Bike Addiction

[Fenlason]

This is waiting for me to pick up in Portland

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1430433969.453748.jpg

Awesome bike.. I am envious.

[Fenlason]

I did finally get out on my Krampus for nice trail ride. I had previously tried a snow ride with it. [The snow was a little too soft] and we did a group rail trail ride a few weeks ago, which I rode on the Krampus. I didn't get much for impressions on those rides. Last night in the woods it felt pretty awesome. It will be a fun trail bike. The taller wheel rolls through rough stuff nicely, and with a little less air volume. It doesn't bounce around like a pinball.

I suspect it will get tweaked over time. Perhaps lighter wheels, that also set up tubeless easily… some higher thread count tires, that set up tubeless well. I don't have much for brakes yet, but they are new and not bedded in.

[Fenlason]

[Juneaudave]

Boy...the bike really looks great!!!! Any thoughts on what the next bike might be to feed the addiction?

[Fenlason]

Boy...the bike really looks great!!!! Any thoughts on what the next bike might be to feed the addiction?

Thanks.

Not that the list isn't always evolving the two at the top of the list are a new Cycle Cross bike. I have an older Cannondale, but it is heavier than my Cannondale mountain bike. I would like a lighter weight Fat bike. I think that is currently at the top of my list. It would get ridden more. The Fat Bike market has been changing greatly.. so I was sitting that out a little.

Also probably no more new bikes this season. We just traded my pick up for a new bike hauling van. So it and it's set up is eating up my bike budget.

[Juneaudave]

It's amazing how many styles and manufacturers of bikes are out there.... I've been riding a bunch of cycle cross bikes all spring looking for something that would work well for a single all around bike for light trail up to light touring. We have been full time RVing or teardropping since last August and are pretty limited on what we can carry. Anyway, I was just about ready to pull the trigger on a Surly Cross Check or Kona Jake....but ended up with a Salsa Vaya 2 after looking at some of the adventure touring bikes. I think the Vaya might be a little heavy, but it fits me amazing well, and has a buttery smooth ride.

[Fenlason]

It's amazing how many styles and manufacturers of bikes are out there.... I've been riding a bunch of cycle cross bikes all spring looking for something that would work well for a single all around bike for light trail up to light touring. We have been full time RVing or teardropping since last August and are pretty limited on what we can carry. Anyway, I was just about ready to pull the trigger on a Surly Cross Check or Kona Jake....but ended up with a Salsa Vaya 2 after looking at some of the adventure touring bikes. I think the Vaya might be a little heavy, but it fits me amazing well, and has a buttery smooth ride.

Nice.. on the full time RVing.. and on the bike. I was looking at a lighter weight Specialized Crux.. one with gearing and tires sized for gravel grinding.. because of racing. Otherwise the Cross check would be very high on the list. It is such a great versatile bike… taking anything from road tires up to 44 mm tires.

I love my Pugsly.. but at times riding aggressively with others.. lighter would be handy… just riding?

I do like Salsa bikes very much.. a few of their bikes have been on my list, but we have a competitor that has some clout, and they won't let us have them.

I got a LOT Of miles in this winter and was hoping for a great race season… then A cold repeated a few times.. then the flu.. now tendonitis.. and a baker's cyst. It has had me re evaluating "things" . I am not sure trying to be good at endurance racing.. is in my best interest. I have had a few years now, something like this has happened.. and doing this well takes a LOT of training time.. and I have other things I would like to do.. so.

Anyways the point of that.. even though I still want to be fit.. and fast… playing is fun. I am loving that Krampus. It isn't light weight..but It is also far less expensive and less expensive to maintain that my race bikes… and it is gobs of FUN.

[Fenlason]

Each ride on this beast, I become more in love with it. I do need lower gearing, in general and especially for my knees at the moment. I had contemplated going to something for a 1x11 set up… but the drop bars complicate it. There is a new CX 1 cycle cross version, but the gearing isn't low enough for what I need mountain biking, and you can't mix road and mountain.. or cross and mountain components any more.

So I will do a 2x. On this bike the Surly off set double is the way to go. They put the 2 chainrings in the place where the middle and outside would go on a triple. [In order to get the most clearance between the chain and the tire] I already have the left shifter lever from when I purchased the right bar end. The original crank was pretty heavy.. so I am hoping by adding the double I won't gain much if any weight. I did also order newer higher thread count tires. They will be more supple giving a better ride and grip, as well as being considerably lighter. I will try to set them up tubeless on my current wheels.

My brake power is better now, but the reach to them is kind of far It's not like I have small hands. I will have to look into that.

[Fenlason]

I have my new crank and derailleur on. While I have not weighed anything the new crank didn't feel all that much lighter. That was not why I bought it. Usable gears.. and a crank that will give me a lot of options, was what I was after. I put lighter and more comfortable seat and seat posts. [stuff I had]

Installing the front shift lever I had to retape the Handlebars. So was I was able to move the cable that was in my way, and fix the reach to the brakes.
Next up.. setting the tires up tubeless.

[Fenlason]

Krampus update:

The tubeless set up didn't go all that successfully.. so I bailed on that idea for a bit.

I did use the bike a lot this season. I got pretty close to one of my big races [time wise] and thought I should get back on my race bike. Unfortunately my first ride was also a race. A small "locale" time trial. It was also my first time riding the particular trails. I did a quick warm up ride [to also check out the course] and I hated my race bike. { I knew it would take time to get used to this one again] I made a few adjustments.. that and the previous ride.. the race lap was better.

After my races.. I wanted to get back on my Krampus.. and I figured It would also take some time, to get used to it again. It took about 60 seconds.. and "Man I LOVE this bike"!!

I have since put STI brake/ shift levers on it. [I upgraded my road bike to 11 speed] and put the "old" 10 speed levers on the Krampus. I also had to switch out the brakes. Mountain bike and road bike brake levers pull differing amounts of cable.. so the brakes are not interchangeable. I did have road brake levers with the bar end shifters.. there are a few levers only.. that have road levers that pull what mountain levers do, and since the drop bar was an experiment….. and the bike already came with Mountain bike brakes.. I stayed that way. Anyways.. my new brakes are the new TRP double piston brake. They are made for cross or road bikes and only come with small rotors… but with the "old" Avid rotors and adapters.. they work perfectly.

STI and the new brakes.. make this bike SOOOOO much better. The reach to the levers are better… being able to shift, brake.. etc.. from the one position is much better for faster riding in technical stuff, and the brakes work much better.