Tuesday, April 20, 2010

So Versatile.

So, I guess this is a review, of sorts.

In 2007 - hell, maybe it was even 2006 - I bought a Redline 925. For about six months I rode it as it was - like a commuter bike, with fenders and a freewheel. Eventually I stripped it down and flipped the wheel to make a sweet fixie. The frame acquired more stickers in this period, as well as some new parts. My involvement in the fixie community grew and I raced - and placed - in more and more alleycats. This led to track racing, and while for the most part I raced on a track bike, I trained two or three times a week on the 925. That's a lot of laps. I think I even raced it at the club championships.

At some point I hooked up with a bunch of guys and rode it from Sydney to Melbourne, partially fixed, partially singlespeed. We cruised along the coast and did 1100ks in six days.

Right now I'm having a break from track training, and to refresh my love of biking I've rejigged the bike once again. Flipped the wheel back to a singlespeed, threw on some cyclocross tyres and riser bars, and am running front and rear brakes. The bike is perfect for getting dirty, bashing through the singletrack and cruising the fire roads. All of a sudden I'm talking like a snowboarder, telling folks I'm 'stoked' and that the trails were 'gnarly'.

I'm pretty sure that the bike wasn't intended for all of these different uses, but what the hell. It has served me well over the past three or four years, and will likely continue to do so in the years to come.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

shred the gnar, dude.

Anonymous said...

you have a spelling error. break not brake.

brendan said...

that's what i get for never, ever proofreading. thanks.