20 March 2009 - 3:02Bike-gasm

….and I’m spent…

This Ridiculite build has been quite a process. I hatched this notion in the dead of winter, when it was -30°, dark, howling winds, and I was daydreaming about my next bike. It was during this time that I used the wonder of the internets to find the tastiest ingredients to make my finest bike ever.

We start with a proven frame (with some extra blue sauce)

and begin installing some parts we know are the best.

The wheelset proved to be a bit of a process, but I am happy with the results. 90g is significant as far as this project is concerned. Once I adorned all the going and stopping bits, it was truly becoming what I had hoped. I just got a big shipment of Racing Ralphs in, and yes I weighed them all. I’m not going to tell you what my tires weigh, just rest assured that they are the lightest…

The cranks were furnished by some friends north of the border. The drive ring was supplied by a good friend south of the Mason Dixon line, but I’m not sure where those chainring bolts came from. All I know, is that they fit the mood, and I was in the moment.

I’m trying out the Formula Oro brakes this time. they seem to be pretty sweet, light etc, but I fear that the lever feel may not be up to my personal tastes. The brakes may change down the road, but I should at least try them out, who knows, I may even like them. Recently, I had to get the boy to eat asparagus, which was a feat in and of itself, but now he points to it at the grocery store and says “HEY! I LIKE THOSE! CAN WE GET THOSE?! PLEASE???”

heh heh heh… vegetables…

Maybe I will like the Formulas. They are light after all.

The Scrub rotors and Ti bolts are firmly in place.

I got my cockpit set. Uncut low rise Easton EC70 Monkey Lites, Ergon GX-1 grips and a EA90 road stem (for the upsidedown E) attached to my beloved proto niner carbon fork.

EC90 seatpost and my favorite, the WTB Devo saddle give me a nice place to sit when I should be crushing the field (not).

The business end is a titanium Boone 32-19 drivetrain, using a Whipperman chain. It’s lighter than a SRAM 890, by like 10g. Big whoop, right? But lighter, and dare I remind you that it’s rotational?

Hey, it’s about being Ridiculite.

So, just to reiterate, the goal of this build was to make a clyde friendly race bike. Meaning someone my size with no finesse what soever could ride this thing and not have it in the shop every other day. I’m going to ride the crap out of this bike as soon as the trails dry up.

Anyone care to guess what this guy weighs in at? You will win nothing if you get it right, but I may hook you up with something if you are close…