Projects are Getting Backlogged

With the weather turning colder, winter bike projects seem to be lining up like Prius' outside a yoga studio.

I acquired a Woodchipper bar from the gentlemen at HCHQ and will begin make the Rawland into a true Monster Cross bike next week. The trail separation from the Rawland and the sale of the Marin mountain bike earlier this year leads me to kind of miss an off-road bike, so the bar-swap/fat tire conversion will fill that void, at least temporarily. It will also give me a chance to explore that facet of the Rawland frame, which I have never really given very serious consideration before.

I also have a new wheel in the offing for the winter bike. The rear wheel on the Singlespeed, Crotchhatchet, Studded Tire Winter Bike has not one but two rounded spoke nipples from someone other than me using the wrong sized spoke wrench to true the wheel at some point. Of course, but of these spokes are right where I would add a little tension to pull a slight wobble out of the wheel. I considered simply replacing the spokes, but the rim is pretty worn as well and the hub is only so-so, so I am evaluating lacing a new rim to an All-City single/fixed hub I have laying around in the workshop rather than replacing the offending spokes. That project is actually moving up in urgency as the weather continues to edge towards winter, so I need to resolve my plan of action one way or another relatively soon.

Another project that needs some attention but has less urgency is giving The Spouse's Dahon folder a complete overhaul. That bike got some quick attention when she began to ride it regularly (brake adjustment, derailleur adjustments, chain cleaning and lube, etc.) but it really needs to have the hubs repacked. I suspect the headset is in need of a repacking as well. That one can wait awhile though since her folding bike rambles have been called on account of weather.

I am sure other project will reveal themselves as the days shorten, as well.

All this must wait at least a few days longer because I am now in the throws of the final exam for the Emergency Medical Responder course I have been taking and I am in my first week of full EMT training, so I am kind of slammed with studying for EMR and reading for EMT. Hopefully that will settle out next week and I'll be on a more measured pace after that.