The problem with dumb ideas

Sometimes they don't work. Like the RIPSS. It doesn't work.

I thought I had everything set up perfectly. It was flawless on short, casual rides. Then I went on a group ride with Don Powers, Cinder Bloch Lochner, and Stickboy at Coopers Rocks.

Like the name implies, Coopers Rocks is rocky. Don Powers had been giving me shit about riding a full suspension single speed, so I was going fast on the downhills, trying to drop him and make him feel stupid. And it was great. The CVV suspension on the RIP really is awesome.

Then the chain dropped. And everybody passed me. Stickboy giggled. Then the chain dropped again. And again. Don Powers shouted joyfully while I tried to fix my bike.

The Paul Melvin wasn't working when stuff got rough. So I took it off and sold it on Ebay. I hope the guy that bought it isn't planning on building a sick gnarly full suspension single speed.

So now I have a few options.

I can use a Yess ETB/D. Dicky has one and supposedly it works, but it's also really draggy. A heavy bike with a draggy drivetrain does not make a good race bike.

Or I can use a derailleur as a tensioner:

I'm using some longer set screws to lock the mech in place:

That looks like it'll work.

But if I have to use a derailleur, I might as well throw a shift cable and a few gears on. And if I throw a shift cable and a couple gears on, I'll have to race geared.

So at this point, I'm thinking that I might do some WVMBA and ABRA races geared and try to win some money (the expert payouts in those races are pretty decent.) The RIP is a super fun bike, and I definitely want to keep riding it.

Then I'll have to figure out something else to race in the endurance stuff, SSUSA, and Breck Epic. I would use my old One9, but my tapered Reba won't work with the straight 1 1/8" headtube.