Stupidity
Well, I am an idiot.

I worked all morning, Saturday, getting the forks back together and everything seems in order with that. Got the head set on and the handle bars, and I decided I would try to swap the hydrolic lines on the brakes, so that they would match my old bike (you see, I ride dirt bikes and it just kills me to have the front brake on the left). Anyway, long story short, I broke the nipples off both brake levers (more like they were frozen on the brake lines and twisted off when I unscrewed the nuts...but it was still my fault). Anyway, I figured out (after wards, of course) that I could have just flopped the levers over to the other side (they are univerally ambidextrious) and not even cracked the oil lines...this is going to cost me. I also took the suspension linkage all off and flipped it over to give the bike more clearance and a slightly higher seat height. It felt sort of low in the back.

I still need to cut the grips and put the hill climb bars on. I hope I can just replace the cartridge on the master cylinder from the brake levers (at least I know how to break down the whole master cylinder now).


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- posted by Jeff @ 5:03 PM | 0 comments

 
Enduro Pro FSR
Well, the bike got here late Friday that I bought off Ebay. I really wanted to go ride it this weekend, but we are pretty busy, and I have to take care of the boys on Sunday, plus, I started going through it, and it needs a little work. Everything is pretty dirty and has a lot of bright orange gritty clay mud on it (must be what Alabama soil looks like...grin).

I've gotten most of the stuff broken down and taken apart and need to do some cleaning. The front fork, a 2003 Fox Vanilla 125R, was out of oil on the compression side. I think I have figured out what spring loading that was in there is (I need a stiffer one and ordered one from the LBS). Also, there was an o-ring on the bottom of the fork that was mashed and ruined (probably why it was out of oil). Couldn't find one at the LBS, or even at the extensive selection at Ace Hardware. I'll try some commercial places on Monday. I thought the brake pads were almost gone, but looking at new ones, they actually look pretty good still. The rotor has put some wear on the side of the caliper on the front and back, but the rotors were new and look to be in good shape. I'll need to bleed the brake lines, though. One of the stem bolts that clamps the bars was stripped, so I'll need to replace that. Broke down the rear shock and cleaned/greased the air sleeve, o-rings and bushings.

I got new fork oil (10 wt.), but need to find a replacement o-ring for the bottom push rod on the compression side of the fork. I also picked up some new fork seals to put in, just to be sure (the old ones were pretty dirty). Got a new stem as well, but I need to get the fork put back together first. Bought a shock pump that will get the Fox Float RL shock up to my needed preload weight. Also, got some stuff from Performance Bike. Got new shoes and SPD cleats for it. A nice medium sized bike tool kit (with all the bottom bracket tools and stuff). Silver bar ends for the new bike. And a wireless computer.

I'm amazed at how much these new full suspension bikes are beginning to look like mini-dirt bikes. From amazing tripple clamped front forks (when are they going to go to upside down forks), coil over nitrogen charged piston shocks with linkage, and hydrolic disk breaks. Pretty freaking cool.



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- posted by Jeff @ 7:04 AM | 0 comments

 
My pride and joy...
If you haven't seen my boys yet...


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- posted by Jeff @ 8:43 PM | 0 comments

 
New exercise machine
Well, I've just about finished up a rough 6 month project at work with some long hours, and I'm going to try to ride some foot hill down hill trails and try to loose some weight. I have been "speculating" on a bunch of full suspension bikes for over 2 years now, and I finally bought one. The wife isn't too happy about me spending any more time away from home, but I really need to get out on the hills and grind out my frustrations. I have hardly riden my dirt bike in the last 8 months and I really treasure that time alone pushing it pretty hard until I can hardly breathe and riding the whoops, beating the hell out of myself and really carving a trail (mountain bike or dirt bike).

Anyway, I finally bought a 2002 Specialized Enduro Pro FSR full suspension bike off Ebay, and I can't wait for it to get here. Full disc breaks, lock out suspension and killer components. This bike makes any trail almost as smooth as a newly paved highway, and I'm really looking forward to the rewarding down hill on some of the rockier trails around Boise after the grueling uphill.

Large 2002 Specialized Enduro PRO

• 2003 Fox Vanilla Fork 125 R (used one season and includes original owner's manual and an extra set of springs)


• New bushings in rear shock


• Cane Creek Solos headset (used one season)


• New Velociraptor Front tire


• Hayes Rotors and brake pads with less than 50 miles


• Sram PC-99 chain, Sram rear cassette, Shimano chainrings, Derailleur cables and housing with less than 50 miles.


• New Kalloy seat post


• New WTB Pure V saddle


• New grips


• Rear wheel was rebuilt by professional Cane Creek wheel builder with a new ONYX DT Swiss disc hub and 14 gauge spokes and brass nipples on a Mavic 317 disc rim with a matching front 317 disc wheel with Specialized front hub.


• Original specs include Specialized Strongarm II cranks, XT front Derailleur, XTR rear Derailleur, Hayes hydraulic disc brakes, rear Fox shock with lockout and ITCH SWITCH.


• Includes Salsa seatpost quick release and Lizard Skins chainstay protector.


• Good set of Shimano SPD pedals. I think they are last years 540's.

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- posted by Jeff @ 8:28 PM | 0 comments