You Big Dummy!

After leaving work via car last night to meet up with visiting family (and not wanting to throw my bike on top of the roof because of slop and slush), I was left with a dilemma -- well, sort of. I like dilemmas because they are perfect learning opportunities. I knew I could just ride my Dummy to work and pick up my Cross-Check to haul home.

Friends and co-workers had their doubts as they walked past me on the way out from work. "Have you done this before?" asked one. "No," I replied. But I've seen pictures. (Thanks to Paul L. for sharing photos of trailering a Karate Monkey with his Xtracycle.)

I'm pleased to say you can pull off this stunt with little more than the straps from the Freeloader and a couple extra bungees for safety. I had to stop part way home and shift the front wheel over to make the trailing bike track straighter, but other than that it was smooth sailing.

Imagine the implications: How about a bicycle wrecker service? With a fork mount attached to the Dummy you could haul a bike and its rider easily to their destination or a bike shop for a repair. With the Dummy you could even haul a pretty extensive repair shop around fixing commuters' bikes on the spot. Vacationing snowbirds could pedal to FL, their sporty bikes in tow. Racers could warm up on their way to a race and be ready to crank serious watts upon arrival. Okay, enough of that. Do those ideas really seem that far-fetched though? (Well, okay, old folks pedaling from MN to FL yearly ...)

I have to brag a bit about the weather. I've always been a weather person but moving to MN six years ago intensified that interest. The evening was clear and 40F. The moon rose and the streets were relatively quiet. All the snow from our storm yesterday morning is gone. The roads are melted all the way to the shoulders. Except for a few thin patches in the morning, the ice is also abating. It is my favorite season to ride in MN. I love this calm, too, because soon enough we'll get the rain and wind. That can be interesting in its own right.

But tonight I saw the nearly full moon. The season's first bats fluttered around me at Lake Harriet. The western horizon never fully darkened even though I left work late. Riding tonight was magic.

Happy vernal equinox. May you find balance.

Dummy Press

You, dear readers, have not heard me say the words 'Big Dummy' much lately. I have been riding my Cross-Check fixed gear in prep for last Saturday's ride and looking ahead to the Almanzo 100. With snow this morning and more forecast tonight I will most likely stay on my Cross-Check for another day. Fixed gear is superior in the snow in my book and my body is used to riding this bike again. Plus, my Cross-Check is just so sexy!

Other folks have been talking about the Dummy, however:

The Mpls Star Tribune did a nice feature on the Big Dummy in yesterday's paper.

Momentum Magazine, out of Vancouver, also has a blurb in their current issue. They did a spread on Mpls bike culture and interviews with a few figures from around town, too. If you dig bikes for lifestyle, transportation and just plain ole "rockin' the boat" kind of reasons, you might want to bookmark the site. Better yet, tell your local outpost of bike culture to start carrying Momentum in hardcopy.

My sister-in-law, Hannah, rode the Dummy briefly yesterday. She also let me take her around the block on the snap deck. I'd consider her a casual cyclist but she loved it and said it makes so much sense. She even asked me how much they cost. I don't think I answered her. It's not the cheapest bike one could build, but when you consider what it does as well as the endless possibilities -- and if you're serious about eliminating the conflicting values of internal-combustion technology in your life -- then, it's worth every penny.

THIS JUST IN! It has nothing to do with the rest of my post! Campy shifters and SRAM Red derailleurs/cassettes are compatible. Who knew?

Dummy Loads of Fun

Two mornings ago this was my load to work: two wheel boxes stuffed with other cardboard for recycling and a set of wheels to ship to an Ebay buyer. I haul all my bike parts packaging back to work for reuse or recycling. (Yah, our BS landlord doesn't have recycling at our building. Crucify me for that too, Skiles.) With a Burley this would have potentially taken me two trips. No problem, and lots more fun in the crosswinds, with the Dummy.

I want to congratulate my friend and loyal reader, Biz Mark E, for graduating to the good life. The lucky bastard was gifted a used King headset from BRose. He likes to trash my slight penchant for King headsets from time to time. But here is his Steamer, pictured below, effulging the glorious radiance of the King. Or, as Johnny Nebraska likes to call it, the "headset for the endtimes." The endtimes might well be nigh ... for oil. Yeehaw!

By the way, ya might wanna do a little better job of aligning those cups next time. Do the Reverend King some justice.

I just couldn't get enough last week. Tonight on the ride home I took a slow motion fall on my right side while cutting through an icy park for a pee stop. Fell right onto the healing knee scabs of last week's fun in the sun pavement ritual. I've grown accustomed to hopping up from so many falls it was kind of interesting to have one where I actually paused for a few minutes because the pain of re-injury made me see white light and curse like a sailor on leave who's sober against his will.

I'm tired of winter. Actually, I'm tired of clear, glassy, slicker-than-owl-shit ice. I read today that only Siberia has greater temperature fluctuations than Minnesota. (For March we have something like a 114 degree temp range.) I'm ready for clear roads. I'm ready for that first evening I pedal away from work overdressed because it got warm and stayed warm. I'm ready for that first after work beer ride where the sunset doesn't urge me toward indoors because I'm freezing my chamois off.

Those days are coming. We have at least one more night forecast to be below zero this week. Then, perhaps, a warm weekend. Maybe. But, before that, snow tonight? Joy. It's been a long winter.

A Date with the Dummy

Okay, I know two posts in one day is a bit overzealous. But it was a good weekend and there's a lot to catch up on besides sleep.

Saturday afternoon was date time. April dropped Sylvia off at a friend's house and we got to spent a few hours together without the kid. It was a warm day and naturally I thought it would be nice to go for a ride. April thought so, too. Except, she is one week from her due date. Very pregnant women and pedaling don't necessarily go so well together. It's a belly clearance thing. So I offered that she should let me chauffeur her on the Big Dummy. She saddled up on the snap deck and away we went to Pizza Luce and CRC.

Now, 185lbs of prego wife and unborn child were a test of both capacity and safety of the new bike. I am pleased to say that it was a pleasant experience all the way around. April felt the balance of her seat was great. According to her she barely needed to hold on. We still had room in the Freeloaders for a pannier and leftover pizza and she was able to access the built-in foot rests. I enjoyed studying the facial expressions of pedestrians and drivers whom we passed en route. It's great to stop people in their tracks, don't cha think?

On the way to pick up Sylvia we went for a little hike down to the Leap Day fire spot. We caught the sunset and paused for a photo.

Yep, she's ready to go any day now. April told me she has a hunch that I shouldn't plan anything for the upcoming weekend. I haven't necessarily told her yet, but this upcoming weekend would be perfect -- so I can still make Hurl's Slick 50 ride on the following weekend. I'm a horrible husband, but I have an amazing wife. Thanks, Sweetie!

Leap Day Ride 2008

The Leap Day ride started out strong, but quickly thinned out. The night was a bit cold and breezy. It was only 17F when a handful of us left work. A few folks had ridden out nearly an hour earlier -- meaning they were very chilly by the time we arrived at the hill. We stayed about 30 minutes before deciding to push on. Over half the group bailed to go to a friend's house. Seth and I were headed to the SA for some food and firewood. Nick was headed toward home. Nate and Mark said they'd come by the fire later. It was time to get moving to warm up.

Seth and I cruised down Minnehaha Parkway to the convenience store at Cedar. The SA had polish sausages and dogs, as well as tornadoes (little rolled up tacos stuffed with mystery meat and process cheese food) on the grill. We parked our bikes and camped out in the store eating and warming our bones. With fire stoked in our bellies, we ventured out to load up.


Estimated weight: 100lbs. Three bundles of firewood, a 12-pack of Leinie's and my two panniers stuffed with clothes and other gear. By far the heaviest weight I've had on the Dummy, but it felt very solid. I learned my first loading lesson -- the cam strap I used to span from one wide loader to the other was too firmly tensioned and pressed the load into my brake caliper and derailleur. I had limited gears and a sticky brake. We only had about 3 miles to go, however, so I let it slide.

Seth and I rolled into the fire site and got things going right away. Thanks to Seth for springing for a Duraflame "cheater" log. Hey, it was cold and I wasn't out to practice any junior woodchuck skills, just make sure we got warm so we could focus on the task at hand -- drinking beer. About half an hour later Dave Gray rolled in with more wood. This was to be our group for the night. Everyone else went home and got warm -- the inertia of comfort took over from there, I suppose.

Between our two loads and a bit of found wood at the firepit, we had a decent stack of fuel. This allowed us to keep the fire going strong for several hours. We talked about what guys standing around a fire drinking beer normally talk about: feelings, mall shopping and our current diet plans. Seth needed some help accessorizing, so Dave pulled a handy belt from his rolling Surly emporium of utilitarian, yet fashionable, goods.

Behold! Surly junk strap, usage #83 -- the impromptu belt.

Our friends at the Sierra Club were kind enough to leave behind the remains of a dismantled crate labeled "Base Camp." None of us knew what the hell that meant. A fire pit within a major city park seemed hardly worthy of such a lofty moniker normally applied to thin-aired Asian plateaus. But we did know one thing -- that leftover crate made good firewood.

Some right wing conservatives would probably love to see the Sierra Club go up in flames. That wasn't our intent, but we had fun burning the panels of the crate and observing the dynamics of the fire as it first melted off the snow, then slowly burned a hole through the flat plywood panels.

Various bottled, flasky and miscellaneous treats were passed. The Sierra Club crate kept us entertained for a couple of hours between swapping stories of travels and adventures, memories of such distant times as high school and recollections of pinewood derbies and starting fires with flint and steel. The wood eventually ran out and although I had beer left it was freezing in the can. That's okay, since I still had to be able to safely ride home. We all threw our legs over the top tube a bit after 2am to roll on to warmer places.

On the climb out from the creek I noticed I wasn't wearing my helmet. I remembered exactly where it was on a rock back at the fire. I decided to ride back the next day to fetch it. I didn't want to reverse the upward progress I'd made on the snowy trail.




Smart choice. My helmet was still there and the day was glorious with bright sun and tolerable temps in the mid 20s. "8-CAMPFIRE AREA," as the plaque indicates, is a very cool place. There just aren't many spots within a major metro area where one can burn a legal outdoor fire on the ground.



Big Dummy illuminated by the bright late winter sun. I added the Nice Rack on Friday afternoon. I just didn't think the Dummy had enough cargo hauling options.

I'd have to say the Leap Day ride was a success. Sure, only 3 people signed on for the full gig, but we had good laughs, great conversation and a beautiful fire. All of that in a peaceful little urban hideaway, and none of us drove to get there. The riff-raff reemerge with the warmer temperatures. A 10 degree night on the last day in February was the perfect time to have the woods all to ourselves. That's another fine reason to love winter in Minnesota.

You Can't Do That on T.V.

In my last post I stated that the Big Dummy has changed my life. I realize I did not specify whether that change was for the better or the worse. Well, what follows is definitive proof that it is certainly for the better.

Consider what you can fit in a normal bike pannier. A lot of stuff actually, but when it comes to beer, bottles clutter things up mighty quick-like. A 12-pack of cans in the carton fits beautifully in most panniers, but then there is the issue of weight distribution. If you buy one twelver, you might as well get two to balance things out. Depending on your rack and frame, a case of beer creates some interesting flex and wobble. Besides, you don't always need to ride around carrying a case of beer.

If you examine the photo above, you'll notice a 12-pack, a single 12-pack -- of bottles -- on one side of the Dummy. There was room in front of it for a second 12, too, if the need had arisen. Loosen a strap, slip in the box, tighten it down and away you ride. No flex, no sway, no problem.

So, with the normal pannier system I would have been confined to a minimal quantity of (good) bottled beer or a stockable quantity of (cheap) canned beer. With the Dummy, I can set my sights higher -- get the good stuff and buy enough to last. No need to look like a dirtbag messenger. Drink beer in style. My life is looking up every moment. Thanks, Big Dummy!

A sample from the various tidbits and oddities file:

Observed in the bathroom of Matt's Bar. Apparently Gene O is branching out, getting into the air freshener business. "One On One" Air Fresheners. That justs sounds a bit obscene. I don't want to visit some of the places one might stick the "One On One" Air Freshener.

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Lastly, I forgot to mention it, but yesterday afternoon I rode over to Rachel's ghost bike and memorial site. I parked the bike and decided to hang out for a while. It was so warm and sunny it was hard to imagine the deep cold, the darkness. It was difficult to think of death. There I was, excited about a new bike, riding on a beautiful day. I kept thinking, "You're still missed, Rachel." I guess it hasn't been that long. Perhaps your greatest legacy was enriching the lives of so many folks. That's not a bad legacy at all. May we all be so fortunate.

Do You Wanna Change Your Life?

Then here's one way to do it: Procure (preferrably in a legal fashion) and ride a Big Dummy. I spent the better part of this weekend building up the new bike and today I took it out for its (Iron) Maiden voyage -- a few hours on bike paths, alleys, streets, and off-road on some snowy trails. The Big Dummy has the most amazing feel I have ever experienced with a bike. It just screams, nay, seductively whispers, "Sit back and enjoy the ride." It absorbs shock and road bumps like a suspension system, but it is snappy and quicker handling than I'd expected. In a phrase -- this bike has changed my life. Laugh all you want. Call me a freak. It may not be for everyone, but ride a Big Dummy for yourself, if'n you get the chance. You might sprout an epiphany. Just don't take my Dummy. Unless I say it's okay and you buy me a six-pack.

The frame is merely a glint in my eye. On end, my 18" frame stood nearly five and a half feet tall.

This is what I call the "point of no return." Are you sure you wanna put a pink headset in an army green frame? Hell yeah! Building this puppy up was a slightly involved project. Applying Framesaver was a challenge in my cramped little shop. Sylvia was happy to help. As with any project, there were little oversights, but no major set-backs all weekend. The only thing I wasn't able to install, due to lack of long hardware, was the front fender. The disc brake caliper kinda gets in the way of the fender mount. That was too bad since we have a lot of melt happening and puddles seemed to be everywhere. I didn't care about the spatters though. It was a warm day for a ride. Everyone who was out was happy to be soaking in the sun and the warmth.

Add a hatch-back and the bike would be almost as long as the car next to it.

A stop along the way at Matt's Bar, Cedar and 35th for a Jucy Lucy and beers with Manderson.

Riding home from Matt's was surreal. The temperature was still warm (35F) and the light was fading into dusk. Minnehaha greenway was not too busy, just the occasional jogger and dog walker. I could have turned off and made a quicker trip home, but I wanted to keep riding. The fit of the bike is great and the comfort is unbelievable. You think I'm kidding. Seriously, try out a Big Dummy. Really. No joke.

All this praise is based on the feel of the bike; I haven't even begun to explore the hauling options this two-wheeled pack horse has to offer. More updates to follow ... Not enough pictures, you say? Well, you're in luck. Apparently I was one of the most exciting things that happened at CRC Cykel Garage today. Hurl gave me a nice little feature on his blahg. While you're there you may want to read the teaser about the Slick 50 going down March 15. Sadly it's four days after our due date. If the baby ain't out by then, the misses probably isn't going to approve of me taking off on a cruise. And thanks to the Hurly Man for sending me on my way with 5mm hex bolt long enough to fix my fender woes.