Life, Lust, and Silly Puns

A win win situation, really. Jasper gets a higher end fork, and I get a stiffer fork. I should have took pictures of the process, too bad I didn't. :P

Edit: So I took pictures a while ago, but I forgot to put them up here. So I got my camera and downloaded the pictures onto my computer and looked at them. I don't know what the hell happened (maybe I've spent too much time in the 'cross and road bike sections of bikeforums) but my bike looked UGLY. GAH. Geometry, color, whatever. Yeah I've probably spoiled my eyes on bikes I can't afford for a couple of years, but wow, yeah I was shocked at how bad my bike looked.

No pics for you guys.

Edit2: Never mind, my bike doesn't look that bad in reality... does it? I must be a terrible photographer.


Someday, somehow, I'm getting a rigid fork.


And a 'cross bike.

sigh.

So I cleaned by rear disc brake today, cuz it was squeaking every time I applied the brakes. Took apart my brakes, cleaned and sanded my pads and rotor a bit. It was pretty dirty.

Sorry no pics... didn't come to mind.

I didn't really like the look of the spacers on top, so I decided to try flipping the stem. It looks GREAT.



Fork looks weird... I realllllly want a rigid fork.

Went to Performance yesterday, bought a flat bar, locking grips, sweet Pearl Izumi gloves, and a big bottle of drip Teflon lube.

I also lowered my handlebar height.







I want a rigid fork...

I finally got Spore to work... after three days I think. It was like I wasn't destined to play Spore or something. Hard drive crash, password issues... finally got it to work.

Thanks Jasper.

Yeah I left Friday afternoon, got there at 11:30, next day went to some meditation sorta thing, felt like I was in Bay Area again cuz of all the freaking Chinese people. Seriously, the area I was in was like a smoggy Milpitas. Left at 4:00 got home at 10:30.

Not very interesting at all.


My Sansa needs a new battery.

So what's the difference?

There isn't much physical difference, but

A singlespeed is just like a regular bike, but only has 1 gear. Can coast.

A fixed gear is a singlespeed, but the chain directly connects the crank and the wheel. Cannot coast.

Both have a really clean look to them due to lack of gear system.

Just a little FYI

It was a casual day, an ordinary Tuesday, where I got out of school phenomenally early. Me and some friends were going to TK noodle (which I think isn't that great, but whatever) for lunch. As you know, I recently finished roadifying my handlebars, turning my bike into a beautifully fast steed. Well anyway, there's this railroad that runs near my house, and a concrete path that runs parallel to it, with a metal fence/gate that runs between the two. So I was riding on the top of my handlebars, as many people do. I didn't have 'cross brakes on the top, as many people don't. But I was planning to.

As I approached the concrete path, I hesitated for a second, deciding whether or not to take the concrete path. I was moving at an average speed, which I figure was 13-15 mph. With my thin tires, I couldn't corner well, and I found myself heading straight for a metal pole that started the gate/fence. Naturally, and at the time, calmly, I reached my fingers out to grab the brake levers. For a split second, I felt something there, but it faded away fast as the pole came nearer and my bike maintained speed. My brakes weren't there. At this point I realized I was TOTALLY SCREWED, and had no choice but to brace for impact. A lot of things could have happened to prevent this, but they didn't, and so I hit the pole.

My head felt this sense of pressure, and crushing, and it reminded me of when I was hit by a car. I hit the hard concrete, and was frozen to the spot by the pain that washed over my body. A minute passed, and my friends came over, surprised, possibly by the accident, but also perhaps because of my stupidity. After a minute, the pain went away, and I figured I escaped with scrapes and bruises. I made the move to get up, but as I rolled over, I spotted the pool of shiny red blood that lay where my head was. I swore, and tried to take handle the problem, while shunning the dark thoughts of possible brain damage. Calls were made, and a kind AT&T driver stopped and helped, (apparently he had some first aid training) and determined that luckily, it was just a gash, and my brains weren't spilling out. I asked several times, just to reassure myself, then I relaxed, knowing I wasn't in any serious medical danger. Anyhow, more people stopped over, (one was EMT trained?) and eventually my dad and his friend came over.(and the paramedics, and the police, and a freaking firetruck came by, though I made the point that I wasn't on fire. But firetrucks came to my car accident too, so I don't know.) Anyway, I went to a clinic (Palo Alto Medical Foundation, anyone?) and got 3 stitches and something for my knee.

The same evening my dad made me change my beautiful road bike into a hybrid again, and I was told to walk to school for the rest of the school week. I didn't turn on my computer for 2 days after the accident, and so this is the first day that my computer has been on since the crash. Luckily, it wasn't major, and I acknowledged that I was stupid, so I don't suffer from the biker scare that bikers experience when they have a crash. (Makes you not want to bike anymore, but it goes away, depending on how serious the accident was.)

Changing back my beautiful bike depressed me, but I'm getting over it. I'll get my stitches removed this weekend (and get new flat handlebars, as I dislike the looks of risers), and back biking to school this coming Monday.

I love biking.

I took lots of pictures along the build, so here they are.


Mockup


Sawing didn't take as long as my dad said it would, although turns out I used the wrong saw, (the pictured saw is apparently wood only...) so he was kinda mad about that.


Sucess!


Yeah I can't read that either.


Trend of the future?


Cable routing


Bar tape

Finished pics










Now I just gotta save up for a rigid fork. :D

I went to Performance Bike today, got new handlebars and brake cables, so now I have to wait till tomorrow to start. I'll have finished pics by tomorrow, you'll see :D

Moved my brake levers and road ends, and sloppily threw on my bar tape. Gonna get a flat handlebar and a new brake cable on the weekend. Here, have some pics.

Ok, so I posted my handlebar woes on bikeforums.net, and I got some pretty good advise, so I'll be working on that tomorrow. I think I'm gonna get a rigid fork and definitely flat handlebars. I'll post pics as I go.

So even though I've already roadified my mtb, there's still 1 thing that bothers me. Generally, road bike handlebars are the width of your shoulders to reduce shoulder and back pain. Mtb handlebars are wider to allow your to steer easier, maybe on a tough trail. My road ends are on the end of my mtb handlebar, so while I'm not in any pain, they look reaaally bad. Sorta. Unfortunately, my shifters/brake levers can't move over anymore(mtb handlebars grow fatter towards the center), so I'm stuck in my current position. Considering buying handlebars that don't get fat.