Bling-a-riffic for the SS

I bought myself the Jabber as a Christmas present in 2008 and built it up nicely, but on a budget. It had XT brakes, some e-bay Mavic wheels on XT hubs and some nice tires. I did add some red bits and pieces  in the form of a headset and seatpost clamp and some custom Groovy Luv bars which was my attempt at bling-ifying my ride.

Other than that I've done nothing to the bike except ride the heck out of it. This has been an awesome bike and with the exception of some rides at Demo, Skeggs or Tahoe where I knew either our route or my fitness level required the gears, it's been my main ride.....and it's been bulletproof.

I think for me, the simplicity is one of the main attractions of riding SS. There is very little maintenance, no tuning or adjusting of derailleurs or suspension and as far riding it goes, it forces a level of honesty that reminds me of riding my bmx bike as a kid.  If there's a hill you can't climb, you walk, if you want to go faster, pedal harder, if you head over a rough bumpy section, pick the smoothest line, flex your arms and legs and hang on....

Sure, the reasons that gears and suspension were invented and have become so popular is so that you can climb steeper hills, ride faster and descend smoother without beating the crap out of your body, and I definitely like my geared bike when I ride it, but for me, the SS really is my favorite ride.

With that in mind, I've been lusting after a newer, sexier SS. Maybe a lighter, custom steel frame. Or possibly even a carbon fiber wonder-bike with sleek lines, carbon fork and so light it practically pedals itself...the problem is, there's absolutely nothing wrong with the Jabber. It does everything I need it to with no complaints and any drawbacks with the performance are more than likely due to the motor and not the bike.....still bike lust compels me to look and to shop.

So, what's a guy to do? Well, the goal is to slowly upgrade everything that I can so that if someday I do find and buy that dream frame I've been searching for, I can just move all the components over.  To that end, I've invested in some nicer wheels which should not only save some weight, but will be perfect for a future carbon or custom steel frame.....the fact that the hubs are red and match the other red bits, only adds to the bling factor....

Now, if I could just upgrade to a stronger motor I'd be all set....