earleb profile

How can we have a mention of Cool Tool and not it's eccentric founder Bob Seals? Bob started Retrotec bikes and after leaving the bike world he founded Klean Kanteen.  He's known for showing up to the early singlespeed races wearing nothing put a speedo. 

I've been using a set of Fix-It sticks for a few years, I managed to lose one of them and yet to replace it. Along with the Fix-It Sticks I've carried a small chain breaker that was salvaged from some old Topeak. This unit looks like it could be a worthy addition. 

Regarding 1/4 bits, get WERA HexPlus bits. They are better.

If you want even more fun, run your friction thumbie on your diy electric bike and the ability to send 500w of power into hunting for the gear. 

I love my thumbies, but I did get a trigger shifter back on the electro commuter after it's last rebuild and it's nice. 

Even though it was a 11spd Microshift and 11spd cassette I ended up spending about a year in friction mode. It got knocked out of alignment one morning dropping the kids at daycare, flipped it into friction mode....just never took the time to realign it and switch back. Cables never out of adjustment in friction mode.

Fancy stems are nice and I have several (NS Billet, Chromag, and TCI) but my next will be back to a simple inexpensive forged lightweight weight weenie one so I can min-max the dollars into higher value area. 

I want another P321 rear hub and the dollars gotta come from somewhere.

The 11-46 10spd cassette, budget but not cheap rear derailleur, xtr shifter, and the non series low key mt-900 cranks. Will a 12spd ring work with the 10spd chain? 

You get enough spread in the 10spd cassette, all steel no pre-mature wear in the bigger gears. 10spd is going to be lighter than 11 or 12. Rear derailleur that works well but doesn't break the bank when you destroy it on a rock.

The non-series cranks are just new XT but I like the low key branding better. The 24mm Shimano series gives up a touch in weight to the 30mm axle systems but it's a better system. Quality bearings, a steel on steel interface between axle and bearing and simple pre-load. 

XTR shifter because they usually just feel better than XT. 

Min to the max. 

I was really un-happy with the shift feel on the move from 10spd to 11spd XT. The 11spd XT just felt heavy and clunky. Currently on full GX Eagle and it's just okay, it's been durable. I have an new 11spd Sram mix of GX and X1 ready to go on the next build, bought before the latest Shimano stuff was available an I have XD driver on the current wheelset.

https://www.schwalbetires.com/accessories/helpful_tools/tread_cutter

Buy what's close to what you want then trim em.

Bootcamp? I assume that was riding lots with James.

Can we get a weekly/monthly article from these two? This reminds me soo much of late 90's Bike Mag vs the stuff we get now either online or in print.

Dave Camp did a couple gear box style bikes.

https://sites.google.com/site/dcamp2/history

I know where there is a shop where you can built your own.

The antithesis of the Gee Milner "Dream Build" videos.

F Metro. I've said it before and I'll say it again F Metro. Metro has stonewalled the NSMBA on many initiatives. 

Emails to Metro LSCR are likely funneled into a direct delete folder. Pressure needs to come from elected officials if we EVER expect any change in the LSCR. 

http://www.metrovancouver.org/boards/membership/board-members/Pages/default.aspx

Floor CNV's Linda Buchanan inbox as a chair of the MetroVan Board. 

LSCR falls under Water and not Parks

Here is the Water committe

Brodie, Malcolm (C) - Richmond

Elford, Doug (VC) - Surrey

Asmundson, Brent - Coquitlam

Baird, Ken - Tsawwassen First Nation

Bell, Don - North Vancouver City

Bligh, Rebecca - Vancouver

Clark, Carolina - Belcarra

Dingwall, Bill - Pitt Meadows 

Froese, Jack - Langley Township

Guichon, Alicia - Delta

Keithley, Joe - Burnaby

McEwen, John - Anmore

Svendsen, Ryan - Maple Ridge

Some mountain biker taking a pee into the forest a vertical km from the watershed is going to wipe out all of Metro Van's water supply.

Posted by: heckler

Posted by: earleb

Posted by: D_C_

Posted by: earleb

Convince BC Parks and the Metro watershed to let bikes in and we'd get that.

Keeping people out of our water supply is a good thing...

Not saying people should be swimming in the water, but does a few trails in the watershed really have an impact?

A trail next to the lake?  I’m in.  Literally.   So, yes.

I am okay with them fencing you out of the lake if we can get access to the damn alpine by bike.

Posted by: D_C_

Posted by: earleb

Convince BC Parks and the Metro watershed to let bikes in and we'd get that.

Keeping people out of our water supply is a good thing...

Not saying people should be swimming in the water, but does a few trails in the watershed really have an impact?

Posted by: craw

I think it's remarkable that we have so much incredible wilderness adjacent to Vancouver and yet there's no trail infrastructure that links the three big mountains to each other. i.e. If you wanted to travel from Cypress to the Lions and around to Fromme or beyond. It's still remarkably segmented. Being able to do longer off-road traverses near the city would be really cool.

Convince BC Parks and the Metro watershed to let bikes in and we'd get that.

Posted by: syncro

with no worries about being trapped by a bridge incident.

You say that like it's a bad thing. Live on the Shore, work on the Shore, play on the Shore. Blow up the bridges, make the Shore an Island.

Are you more of a pedal vs a shuttle type? Plan to bike commute to work? 

Central Lonsdale get's my vote. Short walk to lots of stuff, close to the new breweries and trendy stuff in Lower Lonsdale, short walk to all the older restaurants along mid Lonsdale. Short enough pedal up to Fromme. Can hop the bus to seabus for commute to downtown or bike commute over either bridge, or bike to seabus and bike on the other side. 

If you know you're more likely to shuttle lap Seymour then other options might be better.

Is the plan still to stay open to Canadian Thanksgiving like usual? Weather permitting. 

Have not been up this year and looking at timeline to try and get a couple days in.

Posted by: Endur-Bro

Why are people so emotionally attached to paying more for items one can purchase from any other online retailer for less?

Because much of the profit was used for positive environmental projects. 

The NSMBA would not be where it is today without grants and sponsorship from MEC. MEC grants were used to springboard from struggling volunteer board to paid administration staff. It seems small but it's a quantum leap in capacity.

So glad I had ordered a box of housing and cables last year. I am tight on housing ends but if I get desperate I'll spin my own with some stainless on the lathe. 

Now I do need a drivetrain for my commuter bike...so we'll see how fun it is to source cassette and chain in these out of stock times.