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Bicycle Obsession

Goin' Crazy in 2009

  • Offroad Riding - 13002.72 miles [289]
  • Aborted Riding - 61.00 miles [3]
  • Turbo Trainer - 33.70 miles [3]
  • (TOC) 13063.72 miles
  • (TA) 13097.42 miles

Hurtin' in 2008

  • Offroad Riding - 10602.84 miles [300]
  • Turbo Trainer - 130.20 miles [8]
  • Running - 114.56 miles [24]
  • Aborted Riding - 37.20 miles [2]
  • (TOC) 10640.04 miles
  • (TR) 114.56 miles
  • (TA) 10884.8 miles

Riding in 2007

  • Offroad Riding - 8365.93 miles [300]
  • Road Riding - 3599.80 miles [70]
  • Turbo Trainer - 50.90 miles [3]
  • (TOC) 11965.73 miles
  • (TA) 12016.63 miles

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  • 2004 Pink Surly 1x1
  • 2000 Kona Kaboom
  • 2006 Santa Cruz Chameleon

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I'm Excited .... Now

07 Nov 2009 at 19:10

I know I mentioned it almost two weeks ago, but I've only just really got excited about the arrival of the Santa Cruz Tallboy.

Santa Cruz Tallboy

I don't think I'd ever have bought a bike like this, it's bloody expensive, the frame alone's 2400 quid, which, frankly, makes me feel a little sickly, not because it's not worth the money, but it's a PUSH BIKE, and for those that have read my ramblings over the past years, I'm an inverse snob and think most people that ride bikes over a couple of grand are muppets, but that's usually because they are. And I know that's wrong, and I know I work for a company that sells very few bikes that are UNDER two thousand pounds, maybe I just see the wrong part of the bike-ownershop pie chart when I'm out and about.

I guess I'm excited because this bike will be fairly rare, it'll be even rarer here in the UK where 29ers really haven't had the impact people might have expected, it's FREE! and I could actually have a proper say in the development of a bike for one of the biggest names in mountain biking. And.. did I mention it was Free?
Awesome!

I can't wait for it to arrive and welcome it to hell, oh Santa Cruz Bicycles, what have you done?

(thanks to Scott T @ SCB, Dickon @ SCUK and Brant @ Shedfire for making this happen - this is like Xmas, but *much* better, because Xmas sucks balls).

And.. Yes.. I am working out how to single speed it!

The People Comment: (18 responses)

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Andy_k

21:30 07 Nov

In the words of Mr T:
I predict... PAIN!

Tomhttp://tom.levell.eu

21:52 07 Nov

Rohloff Tensioner.

matthttp://mattmagic.com

21:52 07 Nov

I was thinking of a Yes tensioner.

matthttp://mattmagic.com

21:54 07 Nov

But that rohloff looks good, too

Tomhttp://tom.levell.eu

08:38 08 Nov

Is that like Yes Tubes and is actually just a rear mech ;0)

Funni;y enough the Rohloff is designed for full sus and a single cog.

Jasehttp://40psi.wordpress.com

12:23 08 Nov

I've absolutely no idea how (or even why) you'd singlespeed that, but by gum that's going to be ace.

matthttp://mattmagic.com

13:00 08 Nov

@Jase - just to see.

@Tom : no it's http://www.yesspro.com/ like rohloff, just different. probably go with the rohloff if it can use a 1/8th chain.

Nickhttp://www.32sixteen.com

08:56 09 Nov

There's a place for gears (tandems for starters), and I think that the Tallboy fits into that category.

Anyway, I'd like to hear how rapidly you can destroy the cassettes or break Shimano XTR or SRAM X10 or even XX in new and interesting ways.

As for Rohloff, it's already broke, especially on a suspension bike.

matthttp://mattmagic.com

12:29 09 Nov

It's only Rohloff tensioner

It's got XT kit on it, I've already killed 1 pr cranks and about 5 sets of cups.

No idea about other parts,

Nickhttp://www.32sixteen.com

13:58 09 Nov

wrong end of stick grabbed firmly with both hands again then :)

We all know you can break cranks and wheel bearings, I was wondering how long shifters and mechs could withstand your riding. I suspect the answer is "not long".

Tomhttp://tom.levell.eu

14:05 09 Nov

Blimey you've broken that lot and it's not even here ;0)

matthttp://mattmagic.com

14:50 09 Nov

I've always said that if something's going to break it'll break on a singlespeed, geared bikes are a lot less harsh on stuff because, in theory, you spin at a faster RPM rather than grinding slow and hard.

I can see cassettes not lasting that long, so I'm going to have to be careful, hence why I expect the bike to be decorated in steel chainring, cog and some tensioner :)

Oh and at some point I'm rocking the Fifteen G cranks, but I'm worried about pulling cups out of frames and damaging the frame (probably on the Niner)

Weonhttp://www.weon.co.uk

18:06 09 Nov

"did I mention it was Free?"

Tart.

donkhttp://donkidave.blogspot.com/

14:55 10 Nov

What cogs are you using nowadays? I know the groove armadas aren't mattproof but should be ok for us mere mortals shouldn't they?

matthttp://mattmagic.com

15:09 10 Nov

Groove Armadas *ARE* Mattproof, the stainless steel one's weren't but they never made it past the sample phase.

I have 15x GA's in my drawer, enough for a couple of years of riding.

Get a steel chainring too, so you don't destroy the cog by destroying the chain with a worn chainring.

donkhttp://donkidave.blogspot.com/

15:42 10 Nov

Oh, I seem to remember you posting something about "do magazine testers actually ride stuff?" after singletrack gave them a thumbs up.
Was thinking of GA + O-O SS ring

matthttp://mattmagic.com

15:45 10 Nov

That wasn't GAs - not sure what it was, but they're great, the ring is probably my component of the year for the second or third year in a row.

donkhttp://donkidave.blogspot.com/

09:18 12 Nov

Hmm now thats funny, I'd not bothered getting GAs before cos I thought you said they weren't upto the job (and gusset 1ers are only £4). Now ordered :-)

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