Sunday Early Edition

All good things must come to an end.
I mean I really liked you and all.
There's just something missing.
See it's not you, it's me.
It's my fault.
I've changed you see.
So I decided this morning to sell the Former Flat Tire Black Nasty.
The more I looked at it, sitting there, basking in it's former glory, the more I knew it was time to go.
Adieu, old friend.
At least I gave it some new shoes:



Now that's what a mountain bike is supposed to look like!
I took off the bling bling wheels and put those WTB Nanoraptors I got a while back on the old rims.
I also took off the XTR rear derailleur and put back the XT long cage.
There's also a new cassette on there.
I posted it up for a ridiculous price, almost delusional, but I'm not in a rush to see it go.
That frame must have like five thousand miles on it, and a lot of good times.
Epic adventures don't you know.
Okay, not really.
About the epic part.
Still, I've been halfway round the island on that thing.
See, now it's just a "thing."
Poor Black Nasty.
Relegated to "thing" status.
I have to admit, I have a hard time parting with "things" like this, things that I've spent a lot of time with.
That's some sweat and blood that was shared.
Okay, not so much blood, but you know what I mean.
There was all those miles and leg exploding hills and the terrorizing of women and children.
There was also the being dropped by folding bicycles, but we won't go there.
Then there was all that tinkering!
Piece by piece, it became a different bicycle, a bicycle that suited me, just me.
Dare I say it became a part of me?
Maybe.
There's a bond that develops between man and machine, especially if you are a tinkerer like me, and spent some time well, tinkering with it.
You come to learn and know the sounds it makes, the way it reacts to the road and the way it reacts to your input.
You get sort of intimate with it.
If you know what I mean.
Anyways, it was a mountain bike after all, and it sort of deserves to ridden on some well, mountains, or at least some trails or something.
Seeing as how it served only road duty, I just felt it was time to try something else out.
If I could I'd keep it, put it on a pedestal someplace and put a spot light on it.
Alas, there's just no room in The Flat Tire Skunkworks.
Well okay there is, but I need the room for more uh, stuff.
Top Secret stuff don't you know.
So anyways, it's up on CL, and if it don't sell, I may part it out.
I was thinking it would be easier to sell as just a frameset.
So, a from the heart aloha to my trusty soul crusher.
I will remember you.