oh...Hello

Hey there.  So I slacked yesterday... and almost today.  Is it the weather, the lack of riding (due to the weather), the time of year (hibernation station), the fact that kids/parents are going nuts because it's midterm time, or some other strange phenomena?  Who knows.  But it was really hard to get myself to write today.

Maybe it's because I've got things I should have already talked about (some GREAT rides) and something big that I want to talk about so I'm pulled all over the place and don't know where to start.  Maybe I'll touch on a little bit of everything in a round about way.

I LOVE the mountains.  Well, the mountains of North Carolina to be specific.  I hit up some sweet ass Bent Creek with D-Wayne a little bit ago and it was super amazing fun times.  Got some good climbing in, and gave the rigid a true test - some good old rocky descents and I liked it! (I love the Glow Worm again)  Of course I picked my lines a bit more carefully then I would need to on the HiFi, but I was glad to have D-Wayne (with a bouncy fork) in front so it forced me to keep on the gas to keep up and force myself to take on the gnar full speed.  The lack of suspension did not bother me at all really... which is great!  Overall we pretty much did half (both in mileage and in elevation) of the Snake... so I guess that means I'm prepared... since I haven't been on the bike since then and the Snake will be here before I know it...  I'm excited?  For the Snake I will be racing for Team Glow Worm (of course) and I might even have a fancy kit.  I'll at least look competitive even if the Snake kicks my butt.

I'm patiently waiting (patiently waiting - refreshing "package tracker" incessantly.  Pondering aloud why progress has not been updated on said tracker.  Surely their shipping method must have arrived SOMEWHERE by now... just tell me where, I don't care where, I just want some answers.  Checking out product website to drool over incoming item.  Wishing pictures on website were in my possession and not in transit.  Planning use of new item(s).  Researching opportunities to enjoy said item(s) on the internerds.  Checking "package tracker" again...) for a package weighing... oh... about 26.8 lbs... to arrive at my house on Thursday.  In said package there will be a few things.  Some things will combine to make one thing.  Other items will match and make me faster.*   This aforementioned package is from some great new friends of mine.  Names and clarity of our relationship will remain purposefully foggy until said package is in my possession and I can properly reveal the big news.  Until then, continue to not care about my incoherent ramblings.  But know this... my vagueness will pay off and possibly even result in bike envy.

There, I've said too much.  Time to shut it down and refresh my "package tracker"

* results not guaranteed

Robbed

The garmins lie. This isn't new. Mileage is always cheated when you rely on GPS data in twisting singletrack. But it sucks. 

Saturday I rode everything out at Lake Norman - which, according to the trail gnomes, should be 30 miles.  The garmins told me I rode 25.7 miles, bleh. 

I haven't been riding much as of late, so it was nice to get out and push myself. The trails were in great shape with just a little bit of rain the night before. I focused (at times) on pushing it in the corners more. Paying attention to cornering skills and looking ahead - and of course, laying off the breaks. 

Riding singlespeed out there is fun. There isn't really anything in the way of technical out there so it's rigid heaven. And the 32x18 is a pretty nice match for the climbing that is there. By the last couple miles my legs could really feel the effort they had put in throughout the ride and I was honestly just looking forward to seeing the parking lot. I'm going to have to get out there for a couple more full laps for two reasons. 1) I need to get mileage in as The Snake will be here sooner than later. 2) Direction of the trail switches at the new year and I am REALLY digging the trails in the direction. I'm pretty positive this is my favorite direction to ride the trails in - even though there is on steep pitch in this direction that I haven't been able to clean. 

Climbs never look bad in pictures, but with this one I can power up into the turn and then I stall out. Probably make it 3/4 of the way, just can't keep the cranks turning. Maybe before it becomes a downhill next year I can figure out a way to best it on the glow worm. 

On Sunday my body told me it wasn't happy with this "shock" to the system. I felt like an old man getting out of bed with aches.  I shook them off as I got up and going, but boy do I need to get back to riding regularly! 

clouds. real.

This weekend the social group took a road trip down to FATS.  It was an adventure, to say the least, but one that I won't get to until tomorrow.  I've got other things to get out of the way first.

Things area about to get chronologically screwy here, so try to stay with me.

Thursday I rode the HiFi out at the Whitewater Center since I figured I should show it some love as I planned on racing it this coming weekend up at Uwharrie.  As I entered the trails it felt like I was riding on a cloud!  It was as if the HiFi was just floating over the trail chatter.  Everything seemed to be smoothed out as I flowed through the trail.  It was a unique experience to feel such a dramatic difference between the full suspension HiFi and the fully rigid Glow Worm on such familiar trails.  While I enjoyed the smoothness of the HiFi, I had to quickly change gears in my head (PUN) and return to the "sit and spin" method of climbing over the "quick let's conquer this bad boy" attitude of the One 9.  On the other hand, descending the back side of Goat was a bit more fun with the squish!

Sunday I finally took the Glow Worm to a local trail that I had determined would be perfect for a singlespeed, even before riding singlespeed.  I hit Sherman Branch for the first time on the Glow Worm with the gorgeous 18t on the back and guess what... PRs all over your face!  I also recognized on this ride how much I do love the rigid fork on root drops.  It is predictable and stable on the short drops.  No sag and recovery like you might find with a suspension fork up front - it's quite nice.  With the 18 tooth cog in the rear the Glow Worm was eating up the trail like a boss.

I have come to the conclusion that the 18t cog is the "boss", and the 20t is the "intern."  Although, with the way I feel on the Glow Worm it might not be long before the "boss" get's a demotion.  I still have to get back to the Whitewater Center to try to tackle everything there with the "boss" in charge before I start making any rash decisions.

I admit it.  I'm a single speeder.  I get WAY too lazy with gears.  Riding with just the one gear keeps me on top of my ride.  It honestly lets me enjoy the trail in a way gears don't.  Throw in the lack of suspension and (I know it's super cliche but hold on to your helmet) I do feel a solid connection with the trail.

Saturday it was determined that I will NOT be racing at Uwharrie this coming weekend.  With the closing for the new house happening on Thursday (YAY!) the responsible thing would be for me to miss the race so I can move heavy things to our new place.  Makes sense.

Now I have to find a replacement race - and it comes down to Virginia or Clemson.  Both are 2.5 +/- hours away - blowfest.  The positive, my start time for these two events wouldn't be until 11:30 - so not a super early morning with the drive time.  Not sure which I will enter at this point.  Google investigations didn't provide enough information to make an informed decision up to this point.  It might just come down to which fits the calendar better.  

Cat One or Bust

I wake up this morning to find this in my blogger feed:

Sorry joe aguero.... I don't need to "Lose Weight Today."  Why the hell has this taken over my blog feed??  I did a little investigating, cause I'm all crafty like that, and it appears TJ has neglected his blog for far to long and Mr. joe aguero snaked his address.  Hence, the flood of weight lose tips of uncertain validity.

Whelp, looks like catoneorbust.blogspot.com is coming out of the rotation.  Ahhhhh, all better.

Ok, race report time (finally)!!!

The Riverfront Classic is on my home turf I suppose, with it being at the Whitewater Center and all.  I figured if I'm gonna race it, this would be the race to break out the Glow Worm.  I had ridden the Glow Worm out at the Whitewater Center once before making the decision, and felt that I was able to clean everything on it.  But, to decide if I was going to race it I felt I should get back out there to really test if the 20 in the back would be too spiny on the vertically challenged sections.  On it's maiden voyage out there I had skipped Carpet, so when it came to Goat Hill I was fine and dandy - even enjoying it.  On my "pre-ride," pushing the pace, I hit everything that would  be included in the race... and the Carpet - Goat Hill combo produced less than stellar results - namely dry heaving 3/4 the way up.  You can read about that ride here.

Strava told me I PR'd a whole bunch of stuff on that ride, so I figured I'd be able to stay competitive (fingers crossed) on the Glow Worm.  A few days before the race someone on the local forums posted that the course was being adjusted and Figure 8 would be out and the powerline climb on the back side of Goat would be added.  I didn't know how to take this as this wasn't coming from the race promoter and I was figuring/guessing/HOPING this was just someone busting balls on the forums.  You see, I NEEDED Figure 8 to help thin the pack and allow me to pass/build a gap on the extended climb out.  That was my master plan really!!  Get up that thing fast, put in some time and then just go.  Hoping it would give me enough cushion to make it to each subsequent climb to gain more time...

I arrive at the Whitewater Center feeling tired and TomTom (who was course marshaling for the day - even though he could have killed it out there, so I guess thanks for not racing against me!!) confirmed that Figure 8 was indeed out.

CRAP.  Not even with an exclamation point.

I was deflated and my brain was scrambling.  Great, now how are things going to shake out?  I registered and headed out to see what the beginning would look like sans Figure 8.  We lost about a mile on the overall course.  We totally by-pass that extended climb I so badly wanted/needed (there was still a glimmer of hope we'd somehow still maintain that) and instead take a short climb to the fire road on top of the ridge line before descending.  The climb wasn't bad, and pretty short, so I was sure it could keep me competitive - especially with the fire road and downhill to follow.  I also checked my top speed - max at about 15/16 spinning my brains out... not going to hold anyone off in the flats, that's for sure.

I took off as fast as I could at the start and got into the first section of singletrack probably about 8th or so.  Things are slow going as people are bunching.  We break out into the open by the whitewater and spin city commences.  I'm surprised no one flies by me here so I hold as close as I can to the guys in front of me as we pop into the new section bypassing Figure 8.  I hit the climb and instantly pass the two riders in front of me.  I put in as much as I can to gain some space as I'm thinking they will retake me on the ridge.  They don't.  I hit the downhill and blast any incline I see.  I can see riders in front so I keep on keepin on.

I pass another rider and I see in front of me a familiar rider, John Dooley.  He's a regular podium contender so that is a shot of energy right there.  I'm guessing that puts me in about 4th then so I try to reel him in.  I gain ground on climbs, but quickly loose ground on anything going anywhere but up.  The last rider I passed has stuck with me - and this is where I start cursing not having that initial climb out of Figure 8 to give me space.  He asks to pass at the beginning of Carpet, and I let him... but am then stuck on his ass as we start climbing.

He wipes out as we approach the sharp switchback at the bottom of the actual carpet climb and I am able to squeeze by on the off camber trail.  I clear the carpet, passing two riders of unknown category on the climb and keep moving.  I still think I can see John up there so I push.  Dread starts to set in as I know I've been pushing too hard this early just trying to maintain my place on the flats with Goat Hill up next.  I'm not so worried about Goat itself - it's the straight lined climb up the backside on the powerlines I'm not looking forward to.

They took us into Goat up the fire road instead of the more straight and rocky singletrack approach so I had to make a hard right turn up and over a steep root to get into the climb, my back wheel spins out and I dab.  I pull to the side for the rider that has been following me and hop back on to pursue him.  He dismounts at the next switchback, forcing me off my bike.  As we get back on our bikes and start climbing I yell to him that I'm going to need to pass when he can, we are approaching another switchback so I figured he'd wait until after.   He doesn't, he suddenly pulls to the side to stop.  I was close to him trying to maintain my momentum and my front wheel rubs his as he swerves off to the side - sapping my energy.  I somehow maintain my balance and regain some semblance of momentum and power over the roots on the switchback.  By this time two riders had caught up to us and one jumps the inside line forcing me to pause to let him go.  I had to hold a tree to stay up and I let his team mate follow behind him.  I jump on their wheel and again need to pass as they aren't pushing as hard as I need to - but I'm stuck.

I follow them down the backside of Goat and we exit to the powerline climb where my heart drops.  "Spin as far up as you can and stand and power the rest."  I don't make it nearly as far as I know I need to sitting and that cracks my willpower.  I stand and power but decide to save my legs as I still have Toilet Bowl coming.  I hope off and hike it, jumping back on for the last quarter of the climb so I can carry something (speed... dignity) back into the trails.  I've lost the riders who passed me on the switchback, and I'm uncertain how many spots I lost on the powerline climb (wasn't sure what classes those passing were in).

The "deceptive" climb getting into the fire road before Way Station was brutal, but I forced my way through and tucked and spun to Way Station.  Did what I could to keep speed up but I didn't feel like I was catching anyone.  I hit Toilet Bowl with all I had and caught and passed two riders there (I think one was the rider who had gone down before carpet and had been yo-yoing with me) pushing through the exiting climbs.

At this point we are pretty much done.  Some descending, sharp armored climb then a short singletrack climb out to the finish.  I'm behind a rider,  who I don't believe is in my class, going into the sharp armored climb so I back off to give him space so that he can hopefully clean it so I don't run into it as I power up.  We both cleaned it and I take him instantly as we hit the open fire road.  I'm not sure if he knows how close we are to the end or not, but I put it all down.  Into the singletrack I hit the drop carrying as much speed as I can and I don't stop.  I just keep pushing to the point that I don't even feel the climb out - the Glow Worm is just eating trail up!!  I have to hit the brakes exiting as the trail winds between some close trees and there it is... the finish.  I push the cranks until I could spin no longer and I coast through the finish.  I find a place to ditch the bike and try to do a quick headcount to guess where I finished.  I see about 5 guys I know were in my class and had finished ahead of me so I'm thinking 6th in best case scenario.

I was close with my guess.  Came in 7th.  Would I have finished differently on the HiFi?  Maybe.  Maybe better, maybe worse?  Bottom line, I'm happy that I raced the Glow Worm.  In the end I was still able to push myself and have some fun out there.

Next race is Uwharrie.  I wasn't sure I'd be able to race this one (we close on our new house on the 30th of this month - holy shhh!!) but I just got the go ahead from Annie so I'm in.  Although I'd love to do the climbing with the Glow Worm - I think the HiFi will give a better advantage when it comes to opening up on the downhill sections there.

It's time

Well, I guess it's time.

I've been going back and forth on which bike to race this weekend and I think I've come to a conclusion.

Maybe it wasn't the best time to make the final decision, but as team "My neighbor has big testicles" was playing trivia last night it was unanimous that I race the Glow Worm this weekend at the Catawba Riverfront Classic.

Ok, now that you've gotten through link city, this is the plan.  This season I've seemed to go out for a solid ride on Thursdays, and usually at USNWC just because of ease of access.  This week it is also the location of the race, so today I get to do a sort of pre-ride while giving the Glow Worm the final shake down to see if I can actually compete with it the way it is.  I figure this is the best course to give it a shot at since I know the trails and have ridden it out there... so why the hell not.  Today I will figure out if the climbing to flat ratio is good enough to merit the 32x20 I've got going on because it will be a "run what you brung" type of scenario... the 20 is all I have at the moment.  Honestly, I don't think an 18 would be my friend on goat hill or the carpet climb so it's 20 or nothing.

Will I be fast enough to race... or slow like, well, you know...

If I feel like I can hit everything and come out with a respectable time then I'm down for Sunday.  Stay tuned.

things fall apart

I've had so much to say - but haven't been able to say it.  And that's no fault of yours, so I apologize for leaving you all alone the past two days.  Can you ever forgive me?

I wasn't able to be here Monday and Tuesday because of training.  No, not race training, work training. I'd MUCH rather be stuck in the garage on the trainer than at work trainings.  Although, I will say this one thing... at least the trainers were entertaining.  While the work training threw off my schedule and I was unable to find the time to get my posts done a lot of things will be left out or otherwise truncated.

Last week a number of things took the opportunity of riding away from me in a big way - so I made up for it Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.  I almost made it out Sunday but my brother had a friend visiting for the weekend and I attended the farewell "brunch" instead of riding solo.

Recap of the rides.

Thursday - Fisher Farm.
I already talked about this a little.  But here goes another recap.  I wore a suit (more on that later).  The rear wheel fell off between laps.  Got to keep checking and tightening my shit up.

Friday - USNWC
(some) Trails were underwater.

The water had receded, but you can see the water line was up over the trail.

PR on Goat Hill, of course riding the Glow Worm.  Maybe I should race the Glow Worm out there on Sunday?  Although, the flats will kill me, but I'll make up for it on the climbs - serious inner arguments (still) going on as to which I'll race: Glow Worm v HiFi.

Swollen river in the background

Saturday - Booty(ish) Loop
Needed a quicker ride as my brother's friend was coming into town.  So after cleaning the house I hit the streets.  I didn't take the time to map out a route, because that can be a time suck for me, so I started on my "normal" "nice side of town" ride and stumbled into the Booty Loop.  I'd always been riding it "backwards" so I jumped on in the right direction and cranked away the miles.  There was a sweet water fountain out there on the route.

This is the second time I've seen citizens put up a water fountain in front of their homes (there is also a sweet water fountain in front of a home on our new street).  People down here rock.

Last night was the social ride.  I got out there early for once and hit up two "fast laps" before the group assembled.  But that wasn't before I found this.

Yup, the front chainring was loose as can be while still remaining on the crank and I was missing a bolt.  Perhaps that was the "gears popping" sound I had heard while out at the whitewater center.  I guess I need to tighten shit up on the regular.  I tightened the remaining bolts and was good to go.  I checked my seat as well since I KNEW that had been creaking and tightened it up.  The Glow Worm was silent and fast for the group ride, just the way I like it.

Lesson Of The Week - Check Your Shit.

Big Biking Lesson - Beer isn't an option when bike building, it's a requirement.  Proper torque can not be achieved without proper beer muscles.
 

Strava angers germans

Media Fridays

We'll post videos or photos that will hopefully inspire trail shredding weekends.

I hit up Fisher Farm yesterday on the Glow Worm.  I was in the area, actually right down the street from North Meck, but figured since I haven't ridden Fisher in a while, and North Meck is already singlespeed approved, I'd give FF a try.

Well, the trail must have sensed the strava engines revving up in the parking lot, because a tree "took one for the team" and went down across the trail, hanging about 3 feet high.

Of course I'm not hitting the trail with the sole mission of getting PRs and reaching for a KOM.  This is all just a transition leading us here: Angry Hitler

But, even with the obstacle present, and the necessary dismounting and walk around, I was still able to pull PRs for the trail.  Maybe my fitness has just been improving since the last time I rode out there in who knows how long... but it seems wherever I ride the Glow Worm I've got a new PR.  Coincidence?
  

Oh, and the bit of random?  After my second lap I stopped back at the pterodactyl and as I was leaning the bike against the bike rack the back wheel fell off!!  On that lap I had noticed a strange modulation and sound coming from the rear brake - but assumed it was just mud in the pads.  Nope, I guess the wheel was loose!!  Tightened up the bolts and the wheel was good.  I guess I need to keep checking everything to make sure it's snug as I break the Glow Worm in.  

Ok, so not super ride inspiring... but if you are local, hit the trails while you can.  Looks like more rain this weekend.  

2 v 0

Our national treasure known as Thom P posted up a little video today (which I can't share here because he's got some magical properties that bar me from figuring out how to embed it here...) that reminded me of something I wanted to mention.  If it hadn't been for the big TP, there would be no post today - so a round of applause for Thom.

What I wanted to reflect upon were my thoughts on the adjustment of going from a full suspension ride to a fully rigid one(9).

First big adjustment: NO front suspension.
Might sound harsh, but this was actually a welcomed change - weird I know.  On the Big Worm's maiden voyage I felt that the lack of front suspension helped me connect with the trail better and get into the berms with more confidence and speed.  On a trail going up or maintaining elevation there is no need for the front suspension - one can just loft the front tire over menacing roots and rocks.  Going downhill it's not so bad either.  Again, give your front end a little love and pick those lines quickly and precisely and you're good to go... sure your arms seem to get more of a workout than usual (which may be a function of lazy riding on the dual suspension) but it hasn't been a huge adjustment.  Or, maybe it's the big tractor tire I've got on there that helps.

So, when do you miss the front end suspension.  Haven't been missing it too much.  The weirdest riding experience sans front end suspension is when hitting little gully dips in the trail... you know, where the trail sharply dips and immediately comes back up at you.  That has been an interesting experience to ride without the front end soaking that up.  I've had to relearn the handling of those situations on the fly - and let me tell you, that can be a scary thing to learn at full speed.

Second big adjustment: the back wheel bounces!
My first impression was that I LOVE not having rear suspension (in some applications).  Climbing is even more fun then it was before!  That isn't a joke, I like climbing.  Not gravel grinds or forest roads that go on for miles on a super annoying incline that just keeps you in misery for extended periods of time.  But technical climbs that force you to motor on and find your way through the crap to get to the top - super sense of accomplishment!  I can look back and think to myself, I just laid a whooping on that trail - sucka!

The switch from dualie to zero has forced a change in positioning on the climbs.  You know, cause with one gear I'm standing more.  Inherently there is more balance to consider and weighting issues to ensure traction on the rear tire.  With the fully I would sit and spin more to account for bob.  I've experienced some loss of traction already on roots due to me being up and out of the saddle trying to fly up a hill.

But where I miss my rear suspension is in the gnarly stuff that the suspension would just eat up - allowing my rear wheel to stay grounded.  With nothing in the back, I actually have to think about the back wheel.  That's something I didn't realize until I felt the rear end go squirrely on me as roots and rocks were tossing my rear-end towards the sky.

Mind you, none of these are gripes... the Glow Worm is a super fast and maneuverable bike.  All of these "issues" can be overcome with rider adjustments.  They are just differences.  Do I love how on the HiFi I can point and shoot a decline over roots, rocks, and drops without too much concern - sure.  But I equally (if not more so) love the speed, connection, and "flickability" of the Glow Worm.

The Glow Worm keeps me focused and on my game cause the Glow Worm don't play!

turtles, beavers, and birds

I did get a ride in on Friday.  I was taking the Glow Worm out because it's fun as all hell, and the HiFi was still dirty as all hell.  I wasn't sure where I was going to ride... I figured I'd skip Sherman Branch because, even though I know it's singlespeed heaven, a 20 would be just to small out there so I decided to hit up Colonel Francis Beatty to see how I would fair out there.

Recently the trail gnomes had been out to conduct a mass root removal... blah.  I guess I understand the motivation to remove roots that people are riding around, thus causing the trail to widen... but still...  I haven't ridden the trail enough to miss the roots that were taken, although I could see evidence of their removal by the orange spray paint where they marked them, the new gouges in the trail where the roots once where, and in some cases, the roots themselves just chucked to the side.  Ride wise, didn't make a damn difference to me.

I rode 3 laps out there.  Probably would have only done two, but I lost my bottle.
AGAIN.
Same.  Damn.  One.

When I was cleaning and filling my bottles that morning I did notice that this lost bottle seemed a bit soft under the hot water.  I dunno if the damn thing is just too soft and pliable with old age that it wiggles itself out of cages... or if I just hadn't gotten him all the way in my NEW cage, thus presenting us with a case of user error.  In any case... I guess there were still enough roots out there combined with the rigid set up to rattle my bottle out.

On the second lap I tried to keep my eye out for the bottle, but no luck.  Third lap, I stopped a bunch to check out "suspect" areas of the trail... nothing.  The whole time I was just hoping to see my bottle so I could give it a big middle finger before snatching it back u and retiring it to gatorade duty around the house.

I did, however, have a little nature show while on the trail.

The wild box turtle.  He was a big mother.  But a shy fellow.

I don't know how he saw me on the camouflaged Glow Worm.

 Then we had evidence of the magical and mysterious beaver.  I didn't see any evidence of him out in the water... but he's been chewing on shore for sure.

That tree will put a serious hurting on the stream if it falls.

And then we had a slow moving bird of some sort...  just high stepping it in the water

Hanging out on one leg

Overall, the riding was fun.  Yes, there are some "rough" sections on a rigid out there.  Especially on some of those rooty, drop ridden, eroded sections.  But everything was rideable.  I mean, I did feel like I got an arm workout by the end of it, but it was fun.  By the end of lap 3 I was just fine with riding the 20, but there were enough sections that I just wanted more.  I even ghost shifted where the singletrack dumps you onto the road for a quick jaunt.

I'm thoroughly enjoying the singlespeed ride style.  Time to get more cogs and start pushing things.

Oh... I will share this gem with you before I leave.  On Annie's birthday we went bowling (her call - it was fun) and we had some food at the alley.  Apparently this place has been highlighted on the Food Network or something...  So anyway, apparently at TEN Park Lanes the menu doesn't always match the bill.  I ordered the pulled pork plate.  But I paid for something completely different.

How did she know we were from Boston?

Decree from the top

Two Words.

One of them is worm.

The other is glow.

It's green.  The One9 is a glorious green.

It's a worm.  Worm was a front runner in the naming contest anyway.

It's a toy.  Although not a "toy," bikes are fun as hell.

I had one as a kid.  And I'm not ashamed.  Something about singlespeed brings me back to being a kid on a bike.  pedal pedal pedal pedal.

It's a weapon.  The One9 can, and will, do some damage out there on the trail. 

Yes, yes it is.  If you had one you know what I'm talking about.  The head of that thing is HARD plastic.  Although the body looks cuddly, the core of that thing is a stack of D batteries.  And that "night cap" acts as a perfect handle, effectively turning this thing into a flail!  

It glows.  Rumor has it (from an "insider") that the scandium in these frames cause them to glow.  (at least the atomic blue and the raw - I have yet to test this theory with my green)

That would make for a pretty sweet head badge!