Stay Tuned!!!!

In the next few weeks there is going to be some big things, at least to me, that at are coming up.  I will have several reviews of new products that will include the Fox Flux Helmet, several offerings from Ryders Eyewear, a one year review of the Shimano DX spd shoe, and at least one 2013 bike review for the Giant Trance X 29er, maybe one for the 2013 Giant XTR and some of Treks 2013 offerings if I have the time to put in some miles on them.  I am also going to try to put together a maintenance tip every month with one of the excellent mechanics I know.  In the next week I will be covering the 6th annual Ride Like a Kid mountain bike ride that is our local IMBA event aimed at getting more kids riding their bikes.  So, stay tuned!!!!

Two Wheels One Planet Bike Repair clinics

This Sunday night February 26th from 5:00-6:00pm the Costa Mesa Two Wheels One Planet bike shop located at 420 E. 17th Street Costa Mesa, Ca 92627 will be hosting a service repair clinic and Q and A session with a mechanic.  This session will be on wheel repair and maintenance.  I went to the last one that was on derailleurs and it was well worth the time, Dennis was very knowledgeable and answered everyone's questions.  On top of gaining some knowledge you also receive a $10.00 gift certificate for anything in the store.  I will be there and I hope you will too!  See you Sunday.

We've Got Wheels

As I sat here listening to the .357 String Band and pondering the activities for this weekend, I realized that I am going to be busy.  Saturday morning I am leading the Boy Scouts on a map and compass course, Saturday night I will be taking Jake and Ryan to the Orange BMX track to do some riding with the MtnBikeRiders.com guys, and Sunday I will be heading to Vail Lake to do some filming for my Airborne Flight Crew application with Shawn from TheDirtyWheel.com.  I was prepping myself to not stop moving until Sunday night when I heard a noise at the door, the dog stood up and gave a growl so I went to check it out.  What I saw was a guy in a FedEx uniform walking away from the door.  He turned and mumbled something over his shoulder and I mumbled something that was meant to be thanks and threw him a wave (I guess they don't knock when they deliver anymore, takes to much time).  I took the box in and found my brand new AreoMax wheelset inside.  I got these from crosslakesales on Ebay, who I have bought several items before, and they were less than $120 with shipping.  These wheels are not a real flashy set but they seem solid and are hand built, I am sure there are lighter better wheels out there but I am happy with this deal and I think they look pretty good too.  Thanks to RL Policar for the heads up on these!

Next up is brakes!  Stay tuned!

Forking Sweet!!!!

The next step to my road bike has been taken care of.  I got my tax returns and took just a little cash to make some progress on the road ride.  I picked up these carbon forks by litespeed form Adrenaline Bikes in Orange for under $100.  If you are in need a a fork they have a few sets left.  They will only mount Caliper brakes, which is fine with me because I am treating this as a road build not really a Cyclocross build, and I have always found cantilevers to be a pain.

The next step is to mount up my wheel set when it gets here.  I ordered it and it should arrive soon, nothing special but it was a good deal for a hand built set (thanks to RL Policar of www.mtnbikeriders.com for sending me the info on this wheel set).  I will also need to get a stem soon, so that is probably the next step.

My New Project=Cyclocross Bike

Yesterday I picked up a lightly used Motobecane Fantom CX cyclocross frame.  The frame came with the stock crankset and headset.  Apart from a few light scratches on the chainstay the frame is in excellent shape, the bottom bracket is smooth and the bearings in the headset seem good.  Now I just need to get everything else.  My goal is to put together the bike as cheap as I can, but to end up with something I can use as a cyclocross bike and a road bike.

Poison Oak

I have it on my left leg and on my left arm.  I got it last Sunday on Jakes Rock-it ride, we did not get to ride this week.  It started as a small rash on my leg that itched on the Monday after the ride, so I put some cortisone cream on it and it stopped itching.  I watched it on Tuesday and it had not spread so in my expert medical opinion there was no way it could be poison oak, it had to be something else!  By Saturday it had become a 4" red, bumpy, oozing, itching patch.  My mother in law took a look at it (she is a nurse practitioner) and said it was definitely poison oak....  How was this possible, it wasn't spreading.  I was a Boy Scout growing up and I am a Boy Scout leader now, I know poison oak, it spreads.  My mother in law informed me that if you have been exposed to it before, which I have, then sometimes it takes longer to spread.  Sure enough by Sunday night, a whole week after exposure, it appeared on my arm.  The patch on my arm was hit with Triamcinolone Acetonide cream right away and is now almost gone, but the original patch on my leg is getting worse and will probably require a topical steroid or something stronger as it is now a four inch red, itching, swollen, bumpy, oozing blotch surrounded by a eight inch itching, bumpy area.  Here's what it looks like....

My advice is if you have even the slightest thought that it might be poison oak then treat it like it is, if I had done that my leg would not hurt and itch.  Next time I will be safe rather than sorry.  Poison oak sucks!!!!

Fix A Flat On A 26" Rim With A 29" Tube

Mechanic Mondays - How to Shrink a 29-inch tube to fit a 26-inch tire. from Bike magazine on Vimeo.

How to clean you brake pads and rotors

Mechanic Mondays - How to clean contaminated brake pads and rotors. from Bike magazine on Vimeo.