Meet Scar

[Cataboo]

So I decided the flaming surly was a bit nice to be my commuter or beater bike and picked up an old Trek 800 from craigslist. It was a nice purple with an orange border around the trek lettering. A little beat up, hence the name Scar, but good bones. Scar got new tires from Sweetskinz which are reflective at night, a new seatpost (the original trek steel one weighed a ton), a rack (needs to be adjusted a little still once I get it off the trainer, trainer's interfering with putting the back of it on right), and a bottle cage. I changed the handlebars to some old mountain biking ones that are more touring shaped for more handlebar positions, and switched the rear cassette to 8 speed and changed the shifters to some old deore LX ones I had (the cabling still needs to be finished). I probably shoulda cleaned up the clutter around him.

So here Scar is in all his "Glory" All I can say is noone will ever steal Scar, they'd be too embarassed to ride him.

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fkR1_xTH524/TD8TvnigQdI/AAAAAAAACNs/fdJ33Rnr940/s720/IMGP7482.JPG

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fkR1_xTH524/TD8TyfsJPsI/AAAAAAAACNw/VngkYeIEPhk/s512/IMGP7483.JPG

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fkR1_xTH524/TD8T1QzNAYI/AAAAAAAACN0/V_ZtKgHxJic/s720/IMGP7486.JPG

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fkR1_xTH524/TD8XG5OMjXI/AAAAAAAACPM/mjmpiOPjIpU/s512/IMGP7485.JPG

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs262.snc3/27751_405586076864_624946864_4230078_6179464_n.jpg

Here's some pics at night with the flash so you can see how reflective the tires are:
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fkR1_xTH524/TD8T3khDarI/AAAAAAAACN4/-NgVv3DRORM/s720/IMGP7480.JPG

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fkR1_xTH524/TD8T6CJ8EVI/AAAAAAAACN8/Aag9rq6O_m8/s720/IMGP7477.JPG

[tulip]

Wow! those are some tires!

[Cataboo]

Wow! those are some tires!

They crack me up! And are perfect. I was looking for some slicks for him and ran across those...

They do come in a rattlesnake pattern that is very cool, but the ones I got matched better (if that could be said about this bike) and were on sale.

[Zen]

From the photos at least, I don't find those tires aesthetically appealing but they sure do reflect!

Did you have those bars laying around?

[zoom-zoom]

Wow, too bad they don't do something reflective like that for road tires. That is pretty nifty!

I like Scar. He has character. :D

[Catrin]

Wild tires! Reflecting is a good thing - it looks like Scar is perfect for what you have intended!

I am still looking for blue 26'inch tires for The Wanderer...

[Cataboo]

From the photos at least, I don't find those tires aesthetically appealing but they sure do reflect!

Did you have those bars laying around?

I believe you are just jealous that you can't rock the Scorched tires.

R had a few of those - he used to use those mountain biking, but couldn't use them after he switched to grip shifters. I stuck one set on Scar, one set on Julie's bike, and his old bridgestone still has some.

[Cataboo]

Wow, too bad they don't do something reflective like that for road tires. That is pretty nifty!

I like Scar. He has character. :D

YOu can get the sweetskinz in 700x37c. But that's a bit fat for road


http://www.amazon.com/Sweetskinz-Trekking-Bike-Tire-Hazarea/dp/B000IV8V0M/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1279204211&sr=8-12

[Cataboo]

Wild tires! Reflecting is a good thing - it looks like Scar is perfect for what you have intended!

I am still looking for blue 26'inch tires for The Wanderer...

They do have a blue reflective one:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51f4KuhIPdL._SS500_.jpg

http://www.amazon.com/Sweetskinz-Semi-Slick-Mountain-Bike-Scorch/dp/B000IVAZSS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1279204211&sr=8-2

[Catrin]

They do have a blue reflective one


Oooooooh, this might work if I can't find a darker blue...this might actually be a good winter choice since they are wider than my stock tires (16x1.25). Reflectivity would probably be a good thing for the winter as well...

[zoom-zoom]

YOu can get the sweetskinz in 700x37c. But that's a bit fat for road


http://www.amazon.com/Sweetskinz-Trekking-Bike-Tire-Hazarea/dp/B000IV8V0M/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1279204211&sr=8-12

Ooh, would that work on a cyclocross bike? My next ride will likely be a 'cross bike (for a few races and so that I can ride a bit on unpaved roads and poorly maintained paved ones).

[Biciclista]

how cool are these tires? I love them!
so first they made tiny skinny tires in colors, now they're doing MTB tires in colors.
Someday maybe they'll get to those of us on slightly fatter road bike tires....

[Cataboo]

Ooh, would that work on a cyclocross bike? My next ride will likely be a 'cross bike (for a few races and so that I can ride a bit on unpaved roads and poorly maintained paved ones).

They would - I have no idea how good they actually are for cyclocross racing conditions though (gripping the trail, etc.)

[Zen]

I believe you are just jealous that you can't rock the Scorched tires.

Yeah. That's it.

[Cataboo]

Yeah. That's it.

That and Scar could kick Miss Plum's ***. Scar has a lot of character.

[PamNY]

I love Scar.

[Zen]

That and Scar could kick Miss Plum's ***. Scar has a lot of character.

Fistfight.
Your house
Five o'clock pm

[tulip]

Fistfight.
Your house
Five o'clock pm

I'm taking wagers.

[Selkie]

Scar is the Bad Bad LeRoy Brown of bikes. A bad azz. If you wanted to give him to me, I'd take him (I don't steal).

[7rider]

Ooh, would that work on a cyclocross bike? My next ride will likely be a 'cross bike (for a few races and so that I can ride a bit on unpaved roads and poorly maintained paved ones).

Yeah, I was thinking...28s or 32s would be da bomb for my new commuter (I'm accessorizing in blue)...but 37s would be too fat.
:(

I take Catriona in Round 2.

[OakLeaf]

Love him! Tires and all. Is the yellow thing on the handlebars a headlight? It looks like a toy alien.

[7rider]

Love him! Tires and all. Is the yellow thing on the handlebars a headlight? It looks like a toy alien.

I think it's a bell. It looks like a tea pot.

[Tri Girl]

I'd steal your bike just for those tires. :p (you probably think I'm kidding- you better lock him up tight)

I *LOVE* Scar! He's a bada*s. I'm going to have to look at those tires. I love the reflectivity. Very cool!

[Melalvai]

I like my kevlar tires too much to switch, but I love the Hulk Hogan flames, and the reflective thing is irresistible! So then I thought-- reflective paint?

[Skierchickie]

Fistfight.
Your house
Five o'clock pm

My money is on Scar. Poor Miss Plum - she doesn't stand a chance. Zen - do we need to rescue her and send her to a farm for abused bikes? And send you to share a cell with Michael Vick?

[Zen]

I don't take trash talk from Catriona and we often have fist fights.
Just another day.

[PamNY]

I'm taking wagers.

I'm selling T shirts.

[sgtiger]

Catriona, Scar is smoking! Those Trek 800 series frames hold up well as commuter/beater bikes. I have my Xtracycle built on a Trek 820 and I love it.

[Skierchickie]

I don't take trash talk from Catriona and we often have fist fights.
Just another day.

Oh, well, carry on then! I thought this was a fist fight between Scar and Miss Plum. My misunderstanding. By all means, beat each other senseless! :p

[HillSlugger]

Great bike!

I love how you matter-of-factly say "I switched this, I changed that"; what does your spare parts box look like?

[snapdragen]

I'm selling T shirts.

I've got the popcorn concession!

Love those tires!:cool:

[Cataboo]

Fistfight.
Your house
Five o'clock pm


Lol. You & your wimpy Miss Plum chose 5 o'clock because you know I'm never home by then.

[Cataboo]

Yeah, I was thinking...28s or 32s would be da bomb for my new commuter (I'm accessorizing in blue)...but 37s would be too fat.
:(

I take Catriona in Round 2.


Yeah - more sizes in those tires would be great.

Scar fights dirty unlike your elegant and civilized Sevens.

[Cataboo]

Love him! Tires and all. Is the yellow thing on the handlebars a headlight? It looks like a toy alien.


It's a teapot bell. I was on dealextreme.com looking to see if they had a tripod mount for handlebars and saw the teapot bells...

Scar also has LED lights that will be installed on his wheels that flash in various patterns, but I haven't tried that yet.

I will have to commute at night just to be able to see that.

[Cataboo]

I don't take trash talk from Catriona and we often have fist fights.
Just another day.


I let her win when I want some pie.

[Zen]

You're gonna have to race her in next year's alley cat

[Cataboo]

Great bike!

I love how you matter-of-factly say "I switched this, I changed that"; what does your spare parts box look like?


Wait... Spare parts are supposed to be able to fit in just one box???

Unfortunately, mine stopped being able to do that a while back. There are a lot of parts that I'm saving for various builds.

One of these days I'm making a touring bike. I have everything but the fork and possibly the frame scrounged.

I didn't have those tires in a box, but couldn't resist them once I saw them.

Scar was $80 on craigslist - the drive train looked mostly unused, it looks like the bike has moved with the family a couple of times - the teeth on the cranks have no wear - but I'm not sure how much wear old steel cranks showed?

The original seatpost was steel and the seat was huge - so I think I lost like 3 lbs off scar just switching those off. I needed a setback - but he was a funny 26.6 mm size.

I may one day buy him a longer stem.

[Cataboo]

Scar is the Bad Bad LeRoy Brown of bikes. A bad azz. If you wanted to give him to me, I'd take him (I don't steal).

I'll keep you in mind when he needs a new home! He's a wanderer, possibly doesn't like staying in one spot too long.

[Cataboo]

I like my kevlar tires too much to switch, but I love the Hulk Hogan flames, and the reflective thing is irresistible! So then I thought-- reflective paint?

God help my bikes the day I figure out how to paint 'em well.

[Zen]

Let's buy some spray paint!

[Cataboo]

Let's buy some spray paint!

I will practice on your kayak, Miss Aurora and Miss Plum

[lph]

This thread is hilarious :D

Scar ROCKS! Man, I have the worst case of tire envy!

[Catrin]

It's a teapot bell. I was on dealextreme.com looking to see if they had a tripod mount for handlebars and saw the teapot bells...

Scar also has LED lights that will be installed on his wheels that flash in various patterns, but I haven't tried that yet.

I will have to commute at night just to be able to see that.

oooh, I can SEE that - as others have said, Scar is one bad azz bike! I've seen those LED lights online that can be programmed to flash in different designs and so forth - seeing him coming at you at night with those tires and flashy lights on the wheels... Hmmm, especially on darker streets I can see someone who has had a bit too much to drink thinking that the aliens have finally landed :D

[Catrin]

This thread is hilarious :D

Scar ROCKS! Man, I have the worst case of tire envy!

See here: The same tire for $15! (http://www.meijer.com/s/sweetskinz-bike-tire-with-mountain-bike-front-tread-26-inch-x-2-1-inch/_/R-133414) The only problem is these are even wider - 26x2.1

The same store also sells 24 inch :confused: and 26x2

The original link for 2.6x1.9 is tempting that Catriona provided... ummmm I am assuming this would slow The Wanderer down though - currently I have 26x1.5 tires. Would noticeably this slow me down on a long ride?

[Cataboo]

Catrin - pay attention to the tread pattern, the ones I linked to were semi-slick -not too bumpy in the center, but a lot of these tires are mountain bike with knobs everywhere. (I didn't check your link)

[Catrin]

Catrin - pay attention to the tread pattern, the ones I linked to were semi-slick -not too bumpy in the center, but a lot of these tires are mountain bike with knobs everywhere. (I didn't check your link)

Thanks - will do.

[malkin]

Those tires look like rings of fire in a tacky stadium show!


I mean that in the nicest way.

[Zen]

I don't think I know what rings of fire in a tacky stadium show look like:o

[malkin]

Now you know...it looks like those tires!

Really, they light some big hoop on fire and then jump a motorcycle through it, while baton twirlers light the ends of their batons on fire and twirl them, accompanied by overdriven Carmina Burana or country music.

It passes for spectacle in Utah.

[Zen]

Oh my. I would enjoy a show like that. I love flaming batons.
I can imagine a tiger jumping through a flaming hoop, so that's close.

[Owlie]

Scar is pretty awesome. And if I buy myself a commuter bike for graduate school, well, I might have to get one of those teapot bells! (And the tires! The tires!)

[colorisnt]

Scar IS pretty awesome. Of course, Blaze, my thirty year old commuter can never know I said that.

I wish I could get some awesome tires, but my bike has 24 and 3/8'' tires and nothing is in that size!

[Cataboo]

My Mom wants to borrow a bike for a couple weeks to ride to work and let some relatives visiting use her car.

She's totally gonna look hot on Scar. I've finished up the shifters and cabling for her, adjusted the back rack, and installed lights and my tool bag panniers on him.

[Cataboo]

My 60 year old mother rode Scar to work this morning. She called me to tell me all about how he rode like the wind and it was the best bike she'd ever ridden. and to ask me what gears to be in on hills. She refused to go on a ride with me when I brought him & Betsy the flaming surly by to see which she wanted to ride. She didn't like the seat all the way up and Scar had a lower top tube, so she picked Scar. And indignantly told me that she knew how to ride a bike.

It's kinda sad 'cause I need to repack the bearings in Scar's back wheel and he needs a better rear derailleur with stronger spring tension, 'cause shifting's squishy in the back. But she's happy.

After I get him back and fix him up a bit, I might have to arrange to leave him at her house permanently for a bike for me to ride when I'm there, or tell her that I don't want him anymore 'cause I'm too good for him. then she'll lecture me for being a wasteful consumer and a spoiled bratt, and ride him to make sure he doesn't go to waste. She does that with a ski jacket, a rain jacket, a fleece, and a down jacket of mine. She won't take things if I buy them for her, but if I give her a bag of clothes to donate to the church, she'll take the good things out and use them. She still tells me what great jackets I was just throwing away everytime she wears them.

the next bike project is taking shape - 15" columbus steel marin mountain bike frame. Beautiful dark red to red fade. I think it'll be built up touring style with 700c wheels (but a set of 26" that I can swap on her), mountain bike rear cassette, road triple front, bar end shifters, etc. - if it fits better than the surly, the surly will go. Right now I pretty much have all the parts except for a fork and a bottom bracket. I don't want to steal parts from the surly yet until I know if I'm selling her whole or what. she's mocked up with a mountain bike fork because that's the only thing the parts pile has spare other than a 700c carbon road fork... so she may start off as a mountain bike mostly until I find a steel fork for her:

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs072.ash2/36957_424233056864_624946864_4728346_5371024_n.jpg

These are crappy cell phone pics, but you can see the fade in this one better:
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs034.ash2/35085_422035641864_624946864_4674578_6934480_n.jpg

[tulip]

Scar and Miss Plum would do mighty fine to add Down Low Glow (http://rockthebike.com/lights/downlowglow) to their wardrobes.

[Zen]

Miss Plum would never attire herself in such garish accoutrement.
However, her pilot is very fond of this handy dandy little item (http://www.amazon.com/Light-Trek-Flare-Leg-Band/dp/B003N9SVYW)

[Cataboo]

Scar, the cad, has found a new home in between my mother's legs. She's been riding him to work for two weeks and has decided she doesn't want to give him back.

[malkin]

Way to go, Mom!

[Melalvai]

Ouch, dumped for your mother!

[badgercat]

Ouch, dumped for your mother!

I literally laughed out loud at that one. Well played. :D :D

Glad to hear your mom's having fun, Catriona! Maybe it was meant to be. :o

[Cataboo]

Ouch, dumped for your mother!

It's like a bad soap opera plot.

[Zen]

No, it's like a good soap opera plot!

[Catrin]

Miss Plum would never attire herself in such garish accoutrement.
However, her pilot is very fond of this handy dandy little item (http://www.amazon.com/Light-Trek-Flare-Leg-Band/dp/B003N9SVYW)

Zen - do you wear this on your bare calf? Just wondering if it irritates any - I noted that it is sold as a pants-leg strap.


It's like a bad soap opera plot.

I think it is sweet, and shows your Mom's good taste that she gave into Scars obvious charm :D

[Zen]

Zen - do you wear this on your bare calf? Just wondering if it irritates any - I noted that it is sold as a pants-leg strap.


I wear mine on the upper arm.
At this time of year everything is bare skin.

It's also sold as a dog collar

[Catrin]

I wear mine on the upper arm.
At this time of year everything is bare skin.

It's also sold as a dog collar

Thanks - and I like the price. I've actually seen a few around here in longer pants in this heat :eek: so was trying not to assume.

[Bike Chick]

Ouch, dumped for your mother!

Go Mom! Scar is such a bad boy!

[Cataboo]

Go Mom! Scar is such a bad boy!


I think she just looked hot in her underarmor compression tights I found her cycling home in the other day. How could he resist?

He did run off with one of my jett saddles, a helmet, gloves, and one of my tool bag pannier bags that DebW sent me hooks to make. So I'll have to find some more hooks to make replacement bag and watch out for another saddle.

In good soap opera plots, when the daughter is dumped for the mom - it's usually because Mom's pregnant or she will shortly be - I'm not sure I can take Scar's offspring as my half siblings.

[Melissa71]

They do have a blue reflective one:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51f4KuhIPdL._SS500_.jpg

http://www.amazon.com/Sweetskinz-Semi-Slick-Mountain-Bike-Scorch/dp/B000IVAZSS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1279204211&sr=8-2

OP, I loooove Scar! How sweet of you to give him to your mom. So far I've bought two Trek 820 bikes on CL for my husband and one for my son. I can't believe the deals you can get if you're patient and watch.
Oh my gosh!!! Catriona, thank you so much for posting that link! I think I'm going to get the snakeskin semislicks for my mountain bike.

[Cataboo]

I desperately want to buy another set of sweetskinz for something - but I'll have to wait till I find the something, I think :)

[Melissa71]

Catriona, which tread did you get? :) I'm thinking about getting some semislicks for my Trek 4300. My knobby tires have a lot of drag, and the trails I ride are pretty hard packed with some loose gravel. I'd like to be able to go faster.