The 96fitty is in! Expectations are high, but as I just knew would happen, the bike showed up just as we are leaving for vacation to the Adirondack's Sunday and there is no room for bikes. Its a long drive up there but plenty of time to dream of the knew ride, new trails, a new job when I get home with all new faces......but that job thing is a whole nother (word?) story.
Back to the purpose of this post, any shortcomings of this bike is nobody's fault but mine! Its a bi-product of a meritage of ideas from the seldom scene 69er, the up and coming 650b, the ever growing popularity of 29ers and singlespeeds, and my own personal thoughts and gut feelings that I have learned to trust over the past 10 years of riding. So without any further adieau, this is my idea of what I think my bike should be to make it the optimal Michauxslovakian ride.
1. I went through all of the trouble to get a custom ride from IF so I could get something that fit exactly to my own body measurements, which is pretty hilarious because the length of the bike matched exactly to the measurements of the Old Yeller Paragon, which just so happens to be the cheapest bike I have ever owned,...and actually loved. Too bad, just like all Fishers, it couldn't take a Michauxslovakian beatdown! I think the point I was attempting to make here is that it has to have a long front for my hopelessly mediocre size. The translates to a 610 ETT, the same as the Paragon.
2. BB drop on the new bike was going to be minimal while still keeping the same BB height(315mm) as a normal 29er by using a 650 rear wheel. The reason?? Since Old Yeller broke, every frame I had after this has had a huge BB drop in order to place the rider down into the bike for more stabilty,....which is great. However the problem I noticed, especially with having an excessive amount of whale blubber for a left arm, is that it takes a lot more effort to get the front end up. With the 650 rear, I get the clearance of a 29er without the BB drop. Hopefuly this will create a bike where my center of gravity is at the same stable place but the front can be lifted much easier.
3. Man, the new trend of a 72 degree HA is frightening to me. I have been on 71.5 and it still seemd way too steep for Michaux. Old Yeller was 71 and although it was close to perfect, it wasn't really right either. Seem picky??? That's what riding for this long does to you! So I ask Shaun? from IF,..."How precise can I make this,...Or is it a case of I give you a number and you get it close??", and he says " No man, we can do it!" So,...needless to say, I may have the only 71.2 degree HA out there! Combine it with a Fox Fork with 6 mills more offset, and I am hoping for that dream ride. A drop of the knee, a look a head, and go! All this without feeling like your going over the bars on the new wave trails in Michaux.
4. Shorter chainstays were a must! When was the last time you saw a singlespeeder spin out while on a seated climb??? Boy, in my humble opinion, the Wet Cat geometry of Vassago had it all wrong! They were claiming that long chainstays and a low BB were the cat's meow for climbing steep technical terrain. Well, I rode that Optimus until it broke 5 rides later and I can tell you it's not good. Not that any good rider can't adjust, but there was noticeably less traction on those steep climbs. This brings up the next point. IF (no pun intended) the bike is being built strictly for a SSer, then it should be designed differently! We don't sit and spin on steep technical climbs, we stand,...grunt,...grimace,...throw down,...do the Bender move(arching back), anything but sit, to get up thing. The best tool for this is a short but compliant rear to get the force over that rear wheel. But once again, this is only my humble opinion.
5. Last but not least, I wanted Ti over C, Al, or Fe. I'm riding the Superfly right now, but just like it's predecessors, its just a matter of time. It can't take the beatdown! Although the ride is decent, compliant, and seems stiff enough,...it just lacks something??? The 1 and only thing I enjoyed about the Optimus, was the feel of the Ti ride. It was compliant, just like carbon, but springy, unlike the carbon. Yes, the magic metal. I have to ride Ti again.
6. This is all pretty funny, because as far as I can tell, nobody reads this! Feel free to bash nicely if you do. But if you do read this and happen to see some guy on an IF that doesn't seem quite right, and he happens to have a shitty grin on his face like he just swallowed the canary, know that it's me and I found the magic ride.
Cheers!
When I get home from the 'Dacks, this thing is gonna get the Michauxslovakian beat down! Southy style! Always tough talk, cause there ain't nobody listenin'!
