Peak Cycles – BikeParts.com Blog

I know this has nothing to do with biking… but this goes along with my other post from last week,  ‘Christmas Came Late’.  

I got a Maverick Speedball adjustable seatpost about 2 years ago and fell in LOVE with it from that first ride!  It was awesome to lower the post so effortlessly at any moment I wanted.  It came in very hand on those steep descents on the Long Horn trail at White Ranch.  I was riding a lot with a friend who would adjust his seatpost lower on EVERY decent (you know who you are) and we would have to stop and wait for him to undo his QR and seat the post, then wait at the end of the descent for him to raise his post again.  This happened so often his black seatpost was turning silver from all the “ups and downs” in the seat tube.  I told him repeatedly to get a Speedball and finally he broke down and got some cash together to buy one, but… Maverick had sold the design to Crank Brothers.  It seems like people were finally understanding what a great product it is!  Now, Specialized has gone forward with a similar looking adjustable seatpost called the “Command” seatpost!  Now all they need to do is make a 27.2mm seat post size!

All this warm weather reminds me of the tough decisions summer brings…  😉

So it was time to up my game, the bike path around denver and the lame climbs like lookout mountain were suddenly has beens. Parker decided to give up his traveling lifestyle for a weekend at home in longtown colorado. I headed down from Breckenridge friday night so I’d be rested and ready for the day to come. Just before a late morning departure I wasn’t sure if I could even walk, let alone ride a bicycle. The scary thing about that evening and morning with parker was that more and more of the hulk was making an appearance. Suddenly I didn’t know who I was hanging out with. Was it real…… was the hulk making a return to bike racing after going into hibernation for a few years. The calender said mid January, the hulk said lets go crush Left Hand Canyon to Ward. So with the hulk pulling jason, we headed up, just under four hours, 52.7 miles, 4281 feet of climbing, not bad for a 55 degree day in january.  – Jason Kompf

Parker resting before hitting the ward spring for some of that spirit water they drink up there.

So, this was one of those gifts that was said to be “in the mail.” I had forgot about it until it arrived today! Now that I look like Cru Jones, I hope I can backflip like him too! 😉

Charlie, John, Parker, Colin M and I, (also known as Red, The Goat, Greeneck and Chester for those who speak ‘Parkernese’) headed up to Aspen for some killer sking/snowboarding and to check out Pepper at the Belly Up!  It was a good show and a great weekend playing in the mountains!   The only bad thing was Colin M getting kicked off the team for some inappropriate touching… John was seen late in the night taking a long shower in his clothes and crying….  ;) A  big ‘Thanks!” goes to Tyler for showing us some secret spots on Snowmass Mtn!

During the first week of the new year I got an email from USA Cycling tell me about all the great cycling events happening in 2009… AND a friendly reminder to renew my license.  I went to crab my credit card and then I looked at my license fee, its going to be $150!!  Last year, I only used my NORBA license at a handful of events, races like BC Bike Race and the Winter Park races don’t require a NORBA license.  I also don’t know of too many Pros that head out for a full international World Cup circuit.

While pondering this dilemma about renewing my license, I remembered NORBA is implementing a new category system this year….   The new categories makes sense for the Expert, Sport and Beginner racers, the Semi Pros are left in limbo.  They have to make the ‘tough’ choice between racing Cat 1 (Experts) or move on up to Pro.  The Semi-Pros will pony up the $150 with out blinking an eye.  I can’t think of one Semi-Pro who is going to say no to racing Pro verse racing Experts.  I feel letting the Semi-Pros joining the Pro ranks is only going to dilute the Pro race field. The race categories should be like a Bell Curve. There should be should be the largest number of racers in the Expert field, while the Begineer and Pro fields should have the smallest.  By letting the Semi-Pros join the Pros, you are now going to have a huge spread of racer abilities!  Are the race organizers going to be pulling lapped riders?  Are the prizes going to be deeper then top 3?

Then it hit me, I put 2 and 2 together!  The large Pro fields and the high cost of the Pro license is going to be making USA Cyling some big $ this year!  Great for them… but what about the loss of the NORBA backed National Series?  USA Cycling to going to be getting more money then any other year from registered racers while at the same time, NOT putting on a National Series.  This is what makes me frustrated and dissapointed in NORBA! Where is that money going to be used?

It seems to me like NORBA/USA Cycling is more worried making money then promoting the sport…

…was 1/2 a bike!  Congrats little Turner!  Maybe someday we will see a video of you doing some CRAZY unicycle riding like this guy.

2008 was a hard year,  3 friends past away and 6 friends went to the ER.  It seemed like every month I was harshly reminded how precious and fragile life is.  It got me thinking about this sport we love and all the times we actually do make it home safe.  Sometimes the trip home is a little bloody, but we do get back safe to ride another day.  Here is a photo essay with evidence of crashes, diggers, slams, and other weird injuries from biking!  Ride safe in the New Year! – jesse swift

We are going to ride up Lookout Mtn on New Years Day!  Lets meet at Peak Cycle at 10:00am.  The plan is to go up Lookout on the pavement, and then over and down Apex for some sloppy, snowy fun.  We are going to see who can keep up with Parker going down Apex.  Last time we rode it in the winter, Parker DESTROYED all of us and flew past us on the ice!

It is not a race, so feel free to come hung over!  🙂  And feel free to bring friends!

Happy New Year!

– jesse and john

I hope everybody’s holidays are filled with excitement and love! – TBPC

Here is an old photo of the Tylers ripping up the Carbondale skatepark on his hot pink tread.  The first time I saw Tyler go upside down in the inverted bowl, MY stomach flipped!  – swift

Tyler - Carbondale Skatepark

The winter solstice.  It is the time of the year when then sun is at the lowest point in the sky.  This causes the shortest day and longest night.  But it is also a time of rebirth for sun, the days will start grow longer and the sun will rise higher with each new day!  Happy Solstice to all!
– jesse swift