New Winter Project

Well, I've been thinking about this non-stop since I took that Carbon 29'er Cannondale out for a test drive about a month ago: I certainly don't have now, nor am I willing to bet that even in early spring, will I have an "extra" $2,700 laying around in order to buy that bike. Job ONE is to save cash and get ourselves out of this crap neighborhood and into a larger house. Family first. (Dammit, I hate being responsible.) Who knows, something could happen next fall that would make a carbon niner possible.

SO anyways, I've been trolling eBay for a decent Cannondale frame to replace the 1997 General Lee...who is one size too small for me (Medium) and the HeadShok is on it's last leg. (The guy at the shop said pretty much when it dies this next time, that will be it.)

After doing much research, the cheapest way into a "new" bike, but still using the less-than-one-year-old parts from the General was to buy a new frame, HeadShok, Disc brakes and call it good. Everything else I have existing and in great shape, ready to integrate into the new bike.

So, without further ado, I present to you the Blue Bomber: $300. Brand new, never assembled. 2006. I will have to probably buy a $200-300 HeadShok cartridge for it and $250 worth of disc brakes, but for less than $900 I can have myself a "new" bike.

It's easy to think that if I would have saved up this $900, plus the $800 or so I spent on refurbishing the General Lee last winter, that I'd be more than half way there, but I would also have not been riding a mountain bike for two solid years - which is unacceptable garbage-talk.

The General will be no more in a month or so. So long my friend, someday I will bring you back to life. Maybe as a rockin' single speed. RIP.

Blue Bomber with Fatty Super Ultra DLR80 HeadShok

(I'm gaining 20mm in travel over my old fork.)

"Dual Assault". I think 2006 was the last of the "Handmade in USA" frames,

as Cannondale was sold to Dorel Industries (the people that own crappy Pacific Cycles)

and frames since then have been outsourced to Taiwan. This will be a keeper.