This is the personal blog of Paul Petch a self professed outdoor addict, reformed graphic designer, picture taker & IT geek living in Christchurch NZ. While you are here why not subscribe to my tweets, Flickr, RSS and Vimeo?


Cove Handjob and Its rebirth ;D

A funny thing happened today as I was stripping and cleaning the Cove Handjob ready for its imminent sale……I noticed a mark on the downtube that I remember “inflicting” on its maiden voyage down the Greenwood track….. and I started to think of all our adventures together. I’m not usually sentimental when it comes to “objects” but this frame was my introduction to the wonderful world of riding a long travel bike, steel frames and also helped me give up my obsession with bike weight and fragile weight weenie builds.

So with the fantastic NZ Autumn sun warming me ….I started to think more about the frame and how much I’d miss it…..and a new life for the Handjob came together there and then :)

Say hello to my new ride :D

The Cove had one more amazing trick up its sleeve too…. (a thankyou?) the rear stays are just perfect for the ratio of 32 x 16 and does not require a chain tensioner!! Brilliant! Spencer and I headed to Bottlelake Forest late this afternoon and the ride did not disappoint!

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Related posts:

  1. Cove Handjob & Rockshox Revelations arrive (at last!)
  2. Cove Handjob XC review
  3. Cove Handjob as a single speed?
  4. Work, Cove and riding
  5. My current rides

This entry was posted on Friday, April 10th, 2009 at 7:23 pm and is filed under Bike Stuff and tagged with , , . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

11 Responses to “Cove Handjob and Its rebirth ;D”

  1. Rick says:
    April 14, 2009 at 8:09 am

    So now you have 2 single speeds!
    tried the no tensioner with a friends old bike. It works for a while, but wait till the chain stretches a little (which it will) could turn out to be more hassle!

    Reply
    • Paul says:
      April 14, 2009 at 8:16 am

      Yep two :) This one will be for dirt and the GT is currently at the LBS having the Hayes Strokers bled. I’m going to throw slicks and a monster ratio on it with panniers for winter commuting duties. I hope that the chain does not stretch t much…. but we know it will! I have a chain device ready though….. but I love how minimal it looks without one!!

      How are you going by the way? manage to get a ride in over Easter? I’ll email you :)

      Reply
  2. heart5 says:
    April 18, 2009 at 4:33 pm

    The last picture with sunshine is fine. I really love it.

    Reply
  3. April 2009 updates | mtbNZ {Since 2007} says:
    April 21, 2009 at 10:50 am

    [...] fitness levels up, so what are my plans to try and keep active? Well, the single speeds (GT & Cove) are both ready to go and my riding buddies all have a single speed as part of their collection now [...]

    Reply
  4. Ian says:
    April 26, 2009 at 6:12 am

    I notice on your Cove frame for sale (single speed photo) it looks like you have some rigid carbon forks.

    Can you please let me know if they provide a reasonable level of shock absorbing and what brand they are. I’m not sure straight blades are good even if they are carbon.

    I have recently converted my 14 year old Ti hardtail to a single speed and am contemplating the full retro feel of fully rigid – just like the old days! And save some weight over the Rock Shox U turns.

    Thanks

    Ian

    Reply
    • Paul says:
      April 26, 2009 at 6:15 am

      Hey Ian :) Personally i prefer cromoly forks as the carbon might save 100g or so but are very “pingy”. The ones that you in the photo are Pace carbon and Ti- that I sold months ago now. Cromo is best :D Cheers for the email.

      Reply
  5. Ian says:
    April 26, 2009 at 6:16 am

    Hi Paul

    Thanks for the feedback – really appreciate the advice and your experience.

    Have you used compared curved blade cromoly to straight blade cromoly (as seems to come on many SS bikes now (GT Peace))?

    Ian

    Reply
    • Paul says:
      April 26, 2009 at 6:18 am

      I’ve used two forks that were straight blade- Kona Project 2 and the latest on the GT Peace. I’m yet to try curved…. so can’t comment. Both cromoly forks were really comfy compared to the carbon.

      Reply
  6. Ian says:
    April 26, 2009 at 6:18 am

    Thanks Paul!

    Do the ones on the Peace provide an acceptable level of shock absorption – are they smoother than the carbon legs of your Pace? I’ll leave you alone now!

    Thanks for the info.

    Ian

    Reply
    • Paul says:
      April 26, 2009 at 6:20 am

      No problem Ian- questions are just fine :) I think that the GT peace forks provide more comfort and confidence than the Pace forks ever did…. they flex “just right.”
      Cheers!

      Reply

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