Big Bikes

Pre-Race Shakedown, Thrash-Test, Shoot-Out

I'm a bit of a stickler...I like to get out and ride a new bike at least 24, well maybe 21 hours before I have to race it for the first time. Woke up a little anxious this AM, so I took the Ferrous for a little spin (first time I'd ridden it out of doors) down to Renee's. One of the two brunch spots I frequent in Somerville, Soundbites being the other one. If you go anywhere else for brunch, you haven't been to Renee's or Soundbites.

First impression is that it handles way quicker than the Rig with the 51mm Offset fork and adjusted head angle. It still feels good though. Getting used to the rigid fork is going to be interesting, hopefully by mile 48 tomorrow I'll have it worked out.


After a bit of back and forth I opted to throw a Bontrager Mud-X on the front to compliment the XR rear. I was going to run a super-light Jones XR in the front but given the fact that it's been raining in VT for days I chose to put the big guy on the front for better handling in the mud and to soak up some of the bumps since I'm "Hard in the front yard!" (Mike Ramponi-ism). There's a huge difference in the size of the two tires which actually effects the head angle of the bike, slackens it by nearly a degree (yes, I had a Geeky freak out yesterday and threw an angle-finder on the sumbitch) which is a good thing as far as I'm concerned.

The 34 X 18 gear felt great riding up the hill from Davis Square to Teele Square. Of course it's paved and the gradient is about 4% but I'm going to tell myself that this is a good indication of how it will feel over 8,900 feet of climbing dirt hills in Vermont.

"Hey, I could whip him without a reason, cuz I got the guts. Hey, I got the guts...but the guts need fuel!"

-Henry Chinaski
Barfly