What’s next?

Well, after a fun day in the snow, the next race in the 2010 Winter Short Track Series was up next. However, the weather had different plans. Since the roads were still covered in ice all over Charlotte on Sunday, the race was cancelled. What the hell was I gonna do? I had to ride, but the bad weather meant that no trails would be open. That also meant that taking out the road bike would be hazardous to my health. Skinny tires plus ice would not be a good mix. I had an idea though. I would borrow the trainer from Little Miss Sunshine and get some “saddle time” in.



Yep, I had to ride indoors yet again. At least it was a little more pleasant this time though. I popped in a movie and pedaled away. I rode four about 45 minutes or so, working up a sweat in the nice warm confines of my house. When I was almost finished, I heard an odd sound outside. I hopped off the bike and saw that Little Miss Sunshine had begun shoveling the ice from the driveway without me. The right thing to do was to go downstairs and help her, and that I did. The driveway was a mess, and it had to be cleared if we had any intention of going to work the next day. I grabbed a shovel and helped out.



Mother Nature helped a little, as some of the ice was melting from the streets. I needed fuel to finish the job though. After a quick check in the beer fridge, I noticed I was getting a little low. With the driveway cleared enough to get out, I headed up to our local grocery store to re-supply.





The snow plow had been hard at work in the parking lot, but the roads up to the store still sucked. I grabbed my rations and headed back home. I quickly restocked the fridge and surveyed it’s status.



After pouring an ice cold brew, I thought about how to keep it cool while I worked on the rest of the ice and snow removal. I know it must sound weird to drink cold beer outside on a cold day, but that’s how I roll. Piss-warm beer is not an option here at B-43. I came up with a (not so) clever idea to maintain my beer’s cool temperature.



At least me and my beer would be cold while I worked. I continued shoveling the area around the driveway, and I was pleased to have my beer at the perfect temperature. With the help of the sun, the work was nearly done.



I briefly considered bringing out the Greatest Short Track Bike on Earth for some fun in the leftover snow, but that bad idea quickly passed. I haven’t really touched it since the last race, and it was in need of some TLC. It looks like I need to have a little shop time to figure out why the brakes quit working every time I ride it. I know the muddy racing conditions are partly to blame, but the main problem seems to be cable tension. The brake cables are brand new, so I guess I can rule that out. Maybe I can just chalk it up to shitty V-Brake action. I am seriously considering investing in a disc brake conversion kit for the rear (the fork is already disc compatible.) They are so expensive though. I can’t justify spending a shitload of money on a bike that I won’t race (or even ride) very much. There has to be some way to get with the times without investing a bunch of dough. I’ll keep looking, or just keep suffering. Suffering is what I do best, you know.

Snow Day

Thanks to Mother Nature giving us a nice winter blast this weekend, I have a little something different for you today. It all started Friday evening as I was headed home from work. The sky opened up and snow was a-fallin’. While it’s nice to get some snow once in a while, it doesn’t make for nice driving conditions. The weatherman said this was to continue through the night, so when I got home we were prepared to be snowed in. Yeah, this is the south, so it doesn’t take much to get snowed in here. I'm sure that people up in Canada are laughing right now.



When we awoke in the wee hours of the morning here at the B-43 Headquarters, we found a Winter Wonderland outside. We couldn’t wait to get out an play in it. Little Miss Sunshine grabbed the dogs and took them out for a snow-walk:



I made us some breakfast (to get ready for a hard day of playing.) Lunchbox had arisen form his standard weekend teenager coma and we filled our bellies. We grabbed all of our snow gear and headed outside. Most of the neighbors were already outside, and they were sliding down our big hill on any and everything they could find:





I grabbed the snow skateboards (yeah, we skate in the snow too) and we joined in the fun. After trying to actually skate on them, we found that it would be more fun to ride on them belly-down in a sled-like manner. We were flying down the hills, with little or no regard to our own safety. This was a snow day, and all rules were now out the window.


Watch out kid, here I come!


Little Miss Sunshine enjoyed being a kid again, while Lunchbox risked his own safety to get this photo.



My neighbor, The Chili Man, was getting’ jiggy with it, skater style.

After playing for a while, we decided that we weren’t extreme enough. I mean hey, this is an extreme sports type blog, so we need to give the readers some action. I busted out my snowboard, all in the name of blog super-stardom:




Please, don’t try this at home, although I am doing this in front of my house.

Lunchbox soon followed suit, and grabbed his snowboard for a little neighborhood ski-resort fun:



Not to be outdone, Little Miss Sunshine grabbed her skis and hit the “slopes.” She bombed the neighborhood hill like a seasoned pro:





Even a couple of our cats got in on the action. Okay, not the sliding down the hill action, but they did have some fun in the snow:





It was a great way to spend a Saturday. We were pretty much stuck in the neighborhood, but that was okay because it was a snow-filled playground. It was nice to be out in the snowy goodness with all of our neighborhood kids, big and small. I wasn’t brave enough to take the bike out in the snow/icy goodness, for fear of breaking something (or myself.) Nevertheless, we had loads of fun. I would have never guessed that I would get to snowboard in my own neighborhood, much less get to do it with out paying for a lift ticket. And you thought B-43 was just about bicycling and skateboards.

Photo credit: Me, Lunchbox, Little Miss Sunshine, and The Chili Man.

Final Preparations

Although I covered my visit to Cane Creek Cycling Components yesterday, I failed to mention that I actually acquired the parts I need to finish my headset installation. I was hoping to get a few of those fancy anodized headset spacers, and I did. Jason was kind enough to hook me up with some, in fact it was way more than I needed (unless I want to continue riding that fork with the super-long steerer tube.) So, last night I took little inventory before I got started.



The photos don’t do them justice. I grabbed Goose for a little more mechanicin’ (don’t worry, it won’t hurt.) I first took a moment to survey the current configuration.



I think I might be happy with the stem height, so I planned on using the same amount of spacers. Little did I know that I had two giant spacers that would do the job of four of the old ones. Now my shit won’t look like an accordion anymore.



They went on with ease, and they matched the color of my bike, which is a plus if you like aesthetics. Now I just need to ride the thing a little bit to determine if the steerer tube can be cut to the length I desire. If not, I have plenty of leftover spacers to jack it back up.



I guess this isn’t a full-on mechanic’s lesson, since this is a job that is very simple. If you want more details regarding headset maintenance and such, then you should check out the Cane Creek website. They have some videos on there to help you, or to satisfy your curiosity.

Headset Installation

Adjusting Your Headset

Headset Maintenance

Alright, now that the tech tips section is done, welcome back. I also need to mention the cool new addition to the B-43 shop. Is it cooler than a beer fridge, you ask? Well, that depends on how much you like beer I guess. The folks at Cane Creek were kind enough to let me sneak out of there with a nice banner to hang up in the shop. Now I can advertise to my neighbors and bike buddies about the great company that is Cane Creek. Booya!



This weekend is race number three in the 2010 Winter Short Track Series, and it is looking like it will be more interesting than the last two. We are under a Winter Storm Watch for our area, so the trails could be frozen and covered in snow and ice. I guess I will have to seriously think about switching my tires for this one. I will check the conditions on Saturday and figure that one out. There is also the possibility I could ride my full squish bike, Goose for this one. Come back Monday to find out what happened. You know you want to.

Head For The Mountains

That’s exactly what Lunchbox and I did on Monday. It was time to high-tail it out of Charlotte and take a trip out west. The North Carolina High Country was calling, and we answered. This trip was more than just getting out and enjoying the mountains though. For me, it was a chance to escape normal life for a day and get a little rest and relaxation. We left the B-43 World Headquarters bright and early and we were westbound and down (just watch ol’ Bandit run.)



We saw some weird stuff along the way, with the above photo being the funniest. I had no idea that elderly folks took their scooters so seriously. Anyway, this trip wasn’t all about fun and games. This is the part of the trip that was the “super-secret” mission. When we got into the mountains, we took the exit for Fletcher, NC , and made a stop to see my new friends at Cane Creek Cycling Components.



My friend Jason was kind enough to invite us over for a tour of the facility, and I worked it into my schedule (actually it was the first thing on the agenda that day.) I pulled into the parking lot and looked around for a moment. The building looked small on the outside, and it was rather unassuming. We parked and headed to the front door to make our presence known.



We walked into the front lobby where we were greeted with numerous awards and other Cane Creek branded paraphernalia. I spotted a telephone on a little table and picked it up. I dialed the operator and we exchanged a few words:


Operator: Cane Creek Cycling Components, can I help you?

Me: Hello there. This is TheMutt from the world famous B-43 blog. I’m here to take a tour of the facility.

Operator: Yes sir, we’ve been expecting you. Please wait while I send someone up to get you.

Me: Thank you.

Lunchbox and I waited for a few moments until Jason came to get us. I haven’t seen him in a few months, although we have been in communication via e-mail and social networking sites on the Internets. He welcomed us to the facility and had us follow him inside.

We walked into a giant room filled with parts, boxes, and boxes of parts. There was a lady sitting at a table, and she was putting Cane Creek headsets into packages. I was amazed that there wasn’t a room full of giant robots for that. Jason informed us that they do all of the packaging by hand, and he proceeded to show us some other parts and their packaging as well.

While we were walking around, he gave us the lowdown on the history of Cane Creek Cycling Components. I’ll try my best to sum it up. Back in the 70’s, a major Japanese brake manufacturer called Dia Compe opened a U.S.-based facility in Fletcher, NC. They provided brakes for bicycle manufacturers here in the United States. In the late 1980’s to early 1990’s, Dia Compe teamed up with the folks at RockShox to market suspension forks. The components were produced locally in Asheville, NC. Around that time, Dia Compe became involved in licensing the Aheadset threadless bicycle headset.


Around the middle of 1990, the Cane Creek name was born. It was named after the road on which the building was located. Jason told me that there is also an actual creek called Cane Creek nearby. They also started producing rear shocks and manufacturing wheels shortly after this. We walked over to the wheel department and I learned something else. Each wheel from Cane Creek is assembled and trued by hand right there in the building. I was told that the design of the wheel made it impossible for a machine to assemble them. So, if you buy a set of Cane Creek wheels, rest assured that they are hand-assembled and inspected by a live human being. It's hard to find that kind of workmanship anymore. You had better hurry though, as Cane Creek is getting out of the wheel business. They are closing out the wheel in their inventory at ridiculous prices. Check out their website for more info.


As the tour continued, we headed over to the shock department. It’s there that they build each one (again by hand) and test them to exact specifications. Even if you send one back for repair, it goes through the same process. Across the way from the shock station was where the headsets were made. The aluminum used in the 110 Headset is purchased locally and made on the premises. They send them out to be annodized and laser-etched with the logos, and then they are packaged in house. They sure do a lot there for such a small facility (it's bigger than it looks on the outside.)


We walked to the back of the building, which was full of inventory. I got the lowdown of several products, and that’s where I got to meet a few of the employees. First was Nancy, who packages each order to send out to customers. If you order anything from Cane Creek, Nancy probably sent it to you. She made sure that Lunchbox and I walked out with some water bottles and stickers. Please remember to thank Nancy every time you receive a package from Cane Creek.


We walked around to the office section, where we got to meet some of the sales-types. I met Chris, who is the newly-hired Director of Domestic Sales. Then there was Gary. Gary is the sales-guru and all around knows-everything guy at Cane Creek. If you have a problem or a question, chances are you have talked to him. He is a sharp dude. Coincidentally he’s the one who hooked me up with the short-sleeved jersey I got a while back. I also got to see some of Jason’s work. He showed us a lot of ads for cycling publications that are in the works. Neat stuff. Look for his ads in an cycling magazine near you.


That pretty much concluded our tour. We walked outside and talked a bit about upcoming changes at Cane Creek (I can’t spill the beans just yet), and also discussed general bike industry stuff. We really had a great time there, and it was very interesting to see a local bike component manufacturer up close. I am very grateful to have the opportunity to represent these guys, especially after seeing how they do business. Big thanks to Jason for having Lunchbox and I over there for the day.


We capped off the day off by doing a little snowboarding in Maggie Valley, NC, just up the road a bit.






Although the snowboarding was fun, I think the highlight of the day was our visit to Cane Creek. We talked about it all day. Although I didn’t take many pictures there (I was too busy being “wowed”), I will have long-lasting memories. Do you support Cane Creek by using their products on your bicycle? You should. If not, go buy some stuff right now. I’ll wait.

Lazy

Okay, not in a riding sense, but in a blogging sense. I’m taking it a little easy today (cheating, if you will.) Even though I try my best to describe my racing as best I can, it’s still difficult for the layperson to understand exactly what it is I’m doing out there. Luckily, a friend of mine wore a helmet cam during the last two races to document his adventures. Since I’m not quite ready to talk about the secret adventure that Lunchbox and I took on Monday, I figured I would link up to his videos for y’all. He races in a different class than I do, but it’s pretty much the same thing. Check it out.


This one is from the first race:






This one is from the second, much muddier race, and he wore the camera backwards. It makes for an interesting perspective:





Looks like fun, huh? It was, indeed. The guy who took this video is Bart, the owner of Southpark Cycles here in Charlotte. Check out their website for some great bicycle deals, or stop in if you are in the area. I don’t normally promote any shop other than Middle Ring Cycles, but Bart does a lot for our mountain biking community here in Charlotte. So, check them out. I’ll be back tomorrow with more crap and nonsense.

Muddier Than Thou

Since I was out of town yesterday, I didn’t get a chance to chronicle the mud-fest masquerading as a race that happened this past Sunday. Yes folks, race number 2 in the 2010 Winter Short Track Series was far muddier than the last one, with an added bonus of steady rain during many of the races (including mine.)


After arriving on site, I briefly considered skipping the muddy race and doing my volunteer duties for the event for the whole day, rather than after my race as normal. When I ran into Neal Boyd and informed him of this, he said, “That’s what winter bike racing is all about!” I couldn’t argue with that logic, so I filled out my form and signed up. I took a practice lap and I was satisfied that I could hang in there for another fun-filled race in the muck. I spun around the parking lot for a bit to keep the legs warm, since it was a little colder than it was last week. As the start time for my race neared, I lined up and got ready for the pain and suffering.



As I waited for the race to start, I thought about my strategy. Last week I took off so fast and left the pack behind me, but I blew up just before I made it back to the start/finish line. I spent the rest of the race suffering because of it too. This time would be different, since I knew I didn’t have the stamina to lead the entire race. I decided to take off at a decent pace and stay somewhere in the middle of the pack where I would be comfortable. I would do my best to stay with the group, and then start picking them off one racer at a time.


I pretty much held my ground on the first lap, although the conditions were as shitty as a baby’s diaper. I climbed out of the trail and was greeted with a super-slushy fire road, which was hell on my legs and lungs. After trudging through the muddy goodness, I rounded the corner for my first lap. I was still in the middle of the pack, with only one rider passing me so far.



As the race went on, I was having trouble navigating the corners on the downhill sections. I soon noticed that I had lost most of my front brake, and all of my rear brake again. While I thoroughly inspected my brakes and made the proper adjustments before the race, I somehow had the same issues as last week. This really sucked because I usually have an advantage on those sections due to my weight. The smaller, skinner guys can climb better, but my 225 pounds just goes faster downhill (that’s physics, baby.) I couldn’t go balls out and adjust my speed since I didn’t have the proper braking power. I rounded the corner for my second lap and tried to figure out a new strategy.



While I am giving Lunchbox the thumbs-up in the above photo, I knew my race wasn’t going as planned. I wanted him to see that I felt okay, which I actually did (surprisingly.) While my recovery time was improving on the climbs, I was having a lot of trouble gaining back any of the ground I lost from my mid-pack start. I pushed as hard as I could through the climbs, but the downhill stuff was getting worse as the race went on. My weight quickly became a disadvantage on the slippery decent, and I was sliding all over the place. I became familiar with more than a few trees during the next few laps. I began to wonder if racing was such a good idea, given the conditions.



This time I actually managed to give Lunchbox a smile as I rounded the corner on my last lap. I was probably just happy that the end was near. I decided to throw caution to the wind and give it everything I had so I wouldn’t get passed by anyone else. While I wasn’t in an anger of finishing dead-last, I knew that I had to work hard to finish mid-pack. I did a little better this time on the trail, but I didn’t pass anyone else. When I saw the final approach to the finish line, I stood up and mashed the pedals. I would pass out dead at the finish line if I had to, just to keep anyone from getting by me. Although I didn’t end up dead, I didn’t finish mid-pack either. I came in at a not-so respectable 14th place, but the important thing is that I finished I guess. I need these races to jump-start my season, so every little bit helps. When the race was over, we all had a great laugh at how muddy we were.



I can’t explain why people do things like racing in such horrible conditions. Hell, I can’t explain why people race at all. I know that for me it somehow helps maintain my sanity, while also keeping me in some kind of decent shape. The only saving grace is that there are tons of other crazies out there with me. Welcome to the Dirty South. At least I didn't wear a white jersey this time. See y'all tomorrow.

Workin’ It Out

Since I talked mostly about my training regimen on yesterday’s post, I thought that today I would cover the unfinished subject of my new Cane Creek 110 IS headset. I got this headset last week, and I was itching to put in on my bike. Also, I felt that it was time to make a commitment to proper steerer tube length on the Fox Fork I installed a month ago. I’ve been riding around with a “giant spacer stack”, as the Dirty Party Cycle told me on one of our rides. See for yourself:



Wow, talked about “jacked to the max.” I knew I was sitting too much in an upright position, but I also knew it was temporary. I haven’t ridden the bike much like that, but it wasn’t about to be a permanent thing. Rather than cut the steerer tube though, I decided to play around with the positions of the spacers first. The cutting will come after I am satisfied. I don’t want to cut too much off, since it can’t be put back on. Before I even thought about doing some wrenching, I needed to grab the most important accessory:



Anyway, it was time to replace my Cane Creek IS-3 headset with the far superior 110 IS. It has served me well in my mountain biking adventures, but it was time to get with the times. I’m no longer an entry-level rider, so I don’t need to be riding entry-level parts. Cane Creek 110 headsets have a warranty of 110 years, so I should have plenty of quality rides with it. As I was told by a friend at Cane Creek, “It will be buttery-smooth for years to come.” Mmmmmm, butter. So, goodbye Mr. IS-3:



Although the 110 IS came with a new top cap, I was a little partial to the one I was using. I got it at a race a few years ago from some Cane Creek reps, and I liked the fact that it was different than the one I was using (the standard Cane Creek to cap.) The top cap for the 110 looks classier, so I decided to part ways with my current one:



So, first things first, I had to install the new crown race on the fork. After disassembling everything, I wondered if the current crown race would be compatible. I decide against using the old one, since I wanted to use all new parts. So, with a little elbow grease, I got the new one installed:



The greasy fingerprints are not a feature of the Fox Fork. It has to be purchased separately.

The 110 IS came with brand new Interlok spacers, all pretty and shiny. The problem is though, I still wouldn't have enough even after I cut off the steerer tube, unless I cut it really short. I found that the composite Interlok spacers I had been using were compatible with the shiny new ones, so they would have to do for now. I will haveto try to get some more from my friends at Cane Creek. Look how pretty these are:



The headset installation was a breeze, mostly because an internal heaset doesn’t require any special tools. I just popped in the bearings, installed a couple of spacer rings, and put on the top of the headset. I threw on a couple of spacers to put the stem at what I think will be my desired height, and installed a few more spacers to cover up the yet to be cut steerer tube. Here is the finished product:



After a short test ride (and actually turning the handlebars rapidly), I was more than pleased. The difference was night and day from the old IS-3. Once I get a coupe of rides in on it, I will decide on the proper steerer tube length. I think I may actually have a good fit with the current configuration though. More to come at a later date on that one though. For now, I want to give a huge thanks to Cane Creek Cycling Components for hooking me up with such a quality product, made right here in the good ole U. S. of A. in their Fletcher, NC facility. I will be a “friend of the brand” for years to come. If you don’t have a Cane Creek headset on your bike, then you are missing out. Or, you just plain suck. Your choice.

As for the weekend, I have a full plate, so to speak. I plan on hitting up the Carolina Beer Company again this Saturday, since my growler is empty (did I mention that I like beer?). Sunday of course is race number two of the 2010 Winter Short Track Series, and I am ready again. I am off Monday, so there will be no posting on here for me until Tuesday. Lunchbox and I are going on a super-secret out of town mission that I won’t mention here until later. I have to keep you wanting more, right?