ThE FiXeD GeAr Of FuRy ChRoNicLeS: EpiSoDe TwO ThE IdiDaRiDe

Before I bore You with anothet long diatribe on my recent tide I wanted to take a minute to mention some of my notable observations regarding my fixed gear experiences.

1. Although a fixed gear is just one fixed gear, I truly believe there is no stronger climbing gear. Both rides I climbed by riders who either didnt have the legs or the "right" gearie combo to make the climb. Because the gear has no dead spots when you get up on that gear There is nothing but power being delivered to those pedals.

2. For those of you seeking a more soulful and spiritual connection with your machine, the fixed gear gets you there. You have so much power and control over the bike its truly an uncanny mechanical conglomeration of man and machine that cannot be achieved on a plain single speed or a geared bike.

ok on to the story....

After my last dirty tour which I did on my geared bike, I spent the last two weeks caught up in life. No riding, I noticed that I spent the first couple of weekends of the year riding epics. Last weekend I relaxed and this past Saturday was my first time back on the bike in two weeks and a day.

As everyone knows the entire future of the fixed gear of fury chronicles was hanging in the balance since I didnt have a ticket. Well a ticket showed up but I was short on the money. Garry from Swamp club offered to help me out and sure enough with only days left I had officially made the ride.

A schedule was developing. I had the Ididaride coming up, then next weekend another dirty tour this time fixed, and then Croom and finally the 12 hour all fixed gear challenges. So I thought why not do all I can to lighten the War Machine.

I already had to take the fork off cause I sold my Reba. I was gonna get some new brakes from my new sponsor Avid, so I decided to take off the powerful front brake off my Black Beauty to move it over to my SS. Wow taking off that front brake was almost impossible. I had to cut my ergon grip to get it off. Apparently all that ultra endurance riding turns into lots of sweating turns into calcified salty bonded grips to the bars. Never seen anything like it.

After some effort and help from my Lovely wife, I had the war machine outfitted with a huge front hydraulic and an XTR Stans wheelset. The bike was noticeably lighter and I was excited about the challenge.

Met up with my new friend Steve in Gainesville, thanks to Robert B I was able to park at his house and make the last leg of the trip with My new friend Steve. I met Matt and we got loaded up and Rolled out. Everything went smooth and it wasnt long before we were at the KOA sitting around the fire eating food and talking. After some good times and a couple of beers we headed back to the hotel to get some rest.

We all knew that the morning was going to be cold. But I knew that it was going to warm up fast so in true warrior fashion I was out there shirtless. I enjoyed seeing the looks on peoples faces and I get a kick out of how bundled up they get, you would think they were in the frozen tundras of the artic circle. Seriously people were wearing Backlavas, c mon people its Florida.

In typical fashion they sent the group off and Im stuck looking around for everyone. I wait a couple of minutes and decide to roll out. Not even five minutes up the road I see a lady walking, I ask her whats wrong and she mentions that she broke her chain. I stop unload my Carousel Design Works custom rear pack and break out my tools and quick link and get her rolling again. I pack up start rolling feeling the dead legs and occassional kick in the ass when I would momentarily forget that I was fixed.

Got into the woods and stopped to assist another group. Decided since I was riding alone to break out the headphones, then had to stop again to tape them in my ears cause they kept slipping out.

Finally I start catching people, we hit town, hit the woods and finally single track, only to get stuck behind the slowest single track train ever. This happened several times in the day and in an effort to not appear to be some speed racing jerk I would wait for a mistake and make a move.

I eventually started seeing familiar faces, caught a couple of people. Rode some awesome terrain, rode some techy fresh cut, i was having fun. At lunch I must of caught up to the front of the group cause I was no longer just passing people I was experiencing a little pass you and you pass me type stuff.

I stayed steady, barely ate, bonked a little from the insulin spike induced by some milk chocolate but I stayed busy and it wasnt long beforee I was rolling through rest stop four. I kept hauling butt hit the gravel leading to the last road section and saw a rider ahead.

I decided, secretly, that I was gonna beat him to the end. I got into a roadie tuck and kept the speed quick. We hit the last downhill and he flies by me mashing his hardest gear combo. I put my feet up on the fork knowing that the last section was an uphill and if he went into it in that combo I would eat him alive on the final climb, and that is exactly what happened. I sprinted up the climb and sat down only when I was sure he could not close the gap.

The ride ended and I was ecstatic. Sat in front of the place chatted and met new people. Drank a couple of beers and had a good ole time. Talked to the guy I out sprinted turns out he wanted to beat me across the line just as bad as I wanted it, lol, its funny how riders think.

The after social and dinner were great. The fireside chat and beer and company and everything was spectacular. This indeed was the best Idiaride out of all the Ididarides I have done.

Thanks to my new friend Steve and Garry, you guys helped me immensly and I will not forget.

Cant wait to unleash the fixed gear on Croom!

Enjoy,
Laters,
LOS