Cooler Temps

The dog days of Summer are gone and Fall is just around the corner. I'm looking forward to cooler temperatures and the evening mountain bike rides. I have been on some trails this Summer, but it's not quite the same when it's 101F. I need to get my gear ready. My old steel mtb is coated with last year mud and needs a little love, the bladder in my hydropack needs cleaning or replacement as it has been setting half full for a couple of months. I also need to check my lights, things to do.

The bike is a Diamondback made in 1994, completely rigid with, what cousin Matt calls, pepperoni forks. So named because they are as thick as a link of pepperoni, no shock absorbtion there. Although it has semihorizontal dropouts, so with a half link I was able to turn it into a single speed when the shifters crapped out on me. I was able to get a wheel cheap from Lee. It was a freewheel type so all I had to do was respace, redish, and spin on a BMX freewheel cog. I thing I have a 35 tooth chainring up front and the freewheel cog is 17, that's close to the recommended 1:1 that singlespeed mountain bikers recommend. I could probably use an 18 on the back, but we'll see. I need to have the front hub repacked, it feels like there are pebbles in there not bearings, I'll have to see about that soon.

I'm waiting to hear form Grant, from Mercian Cycles. The frame I want build is in "queue" so things are progressing, but I was to get a copy of the work order so final changes could be made or I would just approve what the have. It's been a long process to get this far. I have started to acquire parts and either have or ordered just about everything I need, I think I have a package waiting for me at the post office now. I feel like a kid a Christmas. I just hope the frame gets here before then.