#mtb frame

[fuzzyimages]

Well, duh.

[andrewtays]

НЕМНОГО ПРЕКРАСНОГО А ИМЕННО ПОКРАСИЛ РАМУ В ХАМЕЛЕОН #китайвелик #алиэкспресс #покраскамары #paintframe #chameleonpaint #mtb #frame #bicycle #велосипеднаярама #покраскарамывхамелеон https://www.instagram.com/p/CompudEMDxr/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[ywpd-translations]

Ride 772: A jersey never seen before!!

Pag 1

1: Those two are accelerating like they're right before the sprint line!!

Ruaaaagh

Ooooogh

3: Just now it was the second stage “shironeri”

4: Are you surprised, San-na? Obviously, once we get before the finish line, I'll pull out the sixth stage

5: “Golden yellow”!!

Pag 2 / 3

Who will win the title of fastest!?

The black horse Kiji Kyuui!!

Sohoku's Team SS who's aiming to be Japan's number one!!

Or Hakone Academy's Doubashi!!

Pag 4

2: Woah.... what incredible speed! Those two competing for the lead

You're right

Huh!?

3: It's Hakogaku VS Sohoku, you know, those two have the exact same cards – it's exciting

Of course Sohoku's Kaburagi is fired up for his revenge

Incredible, it's the same as last year

4: Oi, they're still coming!!

Ah?

They're chasing!!

Huh

5: They're chasing!?

What incredible energy!!

The one running in the front is from Sohoku, but there's someone else behind....

That jersey....

Pag 5

1: It's a jersey I've never seen before!! Who's that!!

Pag 6

1: It's not Hakogaku, and it's not Kyufushi either

I've never seen them before, is it their first time participating this year!?

2: On his shoulder

3: it says “Gunma”

4: Yon

Gunma!?

5: Yon

Pag 7

1: Yon

3: He's coming up right behind me!!

4: But I won't let this guy go!!

I thought my part was over, but there's still work left to do!!

5: It's a simple thing

Pag 8

1: I just have to stop his legs from 30seconds to one minute!!

2: If I do that, then those two will have passed the sprint line!!

As long as the race is completely over!!

3: I'll make Issa have his revenge!!

4: This is the guy who that day

5: When we were practicing on Minegayama

6: Fell from the sky

Pag 9

1: On a mountain bike

2: The MTB two-times in a row champion!! Gunma Ryosei's Kiji Kyuui!!

Yon

Pag 10

1: And of course he's riding a road bike today!!

2: Road bikes are nice, you know

They're light, they react quickly, there's less loss of mechanical transmission

3: The thing that's most different from mountain bikes is that the road surface isn't uneven but flat

4: Alright, he's clinging to me!!

From now on it's a race! I'll gain time!! I'll stop him!!

5: And, you know, whenever you want

Freely

Pag 12

1: You can accelerate at your own timing!! Yon!!

Ugh!!

2: He got me!!

What was that just now!! He definitely turned his body like he was going right!!

3: I reacted thinking he was going to attack from the right

4: A “feint”!!

5: And from a slanted stance like that he moved straight forward?

6: The left side was narrow, there was nothing but the ditch cover

Pag 13

1: And this guy jumped forward no matter the situation!!

Dammit!!

Pag 14

1: Immediately after clinging to me from the back!!

2: When road bikes cyclists, after a solo run, approach someone from behind

3: they always take shelter from the wind behind them

4: To rest their legs!! At least for 10-30 seconds

5: That guy did it for less than 3 seconds!!

Higaruaaa

6: Dammit, so there's guys who can have their legs recover in just 3 seconds!?

Pag 15

2: This time I'll cling to him!!

Pag 16

1: Three seconds are enough, aren't they?

3: Mountain bike is a sport where you have to continuously produce high output of energy on your own

4: In comparison, in road race, where you can rest behind someone and use them to get ahead, you only need to put out power for a split seconds

5: Really

6: Road racing is full of excitement and learning! It's really....

Pag 17

1: Fun!! Yon!!

2: He accelerated in the curve!!

Pag 18

2: He's controlling the bike's frame tilting it just at the right angle to not let the pedals....

3: hitting the road!!

4: The “tires”!!

I heard that in MTB the control of the tires is essential!!

Is he applying that to road racing!? Dammit!!

5: But!!

6: I wasn't in the SS team for nothing!!

7: I can do something like that too

Pag 19

2: Ruwa-

3: The pedal hit the road!!

Pag 20

3: Ugh!!

Number 5 lost his balance!

He's losing speed

Ugh!! I'll make Issa have his revenge.....

4: I heard a loud noise, are you okay?

6: Huh

Pag 21

1: Stay safe

2: …. he worried about me.... and then left.... taking his time... so that's... Kiji Kyuui!!

4: Hahaha, San-na!!

Pag 22

1: This is the third stage!!

“Pale yellow”!!

2: You're fast..... aren't you strong?

Really, Orange

3: Honestly, when I first heard two of you were coming up, I was disappointed

“This year too, huh”, I thought

4: But turns out it's an equal one-on-one race!!

Pag 23

1: This is the best, Orange!!

You're the most serious guy!!

Let's do it!! A full throttle battle!!

2: I'll take you on!! But I told you earlier!! You don't know my “golden yellow”, you'll lose!!

3: There are 2km left until the finish line!!

[yayakoishii]

tastes like vinegar | Taiga x Reader

Fandom: Idaten Jump

Pairing: Samejima Taiga x GN! Reader

Word Count: 1.7k

Genre/Tags: Jealous Taiga, Insecurities, Spoilers upto Ep. 28

Summary: Taiga gets jealous of Koei when you praise the ninja rider and his bike.

A/n: I was feeling really in love with Taiga after his match against Arthur and the way he took the defeat so well– he's just the best 😭 I want him to have the whole world. My mind was blank of ideas and then I thought, "what if... jealous Taiga!!" and Koei is such a good target for his jealousy 😂

The title of the fic is a reference to a phrase I often see in Chinese novels and dramas– vinegar is like a metaphor for jealousy. So when someone is jealous, they say that it looks like the person has swallowed vinegar.

also available on ao3!

"...amazing how he can control it that high up," you were going off about Aero Scissors.

Normally, outings were reserved for Taiga and you to talk about yourselves and your work but he hadn't realised that your work as a mechanic would include you talking about Koei. (His MTB, actually, but the green monster inside his chest was focusing more on the person who owned the bike.)

There was a shine in your eye as you spoke, chopsticks holding hands waving about over your bowl of noodles while you explained how the lighter frame of Aero Scissors made it easier for the wind to lift it or something along those lines. Taiga could never ignore what you were saying so he had to sit there and listen to you heap praise on the build of the bike and also its rider for how well he controlled and rode it.

"... different from Bloody Fang, of course," you paused when you noted how quiet Taiga was, unlike his usual self. He would always hum or nod when you were talking to show that he was listening, but today, all his attention was focused on his bowl in a weirdly intense manner. "Are you okay?"

"Hm?" Taiga looked up at you and blinked at your concern. "I'm alright."

"Am I talking too much?" You asked with an easy smile before taking your first bite after quite a while. Taiga smiled back and shook his head. "Then, something on your mind? Something you wanna say instead of listening to me yap about bikes?"

"No, you can continue," Taiga gestured, his own chopsticks just moving the noodles around in his bowl. "I'm listening."

You watched him quietly for a few seconds as you chewed thoughtfully then shrugged and decided to finish what you were saying. This time though, you paid closer attention to Taiga's microexpressions and noted the brief notes of anger and sadness whenever you mentioned Koei or praised Gabu's skills as a racer.

"It's all super interesting," you said mildly, looking down at your own bowl instead of Taiga. "I'm lucky I get to see them up close. It took me a while to get Koei to trust me enough to examine Aero Scissors but he's a pretty nice guy once you get to know him. I can't blame him for not trusting me after those four keep meddling with him, y'know? Since I'm also in Sharktooth…"

Taiga seemed to have frozen in the middle of what you had said. He couldn't help but wonder at your words. Was there a possibility that you might… like Koei? There was already something about the ninja that made him deeply uncomfortable but now, there was this inexplicable anger and feeling of inferiority that Taiga was feeling towards him. He didn't like feeling like that one bit.

A gentle nudge to his elbow startled Taiga out of his own thoughts and he looked at you. You were sitting much closer to him than before, your empty bowl pushed aside so that your arm was bumping into his. Your head was turned to face him and the expression you had on was… unusual.

"What?" He swallowed, pushing down the snap in his voice that was about to automatically surface from even thinking about Koei. You smiled softly at him, the same smile that always made his heart skip a beat. Now, Taiga wondered if you smiled that way towards Koei too.

Koei was older, a good rider, a caring brother… There was no reason for you to choose Taiga over Koei. So to speak, Taiga himself had lost to both Yamato Shō and Arthur and if you were disappointed in him and thought Koei was better for winning against Arthur… Then there wasn't anything wrong in that. Taiga could understand that. But that didn't mean he had to like it.

The idea of Koei taking you out on dates, holding your hand, having dinner with you like he was doing right now– it made his chest feel too tight and suffocating. Like something was inserting a thousand needles into his heart.

"What are you thinking about?" You asked, eyes knowing. Taiga blinked and looked away, trying not to show his hurt on his face. He couldn't lie to you but…

"Nothing," he muttered instead. Lying by omission was still lying but he couldn't tell you what he felt. It was easier to just stay away and console his broken heart while you got together with Koei.

"I can tell you're not thinking about nothing," you said, poking him with your index finger. A sad smile crawled over your face and you tilted your head before asking, "Do you know what my dream is?"

Taiga looked at you in question, confused by the sudden change in topic. You smiled and looked away, giving your empty bowl back to the shopkeeper before you continued.

"C'mon, you gotta guess," you teased. Taiga hurriedly finished his own bowl while he thought over the whole time he has known you, every bit of information you had told him about yourself that he had carefully stored in the nooks of his heart for safe-keeping. You let him think, quietly humming to yourself as he did and Taiga only answered you after the two of you had left the shop.

"To build a bike by yourself." He wasn't super confident but he still said it firmly. If it wasn't this, then he had surely failed you. Your look of surprise answered him before you did.

"You really do pay attention to me," you said, a little in awe. "I never outright told you and you still figured it out. Ha... You're amazing, Taiga."

Was he? But he wasn't amazing enough for you to like him, right? Then what was the use of being so good at something like this? He couldn't even impress you more than some guy who was lower in rank than him. Right now, amazing doesn't feel enough.

"Well, you definitely don't know the answer to this question, though," you said confidently. The two of you were walking back home, footsteps slow and steady so that you could talk longer, taking the longer path though you both knew plenty of shortcuts. Taiga looked at you curiously and it only made you grin as you asked, "Who do I want to build that bike for?"

Taiga stopped in his tracks. You had someone in mind that you wanted to ride the ultimate bike you would make someday? He didn't have an answer for that. He hadn't thought that you would want someone specific to have that bike, but it made sense. Of course, you would want a really great rider to own your bike. There were so many around you, so if you had chosen someone, it wouldn't be that unbelievable.

"No," he admitted after resuming walking. You, who had stopped beside him, matched his speed. "I don't know the answer to this one."

"Ah," you tutted lowly, looking up at the night sky. "I guess you don't know all of me yet, Taiga."

"Guess not," he sneaked a peek at your profile, illuminated by the moonlight and the street lamps and the LED lights of shops around the two of you. Even in that weird clash, you seemed to glow like the beautiful person he knew you were. You could have anyone in the world. Someone like you deserved to choose the best for yourself.

"Do you wanna know the answer?" You finally looked at him again and Taiga felt his feet root to the spot at the gleam in your eye. The excitement to share something with him. He was curious, but it also felt like the answer had the ability to hurt him. If you said the name of Koei, or someone like Arthur even, he was not sure if his heart could take it. "Okay, how about I give you a hint? He is my favourite rider in the whole world."

Oh.

Taiga looked at you, wide eyed. Your hands were joined behind your back as you gave him a soft smile. Taiga had known you for months now, months spent learning the most random bits of information about you. But the one bit that was the most important to him was that…

Your favourite rider was Taiga.

You had said it teasingly a few times. Every time, he took it as a joke, not letting himself hope, but the way you were looking at him right now, he could tell that you were serious. Your eyes flitted away nervously.

"He's…," you sounded shy, "a bit of an idiot, but he's really so cool. He's such an amazing rider and I want to make a bike for him that lets his skills shine through, you know? Something that can shine with him, so that everyone gets to know how talented he is. I want to study all these Idaten bikes and other interesting MTBs so that I can take all that knowledge and make him a masterpiece that he will love."

Taiga didn't really know what to say. The thoughts from half an hour back that were scared that you might like Koei had floated away. Your dream was to make a bike for him. Koei was not the one getting a bike made by you. Taiga was. If that didn't show who you clearly favoured then… What did?

"Are you…" he hesitated, "Are you sure you want to give it to him? There might be better riders out there that would–"

"No one is a better fit than him," you said confidently. "After all, I'm making it for him. Because I want him to have it. How can something made specifically for you suit someone else better?"

You started walking again and for a few seconds, Taiga just stared at your back, watching the distance between you grow until you stopped and turned your head back to give him a lovely smile. The smile that always made his heart beat faster because it meant that you were truly happy.

"He is an idiot," you paused and winked at him, "but he's my favourite for a reason, y'know?"

°•❀•°

[szzsbike]

"Upgrade Your Mountain Biking Experience with Bafang M820 Full Suspension MTB Bike Frame" "Experience the ultimate in mountain biking performance with the Bafang M820 Full Suspension MTB Bike Frame. Equipped with a suspension thru-axle system, this frame ensures a smooth and responsive ride on even the most challenging terrains. Designed for mountain e-bikes, this frame is perfect for riders looking for top-of-the-line performance and durability. Elevate your biking adventures with the Bafang M820 Full Suspension MTB Bike Frame today! #MTBBike Email:jeanwang@szzsbike.com

[benihana-circumcision]

MTB makers are finding new and innovative ways to give bike frames german shepherd hip dysplasia

[idatenjumpfanatic]

Hot Chocolate (Gabu x Makoto)

Aight, as the poll dictates, here's a Gabu x Makoto oneshot I wrote back in 2020, now posted here in Tumblr!

As per my old A/N, the two are 15 y/o

Also, I'm not taking more requests, sorry! I just saw a long discussion about this ship so I figured I would bring this here too for those interested

Word count: 3.7k

=================

"I'll be out in a bit!"

Makoto ran downstairs, throwing a scarf around her neck while putting on her mittens. "Where are you going?" Kyoichi asked concernedly as he walked out of the kitchen. Makoto didn't even look at him as she rushed to put on her boots.

"The new candy store just opened yesterday, and Sho told me they're selling my favorites, so I have to go," Makoto explained.

"The dagashiya from the next block?" Kyoichi asked.

"Yup!"

Makoto stood up, putting on her sling bag over her shoulders. "All right, but hurry back, the snowstorm's about to hit anytime soon," Kyoichi advised. Makoto bade farewell once more before heading to the garage to take her MTB. Years may have passed, but her love for MTB never faltered, and the feeling was mutual for her brother and friends. Quickly she rode off, plunging herself into the chilly winter world outside.

It was Christmas break, and everyone in the neighborhood seemed to be enjoying the calm afternoon. It had snowed for quite some time already, so it was the opportunity for the people of all ages to unleash their creativity in the white snow all around them... or simply avoid the cold outdoors and stay inside.

After a few minutes, Makoto stopped in front of a store. It was evident that it was new, seen from the balloons that framed the entrance and the large speakers that blared nostalgic music. Without a doubt, she was there, and surprisingly enough the dagashiya was much larger than a typical neighborhood candy store.

She put her Neptune in the bike parking before heading in, grateful to have her face be greeted with literal warmth. Inside was much bigger than it looked, with a sign of an arcade leading to the stairway at the side. "Can you even call this a dagashiya?" Makoto wondered. There were children of all ages swarming the place, overwhelmed by the practically limitless choices of snacks to decide on.

However, tempting as it was, Makoto brushed these other options aside and began searching for the ones she was familiar with; she knew well enough that a lot of people, especially those within her age range, would flock into dagashiyas im search of their childhood candies, so she didn't want to waste time on exploring before the nostalgic ones ran out.

As she went through the store, she found some of the sweets that were on her mental list and took them, and she was quite happy with this. Though, her satisfaction was not met until her eyes fell on a particular chocolate-strawberry bar, and it was the last one, too. Makoto stared at it in awe, before she broke into a gleeful grin; if she were to rank sweets, this one would surely top on her list.

"Nope."

Just as Makoto was about to have that blissful moment of having such a beloved candy wrapped around her fingers, someone else had managed to snatch it before her. She retracted in surprise before whipping her head at the culprit that separated her from the chocolate.

"Hey, that's mine!"

Gabu gave her a scoff. "Yours?" he questioned mockingly. He waved the bar in front of Makoto like a flag of victory. "As far as I'm concerned, I'm the one who got it first, so it's mine," he stated proudly. He gave the candy another good look before stashing it in his basket. Makoto growled, mentally cursing the redhead before her.

"You don't even like chocolate strawberry," she grumbled angrily under her breath.

Gabu smirked, enjoying the sight of the fuming girl. Dare he even say that he found it... cute. "So what? I take whatever I want since I can, so deal with it," he shot back, pushing back the last though he just had. No way would he admit that! He turned around and left to scour through what else the dagashiya had to offer. Makoto huffed as she crossed her arms, disappointed to have failed to get the candy bar.

While Gabu walked around, he spotted a particular blue box that stood alone in a shelf. His eyes widened in surprise, for it was none other than a a pack summer-special orange flavor pocky sticks. "It's not even summer," Gabu breathed. The idea of getting a rare seasonal candy was appealing for him, though.

He quickly reached for the box, but before he could get his hands on it a purple gloved hand managed to take it before he could. "Oh wow, it's the limited-edition Brazilian orange pocky!" Makoto gasped. She then shot her head up, giving Gabu a teasing close-eyed smile as she tucked the box in her own basket.

"Sorry, but this is mine," she said, "thank you for showing me, though!"

"I found it first!" Gabu complained.

Makoto opened her eyes and readily put out her hand. "Then, let's trade," she offered. Gabu clicked his tongue, annoyed to have fallen for the girl's schemes. If anything, he refused to succumb to any of what was happening. "The choco strawberry for the orange pocky," Makoto insisted, her smile never leaving.

She was aware that she had the upper hand as she knew Gabu had a taste for both minty and tangy sweets, just like how he knew that chocolate strawberry was her absolute favorite. How they found out, it was through a long and heated argument about candies that they had years ago, and since then neither of them had forgotten.

"I'm not playing your games," Gabu denied, his voice hinted with a bit of bitterness. "You can have that damn box of sticks."

Makoto frowned, a bit taken aback by the refusal. "Well, I'm not going to stop bugging you until you agree," she pointed out. There was a visible drop of sweat that rolled at the side of Gabu's face as the boy gave her a half-lidded stare.

"You must really want this chocolate," he muttered.

Gabu then whirled around, shocking Makoto even more. "Then suffer," he told her plainly. He then began to walk away, but Makoto followed close behind to continue proposing her offer. After a few minutes of being stalked, Gabu was starting to get annoyed by the constant tail that he had been ignoring the whole time. With a groan, he gave in.

"Fine."

He stopped and took out the candy bar. Makoto lit up like an excited puppy at the sight of the chocolate finally being handed to her, but just as she was about to take it Gabu pulled it away. "The pocky," he demanded in a monotone. Makoto let her expression drop before rummaging through her basket and taking out the box of pocky.

"Same time."

At a mental count of three, the two simultaneously put out the candies for trade, and with their free hand, grabed a hold of the other sweet. Having satisfied to get his favored snack, Gabu went off to the counter. However, he caught Makoto still following him.

"What are you doing?"

"To go to the cashier, duh."

Gabu flinched a bit, catching up to his own thoughts. He assumed that Makoto wanted something else from him, when really they were just coincidentally heading at the same direction. Flustered, he looked away and hurried to the cashier without a word. Makoto wasn't numb to this and noticed Gabu's sudden freeze, but she brushed it aside.

"Oh dear, the storm's coming."

Both Gabu and Makoto's ears perked at the clerk's comment. "Let me finish this up quickly, so you kids can go home before you get stranded," the clerk told them worriedly. She scanned the items in quick succession, and as soon as Gabu paid she began to scan Makoto's. Deciding it was a faster way, Gabu bagged up his goods on his own, to which the clerk was visibly relieved at.

"But what about you?" Makoto asked.

"I still have to close up the store, but I'll be fine sweetie don't worry."

While the clerk was punching in the payment, Makoto felt her phone ring in her bag. She quickly answered it, and she was immediately greeted by her brother's worried voice.

"Makoto, are you not done yet?"

"Just paid," she reported. "I ran into a little problem earlier..."

At that note, she lightly glared at Gabu, who raised a brow at her in return. "Has the storm hit there?" Kyoichi asked. Makoto looked outside through the glass doors, where she could see the snowfall slowly getting stronger. "Not yet," Makoto told him.

"Well it has here."

"Already?!"

"And I'm not quite sure how far in the storm is here. I would advise you to head home now, but..."

Kyoichi's voice trailed off, hesitancy clear as a sunny day. Noticing the worry in Makoto's face, Gabu decided to speak up. "What's the hold up? Expecting me to bag your food, too?" he quipped. Makoto shot him another glare, but answered anyways.

"The storm reached my block, so Kyoichi isn't sure if I should head back now."

"Well I just practically live across the street so you can stay with me and Taiga for the time being."

As soon as he finished his statement, Gabu froze up. The words just slipped out of his mouth that he didn't even realize what he was saying until he said it. He couldn't find an excuse to take back his words when he really meant it. Fortunately though, Makoto was too wrapped up with her own worries that she didn't see Gabu's reaction.

"Are you sure?"

"Y-yeah..."

Makoto gave him a quick hopeful smile, and the sight of it was enough to tug at his heartstrings. He wouldn't dare confess to such feelings, but it would seem that he was too obvious that he noticed the clerk giving him a knowing look.

"Yes, he said he lives here... okay, I will... of course, I love you."

Makoto ended the call, letting out a sigh of relief. "Kyoichi said it's fine, and I'll call him as soon as the storm stops," she announced. "Aight, get your bag and let's get out of here," Gabu instructed. Makoto did so, waving the clerk goodbye as she exited. Once they were outside, the two teens were slapped by the harsh cold winds.

"Hurry up."

Gabu led the way, and not even a minute after they stopped at the gates of a house. He opened the gate and let Makoto inside. He led her to the garage, and at the push of a button the door slowly slid up.

"Gabu, you didn't even bring your MTB, why are you--oh."

Taiga, who was inside the garage tuning his MTB, stopped himself from his nagging when he saw that his brother was not alone. "She's stranded with us for the meantime," Gabu explained flatly, pointing at Makoto behind him with a thumb. "Well, since you're here you handle her right now. I'm heading to the kitchen," he followed, and without waiting for a response he entered the house, much to Taiga's dismay.

"Hello, Makoto. Please, come inside."

Makoto greeted him with a bow before entering. Taiga stood up from his work and closed the garage door with the button inside, keeping any more warmth of the home from seeping out. "I take it you were at the dagashiya?" he guessed, and Makoto nodded. He then ushered her inside, where it was even warmer. While Makoto took off her boots, they talked.

"I'll get you a blanket."

"Thank you Taiga, but that isn't necessary."

"Then, how about staying at the kotatsu?"

"No way, you have those?!"

Taiga chuckled at Makoto's response. "Since Gabu practically ditched you, that makes you my guest," he reasoned out. "So, would you like to?" He didn't have to ask again before Makoto eagerly agreed. He led her to the living room, where a kotatsu was set up in replacement of the usual coffee table. There were cushions around it that served as something to lean on.

"Make yourself comfortable, I'll just go get something."

Makoto didn't wait another second and took off her mittens, coat and scarf, which were all starting to turn sticky due to the snow melting off on it. She folded them neatly and set them at the edge of the kotatsu before tucking herself under the table. She immediately felt the warmth of the futon, sliding her freezing arms underneath it as well.

"That's my spot."

Makoto looked up from relishing the hotness of the kotatsu and saw Gabu giving her an annoyed look. In one hand was a can and two mugs with a spoon each, and in the other was a kettle. "I'd apologize, but you leaving me in the cold like that makes me not want to," Makoto pointed out. Gabu's scowl only deepened, but the redhead didn't bother to reply and instead placed the items he held on the table before settling in adjacent to Makoto.

As Gabu popped the can open to prepare his hot chocolate, he noticed that Makoto was staring at him, perhaps since the moment he set the can down. "What are you looking at?" he asked. Makoto jolted, her face flushing once she realized what she was doing. "I was wondering what kind of chocolate that is," she admitted, pointing to the can. Gabu gawked at her, as if he heard the most sacrilegious thing in the world.

"Don't mess with me," Gabu huffed. "You, of all people, would not know the existence of hot chocolate drops?"

Makoto narrowed her eyes at him, seeming more offended by the accusation. "Excuse me, but not knowing one thing doesn't make me an abomination of the candies," she shot back. Gabu rolled his eyes, tipping the can and letting two packs of drops spill out. "So much for a chocolate enthusiast," he murmured.

Makoto was about to open her mouth to retort, but decided against it as she figured she wouldn't go through another lengthy debate about sweets with Gabu; the last one they had lasted for a week. That's how passionate they were with candies, and equally determined to prove their points right as well.

...and perhaps the only way they could find an actual reason to talk to each other.

As kids, neither had any real purpose of interacting. Questions about MTBs? Sho, Kakeru, and Kyoichi would provide for Makoto. Schoolworks? Gabu couldn't care less about it, in contrast to Makoto. Sweets? Now that's the common ground they had.

Ever since their first debate on it, they got that reason. They would bump into each other in just about every place there'd be something sweet; cafes, ice cream parlors, candy stores. Name it, they've met there once or twice, and it would either lead to them arguing which is better or having a discussion without being at each others' throats. Since a time neither could pinpoint, feelings began to creep its way to their chests at the mere sight of each other, but even it was obvious, neither dare admit.

"So is this one for me?"

Makoto pointed to the mug that Gabu wasn't bothering. "Well, duh. You're my guest," Gabu replied as if he was stating the most obvious thing. Makoto could feel her cheeks suddenly warm up, but she hid it away by not so subtly lifting the futon over half of her face. Gabu watched her in amusement, seeing how dumbly was trying to cover her blush. Now, he could tell the obvious reasons for her face turning red, but he'd rather pretend it was from the cold... even if they were already inside.

"Hey, let that go. I'm going to educate you how to make hot chocolate using this."

Gabu hastily pried off the blanket from Makoto's face. With one hand he held hers, while he took one of the drop packs with the other. He placed the pack on Makoto's hand that he held before finally letting go.

"Her hands are freezing," he thought.

In contrast, Makoto felt that Gabu's hand was freakishly warm, like a moving hot compress. It was only for a short moment, but the feeling of Gabu's hand on hers was something she found quite indulging. Gabu was talking about something, most likely about the proper way of melting the chocolate, but Makoto was too absorbed in her own thoughts to actually listen.

Dare she admit, she want to touch his hands again.

"I don't think I have to explain why the milk shouldn't come to a boiling point, but-"

Gabu stopped from his explanation, noticing that Makoto was clearly lost in thought with her distant eyes. "You... weren't listening..." he trailed off, sweatdropping. He was disappointed that Makoto wasn't listening, so he figured to just make the drinks. He poured the hot milk from the kettle and into the two mugs, which already contained the hot chocolate drops.

"Here."

Makoto blinked at the sudden contact of the mug to her fingers, feeling the nearly burning sensation that seemingly thawed her freezing hand. "You'll be fine here, it's not like I'm going to imprison you," Gabu huffed. There was an underlying tone of concern in his voice, and a bit that showed on his face, but he was more of annoyed by the fact he was ignored throughout his explanation.

"That... uh, wasn't what I was thinking about."

Gabu raised a brow at her, unconvinced, as he stirred his drink. "Whatever, just try out the hot chocolate," he replied. "This is one of the best, so I reckon you'd find any bad critic of this." Makoto hummed, feeling challenged by the statement. She picked up the spoon and stirred her own drink, watching as the rich brown chocolate swirled in with the milk.

She then rose the mug to taste the hot chocolate, but then suddenly stopped before her lips touched the rim. "This isn't a trick, is it?" She accused, lowering her mug. Gabu immediately stopped drinking to give her an offended look.

"Last time you made me taste a chocolate you bought, you made me pay for it, literally!"

Gabu opened his mouth to deny, but he slowly closed it as he tried to recall such memory. His face scrunched for a while, and then his lips drew to a flat line as he remembered the instance Makoto mentioned.

"Well, you can rest easy, I didn't plan to do that this time."

"Oh, really?"

"I planned to give you one of these, just didn't expect it to be now."

Makoto's eyes widened in shock. Gabu returned to his drink, but turning away at the same time to hide his tinted cheeks. "Oh... thank you," Makoto breathed, smiling widely. She looked down on her mug, and as she began to drink she savored in the luscious smell of chocolate that overpowered the milk.

As soon as she took a sip, her eyes lit up with surprise. "This is good!" she exclaimed happily. Gabu smirked upon seeing her reaction. "See? And here I thought you'd force yourself to fight against it," he noted quietly.

"Hey, if it's good, I'll admit it's good," Makoto admitted proudly.

After a long silence, Gabu dared to give a glance at the girl beside him. Makoto was evidently enjoying the new kind of hot chocolate, and after a bit she looked over to the window. Her joyous expression suddenly faded, changing to a more dejected one as she watched the storm ensue violently outside.

"Still worried, huh?"

Makoto tore her gaze away when she felt something warm envelope her hand that laid on the table. She looked down at her hand, then up to Gabu. The boy had his eyes closed, and from the way he held her hand she knew that he was unusually tense. "Look, we have no clue how long this storm will last, but Taiga contacted Kyoichi already, so he knows you're safe here."

"I'll make sure of it."

Makoto stared at him, at a loss of words. She was touched by such a sincere assurance, but her silence was only making Gabu more anxious. "That's... well, if it's you, then I'm not that worried at all," she finally mustered to say. Gabu, with his ever growing blush, willed himself to open his eyes, and what greeted him was something he could only call enchanting.

Makoto was smiling warmly, her brown eyes gleaming with such softness. She gently placed her other hand on top of Gabu's, and the reassuring act was enough to put the both of them at ease. Gabu let out a breath, relieved that he didn't embarrass himself. Though, with his nervousness gone, he realized that he made such a direct move.

Having no excuse to break contact, Gabu opted for the best choice he could think of at the moment and immediately yanked his hand away. He coughed through his fist and awkwardly looked away. Makoto, although taken aback by the sudden action, couldn't help but giggle at his fiddly behavior.

"While you're here, and since we just came from the dagashiya, I wanna see what you got from there. Definitely nothing better than what I got, that's for sure."

Recovering from the sweet moment earlier, Makoto narrowed her eyes as her lips curled to a challenging smirk. "Oh, I'm confident with my candies, that's for sure," she declared proudly. Gabu returned the grin.

"We'll see."

As the two started their debate, Taiga chuckled silently, for he'd been watching them from the staircase the whole time. "I'm glad to see your attempts have become successful, brother," he laughed quietly before standing up. He knew Gabu had been purposely going to the same places that Makoto went ever since he started to have a liking for her, but heavens forbid him to be honest with himself from the very beginning.

[strange-measure]

Fabbro Industries Type 57x BC Mark II

3 MTB Frame Builders Who MADE Unique Full Suspension Steel Bikes

[tracksterman]

But, for now, it's the Easter weekend: maintenance Sunday....

Looking ahead to a bike trip in May, if not April, thoughts turn to luggage carrying. While the Aeroe system looks good, there are already far too many people spending hundreds of pounds on future landfill to facilitate their once-a-year bike holiday. I don't want to be part of that problem. I'm constantly trying to divest myself of 'stuff,' not add to it, so I intend adapting gear I already have: the Old Man Mountain rack on the commuter, and the fork racks on the mountain bike.

Remember when all frames used a single standard method of attaching the rear wheel, allowing you to easily swap components between bikes? When MTBs weren't one trick ponies, so they'd come with a variety of mounting points...? The old OMM rack went on the Cannondale monstercross quickly and easily with the aid of a couple of quids' worth of 10mm aluminium spacers and extended bolts from eBay.

My little Carradice panniers stay on well (better than Ortleib) but the bottom clip can pop out on rough ground, and they rattle around a bit like many such bags. Easy solution: mount the fork racks such that I can strap dry bags either side of the rear wheel, leaving the top of the OMM rack free for supplies picked up en route. Loads of heel clearance for my mahoosive size 50 feet, zero rattle and movement. Cost on eBay? Less than a tenner for a bag of 12mm p-clips, bolts and nyloc nuts.

That'll work.

[seannesruins]

Got to ride a 29er MTB today after almost 4 years of riding a gravel set up.

Made a few comparisons specifically for these two set up.

MTB:

Skyline 27.5 frame with 29" wheels, 3x7 drivetrain with hydraulic discbreak.

My friend who owns this bike is roughly around my height (5'3") so I was expecting his set up to be somewhat accommodating to my riding comfort. Lol I was wrong. The wide bars and heightened seat post don't sit well with me. After riding 3km, my lower back was in pain, my arms were sore and my neck could snap. Haha.

I did miss riding through the trail and road bumps because of the perfectly working fork shock.

Gravel:

Louis Garneau Chasse size 47 with 700x32c wheels, 1x9 drivetrain with STI and v-brakes.

Owned this for more than 3 years now (Nov 2020) and converted this from a city bike to a gravel set up. Currently uses a compact drop of 380mm and seat post for maximum riding comfort, weighs 8.8kg. This set takes me 25-30kph with a max of 42-54kph downhill.

Tires are perfect for short distance trails but leaves me with body ache as well because of the rigid fork hahaha. V-brakes aren't the most reliable esp when paired with sti but my frame is limited to this type of brake set, it's easier to repair and maintain though.

Share ko lang kasi now na lang ulit ako nakapag try ng ibang bike ever since I got Ravi (that's my bike's name.)

[richardjohns12]

Features of Specialized Road Bikes

If you see a group of riders or watch a pro race, you will find most riders using scott mtb. Specialized, a California company, is one of the biggest bike brands and has dominated the market since 1974. The brand has developed ground-breaking bikes, won countless races and created a large fanbase.

The company produces all types of bikes, from entry-level to excessive dream bikes. Its expansive catalogue covers all kinds of bikes for various terrains and uses. The ranking of the models from lowest to highest is Base, Sport, Elite, Comp, Expert, Pro and then S-Works.

How will you select a Specialized road bike with so many models? How do you decide which bike is right for you?

Know the purpose: You should be aware of what type of riding you’re planning to do on your new bike. Do you want to race? Or is it for casual daily use?

Specialized build levels

All the Specialized bike models come with different component build levels. These models vary in the element spec level and the quality of carbon used in the construction is different for carbon frames. When you look for Specialized road bike sales, you will find Base and Sport as the entry-level build and are less expensive with entry-level components. On the other hand, S-Works is Specialized’s premium offering with the lightest, high-end carbon and top-of-the-line features.

Distinct models for men and women:

Although Specialized bikes have specific models for women like the Amira, Ruby, Dolce, Era and Rhyme, nowadays, most of the features are similar and don’t deviate far from men’s fits. Sot, Specialized discontinued women’s specific models. Instead, the new models offer various sizes to suit both genders and have different men’s and women’s component builds to address particular touch points.

For instance, the road racing Tarmac bike now comes in sizes ranging from 44–61cm and is available in a Tarmac Men’s and Tarmac Women’s form. The model is race-focused and suitable for both genders but with gender-specific features like bridles and handlebars. Also, Specialized offers different crank lengths to accommodate female riders.

Aluminium vs. Carbon

Many Specialized models are available in both aluminium and carbon frames. Aluminium frames are often used for more budget-oriented models, while carbon is used for higher-end builds. A carbon frame is always lighter than an aluminium equivalent. Few materials can come close to carbon fibre’s strength-to-weight ratio. Using high-modulus carbon, developers produce carbon bikes that are very strong while being ridiculously light.

Rim vs. Disc Brakes

Most Specialized road bikes come with both rim brake and disc brake options available. Rim brakes are typically lighter, less intricate and more affordable. Disc brakes furnish more stopping power and work better in harsh conditions. However, disc brakes are more in use in most bicycles, while rim brakes are more common on entry-level options.

Road Bikes

Road bikes are the most delicate, quickest and efficient for riding on paved road surfaces. The specialized road bike is available in different strengths and each bike serves another purpose.

[lectrichead]

An uncharacteristic Mid-Feb ride in Jefferson County, NY! I threw on some MTB fenders front and back, a bunch of lights, quick-waxed the frame for dirty/salty mud repelling and steeled myself for the ride. It was hellaciously windy, dark and dreary, a little rainy at times and some wet muddy patches but nice to get out. #februarybikeride #jeffcobiking #Cervelo #CerveloCaledonia #Cervélo #Cervelobikes #bike #bikes #bicycle #bicycles #biking #cycling #roadbikes #roadbiking #garminedge520plus #strava #cyclist #garmin #roadcycling #Cycliq #cycliqfly6 #cycliqfly #fly6 #jeffersoncountyny #jeffersoncountynewyork #bikeporn https://www.instagram.com/p/CossQwev4dB/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[windcycleworks-nl]

WiND84: Bart's Special Allroader - GCX (gravelcrosser)

(English summary below)

Dit is een vervangend frame voor mijn eigen gravelcrosser. Het oude frame was weliswaar nog lang niet versleten, maar niet meer helemaal up-to-date wat betreft de technische details. Daarnaast had ik weer wat ideeën die nodig in de praktijk moesten worden uitgeprobeerd en getest. Dus tijd voor een nieuw frame met voorvork!

Dit is een Special Allroader frame net als WiND77. Maar waar WiND77 is getuned en opgebouwd als (Allroad-)racer voor het snellere werk op de weg is dit frame getuned voor gebruik als gravelcrosser. Gravelcross betekent in mijn geval in de winter een paar noppige gravelbanden voor een combinatie van asfalt, onverharde wegen en cyclocross / MTB paden en -routes en in de zomer wat snellere gravelbanden voor een combinatie van verharde wegen en gravel, inclusief gebruik tijdens vakanties (aangezien de gemonteerde verzetten wat meer geschikt zijn om mijn 90kg bergop te slepen dan de polderverzetten op WiND77 :) ).

Het frame heeft de standaardspecificaties van de Special Allroader met o.a. custom mix van Columbus ZONA en LIFE buizen, non-oversized balhoofdbuis, Paragon RVS dropouts voor flatmount remmen en 12x142mm steekas, en ruimte voor banden tot 40-45mm plus modder (ruim voldoende voor het beoogde gebruik). Verder is frame qua details redelijk 'kaal' (geen spatborden, dragers, etc. want niet nodig) en dus mooi clean.

Daarnaast heb ik een ook paar nieuwe (experimentele) elementen toegepast:

Seatstays: 'single-bend' met custom bend rond de band. Dit voornamelijk voor iets andere looks dan de voorgebogen S-bend seatstays. De single-bends vind ik persoonlijk net wat mooier. Voor nieuwe frames zijn beide opties mogelijk.

Voorvork: Ik had al langer het idee om een stalen voorvork te bouwen met wat meer 'optische body' dan de standaard Allroader voorvork zodat deze wat meer in proportie is met de buizen van het frame, maar zonder dat het meteen een hele zware vork wordt. Dit heb ik gedaan door de nieuwe extra dikke (maar niet al te dikwandige) vorkpoten van Columbus zelf te ovaliseren voor extra breedte in zijaanzicht (en juist smaller in vooraanzicht). De poten zijn verbonden met de vorkbuis d.m.v. een 'segmented' constructie aangezien de gebruikelijke constructie met een gelugde kroonhier niet bruikbaar is.

Interne kabelgeleiding door chainstays en vorkpoot: Interne geleiding van rem- en schakelkabels door de onderbuis is al langer een populaire 'extra' op WiND-frames (mooi en clean met soepele kabelloop rond balhoofdbuis en makkelijk doorvoeren van volledige buitenkabel). Op dit frame heb ik de kabels ook intern door de chainstays en vorkpoot laten lopen. Dat geeft flink wat extra werk, maar blijkt goed te doen en het resultaat is er ook naar (past goed bij het frame (extra clean en organisch zonder externe kabelgeleiders) en geeft een mooie loop van de kabels). Dus vanaf nu beschikbaar als extra voor nieuwe projecten!

Frame en vork zijn gepoedercoat in Ultramarijnblauw (heb ik al gezegd dat ik alle kleuren mooi vind, zolang het maar blauw is ? :) ) en voorlopig opgebouwd met voornamelijk onderdelen van zijn voorganger en uit voorraad. Dat is momenteel nogal een bonte mix van onderdelen op basis van een mechanische 10-speed Shimano aandrijflijn (Ultegra en Deore) met SRAM Rival cranks en mechanische schijfremmen (TRP Spyre). Daarbij heb ik nog een MTB cassette achter de hand voor uitstapjes richting de bergen. Verder o.a. een paar stevige wielen met HOPE RS4 naven en een headset en bottom bracket van Chris King. Ondertussen zoek ik verder naar een nieuwe groep die voldoet aan (zoveel mogelijk van) mijn eisen (o.a. goede kwaliteit en ergonomie, i.c.m. mechanisch schakelen en remmen), maar dat valt nog niet mee ...

Hier staan nog wat foto's van de verse frameset voordat deze werd opgebouwd en bedekt door een laagje gravelstof ...

========================

English summary: My new gravelcross frameset. A Special Allroader with some new features that I wanted to try out (single-bend seatstays, oversized fork legs for nicer visual balance with frame, internal cable routing through chainstays and fork leg). Powdercoated in ultramarine blue and temporarily built up with components from it's predecessor

========================

[jakobvonberg]

frame bag and a matching bolt on top tube bag for @hannes.abel

the wedge shape is probably the best solution for smaller bikes or frames with compact geometry,
using the the front part of the frame triangle for the bag and leaving enough space for a waterbottle on the seat tube makes most of the available space :)
 materials:
 xpac vx21 coyote brown xpac vx21 lilac

#handmade #bag #bagmaking  #framebag #toptubebag #custom #bikebag #bikepacking #bikepackinggear #biketouring #mtb  #roughstuff  #sewing #xpac #xpacfabric #vx21  #vonberg #graz #madeingraz #smallmaker

[tibicyles]

Flat mount road bike frame. made from Aero titanium tube. #mtbbike #mountainbike #roadbike #bmx #minivelo #touringbike#cyclecross  #fatbike #titaniumbike #titanbikes #tibikes #자전거 #타이타늄 #handmade #TitaniumFrame #mtb #titanio #custombicycle #roaddisc #tigwelding #roadbicycle #cycling #roadbike #bicycle    #gravel #gravelbike #gravelbikes  #titanbike #comeplaytitanium https://www.instagram.com/p/Co8n1uDyj6y/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[szzsbike]

Hot Sale Internal Cable Full Suspension Xc Bike Frame Disc-brake Carbon Fiber Frame 29er 2024 Hot Sale Carbon Fiber T800 Bike Frame Fiber Mtb Frame Carbon 29er Frame For Sports Bike Marco De Bicicletas http://www.szzsbike.com/hot-sale-internal-cable-full-suspension-xc-bike-frame-disc-brake-carbon-fiber-frame-29er-matte-carbon-bicycle-frame.html