PMP Update

Some updates on the Poor Man's Pug...  Here are some pics of the new frame additions with a coat of paint.  The dropouts look great with the permanently attached derailleur hanger.  I recently added a pair of Monkey Nuts to make it easier to keep the wheel further back in the dropout:

Front derailleur cable stop:

A few weeks ago I bought an Axiom Magellan trunk for the front rack:

I like having the extra storage space, and the main compartment is insulated so my water bottles (or other beverages) won't freeze as quickly.

I also switched to a different seatpost.  It's a Gravity Dropper Descender seatpost - made in beautiful Polson, MT.  The seat drops 4" when the release on the post is pulled, then returns to the original height when pulled again.  I purchased this a couple years ago and got a lot of use out of it on my full suspension mountain bike.  Since I retired that bike I hadn't been using the post.  After reading a thread on MTBR about people using these types of posts on fat bikes, I decided to give it a try.  It makes sense... getting started again after you stop in deep snow can be difficult, and lowering your seat 4 inches (quickly and easily) can make getting going again much easier.  Once you're going, just pull the release and the seat pops back up.

It was clear and cold today, so I took the bike out for a short ride.  I went down the creek a bit and stopped by the US Pond Hockey Championships to watch a little hockey...

Last night I mounted the studded tires for the first time since they saw road miles at the end of last winter.  They've definitely lost their bite.  If the creek ever turns to sheer ice again, I may try put an edge back on 'em with a Dremel or bolt cutter.   

2x4 Test Ride

I took the Poor Man's Pug out for a ride today... I wanted to test the shifting with the new hanger and cable stop.  The drivetrain ran smoothly, and the rear shifting was spot on.  At one point I dropped the chain off the granny ring, but a quick adjustment of the front derailleur limit screw should keep that from happening again.  The test ride consisted of an hour and a half of running errands and enjoying the bright, sunny day.

I went to the bank, the post office, and then stopped by Hiawatha Cyclery for a couple of things for the PMP.  I tried to avoid the streets as much as possible; they are totally covered in salty snow and ice.  So I stuck to mostly sidewalks and paved bike paths.  Minneapolis has an incredible paved trail system that is very well maintained, even in the winter...

The sidewalks are a lot of fun to ride right now... they are snowy, rarely icy, and often have fun, narrow mounds of snow to ride over at the end of each block.  I also cut across Lake Nokomis during my ride... we've had a few small storms come through recently so there was a fresh 2-4 inches of snow on the lake.

While cutting across Nokomis, I was able to check out the preparations for the US Pond Hockey Championships.  Hopefully I'll have time to watch some games next weekend.

I forgot to take pics of the new frame mods now that they have some paint.  The next time I'm out riding with a camera, I'll snap a couple pics.  I also got a trunk pack for the front rack, and switched to a different seatpost, but I'll talk about that in a future post...

1x1 = 2x4

My 1x1 had some work done...

I picked it up today from Calhoun Cycle.  Calhoun is unusual in that it has a metal shop, and can do this kind of thing in house. Calhoun Cycle is located in Uptown (South Mpls), and has a nice selection of commuter bikes and accessories, along with a cool, knowledgeable staff.  Calhoun is also THE place to go in Mpls if you are looking for a folder or recumbent.  Check it out if you are in the neighborhood.

The new additions include a derailleur hanger, and a cable stop on the seat tube for a front derailleur.  No more clamp-on cable stop.  And no more messing with the rear derailleur when I need to remove the rear wheel... should be nice.

It'll be set up with the same 2x4 drivetrain it had before.  I hope to get it out for a test ride ASAP.  I'll likely cover up the bare metal with something temporary, and give the entire frame a rattlecan paint job this summer.

I had been saving up to buy a Surly Troll in the spring, but now my 1x1 has everything I need - at less than 1/5 of the cost of a Troll frameset.  Since I'm no longer thinking about a Troll, I have begun daydreaming about a Karate Monkey...