SWAGMAN BIKE RACK REVIEW

After using the Swagman on a couple outings, I can say it is a very good rack for the money. There are a few minor issues with it that would be expected when you buy an inexpensive non-brand name rack.
1) the bike does not work with a standard 2 inch receiver hitch lock pin. You have to use the bolt/cotter pin setup provided with the Swag. I am either taking the rack off and putting it in my truck, or I use a cable lock threaded through the wheel rings and my chain connection points on the hitch. A little inconvenient, but not too bad.
2) when loading up two bikes, you have to make sure you use the proper sized clamp on the proper side. One clamp sits lower than the other to accomodate similar sized bikes on one rack. It takes a few minutes to get right, but again its not a big deal.
Overall, I give the rack a thumbs up. It is sturdy, does the job, and it is compact enough to store anywhere when not in use. We will see how it fairs long term.

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WORKING ON A NEW PURCHASE!

Well, a friend of mine has a bike for sale, and I am currently trying to acquire it. Its a 2008 Specialized Stumpjumper Expert demo model:

It's a pretty amazing deal, and since my credit and finances suck so bad, I feel that buying a new bike is out of the question right now. I am not really a fan of the color, but bikes can be painted relatively easy. I figure I will work on that once I thrash the existing paint off it...hahaha!

hydraulic brakes, Specialized's Brain, and DT Swiss wheels make me think this is going to be a nice bike. Test riding it this upcoming weekend, so we shall see how it compares to my trusty KHS...keep ya posted!

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BEACH DAY

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HUB OVERHAUL

After my ride at Boyette the other day, I decided to overhaul the front hub on my bike. The thing was making some nasty noises...so much so I was afraid it would seize up or my wheel would fall off!
Furthermore, my tire was flat when I checked it out today..something was definitely amiss.
So I pulled the hub apart, and carefully removed the bearings. There was a lot of brown gunk inside, and a lot of water. All those bike washings were not helping!

I inspected the bearings, which seemed to be in ok shape.

I cleaned all the parts with brake cleaner, and made sure the races on the hubs were good. There was a little wear, mainly because of the lack of lubrication.

I regreased the whole thing, slapped the original bearings back in (I am getting ceramics next time), and tightened it up. A new tube later, and I am proud to say it rides and sounds like new. The rear wheel is next...I hear some grinding back there, so I know it needs some greasing up. I love being able to fix something myself without shelling out money all the time to someone else!

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NEW SWAGMAN 2 BIKE RACK

So for the longest time I have been needing a bike rack that was hitch mounted. I borrowed one from my buddy for my latest vacation, but borrowing shit gets bothersome after a while, and you need to be self-sufficient. I needed to free up bed space when I hauled my bikes, especially now with the new tonneau. Problem is, I hate the standard hitch bike carriers where the bikes float free, and the wheels spin. Other problem? The wheel based carriers are expensive as hell, averaging 300 bucks! After a month of searching, I found the Swagman on Amazon for a stellar 135 bucks, shipped! What a deal...but how would it hold up??
After assembling it today, I can say I am truly impressed. Although not as versatile as the 300 dollar racks, this thing is tough, sturdy, and holds the bikes like a champ!

It took only about 5 minutes to put together, and holds the bikes securely and has added potential for locks and cables to add further security.

I am not going to be able to test it until later this week; I will post up a full review then. The only thing that makes me nervous is the 2 inch receiver section isnt set up for a locking hitch pin...you have to use Swagmans threaded bolt and cotter pin setup..the hole is threaded, so you cannot fit a standard lock pin in there. Hmmm... well, I can always cable lock it to my hitch, so that is an option.

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New android application

After all this time, I finally found an Android app that works well with Blogger! This app uploads pictures as well as text, something I once had to do using MMS. So far, it seems to be easy to use and will definitely make it a lot more convenient to blog while I am out and about.

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Test post using android blogger app

trying photo uploads

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MUDDY FLATWOODS RIDE

Despite the fact that it hadn't rained in a few days, the conditons out at Flatwoods were pretty wet and muddy. I would say about 40 percent of the trail was mud or saturated ground, which made pedaling difficult. I finished up 12 miles, because I cut the ride short. It was a decent workout regardless.

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