this one landed in my lab last week…
it must’ve imprinted on me. it followed me home and roosted in my garage, then scavenged the finest cuts from a cache of bike parts
a lineage of Chris King, Thomson, Brooks, Avid, DT Swiss, and Shimano that has moved from frame to frame over the last 6 years - including a Specialized Stumpjumper i rode in the late 1900’s, a headset from my ole’ SC Superlight; wheels, drive train, and saddle from first Vulture SS; seatpost, stem and bars from a Salsa El Mariache (makes 3); pedals and brakes from a Turner Burner, and the 180mm cranks off my Coconino touring bike. this is recycling of sorts, or, better put - realizing the durability and value in good investments. there is also a bit of good mojo mixed in with trail cred.
by the end of the weekend, it had found its way into the kitchen to get some sun. a little early for warmer spring temps still…
i rode in to work on it a few times last week, mostly in snow and frozen mud. w/o paint, i’m obligated to keep it moderately clean till adult plumage comes in. here it is, back roosting in the garage, reading up on the Handlebarsandwich blog and accumulating emptys for bottling a batch of hoppie porter this spring.
Saturday we got in a good ride on the west slope of the Sierra. weather was absolutely spring-like and almost everyone we met was happy and smiling - especially the Shredder -
thanks a 10^6 Vulture! i’m very stoked on my new ride. next weekend’s 24 hour race in southern AZ ought to be fine venue for some enduro shredding.
Oh snap! that race is in 6 days. our bikes might be feeding on MY carcass!!!
Sweet looking birdie!
-M
Wade told me that he had some new ideas.. But I had no idea that they were so … new. i like it. i can’t wait until Friday when I should be able to lay my eyes upon it. Let it rip.
~Reed
Niiiiiccccccceeee! Also a nice pic in the new Dirt Rag JR. It must be a “good” year so far for ye. Good luck in AZ ya’all!
i was stoked when the Art Director of the Dirt Rag was interested in the shot and learned it would go to ink in the Feb issue, but i haven’t seen it yet. i was pleasantly surprised to get email from V Nasty bringing onto the radar. the Dirt Rag truly is a riders’ forum!
thanks also go to the ladies, the Shredder and Caylin, for going riding on a rainy fall morning after watching the cross race at Northstar. that was the day of the pic, one of the quietest and most excellent conditions.
thanks a bunch!
J.r.
I am mesmerized by your bike. I love the frame shape. I see that you went with horizontal dropouts. I’ve been thinking of that option, since my bottom bracket seems to need to be pulled apart and greased every few weeks or it screeches like mad.
How’s the rear wheel clearance on the chain stays? My Vulture could use an extra 1/16″ or 1/8″ on each side. I have wore a little paint off the inside from tire rub and there are some tires that I can’t use.
I also dig the Fox fork’s look. How’s it working for you?
See you in a few days.
~Reed
i’d already dropped the wad on a CK rear hub, which is about as stout and light a bolt on unit as they come. EBBs, sliding rear dropouts, all of that - in my humble opinon - are efforts to dodge using a wrench and some patience to tension your chain and align the rear wheel. it also adds stuff - about 8″ of surface area that may develop creaks with an EBB, or 4 more bolts and about 5 inches of surface area with sliding dropouts… yeah well whatever, EBB’s and sliding D.O.’s cost about $150 in addition to tubes to fabricate a frame, and they work just fine. they’re still cheaper than a $350 bolt on Chris King hub, but my money’s on the hub for staying power. every part on that thing is serviceable and/or replaceable. if price point is the bottom line, Woodman and WTB make fine bolt on hubs.
i’ve gotta say the Vulture’s about nailed it on this one. i’m fully full on stoked to shred and shred and shred with this frame. we’ll see you in 24 Hour Town, Reedster. thanks for the good vibes. can’t wait to ride with you and your pals. we should get there Thursday midmorn, and set up on the runway to the timing tent near Tom Purvis.
J.r.
ps- in the pic at the bottom of the post, Vulture is TIG welding the front triangle on your SS, Reedster. the shot was taken a year+ ago when i stopped in to visit before the CCP.
Yea, I have one of those nice Chris King Bolt-on hubs in the back of my Vulture as well. Of course, since I wanted a bolt-on on both ends I have a Paul Fhub in the front.
You sent me a few pictures of Wade welding my bike up, so I knew that photo looked familiar.
Our group will be rolling in at different times on Friday. We’ll track you down after we get all set up. Enjoy your drive.
~R
Hey Japhyrider, chatted with the Vulture about you while we were discussing my build. Would like to get some beta on the Grand View trail as we are looking at taking it on one day in late April. Drop me an email if you could. Tag along if interested.
hey there Mr/s. Rockin’. the Grand View Trail is awesome!!! it’s adventure biking for sure. you WILL be route finding on occasion, portaging you bike over lots of logs, and always watching your water supply. the trail maps out at 70ish miles. sounds like a nice day ride, eh? next attempt i make, i’ll leave at least 3 full days to ride it, not including the 30 mile traverse from put-in to take-out. it’s way up on the Pausaugunt Plateau, so parts of it’ll be buried in snow till late April/May at least. i would love to take another crack at, but if it doesn’t happen by late June, i probably won’t get to it this year.
all the beta you are likely to find is available summed up on this map…
http://japhyrider.smugmug.com/gallery/1449537_jWDLA#69026199_sXbRD-O-LB
some pics are in this gallery…
http://japhyrider.smugmug.com/gallery/1509810_6Sudf#
we only made it 1/2 way in 3 days, though the pace was not blistering. there is a bail out up to the Bryce Canyon N.P. with a few miles of trail (illegal to ride). the GVT itself is all legal to ride.
good luck.
for real on the 3 day thing. it’s an adventure ride, relax, take your time, enjoy the View.