All but newbie cyclists know that the bicycle is the key to performance. Why else would we spend so much money on bikes?
With this in mind, I announce that 2009 will be my year of mad mountain biking technical skills.
I've always liked technical challenges, but I was never particular good at them. Above average, at best. But I've made a change to my bike that will elevate me off this plateau and have me shredding the stunts in 2009.
Here's how my bike used to be setup:
Now it's setup like this:
You see the change, right? No, it's not the flipped shock.
(Yes, I did flip the shock because I realized I'd installed it upside down back in October 2007. I discovered this mistake when another Prophet rider had his bike next to mine a few months ago. It ran fine upside down and I'm pretty sure the shock will operate in any orientation, but I figured it's better to run it the way Cannondale intended.)
What, you still don't see the change that's going to transform my riding? I promise this isn't as hard as dug's game of One of These Toilets Doesn't Belong. OK, let me zoom in:
That's right, I moved the shock mounting point from XC to FR. (That's Cross[X] Country to FreeRide, for the bike-tech ignorant.) I'm sacrificing a little speed for downhill dominion. Everybody knows that once you go under the magic 68 degree headtube angle your bike cannot be stopped by any obstacle; be it rock, ledge, log or junk car. I can't wait to discover this new world of riding!
The Real Story
A few Prophet riders recommended I try the FR setting. They said it makes the bike handle better without giving up much. It did lower the bottom bracket about 3/4", but it already has ample clearance so I don't think this will be a problem. I'll be interested to see if the bike feels different with this minor change.
The End
2 years ago
5 comments:
Dude, you are so going to own!!!
(did I sound like a real mountain bike guy there?)
Why yes, yes you did!
OK, so I just have to say, the title of this post SO sounds like a line out of Napoleon Dynamite!
BTW, the second photo shows me yet again we are kindred spirits- I too, cable-lock my bikes inside the garage. You're the only other rider in UT I know who also does so.
i double lock my bikes in the kitchen, but i grew up in hollywood where you had to ride your bike locked to your body.
i agree you will like the extra squishy and not notice any more pedal bob.
The cable lock came after my MTB was stolen out of my garage 4-5 years ago and my friend Tall Steve told me that's how he secures his bike. I figure most bike thefts are grab-and-go affairs so the cable lock should discourage / thwart that.
Oilcan - Why do I get the feeling your not entirely joking about needing to be locked to your bike? Once I get out on some dirt this Spring I'll be sure to blog about the geometry change.
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