Monday, September 15, 2025

Lucy Too Project Update and ForkChella Weekenf 2025-0913

 ForkChella Results

  • 2020 Pike 35 Lower Rebuild
  • 2024 Fox Factory Grip2 Rebuilt

Lucy Too

Projects Done this weekend

  • Seat covers installed
  • Mud flaps installed

Projects TODO:

  • 12VDC Bed Power Connector
  • Trim Bike Pad for easier bed closing
Lucy Too Truck Missions Accomplished
  • Bike Stand Hauling to ForkChella
  • Moving Pastor B's Furniture and Books

Monday, September 1, 2025

LucyToo - Retractable Lock and Additional Splash Panel Install

 So I found a Reddit discussion that inspired me to install a "retractable" cable in the bed of LucyToo.

https://www.reddit.com/r/FordMaverickTruck/comments/1bheaui/just_installed_a_retractable_cable_lock_on_the/

The critical component is the cable lock solution itself, where one side is a big loop,

Trimax VMAX6 Multi-Use Versa Cable Lock (6 ft Long x 10mm Cable) , Black

the others side a small connector that can be terminated into the lock - normal use the lock is used to loop on itself through the lock, here the lock body is too big to fit through the bed hole!


This loop is used for a zip tie to hold the lock body up inside the bed.



The 6' cable is just long enough to span the bed with the lock head body behind the panel



An alternative combination lock attachment point

I use/include a simple combination lock as moving the tailgate itself (see video above) loaded with bikes could be tricky




Cable retracted mode! Notice the 3D printed grommet in the bed that replaces the rubber
Thanks to coworker Kian who whipped these out on our corporate 3D printer
This is what the part looks like off the printer - it needs some trimming/cleanup. The 2 sides are designed to snap into each other, not slide.

Cable passes through the 3-D printed grommet. Note the grommet is a little loose in my unlined bed, so it moves/jiggles a little bit. Not the lock head in the lower left location





 I found this took up too much of the 6ft cable length, and so remounted the ziptie holder higher up/closer to the exit hole. Note the visible concrete driveway lower center!

The Maverick ships with a big open hole between the frame and fender sheet metal above the muffler on the drivers side. I noticed my retraced cable would/could drop through this hole near the muffler! Not good!

I had hoped to fill the hole with a bit of foam, but after a full 1 gallon milk jug fell through the FlexBed port to the ground, I knew we needed a bigger piece of metal.

It turns out to be another well known Maverick issue with a solution - multiple companies sell these 2-piece metalprotective shield kits. 

Expensive one by Mabett for $70 - they make lots of Maverick aftermarket stuff: https://amzn.to/4lQB0bz

Cheaper option (~$45) I used: https://amzn.to/4p34TYS

They contain screws bolts and really bad instructions for installation, so definitely watch an installation video! https://youtu.be/5CGQxruH6do?si=7XFMzaW5-epZG4wZ

The geometry is a bit tricky - my kit only had one additional clip, but the pictures were not very clear so I attempted some pictures to make this easier for others.

So now in retract mode, the cable sits on this panel and has no way to get burned/dirty or onto the muffler.

Monday, August 25, 2025

Bike Hauler - LucyToo!

 After shopping since February, trying Tacos and tracking examples on Autotrader, I bought a Ford Maverick. 2023 XL with 42K miles on it, for $22821 - the price started dropping rapidly so I made my move.

Abundant projects and upgrades when dealing with a truck, even a little one.











Sunday, June 29, 2025

Summertime 2025

Too much going on, lots of bike stuff thanks to good health, weather and gainful employment. 

I update now as there is an effort underway by my agents and editors to boost the Todd's Bike Shop Channel on YouTube.



New bike added to the fleet (Specialized Crux with 44mm tires!), old bikes (Intense 951xc) sold, Old Blue Raliegh almost sold.

No Whistler for me this year, but I hope to get an adventure or two before we review Fall 2025.

Sunday, November 24, 2024

A Joyous Autumn of Dirt

I just finished by 2024 ride goal of 5200 miles today. 2 days of shed rain-


training and a Strada 7:30 today got me over the top

Its been a great fall of riding, especially compared to last years Whistler crash, shoulder surgery and healing. I just started riding again a year ago, in the rain, up in Boggs with the GN gang on my birthday weekend.

Aug 23-25 - Mendicino MTB Trails with KT. Camping, awakened by a bear in the rain, mazing trails on the Pseudo-Cruz, though the rear hub went bad



Old XT Axle transplanted into SLX Hub of Pseudo Cruz

the patient was able to accept the new/old XT axle
innards of a SLX 12 speed hub - the bearings poured out. 2500-3000 miles out of a $75 hub is not bad, really


Sep 2 - Annadel - big work with KT and JC

Sep 8 - Return of the Tandem - BF and I got out the Fandango for the first time since our respective surgeries

Oct 11- Questa Grade/Ridge Trails outside of San Luis Obispo with GN, JC and DS. Pick n Shovel in particular was nice. Also spent time on M's very nice Yamaha in the whoops of Ballinger Canyon, and was left unable to walk for a week afterwards - again.

Questa Grade Trailhead, right off 101 crazy exit required

Sunset at JC's Ranch
On the climb back out after Pick n Shovel at Questa Grade/Ridge Park, San Luis Obispo

"Merricks Baby" at Ballinger - good horse, did not throw me



Oct 26 - Big Chief Trail up in Tahoe with the KT - I made a quick day Trip with JA and his Taco. Trails amazing and built with major love our of rock and duff. Huge pinecones.

Climbing to the top from the Sawtooth Trailhead, Truckee CA
Lunch at the trailhead of OTB, Truckee/ Lake Tahoe 2024




Nov 17 - Coaching with Brian Astell on the Santa Cruz Trails ON MY BIRTHDAY. 6 of the KT crew tuned by a coach, then led by a coach into the big drops in the redwoods at sunset. Nuts. Got skills to work on - light hands on the bars, keep the shoulders forward over the steep stuff, give arms a range of motion in the drops - this last one might have been the cause of the aforementioned Whistler crash.

cake by smarty-pants M, cursing me!?




Old Men Coaching Brian on Pizza n Beer







SO many other rides and memories in between  on the road early morning and Sundays in between, hills in the fog and so many lovely sunrises. Thanks to all.

Big bike work here too all along. A V3 Hightower framed popped up on Pinkbike, I bought it, moved over Santa Cremes parts and christened it Darth Santa. Amazing bike, pedaling improvement is impressive, super fast going downhill and I like the glove box. Sold Santa Creme frame for way too little but at least it sold - still sitting on the Intense. Intense the company keeps on releasing new stock for as much as I am trying to get for mine - might need to keep it for spare parts.



Swapped out the Franken-hub with a new XT, reusing spokes and nips if they were solid enough - took 4 hours!




Build out the 2x new/old Carbon rims - put one one Santa for the rear, and the other on the front of the Meta HT. After a Minion DHF blew off the rim due to 40+psi, got a new Minion installed today. New purple grips and pedals here, rim is on the 100mm Chris King in Pink. I debated long and hard about swapping the old rim out of Darth Santa but decided 4 hours was not worth it.




This now means the fleet of 3 MTBs are all riding on hand-built Light-Bicycle carbon rims. I may be done here.

So with the rain and additional threats of cameras on the trails near, it might be a winter of JM/Roberts?


Thursday, September 12, 2024

Shoe Sale, Great Prices

 AF had a need for a kid so I got out a lineup - he took a bunch!


Giving stuff away might be the way to lighten the load.


The remainder are the worst, AF is no fool :)

Bike Geometry Comparison

 Darth Santa is no joke - its big but thankfully does pedal uphill better than Santa Creme. Mission Accomplished.

But why? And is it really bigger?

The Link:

https://geometrygeeks.bike/compare/santa-cruz-hightower-29er-low-2016-xl,yeti-sb115-2021-xl,santa-cruz-hightower-v3-lo-2022-2023-xl,intense-951-xc-2021-x-large/


At least an inch longer, V3 info a little sparse.