The diSSent's last roll

 

Wow, it almost spring and I was riding in shorts and a short sleeve jersey today!  I wanted to take the Kona out for 20+ mile ride on the dirt roads in Roxbury and Washington but decided to stay in Sunday morning and do some bike work in which I got the diSSent ready for sale.  I hate to see this bike go but space is a premium in the mancave and I just can't justify having two hard tails, even if one is steel and the other aluminum.

Later in the day, I took the diSSent for one last roll at Upper Paugussett.  I heard through the grapevine that the Mulikin Trail was back in business so after riding up the Gussy I headed down the Mulikin and there were many surprises.  Apparently, the trail gnomes have been busy.  The section off the Poly Brody (what you can't see) has been altered slightly after the October Snow.  I had ridden it once after the Hurricane only to find a huge tree blocking the trail further down and thus have stayed pretty much off the trail.  

It appears that someone created a go around to get around the tree that was blocking the trail but that is now been fixed and it appears there is now an interesting feature in the middle of the trail.  I think I am going to have start riding this more often.  In fact, riding up and down the Gussy, taking the Mulikin and riding back up the fire road adds an additional 3 miles to the ride.  Need to come back and see if there is way to connect the Mulikin Trail to this huge roller I found in the woods many years ago.

After the Mulikin I rode back up the connector trail to the Fire Road and proceeded to climb back towards the entrance to the Gussy.  I almost made the last climb until I hit a loose patch and spun out.  Coming back down the Gussy is always fun.  The diSSent handled everything perfectly.  I hate to see it go but I think the Spot Longboard 9 is going to be an awesome bike once I finish building it, which should be this week now that I have the remaining parts I need for it.

The diSSent is back!

After almost two weeks in the shop, the diSSent is back! Shawn over at The Bicycle Center, in Brookfield, did an outstanding job on the tune up that I thought I botched.  It turns out that SRAM had a bad run in their 2011 X9 shifter line and that they were prone to stripping in the shifting mechanism.  When Shawn called last week after bringing the bike in and telling me the deal with SRAM and that they were going to warranty the shifter my confidence was restored and I came to the conclusion that I didn't screw anything up, afterall.  Still it was good getting the bike turned up, having the brakes checked and replacing the cables.

Once I got home I thought I had better take advantage of the stellar, winter weather we have been having by going for a test ride.  Even though it's staying lighter later I figured it would be best to bring along the Helmet Light just in case I misjudge when it really gets dark.  Good thing I did because I was 3/4s of the way down the Gussy Trail when I thought it would be prudent to turn on the light.

The diSSent was impeccable.  Compared to the ride I had on the Kona on Sunday, riding this bike was absolutely dreamy, largely in part due tot he Fox F29 fork upfront.  Everything that felt on Sunday was smooth as butter on the diSSent.  Although, I still have to get used to riding gears and remembering to downshift into the incline rather than when I am almost out of power (it's the single speed mentality) I had a pretty good ride.  I can still feel how out of shape I am because I hit my HR max quite a few times on this ride again.  Just have to keep riding to get back to the fitness level I was at prior to my knee surgery.

 

Order of Acquisition

If I can ski, then I can ...

RIDE!

Ahhhhhhhhh!

Headed out to Upper Paugussett State Forest for a quick 5 miler after work on Wednesday and it was both fun and frustrating at the same time.  It was fun to finally be out on the trails again and to see what's going on with my trail after not being on it for almost two months.  The frustrating part was to have the shifting on the diSSent shit the bed.  I probably need to adjust the shifter line tension since the bike has been sitting unused for two months.  The nice thing about the Gussy Trail is that you really don't need a full range of gearing to ride the trail.

Despite my shifting woes the diSSent was rocking with the Fox F29 fork upfront.  The bike seemed to rip through everything I went through; rollers, rock gardens, technical climbs, up-and-overs, it was smooth as butter!  I think the diSSent and the Fox are a match made in heaven!

So, technically I am back in the saddle but I am going to take it easy and push it.  I am really out of shape, too!  I was in the red zone quite a few times during this ride.  Afterwards, the knee was feeling a little tweaked, too, so I am going to limit trail riding to once a week for now until I think I can handle more.

Reversal of Fork...tune

Supposedly, the Fox F29 and the Manitou Minute come in about the same weight, 3.78 pounds, however the Fox is just a little bit longer than the Manitou.  In fact, I might even have the 120mm version but I am not entirely sure.  When I test rode the diSSent 2 years ago, it was set up as 1x9 with a SRAM X0 drive train and a 120mm Reba U-Turn, so I know the diSSent can handle it.  The irony is that this frame is great for gears I really don't like it as SS bike.  I think my problem is that I bought the large when I should have bought the XL.  The bent top tube compacts the cockpit so I don't feel stretched out like I do on my other bikes so running it geared seems like the best option for me.

I have tried the Fox on the Kona, which was good, didn't like it on the Qball, so now it's time to try it on the diSSent.  I didn't like it on the Qball because it raised the head tube up higher than I like and threw the geometry off.  Eventually, I might even try it on the Spot.

Installation was easy but the one thing that I had not realized was the the steering tube a lot shorter than the Manitou and all I needed was two thin spacers.

The fork looks great but after reviewing Fox's manual I need to change the routing of the front brake cable to the inside of the fork.

Quick test ride in the driveway felt really good and it seems that this fork is going to be really good on this bike.  Now, I have to find some time to really test it out.

Day Two: Getting the Kona Unit ready

I enlisted my youngest son Thursday evening to help me clean my bikes because they were dirty.  I think I have been ignoring them because I can't ride and working on them earlier in my recovery probably would have had an upsetting effect upon me.  

The task was to liberate the Fox F29 form from the Kona in preparation for the Spot Longboard.  The Spot is at the LBS getting the headset installed, which is the one thing I won't do myself because I don't have the tools.  I prefer to have things like that and derailleurs done by the experts at the Bicycle Center in Brookfield, CT.

The Carver Carbon Fiber Fork looks hawt and there is a tremendous weight difference, too.  The Kona is ready to roll now.

So many bikes to choose from and not enough time to ride.  The stable currently stands at 6 bikes now.

1. The Kona Unit, SSer
2. Misfit diSSent, 1x9
3. Qball Monstercross, SSer
4. Bianchi, 1x6
5. Ross Riviera Fixed Gear Conversion
6. Burley Rock and Roll Tandem

Going to have to get serious about selling the Ross but first I think I need to change the bars again.  It either needs real mustache, bullhorn, or flats.

Monstercross

It's time to start riding again!

When in Trumbull ... Ride Trumbull!

Heading into the ninth day of no power after the Great Halloween Snowstorm, Alfred, my family and I have become CL&P Refugees and moved in with the in-laws in Trumbull.  So if I am going to be living in Trumbull I need to bring a bike and ride Trumbull.  

Conditions at Pequonnock River Valley were far better than what I saw the other day at Upper Paugussett State Forest..  It's been awhile since I rode P-Valley and some of the impacts of Hurricane Irene were being utilized by the trail minions.

I had been reading about this new ride down on the blue trail and it looked good from afar but when you get on it right in the middle of the course it's totally FUBAR.  Apparently it was open all the way through at one point but now it's not.  Too bad, because this would be fun to ride.

Living at someone else's house can be frustrating and disconcerting but the two hours of riding at P-Valley and enjoying some nice fall foliage seems to melt those frustrations away.

I decided to check out some old carriage roads on the other side of Whitney Avenue but they weren't that interesting.  There was an old rusty truck from the 50s that was kind of cool.  Nothing much back there, but curious who owns the property because you could make a nice little trail system back there and potentially tie in with the other commuter lot off 111.  Wouldn't that be AWESOME!

L'étranger en la nuit on la Gussy

I think this was my last RAW of the season where hitting the forest when it is still light, at least light enough to the see the trail in front of you, but upon leaving you'd never be able to ride without some illuminating assistance.  Apparently the weather here in the Northeast is going to hell in a hand cart for the rest of the week, so this could very well be my last ride for Oktober, too.

Had to try the diSSent after two rides on the Qball and all I can say is that I am not selling the diSSent.  Once on the trail I could feel major differences between riding the diSSent and the Qball.  Weight is definitely one of them and handling, too.  the diSSent definitely felt twitchier and really moved nicely on the trail.  Compared to the Qball, which in comparison was more like a tank.  I think the Qball is going back to being a Monster Crosser and I am going to build up the Longboard as a steel, weight weenie's dream.

By the time I got to the Gussy I put the light on, at the lowest setting because it wasn't that dark and I know the trail so well that I doubt that anything would surprise me.  I took the reloc down to try the line on the rock feature at the top of the reloc and definitely feel that more benching is called for leading into it.  I also choked in the Wet Spot because I went too wide on the setup and missed the Tranny by an inch.  There are some reflector dots here and there from hunters but it might be good to get some more reflectors at the base of the trees just to be safe.

Fox Lady

I put the Fox F29 RLC on the Qball

I wanna take you home

I won't do you no harm, no 

You've got to be all mine, all mine 

Ooh, foxy lady

Comparing it to the diSSent, the fork is a lot taller

Misfit Psycles diSSent MKIV - Geared!

Lowered the bars, readjusted everything, and tightened it all down and hit the Gussy for the third time this week and OMG, what an awesome bike!  Fast, climbs beautifully and of course with the big wheels rolls over everything smooth as buttah!

While it may seem redundant but I now have two Timbukt2 seat bags, along with a new hand pump gets me to Cosh & Carry status.  Now I can just hop on either the bike and ride without worry whether I have a multi tool or a spare tube.

I decided if I am going to run flat bars I would use my new Ergons and decided to run them the same way as the Cane Creeks on Kona, which is parallel to the road and they are great this way!

I was tempted to hit the second log ride but didn't want to push it.  I did do the new roller that is 30 yards up from the second log ride.  The lead in is a little wonky that I may have to rethink because of the rocks being at funny angles however it's a nice roll and it is probably a good up in the other direction.

Looks like somebody changed the tranny on the second log ride.  I think it's better but didn't try it.  Next time.

I met this guy, Len, from Brookfield that has been riding the Gussy for a couple of months, now.  Showed him a way in which you can circle back on the west side jeep trail and then pick up the Gussy again.

Never leave home without one

That is a hex tool.  Shortly into a Friday RAW at the usual stomping grounds my right grip came loose.  After Wednesday's debacle I decided to try flat bars and ergo grips on the diSSent and immediately figured out what I don't like amount them, they're positioned too high.  That's mainly because I left a lot of steering tube on the fork so as not to limit myself for future applications.  So, I am definitely going to lower the stem at some point to see what kind of difference that makes.

While hunters usually aren't out and about in the evenings, you never know so if my creaking seatpost and handlebars weren't enough to announce my presence in the forest, how about some bells, too!  Another issue I discovered was that my right drop was loose which explains the problems I was having on Wednesday and at Rocky Neck for that matter, too.  As long as I rode in a seated position I was fine but coming out of the saddle and not having enough weight on the drops meant it would pop out of position.  That is the biggest flaw of the diSSent is not having a built in tensioner like my Kona has.  The Steel frame has them but I don't know why the Aluminum frame does not.  I am tempted to try the Steel frame but have heard the bent top tube has a tendency to break.

Still, I was able to ride out on my own power.  Wasn't perhaps the best of rides but at least it was a ride and I got some things accomplished, like cutting some branches on one of the blowdowns on the Poly Brody so you don't have to ride around it.  At some point, the state will probably cut it up to make the road passable but for now you don't have to use the go around.  And I did find a new skinny right off the PB, with a little work will be fun to include on the route.