More to come.
Jul 31, 2008
Jul 29, 2008
In my search to create what friends have dubbed "The Josh Patterson Fantasy Bike Shop," I've found a great way to build a wheeled cart for my Park TS-2 truing stand.
I love building wheels—I find it very relaxing. Something about taking many disparate parts and creating a single strong, functional structure is very rewarding. One thing I've always wanted to build was a cart to hold boxes of spokes, spoke prep / linseed oil and my tensiometer. Well, I came across a ready-made solution.
I picked up a microwave cart, for free, and drilled holes in the top to mount my truing stand. It holds everything I need. I can wheel it around the shop, I could even roll it into the house and build wheels while watching Desperate Housewives.
I could.
I love building wheels—I find it very relaxing. Something about taking many disparate parts and creating a single strong, functional structure is very rewarding. One thing I've always wanted to build was a cart to hold boxes of spokes, spoke prep / linseed oil and my tensiometer. Well, I came across a ready-made solution.
I picked up a microwave cart, for free, and drilled holes in the top to mount my truing stand. It holds everything I need. I can wheel it around the shop, I could even roll it into the house and build wheels while watching Desperate Housewives.
I could.
Jul 22, 2008
First Race Back: Shawnee Mission Six Hour
I've been back in the U.S. for three weeks. Europe was great, Croatia was gorgeous, but I was off the bike for six weeks...and I hadn't been riding much before I left. Getting back in the saddle was a rude awakening.
I don't think I've been off a bike for a solid six weeks in many, many years. Since getting back, I've been spending my mornings logging in base miles on the road bike. Prior to this weekend, I hadn't ridden my mountain bike since April.
No better way to get back into the swing of things then a six-hour singlespeed escapade!
I mounted some fresh rubber, filled my water bottles and off I went. This was the first Heartland race at Shawnee Mission Park and the trails delivered. Very fast and flowy, with enough rocky sections to make things interesting.
Saturday was hot and sticky. I was looking forward to it. I knew I was not in shape for this kind of event but was counting on my secret weapon to give me an advantage, provided I could turn over consistent laps. The hotter it is the better I seem to perform, relative to others. The reason: I don't cramp. In 26 my years of existence I have never had a cramp.
I had a good start, there was a long grass section leading into the singletrack. By the time we hit the trail everyone had figured out where they needed to be. I traded laps with several singlespeeders of ill repute, Skip from Lincoln and Team Seagal from Saint Louis. The STL crew rolled in deep, nice guys too.
My first five laps felt good. After that, my lack of fitness began to show—I could maintain a consistent pace, but couldn't attack or power up the short climbs. I took a long pit stop to relax after my sixth lap and felt haggard for the last two laps. My hands took a beating from my rigid setup; towards the end I had to brake thru the rough stuff.
I came in from my eighth lap and called it a day. Considering my current level of fitness, I was more than content with a 3rd place finish in Men's 20-29 .
After the race I was looking forward to hanging out with my singlespeed compatriots around the beer cooler, but it was not to be.
"There can't be good living where there is not good drinking."
-Benjamin Franklin
One thing that makes a Heartland race a Heartland race was absent this weekend.
Apparently you can have alcohol in parks in Johnson County.
Boo Hiss.
Things I learned this weekend:
I don't think I've been off a bike for a solid six weeks in many, many years. Since getting back, I've been spending my mornings logging in base miles on the road bike. Prior to this weekend, I hadn't ridden my mountain bike since April.
No better way to get back into the swing of things then a six-hour singlespeed escapade!
I mounted some fresh rubber, filled my water bottles and off I went. This was the first Heartland race at Shawnee Mission Park and the trails delivered. Very fast and flowy, with enough rocky sections to make things interesting.
Saturday was hot and sticky. I was looking forward to it. I knew I was not in shape for this kind of event but was counting on my secret weapon to give me an advantage, provided I could turn over consistent laps. The hotter it is the better I seem to perform, relative to others. The reason: I don't cramp. In 26 my years of existence I have never had a cramp.
I had a good start, there was a long grass section leading into the singletrack. By the time we hit the trail everyone had figured out where they needed to be. I traded laps with several singlespeeders of ill repute, Skip from Lincoln and Team Seagal from Saint Louis. The STL crew rolled in deep, nice guys too.
My first five laps felt good. After that, my lack of fitness began to show—I could maintain a consistent pace, but couldn't attack or power up the short climbs. I took a long pit stop to relax after my sixth lap and felt haggard for the last two laps. My hands took a beating from my rigid setup; towards the end I had to brake thru the rough stuff.
I came in from my eighth lap and called it a day. Considering my current level of fitness, I was more than content with a 3rd place finish in Men's 20-29 .
After the race I was looking forward to hanging out with my singlespeed compatriots around the beer cooler, but it was not to be.
"There can't be good living where there is not good drinking."
-Benjamin Franklin
One thing that makes a Heartland race a Heartland race was absent this weekend.
Apparently you can have alcohol in parks in Johnson County.
Boo Hiss.
Things I learned this weekend:
- Maybe a suspension fork is not such a bad idea.
- Hutchinson 29er Pythons are great race tires.
- The key to comfort on a hardtail during a six-hour race is a Ti seatpost combined with a women's saddle—WTB DEVA—my ass has never known such decadence.
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