Snakes on big wheels
Fear my big wheel children.
I had another “first ride” on a 29′er yesterday. The Surly Karate Monkey I borrowed from Ethan at Black Sheep Cycles worked out pretty well. The Avid brakes were a bit on-off and when combined with the skinny Motoraptor it made for some exciting moments in the woods. I wasn’t able to rip up the downhills like I wanted to, but I got a feel for how the 29′er corners. I think when I tried a big bike over a year ago I was only focused on what it didn’t do as well as my little bike. This time I paid attention to its strengths. I only did one lap at the US National White Water Facility (aw for crying out loud, isn’t it easier to say Catawba) on the Monkey. My hands were full trying to not use too much front brake and overwhelm the front tire’s traction. I finished the day after four laps (with a wide variety of companions on each lap) on the Meatplow. It felt good to ride without a finish line looming in the distance. I did bring two left handed gloves and rode two laps with no gloves until someone told me to turn one inside out. Duh.
Oh, before I get some flack for it, I borrowed a bike from a shop to decide whether or not to get a mail order frame. Why? Because this is an experiment. If I dig the 29′er thing I’ll be looking high end in the future. Right now the Zion 737 is the only intro level 29′er with an EBB and SS/disc specific. Nobody else (that I could find) is doing this with everything I am looking for (including a 27.2 seatpost). If I go this way I know where there is a shop where I can satisfy my lusty high end needs.
So the Zion 737 shall be ordered.
Parts I need:
Wheels (looking at some used Bontrager Race Lites, Cane Creeks, and a Rig take-off set)
Brakes: Looks like Eric W. (PMBAR Honcho) is taking care of me with some El Caminos
Tires: Man, I really want the new WTB 2.55. Not available yet. What about the Panaracer 2.3 Rampage? Still not out. Shit, I don’t know. Rear tire? Who cares. It’s all about the rubber you put up front.
Parts I’m not sure about:
I have a Karate Monkey beater fork. I may have to go check into getting a Pace 29′er (so that kills the budget a little bit. Can you sell plasma on Ebay?) I would rather have a nice steel fork, but that means a long wait or get lucky on Ebay/MTBR.com
Parts I have:
FSA carbon crank with Octalink BB
Bars will be either Seven ti flat bars or Race Face Next Carbon SL risers
Stem will be either Race Face Deus or Syntace 70mm
Deus headset
Dean ti post
and all the other bits and pieces: WCS grips, Tioga MC Lite saddle, 959 pedals (or the new 970’s I have on the way), Salsa 36T ring, PC1 chain
Hopefully all that will be a chunk less than the 25 lb Monkey I borrowed. I guess I am in.
