Down To The Bottom

So yesterday I talked about my new gloves.  It’s important to be able to hold on to the handlebars properly while riding a bike, and you don’t want unnecessary slippage.  Equally (or perhaps even more) important is keeping your bike from slipping off the trail.  On my two main bikes, I’ve been running a Maxxis Ardent, the “do-it-all trail tire" according to their website.  It has definitely done-it-all for me as far as conditions go, but with my recent need for change I decided to give something else a try.

So last night a box of goodness showed up.

I’ve been running the Ikon on the rear of my “race” bike, and I’ve been very satisfied with it.  Good grip and super fast rolling, it’s held great for rides/races with no sign of giving up.  Since it has been a while since I’d put on a new one, I decided that it was time to order a replacement.  Before I ordered anything, I gave Dicky a shout with my phone’s fancy texting capability to ask him about the “new” super-wide 2.35 Ikon.

He said he really liked it, on both a squishy fjork and a rigid frok (even in The Pisgah) in dry conditions.  That was good enough for me, so while I ordered the standard 2.2 for the rear, I added a couple of the 2.35s.

I can see the difference on my garage floor I guess.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to mount any of them to any of my bikes.  Lunchbox and I had a project last night that involved installing stereo equipment in his car, and add to the fact that I had to play handyman on the neighbor’s garage door I kinda ran outta time.

I really like the Ardent up front on both my bikes, so I hope I also like the new, wider Ikon.  I like to dig my front wheel into turns, and with the smaller knobs on these Ikons I hope I can still do that.  There’s only one way to find out, and that’s to mount them up as soon as possible and do a “dry run.”  I should be able to get a set of these installed tonight.

I’ll talk about it soon, but not tomorrow.  We’re back to “Fun Friday” again, and you won’t want to miss that.

I haz special surprise photo to share.

Thanks to Maxxis for the goods.  I know I won't be disappoint.

Speaking Of Fat

There was a big fat box that arrived at the B-43 Worldwide Headquarters yesterday.

And inside that box I found a big fat shiny new tire for my single speed.

The Maxxis Ardent will be really nice when I put my rigid fork back on, but I don’t have time to do all that shit right now. 

I got some other tires to user for super fast racing action.

Although I’ve never been able to run two different types of tires on the same bike (due to my OCD), I’m gonna give it a shot.  I picked the Ikon and the Crossmark (to be installed front and rear respectively), because they should make me go fast with much less resistance, and hopefully I can corner pretty well with them.  I’m not sure if I’ll get a chance to test ride the new setup before Sunday’s big race (to be covered tomorrow), so I guess I’ll find out the hard way weather I like them or not. 

At least they look good.

Since this post has become a Maxxis love fest, I guess I can show you something else the fine folks down in Georgia sent me…

I know, yesterday I told you to get off your ass, but it’s okay to sit down sometimes (as long as you're active most of the time.)  This will make to good chair to plant my ass in after endurance races, and it will make a fine seat to use when I hang out it my yard yelling at kids while I drink a few beers.

I can sit on my ass whenever I want.  I earn it first.

See y’all tomorrow.