From Tumblr to Wordpress

Let's try again.  Go here now.

Ok. Let's just rip the band-aid off...

New blog is up: thebennonite.tumblr.com

Let's get with the program

There are two types of websites on the internet right now.  There are first decade websites and there are second decade websites.  There have been three different types of websites since the initiation of the public interweb, but the websites of the 90's can be classified as prehistoric.  First decade websites, those developed during the first 10 years of the 21st century, are very familiar to us.  Most webpages that you visit during any given day, from CNN to Velo News, are first decade sites.  You scroll down a page and click to another.  Pages are text-heavy and hyperlinks are text based.  Social media is an afterthought.  Second decade websites are a distinct break from the trajectory set by the websites we are used to.  Enabled by faster internet connections and speedy computers, they integrate with smart phones and gracefully link to social media outlets.  Users scroll between pages and are given smaller amounts of text with larger images.  My friend Curtis' site is a good example of a second decade site.  The website for the Richard Sachs Cyclocross Team is another decent example.

I recently "got with the program" and traded-in my flip phone for a smart phone.  With many second decade tools now at my disposal, its about time I ditch this first decade blog platform in favor of a Tumblr.  Look for the launch of Bennonite Blog 2.0 in the coming week or two.

Andy in Melbourne recently upgraded his blog/site.  His new page is distinctly new age and sets a pretty high bar.

Ben's Bikes: The Butter Knife SS

I like to savor my bike builds.  I collect all the parts I need over an extended period and take my time assembling them.  I enjoy the process.  This build was different.  I didn't own the bike that was ideal for the race I was signed-up for.  I barely had the parts kicking around to build-up a passible substitute.  My cyclocross frame was bare naked.  I had to squeeze assembly into an already packed weekend.  Still it's cool to see the infamous "Butter Knife" in it's one-time-only bare naked singlespeed form.  Hopefully one day soon it will have the coat of paint it deserves.

~9:30pm Saturday night

I've been working with Jon Gehman to strip and powder coat the frame.  I've stripped it, but haven't gotten around to melting powder onto it.  For this one day use, I coated it in CLP, a gun/general use lubricant.

Last time this bike was assembled, it had paint all over it.  When I went to install the headset on Saturday, the crown race just feel into place.  It should require a press.  I guess the paint that I stripped from the fork had provided the interference fit needed to properly install a crown race.  I found it remarkably easy to shim it with some strips of aluminum from a beer can.

Paul MiniMoto brakes are "very stopy"

I don't like singleators.  If you're going to add weight to your bike and friction to your drive-train, you might as well have some gears as well.  Because I don't have a racing license, I had to race in the single-speed category.  Because my cross bike isn't single-speed specific,  I had to use a singleator.

Those Velocity rims are supposed be tubeless compatible.   They aren't.

When I was assembling this bike late Saturday night, I didn't have my pedals or saddle with me, so I couldn't test ride it.  The next morning was a whirl-wind, as I helped set up the race and then quickly went to church.  I was planning to warm-up with the half-hour between church and the race, but it turned out to be an ill-fated test ride.  The chain did not wrap enough teeth on the rear cog.  At the race-site, I changed the orientation of the singleator (so it pushed up like in the picture), but the chain was too long and needed to be a half-link shorter.  With fifteen minutes to the start of the race, I raced over to Rocktown, threw on a new chain, and raced back to the race.  I crossed the start line about two-minutes behind the leaders.

I recently picked up these N.O.S. Shimano RX100 Brake levers from Jon Gehman, with the intention of using them on my touring bike.  I had them on-hand when I was building this bike.  I was surprised to discover that they're extraordinarily comfortable.  You don't notice a well-shaped brake lever.  Often, they're either bad or fine.  You don't expect to find one that you really savor.  I guess they don't make them like they used to.  It's a similar case for the cotton bar tape.  I used it for this build because its reusable/recycleable (it makes for a great chainstay protector), but I discovered that it provides a firm slip-free grip and keeps the bar diameter small, which is confidence inspiring for cyclocross.

You don't often see nice performance oriented  quill stems with removable faceplates, like this one.  I'm not sure why that is.    I'm also not sure why the designers at Deda decided to orient the clamp with the faceplate on the bottom, which places all the load from the rider's weight on the threads.  One set of threads has stripped so far.  Affordable quill stems that are worth riding are hard to find.  In order to make do with this one, I drilled all the way through the top of the stem, extended the threads, and ran a longer bolt.  The guys at registration made me cover the exposed bolt with duct tape, so it wasn't a danger to any racers.

Most friction-free crank bearing on the planet: Campy square taper

Fizik Aliante: the only saddle that I've found to be compatible with my rear

2013 Matt Styer Memorial Spoke Card by Jon Styer

~12pm Sunday

Matt Styer Birthday Ride

That was The Fall

The Fall at Little Cove cabin was everything we anticipated.  We had three times as much food as we could have eaten and four times too much beer.  Still, we didn't bite off more than we could chew.  We spent two solid nights hanging out around the cabin and catching-up, while trying to make a dent in the case of PranQster.  Fortunately, we failed to make such a dent and were each able to take a few bottles home.  I hadn't seen Joe since he moved to Harrisburg.  I don't think I'd seen Jon since my bachelor party.  It was good to hear about Joe's job at E-town bikes and Jon's foray into family medicine.  On Saturday, we spent all day touring Southern PA, central MD, and the panhandle of VA.  It was a manageable 105 mile ride spread over a healthy 9 hours without absurd amounts of climbing.  Its unusual that we get together and don't push each other way past the point of exhaustion, but this weekend's ride was nice and low-key.  We were pleasantly surprised with how well we felt at the end of the whole ordeal (a few cramps aside).  In the evening, we made some gourmet pizzas and planned the next few Harrisburg/Harrisonburg weekend while listening to Dawes.  Its no coincidence that our July 2014 ride weekend relies on Dawes returning to Lancaster for another mid-summer night show.

The fall is coming

The government shutdown has not only impacted many citizen's livelihoods, but also a handful of citizen's recreation plans.  If the SM100 was this coming weekend, it would have to be canceled too.  I believe we've got a green light for Little Cove Cabin weekend though.  I understand that South Central PA is kind of like the wild west.  There are no laws.  The feds are despised.  You can get away with anything.  We're going to try to get away with some bike riding.  Since his SM100, Joe has turned into quite the dirtbag mountain biker.  He threatened to withhold funding from our weekend unless there were gravel roads.  With no other option, Jon and I conceded to his demands.  This was particularly hard for Jon, who has been itching to show off his new old carbon paved road bike.  My old new carbon cobble stone bike was recently repo'd and all I have rolling right now is my old old paved road bike.  For Joe's sake, Jon will have to ride some crappy titanium bike, and I'm going to borrow Jenny's Soma.  It should ok.

Unless we are surprised by some New England visitors, it will be just the three of us.  Jason's bailed about 50 different times.  Most of the Lancaster dads are committed to being good parents.  Peter, the exception, will be coming off a few days of riding in Moab, but still has familial obligations.  Maybe winter training camp can roll out of Lancaster, so he can join us.  Matt wants to ride mountain bikes.  I thought we were over the whole mountain biking fad, but it seems there are some hold outs amongst us.  So, there will be three of us in a cabin that sleeps eight.  I'll refrain from brining Neptune along.  The whole adventure cat thing just isn't working out.

What does the weekend have in store?  First and foremost, a 100+ mile ride through three states featuring 2000m+ of climbing and a mid ride bathing session with George W. in Berkley Springs, WV.    There will be some homemade pizza, breakfast stout, Sorpressata, and orange juice. Jon really likes orange juice. What else? Maybe some Settlers of Catan? A documentary screening? S'mores? Nobody knows.