Sunday, March 1, 2009

This bike won me my first attempt at 12hr solo SS race, the 12hs at John Muir 2004. What you see is as stock as it ever was. Setback post and bottle cage were the additions. This bike and that race hooked me into a culture that I hope never changes - WEMStyle'

Lets prep this baby up for cyclocross. Big ring it, skinny tires and Salsa Bell Lap. This bike hooked me up with Best Costume at the Washington Park Halloween CX 2005. Before the I darted off the line to take the Hole Shot at Sheboygan WORS #12...Only to lock the front brake and flip it on the pavement.

Enter the Fixed Gear years. Chequamegon Fat Tire 40 was the challenge. Fixed and Brakeless of course. The only bling missing from this pic that was in the actual race was some beautiful Profile BMX Cranks. I carried a fart machine in my back pocket and mounted the remote to the stem. Good time it was.


This configuration also scored me my first major bike related injury. Snow riding on Snowmobile trails round my parents house early spring. Steep descent that forces a fixie into safety mode. Turn those cranks like grandma to stay in control. Popped a pedal while pulling up - ditch the bike to avoid the tree. Separated shoulder.


The road warrior. 2.5in slicks. Switchblade fork. Yum. After a summer of riding, I began to get picky about the Axel-to-crown height...So I gave the fork to my Trek 9.9. And then the bike sat. It sat all winter.


Until late February 2009. I stay fixed. Surly 32t. Salsa Fork. Avid SL brake. Bonty Rubbers. Um. Yeah, I am lovin' this set up.


Endurance, Cyclocross, Fixed Fat 40, Separated Shoulder just to name a few. In today's world of all us wanna-be pro racers getting our 'new' race bikes yearly, how many of you can pin so many riding styles, stories, $$$, and fun into one and only one bike??? Exactly.


I definitely recommend selecting that lovely, lonely bike that sits in your shed. Put some tender love and care into it and see what happens. You just might fall in love with it all over again.

2 comments:

Mad Trix said...

Amazing evolution Gus. Very cool story.

Iguana said...

You're making me cry :(.
But you're not the only one converting one bike into many styles.
Wait till the bmr and then you'll see what I got. :) Basically "my bike is gonna be better than yours" :)