BSNYC Friday Fun Quiz!

So how psyched are you that it's Friday?

Please enter your response here:_______.

No obscenities please, this is a family blog.

JUST KIDDING!!!

Feel free to answer this way if you're so inclined:

Oh, also, we're well into September, so who's racing cyclocross this weekend?

Show of hands:

Okay, you can put them down now.  Good for you.  Have fun driving three hours, walking around a field for another five hours asking people in shants "Whatpressureyourunning?," riding your bike for 45 minutes, and driving another three hours home.

Hey, don't get me wrong, I like the cyclocross.  But you can't tell me that's not exactly what it is.

And spare me the whole "But there's beer!" routine.  Why is that so exciting?  What, you can't get beer at home?

Oh, so did anybody go to Interbike?  I finally found myself browsing some of the coverage recently, and for me this sums up the sad state of bottom bracket "standards" perfectly:

Tired of the perpetual bottom bracket creak on your PF86/92 or PF30-equipped frame? Wheels Manufacturing showed off a new thread-together bottom bracket design that might finally quiet things down.

The problem with frames using either of those bottom bracket designs is that the manufacturing tolerances are too wide for the press-fit cups to fit consistently tight. And while thread-together adapters such as from Praxis Works have been great for mounting Shimano, SRAM GXP, or FSA 24mm-diameter spindles into an oversized PF/BB30 or BB386EVO shell since they can be installed so securely into the frame, other combinations typically don't leave enough room for tool access.

Okay, so we've been told for years that bottom brackets weren't "beefy" enough:


Apparently, we were losing precious watts to our diminutive bottom bracket shells, and so salvation came in these PF/BB30-whatever things.  However, it turns out they suck, so apparently now the solution is to buy an adapter like the one above (I mean the Wheels Manufacturing thing, not the giant ass) and turn them all back into regular threaded bottom brackets.

Indeed, the PF30 bottom bracket shell is pretty much the only complaint I have about my Ritte von Finkelstein road riding bicycle cycle:

The adapter I've got in there works fine and is quiet, but it's a hassle to install and remove, and as far as I'm concerned the Hollowtech II thread-in bottom bracket cup system represents the highest point in bicycle engineering.

That's enough Fred talk for the day.

And now, I'm pleased to present you with a quiz.  As always, study the item, think, and click on your answer.  If you're right that's fantastic, and if you're wrong it's tragic--though you'll be consoled by the deep, abiding love a Fred has for his bike.

Thanks very much for reading, ride safe, and make sure you've got a philosophy.


--Wildcat Rock Machine

1) Order your Flying Rider now and get a free Bike Snob NYC hat!

--True
--False

2) What is this?

--The "CrankPump" hidden tire inflator
--The "Balls Out" bottom bracket bearing extractor
--The "One Hit Wonder" hidden marijuana vaporizer
--The "Ryder Hesjedal" electric motor assist

3) Tire levers are for "woosies."

--True
--False

(There's always suction cups!)

4) What's the best type of rack system for carrying bikes with a motor vehicle?

--Roof rack
--Trunk rack
--Hitch rack
--ZZZzzz...

5) What is this?

--A sports drink

--A laundry detergent

--Both a sports drink and a laundry detergent

--Neither a sports drink nor a laundry detergent

("This say I not father of baby.  You please sign.")

6) Fill in the blank: The new time trial bike from Mario Cipollini is called the ____.

--"Bomb"
--"Nuke"
--"Duke"
--"Douche"

7) Finally!  A shoe that tells you how much you suck!

--True
--False

***Special "Well, There's That Problem Licked, Now Let's Move On To The Middle East"--Themed Bonus Video!***