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| May 11, 2024, 09:06 PM |
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« Last post by Mikku on May 11, 2024, 12:48 PM »
I've mentioned this in other threads but with summer fast approaching, I thought I'd start a separate thread for my North American trip. Time for a quick recap. Like thousands of other British BMXers bitd, reading the American BMX magazines was a monthly highlight. I often dreamed of riding and racing in the US, the home of BMX. Fast forward to 2019-ish when I started to realistically think about actually putting those dreams into practice. COVID then put that idea on hold but last year's trip back to and race in the UK re-ignited the fire. With a trip to Canada already scheduled for Summer 2024, I first thought of taking a bike to race over there. Then it dawned on me that if I'm to race in Canada, I may as well fulfil that boyhood dream to race in the States as well. So that's what's happening. I've booked my flights and will be arriving in Denver, Colorado on 22nd August!! I have a week based there then fly up to British Columbia, Canada on the 29th. Both places have a number of tracks within a couple of hours of where I'm staying, so I should be able to ride at a few of them and hopefully get to race at least once in each country!!  On the bike front, I have various options. Option A is to take one of my existing race bikes over - probably the Crupi that I used to race here in Japan. However, that's going to add to the already expensive flight cost and tbh, is not that interesting a choice! A much more exciting option is to buy a bike in the States!! That gives me the chance to ride and bring back something cool and would at least save me one set of oversize baggage charges, which I would bite the bullet and pay on the way back, since it would cost me about the same to ship a complete bike over anyway. That's the justification for choosing Option B! For the past few months, I've therefore been looking (and am still looking) at various bikes and have a few irons in the fire. More on that as and when. For the time being, however, I'm super excited at the prospect of racing across the pond, even though I'll be flying over a different pond than I dreamed about all those years ago! 
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It has been decided. Emerald. 
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Managed to convince the AI I wasn't a perrvert (hardly like I was asking for a pose with a cucumber ffs) and got it to cough out these two. So it is between these now.   BTW Toby if you are reading. I will get both done (or all three I suppose, isn't going to cost me anything) do you want the one I don't use for yours? They will be sized to go below the seat tube gusset thing.
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Well today I think I can claim a first. I mean, who else has had AI draw stickers for their bike?  I think it got confused at first with GI Jane.  But we got there in the end.  I then used AI to upscale it to life size so at least I will get some nice clear stickers. Will fire them off to my mate with the print shop tomorrow.
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OK so the last of the parts for now. Still need some pedals but other than that I am good. When I finished the Barcode the other day I harvested this wheel that never looked right with the all black rear.  The skin wall tyre doesn't help it, but the fact it is black with shiny sides and black spokes did not help it either when paired up with a black rim with chrome spokes. I thought I would never find anything to put with it to make it look good but hey, I found it. For 27 quid delivered.  It's a Weinman (sic) 48 (Araya clone) with shiny side and black spokes. It even has chrome nipples.  I think that is the cheapest wheel I ever bought tbh. Good thing is it makes a pair for Jane.  Hub is a bit pony (well, the fact it is not sealed) but at that price I am not complaining at all I also bought a seat. Good thing is that those gay ass wheelie bikes basically use heavy padded mid school seats. You just need to find one without any stupid branding on.  Jungle Jane, camo green right? perfect.   Etch primer is arriving later today. Got it cheap on Amazon, so have to put up with their slow ass shit sometimes. Will get back on the frame tomorrow, as I had a load of chores to do. Oh yeah almost forgot. I dug out the 4/4 and put the green Profile stem on. Again, perfect. Need a good buff and wax but they are brand new. 
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OK so this is very quickly turning into a killer bike. They all start out cheap I have wanted one of these for absolutely forever. AD 999. It is a revised, modern version of the 990 only it is CNC. Why they made them in green is a mystery, and probably why they were on sale. Course I needed a pair...  They are nice though. Even the pads are green !. I got one of these for the 4BC last year. It cost a lot more than this one !  And three SLIC cables. Two for the lower gyro, one for the front brake.  Have stuck in offers on other parts, now we wait.......
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Still deciding on paint. I'm injured too... I put a different wire brush in the drill (sorta donut shaped) and it bit into my trousers with the drill on lock. Thankfully managed to save my leg (could have been horrific tbh) but the drill span around the shank and when I removed it.....  So my finger is kinda rock hard today. Problem is that will need to be popped, leaving raw skin, leaving open wound for a few days. Not terribly painful now, but yeah will take some healing. So I treated myself to the most expensive set of forks I have ever bought I am 99% certain I have never spent more than this. Not for anything. They were 115 quid delivered.   The thing is? I know it was cheap. Anything FBM is now fetching a fortune. Like, stupid money. A seat clamp sold for 130 quid the other week. These are almost mint too.   So just need a good cutting and some minor paint repair. Which is what will pay for them tbh. IIRC my Kink Empire fork was 80, but it was shot and I had to do days of work on it. These are pretty much there. I also won't be using those T1 bars as again, they need refinishing. I would probably go through the pain of that, if it wasn't for the fact that these are literally hanging in the rafters.  Odyssey 4/4. So the front end will be those, green Profile stem, green Eco headset and the FBM fork. Pretty killer stuff for a Jane, but hey I already had most of it. I found a perfectly servicable NOS rear wheel last night too, will order that in a bit. Nothing special, but perfect for the bike (you'll see why later).
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