Mt. Bike Now

Tim gettin' busy...



Danny Pate got this one of me lining up for the Killer Bee notch...


Sue took this one of me hitting a drop...

We have had some heavy days on the bike this week so we opted to take it easy today. We took a leasurely spin getting lost on the Secret Trails, saved on Crucifixion Wash and weird at the Devil's Kitchen. Yesterday consisted of a big group riding Tomahawk, Killer Bee, Damifino, and Hangover. Been hanging and riding with some good folks since we rolled into town. Everyone here knows the van and knows that a good time is sure to be had when it pulls up. Heidi from Moab, was asking how many of us there are. Collin's reply was "Up to 12 and no fewer than 4," which is pretty on point seeing as folks come and go on the daily. Burner and Skinny were here for 5 days. I havent seen Burner since we did the hut trip in '05 I think it was. Skinny even longer. We are right around halfway through our adventure and I have already made my way through 15 rolls of film. At some point I am going to have to re-up. Here are a few point and shoot images to give an idea of what we have been up to.

On approach...


Woke up and this was hanging in the living room. Bad omen?


Trail filter...


Sue on Ledge'n'Airy...

…of recovery weeks.

After a very relaxing/refreshing two weeks of doing prettymuch “whatever,” I’ve grown restless, and will resume pre-season training this week. It’s been nice. Yesterday, I tried yoga for the first time. It felt good. I’m highly likely to go back. Otherwise, I’ve generally been drinking beer and riding occasionally for an hour or two whenever I get the inkling.

Today, Ryan and I rode 4-wheeler trails out to Gray’s Creek. It was my first singlespeed ride since Thanksgiving, and turned out to be perfect inspiration to get back into the swing of race-season prep.

I love singlespeed.

Sometimes, when I haven’t ridden singlespeed in a while, I sort of forget just how awesome it is. Geared = look at an obstacle, think about shifting, think about navigating, blah, blah, blah… Singlespeed? look at an obstacle, fucking pedal. Grab the bar ends and hammer. I love bar ends…

I’m still in a brief recovery period- I haven’t been totally off of the bike, but I’m generally just going out and screwing around whenever I feel the urge. While I’m incredibly excited to start training and racing my 2012 season, I haven’t quite reached the throes of recovery where I’m restlessly checking my training schedule in hopes that Coach has decided that it’s time to get back to work. It will happen soon, though. I’ve got a lot of work to do before Southern Cross in less than a month.

Yes, though I was questioning as to whether or not I’d race it this year because of the race’s close proximity to Worlds, I feel as though I’ve got a bit of pent up frustration due to the amount of work put in to gain fitness for the race followed by the anticlimactic nature of mechanicaling myself out of the lead group in the first lap. Southern Cross will be more than the usual suspects this year since it’s part of a larger “ultra cross” series comprised of mostly East-Coast gravel grinders. I’m not expecting to win, though I do plan on using Selene Yeager’s wheel to destroy every fiber of my being.

Before that, I’ve got training camp 2012 at Syllamo. Given the amount of volume I haven’t done this winter and the all-day nature of training at the cabin, it will be both painful and rewarding.

Other random, impending happenings? Looks like I’m going to take up yoga starting this weekend.

 

This is an SRM powermeter (172.5mm crank arm length) that I purchased around the beginning of 2009. Earlier this year, I sent it to SRM for a “refurb”- new batteries in the PCV and SRM along with a thorough cleaning of the internals of the powermeter. It works beautifully, but I’ve since gone wireless. Price doesn’t include a GXP bottom bracket, but if you’re interested, I could work out a deal on a new one for you.

Next up in the garage sale- my “old’ cyclocross bike.

This is a 2008 BH Carbon Cross- size 51cm with SRAM Force components (FSA carbon crank and Avid Shorty brakes). I raced it for 2 seasons before getting my Scott. It was an excellent bike, but just a hair too small for me.

Important Stuff:
-The guy who owned it before me disassembled the front shifter and converted it to 1×10. I mostly raced it that way, but added a bar-end shifter and slightly chipped SRAM Red front derailleur for chain retention and the option to use a 2x setup.
-The front chainring is a 40t with a bash guard
-The wheels are Velomax with Kenda Small Block Eight tires
-Handlebars are FSA Wing Pro Compact- size 42 (they’re 40cm c-c at the hoods and 42cm c-c at the drops)
-I recently overhauled the bike, and in the process, installed new brakes (Avid Shorty 6s) and Cane Creek Stainless Steel Headset Bearings
-Here’s a geo chart:

Here are some photos. As always, if you have any questions, email andrea @ brickhouseracing.com or message me on facebook.

So much has happened in the past week. On the drive out Collin got a call from Nick Pence saying he just passed us on I-40 going the otherway before we landed in Flagstaff where we spent the night and went to a friend's engagement party. The past couple days have been good. I earned the felted Bruce Lee Tee shirt a few days back, got the tour of the big new stuff that feeds into the old big stuff ala Damifino to Hangover. Tommahawk is about as steep and tech as it gets. Steep, steep roll-ins. Scary steep, tight switchbacks. A proper DH trail where bike control and skill win out over just letting the bike do the work for you. Would love to hit it again, knowing what I am getting into and also shoot some photos along the way. This is about as good as it gets. Wake up late, work on the bikes, ride your guts out on top notch trail with good peeps until the sunsets and then back to the house for food and hangouts then pass out early. Riding with different folks on the daily and seeing familiar faces on the trail is super cool. Its a small demographic of cyclists that come to Sedona for extended periods of time. After a week here, I am feeling the effects of pinning it on the daily. Tired legs and arms, as well as an increase in fitness. Three weeks to go and much trail to be ridden. Not shooting much with the pocket rocket so images will have to wait.

Here’s the first of what is going to be a large amount of housecleaning with mine & Ryan’s bike stuff… keep checking back for more this week. What doesn’t get any bites from you, my loyal readers, will go to EBay where non-loyal non-readers can purchase it. Email (andrea @ brickhouseracing.com) or contact me through Facebook if you’re interested

First item- my first rigid fork. I love rigid. So much so, that I procured the RDO thru-axle fork late last year. So, now my quick release style fork is for sale. Here’s the rundown:

-Used for ~1year, has a couple of small scratches, but otherwise excellent shape
-Steertube is tapered and 152.5mm in length
-Carbon-safe compression plug installed
-Fork info on Niner’s site: Niner Taper Steerer Rigid Carbon Fork
-$200