If you've been paying close attention to my posts on other Keeper articles lately perhaps you've noticed my stable has been in a state of flux. It all started when Frank texted me a pic of a pair of used demo 404's at his LBS for sale. Well no, that's not true. It really started 10 years ago when I lived in Bellingham, WA. and laid my eyes on the first Kona Jake the Snake I'd ever seen. From then on I wanted a cyclocross bike.
The Kona is a distant memory, so fast forward to last spring. My significant other and I were shopping for a new bike for her at a shop Frank and I used to work near. The salesman working with us was a guy named Bob who actually used to work with Frank and me down the street. Bob was an old friend who knows me as a gear junkie. He's also a damn good salesman. As Sheri and I were paying for her new steed, Bob wheels out an ALAN Cross Carbon Excell from the back that had been special ordered and never picked up. It's a rare steed. ALAN's aren't very common at all in the States but are very well known in cyclocross circles, especially European cyclocross circles. It's full carbon frame and fork with curvy lines immediately gave me carbone. It's also a large frame so it wouldn't fit many people. Being 6'2″ as I am, with a 34″ inseam, Bob thought I'd be just the guy for this beauty. He was right. $2700 and an hour later I walked out of the shop with twice the cross bike I'd lusted over 10 years prior. Last year I was so enamored with the ride quality of the ALAN I slapped road tires on it and used it as my sole machine.
Enter the the Zipps at Frank's LBS. They were to be used on the ALAN this year. They would have worked well too but I never got the opportunity to try the combo out thanks to CompetitiveCyclist's rippin' good deal on last year's BMC SLT01 frameset, perfect for the Zipps. The Team Machine is also the pro-level frame and fork I've wanted for quite some time. I pulled the trigger.
[dmalbum path=”/velominati.com/content/Photo Galleries/m.carlson@vcc.edu/Marko/”/]
Anyway, to make a long story short, I've gotten my stable in order and am in compliance with Rule #12. What's more, I was able to live up to Rule #11 without a ruckus whatsoever. Where's the third you may be asking? It's around but I will not speak its name nor post a photo here for fear of losing my newly granted Keeper status.
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@Cyclops
a bit like noodle is it?
The thing that really sucked was that I only had it for about three weeks when some wench in a VW did a left turn in front of me and the thing completely exploded. The only thing that was salvageable was the rear Record hub, the read derailleur and one crank arm. Everything else was either bent or broken. The Cinelli stem might have made it. I can't remember.
@Cyclops
I'll grab this one before Geof or Kermitpunk do: Viti.
Dude, that is an agonizing tale about that bike. Awful. It pains me to hear those things. I had an old Raleigh 573 that also got wrecked and I got rid of it. It had simplex on it; it was awesome. Had I known what I had at the time, I would have at least salvaged the parts, but probably also had the frame repaired.
I am just about to become non-compliant with Rule #12. My long-term injury has forced me to sell my stable (of bikes, not the actual stable) and dependent on outcome of said injury may well result in long-term, if not permanent, non-compliance.
Just tidied the 'cross bike up to sell. The race single speed will be out the door at the end of the month and then I'll dismantle and sell-off the race bike. That'll leave me with with one mountain bike for now.
I am in the process of building a new road bike, but two bikes may be the limit of the stable from now on.
@Jarvis
Some of the guys in my club might be looking for cross bikes... sadly, I can't afford one, track bike has to come first if I do get money.
As to your last statement. Yes, aside from my road bike (I am presently breaking Rule 12) I have an embarrassment that remains in the garage with its gel seat, yellow/black paint and sickly manufacturing. But I keep it because it was the tool that put me where I am now, riding.
@frank
I know this is old, but to add my two cents:
My experience is that the 29er rolls much faster and keeps rolling longer than a 26. The 26 on the other hand is more agile (almost twitchy compared to the 29), but feels like it bogs down with every bump and root on climbs. My first thought after getting my FS 29er was "it feels a lot like like a road bike", and I know how you feel about that.
Also, I know your general opinion on specialized, but I highly recommend the Epic, especially the carbon models. My Expert Evo R is absurdly fast, and while I was afraid the brain was just expensive weight added for marketing, it makes a huge difference in efficiency. If you get the chance, ride one. You won't regret it.
@blake or the Niner Air9 those things are sexy
@blake What do you think about 650b? I'm happy with my lightweight, nimble Yeti FS 26er but I think I need a hardtail. Trails around here are super twisty and technical.
@G'rilla
I'll weigh in... 650b is where it's at for trail bikes, anything over 100-120mm travel really. Short travel and hardtail 29ers are great for XC racing, Marathon racing etc but for real all-round riding, slacker angles, more travel and smaller wheels are going to/already are dominating. As my mate 'Rad' Ross Schnell once told me, "only ride a hardtail if you don't want to have fun or go fast"...