Assuming you're going with external bearing cups, I'd go with Chris King.  I love mine - run 'em on all my bikes.  Good serviceability and a 5 year warranty - I think - never had to check it out.  Nice and quiet, too.  I think they make press fit bottom brackets, too.

I think we'd all get along much better if we were forced to sit at a table and speak face to face over a beer or a cup of coffee.

Amen to that.

Toby is a passionate individual.  You can see that by reading any of his past posts, and in the gpx files he left behind for others to use.  He gave a lot back to bikepacking and helped me out, too.  Unfortunately, passion is hard to put into a font, on a forum, amidst lots of others with great passion, too.  I'm pretty sure he just got fed up with others who needlessly name-called and didn't know how to confront an argument when he posted about rules being rules, or anything with controversy.  He likes a challenge, and with no way to enforce the proverbial "bar" for racing, and the credibility related to it, his passion seemed to be too much for some. 

So, as far as I know, he called it quits on here.  It's a shame, really, but I can't say I blame him.

Obviously, I can't speak for Toby, but this is how I know him.  It's too bad he's not here anymore (at least, I don't think he is) to help out and give back.  He's a good friend of mine, and a great guy.

Dang, man, looks nice... the multitude of possible uses is what you need to keep the sack light for your race.  Good luck in the AZT, and keep us posted on how the Nappin' Sack holds up and works out.

Killin' it, Addy.  I'm just trying to ride, and you're just'a hemmin' and tourin' and jealousy inducin' mofo.  Keep up the inspiring work.

I carry a small length of chain, too.  I tweaked my chain once to the point it would just try and shift itself right off the big ring while grinding and slipping in the rear.  If I'd just had a little bit of chain to replace the 4 inches of it that got bent to sh!t, I'd've been a lot happier.  Probably a rare circumstance, but it was enough to make me prepare for it next time.  Of course, now that I carry it, it'll never happen again. 

Love it.  Thinking of heading to Alaska this year for a little bikepacking stint.  This surely feeds the stoke.  A belated thanks for posting this, Scott.

Good for a chuckle, for sure. 

Wow.  I never thought of putting training wheels on my bike as part of my sleep system.  Maybe I'm doing the camping thing wrong?  Barefoot for me usually works fine.  To each their own, but they don't look lighter than a pair of warm socks to me.

I messed up, meant AR not AK LOL!

Yeah, I thought those were pretty far apart, but I ain't one to make that judgement.  I think I still like the Alaska choice best!  Thanks for accidentally throwing that one out there. 

Montrose.

But if you want really cheap living come to NE OK or AK. I bought my house for 8k and my dad got his on 2.5 acres for 14k...

Alaska would be super cool, I think.  That being said, I think my wife would hate it.  She got spoiled with all the sun we get here, and she wants no part of anything close to where we came from... if we have a choice when it comes down to it.  Wisconsin, like the rest of the midwest, gets pretty dang gloomy for the winter months, and the humidity doesn't help the cold feel better like sun does.  And the mosquitoes... my God the mosquitoes.  At this point, I know we can't sustain living here (Fort Collins) for a long time if we don't come across something great sooner than later, but at least my wife is happy, and that counts for something(a lot, actually). 

I turned down the job in Helena.  They offered it to me, but I wasn't happy with some of the ways things were being done; there was more responsibility for less pay; and in the craft which I work, 2 people is a requirement for safety and communication - I would've been the only guy.  I can stick it out for longer to find the right job.  It's always easier to find a job when you have a job.

Thanks for the reply, dude.

I think if you visit you won't leave.  That's how you should take it.  It is a pretty awesome place really with lots of mtb riders and opportunities.  Year round riding.

Yeah, figured that's what you meant.  Besides the riding and outdoor opportunities, how's the rest of it?  I can deal with a lot of unexcitement, but.. the Lady, she's different than I.  Good local music scene?  Schools - any idea on quality?

Thanks for the reply.

Do not come to Prescott.  It is awful here.  Nothing to see or do.  Move along. 

Yeah, heard that one before.  Never quite sure how to take it...

Montrose does have one advantage over Helena. Its close to some really nice technical riding.

Yeah, and this does matter to me.  I try to be a well-rounded rider, so the techy stuff is always something I try to get on.

The other thing I really like is good live music.  I feel like I'll be giving up a ton of that if/when I leave Fort Collins.  Anybody know about the music scenes in any of the aforementioned towns?

Thanks, guys.

I'll throw another option out there - Prescott, AZ.

I've definitely thought about this.  I've never been to Prescott, but it looks nice in the pictures.  My only real riding experience in Arizona is the Coconino Loop, and though none of it touches Prescott, it sure was fun (and slightly punishing.  Friggin' Mingus.) 

I like the fact that there is so much trail and outdoors in the vicinity.  If Outside magazine ever does a feature on your town, Flounder, I fear it'll all be over for low(er) real estate prices there, too.  I have followed many of your pictures over on ExPo, and it sure looks like heaven for a singlespeeder at heart, like me. 

Singletrack accessibility from our backdoor is a must for wherever we move.  But, I'll tell you what, the Fort does have some decent trails you could hit in a 2-hour lunch timeframe like you mentioned above about Prescott.  Only thing is, if you're riding from town, then you are pretty limited if you bore easily.  I take it Prescott's accessibility is a tad better?

Thanks for chiming in!

I think Boise would be a great place to live, and if I had an opportunity for a job there, I'd try to get the Lady to move there with me.  I've been there a few times, and it seems like a fantastic area.  Like I mentioned before, the only reason I'm exercising the options between Montrose and Helena is because that's where there are jobs that I could get now.  If something else comes up, I'll look at that, too.  Being from Wisconsin, the Lady and I know all about long winters, and we'd rather avoid that if possible, but whatever happens, happens.  Colorado is pretty dang spoiling to the folks who've traveled from actual cold-weather areas.  I actually got offered a job in Durango with the Forest Service about 2 years ago.  I had to turn it down because I knew I'd never be able to afford to buy a place there.  I was pretty bummed about that, since I love Durango, too.  I'm with you though, cridedgo, it does seem like there's a lot of gentrification happening in Colorado. For better, or worse, I don't know, but I do know it's not helping a certain class of folks.

Definitely interested in a ride report... I think everybody would be.    PM me if you don't want everybody to know the secrets.

Good luck up there in Boise, hope it works out for you!

I have looked at the outlying communities you'd mentioned, but they're not that much less expensive than the Fort.  Sure, they are less, but with a *measly* budget of, say $200,000, there's really not that much available that isn't an absolute piece of $h!t anywhere.  Of course, I never really focus my search on those areas, so there may be houses I'm missing.  However, with all time I've spent in Fort Collins and all the friends I've got here, I can't see myself living somewhere close and not trying to be back in Fort Collins most of the time.  You catch my drift?  I think it might be better for me to move away.  It seems like I'd just make up the money that I might save on a house and just go and spend it on gas getting back to the trails.  I prefer to ride to where I mountain bike, and I've gotten so spoiled living in the P.O.E.T. neighborhood and having the foothills right out my back door.

Thanks for the reply!

Thanks for the reply, Scotty! 

If it works out, I'll have to get up to the Canada and finally have some beers witcha.

And, dude, I can't kill your bags.  Still in outstanding condition despite the abuse they've seen.

So, I've come to the conclusion that I can't afford a home in Fort Collins, and the real estate market here continually extends beyond my reach more every day.  I guess they're predicting another 17% increase on homes again this year, and with a wife to support (and, hopefully, kids in the somewhat near future), I just don't think I can make it financially here.  I refuse to go broke trying, and we're not roommate people anymore, so that's out of the question.  It's really too bad, because Fort Collins is really a great place, and I'd just be answering my own question by asking how it got so expensive.  I've also never really been into Boulder, and Fort Collins seams to be trending toward that kind of place, at least real estate-wise, and I just don't have the monetary assets to get in.

There are just a couple of towns I'm looking at, mainly because I like what I do for a job, and they both have jobs that I could transfer into pretty seamlessly.  Fort Collins is the biggest city I've ever lived in, and I'm looking at getting back to a smaller town - I've lived in many small towns back in Wisconsin and Wyoming and I'm familiar with the vibe.  As far as I know, both towns have pretty good access to riding, climbing, fishing, hunting, camping, and all-around outdoorsy-ness, which I partake in regularly. 

The towns are Helena, MT, and Montrose, CO.  We've been to Montrose many times, have good friends there, and are generally pretty familiar with the whole joint.  However, I've never been to Helena.  I've been to Missoula, Butte, Bozeman and Billings, but I have no idea if these places even compare/translate to Helena.  It seems to be a bit bigger than Montrose, like, by 20,000 or something, but that really makes no difference to us.  We just want a place with a good school system, good health care, affordable housing, and great access to the outdoors.  Doesn't everybody... I know.

Figured I'd ask you guys for your take.  For now, I'm only interested in hearing what you have to say about these 2 places - Helena and Montrose.  Anything you can offer is greatly appreciated - negative, positive, contrasting, whatever.  I have a job interview for a place in Helena this Wednesday.  A job in Montrose should be available in the near future.  I guess what I'm saying is, I have to think quick.

Thanks in advance,

Steve

Depends on how much you're going to carry in the pack itself.

I agree with this.  I used to have a Manta that would rub a spot on my lower back raw because of the way the pack would bulge out with a full bladder of water.  The pack would stick out far enough to touch the suspension netting in the perfect spot to rub a nice 2" spot on my lower spine.  Then, on a bikepacking trip, it'd never heal.  Without a bunch o' crap in it, it worked pretty well, and I never carried that much to begin with.  Maybe it was just my posture?  Maybe it was a flaw with the bag?  It did have lots of good pockets and stash spots, though.

Anyway, I switched to a Deuter TransAlp 30 and I love it.  Check them out, too.

Good luck on the search!