A new name and address?

Well, a while back I talked to the powers that be here at American Classic about this blog. I'm pretty sure this is going to become the official AxCx Blog. With that action, I may change the Title of this blog to reflecy more towards American Classic Equipment, as well as its address. Thus, if you cannot find us in the future, check for www.amclassic.blogspot.com . So keep that on your favorites. OR drop us a comment to this post and we'll leave a message on your blog, so you can link back to ours....um make since?

Anyways....CYCLOCROSS Season is upon us, yeah buddy. I've never raced a dropbar bike ( ie road, track, tri, etc). But this year I am all in. My commuter bike has been converted to 'cross mode, and its really gone a diet. With our wheels I lost a few lbs., as well as adding an STI lever for my rear gears,and going with a lighter gearing setup. I built up some one-off wheels which are light and superstrong, with bladed spokes. I'll probably use them as backup wheels. RosstheBoss, is wanting to race this upcoming series too, but the first race is on the weekend in which he's meeting with his new team in S.Florida (about 5 hours away). He'll miss the season opener but hopefully will saddle up for the second in the series. RacerRoss, wouldn't mind racing either but he doens't have a bike he could use easily. Only his Klein. No MTB or cross bike. I've only ever raced 3 mountain bike events, so I'll be CAT5-beginner level.
January 14th is the first race, my gal-pal will be out with a camera and hopefully handing me H2O when possible. I'll post some photos when it happens.

Update from AC. We're doing inventory this (short) week, doing some recylcing on extra old, outdated product. We'll only have 2 folks manning the phonelines, while the rest of us count and organize EVERYTHING! Its been a long dirty day, so I'm going to get cleaned up and grub down. Thanks for visiting!

Jennifer Rodriguez

I built a pair of wheels for Jennifer Rodriguez today. Jennifer was a 2002 Olympic bronze medalist and #1 ranked speed skater in the world in 2004. She and her husband own a bike shop in Miami and she races a bike on the track. It's pretty cool when we get to build stuff for famous people. Check out Jen's bio: http://www.usspeedskating.org/rosters/Rodriguez.html

Bikes bikes bikes....

Well I know I've neglected this blog, I'm sorry. Ross, thanks for holdin' down the fort. As ya'll may have read Ross and I are now rolling single....as in Unicycling. I'm not so much riding a unicycle s I am falling off it. I picked mine up last Friday from a local friend/Shop owner Mr. Kris Greene. I haven;t gotten it yet, but the hall ways at my apt complex seem to be a good learning spot. Mr. Ross thinks it takes a solid 3 hours to get it, and I haven't dedicated that time yet. Perhaps this weekend between moving things.
I just came from reading Swobo Clothings blog at www.howtoavoidthebummerlife.com Good stuff over there. As well as http://world-class-bike-trails.blogspot.com/ These blogs really inspired me to post something tonight....
Luckily I managed to commute to work twice this week and it sure did feel great. With the time change last month we get out of work after the sun sets, so I managed a ride home each day. My NightRider head light is charged, and I plan on using it next week. My commuter bike is now in what I'd like to call "Cross Mode" I added the knobbie tires, upgraded from 7 speed to 9 speed STI ( friction barcon for the front mech).
I build up a new front wheel on an oldstock 28 hole Mountain hub and standard Sprint 350. DT Competion 3x spokage. Its not a stock wheel, but my OLD Revolution build radial front wheel just wasn't holding up to my commuting style. I'm a BMXer at heart so curbs, and bouncing off car fenders is more my bag...I needed a tougher wheel. Much less flex on the front this mornings ride put faith into my chosen wheelbuild.
I really hope Tampa has some sort of plan to help make this city a bit safer for cyclist. After watching the clip on Swobos blog only enforced the fact that America has some serious issues with self image. On my way into work this morning I stopped by the bank.. The teller asked me about my bike which she could see thru the from glass windows, and mentioned her Dad rode...she then asked what kind of bike it was...." an '84 Miyata...3-10" Her jaw dropped. My bikes age shocked her. I assured her I was serious, and that there were much newer parts on it. I could tell she was impress...ok no, Im kidding about that....She then asked where I had ridden from, I was well clothed as it was pretty chilly this morning...I had just come from down the road, about a mile. But my response to where I was going got a bit more of a reaction out of her. A 16 mile commute seem outragous to her. She asked if I also do it for recreation...my response : " This is recreational, I'm not racing anyone today." She almost seemed confused on why I would ride a bike to work.
OK thats my rant for tonight. Check out them thar blogs I mentioned, and ride a bike, not nessasarily to work, just to get your blood moving thru them veins.

Unicycles

I got a unicycle for my birthday (42nd). I guess you're only as old as you act. Chris' wife teaches junior high students and she says we are just junior high boys with hairy backs. I set my other birthday present on a timer and took these photos. I've only fallen once and that was during the photo session. I was trying to get around too quickly so I could face the camera when it snaped. No harm done. Landed on my hands and just put some character on the seat.

Jeremy got one too. Mine has a 24 inch wheel which goes a little faster but is slightly harder to ride. I figured that since I already knew how, I'd go straight for the advanced stuff. I'll be doing Alafia MTB trail before long. Jeremy has never ridden a unicycle before so he got a 20 inch. Manuvers easier and is easier to learn on. I'm curious to know if he got it yet.

Bill Shook, our boss and the owner of American Classic know how to ride one too but it's been a while. He got one Jeremy's after work on Friday and promptly fell hard on his knees and elbows. I know it had to hurt but he got right up, brushed himself off and took off around the parking lot.

Before we went out to try Jeremy's new toy we watched some google videos of extreme unicycling just to get pumped up. What a goofy, nerdy sport! What can I say! People are always amazed that I can do it though. It's really a great way to pick up girls. If you can juggle at the same time the girls flock to you like a rock star. That is if you like girls who are into Star Trek and playing Halo on the X box. Okay, okay, the 4 girls on the planet that fit that description are never in the same room at once except at Trekkie conventions.

peace out,

Ross

Bike crashes

I found this on myspace and figured it fit this blog. I'm reconfiguring my Miyata this weekend. It's getting knobbies, AC wheels, real drop bars, and maybe some STI shifters. That's just depends if I feel up to the task of putting on a new Rear Derailiuer
PS, wear a helmet.

Yalaha Bakery Ride

For some reason that I haven't figured out yet on a "charity" ride tandems don't get much respect. On hard training rides with racers and more serious riders you get as much respect as you deserve. For example, on the Yalaha bakery ride at Mt. Dora people kept trying to muscle us out of line and steal our place. They also shoot in front of us just before turns. We take turns fast because accelerating quickly on a tandem is difficult. Sooooo we got to the front and rode 28mph until there was only 1 guy on our wheel. A few more caught us when we took a wrong turn but we showed em, didn't we. We let 2 guys go up a long hill so then it was just Sharon and I and 1 other guy who stayed on our wheel for 20 minutes. Then on the next hill he rode up next to us and said "Thanks for the pull,...see you at the bakery." Sharon didn't need to say a word, I could feel her pumping on the pedals...Needless to say, the guy didn't get away and in fact we sprinted around him into the parking lot. Oh, and we caught the 2 guys who dropped us on the first hill, they didn't know the way.

Great Weekend

Sharon and I did the Mt. Dora bicycle festival this weekend. Went up on thursday night and stayed til Sunday. Mt. Dora is a quaint little town in north central Florida with lots of B&B's and antique shops. The town really caters to weekend visitors and vacationers. Our place was right downtown and we could literaly coast to the park where all the rides start. Friday, we got up and did a 53 mile ride. Beautiful route except that we kept missing our turns. Started in a group of about 100 but it soon dwindled to about 10 or 15. We rode a lot faster than we thought we could and probably faster than we should have considering there were 2 more days of riding.