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@kaaaaaaandries
Project Black by kaaaaaaandries, on Flickr
So I really want somewhere to document this biek. I'm hoping that if I do this I will 'love' it a bit more.
It's not a bad bike by any means (well compared to most on here it is), but I enjoyed my steel 453 Falcon beater way more before I got this. Perhaps it's an Alu thing... feels more generic?! I dont know.
Anyway, it's a bog standard 2013 Langster which I've had for exactly a year on Valentine's day this year. How romantic right? But like I say, not sure if the love is there.
Started out pretty stupid and rode round Bournemouth for a few months with no brake or foot retention like so..
. by kaaaaaaandries, on Flickr
. by kaaaaaaandries, on Flickr
Untitled by kaaaaaaandries, on Flickr
Louie by kaaaaaaandries, on Flickr
Untitled by kaaaaaaandries, on Flickr
Untitled by kaaaaaaandries, on Flickr
I've matured a bit since then though and gave in to the constant [strike]nagging[/strike] for brakes and foot retention.. Cant believe I was adamant that I didnt need anything, or foot retention atleast. But live and learn hey. Then I decided I wanted some comfy bars as the track ones were so uncomfy and I swear I was getting RSI on anything longer than 30 minutes. Decided on some Cinelli Pepper's as they looked quite nice and made the daily 10 mile commute everyday a doddle. Felt weird going up hills to start with though.
. by kaaaaaaandries, on Flickr
Untitled by kaaaaaaandries, on Flickr
Then winter came, however still I was dumb and decided to get a Musguard.. I thought, 'you know, let's support these guys who have put their time into designing and creating this cool thing' which ultimately is a nice gesture I suppose. Worked fine, however only recently I came into some SKS Raceblades for free and I'm not looking back - although they are a ballache to fit on the standard forks the Langster comes with. Who needs to look cool when you can have a dry backside and semi-dry feet anyway?! Besides, I think the Musguard is better suited to my now stolen Falcon frame.
Untitled by kaaaaaaandries, on Flickr
I'm not sure if you see what's happening here but I'm becoming sensible. You know like when older people start wearing those butt ugly shoes because they offer more comfort? Hmm... Also a group of us are riding from Bournemouth to Paris in April and I've started collating bits like compact bars, rear brake, road levers and hoods.. even debating fitting a single speed sprocket on the other side of the hub!
Probably just a slippery slope towards gears tbh, but we'll look at that after the trip! For now, I've swapped the standard 48/16 gearing for a Stronglight 46t chainring and Surly 17t cog.
Dont have any current photo's, but will use this to show progress, however small, and also ask for advice.
Who knows... Maybe at some stage I'll even decide to go HHSB. Ever seen a HSSB'd this model Langster? Not sure it would work with the sloping top tube though..
Kyle