Workin away on the X-Ben

Finished up the fork tonight. I am really happy with how it turned out. Gave it the ol' test fit onto the frame. Frame is actually fairly close to being finished as well. The downtube is pretty well done and everything else has been rough sanded with most of the hard work done. Just need to finish up the wet sanding.
Also waiting on my special aluminum polish for the final polish. Ordering the rest of the parts for the bike this week so I hope to be able to build up the wheels shortly and bolt the frame back together. Crunch time with South Carolina looming!

Check out the shine on that down tube. Fork is gold but looks almost olive in the pics.

I was lucky to have a sticker kit for the fork. Oh yes the one chainstay you can see in this pic is done as well. The rest of the frame needs to be wet sanded with 800, 1000, 1500, 2000 grit paper then polished. Goodbye fingerprints on my hands lol.

Snapped a pic from my livingroom this morning. Nice livin' out in Oro.

Now I am off to bed. Should be easy since I am so high on paint fumes.
Buh bye
Benno

Small SC Update

2 spots just opened up for week 8. Grab em while they're hot.
Benno

Be good to yourself

Ok that's it. That's all. I am all set and can finally stop spending $$$$ like I have some.
Made my final big purchase of the money making season today so now I can recover and stockpile my earnings so that I have enough to survive South Carolina hah.
After about 16 months of suffering I am once again complete.

The worlds most awesomest items are contained within boxes like this one.

Whaaaa do we have here?

Yes I once again have a road bike! I feel so much more complete. I was able to dust off the old Keo pedals, BTP cages, and R131 shoes. They were waiting patiently and it feels great to be able to put them back to work.
Although I must add that my previous statement of 16 months of suffering could potentially be extended to a figure of roughly 28 months of suffering sans TCR since the Madone never really tickled my fancy.

I will try to stay as transparent as possible and get back to you with my ride impressions. Initial build quality is amazing. No component corners were cut. My only gripe is that it should have come with while cable housing but I will put that on before I head South and you can be the judge as to whether or not it looks better with it.
I fully intend to put this beauty through her paces when I am down South. For now she is a roller queen and will (hopefully) spend her mornings and evenings atop my until-now unused Cyclops Alu rollers (which are waaaaaaaay easier to ride than PVC rollers).

Oh-my-gawd yes.

Killer looks from any angle

Yes please

So thanks very much to Jacob from Bike Stop Orillia and also Mike Millar at Giant for enduring my constant harassment. This bike was actually really hard to get ahold of so I consider myself very fortunate that I was able to get one.

Ohhh yeah, ahem, on another note I was double bad this week. I finally found the perfect set of summer wheels for the Pulsar. Great price, very new, dangerous size (for my little grocery getter), awesome tires. Thank you kijiji!

Hey look, they match my new TCR hah!

Tenzo Tracer 17x7 with Kumho Ecsta AST

I apologize for my car being derrty. It hurts me to see it this way.

So there you go. Just knowing that I could have inspired even one person to recklessly burn through their savings...... well then it makes it all worth while.
Keep doing what you do (unless you suck at it, then quit now).
Benno

Another option for guided riding/private lessons while staying in South Carolina

For those who don't want to commit to a whole week of guided/instructed riding while staying at the South Carolina house, I have created a new option that is very flexible for anyone that wants to give it a try.
This year I will also be offering an hourly rate for my services as a guide/instructor. This option is also tailored to an individual or a group in the same way that a week long tour usually is.
Want to do a nice epic mountain ride the last day of your stay? Want me to show you some great loops from the house? Can't figure out why your friends leave you in their dust in the singletrack, or why they can use so much less energy riding together on the road?
I have been working as a cycling instructor for a few years now and can give you practical advice on where you're going wrong. From complete beginner to advanced.

Rates
$25/hr for the first person and an extra $10/hr for each additional person to a max of 4 people and a max of $40/hr.
1 person = $25hr total
2 people = $35/hr total
3 people = $40/hr total
4 people = $40/hr total
Currency is in Canadian $


Ride options: click on a ride for more info - more to come!

Mountain Biking options
Issaqueena Dam trails
DuPont State Forest trails
Pisgah National Forest - Black Mountain

Road Riding options
Caesar's Head


To arrange your private guided/instructed ride you can email, call, text, talk to me at the house.
Ben
mmmbenno@gmail.com
705 229 6923

For Sale: RaceFace Deus seat post

Came on the Anthem X-Ben in its original form (hard to imagine at this point). In good shape with a few nicks and scratches under my clamp line. Has the micro tilt adjust feature. All aluminum. Fits Giants and a bunch of others.

Length - 375mm
Diameter - 30.9
Actual weight - 266 grams

Price - $35

For Sale: WTB Silverado seat

This saddle is super comfy with a pretty good weight to dollar ratio. They are in good shape with no "hammocking". For some reason I ended up with 2 of these so I have 2 for sale in identical condition. Only reason I am selling is to get something a little lighter.

Actual weight - 243 grams

Price - $40 each

For Sale: Cannondale Fire stem

I got this stem to try a longer cockpit setup. Didn't work out for me. Stem is crazy light and in good shape.

Length - 120mm
Clamp - 31.8mm x 1 1/8
Actual weight - 124 grams

Price - $35

For Sale: FSA K-Force flat bar

Up for grabs is my K-Force mountain bike handle bar. Used it for a year. It is in very good condition with just a few small scratches where the brakes and shifters were clamped. Not crushed at all where the stem clamps on.
Width - 600mm
Diameter - 31.8mm
Actual weight - 125 grams

Price $50

My opinion on stuff: Favorite CD of 2010

This was a no brainer for me. Favorite CD of 2010 has got to be Heligoland by Massive Attack. Very catchy without being mainstream. Give it a try. If you like it you can also check out Collected, which is a "best of" album of their earlier work.

Massive Attack have been around for a while and I was excited to see that they were releasing a new album. They seem to sneak in to a lot of places that you might not expect like commercials, tv shows, and movies. Chances are you've heard a song or few from Massive Attack before. Heligoland is one of those CD's where every song is awesome.
Benny

Welcome to the future

Work continues slowly on the X-Ben. A slow day at work meant I didn't bother showing up and was able to get some stuff done here. Finished up the front hub, just needs new bearings.
I will probably order my R1 brakes soon, not sure on the Lightning Cranks. I'll have to wait until the dust settles in my bank account since it is being depleted at an alarming rate.

Finished front hub. Now I can get started on the back.

Other than that there is not too much going on. I am taking the FaCT level 1 and 2 courses this coming weekend which will be a helpful tool for working with my athletes.
The house is booking up fast and there isn't much room left. I am also re-formatting the Tour so that it is done with an hourly rate. I think it will be more flexible and economical for anyone interested. If you are coming down for a week and want to set aside one (or more) day(s) where you want some guided riding then I am available to do so.
Also don't forget that I am available to do bike servicing on a "house call" basis. My time is limited, I am leaving at the end of February and won't be back until May. So if your ride needs some lovin' before the racing season starts then you should contact me sooner rather than later because spring will be here soon :-)
Eat drink and be merry.
Benno