Last weekend was the first proper forest weekend we've had in a while. Our goal for this year is to get back to spending some time every weekend in the woods, and we're off to a pretty decent start so far. My new Ibis Ripley frame came in, so I spent some time building it up. Unfortunately, there was a snag. I just couldn't get my rear brake to stop rubbing, no matter how many times I readjusted it. Finally, I took a closer look at it, and noticed that my brake rotor wasn't rubbing the pads at all, but it was rubbing the rear-most post mount on the frame itself. Something was definitely wrong with the frame or my wheel. I shot Ibis an email that evening, and received a response from them immediately, suggesting I check some things out to ensure the problem is not in my wheel. I took the frame to the Hub the next day, and we were able to rule out the wheel. Jon also noticed that the insert in the post mount was turned a bit, and the post mount looked crooked.
We shot this photo to Ibis, and they shipped out a new swing arm that day. They were great to deal with, and their response made me happy that I bought a bike from them.
I figured that, with a new swing arm on the way, it would be OK for me to ride it with a little rubbing for one ride, so I went to DuPont on Saturday for a quick ride from Lake Imaging. The bike was amazing, especially on the climbs. The slightest increase in effort was immediately rewarded. It wasn't too shabby on the downhills either.
On Sunday, Heather and I decided to go check out Courthouse Falls, before Summey Cove Trail is closed. It was a chilly day, but we warmed up quickly on the initial climb. The first bit is steep up, followed by steep down, but then follows old road bed for the remainder of the hike. There are a couple of good camp sites along the way, and the waterfall was beautiful.
My swing arm came in on the Ripley the following Friday, and I got it built back up in time for a Sunday Pisgah ride. I rode the "Big M" and had a blast. This bike is so much fun.
