Midriff-ter MTB...My home from May 1 - Aug 1...pg 15 !

[OddJob]

Last night I got a text saying that the pedals I had ordered, for the final touch of my build, were in. I hopped on my road bike and ran over to pick them up. Bontrager (Trek Bicycle's house brand for parts and components) Line Elite platform pedals. Replaceable screw cleats and a nice 'satin black' to go with Midriff-ter's color scheme. VERY grippy too!

Today we have another gorgeous day for mountain biking, a little cooler in the low '50s at ride time, but perfect for a morning jaunt.

I had spotted a couple of photo location on my ride yesterday, and returned with my phone camera to grab a few. Heading into the bike shop soon for my work shift. RaT oN~!

 

[OddJob]

 

[Jude Ephesus]

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Great vid’ OJ! I can imagine that bike being belt drive is super quiet. the el camino is also on the bucket list…

I need to find a barn first!

 

[kingfish254]

Last night I got a text saying that the pedals I had ordered, for the final touch of my build, were in. I hopped on my road bike and ran over to pick them up. Bontrager (Trek Bicycle's house brand for parts and components) Line Elite platform pedals. Replaceable screw cleats and a nice 'satin black' to go with Midriff-ter's color scheme. VERY grippy too!

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Today we have another gorgeous day for mountain biking, a little cooler in the low '50s at ride time, but perfect for a morning jaunt.

I had spotted a couple of photo location on my ride yesterday, and returned with my phone camera to grab a few. Heading into the bike shop soon for my work shift. RaT oN~!

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WOW! Just catching up on your wicked rustification of a modern bike! Awesome job brother. Even your pullover matches the bike. Just a rusty old dude on a rusty new bike.
WELL DONE!!!

 

[OddJob]

You got that 'rusty' part right for sure, my brother @kingfish254 ! I've been on the Midriff-ter every day this week, and I'm getting some of my MTB-JO back. Should be a fun summer of gettin' back to it!

 

[metalchewy]

Last night I got a text saying that the pedals I had ordered, for the final touch of my build, were in. I hopped on my road bike and ran over to pick them up. Bontrager (Trek Bicycle's house brand for parts and components) Line Elite platform pedals. Replaceable screw cleats and a nice 'satin black' to go with Midriff-ter's color scheme. VERY grippy too!

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Today we have another gorgeous day for mountain biking, a little cooler in the low '50s at ride time, but perfect for a morning jaunt.

I had spotted a couple of photo location on my ride yesterday, and returned with my phone camera to grab a few. Heading into the bike shop soon for my work shift. RaT

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Loving those pedals. Always a fan of those flats. Another great component on this cool build.

Those little spikes/bolts are about as forgiving as bear claws when wearing shorts. Just a little less raking of your shin bone.

Ah the fun! Looking awesome!

 

[Captain Awesome]

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You had me at A&W

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Those little spikes/bolts are about as forgiving as bear claws when wearing shorts

Can confirm this.

 

[OddJob]

Tried out a set of Salsa Rustler bars and a Bontrager stem I had in my stash last night after my step-great-grandson's first birthday party. Crue got a new bike....from guess who....

My reach with the new slight rise bar / 80mm stem combo is better. I'd still like to get just a bit farther forward, and now up just a bit. I'm thinking a 110mm stem with a 17 degree rise, instead of the 7 degrees of this one, will do the trick. We have a couple at the shop I can try tomorrow on my shift.

It was a beautiful night all around in the North Country...72 degrees, light wind, plenty of sun...

 

[OddJob]

Midriff-ter's build is centered around a Rocky Mountian mtb frame that was produced around 10 years ago. That might seem like an 'infant' compared to some of the frames y'all ( and me in nearly every other build off) are rat-rodding or modifying.

But interestingly enough, Rocky Mountain Bicycles was born in a basement, like many of our creations; basements, spare rooms, porches, garages, sheds. They started by adding parts to convert old road bikes for off-road use. I found this today on Wiki:

"Rocky Mountain Bicycles had its beginnings in the basement of a Vancouver bike store called West Point Cycles.[1] It was in 1978 when two men began modifying Nishiki road bikes by adding wider tires, straight handlebars and internal five-speed gears.[2][3] Their aim was to create a bicycle that could be ridden and raced on the technical trails of the West Coast. Rocky Mountain Bicycles Ltd. was officially incorporated in 1981, with Grayson Bain serving as president until 1997.[4] In 1982, working with frame designer Tom Ritchey, the company introduced its first production mountain bike - the "Sherpa". "

When they began showing up on the scene in the mid-'90s in the USA, they had a lot of success and a number of shops picked them up as a small production, almost boutique, brand.

Never had one then; but I've got one now. Born in the BACK40.

 

[OddJob]

I posted this in Other Talk on the RRB Forum. We opened our Summer music season last Sunday night with our band HIGHWOOD.

Use headphones to get the full musical experience.

 

[OddJob]

Reality check: having not done a full hour of real off-road trail riding in 2 1/2 years, my body is reminding me tonight. Had a nice late-day ride at our local Carver Park MTB Trails, which are less than 2 miles from the BACK40.

The bike seems just right for my needs. 27.5 x 2.6 rear tire digs in , front 2.8 floats across hard pack and loosened terra firma, climbs and descends, and I finally dialed in my fit this week. Stem went from a 80 mm , 7° rise to a 105 mm with a 17° rise. The Salsa Rustler bar is the same sweep as the '78 Yamaha, but in the modern stem, it sits about 1 1/2 " lower than the vintage Moto-X bar, and offered me the position where I feel at ease and in control on the bike.

As we all know and appreciate, the beauty of a build with a 'ratty' paint job is you don't have to worry about keeping it 'clean'.

 

[OddJob]

34th summer on Big Bear Lake; might be the nicest one yet. 4 days in high 70's, full sun.

 

[Captain Awesome]

34th summer on Big Bear Lake; might be the nicest one yet. 4 days in high 70's, full sun.

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That looks like my kind of Northwoods bar. Do they have pull tabs and a meat raffle? Asking for a friend

 

[Jude Ephesus]

34th summer on Big Bear Lake; might be the nicest one yet. 4 days in high 70's, full sun.

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I’ll take an old fashioned!

 

[OddJob]

That looks like my kind of Northwoods bar. Do they have pull tabs and a meat raffle? Asking for a friend

Right behind me in the back corner are 4 video gambling machines. They also have 'Shake of the Day' , a single roll Yatzee type with 5 dice. If you roll 5 of a kind you win the pot (10 lb sized plastic mayonaise jar full of dollar bills.) My sons and I started playing that during my single dad days, on our last meal of each stay up north. I never won the pot, but frequently would win a Free Drink with 2 pair or a full house or straight. Thanks for resurrecting that memory,Capt!

 

[Captain Awesome]

Right behind me in the back corner are 4 video gambling machines. They also have 'Shake of the Day' , a single roll Yatzee type with 5 dice. If you roll 5 of a kind you win the pot (10 lb sized plastic mayonaise jar full of dollar bills.) My sons and I started playing that during my single dad days, on our last meal of each stay up north. I never won the pot, but frequently would win a Free Drink with 2 pair or a full house or straight. Thanks for resurrecting that memory,Capt!

I used to clean house playing 4 5 6 at our old Northwoods hole in the wall

 

[OddJob]

 

[OddJob]

 

[metalchewy]

Oddjob's on a montage. Hehe