New Tranny in the old steed

Together with my two mechanics-in-training (aka kids) I replaced the rear cassette, the front chainrings, and the chain today on my old mountain bike. While I was in there, I gave it some new rubber (Dart and Mythos XC), greased up the WTB front hub, and gave the bike a decent cleaning.

The drivetrain had the original parts from when I first built the bike. The chain had been replaced once or twice, but the rest (rings and cassette) is original. They have 18 years of abuse in them. Mountain biking in Austin mud, Colorado grit, and Moab dust. A fully-loaded tour from Seattle to Guadalajara down the west coast. Rusty rain in Amsterdam. Beach riding in Zandvoort. Poor cogs.

While dismantling the poor abused chap, I realized just how much paint I have removed in the past 18 years. (Yes, this poor beast is now that old.) It could really use a new paint job. But putting real money into it for that right now just isn't going to happen. I suppose I could find a painter here to do it, but the quality is pretty bad here. I had some motorcycles painted here in Bangalore and was pretty miffed with the result.

I'm pretty psyched to get it back on the road, but unfortunately the old Rock Shox Mag 21 gave up the ghost last month. I have a new fork here but no star-fangled nut for the headset. I have a new Mag 21 that I picked up from flea-bay, but it's in California, not here, since the shipping was one day too slow last time I was there. So until I either make another trip to the US or find a nut here in Bangalore, I get to just look at the bike with all it's shiny new parts on it.

Sure looks purty.

When everything else lets you down, count on your bike

Another weekend, another ride. If it weren't for my mountain bike and the off-road riding that I have recently discovered here, I'd be crazy.

I took 4 friends out on my usual ride in the countryside east of Bangalore.

It was in the words of one person "the best day I've ever had in India" and that's from someone who's lived here for a year and also spent 4 months backpacking around in younger days. So I guess he liked it well enough.

Now I just need to find a way to get a ride in more than 2 or 3 times a week. Every day for breakfast? Uh, yeah, sounds like the ticket. I just need to find a way to not show up for work until 11am. Oh wait, that's what everyone else here does..... Hmm.