It’s SBTISAOAF on the eve of a provincial election here in British Columbia. It’s pissing rain outside as I put the finishing touches on this piece – writing the introduction last as I commonly do – I want to touch on something that has been deeply bothering me all week. Then onto the stoked-about-bicycles stuff!
I don’t know who needs to hear this, but cutting taxes – personal, corporate, etc. – is not innately fiscally responsible. It’s simply reducing revenue. And since the government is a revenue-neutral service provider – there’s no profit margin to cut – the only way to both reduce taxes and be fiscally responsible is to also decrease costs. On the other side of the coin, the only way to increase services and benefits while being fiscally responsible is to increase revenue, and, again, since the government is a revenue-neutral, collect-and-spend, service provider that means increasing taxes.
Whether you’re for lower taxes and decreased spending. That is to say less money for education, healthcare, parks, roads, etc. Or, you’re for increased spending on services and increasing revenue to pay for them. That is to say increasing taxes on someone or everyone. I am sure that you have a well-considered opinion on the subject that would be better discussed over a beer than online. But, hopefully, we can agree that there is no magical mathromancy where those cost and revenue concepts are not married together. Sure, there are always efficiencies to be found, but saving pennies doesn’t add up to billions of dollars, sorry.
I just wish beyond wishing that we lived in a society where we could have this frank conversation. Spending promises are great, as long as they’re accompanied by an explanation of who is paying what for them. Tax cuts are great, as long as they’re accompanied by an explanation of who is losing what for them. Right?
There’s probably some correlation to the timeless discussion of working more to buy a nicer bike but having less time to ride and working less and riding more but having to make do with a less exciting machine. Yes, okay, borrowing from Uncle VISA may be an option, short term. But maneuvering the apostles to buy a bicycle, or fund short-term government financial needs, has never been my cuppa.
{And not to get too political here, but f*ck me – however you splatter into the spectrum, can we agree that if bringing back plastic straws hits your top ten talking points for things that need to be fixed in this province your level of privilege is insane?}
InVested Encore
Waterproof vest season has hit, which means my friends are all excited, no, super excited, to hear me wax on consistently, if not constantly, about the glory of my weatherproof vest. I’ve had a few different ones, generally salvaged from jackets at the end of their life, but I’ll be rocking my awesome Showers Pass EcoLyte Elite vest again this season. It’s, unsurprisingly, showing a lot of use but functions as good as new.
The EcoLyte isn’t as lithe, flexible, or silent as the most boutique GoreTex c-knit stuff but it’s taken an absolute sh*t kicking. Stuffed in a pack, crashed into the ground, and washed way more often than any weatherproof-breathable shell probably should be. It just keeps on taking the abuse and doing the job I require. I also think it’s neat that the EcoLyte uses 100% recycled face fabric, lining, and even some of the zippers.
On properly wet days I combine it with a long-sleeved Merino-blend shirt, that gets wet sleeves but doesn’t really wick water up under my vest. On more drizzly days, I just rock a thin long-sleeved base layer underneath. In either case, it’s paired with cut-down MEC Mochilero Stretch pants and then I’m happy in the woods in most any conditions.
It’s weird to me that no one is doing a factory weatherproof vest option because I love mine, but I suppose sometimes being niche is nice. It’s certainly easier to hack sleeves off than add them on.
{Fromme Friday Cover Photo by: Penny Deck}
{Weatherproof Vest Photo by: Steve & Meg @Hardtail.Life}
For the record, I do know what the best-of-the-best, ultra-premium, wet-weather-activewear has to offer. I’ve owned a few boutique shells. I have a wonderful 7Mesh Skypilot jacket that I wear hiking, groad riding, and as my daily sweaty-dude-being-outside-living-in-a-rainforest wear.
For mountain biking in the rain, I’ll almost always choose a vest, thank you. And, I prefer something that sacrifices a bit of breathability in exchange for a more durable face fabric.
Looking for a jacket to chop down? We just ordered one of these FlyLow Trailworks* jackets on clear-out for Claire (the XXS is still big for a grom; it’s going to fit big for a long while – more on that in the future) and for $100 (USD) for a nice quality 2-layer piece, I think they’re hard to beat. Especially for something that’s going to get used. I’d be very tempted to grab one for myself if I needed to replace my vest. Heck, they’ve even arranged the tri-colour models to show you (or your seamster/stress) where to cut.
*{Drewitors Note: The link is to the women’s clothing section but the Trailworks jacket is unisex. Definitely check the sizing chart before ordering.}
Used Hardtail Of The… (Week?)
Okay, so, previously my Used Hardtail Of The… section has been a bike, or frame, that is rideable for serious off-road use. Ready to rip ‘n hammer on black+ single-track. RAWR! On that note, can you believe this Chromag Samurai is still available at $1250 (CAD)?! Am I missing something of does it make every other medium hardtail in the buy-and-maybe-sell look overpriced?
Anyway, despite a history of sharing hardtails ready for RAWR-riding, this week’s is not, at all. But, it makes the list because I want it so badly. Given any additional space and spare money, it’s a project bike that sings to me. So I figured I would share it in the event that anyone out there in MEATengines land is a medium-large and looking for their next ATB (Any Type of Bike / All-Terrain Bike / etc.).
What are we looking at? Hugh Black has been building his beautiful, simple, True North steel frames one at a time in Ontario, Canada, since 1993. I’ve only ever spoken with him on the phone (in my past life working in parts distribution) but he is beyond nice so here’s a beautiful bike imbued with beyond-nice energy.
So it’s single-speeded using an eccentric BB and was built with common 29’er XC geometry, and component standards, from 2010. The wheels are White Industries ENO hubs mated to custom powder-coated Mavic 719 rims that match the frame. Yes, please. Even if the rear needs a respray. It even has a White Industries freewheel! For just $1000 (CAD) there’s also a Chris King headset and Chromag Ranger stem. Oh, and a KENT ERICKSON titanium seat post.
I’d swap out the Fox 32 suspension fork for a rigid Waltworks fork I have with a 55mm offset and I’d run an alt-bar but with a tall-and-short stem, there’s no reason that a dirt-drop bar wouldn’t be an option as well. I have a pair of polished NSBillet Freelight ISIS-spline cranks that would look incredible on there too. All that said, the stock SLX cranks would be easy enough to polish up and the Terra Logic fork would be rad for someone who wanted a front suspension gravel setup.
Anyway, buy this project before I start trying to convince Nina that I NEED it. Too late. Buy this project before I start trying to justify the cost to myself. Too late. Buy this project before I start trying to convince Crash Test Kevin that he has room for my projects at his place. Standard disclaimer that I don’t know the owner, or history of the bike, and have never seen it in person. And, it’s clearly, from the photos, a used bike. But wow, that’s a lot of potential for a grand.
Here’s the link to the sweetest future ATB rig in the Pinkbike Buy-and-Sell.
Bottle Caps
CamelBak wants a lot of money for their water bottle nipple-pasties. I mean $11 for a little mud flap? And, unfortunately, it wasn’t an option to buy them cheaper with the custom bottles because, otherwise, I would have included them.
We moved a couple over from Claire and Nina’s old bottles and so their MEATengines bottles are covered. In the meantime, I have been balancing my jealousy with my unwillingness to buy what CB’s selling ever since the mucky season started.
Anywho, my friends Steve & Meg managed to find a bulk pack of compatible caps on the internet and gave me a couple. Thank you. They’re clear as opposed to being CamelBlack but they work perfectly the same and had reduced my granular pebble intake on today’s Fromme Friday. Maybe a tiny and weird thing to be stoked on but I’m jazzed.
ISCG #1FG
Earlier this month, I wrote about converting any hardtail with ISCG tabs to a single-speed, even if it lacks sliding or swinging dropouts but using a chain guide to tension the chain. This can be done in a premium way, using MRP’s fantastic G5 2-bolt chain guide, for example, or it can be done by acquiring pretty much any ISCG05 (International Standard Chain Guide, 2005) chain guide.
I’m a big fan of using a BlackSpire Stringer guide, with the Delrin roller swapped for a derailleur pulley wheel, or an MRP 2X guide (sometimes Truvativ branded) with one roller removed because these can usually be acquired very inexpensively while being excellent quality. Just be sure, for folks with older frames, that you’re matching the right ISCG tabs (’03/OLD to ’03/OLD & ’05 to ’05). If in doubt, you can always measure.
Anywho, last night (Thursday) our friends at Essential Cycles were kind enough to loan us their space and I joined Meg and Steve from Hardtail.Life in single-speeding Meg’s Knolly Tyaughton. There will be a video about it, and our wide-ranging discussion, on YouTube once poor Steve edits the widely-ranging and rambling conversation that Meg and I have. I’ll share that video once it is live.
One interesting takeaway is that with a brand new fresh ring, chain, and cog, and Knolly Tyaughton magic-gears with a 28t (round) ring and 22t cog. It will be nice to have the MRP G5 tensioner once things wear in, but for someone who really wanted to try single-speeding straight-up 28x22t would work as long as everything is newish.
RTFMing
I was working on a customer’s bike this week that had an Aenomaly Constructs SwitchGrade seat post head installed. Long story, the post required a rebuild, and with everything tightened down properly on rebuild, part way through installing the SwitchGrade there was contact between the actuator and (rubber-covered) air valve that caused the post to purge its full 300psi. WTF?
It turns out this is well covered in Aenomaly’s installation instructions and I had just inherited someone else’s laziness, all that’s required is a spacer between the cartridge and the post head, which makes the Schrader valve less proud. Easy-peasy. But it did cause me to have to do the same job twice. Urg.
While the SwitchGrade is not a product that changed riding for me, I know quite a few folks who rave about having tilt adjustment, so this is a beautifully BC-made product that really does serve up something different for customers who benefit from it. I am also always impressed by how quickly Aenomaly-Noel answers questions. Even, it turns out, question that I could have easily sorted if I had just done a proper RTFM before contacting him.
Wet Weather Woods Folk
There’s something about being in the woods when it’s moist and crispy and it’s clearly felt by my fellow travelers. Folks, even folks who we see semi-regularly when it’s nice out, have bigger, bolder smiles and seem to always have more time to exchange pleasantries or chew the fat. People walking their dogs always have something to say and the commercial dog walkers all seem to be extra chill by half. I must have given neck scritches to a dozen happy dogs today as we meandered about on a glorious Fromme Friday.
I love all-time-fall-time riding, but so does everyone else. So I think I’d say my favourite rides are when the clouds are spitting and rock and roots and slipping. Not just because those are the conditions where the North Shore reveals its true self and riding here feels most real. For me, it really comes down to the people – riding, running, hiking, and walking dogs.
And that’s SBTISAOAF for October 18th. Live on a Friday even! Here I’ll add a reminder to reach out if you’d like to contribute something to About A Hardtail (scroll down) and say thanks for reading along and sharing around the pieces you enjoy. Not a ton of folks read MEATengines but there are more all the time and I love that some folks seem to really enjoy it.
Cheers,
Welcome to MEATengines, I hope you enjoyed this piece. If you did, please consider buying me a coffee. Any questions, concerns, or comments – or to order a MEATengines water bottle – feel encouraged to drop me an e-mail, or join us at r/MEATengines.