VT and the General Lee

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Voodoo Tom, Jan 12, 2018.


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  1. Voodoo Tom

    Voodoo Tom MTB Addict

    Location:
    Castaic
    Name:
    Tom Kokkinakis
    Current Bike:
    Mango one, black one, Ti one
    Not the best kept secret on my part but it’s official, got me a shiny new Hightower.

    Santa was crazy good to me this year. We are not a big gift giving family, those are for the kids so at best we usually exchange gift cards and such amongst the adults if anything. So we are sitting at my mom’s house on Xmas eve and Nick was raring to open gifts. Saw a particularly large box under the tree but didn’t think anything of it, just figured it was for Nicholas. My mom slides this big box across the floor and I’m just sitting there like the clueless fool I am still assuming it was legos or something big for Nick. Finally she looks at me and says “it’s yours go open it”. Before taking my first step towards that box I instantly thought “no frikkin way, a frame?”. Yep a shiny new mango orange size large Hightower frame. I lost it, dropping expletives and wiping away tears. There’s no way I deserve something like this. I feel so weird and uncomfortable and not worthy of a gift like this.

    This all started a couple months prior. My stepdad had a new Hightower that wasn’t getting ridden so of course I “hijacked” it. Wanted to hate it but fell in love with that bike and must have hijacked it about a dozen times. My mom jokingly was telling my stepdad “you better start riding that thing or I’m going to put a big red bow on it and give it to Tom”. This was a running joke for a while. Heck I even showed up one night on my own bike, rang the doorbell and told him to open the garage cuzz it’s my weekend for visitation with the Hightower, swapped pedals and was gone in about 2 minutes. So probably mid November my mom was asking what I wanted for Xmas and I kept saying nothing, I have everything I need and the stuff I want is too dang expensive. Every time I saw her she kept asking and my answer was always the same. Then one day as I was over there stealing the bike again she asks and I pop off with “a new Hightower” as a joke. Well apparently it wasn’t a joke and the whole family was in on it.

    I was pretty dang excited to say the least. Still am for that matter.

    IMG_5344.jpg

    IMG_5343.jpg

    My bikes gotta have names. I loved the Dukes of Hazard & the General Lee as a youngster. That was one kick ass car and this is one kick ass orange bike so that’s how it got the name. This bike is gonna be a keeper and deserved new parts and nice ones so I slowly hand picked and started ordering stuff. Everything brand new except the wheels which I scored off fleabay. I had absolutely no plans of building another bike till the Yeti sells but I couldn’t just sit and stare at this pretty orange frame forever. I used to be a major dezert moto rat and rode KTM's so I kinda like orange.

    Build spec basics:
    2018 Hightower CC frame
    Sram Gxp team BB (Threaded yeah baby)
    Cane Creek 110 headset
    2018 Rockshox Pike fork (set to 150mm)
    Eagle XX1 “black stealth drivetrain” (Didn’t know such a thing existed till I started shopping)
    XT brakes
    Fox transfer 150mm dropper
    Santa Cruz carbon 800 riser bar (cut to 780)
    Raceface Turbine R stem 50mm
    Roval Traverse 38 SL Fattie 27.5+ wheelset with DT 54t ratchet
    2.8 Rekons
    29” wheels & tires to come when funds allow
    26.5lbs before adding Stans and pedals.

    Pics from late last night when it was just about done. Almost too dang pretty to ride but "character" marks are inevitable so why wait. Maiden voyage tomorrow.
    IMG_6946.jpg

    IMG_6941.jpg
     
  2. Runs with Scissors

    Runs with Scissors iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    West Anaheim
    Name:
    Mark Whitaker
    Current Bike:
    Giant XTC with pedals
    Stoke! For days. Report soon, and in detail. :thumbsup:
     
    mike, Mikie, Danmtchl and 4 others like this.
  3. Cyclotourist

    Cyclotourist iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Redlands
    Name:
    David
    Current Bike:
    Don't fence me in!

    FANTASTIC! And I'm in love with that color... I liked previous brick red one, but this is great.
    Happy New Bike Day!
     
    mike, Danimal, Mikie and 5 others like this.
  4. herzalot

    herzalot iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    2020 Revel Rail,Yeti SB 130 LR
    That is friggin' AWESOME! Congratu-damn-lations!!! Beeeeee-you-teeeee-full! Don't lean it against a metal pole at the top of your first climb!
     
    Severum, Old&InTheWay, mike and 9 others like this.
  5. herzalot

    herzalot iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    2020 Revel Rail,Yeti SB 130 LR
    Love the black Pike on that, but this would look pretty too...

    New 36 Profile.JPG
     
  6. Runs with Scissors

    Runs with Scissors iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    West Anaheim
    Name:
    Mark Whitaker
    Current Bike:
    Giant XTC with pedals
    That's your refurbished "Marzocchi?" o_O
     
    Old&InTheWay, mike, Danimal and 9 others like this.
  7. Sasquatch9billion

    Sasquatch9billion iMTB Rockstah

    Name:
    trinidad j. mendez
    Sounds like the appropriate response. :laugh:
    Congrats Tom! And nice build!
     
    mike, Mikie, SnakeCharmer and 3 others like this.
  8. herzalot

    herzalot iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    2020 Revel Rail,Yeti SB 130 LR
    Noooooooo?????:whistling: This is Tom's Hightower thread. :cool:

    Here's the other thread.
     
    mike, Mikie, DangerDirtyD and 5 others like this.
  9. Voodoo Tom

    Voodoo Tom MTB Addict

    Location:
    Castaic
    Name:
    Tom Kokkinakis
    Current Bike:
    Mango one, black one, Ti one
    No doubt, trust me I was torn especially with how good the new Fox stuff works. In the end the murdered out look won, hopefully I picked right.
     
    mike, kioti, Danimal and 9 others like this.
  10. Voodoo Tom

    Voodoo Tom MTB Addict

    Location:
    Castaic
    Name:
    Tom Kokkinakis
    Current Bike:
    Mango one, black one, Ti one
    I'm kinda embarrassed & ashamed though cause there was video being taken:Roflmao...
     
    mike, Danimal, herzalot and 6 others like this.
  11. rossage

    rossage iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    East Sacramento
    Name:
    Ross Lawson
    Current Bike:
    Highball
    Dude! Looks awesome but a little late for Halloween.
    Good call on the brakes
     
    mike, Mikie, DangerDirtyD and 4 others like this.
  12. Runs with Scissors

    Runs with Scissors iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    West Anaheim
    Name:
    Mark Whitaker
    Current Bike:
    Giant XTC with pedals
    Unless it's on Fakebook or other social media, it didn't happen. :whistling:
     
  13. Voodoo Tom

    Voodoo Tom MTB Addict

    Location:
    Castaic
    Name:
    Tom Kokkinakis
    Current Bike:
    Mango one, black one, Ti one
    Too many F-bombs, they would probably delete it:rolleyes:
     
  14. mtnbikej

    mtnbikej J-Zilla

    Location:
    Orange
    Name:
    J
    Current Bike:
    SC Chameleon SS, SC Hightower
    fuck-yeah.jpg
    q4MqQ.jpg


    It's about time. Nice looking rig there.
     
    doublewide, mike, rossage and 9 others like this.
  15. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.
    I dropped an F-Bomb just reading about it! My mother-in-law did not approve, by the way... :D :oops: :cautious:

    Congratulations, Tom... That bike is going to be "the one." :thumbsup:
     
    mike, Danimal, Mikie and 7 others like this.
  16. UPSed

    UPSed iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Simi Valley
    Name:
    Ed
    Current Bike:
    Niner Jet 9 RDO
    Congratulations @Voodoo Tom! Can't wait to see it!
     
  17. SnakeCharmer

    SnakeCharmer iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Front Range, San Gabes
    Name:
    Mike, aka "Ssnake"
    Current Bike:
    YT Izzo
    Great frame color choice VT!!! :cool:

    Snake approved! :thumbsup:
     
    mike, Mikie, Cyclotourist and 2 others like this.
  18. Mikie

    Mikie Admin/iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    NW Arkansas
    Name:
    Mikie Watson
    Current Bike:
    Ibis DV9 / SC Hightower
    I’m jealous. AND I OWN ONE. That is amazingly stunning!
    The Mango/Black is beautiful.
    Congrat @Voodoo Tom !
     
  19. mike

    mike iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Western US
    Name:
    Mike O
    Current Bike:
    HT, FS
    What a great family you have, @Voodoo Tom...and that includes you, deserving dad. :geek::thumbsup:

    Stoked for your new bike day! Sometimes we take the direct route, sometimes the longer way :). Love what you ride, ride what you love. Life is way, way too short to not be riding the most awesome bike you can get your claws on.

    Woohoo!!!!!!! :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:
     
    Old&InTheWay, Mikie, herzalot and 8 others like this.
  20. mtnbikej

    mtnbikej J-Zilla

    Location:
    Orange
    Name:
    J
    Current Bike:
    SC Chameleon SS, SC Hightower
    That thing is just crying for a set of SC Reserve 29 wheels. :whistling:
     
    Old&InTheWay, Mikie, mike and 4 others like this.
  21. Danimal

    Danimal iMTB Addict

    Location:
    Mission Viejo
    Name:
    Dan
    Current Bike:
    Epic Evo
    And 11 fewer gears?



    Awesome bike by the way!
     
  22. DangerDirtyD

    DangerDirtyD iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    CA
    Name:
    Chicken Nugget
    Current Bike:
    2018 Guerrilla Gravity SMASH
  23. scottay

    scottay Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Gods Country
    Name:
    Scottay
    .
    DangerDirty D comments on VT and General Lee.....
    .
    .
     
    Mikie, mtnbikej, Cyclotourist and 3 others like this.
  24. pperrelle

    pperrelle iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Oracle, AZ
    Name:
    Paul
    Current Bike:
    Ripley V4 & Ripmo V2
    Nice! Now go get that thing dirty!
     
    Mikie, mtnbikej, Cyclotourist and 3 others like this.
  25. kioti

    kioti iMTB Rockstah

    Name:
    Jim Jennings
    Current Bike:
    ibis ripley
    You're worthy. Tear it up!

     
    Old&InTheWay, Faust29, Grego and 7 others like this.
  26. Fantastic
     
    Mikie, Voodoo Tom and mtnbikej like this.
  27. doublewide

    doublewide iMTB Rockstah

    Name:
    Mark
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Tallcan
    Congrats Tom!

    Looking forward to see you doing this!! YEEHAW!!

    vO7q9P.gif
     
    Old&InTheWay, Faust29, Grego and 10 others like this.
  28. UPSed

    UPSed iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Simi Valley
    Name:
    Ed
    Current Bike:
    Niner Jet 9 RDO
     
  29. Grego

    Grego iMTB Addict

    Location:
    Fullerton
    Name:
    joe
    Current Bike:
    WFO9
    Congrats VT! Very nice. :thumbsup:

    Good ole Indian Dunes. Used to ride an ATC there when I was a kid. I was so light the ATC would float across the river. memories.
     
  30. Voodoo Tom

    Voodoo Tom MTB Addict

    Location:
    Castaic
    Name:
    Tom Kokkinakis
    Current Bike:
    Mango one, black one, Ti one
    Thanks for all the kind words fellas. Maiden voyage was yesterday with @Mikie on my favorite trail good ol Golden Eagle. We were on a bit of a time schedule so very minimal stops and no pictures. First ride went great and the bike just plain worked and put a big smile on my face. I'm sure it'll only get better once I have time to really set it up properly.

    Screen Shot 2018-01-14 at 8.38.30 AM.jpg
     
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As a former Amazon Associate I continue to get screwed trying to stay qualified as an Amazon Affiliate. So I quit!


Want to donate to imtbtrails?