LA Acura Bike Tour 3/4

[ApexMan]

Just a reminder for any who'd like to hook up this Sunday at the bike tour that's prior to the LA Marathon, my girlfriend and I will be out at Oh-dark-thirty to cruise the course.

Mr. Armondo I have your number so I'll give ya a call if not sometime this week then the day before to cooordinate a meet spot prior to getting to the line. I usually rally at the Tommy Trojan statue.

I hope to meet up with many of you there!

p.s. Oh, I'm loosly putting together an after ride gathering spot. If any of you who are familar with McCormick and Schmidt's at 5th and Hope that will be the place around noon.

[2wheel_lee]

I'll still probably be there, but I probably won't be able to meet up with you before the start.

Unfortunately, I don't know that area at all and so I don't know where the statue is or the other place. Heck, I don't even know where I need to go or park! I have some maps, but I haven't looked at them yet. Yeah, I'm kinda lame.

As I mentioned, I was going to ride the VPX, but last weekend, I found the problem of using a Cane Creek headset in an Intense frame. It's a now known problem that hopefully Intense will take care of. I may just ride my roadie (it's been a year and a half since I've ridden that bike, so it needs the love).

[Epic_Mtn_Biker]

Cool, Amigo

[dhshuttlemonkey]

Originally Posted by 2wheel_lee

As I mentioned, I was going to ride the VPX, but last weekend, I found the problem of using a Cane Creek headset in an Intense frame. It's a now known problem that hopefully Intense will take care of.

Did you crack your headtube?

[2wheel_lee]

Um...well...yeah.

It's slight right now, but I need to take care of it. Actually, it'll probably work out in my favor. I was about to remove the Cane Creek 1.5 headset and install an FSA headset for a 1-1/8 fork. If you've ever tried to remove a headset from that frame, it's a major PITA! There is no space for a cup driver to contact the top of the cup.

[ShinKen]

hey If I can borrow a nice road bike maybe I can go ehh!!




yeahhh right!! muhhahahahhahahaaaaaa!!!


but really ROB maangg!! I may try to show up ehh!!

[2wheel_lee]

Two years ago, I just rode my singlespeed with slicks. Unfortunately the 32/16 gearing wasn't enough. Although not a race, I pulled a holeshot for the first couple hundred years, then got passed by a whirl of neon-colored roadies. It was still fun jumping every curb in sight (even with a rigid fork).

I may just ride that bike again. If I ride a roadie, my coworkers will expect me to go fast, and I'm not currently in shape to match their speed, so I need a good excuse.

[Keith B]

I think Jose is a secret roadie - he's jsut soooo anti-roadie that he has to be some closet road bike freak - right on!

[2wheel_lee]

I don't know Jose, but if he owns ANY pair of lycra shorts or has even considered shaving his legs, he's a closet roadie.






Not that there is anything wrong with that.

[Keith B]

Let me describe Jose for you:
He only wears lycra/spandex, even at home, work, you name it. The colours he wears are all bright/lurid.
He has weekly electrolysis on his legs and calls everybody sweet cheeks when he rides. So he's definetly a roadie

[2wheel_lee]

Oh, he's so roadie!







Again, not that there is anything wrong with that.

[gurp13]

Some of my best friends are roadies.

[mtnbikerdude87]

Im planning to ride this this sunday too. Maybe ill see you guys in the sea of people riding.

[RidetheRAAM4]

i might show up to ride the short course

[2wheel_lee]

Instead of riding my road bike, I think I'm going to ride a black Surly 1x1....I should be easy to spot. I'll be wearing an Acura Bike Tour jersey.

[ApexMan]

Hey cool Jose, I hope you can make it... Bright tights and all!

I have some insight to the parking there... From the O.C. areas, take the 5 north to the 110 south and as you get through downtown, exit on 8th St (it'll take you west automatically). Make a left on S. Union Ave., thist will run into Hoover St. Make the half left to continue south towards Jefferson, it t-bones here. The Shrine Auditorium is to the left there (or on 32nd), a few years ago I parked there for free and it's right next to the USC campus. The statue of T. Trojan is on Trousdale Parkway in the campus, it's the big avenue in the center. We'll take that to Exposition and cross over to the Colosium area.

Now they are starting this year on Martin Luther King (MLK) Jr. Blvd. so I would imagine that they will have parking along there next to the UCS aquatics center. To get there from Union, make a right on Jefferson and a left on S. Vermont and then Left on MLK, but I imagine that will be closed because the amount of bikes will probably be backed up all the way to Vermont.

Now if you get going EARLY, you can get off at Exposition off the 110 fwy. Make the rights to get you to Figurora and there are those "lucrative" parking lot guys ready to take your $10 and you get your spot... I do think that USC will have their new parking structure open that is next to the 110 fwy, it's for their new basketball arena.

If you park up there just head down Figurora to the start line, or, they may have you go through the Rose Garden and around the Colosium because the start area will be too crowded.

If you are coming from the west side, exit the 10 fwy at Vermont and head south to Jefferson for that Shrine parking or continue on and see what you find.

If anyone wants to try to hook up there PM me for my cell number.

Rob

Originally Posted by 2wheel_lee

Um...well...yeah.

It's slight right now, but I need to take care of it. Actually, it'll probably work out in my favor. I was about to remove the Cane Creek 1.5 headset and install an FSA headset for a 1-1/8 fork. If you've ever tried to remove a headset from that frame, it's a major PITA! There is no space for a cup driver to contact the top of the cup.

Ouch! Bummer. I've had no problems with my e13 adapter and FSA headset.

[RidetheRAAM4]

Originally Posted by 2wheel_lee

Oh, he's so roadie!







Again, not that there is anything wrong with that.

Hahaha, not at all!

[dhshuttlemonkey]

Originally Posted by ApexMan

Ouch! Bummer. I've had no problems with my e13 adapter and FSA headset.

They had a few problems with the Cane Creeks cracking the headtubes when the 6.6 came out. It's documented on the Intense forum in mtbr.

[2wheel_lee]

Two years ago, I parked at the DMV nearby for free. Is that still an option? It was a short ride to the starting area. I don't know that area at all. I am supposed to meet some people at the Natural History Museum by 4:30 am. Ouch! BTW, going to the expo tonight to get my bib and bag-o-crap...anyone going tonight?

Yes, the Cane Creek issue has been documented. Although Intense includes the VPX in the statement, they claimed that they have never seen a VPX with the problem, which may explain why it didn't really come up until the 6.6 was released. I had one of the first 10 VPXs shipped directly from Intense, so it definitely wasn't known at the time I installed mine.

BTW, anyone ever remove a Cane Creek headset from a VPX? It's not as easy as you may think.

[2wheel_lee]

On a related note (to my previous post regarding the VPX). After yanking the headset out and inspecting the frame, it's fine.

Did everyone who did the tour have fun?
I really liked the route this year. Ghetto and all.