This past week's warmer, drier weather afforded us more opportunities to get out and ride (including a trip to Point Lookout State Park), so we thought it would be timely to highlight our sweet new bikes.
Jake the Snake is a 2009 Kona model, and is somewhat of a "Frankenstein." The aluminum butted frame was sold back to College Park Bicycles by a rider who was looking for an upgrade, but wanted to keep all of the parts. CP Bikes built new parts around the frame, which meant that we got an almost-new bicycle for a great price!
Since this was a rebuild, there are obviously some differences from the manufacturer's spec list. Here's a breakdown of the new parts for all of you spec nerds!- Truvativ Isoflow road crank set
- Shimano Tiagra front and rear derailers
- Shimano V Brakes
- Avocet racing-style saddle
- Weinnman Zac-19 rims
- Continental Ultra GatorSkin tires (an upgrade we requested, these tires are built with Kevlar to be puncture-resistant)
- Shimano bar-end shifting system. In fact, the whole handlebar system was replaced with an aluminum Bontrager set. This is probably the most significant alteration from a functional standpoint (arguably an improvement). It's been a lot of fun getting used to the bar-end shifters.
We opted to stick with the cage-style pedals in the interest of cost (clipless pedal systems and shoes can easily cost more than your bike) and ease of use. As new riders, we were a little skittish about adjusting to new shoes and clips. We're also keeping in mind that we'll want to pack as light as possible on our trip, and having different shoes for riding and walking will just take up more space.Some quick research suggested that Jake is a great for riding through places like Montana! Straight out of the shop, Jake the Snake is considered a cyclocross bicycle. With the modifications, it's now a great touring bicycle - a complex and beautiful machine!
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