Ferrous Spotted in the Wild!

Hmmm...What's a Ferrous? Well I was not too sure myself until a few days ago when I stopped at B&L Bicycles for some "stuff" I "needed" and there it was...a Gary Fisher Ferrous 29er mountain bike that just so happened to be my size and received by the shop that morning (odd how they always seem to have received my size the day I show up - hmmm...conspiracy?). Well I tried to leave several times without it, but somehow it jumped into my Subaru before I left. Odd how that happens to me...

Ferrous means iron containing material and the Fisher Ferrous is a steel (iron) framed bike -
This usually means a much nicer riding frame (due to steel's ability to flex). Aluminum on the other hand is ultra stiff frame material (i.e. hard on the old soft tissure in the neither region of the body). Another cool aspect about this frame is it's versatile design - it can be run with gears or easily converted to run as a single-speed (one gear). When I saw this bike on Fisher's Website a while back I thought - It's just another bike. Well it seems I had an opinion change after seeing it and riding it briefly down the sidewalk at the shop. It's one of those bikes that just "feels" like a well fitting glove or pair of jeans - yes I could tell right away it would be going home with me sooner if not later (I am so weak).

Yesterday morning I converted it into a SS (single-speed) - who needs all those gears? Such a waste to shift so much... The conversion took about 20 minutes with a coffee break in the middle. I also put on some of my more favorite components I had convienently laying around. After that a real ride was done on snowy trails out at Hells Gate State Park. I found the ride of this bike to be like no other hardtail bike I've ever known...forgiving. The steel frame provides a super ride...so good that I was wondering why I ever rode aluminium...it also had me thinking that my aluminium bikes were now totally useless and obsolete. Let's just say that I am having serious thoughts of selling my Fisher Rig SS and my older Fisher Supercal 29er (both Aluminium butt sores). I just hope that I never have the opportunity to ride titanium bike...I've heard they ride better than steel...

Hell Freezes Over...Almost

I've been a bit lame lately posting here, but nothing exciting has been happening beyond some so-so rides and lots of work. I'm only supposed to be working 3-days (yes I'm whining) a week, but lately I've been "called in" to work extra shifts nearly every week - that means I am volunteering to make mega $$$...it also means less time to play and enjoy life.

Well today was my only day off in an eight day stretch of 12-hr shifts to have some bike time. This morning it seems Hell had frozen over though. At noon it was a whole 18-degrees (F) outside when I decided to venture out with plenty of layers on. The street in front of my house was a sheet of ice so I decided I would mount up my Kenda studded snow tires on the Fisher Rig Single Speed (I've had these for 2 years and never used them until today). I found these tires perfect for the icy roads and bike path to Hells Gate State Park. They were a bit harsh on the trails at Hells Gate - too skinny for comfort (that means my soft butt was suffering a bit more than usual). However, I must say that these tires provided nothing but traction both up and down the steepest, snow-covered trails at Hell Gate (I even went down the snow-covered Devil's Slide with no problems).





Here is the way up to the top for a view of a frigid Hell...something I had to see...









Up on top looking up towards Hells Canyon with the Snake River in view...The top of the Devil's Slide (the steep trail down) can be seen here also...





There's not much better than seeing Hell froze over...Oh yeah this is the life...