Cannondale Hooligan - The End of an Era

I noticed someone riding through downtown Seattle on this bike a few days ago. I actually scoped one of these out at REI during the summer, including buzzing around inside the large bike department. The thing was a gas, just plain fun to ride. What the hell would I use it for? I have no idea, but could probably rock some killer wheelies on it. That would be enough justification, if I had a few hundred spare bucks to dump on it. I don't, so no decision required. Seeing the dude cruising the streets of Seattle, reminded me that it exists. The model name is Hooligan and that title seems to fit. Kudos to Cannondale for putting something out like this, that doesn't really fit any existing mold.

Speaking of Cannondale, production of frames in the US has now officially ceased, equipment to produce such frames now up for auction. All Cannondale frames now made off-shore. Mixed feelings about that - businesses are free to do whatever is needed to keep turning a profit - or just stay alive. Still, we're witnessing the complete end of an era for the United States. Good or bad, agree or not - we no longer produce much of anything. The world is a changing place, you can fight it - or go with the flow and modify your way of thinking.

That debate saved for another time and post.

Halson Suspension Fork - When Inverted Bumpers Ruled

Met an old riding pal today for a mountain bike ride, been at least 10 years since our last ride together. Back in the mid '90s, we rode together quite a bit, along with a gang of fellow coworkers. I'll take some credit for rounding up the riding action at that time and coaxing a few mountain bike purchases. In the heyday, we'd all meet once a week or so for a shared ride. Fun times.

Brian was one of the riding regulars during that era, and continued to ride some after we all parted ways from our shared employer. It's been awhile since he's dusted off the bike however, so with a little coaxing once again, we finally hooked up today for a ride. Son Ian and I reacquainted Brian with our local trails. Despite the 90 degree weather, we had a fun ride. Brian is one of those dudes with a BMX, skateboard, and skiing background, that does well technical wise on the mountain bike - in spite of the lack of riding time. He would do well racing, as I've told him before. He may give it a shot eventually.

Brian still rides the Cannondale that he picked up in 1995, complete with Halson suspension fork - now vintage material. I thought Halson made a cool fork back then - trick for the time. Bumper technology, similar to Manitou forks of that era, but with a inverted design - like a motorcycle fork. The fork legs housed by the fork crown, with the fork sliders below. This allowed a stiffer, less flexy fork. Since disk brakes were yet to be widespread, it worked with cantilever or v-brakes, pretty tricky with the inverted design. As per the era, a whopping 2.5" inches of travel. It all seems pretty quaint now, compared to modern suspension forks.

At the time I considered buying a Halson fork, 'cept my Manitou 3 fork worked just fine - thank you. It is impressive this Halson fork survives 15 years later and still works. I joke with Brian he'd be shocked (Ha! Get it?) how well a modern fork would feel in comparison. Since he's never ridden a modern bike, doesn't know the difference. Ignorance is bliss.

In any case, he can still ride pretty damn fast on the ancient steed, can only imagine him on something newer. He considering going for an upgrade. That would be interesting to see, since he digs air time and the old Cannondale ain't really suited for that.

Magazine write up on the Halson fork from 1995. The company eventually folded, as did others during the suspension revolution heyday.

The complete bike as ridden in 1995 and 2010. Despite the vintage fork, v-brakes, and gigantic bar ends - Brian is still pretty quick on it. It's not what you ride, it's how you ride it.

The ride today seemed to get my old riding pal back on the bike track. We're looking to hook up for more local riding action - just like old times - except now I have an 11 year old son to join us. That makes it all even better.

I'm looking forward to future adventures and may try to coax a few others "out of retirement". Heh, heh.....

Baseball = Mountain Biking. Huh?

Attention please: Ignore my whiny comments about mainstream stick and ball sports kids and parents not digging bikes. During Ian's little league baseball game on Saturday, I wound up talking bikes with two parents - nice dads of kids on Ian's team.

One of the dads mentioned really digging riding years ago and even entered a few mountain bike races. He's been off the bike for awhile though. They live right in our neighborhood and when I mentioned hitting the local trails for a tour, he said why not tomorrow? Otherwise we'll just talk about it and never actually do it. Perfect! Father and son both planned to ride.

Another dad offered to join in as well, with son and daughter along for the fun. Wow, this should be cool. I goofed around with Ian, since he seems to be embarrassed that I talk bikes at baseball games. Now he thought it was pretty cool some of his team mates planned to ride with us. See, dad's not so weird after all.

Ride was planned for 9:30 AM on Sunday - today. Woke up to 47 degree temp and rain - not bad, but wet. One dad called at 8:30 AM to cancel, due to the weather. No problem, riding in the rain is not for everyone. Ian and I suited up and rode over to the local woods to check if the other family showed up. Sure enough, they did. Dad riding a clean older Klein, 10 year old son Jack on a new GT. They rode over to the park as well. Sweet!

Ian and I played tour guide and showed 'em the local trails. They've only seen a few of the trails and didn't realize the other areas linked together with singletrack. The rain stopped and the boys enjoyed the muddy trails - only really muddy in a few areas. The dad, John, mentioned they've been meaning to ride and explore the area, but this was the first time they checked it all out. I'm glad I gave them a little incentive to get the wheels rolling.

I think they had a blast, John said it's the most fun he's had in awhile. Jack seemed to really have a great time and did fantastic as a beginner. I showed him how to roll over some small log drops, lean back on downhills, and a few other pointers. He seemed to dig it all. Dad and son had a few falls, but no big deal and they laughed it off. Ian also seemed to enjoy riding with someone his own age for once.

In the end, they did a great ride - about 10 miles of singletrack - much more then I expected young Jack to pull off. We had a fun morning and I'm sure we'll ride with them again. I'd also bet we see the family that canceled out there eventually as well. Good stuff.

Jack on left. Check out that smile - think he had fun? Ian on right, nice job as tour guide.

Official stand by sign photo - required by state law. Say good bye to the Cannondale and Specialized - last rides for both.

Official sign photo number 2 - with me standing as stupid as possible. Thank you.

This ride spells the end of the line for my Cannondale and Ian's Specialized. Ian has outgrown his bike and makes it look like BMX bike now. The 24" wheel Specialized has been awesome over the last two years, will now be mothballed for future use by daughter Amy. My Cannondale as of tonight as been stripped to the frame, as per Project Access. Cannondale parts now being transferred over to Ian's new frame.....

Almost finished. This will be one sweet bike for a 10 year old. Ian is psyched - me too. Should be ready to hit the woods by the weekend. Oh yes.

With my Cannondale now a bare frame, what will I ride? After much debate, obsessive research and counting pennies, I pulled the trigger on the Sette Razzo 29er. Should be here in a few days. For the dough, a nice parts spec and a cheap way to enter the big wheel world of 29ers. I've read all positive reviews online and even if you tossed the frame and replaced it with a Niner EMD - still a great deal. Should provide some interesting blog posts down the road anyway. So more to follow.

On its way via UPS - please hurry, oh brown truck.

I'm still without a car, as mentioned previously. Did a little looking around this weekend, but not much. I'll need to get something eventually. Hitting the spring stride with 100+ commuting miles last week and the mountain bike ride today. Who needs cars?

Vacation/Demo Day - Just Don't Look Down

Vacation day today, so a ride to start off the festivities. Old mountain bike pal, Tom Fitzpatrick, 64 years young and still cranking it, joined the festivities. Tom also offered to swap bikes and let me ride his Niner EMD 29er for a bit. Hard to pass up that offer, since I've been considering joining the big wheel crowd. Riding a 29er on real trails would be a first for me. Well, that's not totally true - I did demo a Gary Fisher years ago and all the Trek 69er bikes. This still would be a real world ride on a newer 29er however, and a pretty damn nice one as well.

After some seat height adjusting on both bikes, we're off. Tom's EMD was a bit small for me, but certainly rideable. The big wheels still look weird, but to quote Tom, "Just don't look down." There's a 29er marketing catch phrase if I ever heard one - "Just don't look down."

Tom's bike is set up nice - Chris King hubs with Stan's tubeless rims, Fox fork, XT crank, carbon seat post, etc. It feels lighter then my current Cannondale - hoisting it off the ground and actually riding it. You can feel the larger diameter of the wheels for sure, though it's not sluggish at all. It steers and feels like a nice, light hardtail. Roots and rocks do seem to flow a bit easier under the giant hoops, though it's not some earth shattering experience some 29er converts will have you believe. Don't get me wrong, it's damn nice and does feel good - really good. I think the more you rode the 29" wheels, the more you'd appreciate 'em in various conditions. For the few miles of wet, muddy, semi-technical trails I rode on today, I dug it and could own a 29er. It fits my XC Geek, occasional racer riding style a well.

Tom's Niner EMD. Super nice 29er.

After swapping bikes back to their original owners, complete with a woods seat height readjusting party, I'm back on my 26" wheel Cannondale. Being able to swap bikes back to back on your own familiar trails is the perfect demo. After the Niner, my Cannondale feels like a BMX bike - well, sorta - at least like an old school XC race bike, which it is. Bars low, endo(ish) feeling in technical sections, and a little snappier - what I'm used to. Both bikes have their merits, which makes me think a Carver 69er may be the set up for me. I'd also like to ride another 29er that fits me a bit better, with a set up more like I'm used to - longer stem and lower bars. I dig the 29er concept, I'm just not 100% sold yet. Maybe 90%, which is saying a lot for old school me.

Cannondale, muddy yet once again. The way mountain bikes should look - dirty.

I'm happier then my mud splattered face would indicate. I'm just internally pondering the whole 26" verses 29" debate. Serious stuff for bike geek like me. Well, fun serious stuff any way.

No matter what bike I was on, it was fun to get out today and ride with a fellow mountain biker. Thanks to Tom for providing the Niner demo, very cool to do. It was great to check out a 29er on real trails - my real trails. Further testing may be in order. Testing means riding and that's always good.

Over and out for today......

Muddy Bike = Happy Boy

Nothing like sneaking a weekday mountain bike ride in to clear the head and recharge the soul - and today that was needed....

Escaped from work early to take an IT certification test - and much to my horror - I failed. Missed it by a few points, even though I crammed for hours over the weekend and had no problem passing the practice tests. Bummer. The only thing more fun will be announcing the news at work tomorrow. Yes, I am Moron Boy - thank you.

After cell phoning the wife to inform her of my great news - she informed me daughter Amy, fresh out of the dentist chair, needs a root canal. On a baby tooth (??). More joy and all around good times. I check my watch - go back to work or head home? Close call and home wins.

When I get home, discover the family has yet to arrive - time for a quick escape to nearby woods. Quick change into Boy Racer costume and I'm gone......

Sweet glorious Pacific Northwest mud - cleanses the soul, clears the brain, and clogs up the frame.

Muddy Bike = Happy Boy

About an hour's worth of thrashing around the local trails of St. Edward and Big Finn Hill park, my personal stomping grounds, and I'm feeling much better. The eBay special Cannondale frame, old XTR and Fox fork feeling perfect today, mud scraping v-brakes included. I've been toying with the idea of a new bike, maybe a 29er. Today the old bike felt so great, thinking why bother? This bike rocks and has some personality as well. Or maybe it was just trying to cheer me up.

Family pulls in the driveway as I'm hosing off the aluminum steed, the mud hopefully symbolizing my crappy mood as it washes off the frame. Yup, I think it's working. Seeing the family pile out of the car with smiles doesn't hurt either. Dentist shiny clean smiles to boot.

I'll be sure to ride to work tomorrow to keep the good vibe going.....

HeadShokectomy - The Final Chapter

Okay kids, gather around - my Cannondale novel is now complete and will soon be a mini-series on NBC.  I know there's thousands of Internet viewers hanging on every development. Hundreds?  Okay, maybe three or four at most.

As noted in a previous post - it all started with a blown HeadShok. Next, headset was replaced with Cane Creek reducer model to allow use of old Fox fork.  All looked cool, until I discovered the Fox fork didn't clear the downtube.  I installed a inner tube Band-Aid for the time being - while I plotted my next move.  Replace headset yet again? Purchase 5mm fork crown spacer?  Have the HeadShok replaced? Sell all bikes and take up bowling?

In the end, wound up purchasing another Cane Creek headset - same basic model, but with a normal lower bearing cup - instead of the ultra compact model.  I had my pals at uBRODO order this and it arrived quick (thanks).

Since pictures are better then a thousand words - especially my words - follow along the visual path.....

Patented "Before" shot - not suitable for framing.

Let's zoom in for a better look - shall we?  Notice ultra compact lower bearing race.  Also notice dumb looking Stack-O-Spacers on top of stem.  Feel free to laugh and comment.

Ouch - that's not good.  Even a slow speed crash could break fork and/or dent downtube.  Inner tube patch was a placebo that allowed bike to be ridden anyway.  Plus I never crash.....

After installing new headset # 2, things are looking better.  Notice the longer lower bearing race.  I only installed a new lower, since the upper set is the same on both headset models.  I also swapped the stem upside down and moved the spacers.  This looks better to my screwed up eyes (minus upside down logos).  Yes, I'm running riser bars and bar ends.  I am Dork Boy.

Even with the (2nd) new headset, and to prove Murphy's Law is stronger then the law of gravity on such projects - Fox fork still didn't clear.  The right side fork adjustment knob clipped the cable stop. Much cursing and throwing of tools didn't help matters.  Grinding a millimeter or two off the cable stop with a Dremel tool did however. Cheesy, but effective.  The plastic cable housing grazes the fork, but it works.  I hate clapped out crap like this, but after two expensive headsets (or $250 to rebuild the HeadShok (as per Cannondale)) - good enough.

The "After" shot - suitable for framing and riding.  The swapped stem lowered and stretched out my position a bit.  This bike actually fits me really well - being the total old-school XC Geek that I am.  The Fox fork is also much nicer then the HeadShok, though it's a bit heavier.

Until I sell this bike or strip the parts off for another reason, this is how it will remain.  Cannondale frame, Fox Talas fork, full XTR with Mavic ceramic rims - I can't really complain.  Until I score some extra dough, this will work just fine.

Over and out.  The bike garage is now closed.

Indie Series Race # 7. Hot Enough for You?

The Indie Series rolled on today to race number 7 of the series, this time in Roslyn, Washington.  Roslyn had it's 15 minutes of fame back in the 90's as the fictional town of Cicely, Alaska - where the the TV series Northern Exposure was filmed.  The Hollywood types have long left, leaving the small town back to its roots.

Until today, I didn't know about the great trails they have - right out of downtown - where the race site was.  Makes you wonder how cool it would be to live with a set up like that - nice.

Ian and I were looking forward to this event.  His 9:00 AM race time required us to get up stupid early for the 1.5 hour drive over the pass. Weather reports predicted close to 90 degrees today, so the early start was a good thing.  We arrived with enough time for a stress free sign up and look around.  Race promoter, Dan (never got his last name) gave us some early info - this is a tough course, the toughest of the series in his opinion - due to the steep singletrack climbs.  

Course was a 4.5 mile lap, with 1 lap for Ian's class.  A good call, I think 2 laps would have turned this into a death march for the kids. Adults did 2 - 4 laps per race, depending on class. 

Before the race, I fitted a 3 cm longer stem to Ian's bike, raised the seatpost to full max, and slid the seat back on the rails.  It fits him better - but he'll need a small frame 26" wheel bike soon.  This 24" wheel Specialized has been great for him.  Well worth the dough.

As noted in my HeadShokectomy post, I swapped the blown out HeadShok for a Fox fork a few days ago.  All was cool, until I realized the fork doesn't clear the frame.  What a hassle.  For the race, fitted a rubber boot cut from an inner tube to protect the downtube.  At the race, Diamond Back had a bike demo - Diamond Back Dude mentioned a taller fork crown race, to move the fork down 5 mm to clear the frame.  I'll look into it.

Sport class racers head for the woods.  A short, super steep climb strung people out right after the start.  It was a tough, but fun course - almost all singletrack.  The heat added to the "fun". 

Another wave of Sport racers ignore lonely garbage can.  I am the master photographer.  I'm actually under the registration tarp, borrowing some shade - felt like 100 degrees out - no motivation to wander course for pictures.

Ian's race was earlier and beat some of the heat.  Here he pushes up yet another steep hill, passing Aaron (I think that was his name) who's racing in the 11-14 year old Beginner class.  He later passed Ian back and was gone for good.

I followed Ian around the course as I have throughout the series.  He was hating life early in the race, but continued at a slow pace.  He felt better after the climbs ended and had a great time on the descent back to town.  Range of emotions go from "I want to quit" to "That was fun, when is the next race"?  I give Ian and the other kids a lot of credit.  Mountain bike racing is not easy.

After the race, Ian was toasted from the hills and heat - wolfs down peanut butter and jelly sandwich in dirty gloves. Yeah - he's hungry.

To the victor go the spoils - or something like that.  Well, winners medals and cans of Monster Energy drink (perfect for small children). Kid on the left, Scott Funston won the race, while Ian in came in 2nd place.  They were the only two kids in the Boys 10 and Under Beginner class signed up for today.

The Scott kid is fast, wins every race he enters and currently in 1st place for the series.  Ian has now moved into 2nd place for the series by being Mr. Consistent.  Nice going for all.

Overall, a well run race.  The entire Indie Series rocks.  Last event is August 8th in Greenwater, down by Mount Rainier - our favorite course of the series.  This could be the last time I ride with Ian during his race.  If he continues racing next year, the 11-14 age group steps things up a bit, in course length and other aspects.

I'll enjoy it while I can.....

HeadShokectomy

As mentioned in my previous post, the HeadShok on my Cannondale blew up during my last ride - rendering it as useful as a leaky pogo stick. Options were weighed, opinions researched and credit card pulled into duty. It's time for a HeadShokectomy.

Let's begin....

Official "before" shot - Cannondale resting comfortably against garage door. Even though this rig was an eBay frame and fork deal with parts pulled from old donor bike - it looks cool. Since "white is the new black" in the mountain bike world, it appears modern. Then you spot the V-Brakes and HeadShok, welcome to the '90s. Looks like something Tinker Juarez would have raced in 1995 or so. I don't care, looks wise - I dig it.

First - using tiny Allen wrench, remove giant lockout lever from top of fork. Note silver nut on top - this is a target for later. Little pink bike in corner giggles at the Cannondale's misfortune.

Next - remove front wheel, stem, handlebar and V-Brakes. Man, gotta love removable face plates on stems. In my old school bike shop daze, this would require removing one grip, brake lever and shifter, then side handlebar out. No thanks. Little pink bike now looks on in horror.

My, what a big headtube you have. Not shown due to inability to man camera and hammer at the same time - hit the top of fork with a rubber mallet (remember the silver nut target?) A few whacks and entire fork assembly drops out. Piece of cake to remove. The headset is a little tricker to extract, but still pretty easy.

Here's the dead HeadShok, complete with leaking oil (brain fluid?). Lockout lever reinstalled for storage. Who knows, maybe one day I'll dig up a replacement cartridge.

Not shown, due to PG-13 rating - removal of original headset. I don't have official headset tools at my disposal, so carefully tapped them out with a hammer and punch, through the headtube. Don't try this at home without adult supervision or prior experience.

Spiffy new headset ready for installation. It's a Cane Creek XXc Flush II unit. Sounds like a high capacity toilet, but it's not - just a well designed headset that allows a 1 1/8" fork to work with a 1.5" headtube. It also has a super low stack height - what I need, since the Fox steerer tube from donor bike is cut a bit short.

Installation not shown due to graphic nature and additional use of hammer. New headset carefully pounded in with my patented "blocks of wood and rubber mallet" procedure. Do not attempt this at home, your mileage may vary, management not responsible for stolen or damaged items.

With the new headset nestled in the aluminum frame, I then pressed the new bottom race onto the Fox fork steerer tube, using a PVC pipe I keep for such occasions. Someday I'll pick up some real headset tools, but for now, my semi-caveman methods work just fine.

With all headset parts ready to roll - slipped the Fox fork into the headtube, added a few spacers where needed, installed new Race Face stem and reinstalled the handlebar. I needed a new stem since the Cannondale stem won't fit the "normal" sized Fox fork. All other stems collecting dust in the official Dan O Garage are too long for this set up.

The completed installation. Cane Creek wasn't kidding on the flush mount description. The short, pre-cut for previous bike steerer tube, has room to spare. With the skinny ass XC stem, mondo headtube and stack of spacers ready my puncture my sternum - looks pretty damn stupid. It'll do the job though, so okay for now. If I did it again, would use a beefier looking stem with a 31.8 bar, to offset the huge frame tubing. This Frankenstein set up keeps the bars in the same relative position as before.

The "after" shot, suitable for framing. Looks uglier and gained a little weight, but the Fox suspension quality is worlds better then the HeadShok. Will test ride this weekend.

Adios from the Bike Garage. Ride safe, ride often - just ride....

NOTE:  If you're actually using this post for real information - read update post here.

Singletrack Sampling and Exploding HeadShok

Yesterday, I planned to put together a faster paced ride over at the local woods - St. Eds/O Denny Park.  New Guy Kevin emailed to take up my offer for a faster ride, that I mentioned a few weeks ago - so I said sure - and invited a few others who may be interested in such tomfoolery....

Two Wheeled Types,

Sunday 8:00 AM (stupid early) at St Eds for (approx) 2 hour ride.  I’m billing this as the no kids (sorry Ian), limited stopping, fast paced ride.  Get in and get out early, with enough time left in the day for other festivities.

Fast is relative depending on people, fitness, tide levels, fear of crashing, and Elvis sightings.  This will be fast for me (Al Franken) and I’ll crank it a bit.  If my fast is your slow, feel free to snack on a tuna sandwich while enjoying the relaxing ride.  If my fast is your fast, feel free to suffer a bit and have fun.

Email if interested.  Reply to all, since my home address is included.  Vacation day for me on Friday.

Nanu Nanu.

Mork

I'm all for getting my son out there and/or gearing the ride for other semi-newbies, but was looking forward to a faster ride with limited stops.  I snuck out of the house bright and early, no one else awake - and buzzed over to St Eds to meet New Guy Kevin - the only confirmed rider out of the bunch.  We waited until 8:00 AM in case anyone else showed up - no one else arrived.  Maybe all the '70s references in my email scared 'em off.  In any case, they were missing a super nice morning to be outside.

New Guy Kevin and I hit the singletrack and started rolling.  Within 15 minutes or so, Kevin literally hit the singletrack while crashing off a large log pile.  Ouch.  Landed on his hand, bending his fingers back. Double ouch.  It hurt, but he gave it a go for awhile, then bailed on the road to head back to his car.  All part of mountain biking, just the way it goes sometimes.  I'm sure we'll ride again when the hand heals up.

Alone, I took off a semi-race pace (for me) on the empty trails.  Nice to get out early for change.  All was cool until my HeadShok fork started to feel like a deflated pogo stick.  Then the lock out stopped working.  Mr. HeadShok had officially blown his brains out.  Gee, thanks.  This was an eBay special NOS (new old stock) Cannondale frame and fork, so no soup for you - uh, I mean warranty.

Crap-O-Rama.  Under a year old, little miles, all XC oriented, fork goes belly up.  Pretty lame really.  Oh well, I ride the pogo stick home, mentally figuring out how to replace or repair - with as little dough outlay as possible.  Gotta love being the one paycheck family of four.

My initial plan was to get son Ian a NOS (Remember what that means?) or used frame off eBay, then transfer the older, but still cool XTR parts off the Cannondale to his "new" frame - including a '04 Fox Talas fork I've been saving.  That would be a killer set up for 10 year old, no?  Then somehow dad (that be me) would score a new mountain bike.  We both would win and the world would be a happy place. Current economic conditions dictate that idea be filed under "Dream Land".

Time for Plan B.  Those options included replacing the Cannondale HeadShok cartridge.  Considering the stellar record I've experienced and what I've read off the Internet (invented by Al Gore) - no thanks.

Magura also makes, or did at one time, a replacement cartridge.  I'd go for that, 'cause semi-old school me thinks the HeadShok fork design is pretty cool (for XC use) and from what I've read, the Magura replacement works well.  Internet cruising finds no one seems to carry this thing - plus I don't have the special tools needed to pull the HeadShok apart.  Even though a HeadShok lobotomy sounds kind of fun, I'll pass on this.

That leaves headset adapters or replacement to mount a "normal" sized fork in the 1.5" Cannondale headtube.  I will pull the Fox fork out of storage for Cannondale use (sorry Ian).  The Fox fork is cut fairly short, since it previously lived on my Ellsworth Truth, that runs a 4" long headtube.  The Cannondale sports a 4.5" headtube length.  After much Internet cruising and a trip to the local bike shop, decided on a flush mount Cane Creek headset - that I ordered direct from Cane Creek today.  This should do the trick and allow the much nicer Fox fork to work on the Cannondale.  $90 for this project is a little steep, but cheaper then a new bike.  Oh yeah, I'll need a new stem as well - it never ends.

I also need all this complete by the weekend for Indie Series race # 7 in Rosyln.  Emergency backup plan would be to dust off the vintage Fat Chance Yo Eddy, complete with rigid fork.  I'd rather go with front suspension.  Sorry, I'm getting old.  I also need to score Ian a longer stem, since his 24" wheel Specialized is getting small for him.

Ian is currently in 3rd place overall for the series and we don't want to miss the last two races.  Fame and fortune await.  Well, at least a medal and sense of accomplishment.  That's cooler then fame and fortune, usually - at least with the fortune we could score new bikes and skip the parts swapping frenzy.

Man, maybe I should just bag all this bike nonsense and take up something cheaper and safer - like stamp collecting or just live for my lawn.

Fat chance on that happening....

Designed in USA

Bicycle Retailer reports today that Cannondale will cease manufacturing frames in the US by 2011.  I guess they'll have to replace the Handmade in USA sticker that graces the seat stay with Designed in USA.  Like many other products that were manufactured in the US, construction will move to Asia.  I don't even like to call bikes "products" - to me they're more then that.

When it comes down to it - only the frames were made here - everything else comes from somewhere else.  Besides high end, boutique components - very few parts of a bicycle are still manufactured here in the US.  So who cares about the frame?  I do. We're losing something when this practice continues to happen - since the frame is the soul of the bike.

I know globalization is complicated.  I've owned a Volkswagen GTI that was assembled in Pennsylvania.  I currently drive a Nissan SE-R that came off an assembly line in Tennessee. The Aprilia Falco motorcycle that once graced my garage was made in Italy, but the motor came from Austria.  I've owned a long list of Japanese motorcycles and one modern Triumph, built in England.  On top of that, many years ago - various cars from Italy, Germany, England and the US.

I've owned a fair amount of nice bicycles over the last 25 years or so. Frames made in the US, Japan, Taiwan and China.  So, it's not like I'm completely a "made in the USA or die" zealot.  Still, hearing the Cannondale news bothers me.

I'm just as guilty or hypocritical as many on this subject, even though many times you don't have a real choice when buying something.  I've worked for a few manufacturing companies in the past, providing IT support.  I've witnessed the manufacturing area converted to a warehouse after production moved to China.  I've heard all the pro arguments supporting such a move.  I don't care - you're still losing something important.

My next bike - if at all possible - will sport a frame manufactured in the US.  That's my little stand in a sea of things I can't really control.

Saturday Escape

After two weeks of trading colds in the house and not riding to work for a week, I managed to squeeze in a quick mountain bike ride today. My favorite person to ride with, my son Ian, elected to skip it, leaving me for a solo cruise. After a busy week at work and home, some time to myself was a good thing.

I hit the local woods, Saint Edward State Park and Big Finn Hill Park, two adjacent parks that total a few hundred acres of woods - laced with fun singletrack. I can hit this right from the garage, no car trip required. I'm pretty damn lucky to have an off-road area rideable from the house. I've actually had access to local woods from everywhere I've lived for most of my life - that's better then hitting the lottery.

Trails today were in great shape, temps in the 40's, and hardly anyone else sharing them. I did run into an old co-worker and fellow riding pal, Jim Magnuson. We chatted for a bit and headed in opposite directions. A welcome interruption to the festivities. I've been on a networking binge lately, through Facebook and email, so almost ESP like to run into someone on the list.

The ride was just a pleasant cruise through the trees, no rush today at all. It's only February, way too early to pretend you're fast. These little escapes into the woods are better to me then a paid vacation to some tourist trap - and a lot cheaper.

Bikes are the ultimate escape hatches. You knew that already - a little reminder can't hurt.