Often times in our lives we stumble and need to make sacrifices to help us get through the moment. Awhile back I went through one of these rough spots and chose to sell my IF’s. It was something I had never planned to do and if I was honest with all of you there might even have been a tear. I had to let go of 3 bikes and ones that I had put a lot of time into the builds and more importantly memories in the saddle. It wasn’t the end of the world and while we are talking just about bikes, sometimes these things mean a bit more.

As we all do, I went on with my life and have had the support of Liz in getting back into a cross bike, which is even better then the one I had. After several months I was then able to get a mtb, but lucky me the seller did not advertise the numbers correctly and I ended up with a wacky fitting frame, one way off from the fit I needed. So I reluctantly sold it to someone else leaving me again with out a mtb. Then when I reading my ebay/Indpeendent Fabrication(s) daily emailed updates, you know you get them as well, I saw my old Deluxe for sale…again. The funny thing is that I had actually talked the guy I sold it to out of selling it once. He had it up on ebay and I talked him out of selling it and convinced him it was a keepr bike. So when he decided to keep it I promised myself that if I ever saw it again I would buy it if I could. This is the bike we are talking about when it was mine the first time. It was awesome and I waited a long time to get it done. Joe, as always helped me with the design and the parts took for ever to collect. Anyway, the frame came up again and I snatched it. The guy hadn’t ridden it very much and while I would never encourage anyone to buy a bike to put in the garage, I am kind of glad he did with this one.

My plan was to redo it as I had let it go, but money, patience, and desire just weren’t the same as before. So I figured I might as well try some new things, even if it is only a slight variation of the original and a few moving parts need to be swapped; it is good to have this one home! Finished it last night and snapped a pic or two for the heck of it.

I hope some of you will be able to see it this summer at IFBRO. “Wait, what is IFBRO,” you ask?

You will find out soon enough!

Here she is and yes I know it is a bit matchy matchy, but for now that is just fine with me.