No riding, no blogging
Looking at my ride total from January, I'm now aware that I haven't been riding except for some weekend mileage. Frankly, the combo of the boys' schedule- with many practices and games blah blah (not blah at them participating, mind you) and a very heavy schedule at work have made it difficult. The fact is, once I decided to undertake Nat'l Board Certification, I knew it would be tenuous. I can't expect more than a ride here or there until the end of March, and that's how it goes.
Yesterday, as we did last Sunday, the RiverCityCyclingSociety rode a very casual 20m+ Coffee Ride. You can take a look here. Of note, though, was the batch of great bikes we had for such a small ride. Dave brought his new Surly LHT and HOORAY for him. I've loved mine and hope he finds the same satisfaction with his. From his observations I would say that he's quite pleased. The beast found in the middle of this pic was a Riv Bombadil, courtesy of a new ride associate, Patrick. He lived for a while in Minneapolis where he did some biz with Hiawatha, home of my Bleriot. It was awfully fun to talk both RBW and the Minneapolis scene. Really, for 3 people all who are in a kind of rivbike mindset some of the discussion was deservedly negative. Patrick's Bomba is impressive, firstly because he's 6'4" and it's the tallest @#$@#@% bike frame I've ever seen. I swear the top of the bars almost came up to my nipples! What we commiserated over, though, was rbw's clear-coast treatment, as he decided to do that instead of paint. The 2 complaints, both visible, were that there were run spots especially on the top tube. It looked weird, unfinished. Who let's paint run? or clear coat? secondarily, because the clearcoat was applied unevently- unlike a paint job- he was getting little spots of rust in areas like around the lugs and the dropouts. I love rbw, but this is unacceptable. I know the clearcoat is an alternative, but it should protect the frame just as well. I would be dismayed at it; I won't speak for Patrick, but I'm sure he has his reservations.
Yesterday, as we did last Sunday, the RiverCityCyclingSociety rode a very casual 20m+ Coffee Ride. You can take a look here. Of note, though, was the batch of great bikes we had for such a small ride. Dave brought his new Surly LHT and HOORAY for him. I've loved mine and hope he finds the same satisfaction with his. From his observations I would say that he's quite pleased. The beast found in the middle of this pic was a Riv Bombadil, courtesy of a new ride associate, Patrick. He lived for a while in Minneapolis where he did some biz with Hiawatha, home of my Bleriot. It was awfully fun to talk both RBW and the Minneapolis scene. Really, for 3 people all who are in a kind of rivbike mindset some of the discussion was deservedly negative. Patrick's Bomba is impressive, firstly because he's 6'4" and it's the tallest @#$@#@% bike frame I've ever seen. I swear the top of the bars almost came up to my nipples! What we commiserated over, though, was rbw's clear-coast treatment, as he decided to do that instead of paint. The 2 complaints, both visible, were that there were run spots especially on the top tube. It looked weird, unfinished. Who let's paint run? or clear coat? secondarily, because the clearcoat was applied unevently- unlike a paint job- he was getting little spots of rust in areas like around the lugs and the dropouts. I love rbw, but this is unacceptable. I know the clearcoat is an alternative, but it should protect the frame just as well. I would be dismayed at it; I won't speak for Patrick, but I'm sure he has his reservations.
Dave and I extended our rbw discussion a bit more, with Dave positing that rbw's days are numbered. They created a classic steel renaissance in the 90's. With its success in a relatively narrow-but-active market, this success beget new projects like Surly, Salsa and Velo-Orange. The problem is that you can buy sweet steel, although not always lugged, from each of those competitors for less or much less than you can from RBW. In turn, I/Grant has had to change his business model, but this model, to me, doesn't seem so RBW. When you spend years railing against sloping top tubes and compact geometry and then resort to it to stay in business, that says something. Same goes for the Japan to Taiwan move. It's all economies of scale and business and exchange rates, but in Dave's eyes, and I think in mine too, RBW is becoming not what RBW has been. Once you ditch the ideology, you're just a bike maker, and a new SOMA San Marcos, Salsa Casseroll o Surly LHT looks inviting...and much cheaper. That said, the most comfy, spot-on bike I own (and I own x+1) is the Quickbeam- pure RBW Japanese dreambike- and the 2nd is the Bleriot, the first of the RBW Taiwan incantations. We'll see what the future holds, but the bike biz would be much sadder without RBW. I/Grant's vision is quality, Velo-orange quantity. Both are important.
As for Dave's LHT, it's all @#%# roses. Aside from his ghetto rack, which he's trading out as soon as the new one arrives, that bike is gold. I look forward to see it set up full tilt.
As for me, I had some heart issues Friday and some weariness yesterday on the ride, so I don't now where I'm at physically. I DO know that I'm as heavy as I've ever been, and I'm sure the 3rd is affecting the 1st and the 2nd. So it's off the booze (yummy!) and the treats (yummy but not as yummy as the booze!) and let's see if I can know 20lbs off. Blah!
As for me, I had some heart issues Friday and some weariness yesterday on the ride, so I don't now where I'm at physically. I DO know that I'm as heavy as I've ever been, and I'm sure the 3rd is affecting the 1st and the 2nd. So it's off the booze (yummy!) and the treats (yummy but not as yummy as the booze!) and let's see if I can know 20lbs off. Blah!
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