Garage Session

Just burning off some energy on the indoor minis, three seriously dialed bikes. Two S3's and a Sunday. Brakes are what it is about, all three are running fly brakes, Nokon housing and Power Cordz straddles, damn they are nice.

HATE + LOVE

One of the more chill sports I have been in, although the hate is tough. Do your own thing, I am cool with it all, this is something I enjoy doing on all levels. I don't care if you wear girl pants and tailwhip all day, or if you wear baggies and ride dirt, just keep it real we are all in it for fun. Now for some hotness, 180 bar on a roof top. Props to my boy Adam Downey.

TITANIUM

Got a set of the Eastern Ti bars in last week and mounted them. I ride for fun and am not the hucker/tosser type of rider so I wasn't too worried about bending bars. Plus super butted steel isn't much tougher then Ti (if at all). The bars are straight gauge and considerably thicker then my old color bars at the ends (and I would imagine all the way through).

Now the good stuff, the things are 14oz, which is awesome, everything is quicker, half cabs are awesome, and spins are more fun. Also the obvious of being able to hop higher. I have chunked them a few times so far with no problems, we will see how they last though. The rise and sweep are really nice, and all else aside I really like their shape. Photos soon, and lets hope they work out well, bike is 21.5lbs now. Oh the only downfall, they are expensive as hell, $130.00, if you tear up bars, avoid these unless you have some extra cash burning a hole in your pocket. The other bad part, they really make me want to try that damn Ti Grim Reaper... although it just doesn't make much if any sense with the complete and utter lack of warranty. Although, since Ti is pretty easily repairable a new tube or weld is far from out of the question.

Plastic Pedals...

After seeing a wave of people building light bikes with Odyssey Twisted PC pedals I just have to wonder... why? I am all for taking it to the next level and I know they are cheap, but they are still heavier then some mag pedals. I stand by the Wellgo MG1's, low 13oz and WAY tougher than plastic. Some may not say it is a big deal, but breaking a pedal is NOT cool. Checking out Ian Schwartz's build on the ride site brought this up, aside from the pedals, sweet bike. Side note, if you are fucking up pedals like the JC's then the MG1's wont last long either, they also grip like a mother so you may have to pull a pin or two.

Some new parts...

I had been wanting to build up a nice solid wheel set with Ti spokes for a while. I had used them on road wheels and was very pleased with their performance. A bit hard to track down these days (in quality) these a 14g straight Marwi Ti spokes. Not cheap by any means, but really a nice addition for any lighter build. Less weight is always beneficial (although sometimes in small amounts), however certain areas are better. Rotating weight is the most noticeable though. Acceleration and movement of the bike are really effected.

I laced them up 36 hole 4 cross with alloy nipples. The process is a bit more intensive then a regular build due to stretching, nothing any wheel builder can't handle. With Profile hubs and Balance 7K rims the set was I believe 1.75lbs front and 2.17lbs rear. Saved roughly half a pound total, not bad, but I would not suggest these unless you have exhaust most other areas the price is prohibitive.

Wheels are just as stiff as with the DT spokes. Ridden street and ramps multiple times since the build and have had no problems, they are working great. So close, to sub 22, new pegs will probably break the barrier as well as MAYBE the Eastern cranks.

I also installed a custom saddle I shaped and covered. About 50g lighter then the junior, and pretty nice, Pink Leather. I also popped on a pair of the Fly brakes, lighter then the Revenge and the bearing systems was a bit convoluted on those and they chattered a bit. The Flys are IMHO just a better idea. Both are nicely built though. Saved damn near a pound with all of these goodies.

Tree's new spline drive sprocket

I have their bar ends and really think they came up with the best bar end system ever. So I was intrigued about the new spline drive sprocket. Going to give one a try when they come out. I am a little worried about the insert setup, who knows, it is interesting though. TREE

G Sport Plegs... Almost here

I really can't wait for these things to show up. Plastics have made huge leaps in the last few years, so it is no surprise that G Sport decided to produce a non sleeved peg. The second these come in, a few pairs will be on the way. Demolition has the new version of the DumChucks which were recalled earlier this year due to some cracking and should be back in stock within the next week or two. Hopefully about time to compare the two systems. The only concern is size, both are relatively large, which keeps the frame out of the way, however with compact dropouts and tight fork clearances this could pose to be a serious problem.

I have a feeling the plegs are a step in the right direction, sleeved pegs work great most the time, however from a feel standpoint I enjoy a non sleeved version. It also makes the system much easier to replace. Correct me if I am wrong, but I do not believe the DumChucks are replaceable (at least easily). All I can say is HURRY!

THE BIKE

The seafoam beast

No Bullshit bathroom scale

Since my bike is the canvas for my art, let me run it down for you:
Frame: 20.75" Fit S3 in green
Fork: S&M XLT
Bars: Sunday Color
Cranks: Profile Race with Ti spindle and Ti crank cranks bolts
Sprocket: Profile Imperial 7075 25t w/ Ti sprocket bolt
Seat: Odyssey Junior
Seatpost: Fit I Beam SHORT
Clamp: S&M XLT with alloy bolt
Stem: Redneck XLT with Ti bolts
Brakes: Revenge with Ti bolts, alloy acorn nuts, and kevlar stradle cable
Lever: Odyssey small in chrome with alloy bolts
Grips: Animal in brown with flange removed
Barends: Tree Bicycle Co.
F Wheel: Primo Balance 7k w/ Profile mini with Ti bolts and DT Spokes
R Wheel: Primo Balance 7k w/ Profile SS with 9t Ti driver, axle, nuts and washers (WORD)
Pedals: Wellgo MG1 mags in white
Cable: Nokon in black
Headset: FSA Impact
Tires: KHE Street 2.1 F+R
Pegs: T1

Waiting on Fly brakes, Ti spokes, and new Tree sprocket and undecided new pegs. This bike is DIALED and rides like a dream. Everything has been tuned to the max and it really makes me look forward riding even more then usual.

FIT S3 Aitken - Best Light Street Frame?

Who isn't familiar with this frame? At 4.59lbs in a 20.75" and 4.67lbs in a 21" this frame is arguably one of the lightest options (still waiting for that Ti Grim Reaper from Eastern, should be here around Spring) and a damn nice riding bike. With Fit selling 1000's of these guys, the jury is out... and they have a verdict, it's dialed.

I have been on this frame for around three months now, street, park, garage (damn winter) and I have no complaints yet. Steep head tube (75 degrees) and 13.75" rear end, this frame is perfect for street and park. The compact frame and integrated headset are becoming pretty standard but are a welcome mix. Seatstay brakes keep the drivetrain tiny, and the mid BB is a breeze to pop in. How about the colors black, green, blue, and now flat white (nice). Tubes are amazingly tough for the weight, no real dents on the chainstays yet, and trust me they have had their abuse... it can't be all good though can it? Well pretty much.

The top tube, although plenty stiff, is not quite so dent resistant, of all the tubes it is without a doubt the most prone to injury (mine has a nice little dent from falling onto the stand). The drop outs are also a tad short, not a real problem but depending on your chain you may not be able to slam the wheel up as far as possible and keep a tight chain. Luckily this has been addressed over on Grindstate (props for the idea). A die grinder and 20 minutes lengthened the drop outs just enough to get the wheel alllll the way forward. Great idea, and hello 13.5" rear end. Only other downfall (and this just depends on your cash flow) the price, $340, not cheap but hey you gotta pay for technology.

So go check one out it you haven't already, thanks to the boys at Fit and S&M for putting together such a great frame. Also speaking from the industry side, S&M (builds and distributes Fit) is the NUMBER ONE company I have ever dealt with. Good people and good service you guys are dedicated and it is appreciated. WORD

Intro

Well no one has dedicated anything to the world of light BMX bikes. I have been riding for years, and tuning bikes just as long. Everything from an 11 pound all carbon road bike, to my current project, a super light street bike. BMX is a passion of mine, so is taking the bike to the next level. Check for reviews of light parts, and photos of builds.