wait... wat?

Sometime when I inventory my bag, I feel like a wannabe bike mechanic/survivalist with all the crap I keep in it. I mean, seriously? I know people who dont carry a single tool. I scoff at such foolishness, but do I need all this? At all times? Here's the list, from left to right.

1. pedal wrench/box end 14-15mm wrench
2. spare tube
3. filzer multi tool
4. planet bike CO² inflator
5. crescent wrench
6. "trixie" track tool
7. tire levers
8. spare straps for... strappin stuff
9. raincoat. One time use. proabably.
10. Bag for almost all these tools and a side pocket with cash for emergencies.

Well, at least I left the crank puller and chain tool out of it. 

YAY KATY!

My wife finally got a bike the other day, A giant simple. Which to my surprise, is put together much better than I thought it would be. I t has 3 piece cranks instead of ashtabula and a nice shimano coaster brake. Its really nice to go out for rides togeter and  im excited for more dates together.

Katy is my wife btw. HI KATY! IM RIGHT BEHIND YOU.

brakes are for woosies mondays.

Ive been rideing brakeless for a long time now, and I forgot how easy it is. This is probably why my calves look like watermelons. Anyhow, I put a brake on for polo this sunday because I was running a freewheel. That being said I DEFENITELY reccomend a brake for polo, fixed or free. When you see someone heading to your goal with the ball you dont want to go it slow just so you dont skid/ghost ride into the wall.

I was bruised and drunk after polo this sunday so I didnt take off my polo wheelset and switch it ovet to my commuter wheelset till the morning. Groggy and hung over, of course I didnt bother taking off the bar end plug and grip to take the brake off as well. OH MY GOD. What sheer luxury to be able to slow down without tearing my calves apart in the a.m . 

I finally made the leap to chop-n-flop bullhorns today. I had a pair laying around the a I made for a friend that he recently gave me back and some eai cloth tape that I felt really horrible about using on polo mallets (comfy!) so I wrapped them up and stuck 'em on. My first experience on fixed gear was on TT bullhorns which are much longer and had bar end brake levers. Beind my first fixed gear experience, I was really relying on the brake and beinf that far forward on oversized bars with thick "cork" tape hurt the fuck out of my wrists and hands. Well I'm glad to say the cnf bullhorns are right on. not to wide, not to thick, and not to long. I do think I want some real ones from urbane though. I kinda want to run a front brake. Im WAYYY to fuckin fast on these.

Totally unrelated

In completely non bike related news, the north america release of Resident Evil 5 came out today! I'll be playing the shit out of this every moment im not riding or working. It's Been a good year or so for my favorite childhood games finally having sequels. First Fallout, now resident evil 5, and some time this year or next, Diablo 3. Not to mention for a first time, I've actually gotten a game im willing to trade in that has maintained a lot of its value, Cod4: world at war. Forty bucks! Nerd love.

I was going to get some pedals today when my front got stuck in a crack in the road and I flipped the bike and landed on my face. I broke my glasses and cut my face above my eyebrow and the side of my eyelid. I locked the bike up and went and washed up/ put n a bandage at starbucks. Then I went next door and got some superglue and fixed my glasses. Then I went to hogtown and bought the pedals I went out for and then went to urbane and got my front wheel trued (it's fucked up). Then I rode home in the rain. No polo. No big ride today. Mreh.

On my way to work today I stopped in Urbane (I go there way to much methinks) to pick up a tire. You probably cant tell from the pic below but ive been riding a 30 year old 23 gumwall with zero tread on the front for about a week now. I have little to no confidence in it. Not to mention its shedding hairs like a dog in spring. I picked up a Schwalbe lugano with red stripe. The price was right at $24 and I've never been a big fan of blue or yellow. Do wish they had purple though :P

new hotness

Dont hate.

So far, this is an AWESOME ride. The wider bars are more comfortable if a little scary when tucking between cars, and the extra rise makes pop-ups and skids super easy! Hopefully soon I'll start nailing barspins. still needs a new stem imho.

HOT SHIT!

as seen at urban velo's new issue.

craft hour: I just remembered why I hate sewing

sunday riders

Today was pretty awesome, Woke up about 10:30 and and hung around while me and katy's friends got up and ready. Yesterday was my wife katy's b-day btw woooo! Went to toms for breakfast and went over to meet up with tyler at the football factory. Had a delicious pint of apricot ale and headed out. First stop, the community bike network. It was closed, but we were let in. I was looking for a crankset for my polo bike. The road double is unsafe as fuck and not quite doin the trick. So off to bike pirates. Bike pirates wont let us in. Were men and its ladies and transgendered day. Are they fixing bikes naked? Fucking misandryists. Over to sweet petes. Closed. Over to value village to look for ski poles. Nuttin. We end up rollin out and heading to a value village tyler got a tip about. JACKPOT! Picked up seven ski poles which tyler strapped to his bike/bag and split up. I ride up to dundas and spadina to a chinese meat place I like and pick up a pound of bbq pork for 6 bucks. Then it's back to the home. Drink a beer, feel hungover, lay around on the pc. good day.

Wants and needs

Do I need new handlebars? no. Do I need a new stem? no. How about grips? nope. Do I want all these though? A resounding YES!

P.S. Yes, that does say "EAT SHIT"