If you're here at Spoke(n), you're probably virtually biking on a number of sites. In fact, you're probably the owner of a rich virtual personality. Effective March 1, Google is switching up its privacy policy in order to make it easier for advertisers to market to you. If you want to avoid this tracking, follow these simple steps (Click on an image to enlarge). First, go to the tool box in the upper right hand corner of your Google App.; choose "Settings" from the menu:
Next, choose the "Acconts and Import" tab; move down to "Change account settings" and click on "Other Google Account settings":
Now, choose "Go to web history" from the Services section:
At this point you will again be asked to enter your user name and password:
Finally, click on the box that says "Remove all Web History" which will also "Pause" the collection of website visitation data:
There, you are now more private. Should you ever need those customized ads back, just click on "Resume."
If you hadn't guessed, Fahzure is pro-choice on most everything. With a little nod to the fact that we must all get along on this blue rock, choice is specific dendritic change that keeps us all a little interesting. Chogyam Trungpa, found the truest change to arise almost instantaneously, first choice, best choice. JC Crawford claimed it only takes 5 seconds to decide whether you will be part of problem or part of the solution:
So, we're lookin' for a testimonial, a solution, a vehicle to get you to your nirvana. This week's You Must Choose is that vehicle that get's you there. From the Kid in D'Hall we have this quandary: What's the best shuttle vehicle?
Like a dentist needs a luxury kruatwagon to parade $10k bicycles on top of to club rides, we need to get to the trailhead and run shuttles. Aside from the ubiquitous Tacomas and Fundras with Moto Metal wheels populating trailhead parking lots, there's a plethora of vehicles to move your buddies around the mountain. But, what's the best setup?
The road isn’t always paved, so rigs need to be stout enough to haul at least four cronies (the more the merrier) and gear without blowin' a tire or requiring expensive maintenance. Most important though may be gas mileage, as fuel prices are posed to break five bucks this summer. So let's hear it, is the best shuttle rig an over-loaded, fuel-sipping Toyota pa-pirus, a four seater side-by-side with a custom four-pack rack, or is it a six door F350? Consideration given for hauling capacity, fuel mileage, and individuality.
(You Must Choose is your chance to answer this week's most pressing cycling question and experience the opinions of insightful readers, industry insiders, and the knoby-tire know-it-alls that make up beSpoke(n). Check back Friday to find out if you are in the know or, in the no. Have a suggestion for a "Question of the Week"? Send an email to Fahzure@gmail.com) Thanks to the Kid in D'Hall for makin' this happen.
With M.I.A. and Adele flipping the bird at everyone, Fahzure decided to jump on the bandwagon and flips this bird at you. This bird is almost as utilitarian as the gesture but, leaves you with a totally different vibe. It's a warm, fuzzy, knowing feel. Deep love and appreciation for being a daily servant, hardly the impetuousness of those other flippin' birds. I present a magnificent bird, a Heron, crafted in the great lakes and ridden daily (yes that is a perfect duct tape light battery mount):
This bike is a crusher, designed for comfort and convenience. Wide crown fork and seat stays make room for fat tires and fenders. The seat stays are noticeably spread at the cluster:
Ultegra triple, and Molly Hatchet MKS pedals, why not:
Said fork crown, IRD cantis and American Classic Wheels which were, both, remarkably, hammered and remarkably, true; pretty light and smooth rolling, too:
Cloisonne style headtube badge, the pic doesn't do justice:
Fat tires: why would anyone, other than a racer, ride less than 25C? For Fahzure, 28C makes the road feel newly paved and eliminates pinch flats; turns are dreamy, too. According to the owner, this Panaracer Ruffy-Tuffy ,like many others, went years without flatting:
The Heron brand is back, though now out of the Waterford stable and with Bicycle Classics, where you can get the original Bennotto "Cello" tape in pink for just $6.
Yes, Circulus, which Fahzure discovered almost immediately, and promptly asked to ride. I think I was the second one to sign the waiver. Why wouldn't you pounce on this? Interbike is full of these unique and extraordinary experience moments, if you ask for them. Unfortunately for Fahzure, these guys Jeremy Powers and Tim Johnson had to ride first:
Although there is no photographic evidence, Geneo will attest to the fact that I was the second to ride the Sh*tbike on the Circulus and would have been the first had he taken me up on my offer to a round of mumbleypeg. I have only this to remember it by:
I think that these guys interpreted Circulus in a very Hank III kind of way:
Repeated texts to the Reverend with Circulus meet ups were unheaded; I went looking for the Reverend and other things. Mixie, mini fixed, was the hottest spot during the show. Something like the '93 SIA show when snowboarding hit: the aisles were chokin', gals were smokin', reps and customers tokin', business was stokin', presentation and display, token, natty rhymes and lines were Spoke(n).
Sometimes two great ideas come together, often times in my mind, without a notion of what the combo might lead to. Other folks, more dedicated and passionate about the combo have, almost invariably gotten there first. I find great joy in discovering other's spin on a combo. Today's combo "tree" and "bike." Like so:
Maybe you need your own bike tree ($50...amazing what kids in China chained to tables can turn out). Sure if you're in Portland, the combo is obvious. You could have your Christmas Tree delivered by bike (maybe, live trees for 2012, but they assure Fahzure that Portland's green waste program means that your browning totem will get composted). The rootsy riders at Tree Bicycle Co. from Missouri have been building innovative parts for BMX like Cro-Mo chainrings and knee-friendly collet stems:
Innovative products seem to spur innovative riding. From Derek Nelson (spectacular!):
I'm not really sure that winter happened in Yewtah, because without snow and with high temperatures, it has seemed like a constant March. Ghetto foam pit in December, I-Street broken collar bone in January and, now, all the whispers of spring on the bicycle interweb: energy returning to the system.
My first inkling of the shift came in the form of bike job postings. Fahzure gets a fair amount of this material through the bicycle list serves that clutter the in box. ThinkTank, the community bicycle shop list serve, is one of the more useful. Looking to make a career of the bike industry and feel better about the people you assist? You could get a job at a community bike shop in Vermont, New York, Santa Barbara or Minnesota.
Want to make a difference for riders on the Yewtah scene? The Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective needs volunteers to get bikes ready for the Spring crush. Or, you could get on with the newly forming South Salt Lake Bicycle Advisory Committee (contact Dave at MBAC) or attend the Utah Bicycle Summit.
Another sure sign of Spring comes from Dirty, taking the pulse of the bicycle interweb constantly, who noticed the bike crazies are out. As I've mentioned before, AC/DC and bike tricks go together like...well...AC/DC and bike tricks. All Mary Bar comments aside, as the Revy will tell you, the "run what you brung" ethos is tremendously appealing to Fahzure. Now you know why there's a Mixte on the masthead:
Down in Moab, spring is always early...like now. As is a tradition, the Poison Spider Thaw is happening March 2-4, a great opportunity to ride the latest from Yeti, Kona and Niner for FREE (FREE T-shirt and a gals day, even). With Yeti Joe and Schwilly down there, it's sure to be a good time.
It's sort of unbelievable but, every year, sees new bike tricks, expanding the horizon of what is possible. Most of them come from the free BMX realm, where tricks are the game. Some Tricks of the Year are athletic and boundary pushing like Spinner's 2006 360 TripWhip:
Other TotYs are style defining, attainable yet elusive; true inspiration to every rider. Vic Murphy's tabletops,especially the curb cut-type, seen in Eddie Roman's 1992 vid Ride On:
Others are big, like Wade Simmons Marzocchi road gap:
This year's TotY comes courtesy of Harry Main who has been perfecting the flair (corked backflip?) drop over the past year. Recently, he took it to new lower levels...Trick of the Year:
