I was, however, pleased to discover upon my return here that there were a couple of comments that I hadn't seen before which tells me that there are a few who occasionally swing by and read! Even if it's only once, perhaps this is your first time here, I'm very flattered and I thank you for that! Certainly makes me want to come back and continue these entries; even if I am the only one who ends up reading some of this stuff.
The other thing that pulled me out of my hibernation was the spotting of this stellar ride.
It's a custom Engin (Engin Cycles) that blew my mind and the parts hanging from it is exactly what I’ve been trying to get through in my messages of “Sweet Rides”.
I absolutely LOVE that the owner, who probably spent a relatively large sum of cash for some stuff, like the frame for instance (one would have to assume as we all know what "custom" costs), but balanced it all out with some "budget" stuff as well. Smart! I don't want that to sound sarcastic either. I want to be clear: I'm a big fan of components that work; regardless of cost. Wether they cost a week's wages or just what is in the average wallet at any given moment, they just have to work. It's a real thing of beauty. Smartly done! I don’t mind spending a small fortune for stuff if it’s going to work (I have and still do) but I’m not too stuck up to feel I have to buy the best shit for my bike “just because”.
A custom Engin frame with some older gold colored Race Face Turbine cranks (at least that’s what they appear to be in the pic I came across) setup in my favorite 1X9 configuration..........YUM! The owner also spec’d it with some mechanical Avid disc brakes which is sure to provide consistent stopping power when he/she needs it.
Believe me, I know, to a bike snob this may seem distasteful or maybe even a crime to the most discerning, but, to me, it makes good sense! It is in my opinion that this bike was assemble by someone "in the know". I too have done similar things to my rides; most recently, to my Niner.
For example; I ditched my billion dollar hydraulic Avids and went with a set of BB7 calipers teamed up with some Paul Love Levers for a good, working, trouble-free brake system. No need to worry about it anymore - at all. I was sick and tired of the problems I was having and frustrated with the time I was wasting repairing them or having to adjust to inconsistent performance as opposed to riding. I won’t even get into the time they failed on a descent and almost killed me. I know that not all hydraulic brakes are poor performers and I know that, on average, they are far more powerful than mechanicals, however, consistency plays a huge role in happiness when it comes to brakes so ditching the “top-of-the-line” brake offerings from Avid for a more consistent performer was a no-brainer for me.
“Most expensive” doesn't always mean “best” but, I digress, this isn't about me, my opinion in brakes, or my choices. This is about this fantastic bike. Whether it was by choice, or the parts selection was based on budget, or, perhaps, a bit of both, the bike is outstanding and definitely deserves a place in the blog in my opinion.
Other details like the gold colored hubs, top cap, King headset, quick releases and housing tie the Engin decals in beautifully. On their own, brown and gold would not be a color I’d consider but seeing this bike together makes me think I’d have been missing out!! God damn! What a beauty!
The Engin seat post (with brown accents) capped with that beauty of a brown saddle is just another nice touch which cemented this ride’s place in the blog. Engin’s beauty of a frame, with its bent top tube and arched seat stays screams “all-dayer” as much as it does eye-appeal.
Beauty!!
I'll try to submit another post in quicker time next time.
Cheers to those who are/have read.
Please submit any bikes you feel should be featured (especially now that my old laptop self destructed) to skabikes at hotmail dot com
