I rode up seymour mountain on the weekend. Half an hour out to the base of the mountain, then the glorious 1000m accent from the bottom to the ski lodge. I came for pain, but I noticed that I wasn't hurting too bad, actually I felt dam good spending half my time in the saddle and half out. I even had a good rhythm going, putting in a consistent effort bottom to top without ever feeling like I wanted to puke. Clearly, this can only mean one thing...
Its high time to make things harder!
Potential Frame?
It is now clear to me that riding one speed on the dirt simply isn't enough. I guess this means its high time I put my ass into gear and get a move on build that fixie road bike.
Currently, my search for the perfect frame has just begun but already I have one interesting candidate (pictured). I must admit when I first thought of putting together a fixie road bike, this was not the kind of frame I had envisioned. I had imagined some beautifully lugged frame from the 80's meticulously hand built by some famous frame builder in Italy. Something that had history and was ready to make some more.
However I find it hard to pass up deals sometimes. This frame is a total bargain - A Cannondale (also known as crack&fail) CAD 4 Areo. It lived its life as a shop owners frame, barely ridden with an asking price that is the same as some cheap used steal frame. Since its a time trial frame it is be short in the top tube which fits my weaselie frame perfectly. All I have to do is strip the ugly paint, and get a buddy to do a custom paint job on it. Perhaps flat black with shiny flames... who knows but with those fat tubes.
So did I buy it? Well, not yet. You see I am still thinking. Do I really want to be the kind of guy that builds a pain machine with such a hightech Pimp frame? To me riding fixie is all about pain and simplicity. No fancy technology here just guts and glory baby! But its such a deal, and will be so rigid, perfect for cranking on.
What is a weasel to do? Will I sell out to technology or try and remain traditional? I guess only time will tell.
Comments
don't bother with the cannondale, it doesn't have horizontal dropouts, they do make a track specific bike but the geo. might be too steep for bombing hills in bc.
The Vert drops are not a problem is you use the white industry eno eccentric hub. You get about a full chain link fore-aft movement because the wheel axle is offset from the binding bolts.
Buy the frame weas...it'll be like so freakin unique.....
Thanks for the suggestions. The TVT classic is sweet. I will go down to Campione and give them a chat.
Funny aside I won a pair of bib shorts from Campione Cycles a number of years ago in a sketch Cat 4 race. The shorts were crap...
On that note I think I will head down to Mighty Rider tomorrow talk to Ed some more about other possibilities.
Try Campione Cycles at 8th and Burrard. They have some older track frames in the back. You can check out pictures at www.cramerotti.com . Click on Track on the main page and you can see what the frames look like. I have a TVT Classic and love it.