Fractured

So the wranglings between IF and the Old Regime has left me with a garage full of Tyler Evans welded beauties and an indecisive start to 2011. Gary Smith has now taken the rains of his financial lifeboat and steered toward a more affordable New Hampshire. That being said the blood, soul and majority of friends have fractured into mostly unrecognizable pieces. Tyler and a few comrades have gallantly surged forward to form Firefly Bicycles without having to leave Boston. I'm left in the lurch until Firefly can design and produce a frame and ship it this way......May perhaps but I'm realistic and having spent the greater half of my life glued to the Bike Industry I know that means September for the Vegas show.......so I have planted some seeds with hope of continuing to race and travel. The interest is flattering but nothing happens quickly enough for me. I've been left riding some of the finest bikes made but with no support or acknowledgment. I have been paying particular attention to the ride quality of the T.Evans welded IF's and it is a comfort palace for me. I find myself wondering what these different Companies might offer that would ride as nicely....I'm pretty particular to fit and handling characteristics most specifically with my 29ers...I have been on one since 1999 when I ride Eric's pink If through the campsites at Dalton, Ma 24hrs of adrenalin...it took 2 minutes for me to realize these were my future. I was recovering from my 4th knee surgery on my left knee and had painstakingly duct taped my ass to the seat of my road bike just 3 months prior. My PT had released me from treatment with 20 degrees of flex-ion and I needed 120 to ride....after jogging in a pool and ripping some scar tissue I noticed I had some potential to get it back....I literally needed the tape job to break through the scar tissue and once I did that I would need more surgery to try to have it removed. I rode with an uncomfortable hitch for a bit but can now pedal well into the next day quite comfortably.....this leaves me happy ....my long debate has led me to ride for an old buddy Wright cycle Co. out of Flagstaff Az. Bryce has always been my biggest supporter and now that he is producing his own frames ..it seems a natural fit. I'll ride ti goodies from Tyler but a frame made by Bryce so 2012 should be the beginning of the unknown in many ways....I hope to start with my usual 24hrs in the Old Pueblo just outside of Tucson Az.