Are we there yet?

Just when I thought I was actually starting to do something, the weather comes along and messes everything up. I have been on the rollers a few times, but not what I really wanted to do. Now I am stuck in between the its too cold to ride or its too wet to ride rut.

I have been trying to figure out exactly what I will put on my new/old bike. How much will I steal from my NRS and how much retro stuff I will use. I was bidding on some old school thumb shifters, but they went out of my current budget. I was planning on keeping the 8 spd that is on there and just making it work. I also need some V-brake levers. I have thought about almost stripping the NRS to get this thing working, but I am just not sure.

I am sure there are several people that would wonder why would I stop riding a 2004 bike with disc brakes for a 1997 bike with V-brakes. Well, the brakes are not the reason. I have come to like disc brakes, but my old frame does not have the mounts and neither does my fork. I have thought about putting the new fork on my old bike, but that is part of the reason I don't want my new bike. The fork just moves too much for me. I know it is some spv set up that the harder it is compressed the better it works, but I don't want it to move that much when I am not doing anything. More then once it about threw me over the bars on a big tree crossing. When the front wheel hits the ground I usually expect it to stop, but not with this fork. It keeps dropping....

The big thing that pissed me off about this bike is the fact that my rear shock had blown its seals just sitting in my basement. I know, it was almost a year since I rode it, but hey I was having fun on the SS. I refused to pay $100 to rebuild a shock that did not get enough usage. I found the same thing on ebay for 1/4 the cost, but I had to come up with some spacers to make it work with the frame. It does not look the best, but it held up for Fruita and Moab.

Here is a sneak peek at the new ride.