Tube, No Tube - gearing up

The experiment with the tubeless went exactly half as hoped but I don't consider it a fail. I have first hand experience that there are many factors to consider if converting to tubeless. The front wheel (Mavic) is tubeless and is doing well. The rear wheel (Velocity) sadly had two issues going on and has a tube in it. I couldn't get three of the 106 studs to stop leaking air. No worries, live to fight another day.

I am in the process of lacing a 9 speed cassette hub in my Syncros rim for the Voodoo. It will see some life again and be able to play a little this winter. I'm setting it up 1x9. Other than that it is virtually unchanged.

I got a few new pieces of gear that I am enjoying. My wife bought me a pair of Manzella Hatchback gloves. They have a convertible windstopper mitt to cover the fingers. I rode with them on Friday and they are pretty awesome. They make it easy to regulate some temps by pulling the finger in and out of the mitt. They roll up and store in a flap when not needed.

Next, I got some new booties. I tried this route last winter and didn't have too much luck with the zippers. These (Gator) booties are spec'd as mountain. They fit my shoes a lot better and I hope they hold up. Friday's ride was sloppy and they kept my feet dry which clearly wouldn't have happened without them. Warm too!

Last but not least, I bought a 10l drysack for my handlebar bag that I ordered from Porcelain Rocket. I have Scott making my bags for the Tour Divide. The handlebar bag is designed where I can put everything in the drysack and then place it in the bag on the bars. The concept is to pitch the tent and take the drysack in to the tent where I can remove my sleeping bag and anything else that I would want to protect from the elements. I hope to have a few of my bags by the end of February.

Happy New Year

So here we are. Another full year on the brink to have as we wish. I hope to make this year incredible!

I left last year behind in the middle of a project. I made the attempt to go tubeless on my studded tires. It was a stretch to think I could pull it off. Well, I am still working out the details. I will describe my experience.

Last year I bought a set of Velocity Deep V (yellow) rims. I set the Alfine up for the winter commuter and I used one of those rims to do so. I never got around to lacing a front wheel so I was riding with a wheel I got from my friend Jim. I believe it is a Mavic. All along I didn't like how difficult it was to mount a tire on the Velocity.

I started with the Mavic wheel. To prep for the conversion I cleaned the rims with brake clean and applied the Stan's yellow tape. I then put the rubber rim strip on and mounted up the tire. I tried to inflate it without sealant to see if I can get it to hold some air. It wasn't happening. I called Tech @ Stan's and they said try wrapping the wheel with Velox tape under the rimstrip to get it closer to the tire. I took a brush with some soapy water and wet the bead. I was able to inflate it with a floor pump so I knew that I could add sealant. This wheel went well. I did manage to get it sealed up pretty quickly. There is not much air getting through the thick rubber of a studded Nokian tire. After it was sealed up, I tried to increase the air pressure to 65 psi (my riding pressure) and I noticed a leak of sorts at or around the valve stem. I'm not sure what caused it but my only solution was to add more sealant and try the process over. We'll see how it turns out.

letting the sealant do its job

I am looking forward to see how these tires perform tubeless. I'm hoping for some good thoughts on it.

holding air, waiting for a performance test

Next I did the same set up process with the Deep V. This proved very difficult. The tire was already hard to get on the rim before but it went to a whole new level when I put the rubber rim strip on the rim.

rimstrip installed

It was pretty hard to get the first bead on the rim but the second bead was murder to get on. I proceeded to test if the tire would hold air. No luck! I went down to the Old Spokes Home to use their compressor. The hopes was to shoot a quick amount of air in to seal the bead. It worked but I wasn't looking forward to removing a section of the tire to get the sealant in. Luckily OSH has a injection syringe to add sealant through the valve stem. I got 2oz in with no issue. The second 2oz didn't want to go in and shot all over the place. I assumed I had enough in there and moved forward. In the end it seemed I had two issues on my hands. The first was that three of the 106 studs were leaking pressure and sealant. How was this possible? The studs don't even go through the tire to the inside. The second issue was the likelihood of not enough sealant in the tire. For whatever reason there was leaking from the studs, the sealant should have been effective to stop it. Not the case. Since that discovery, I have added more sealant but now I await a trip to the LBS to use the compressor to get this wheel sealed up again. If it fails to seal up, I will put a tube in it and get back on the road!

IN OTHER NEWS.....

I have a tentative schedule set for 2012. It is aggressive but I think with a clear plan and a solid effort to build my fitness, I will be able to accomplish it all or most. Here it is.

• one training century in each of the months of January through March
• Gravel Grinder Spring Dirt Road Ride - April 21
• SSapalooza* (single speed mtb race) - April 28
• 200km Brevet - May 12
• 300km Brevet - June 9
• Dynamic Duathlon (team w/ my wife) - June 24
• 400km Brevet - June 30
• SSUSA2012* (single speed USA) - July 28
•  DarkHorse 40 (mtb race) - August 5
• 24 Hours of Great Glen (mtb race) - August 11-12
• Vermont 50 (mtb race) - September 30

The events that are marked with an asterisk are so because two things will have to happen for me to do them. One, I will have to have a single speed set up for the races. Two, I have to be at a fitness level that I have never achieved to even want to attempt them. Nonetheless it is a goal of mine to make it happen.

winter bike rolling

She lives again

The saying stands true. "It's just like riding a bike". Friday was the first day of a commute on the road bike. Longest ride on it since the accident that broke my collar bone back in June. It is about 10 miles from the house to the shop. I felt a bit uneasy at first on the ride in but by the time I got there, I seemed to be settling in to the bike. On the way home it seemed all but second nature.

Next step is to get the mtb rolling again and then I will start building a single speed mtb this winter.

was sick, now studs, still with tubes

A week and a half ago I went for a ride with Mike that ended with him catching an endo with his face on a rock. He gashed his chin and we called it done. I rode on out cutting through some woods and endind at home. Later that night my throat hurt like it hasn't for a long time. I am just now starting to shake whatever it was that I caught. I haven't been riding much since then.

Tonight I finished up the winter commuter. It now has the Alfine 8 speed (again) on it and it will live there until the end of its days. I also put on the saddle bag, fenders, front and rear lights. What I don't have is the tubeless system setup. I ran in to some problems with it tonight. I want to call them and talk tech and maybe I will have it done this weekend. I'll keep you posted.

home sweet home.

The IGH didn't look so big on the mtb. The rim was wide. The tire was wide. After that it looks pretty big on the road bike, especially with the 28c tires. I rode this around in the parking lot a little last night and it feels so weird being on this bike. It almost feels too small, which it isn't, after being on the 29er with 28" wide bars. Oh well, in a matter of time, I will get used to it. After all, its just like riding a bike.

We have some inclement weather coming in over night so I will be riding in the morning to give everything a test run.

ready for the truing stand

It's a beautiful thing when it's shiny and new. Then it has an all new beauty when it is worn in and dirty

So, there is a really good chance that I will have the Bianchi rolling at the beginning of the week. I would have to say that we have be lucky to have an extended fall riding season this year. Usually we are already riding in the snow and deep cold. Heck, it hasn't even been that cold. Well, the days are numbered. It will be here soon enough and I will be ready. I am going to set up the winter studs tubeless this year. At least I plan to. I am using the Stans kit. I will be wrapping the rim with yellow rim tape to seal the spoke holes and a self sealing valve stem with their sealant. Hopefully I can get them to seal up and make it work. I only (unbelievable) had one flat last year with the studs on. That is amazing given the hundreds of miles I logged. Hopefully the tubeless system will give a new experience to it. Stay tuned.

switching it up

The mtb is crippled for the time being. I have started the process of putting the Alfine back on the Bianchi where it will find a permanent home. This was the plan all along, I just look forward to actually having both (at least two) bikes fully operational at all times.

I cut the IGH out of the mtb wheel

I am not sure but the Voodoo might get set up single speed or 1x9 for the winter. It might get nothing at all. I'm not sure that I want to put the energy into it but I hate that it can't be ridden now.

I have loose plans to set it up as a dedicated dirt road rambler. I envision mountain drop bars, STI shifters for perhaps a 2x10. Something that will be comfortable during long periods of time in the saddle. Of course to do this I would have to build up yet another mtb that will be used for Tour Divide. I don't have much in the way of plans for a road bike except for setting the Bianchi up for winter commuting/long rides. Which brings us to this.

ready to be built up

I'm looking forward to a lot of riding in the snow. I find it interesting and fun. It also helps considerably with bike handling skills. This rim was originally going on the front of the bike last year but I never laced it up. I was going to run a dynamo hub but haven't settled into that yet. Therefore I will continue to use the wheel I got from Jim on the front and use this new rim to rebuild the rear wheel.

something cool for a new project I'm starting

Gates Carbon Drive System w/ Center Track