In which crushing and plowing are related

After my recent post on my new green machine, the path has gotten a bit more difficult and crushing has taken it's toll.  The 3rd Cliff of Insanity is largely the source, with it's steep but soft landing ramp.  Fahzures first attempt at Keylining the ramp with the brake lever and bar end did not go well, breaking the attachment point off the lever body.  Fortunately, zip ties work well (thanks for the hollow pivot, Sram!):

Next, the only rock patch in miles beckoned Fahzure to clean some field stones. Spokes make a poor implement for the job:

Back at the Cliffs of Insanity, a little tire plowing:

Never have cleaned out soil from inside the tire before:

Yes, I run 'em 40-45psi (2.3's!)

SSSSSS-Super Sick Specialized SX Sending Sunday

For more than 10 years, Fahzure's primary ride was his Killing Machine but, on its fourth fork and needing drivetrain and brake work, the Killing Machine became hard to trust.  I shopped around for over a year anticipating catastrophic failure of the KM (it never happened). I rode the Ibis Mojo HD, Knolly Chilcotin, Yeti 7, Intense Tracer and many more of the 6-7 inch offerings. I decided that I had to have coils, front and rear, some sort of multi-link rear end, and a design based on a 180mm fork.  Tys chose to support the home team, by picking up a One, so that eliminated that option for me. Thanks to my friends at Big Red and Wasatch Touring, I was able update my ride while staying within the lineage. At my age, the less I have to adapt, the better, I thought. Fahzure's new ride: 

 The Specialized SX Trail is the longest travel non-dual crown offering available from Big Red. I switched out the drivetrain to 10sp Shimano, put on a 90mm Thomson stem, meaty Oury grips and a Reverb seatpost, which is awesome when it works, so far, not very often; 39 lbs as you see it.  Saddle is a donor from Griffy after the stock slim jim folded (you'll thank me later, Chowdah) on no footer hard landers.  Lots of stuff on the bar and still tons of room:

 Front hubs are indistinguishable in my opinion, the Fox axle works well:

 Fancy front end: matching color F & F, headset, hub:

Look at all of those shapes, angles and joints:

 XT 10speed w/ SLX shifters has worked great; cool through axle, derail hanger, derail guard:

After six months of light use, the green ano has started to fade at different rates, to different tones; earn your turns stem:

 I'm fairly indifferent about cranks and pedals, as long as they don't break; my first steady relationship with a chainguide equipped bike has been a bit testy:

 Four pot Code brake calipers combined with carbon XO levers, light and super powerful brakes; so far, so good on the rear hub:

750 mm-29.5 inches wide handlebars is quite a switch up for Fahzure, who previously was running bars in the 25-26 inch range.  Fahzure loves his table tops, turn downs and, especially, X-ups. The wide bars combined with the longish stem are intimidating, where bar ends can catch on legs or clothing...will it work out?:

 Super Sick Sending Sundays came to end this past weekend and the turnout was as strong as ever, all kinds of conveyances were present; little tykes:

Many people were first timers on janky bikes, like this one with the quill-type stem a full inch and a quarter above the minimum insert line:

Danky Dan, who has taken up with a plastic 29er, was out Crossfit training on his dualie:

Tys styling the big stepdown:

Fahzure in the skills park:

Flo nearly bottomed out in the skills park (check those stanchions):

 

In the skills park, I got the courage to try a number of tricks on the new bike, including suicide no handers, no footers, and X-ups; on the big stepdown, I got to send it:

Griffy sends it legoman moto style:

Extend your arms and legs, scoot back, twist your arms to full click at the elbow:

Pavel was up with the Go Pro and, with lightening fast speed, put together these two vids of Fahzure and Tys:

 Thanks for a great fall warmup, Canyons, Tys, Pavel, Flo. So far, the transition to SX has been seamless, with one exception. All of my other bikes are black or blackish. I'm considering some repaints this winter, perhaps in dark metallic:

June 15, 2011 Hump Bike-a crushing machine sent out to pasture

If you know me, you likely know this bike, as it has been my primary steed for more than a decade.  It is a Black Sz. L Specialized Big Hit Pro, circa 2001(Legendary, if you believe what they say).  For awhile, the word on the Shore was that these were the only frames that lasted. Never have changed a pivot bearing, still no play. Monocoque hydroformed front end with meters of clean weld bead. Built up custom from a frameset, it is black.

Sure, it's a 24 inch rear wheel, but look at that 3.0 tire.  This tire has inspired much tire envy:

Original crank and bashguard!!!!!, Other than the frame, part of King headset and various brake parts that's about all of the original. How about that heel rub, chain slap, bashing wear: solid:

Okay, so this the fourth fork (!) on this bike the prior three Super T's snapped, jumping and parking garages are hard on forks. This is an Italian 66, beat, 'cause its been ridden. Never have opened it up.

King SteelSets cure problems associated with crushing it all the time and head tubes.  It was super harrrrrd to install, and it worked.

Also included, disposable cockpit controls. Gears and brakes are overrated. Who cares?, it all gets shredded. Freeride!

Okay so this bike probably cost me $3K, with another $2K invested over 10+ years of riding and primary crushing. A dozen plus Porkys, Little Cottonwood's and the Mushroom Drop many times.$500 per crushing year is pretty much a bargain when the same time period would include nearly 20 breaks (bones).  Thanks Big S.  Now it goes out to pasture for more sending on Oregon trails from Junior.

(Click that pic, it's clicked!)

Thank you, killing machine, for the decade of crushing good times.