Evolution of Mrs. Batty Cee (the Jonesification period)

 

After a few weeks with the flat bar,  I decided to swtich to the Jones H Bar that I have been using with a Kona Dew.  

The Jones Bar was purchased from a friend a few years ago because he didn't like the angle after riding it a few times.  I purchased it with the intention to use it with the mountain bike. However, the hydraulic brake lines were not long enough and I was too cheap to get it done at the shop.  So the bar went to another bike.  For a year or so, I used it with the stationary trainer.  It was a comfortable bar.  I even took the bike off the trainer and did a few gravel rides.

The previous brake line issue was eliminated becasue a shorter rigid fork was installed.  The 30mm different was enough to make a different.

The Jones bike website advice people to mount the bar as high as possible. So I paired the bar with a short stem(60mm) with a high rise.  The position took a few weeks to get used to becasue it felt like I was riding a cruiser!   It also offers my hand multiple positions and the promary position has about 205mm space to move my hand around.  I could go from a hammer position to a move my weight back position.  It totally made the bike more versitle!    

Becasue of the mulitple hand positions and the 45 degree angle, it was way better than a flat bar and was close to the comfort of a drop bar.

However this particular model was made with straight guage aluminium and it is heavy as sin.  It weights at 625gram

Things were go well with the bar.  Then warmer wether arrives and I was reunited with my Cyclocross bike.  One ride and I realised how much I miss riding the drop bar.  I played with the On One Midge bar for a few days, and the Jonesification period came to an end.  The bar went back to the Kona.

However,  I will not hesitate to use Jones Bar with any hardtail...Only if I have another bike

Discord Chromo Creemee

 There are 3 components that I need to talk about the evolution of Mrs. Batty Cee and I want to talk about the Discord Chromo Creemee Stem first.

I read about the stem on various websites and also heard the designer talked about the stem before I made the purchase.  At the time, the XCalibur still has the Rockshox with the 51 offset and this stem could potentially give me the position that I was looking for.

This Stem isn't cheap but I decide to go for it.  After making the purchase, the stem arrived to my home in Canada in 2 weeks.

After the installation, and rode the bike around the block with the On One Midge, and it seems to be okay. From around the block, I took the bike out for a longer loop, and It was okay.  But I quickly realised the top position isn't very usable as the bike felt twitchy.  But one of pioneers of off road drop bar told me that I should be riding on the drops, not the top of the bar or hood. I continued my experiment with this set up.

I took the bike up for a couple of longer rides and trying to get used to a drop only position.  It wasn't easy for me as I spend most of the time on the hood or on the top when I am on road bike.  Not able to switch position kinda defeat the purpose of using a drop bar.

After a month of riding, I decide to retire the stem after a crash. The stem didn't cause it but I wanted a more neutral position.

Evolution of Mrs. Batty Cee (how it finally became a Drop Bar 29er) Part 1 - Kona Fork

 Not sure I crossed the line or blurred the line with my 29er.  I got her a few years ago to to experience the 29" wheels.  The bike definitely roll a lot faster than the 26" wheels.  I can't say that I was in love with it in the early stages, but I have grown to love it.

However, I never really liked the high front end and the slack/relaxed angles.  The stock 100mm front shock was supple but the front angle changes too much and I much prefer bikes with less changes. My fork eventually needed service and I decided it was time to retire the fork and get something different.

Sourcing out a rigid for in 2020 wasn't a easy task.  They are out of stock in lots of places because factories were shut down around the globe.  In December, I found one.  Not an ideal one but the price was right.  I got myself an Kona P2 29er.  The fork was designed for one of Kona's 29ers bur the fork is very different than the Rockshox XC30.  For one thing, the Kona is about 40mm shorter and have 5mm less offset.  The common belief is that the frame is designed for 100mm fork and I should replace it with a fork that is similar in length.  But I have a different idea.  

The suspension forks are designed to move during the ride and the angles of the bike will be different depends on how much the fork moved.  I also feel that the fork are often compressed more than 40mm when it is ridden down hill.  So instead of pursuing a 480mm fork, I opted for a 460mm

It was somewhat a gamble.

The fork arrived and I nervously  installed the fork.  I really hope that it would work.  I didn't change anything at first.  I ran the bike with a 60mm stem and a 700mm flat bar.  I tried this combo out and I didn't like it. the steering was way too quick.  The wide bar had too much leverage.

To slow it down, a 70mm stem and a 600mm flat bar went on. It slowed the steering and I liked it.  It worked and I rode like a 90's XC bike.  It was a fun bike to ride on the easy trails.  But needless to say, the flat bar didn't stay with the bike long. It was replaced with a Jones bar 

It had been one hell of 13 months.  While lots of things are on pause, I continue to evolve as a cyclist.  I am slowly moving away from wearing the typical form fitting clothes when I am on my ride.  I even got myself a cycling specific flannels shirt.  I am more relaxed on the bike and I have logged longer distance these days.  Who knew that a change of attitude can do so much.