Doors Close, Doors Open

Break out the hammer and WD-40. Time to chip away the rust on this frozen blog and portion of my brain that allegedly enjoys writing. Listen closely and you can hear the cracking and groaning across the Internet, last post nearly a year ago. Life is busy, morphs and moves on.

After a series of misadventures, I find myself unemployed after 15 years with same company. Considering I wasn't exactly digging the last year or so, probably a good thing in the long run. Interviews and poking at possible jobs in progress, looking forward to something new. Having a few weeks off to clear the brain also not a bad result of this opportunity, though loss of income certainly a concern. Hopefully, something cool on the horizon.

On the bike front, been getting out sporadically on the 29er. At times solo, other times with my 16 year old son, the former semi-serious racer. Me on the now 5 year old bargain Sette hardtail that still works for old school me. With 80mm of fork travel and 72 degree head angle, outdated compared to modern trail oriented bikes currently on the market. Feel free to snicker at the 120mm stem and bar ends while you're at it. Son Ian piloting the Santa Cruz Bronson we picked up last summer, great bike and worth considering if you're so inclined.

To finish off this post on a cool note, pictured is a friend of my son with the vintage '97 Specialized FSR he purchased off us a few months ago. I picked it up from coworker pal quite awhile ago, thinking someone on my former junior high mountain bike team would be interested. That never happened and the bike collected dust in the garage.

After loaning the bike a few times to my son's pal to share rides, his dad came over and bought it for him. It's since been used almost daily, with occasional visits to the Stevens Pass mountain bike park. The kid is digging riding and that's all that really matters.

It doesn't matter what you ride, just ride.

Spring has Sprung - Mountain Biking 'R' Us

Squeezed a few mountain bike rides in this week, including yesterday with pal Brian christening his spiffy new 29er.  Son Ian also joined in on the festivities.  Perfect day with sunny temps in the 60s, trails in great shape - with just a touch of mud to make things interesting - leaving actual proof of dirt fun on leg and bikes.

Cruised our local trails, St Edward State Park/Big Finn Hill Park, for the uh, zillionth time.  Doesn't matter, any trails ridable from the house are perfect in my book.  We're lucky to have this playground virtually in our backyard, a few hundred acres laced with singletrack.

Bikes lined up, after a quick post ride hose off, for official photo session.  We appear to be Team Sette, with all of our steeds sporting the same downtube sticker.  Brian was impressed with his ceremonial 29er dirt action.  I've been digging my 29er for two years now.  Ian's Sette frame that I recently built up is working great.  If you're looking for a great ride at a great price, Sette is pretty hard to beat.

This now concludes my Sette commercial, which wasn't my intent.  Intent is to just ride, whatever you're riding.  See you out there.

Project Sette Reken - It is Alive

As mentioned recently, Racer Boy Ian has outgrown his current mountain bike and required a replacement.  As per my plan to keep him rolling on race ready gear for low dough, replacement means frame only, moving everything possible from one frame to another.  And I do declare, the plan has been a success.  Project Sette was bolted together and brought to life this very weekend, by yours truly.  That be me, ex bike shop guy and all around goof ball.

For any and all interested, some Pics 'N' Words describing the build.  Grab a Snapple and pull up a chair.  The tour begins...

The completed machine.  Purty, huh?  Yes, we have flowers all year in Washington, despite the fact it was spitting snow today.  Enough about the weather, let's talk bikes.  Frame is the Sette Reken model, the in-house brand from Price Point.  $100 will score you one.  Similar to the Performance Access frame it replaced, these bargain frames are a killer deal.  Light weight, decent welds, disk and v-brake mounts, low key graphics, 6061 aluminum with a 5 year warranty.  If you're looking to build up a budget bike, you can't go wrong.  Simple, low key, aluminum frames that work well.  This is the 16" size to match growing Ian; seatpost was bumped up another inch or so, once he actually rode the thing.

As to not repeat myself later - though probably will - except where noted, I moved all the old school XTR goodies, LX crankset, wheels, Fox fork - almost everything from the Performance frame to the Sette frame.  A very low cost build up, especially considering the majority of components have now lived on four bikes.  My Ellsworth Truth and Cannondale hardtail, then Ian's Performance Access and now Sette Reken.  Shimano and Fox make some quality stuff, no doubt.

Shimano XT front derailleur that lived on my Cannondale for two years and still looks new.  The XTR Ian was running didn't fit the thinner seat tube on the Sette.  No problem, XT works just fine.  Water bottle cage from used Redline 'cross bike we picked up last year.  Reusing parts is the way to go whenever possible.

Beefy welds and gusset on the Reken frame.  Race Face headset from eBay for $35.  I didn't pay attention to the stack height and lucked out, everything just fits with two thin spacers on the precut 2004 Fox Talus fork.  Sette stem and 'bars pulled from previous build, but originally came on my Sette Razzo 29er.  XTR v-brake grabs Mavic ceramic rim, that spins on XTR hub.  Older stuff that still gets the job done.

Old school XTR derailleur that still, uh, derails on command.  The SRAM cassette and Shimano chain still usable.  I did need to buy a Shimano pin to reassemble the chain, none to be found in my Pile-O-Parts.  The Sette frame features a replaceable dropout, a must on the aluminum frame.

Looking pro like on the bike stand.  New Panaracer XC Pro tires mounted, looking quite red. On sale from Price Point for $20 each.  I also replaced all the cables for the new bike feel.  Picked those up local from REI, retaining the budget build theme.

Nice looking welds in the BB area with plenty of mud clearance to boot.

To match the front, XTR v-brake and Mavic ceramic rim.  Rear brake cable required full housing, since it shares mounts for the disk brake cable.  Zip ties through provided slots keep cable in place - handy.

Shimano LX crank transferred from previous build.  The BB bearings were in great shape, so installed and used again.  Battered Shimano 747 pedals keep on working and have graced a few bikes.  I splurged on the new Lizard Skins chainstay protector.  $8 from REI.

Nice Fizik saddle moved over from previous frame.  Originally arrived on my Ibis Silk Carbon road bike.  My butt prefers the old school Flite saddle, so I removed the Fizik - glad I saved it.  

Sette branded seatpost pulled from garage stash, originally arrived on my Razzo 29er though never used.  27.2 size required for this frame. Really cool to pull stuff outta your Pile-O-Parts to keep the build rolling.

Front view and ready to roll.  2004 era Fox fork has been amazing.  No maintenance for 13 years, no air leaks, and still feels new.  Cat Eye computer was a present for Ian's 7th birthday, has lived on several bikes now.  Scratched plastic a reminder of his first ever mountain bike race in 2008, courtesy of a pre-race warm up endo.  Seems like yesterday.

After the build, a Sunday cruise on local trails to sort things out.  Besides a quick trail side derailleur adjustment, no problems.  Ian said it feels like his old bike, just a little bigger.  Mission accomplished.  Pretty cool bike for a 12 year old, no?

A little Pacific Northwest mud and goo to officially christen Project Sette.  Felt great to hit the trails today.  Predicting the little Sette will look like this often. That's a good thing.

With Ian's Reken added to my Razzo 29er, we now appear to be Team Sette. Blurry photo as proof.

Overall, the build was a snap and went together with ease.  I dig building bikes up from a bare frame and really enjoy projects like this.  I also get a kick out of seeing my son ride something that I assembled.  Doing it for low dough that doesn't require guilt factor from the family budget is also a plus.  I hope it inspires other folks out there, riding and racing decent bikes doesn't have to be expensive.

Stay tuned from future Project Sette rides, races and updates...

Starts Good - Ends Bad

Took a few days off last week, bit of a "Staycation" to spend time with the family and just generally not be at work - always a good thing. As expected, did some mountain biking, various rides - solo, with son Ian, hit the "Old Guy Ride" once, and one full family ride...

Family ride location was Iron Horse State Park, outside of North Bend, that includes a gravel rail trail. Trail extends all the way to Idaho, our plan was a bit less adventurous - just cruise a bit to match the speed and interest of wife Lori and seven year old daughter Amy.

Racer Boy Ian complained the ride would be too slow, but once the wheels hit the trail, he acted as the ride leader and matched the slow pace. Ian and I have ridden here before, when he was younger, so he was familiar with the route.

The female half of the clan enjoyed the ride, though it all ended a trip to the ER - more on that later...



The John Wayne Pioneer Trail runs through Iron Horse State Park and continues through Washington into Idaho. Basically all flat and hard packed gravel. Mountain and cyclocross bikes work best. The trail parallels I-90 for quite a bit, though far enough way to feel like a remote ride through the woods. Farther down the trail is a two mile long tunnel, lights required for that adventure. Not on the agenda for the day, just a cruise with many stops to look around.

One for the old school Bridgestone fans; wife Lori's almost mint 1991 MB-3. Cool old bike and perfect for gravel trail running.

The Sette Razzo 29er takes a breather. I've been riding this bike for over a year now and still dig it. The 29er hardtail matches my old school XC riding style. The SRAM drivetrain is holding up well, as are the wheels. Tires are ready to be replaced, rear is pretty worn. I'll probably use the Kenda Small Block 8 tires again, they work better then expected everywhere, considering intended for hard pack use. I've gone though one set of Avid brake pads so far, and my only slight complaint - brake squeal at times. I plan to replace the semi-metallic pads for organic soon, to see if that cures it. Otherwise, the Razzo rocks and is a complete killer deal.

Trestle stop requires tossing large rocks into the water below. Ian demonstrates.

Trail side scenery.

Ragnar appears to have been a stop when the railroad was active. Now just notes an empty field with a few piles of scrap wood. Book your stay soon...

Rattlesnake Lake sits next to Iron Horse State Park. Very scenic stop for swimming and fishing.

Another view of Rattlesnake Lake. We're lucky to live in such a scenic part of the country.

After a four mile super easy cruise on the trail, we stopped at Rattlesnake Lake to goof around a bit. Warm weather, sun was setting, kids splashed around a bit. A nice family day out. Plan was to head to Mazama the following day to get away for awhile, wife confirming our reservations via cell phone while the kids waded around in the lake. That all was about to change...

Kids dried their feet off and we mounted our bikes for the ride through the parking lots back to the car - maybe 300 yards away. On the slight uphill into the parking lot, car in sight, daughter Amy stalls - then tips over at a standstill - onto her outstretched arm. Ouch, but looked like nothing serious, just a simple fall over. The ensuing crying said otherwise, she said her elbow really hurt. I honestly thought she was just upset and not really injured. I loaded up the car, crying daughter included, then we all headed home.

While eating a very late dinner home, she said it was still hurting. Better get it checked - Lori drove her over to the ER for an x-ray. They arrive home a few hours later with a temporary cast, hairline fracture in the elbow area. Yikes. I was shocked, thought for sure they'd come back with a report of a bruised arm. Not to be, as were our vacation plans.

I felt terrible, even though this was just a goofy slow speed tip over. Second time in a few weeks with someone riding with our group getting injured. This time my little daughter and as most parents know, having something happen to your kids is tough. I'd trade breaking both my elbows in exchange if possible. All part of growing up though, these things happen.

Luckily, with the temporary cast place, no pain and also sleeping fine. She's been a good sport about it. The real cast to be fitted in a few days. Amy said to make sure they have pink casts available. Wacky enough, the orthopedic doctor scheduled to fit the cast also races bikes. The wheels continue to turn. Everybody will ride once again.

Sunday Ride

After a hectic weekend, quick ride at St Ed/Big Finn Hill, late Sunday afternoon. Nothing exciting to report, just a few pictures to post......

Ian checks out the sunset over Lake Washington. One trail at St Ed State Park heads down to a small beach type area. There are other trails that lead to the water, but only one that allows bikes. Nice wide downhill, but needs to be crawled down due to hiker, dog walkers, and other folks out as well. Pretty decent climb to get back out, the only real climb of the area.

Me, sitting on a log, looking pretty goofy - my speciality.

Ian eyes up the bikes, in case they make a run for it. Under the log, a mouse poked his head out a few times, but disappeared once the camera came out. A rare camera shy species of rodent, only found in the Pacific Northwest. Look it up. It's true, I swear....

Second dirt ride on Ian's new steed. Tweaked front derailleur shifts much better, but still not perfect - a few dropped chains while hitting the small ring. I've never had this much hassle setting up a derailleur before. Might be a LX crank/chainline issue. I'll tweak it some more before the next ride. Since I swapped the stem over, Ian mentioned the lower handlebars feel better.

Overall, he's digging the bike and cleaned a few technical sections, where he'd stumble on previous rides. He also mentioned this bike climbs better then his 24" wheel Specialized. New rig is also really light, I need to weigh it and find out the actual poundage.

Second real ride on the new Sette Razzo as well. I like it - a lot. Handles and feels great, the 29er wheels do seem to roll easier. So far, so good. I need to get more dirt miles on it - some faster solo rides as well. I still plan to pick up a seat post with a little setback, as well install my bar ends.

That's all for now.....

New Bikes Hit Dirt !!

Coming off a crazy 60+ hour work week, complete with 15 hour Friday to top it off - including a 1:00 AM bike commute home - no time to tweak the new Sette Razzo 29er to my specs until Saturday afternoon rolled around.

Why the long hours? Side project at work editing a corporate video soon to be shown at a large meeting. Pro editor I'm not, but have done a fair amount of editing at home, so was drafted into action. Adding that project to my normal workload was nuts, but the editing was fun and we'll see what kind of reaction it gets. Lots of goofy humor involved - not the usual corporate deal.

Late Saturday afternoon I finally had time to swap some parts on the Sette - seatpost, saddle, stem and handlebars. Some neighborhood buzzing around confirmed a better fit. Bike felt good and I was looking forward to hitting some trails on Sunday. Ian was looking forward to riding his new rig on dirt as well.

After killing most of Sunday looking at cars to replace my dead one (didn't buy anything), Ian and I hit the local woods late in the afternoon - just a quick singletrack cruise to feel out the new bikes. Having woods rideable from the house - man, we're lucky.

Ian races the pilotless Sette. Dude, 29ers rolls so well, they can win on their own. All the marketing shtick is true....

In the end, Ian pulls away on his new steed. Go Ian go.

Repeat official sign shot, this time with new bikes. The 29er wheels still look weird to me - they're just plain big. It rides well though - really well. Compare 'em against the 26" wheels on Ian's bike. Freaky, huh?

I am SWOBO man - hear me roar.

Swapped the Sette branded 'bar and 100mm stem for the 120mm Race Face stem and LP carbon bar that I was running on my Cannondale. Fits better and a bit lighter to boot. I plan to pick up a new flat bar, slightly wider, then install with the stem right side up. The Sette has a short 3.5" headtube which helps lower the front end, since 29er frames are a bit tall in the front. This lets you get the bars a little lower - what I like. I'll probably reinstall my bar ends as well - call me Dork Boy - I miss 'em, even if currently unfashionable.

Sette branded seatpost and saddle swapped out for my old Thomson post and old school Flite saddle, both off my Cannondale. I'll replace the seatpost with one sporting some setback soon. The Razzo frame has a steep 74 degree seat tube and I want the seat back about 1/2 inch to get my knee a bit behind the pedal spindle (my usual set up). Saddle is currently slammed back as far as possible.

Sette ready to roll with bottle cages and spare tube under the red saddle - not sure if I dig the red on this bike. I may search for a black Flite saddle. Maybe not. Cast your vote now.

Ian's Access with a mixture of new and used parts finally gets dirty. A few tweaks still needed in the shifting department and handlebar width - a tad too narrow.

The Sette Razzo felt great on the trails. Steers well, feels snappy, and the 29 wheel size does seem to roll faster. Just a short ride, but I dig it so far. The SRAM drivetrain shifts great and the RockShox Reba SL fork is like buttah - nice. It's a great bike and a killer deal - can't beat that combo. I'm looking forward to spending more time on it.

Ian's first ride on his new steed went okay - some adjustment needed. Ian mentioned it felt bigger then his 24" wheel bike and a bit harder to corner. Towards the end of the ride, he was readjusting his cornering style and getting it. He mentioned the bike felt smoother then his old bike, no doubt the Fox fork playing a part in that.

Shifting woes marred Ian's ride some. Partly the bike's fault - bike shifted fine in the workstand and during test rides - but not in the woods. Rear shifting went off, later corrected by me in the garage. Front shifting was off as well, still need to sort that out. Also a learning curve for Ian moving from his old Gripshift setup to the XTR paddle shifters. With practice he'll get it and I'll sort the front derailleur out during the week. Once fully sorted and a little more riding time, this bike should work well for him.

We took a few short videos on the ride, but Google Blogger ain't happy uploading 'em for some reason. I gave up after a few attempts. I wonder if the Amish have these problems?

We'll hit the trails again next weekend and continue to "test" our new bikes. This is one test I don't mind studying for.

Sette Razzo 29er - The Big Wheels Arrive

As mentioned ad nauseam over the last few blog posts - Project Access and me scoring a 29er - the wait is over. The new and very shiny Sette Razzo 29er arrived last Thursday. Late Friday night Wrench-O-Thon brought it to light, as well as Ian's Access - hence the 2:00 AM finish for both projects. Yes, I said "hence". My 8th grade English teacher would be proud.

A few reasons and thoughts on why I went with the Sette....

1. Killer price. Cruise through catalogs or the Internet and price out the build kit. I challenge you to come up with the same build for less. A similar spec'd Specialized Stumpjumper Comp 29er is $1850, though I had a local shop quote me $1650. The Scott Scale 29er I also checked out lists for $1650, though REI sells it for $1500. Niner with a similar build is over $2000. The Sette delivered to my door was $1240. See what I mean? Plus I have 30 days to ride and return if I don't dig it. The frame itself also has a 5 year warranty. Great set up.

I hate to harp on dough as I have over the last few posts, but being the single paycheck family of four dictates I do so - especially for bicycle related gear. Bikes are important to me, but so is feeding the family and other normal expenses. You get the picture.

2. Curious about the Sette business model. I've kicked around the online bike company idea in my head for quite awhile - pipe dream for sure - but fun to research. When it comes down to it, for production based bikes, most are made in Asia - even the U.S. boys do this - Trek, Specialized, Kona, etc. Designed here and made off-shore. Sette does this as well, but sells direct, offering big savings. I'm completely overstating here, but in some ways, you're paying for paint and stickers. Sounds sacrilegious, but when you dig into the industry a bit, there is some truth to this - especially at this price level. So, I was curious to order one up on my own dime and check out the experience.

Official Disclaimer: Sounds contradictory, but I'm all for the local bike shop as well - especially if they support the local riding scene. I personally don't really need shop support - I do all my own work, I'm the ex-bike shop rat myself, and feel I know quite a bit about all this bike tomfoolery - but I do appreciate what a good shop provides to the local area. In the past, I've done the full on custom build from a local shop, and bought bikes off the floor as well. I also try to steer folks to shops I think are cool.

However, where bikes are manufactured and how they're sold has changed greatly over the last 10 years or so. I think really successful shops may require a blend of storefront and online sales. Speedgoat would be a good example if this. The online business model does fit some customers, not all - but some.

3. It's all about the frame - right? In a lot of ways I agree, the frame is the soul of the bike. In the past I've owned and still own bikes from Fat Chance, Ibis, Bridgestone, Cannondale, and Ellsworth. Not exactly the low end lot of bikes, nor without character or soul if you will. I've read good reviews on the Sette frame from actual owners. I'm curious to see how a lower cost frame stacks up against what I've ridden in the past.

The whole branding and marketing aspect of the bike industry also interests me greatly - so a little experiment for me to ride a "mail order" bike. Will I be allowed to sit with the cool kids at lunch?

Man, how was that for a psychotic Ramble-O-Fest of an intro? I think about and analyze this bike stuff WAY too much. I'll shut up now, call around for a shrink, and finally give a little a tour of the new wheels......

Big brown box arrived in a big brown truck. Box even say's "Sette" on the side, so it must be a real company.

Bike was impressively packaged for shipping. Double boxed, everything zip tied, bubble wrapped and correctly done. Awesome job - I'm serious. Kudos to Sette on shipping.

Easy assembly: Swing stem around and tighten, install handlebars to stem, install front wheel and pedals, grease and slide seatpost into frame (saddle already attached). Bike shifted fine right out of the box. I had to adjust the front brake to remove a little drag, set correct air pressure in Rock Shox fork. That's it - nice job again Sette. Of course, I've assembled loads of bikes in the past. Still, anyone with a bit of riding experience and minor wrenching ability should have no problem.

Rock Shox Reba SL fork, FSA Orbit headset, Deore hub laced to Mavic 719 rim (double butted spokes and alloy nipples), Avid Elixir CR brake, and Kenda Small Block 8 tire complete the front end.

SRAM X.9 derailleur handles the rear shifting duties. Shimano cassette, complete with 11 - 36 gearing - nice touch for a 29er, since you lose some low end gearing with the larger wheel. Plastic spoke protector will soon become a Frisbee.

SRAM X.7 front derailleur and Truvativ Stylo 3.3 crankset. Both budget minded, but work just fine. Bike also came with Shimano M505 clipless pedals. I installed my well worn 747 pedals instead. I'll give son Ian the new 505s when he's ready to go clipless.

Avid Elixir CR brake lever and Sette branded lock on grip. Not bad at all.

Sette branded stem and handlebar. Light, decent parts - similar to other branded stuff and probably made in the same factory as bigger brands.

Sette branded saddle and seatpost. Seatpost ain't bad, saddle will be swapped shortly.

Curved stays to allegedly soften the ride of aluminum. Kenda Small Block 8 tire for smooth rolling action.

Frame is polished 7005 aluminum, simple graphics (clear coated), 3.2 pounds with double butted main triangle. Pretty damn light for a 29er frame. I'm not big on polished aluminum, but it looks better in real life, then in photos. It looks good - polished with black parts.

Head tube detail - welds won't impress anyone at Moots - but not bad.

Interesting gusset on seat tube area. I also like the top mounted cable guides.

Detail of BB area and rear Mavic 719 rim. Looks cool to me.

Avid disk and frame brace to gawk at in the rear - along with double butted spokes and alloy nipples - same as front wheel. What a coincidence.

Underside of BB shot, complete with "Made in Taiwan" sticker. At this price, thought it would be China. I'm curious to know what frame manufacturer in Taiwan this actually comes from. I'll do some digging around. I'd bet many other brands ship from the same door. See, there I go again...

With Ian's Performance Access and my Sette Razzo completed - we are now officially "Team Mail Order". Yes indeed.

I wanted to photo the bike as it arrived - so there you have it. I plan to swap the seatpost, saddle and stem to better fit my goofy ass body. That will happen this week. I'll hit dirt this weekend to give it a roll. I'm itchy to see if the 29er hype is all true or a figment of marketing imagination. I've only buzzed the bike on the street for a few minutes and it felt pretty good.

As usual - poor photography and miscellaneous rambling to follow. Stay tuned.