Rollers

For the first time in nearly 3 years I had to bust out the rollers and ride indoors to compensate for the bitter cold temps and my health problems. Have had a bad cold ever since I got back from Texas. Trying to recover and hit it hard after this cold spell passes. 

- JB

Shop Things

Bob will fit whenever, whoever, on whatever....just an example....

Got me a new Brooks Cambium to go with the Rasta themed Nature Boy build. Should be interesting to try a natural rubber seat with an organic cotton top as opposed to the good ol' leather that I love so much. This bike is going to be au-naturale.

New Years Day Ride

Happy New Year!

There are going to be a lot of goals I have for 2014 including some huge changes in my life. 

I am looking forward to new challenges, great rides, and new adventures!

Was able to get out today for 1.5 hours. My feet have been freezing lately just wearing my shoe covers. The snow today was very loose and fluffy and not easy to ride in so I did a lot of hike-a-bike on the trails. Felt good to get out and be productive. It has been hard to get out with the horrible cold temps and lots of snow. Time to toughen up, training for Trans Iowa starts today!

Get a hold of me if you want to ride this year!

- JB

Snow Biking at VA

Got out in a balmy 13 degrees for some snow biking. I rode 10 miles to the trails and met Mike, Ray, Butch, and J-rod for some snow bike goodness. I had ridden the same trails the night before after work with my friend Todd. The trails were in perfect shape and totally rideable even without lights on....how much fun!!! No one will ever know how much fun snow biking is until you go do it. It changes your mind....changes your view on what cycling is....it makes it more better gooder. We rode for nearly 3 hours in the frigid temps and cooked our legs only to cool off with several brews. Good times, great friends. What cycling is all about. 

- JB

Peacock vs. Special-Ed

From the mouth of Erik Noren, owner of Peacock Groove in MN in response to Specialized latest douchey move:

 

 

I wrote, errr typed a big response for all the shitfuckery the big S has been doing lately. Like more than this one shop in Canada, they been screwing with the little guy for a while now.
So, instead of boring you with a big response full of smart words, Ill just leave it at this: Fuck you Specialized. Really ?
There is a reason that a corporation is always the bad guys in movies.
Now, I got lugs to polish, threads to tap, little bit of welding to do, because unlike them, I make my own shit.
I bet the only guys working right now at the big S, ( Sunday night) is their lawyers.
Good luck jerks.

First Snow Beatdown Ride

I waited until the warmth of the day and headed out on the much loved fat bike. The temps in the midwest have been absolutely awful. Highs in the mid-teens to low twenties with windchills going sub-zero. You honestly can't wear enough. Thanks to my bar mitts and wool goodies I stayed warm today and am anxiously awaiting my lake boots. We had temps in the low twenties today with the windchill around 10 and blowing winds from the east. I headed to Bull Valley to take some shelter in the woods and hide from the wind. The roads were snow covered and an absolute blast to have the fat bike on. I got SOOO many weird looks from passing motorists heading to the bar to watch the pigskin game....that look will never get old. I enjoyed 2 hours of riding and 25 miles about....I was cranking it up pretty good and beat myself up with less than 8 psi in the tires. Felt good to get out.

Also....the fixed gear is ready to roll for the spring, I am so so so excited to train on this bike. I overhauled my king bottom bracket and the drivetrain is buttery smooth. Can't wait. Also, I ordered a fancy rapha jersey to match my training partner Ari. 

Embrace the cold. 

- JB

Dec 1st Canopy Slusher

Had a great time riding for 3 hours at the Lake Geneva Canopy Tours. My local trails. I met Ray, Ryan, Lance, and the Butcher up at the trails at 10pm and we rode for 3 hours with a few hike a bike sections and some stops as the trails were really greasy from the warm temps the past few days. The sections that were still snow covered and frozen were absolutely perfect and we explored a lot of the trails. Had a great time with those guys and we had a blast out on the trails. Ryan, Ray, and I proceeded to the BBQ King behind my apartment as we do many times after a hard mountain bike ride. We had some chili mac and some drinks and then proceeded to bar hop while watching the Bears game. We had a blast and it was fun hanging with those dudes, all in all a great time with some great friends. Fat bikes are the only way to go. 

- JB