When one thing works, you keep it up. For instance, final Wednesday I stole off for a noon all-terrain bicycle journey, and it was reasonably gratifying. And so yesterday I did the identical factor once more:
Nonetheless, not like final week, this time I rode the Jones:
Right here’s one other shot of it leaning jauntily on its kickstand:
That’s only a clamp-on kickstand, however the newer model of the really has a kickstand plate. If the thought of a kickstand bothers you, strive leaning a Jones (or actually any bike with vast, swept-back bars) in opposition to a wall. Your opinion will quickly change, because it’s like a drunk attempting to prop himself up in opposition to a lamppost at a bus cease.
Arguably there’s no higher place to be on a bicycle at the moment of 12 months than the woods–nature’s cathedral–the place the leaves shade the sunshine like stained glass:
Sure, the forbidding Trails Behind The Mall have a bit of little bit of all the things, from easy:
To rocky:
To easy and rocky:
This was my first time using the Jones and the AMP roughly back-to-back, which I’d been which means to do ever since taking supply of the latter:
The AMP is a late twentieth century racing bike and it’s a number of enjoyable to journey. It’s very gentle, it’s very easy, and it feels very quick, even on pavement. In the meantime, getting on the Jones after using the AMP is like consuming the “Eat Me” cake in “Alice in Wonderland.” It’s as if you grew to an infinite dimension and what had been as soon as giant obstacles at the moment are merely minor floor irregularities. Particularly, the types of steep, rocky descents which can be nerve-wracking on the AMP barely register on the Jones–and but, regardless of having huge wheels and tires that eclipse those on the AMP, the Jones is definitely simpler to journey up tight, twisty trails. It’s additionally very steady, together with at sluggish speeds. Like when the going will get tough you possibly can cease and sit there for a second or two with out placing your foot down whereas you determine what to do subsequent.
However the factor I observed most of all was how good my again felt. Positive, I’m getting previous, however even once I was younger my decrease again would at all times get sore after awhile from the mountain bicycling–one thing of which I used to be reminded on my current AMP-scursions. However not on the Jones. (Jeff Jones can clarify how and why his bikes journey the way in which they do significantly better than I can.)
And whereas the drivetrain of the Jones could also be dirty and a bit rusty (very similar to its rider) this journey confirmed it’s nonetheless working fairly nicely and so I see no cause to vary it:
If I need thumb shifters and a number of chainrings I’ll simply pop some ibuprofen and hop on the AMP.
There’s actually just one factor in regards to the Jones that preys on my thoughts, and it’s the tires. Particularly, I set them up tubeless once I first obtained the bike again in 2019, and since then I’ve dumped some sealant in there now and again in case the previous sealant dried out. That’s it. This makes me surprise…how a lot sealant is in these large tires at this level? Clearly I’m not the kind of one that might be bothered to take away his tires now and again and clear out the previous sealant, nor am I the kind of one that bothers to measure the sealant earlier than I put it in there. So have I added a number of kilos to the bike? Am I affected by sub-optimal rolling resistance? Subsequent time I am going to prime off the sealant will it simply dribble proper out of the valve as a result of the tires are lastly filled with coagulated latex? I maintain telling myself I’ll simply cope with it once I substitute them however are you aware how lengthy it takes to wear down a 3″ tire? At this level I received’t want new ones for like 20 years.
And sure, I do know lengthy intervals of uninterrupted flat-free operation is likely one of the predominant advantages of tubeless, however that is ridiculous.
***Bonus Tech Nerd Quiz***
I used to be puzzled by this and needed to seek the advice of Paul of Traditional Cycle, however are you able to dorks determine it out by yourself?
The AMP has a 7-speed rear hub:
With an 8-speed Hyperglide cassette:
However as a substitute of a lockring holding it on there’s this:
So what’s occurring?
