I'm sure the fact that I really enjoyed Bentonville will compel someone to comment that I've sold out to Walmart. Yeah, whatever. Go ride there yourself and tell me it sucks. Anyway, it's not like Walmart gets my money--we don't even have Walmart in New York City. No, when I need a wide variety of inexpensive items under one roof I go to a local mom-and-pop called Target. Because it's all about supporting the independent retailer.
Also, yesterday I wrote about the Tresca:
And its minimal rear tire clearance--which, again, is presumably limited to the prototype I'm riding:
Anyway, this morning I headed out on the Tresca yet again, and when I was about five or six miles from home I felt a bit of a ker-thunk and my rear tire went flat like it had just taken a bullet from a sniper. Whatever had caused the flat was no longer in the tire, but it had left a gash about an inch long, and I was forced to boot the tire with a $1 bill in order to get home. (I am truly illiquid; all my money is quite literally in bikes.) I wish I had a photo to share with you, but alas I had my phone switched off to conserve battery. See, the charger port had stopped working, and after my ride I had been planning to head right down to the local phone repair jernt to get it fixed. (My phone is basically 10 speed and I refuse to go to 12 until parts are no longer available--or 5G really happens, whichever comes first.)
In any case, I have no idea what caused the gash, but I can't help wondering if the minimal clearance was a factor--like maybe some large piece of something got stuck to my tire and it got pressed in there when it passed under the brake bridge. Then again, a year or two ago this happened to me on more or less the same stretch of road and I had clearance to spare, so really you never know:
I'm just glad I didn't ruin one of those Donnelly tires.
Podium???
ReplyDeleteI'm into clearance now. "Clearance" sales, that is! Ha ha! Seriously, as I get older I can't stand the sound of rubbing leaves between the frame and the tires. Drives me batty.
I've never been to Bentonville and man, that picture looks like fun - now to read the article after I podiumed(?).
Podio?
ReplyDelete"My phone is basically 10 speed..."
ReplyDeleteSo I guess my TracFone flip is basically 7 speed. Which would make m y landline...fixed gear maybe?
And on the subject of clearance, Clarence-My Crosscheck takes 700x45 AND fenders. Never felt that my riding experience was diminished by that in any way. Shoot, you should see my Raleigh. 1976 Supercourse. Lugged 531 Reynolds. Clearance out the wazoo. Heck, I bet it would fit 29x2.25.
Gave my only geared bike to my daughter's fiancé. Rummaged through my quiver for something to stick one of my many geared groups on and I think that Raleigh is the obvious choice. It was a major disappointment fixed, but I figure anything that pretty just has to be good for something.
Are all the forks mounted backwards in bentonville?
ReplyDeleteI've never come across "jernt" before. The Google says it's a substitute for a cuss word, but that still didn't seem right from the context. Unless you really hate those phone stores!
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of flat tires, I'm in need of a new bicycle pump. My previous one was a mini which required great effort to get above 80 psi which was a pain in the... So I'm looking for one to attach to the top tube of my 97 Lemond Zurich and reach 90+ psi (#whatpressureyourunning).
ReplyDeleteRecommendations Snob / Commentariat?
Thanks.
Don’t know jernt? Neither does my autokerrect. You gotcher lugged jernts, yer juke jernts, yer dive bar jernts, actually it’s a colloquialism for, or maybe of, joint. But now I’m just being pedantic.
ReplyDeleteI'll take my mtb trails narrow, rocky, rooty and unmarked thank you very much. Liebman's matzo ball soup rocks : )
ReplyDeleteGreat piece on Bentonville. Spent a weekend there in early October and was very impressed by the amazeballs trailbuilding they've done. If you like bermed turns, pump-track-style singletrack, and woodsy ridge riding, it'll pretty much blow your mind.
ReplyDeleteMan, you've sold out to Walmart.
ReplyDeleteLike the Disneyland analogy. It's a golden era for carefully fabricated and manicured mtb trails. The sport ever more resembles miniature golf. We're building berms with the same equipment and care as skyscraper foundations, designing gap jumps with autocad, pressure treated wood for skinnies. Just a few animatronic bears away.
weed.
ReplyDeleteI live 30 miles from the nearest town over 5,000 population. Holding my breath until 5G gets here
ReplyDeleteThat guy on the fat bike has a big smile.
ReplyDeletedoes anyone else ever crave second hand smoke?
ReplyDelete