the dream of the 90's suspension corrected shimmed out with a beer can pure energy party like it's 1989 big in Japan
October 28, 2016
In 1989 the dream of the 90’s was futuristic kind of optimistic not like some neo retro Portlandia joke but more of an Information Society pure energy big in Japan kind of thing. When I bought a mountain bike in 1989 (actually my mom bought it for me) I wished I could afford this stumpjumer but I had to settle for a Shogun.
Let me take a moment to direct your attention to the Ritchey Force stem no rise one country mile long 26.0 clamp beauty made by Nitto so you’ll look away from that unsightly black replacement fork because you can’t just call up QBP and get a heavy cream 26” one-inch threaded fork with a rather long steer tube. Can’t really call it suspension corrected when the original offered 62mm of travel. 27 years ago the original owner chucked the sweet matching rigid fork and put on that Rock Shox contraption to keep up with the times and yesterday I took off that Rock Shox contraption and winged it into the dumpster and when I did the crown race flopped off the fork as it was just resting on a beercan shim. No joke.
I block all that suspension shit out tune out drop out phase out like Chuck Close and his claims of no facial recognition while he is known for portraits all that suspension just looks the same and sounds like the Charlie Brown voices on the phone. When I went to UBI the advanced suspension days in the 3rd week were like a bad dream that I can’t remember 13 years later.
For handlebars I’m a big fan of beer can shims with a little beer still in the can as I cut a strip to wrap just so with just a hint a whiff a slender stripe of beer can poking out stage right unintentionally intentional to show those in the know that I know that you know that I know you can see what brand of beer I was drinking when I put that cockpit together. Readily available and affordable in a mishmash bike messenger stopgap ad hoc slapdash way. But in this here nonprofit community bike shop environment there aren’t any beer cans kicking around but there are some real deal Nitto shims NOS but only because they were donated from some other entity. 25.4 to 26.0 is no big deal with one 12oz can of Rainier but it’s official and professional and socially acceptable with one of these.
PPS all this reminds me of one of Fingers' bike builds
I
know
you
know
cause
I
Know
you
were
there
when
I
was
where
there
was
and
I
am now
here
and
you there
not
where
We was
But
now
we
r
here
and
I
know
you
know
I
Know
you
know
I
know
you
know
cause
I
Know
you
were
there
when
I
was
where
there
was
and
I
am now
here
and
you there
not
where
We was
But
now
we
r
here
and
I
know
you
know
I
Know
you
know
