Allegro's New Ride

I was at Whole Foods the other day, and I happened to catch Allegro's new ride.    Check it out.

Now, I don't know much about Allegro Coffee, except that they're local and they make pretty damn good coffee.    Now that I've seen their new wheels, I like 'em even more.    Well done.

Riding in January

The first year I lived in Boulder, I thought I'd winterize my bike.     Oops, rookie mistake.

There is at LEAST one day, every single month of the year, which is perfect for riding.     Today, January 19th,  was just such a day and it started with a double dose of Dizzy's.    Oh, yes!

The roads we took are also a popular cycling route.    It was up 63rd and over to 75th to Hygiene.     Zig-zag north west to Carter Lake.    Continue north to Horsetooth Reservoir,  before dropping down into Ft. Collins.     Return some other creative way, or circle back.    

Nice rolling terrain with some curves, staying low to stay warm (60 degrees today!), and watching for sandy spots.     If you want to wipe the smile off my face, you're going to need a chisel.

Bike Update
As far the K went, it was smooth.   Before the ride, I popped the brake pads out, cleaned them, and applied some caliper lube on the back side of the pads.   I was getting a squeal from the pads and this seemed to do the trick.

The throttle is feeling a little sticky, so it's probably time to lube the linkage.    Since I bought the bike, the throttle has been stiff and doesn't return.    It's not an urgent issue, but it's something I will address soon.  

Otherwise, the bike performed fine.   The new rear shock continues to work perfectly.    

VW Westfalia Love

Meet Vincent.

Vincent is an early 80's Westfalia brought over from Germany.    He now sports a Subaru conversion, among a few other tricks.

He was dirty so I gave him a bath.

Note the concentration.  

Vincent was converted by a shop in Boulder called Wild Westy.   It's run by a guy named Lucas Hofgard.

This is what the shop looked like if you happen to randomly swing by in mid-January and start taking photos.   It's very cozy.     I wouldn't even call it a garage, it's a workshop and Lucas is a craftsman.  Yes,  I have a serious case of garage envy.

The Syncro in the shop is undergoing a Subaru conversion.   Let's take a closer look.    

Here's the old engine coming out.   It's a little worn out and consumes oil, a lot of oil.     Like a quart every hundred miles or something outrageous.   I think Lucas said that once upon a time, this motor was modified by Go Westy in California.  

Out with the old, in with the new.    This particular van is heading back to California and that required some special considerations for the new motor to be smog compliant.   More on that later.

Here's the shiny new, modified Subaru engine ready to go in.  

Tell us about the engine, Lucas.



Fair disclosure:   I've driven quite a few buses but I haven't driven any that had the pickup that Vincent has.   The  Subaru conversion is lovely, really.    Sign me up.

I should also note that I have not had work done by Wild Westy (yet).  On my short, more or less unannounced visit, I spent a bit of time with Lucas. I was impressed by the depth of his knowledge.  He also clearly cares about his work.  He's a craftsman and building his rep one van at a time.  

When I'm ready Lucas,  you're doing my Westy conversion.

YSS Shock Review

You know that feeling when your bike just isn't riding right?      Last fall, my 1992 K75S was starting to get sloppy despite new rubber and new front wheel bearings.   It appeared the tired OEM shock was ready for replacement.

I wanted a good shock at a reasonable price. Reading through various online forums for recommendations, I was surprised how many options were available. Ultimately,  I noticed a lot of positive comments about a particular guy named Klaus at a retailer called EPM Performance.     So, I gave him a call and Klaus walked me through a few options, including the YSS ME 302-360 I eventually ordered.  

Here's what the new YSS 302-360 shock looks like compared to stock.

As you can see, the YSS monoshock is adjustable for pre-load like the original.     The adjustment isn't notched like the OEM shock, so you can really dial it in for the weight you're carrying and conditions.      The spring is also progressively wound.  Fit and finish on the new shock can only be described as excellent, it's well made and attractive.      But how would it perform?

The picture above shows YSS on the left and the OEM shock on the right.      At first, I thought the YSS shock was missing its rubber bushing.   It turns out that the bushing has an aluminum collar on it, hiding the rubber from the elements and lending a cleaner appearance.     Very nice.

Installation was very easy, once you've got the luggage carrier out of the way, it's just a couple of bolts.    Just be sure to support the swing arm so it doesn't drop all the way,  pulling the rubber boot away from the front of the driveshaft.    Also be sure to torque to spec.

Once installed, I took it on a few canyon runs and adjusted the pre-load.  I also took the opportunity to flush the fork fluid so I was starting with a fresh set-up.  

Road trip to Santa Fe

Since installation and fine-tuning, I've put a few thousand miles on the bike and I'm extremely pleased with the shock's performance.   Compared to the shoddy and well worn OEM shock, the bike rides better than it ever has before.  It's just taught enough on the twisties to soak up imperfections and keep good contact with the road.    It's just soft enough on the long stretches to easily absorb larger bumps with a nice feel, but no jarring.     It feels like a new bike.

The Numbers
This review is unbiased.   I didn't tell Klaus or his assistant Michelle at EPM that I would be reviewing the shock.    I simply called and asked him for my options.  Unbeknownst to him, I also tried shopping for the shock internationally as authorized YSS retailers are pretty rare in the United States.   I like to price shop and know I'm getting a good deal.   Nothing came close to the price EPM offered and Klaus has a very good reputation in the BMW community, so I went ahead.    

Out the door, I paid $248 for the shock (which included $29 for shipping).    If you buy one, keep in mind that I ordered the ME 302-360, which is about 10mm taller than stock.    The shock is also available in stock height, the ME 302-350 and may even be available in a short shock.     Klaus also stocks Wilburs, Hyperpro, and other options.  

So, What Do You Really Think of My Aston Martin?

Best auto review I've seen in a long time.   Well done, Car Tech..

The Old GT

My old GT Terra has gone places.   I bought it for $25 as a beater commuter in New York City in 2001.   It came with a rusty chain and two flat tires.      I figured I wouldn't cry if someone stole it.     Nobody did.

When I moved to Boston, I added the 3 strut, tig welded "expendition" rack from Nashbar,  bright orange and brown Cannondale panniers from eBay, and fenders from Planet Bike.     Mostly, I commuted from my house in Medford to a research job in Cambridge.  Sometimes I'd attend workshops and other events near Harvard and occasionally I'd cruise over to Trader Joe's in Arlington.    I pretty much rode it all over Boston, but I never did make it to Sheldon's shop in Newton.

On Nantucket, I regularly rode to town from Surfside and all over the island too.   Two years on the gray lady and somehow it survived the salt air, unlike my car.    We've been in Boulder for seven years,  it's now a veteran of many cruiser rides and my tow-vehicle of choice for Marley on his chariot.  Last year, it was daily companion on the playa.    

So once again, I'm about to double down for parts and labor.   I could replace it with a used bike in better shape for about the same price as what I'm about to throw into it, but given the places I've gone, it just isn't worth it.  

Upcoming repairs and improvements;
Bottom Bracket  COMPLETE
Pedals COMPLETE
Tires
Grips
Saddle
Panniers
Wheel bearings
Wheel Tuning

The Cutest VW Bus Ever

I've seen a lot of buses, but this one might qualify as the cutest one ever.

This little green guy was spotted in the McGuckin parking lot in Boulder, CO.    California tags.