Phil Forrest

 

[Calzone]

Yesterday we did a drive to Saugerties. The township has a population just under 20K and covers 65 square miles, about 2 hours drive from Manhattan.

The nice place to live would be one of the Victorian homes in the village of Saugerties. Very pretty and all old houses. The Main Street and Partition Road are a registered historic site, in fact the very first to be registered. Like I said a pretty village.

Jimmy Fallon grew up there, and The Band recorded an underground tape when living there in what was deemed “The Pink House” with Bob Dylan before venturing out on their own. Not so far from Woodstock BTW.

So there is an antique lighting shop that I think can serve us, where we will have to go back, but the antique stores were not really our style. Lots of good eating.

So Saugerties had a more upscale feel that was small town. Pretty much the place I would want to be is in the village proper. Maggie liked it a lot. Seems like the redevelopment was slow and not forced like say in Beacon. I have a feeling that Peekskill will end up like Beacon over time. I would rather have things go slow and evolve more naturally over time, more like Saugerties.

I think I now am spoiled with the fascination of old houses, and newer homes do not interest me.

Not far away is Woodstock which is mucho pricey, New Palz and the Gunks, and Lake Minow-WASK-Kaa State Park with my carriage trails and cliffs. Of course Saugerties is on the Hudson.

So in retirement I am trying to future proof things and build out a durable lifestyle. I presently have Bear Mountain State Park just across the river which is a vast wilderness that butts against Harrison State Park another huge wilderness area, but I am at the Gateway to the Hudson Highlands and the wonder of geographic beauty. Also Blue Mountain Preserve (1500 acres) is almost my backyard about 2 1/2 blocks away.

I can see living in the Village of Saugerties as a possibility further on in retirement. More walkable for “Maggie” who does not drive.

On the ride home, I just drove south on 9W, a very pretty drive with no congestion. It was fun exploring. Out of all the places north of us Saugerties was the one place that charmed us the most.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

So I am learning that running skinny 21mm wide tires and pumping them up to 175 PSI like in back in the day is not cool. In fact 24-25mm is today’s skinny tire.

Also tire design has defined running lower tire pressures, where the wider the diameter the less pressure utilized. What is favored is the give of wider tires, and I wonder how much of this is due to the prevalence and proliferation of UBER stiff non flexing carbon fiber bikes?

On my road bike I have the flex and dampening of Titanium. The ride pretty much is of a steel bike, and they say, “Steel is real,” but Titanium also dampens faster than steel, so incorporated into the frame design is this kinda jolt remover and resilience where the bike kinda hugs the road.

Titanium has its limits. Carbon bikes and aluminum bikes can be lighter, but because I’m spoiled by Titanium I find CF and Aluminum to be way too stiff, jolting, and fatiguing. Then this can get compounded by the use of carbon fiber rims/wheels. These types of bikes are built kinda like formula one cars where every gram counts.

So perhaps on a Ti bike very wide tires would be or might be too much of a good thing, or not required at all. My guess is that 24-25 is the place to start because modern aero profile rims start there. Pretty much the cross section is shaped like a rain drop. Too skinny a tire defeats the aero design, so 24-25 mm is the start, then the trade off is weight and rotating mass. Know that being a skinny bitch and perhaps weighing under 140 without clothes is an advantage in “climbing.”

In my research comes up HED Belgium rims. The new “R” version is mucho highly rated, but it remains an aluminum rim, priced at $175.00 just for the rim. Velocity has this new rim called the “Quill” that is a competitor to the Belgium, but it seems the Belgium is regarded as the higher end of performance and quality.

Chris King offers wheelsets using their hubs built in house. Using ceramic bearings a new Chris King wheel set would be about $1200.00 and about 90 days or 12 weeks lead time. Ouch. They use the HED Belgium rims to build these custom in house wheels for bikes with retro rim brakes.

So since I have White Industries hubs on hand on a tubular racing wheel set already, pretty much it makes sense to recycle these hubs, scrap the tubular rims and tires, and have the wheels built out using Hed Belguim “R” rims. “One and done,” I say.

Know that Chris King is likely the pinnacle for headsets and hubs, but White Industries is a close, very close rival. The King hubs though have a mucho loud click that happens when freewheeling (coasting) that is so loud that some people can’t live with. Bang for the dollar though favors the White Industry hubs, but the Chris King hubs definitely have more bling. While Chris King hubs come in many anodized colors, White Industries are ordered in either black or silver.

At this point my road bike seems like it will get mountain gearing and stay that way because of where I live and the geography. I’ll have the Dura-Ace conversion on hand if ever required for flatlandering. Holding onto my Dura-Ace stockpile makes sense as an investment POV because rarity and scarcity already exists. Not sure I need to stockpile Ultegra or 105 cassettes at this point because it seems like I’m dedicating myself into being a mountain man who will live decades in the Hudson Valley whether it be at the Gateway to the Hudson Highlands or in the Highlands proper further north eventually.

One thing I researched is where in the U.S. there is abundant water supply. Pretty much my research denoted that basically it was the pacific northwest like Washington State and Oregon, and the northeast part of the country. Out west pretty much the water supply is being depleted and the situation is unsustainable, but recently even in the pacific northwest there is drought and forest fires.

Also reports suggest that within a decade Toronto, Canada will pretty much have the climate of NYC, and that Maple trees will not have enough time to propagate and migrate north to exist in Canada. Pretty much their national symbol might become extinct in their country because of the acceleration and fast pace of climate change. Drought conditions are reported just north of Peekskill starting around West Point, not far away, in an ellipse that extends westward.

There also is data that states hardwood trees in Pennsylvania are being replaced by conifers and evergreens that normally have a range further south.

Then there are the recent reports of the “heat-belts” that will happen in the south and inland away from the coasts… Some of that is already happening…

Anyways, I’m being like a chess player thinking three moves ahead. You can’t live without water… Pretty soon 8 billion people on the planet, and the fact is not enough resources to sustain them the way the world is now. Parts of the country are becoming deserts, and fresh water is being depleted.

You don’t have to be a scientist to see the future.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

WOW. The White Industries ENO polished cranks came. Looks dazzling with the polished chainring. Mounted on the polished titanium Ti Basso with a chromed Koski fork there is plenty to bling. The Berthoud tan saddle accented by Billy Bonker skin wall tires.

What a pretty bike.

This raised bed I built out of pressure treated 4x6’s got broken down and moved to the “table” in the back-backyard. Pretty much I’m recycling it into a foundation for a gravel bed to mount the 4x8 cedar shed that is laying in my driveway as a kit to be assembled. Pretty much it is the right size, and I want to keep the shed elevated and off the ground. Kinda funny how a raised bed got repurposed.

I removed three blueberry bushes from their large containers. They did not do so well as container plants, so now they are planted on the side of my garage. Let’s see if they do better next year. Next year they will be 3 years old. These were sprigs I bought from Home Cheapo. Oh-well.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Last night I went to pee and the patio motion detector light went off. I looked out the second floor window and saw this white animal that looked and resembled a chicken.

I put on some shorts and went to investigate with my glasses. From my dining room on the ground floor I saw that it was a skunk that has a huge white back and not a stripe.

I ended up going out on my rear porch to scare him away, but I kept my distance.

”Maggie” has reported smelling a skunk on occasion BTW.

Learning a lot about tires. It seems the physics I learned from back in the day is all wrong. Back then we used skinny tires and maxed out tire pressures: the skinnier and higher the pressure the better.

Today the tires are designed to be soft, and they conserve energy by absorbing deflections caused by road and trail irregularities.

So not only have rims evolved in a revolutionary manner.

So what I knew was totally wrong. LOL.

Anyways this is interesting stuff if you are a bike nerd.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Got a short ride in today to test out the new “Newsboy” with the polished White Industries cranks and the new set of Billy Bonker tires.

I also raised the stem about a quarter inch and played around with tire pressure.

Pretty much I like the soft ride of low tire pressure, and I took notice of how momentum is gained by the tires acting like a suspension. I am letting go of the old school firmness and higher tire pressures.

The new cranks are stiffer than the Grafton cranks they replaced. The Graftons are known to flex, but are mucho light weight, so there is a bit of a weight penalty with my new bling cranks.

The Newsboy is a 1x11 speed so unlike a 2x11 there are fewer gears and bigger jumps in between gears. The stiffer cranks support “standing” to stay on top of a gear to make up for limited mechanical advantage of less gears and at times stiffer gearing. Pretty much you exploit strength to stay on top of the gear, and this is not the most efficient way to ride, it taxes muscle and uses more energy than sitting and spinning a gear.

The Billy Bonkers roll really well, the sidewalls are kinda stiff though and are well suited for jumping which is what this tire was designed for. Basically a jump track bike. Not really a mountain bike tire, but I could see me using them on those gravel carriage roads in the Gunks, and then rolling into town to eat at the bistro. The road to New Palz pretty much is downhill so terminal velocity is easily achieved but along the way there are some switchbacks and an evil hairpin turn.

I can see these 26 inch tires getting used as front tires on the Ti IBIS with a 24 inch Billy Bonker on the rear to kinda be a somewhat crossover gravel bike as a 2x11.

I have a lot of tires I’m interested in for the Newsboy, and it is ripe for experimentation because I have two full wheel sets.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Did a really nice loop for a strength ride.The beginning are the long series of rolling hills on Washington Avenue to Furnace Dock Road, and somehow I get twisted around and instead of heading south I end up north east of Peekskill.

The Newsboy as a 1x11 ends up being a really great training bike. Pretty much the limited amount of gears and the bigger jumps in gearing encourages strength building. I found myself “standing” and using more of my body to stay on top of the gears when climbing. This is not an efficient way to bike, it taxes energy supplies and muscles. Know that it would use less energy and effort to use higher RPM’s and spin gears.

So my way of climbing is more akin to doing intervals and transferring from aerobic to anaerobic. I am not gifted with a huge VO2 Max, but I have the fast twitch muscles for strength and speed. There are two ways to go fast: high RPM’s; or push a bigger gear.

So today I stretched the chain a bit. The Newsboy between the frame and tires has a nice “bounce” when you pump the peddles hard when standing. Kinda like a trampoline that allows you to jump higher. Don’t forget that titanium on a bike is like a stiff spring with very heavy damping.

I ran 27 PSI which is right in the middle of soft and firm for the weight of me the rider and bike for the tire width. I enjoyed a smooth ride that absorbed bumps well. The 1/4 inch added height to the stem made a huge difference in comfort. On descents my arms and shoulders bear less weight.

The last leg of the ride takes me through rolling hills, but overall it was a descent into Peekskill. Then I rode along the river into Montrose, Buchanan, and Verplank before heading home.

At home I mowed the lawn with my unmotorized push mower. I could smell the skunk in my front yard.

So now I have this endorphin high, and my muscles are tired. Lunch was enhanced by the exercise. I kinda love the Newsboy, but I think it will get some new tires.

Also a miracle happened: my White Industries hubs were delivered. Now I can get wheels built to have XTR 11 speeds on both IBIS’s.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Snarky Joe lives up to his name and makes a good point that I should mention here and at the beginning of the thread that the September Meet-Up is this Sunday September 18th at the Beer Garden in Astoria.

Pretty hard to find the date of the Meet-Up with all my ranting. LOL.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

I’m recycling hubs from the Tubular wheelset (White Industries 32 hole) to be built with HED Belgium “R” aluminum rims with CX-Ray bladed spokes.

I’m also having the same wheel builder build out two 24 inch rear wheels using the new hubs I got delivered today, along with these 24 inch BMX racing rims I will supply.

Anyways should be “One and Done” now that I finally have the parts. So pretty much three new rear wheels and a new front wheel for three of my 4 bikes.

Happy-happy.

Good thing I only have 4 bikes.

BTW I spent $20.00 on a raffle for a single speed tandem. Actually I hope I don’t win it, but with my luck I will. The drawing is in October or the beginning of November.

Oh-well.

Cal

 

[Saganich]

Snarky Joe lives up to his name and makes a good point that I should mention here and at the beginning of the thread that the September Meet-Up is this Sunday September 18th at the Beer Garden in Astoria.

Pretty hard to find the date of the Meet-Up with all my ranting. LOL.

Cal

My old stomping ground, before both wives. They open at Noon! I haven't been back there since 1999.

 

[Phil_F_NM]

I'm recycling hubs from the Tubular wheelset (White Industries 32 hole) to be built with HED Belgium R ; aluminum rims with CX-Ray bladed spokes.

Holy crap that's an expensive wheelset. Make sure your nipples are brass otherwise it's going to go in the garbage with the moisture and salt/salt residue from NY roads.

Phil Forrest

 

[Calzone]

Holy crap that's an expensive wheelset. Make sure your nipples are brass otherwise it's going to go in the garbage with the moisture and salt/salt residue from NY roads.

Phil Forrest

Phil,

The aluminum HED Belgium “R” rims alone are $175.00 each.

Actually what is more shocking are the costs of modern carbon wheels. These prices are mucho rude.

Did the hill loop I did yesterday again today, and today it seemed a lot shorter. LOL.

I guess the past 2 weeks sick with Covid developed some rust. On today’s ride I did less standing and more spinning. Overall I think I covered the same ground in less time. Feel less hammered today. It seems the Newsboy is the ideal bike for this ride and it has just enough gears and gearing, and not bloated at all. The roads and shoulders I ride can get a bit rough and gravel like, so it seems my 26 inch wheeled mountain bike is not so out of place even on the road.

This Saturday the Santa Cruz guitar I custom ordered will be delivered. “Don’t tell Maggie.” The dealer says it is a beauty and I should be very happy.

I ordered a bunch of tires today. Pretty much Rene Herse specializes in tires for gravel bikes and promotes wide tires for comfort and performance. They also do 26 inch tires and state that mountain bikes make for good gravel bikes. The smaller wheels make them lively and responsive they say, and I kinda agree.

A Castelli Alpha Ros 2 Jacket arrived today. Pretty much a high end high performance bike jacket for colder riding I got on a close out deal. The gamble was the fit as these Italian sizing runs mucho small. I ordered a medium even though I’m a skinny bitch and it fits perfectly. This jacket is an evil black, and it has a wind proof lining that is also zippered for temperature control. So light in weight but is protection into the 30 degree range on a bike ride. How’s that for engineering?

I loaded up the truck and also ordered a lighter weight version, but this one is a mucho loud red. Perhaps t will get delivered tomorrow. I love buying this high end expensive stuff on close out pricing. Also the styling and fit is kinda crazy good.

So I caught Maggie in a good mood. She called me from NYC. She had a meeting with her editor, and things went well. It was a good time to mention that I ordered a guitar and that it will be delivered Saturday. I’m so evil, and pretty much I got away with being a bad boy.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

My old stomping ground, before both wives. They open at Noon! I haven't been back there since 1999.

Chris,

How many wives do you have?

BTW “Maggie” and I live in sin unmarried.

Cal

 

[Phil_F_NM]

Phil,

The aluminum HED Belgium R; rims alone are $175.00 each.

Yes indeed, along with $105 in spokes, per-wheel. Depending upon your wheelbuilder's labor rate, you're looking at over $800 for that pair alone. Like I said, an expensive wheelset. For a manufacturer to ask $175 for an aluminum rim is obscene, in my opinion. The least they could do is offer a polished version without their ugly HED graphics. I never bought into the hype and never will having worked in the industry and seen what works well, and what works but costs four + times as much for the same performance.

Phil Forrest

 

[Calzone]

Yes indeed, along with $105 in spokes, per-wheel. Depending upon your wheelbuilder's labor rate, you're looking at over $800 for that pair alone. Like I said, an expensive wheelset. For a manufacturer to ask $175 for an aluminum rim is obscene, in my opinion. The least they could do is offer a polished version without their ugly HED graphics. I never bought into the hype and never will having worked in the industry and seen what works well, and what works but costs four + times as much for the same performance.

Phil Forrest

When looking into the Velocity “Quill” this was not inexpensive either. The CX-Ray spokes are not inexpensive either.

At this point I’m sitting on my hands.

It seems the ugly duckling out of all my bikes, the one that was least favored, has become my most utilized. Not the fastest, or the highest performance, nor the best handling, but mighty comfortable. Go figure. LOL.

Pretty much slow handling, mucho long wheelbase, slack geometry, especially heavy for a Ti bike, but I kinda love it. Kinda fun to ride where I can relax, and maybe that’s the point. I want time in the saddle to relax not race.

It is kinda like I woke up one day and I’m a different person.

Also know that to me my road bike is the most boring, and perhaps my other three bikes because they are odd, unusual, and just plain weird and freaky is why I love them more.

Anyways what makes my road bike odd is that I have a mountain bike cockpit on it. I guess I favor a mountain bike style and styling. My top three are basically mountain bikes.

Also know on the Rene Herse site they kinda promote using and making old 26 inch mountain bikes into “gravel” bikes. An eye opener has been the tires they make which seems ideal for what I’m interested in.

So I don’t know how much use a road bike might get. Also know that the retro frame can only handle perhaps a 27mm-28mm wide tire. Anyways that seems like a hard limit. For me a road bike is a novelty.

I kinda learned that mounting tubulars on rims really stretches them out so that mounting is not so crazy or difficult.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

The cool weather has set in, and I have a pull down attic stairway to install to replace the hatch in the bathroom. Installing these stairs opens things up, I can then insulate the attic, the fiberglass has compressed to nothing, and I want to build out a storage space.

I also have a cedar shed kit laying in my driveway. I need to build that out, and I have a pressure treated base to hold a gravel bed in place but not leveled.

I guess after the kitchen remodel I’m taking a break and enjoying life. In October I have to apply for my hospital pension. The rule is if you are no longer employed there and you are 65 you have to start collecting. I also have to get on the Medicare Merry-Go-Round.

So retirement is a bit of a misnomer for me. I still have work to do, but I still have more time to take care of myself, and I have less stress.

I expect next year will be easier, and the upstairs bath got toned down a lot, and is a different configuration. We were going to move the toilet and tub, and install a soaking tub, but really do we have the time to soak? Also how many times do we actually take a bath? So now we simplified the design and decided to have a deluxe walk in shower, but kinda go crazy with glass walls and really nice tiles.

Did you know that most bathrooms are only 5 feet wide? Anyways as we age out a tub can become a hazard and not too practical. Truth be told a tub is and would seldom be used, so we cut the chase. I like the idea of having a bathroom floor drain so that pretty much it would be like a commercial bathroom you could hose down.

Also doing the plumbing with relocating the tub was kinda crazy expensive and got complicated.

We also realized that way in the future we could move the 100 year old wardrobe that we use as a utility closet in the powder room could be moved and a stackable washer and drier could be installed. Oddly we have natural gas but the drier that came with the house is electric. Of course since we have a gas stove the hookup would be EZ-PZ.

So part of retirement is kinda furture proofing one’s life, and most of all doing the “one and done” as to not waste money. Pretty much it is not about being cheap: it is about saving money over a very long time horizon.

So now that the kitchen is done, we realized that time is our friend, and that things evolve so we can adapt and make better decisions.

As far as soaking goes, a lap pool is a better idea, and we have talked about this.

Cal