Thursday, July 28, 2011

The Weight of Can't Win

One of the interesting aspects of having the Fascist Killer living in the world is fielding questions about a product that is actually 'ours,' as opposed to what you say as an cyclist using someone else's product. Simple questions like, "How does it ride?" have proven to be a bit of a head game.

While the Fascist Killer is really new to the planet, I'm really happy with the way it rides. Sam's fork design has proven to be the best rigid fork I've ridden. It left me smiling after the Flatwater Twilight Race and I'm looking forward to racing the FK again on Saturday.

But to say that (or type it) leads the cynic in me to start putting thoughts in people's heads. Little smart ass remarks that I myself might think or even make depending on the circumstances.

So, for now, I'm going to enjoy the Fascist Killer and look forward to a time when more people are riding our goods. Let people experience War Axe for themselves and see what we are bringing to the table. Once they do, I think they'll be stoked.

Of course, that's what I'm suppose to say, right?

Monday, July 25, 2011

As Vincent Vega Said...

... it's the little differences.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

The Fascist Killer Build: Why the Saint Stuff?

"With the Way You Ride..."


When we completed the Fascist Killer, we did so with a bit different approach than some people might take. We built it up with a specific rider in mind, me. And if you ever followed the endurosnob blog (it's dead, don't look), you know that I am rider with a wide variety of shortcomings and a large love of aesthetics.

The Shimano Saint selections certainly aren't generally top of mind for a rigid singlespeed, but there were a few reasons for our selective madness.

When it comes to the cranks, then are certainly heavy by comparison. 200 grams heavier than XT, for example. That equates to just under one half pound. Considering I'm more Fat Jan than Michael Rasmussen, both in body type and a certainly 'pedaling squares' riding style, using one of the stiffest cranks available made a lot of sense against a half pound that could be lost many times over from my own weight. Plus, as a guy who has snapped the occasional crank, the bulletproof nature of the crank offers a bit of security and peace of mind.

Not to mention, they just look sweet.

It's a similar story with the brakes. They are 100 grams heavier than XT, so let's add another quarter pound. As a rider who has dropped out of 24 hour races due to numb hands, the hope is that the performance of the Saint brakes with help offset some of that fatigue and turn a 19 hour racer into a finisher. The same thought process applies to shorter races as well. It's simple. Racing rigid is not easy on the hands, so giving up that small bit of weight for greater performance might simply be a smart sacrifice. Time will tell.

And again, they look pretty damn cool on the bike.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Saturday, July 02, 2011