to set it up as a 1x10...
how about using Ultegra Di2!
Right now I have my 1x8 set up with a 34t chain ring and a 12/32 8 speed cassette, with Di2 I could use the climber shifters
and the Ultegra 11/28 cassette
How cool would that be?!
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Just thinking
On a frame w/o cable stops...
to set it up as a 1x10...
how about using Ultegra Di2!
Right now I have my 1x8 set up with a 34t chain ring and a 12/32 8 speed cassette, with Di2 I could use the climber shifters
a 32t chainring
and the Ultegra 11/28 cassette
for about the same range.
How cool would that be?!
to set it up as a 1x10...
how about using Ultegra Di2!
Right now I have my 1x8 set up with a 34t chain ring and a 12/32 8 speed cassette, with Di2 I could use the climber shifters
and the Ultegra 11/28 cassette
How cool would that be?!
Friday, October 5, 2012
On my commute at least I've been dodging bullets all week.
It's been drizzly, and damp, but for the most part just moist.
It looked like my luck was continuing on my ride in yesterday.
Until about 6:00 PM.
As we finished up at the shop this evening the rain grew heavier and heavier. I tried to convince myself that is was tapering off, but I wasn't fooling anyone.
I put on every layer I had brought with me, which wasn't much; my vest had made it's way out of my bag so I was only supplementing my comfort with neoprene booties and arm warmers.
The booties kept me dry until a little after the Citgo; in other words about 500m.
It was warm though and the insulation / coverage of my messenger bag, plus the protection of my fenders kept me fairly comfortable.
But it was wet.
Puddles were unavoidable and momentum robbing. Axle deep at times.
The rain reached it's downpour crescendo in Unionville, and settled into heavy through Farmington. As I descended into West Hartford it had tapered to steady.
No lightning though.
Very happy to be home.
The rivulets in my basement confirmed that yes indeed a good deal of water had fallen from the sky.
Days like these reaffirm my inability to part with old cycling shoes; who knows when you'll need another dry pair.
I won't be participating in the "Take Back Farmington Ave" event because I'll be getting my bike back into shape and riding to work.
It's been drizzly, and damp, but for the most part just moist.
Until about 6:00 PM.
As we finished up at the shop this evening the rain grew heavier and heavier. I tried to convince myself that is was tapering off, but I wasn't fooling anyone.
I put on every layer I had brought with me, which wasn't much; my vest had made it's way out of my bag so I was only supplementing my comfort with neoprene booties and arm warmers.
The booties kept me dry until a little after the Citgo; in other words about 500m.
It was warm though and the insulation / coverage of my messenger bag, plus the protection of my fenders kept me fairly comfortable.
But it was wet.
Puddles were unavoidable and momentum robbing. Axle deep at times.
The rain reached it's downpour crescendo in Unionville, and settled into heavy through Farmington. As I descended into West Hartford it had tapered to steady.
No lightning though.
Very happy to be home.
The rivulets in my basement confirmed that yes indeed a good deal of water had fallen from the sky.
Days like these reaffirm my inability to part with old cycling shoes; who knows when you'll need another dry pair.
I won't be participating in the "Take Back Farmington Ave" event because I'll be getting my bike back into shape and riding to work.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Karma's Revenge
Monday started off on the wrong foot. In the rush to get out of the house I left my cycling shoes at home. So much for the plan of riding home. The Sunday Princess would merely be an ornament atop the Volvo.
But when Collin went on a doughnut run he returned with a Snicker's for me. Not just the regular size one, but the double! All because I'd treated him to coffee in the past.
Sweet!
Then when I was loading up my car, I spied an old pair of mtb shoes. I ride Crank Brothers pedals on the road too, so it looks like I'm in business once again.
Double Sweet!!
But my helmet. I'd hate to ride home at night without one.
What's that in the backseat? Quinny's helmet!
God bless that giant melon of yours boy!
Triple!!!
Rode home and it was good.
Today started off great. Everyone got off to school okay and Dr. Stephanie took care of my choppers toot sweet.
I was on my bike with plenty of time to get 50 or 60 miles in before it was time to pick up LB from school.
But then I stopped for a snack.
Thought I'd get all clever and post a picture of my snack with a snarky little remark.
The tides turned.
The skies opened up (way to go Scott Haney!).
My legs felt sluggish and tight.
My Strava app stopped working.
The climbing around the Barkhamsted Reservoir warmed me but when I reached the top and stopped to turn on my blinkies, my hands would barely function and my legs were wobbly beneath me.
What goes up must come down.
I pedaled furiously down the hills in an effort to keep warm. Hand hardly functioning. Praying nothing would unexpectedly cross my path as I wasn't sure I could will my hands to squeeze the brakes.
I saw a sign; New Hartford 9 Miles.
9 miles?
Fook!
With all the time I had will I make it to Canton in time to get my car and pick up Lillian?
The urgency helped.
Crossing the reservoir on 181 I felt the warmth of the water. It also signaled I was reasonably close to the shop.
"Canton 6 Miles" was the next sign I saw.
6 miles?
That can't be right.
I didn't dare look at my clock.
The road was flat(ish) and fast. I got to Benidorm @ 1:49 PM
Just enough time to get changed and only be slightly late.
But Coleman had dry socks for me, and checking my phone, LB had a detention for being late, so I'd be on time (ironic?).
Hopefully my karmic debt is settled.
But when Collin went on a doughnut run he returned with a Snicker's for me. Not just the regular size one, but the double! All because I'd treated him to coffee in the past.
Sweet!
Then when I was loading up my car, I spied an old pair of mtb shoes. I ride Crank Brothers pedals on the road too, so it looks like I'm in business once again.
Double Sweet!!
But my helmet. I'd hate to ride home at night without one.
What's that in the backseat? Quinny's helmet!
God bless that giant melon of yours boy!
Triple!!!
Rode home and it was good.
Today started off great. Everyone got off to school okay and Dr. Stephanie took care of my choppers toot sweet.
I was on my bike with plenty of time to get 50 or 60 miles in before it was time to pick up LB from school.
But then I stopped for a snack.
Thought I'd get all clever and post a picture of my snack with a snarky little remark.
The tides turned.
The skies opened up (way to go Scott Haney!).
My legs felt sluggish and tight.
My Strava app stopped working.
The climbing around the Barkhamsted Reservoir warmed me but when I reached the top and stopped to turn on my blinkies, my hands would barely function and my legs were wobbly beneath me.
What goes up must come down.
I pedaled furiously down the hills in an effort to keep warm. Hand hardly functioning. Praying nothing would unexpectedly cross my path as I wasn't sure I could will my hands to squeeze the brakes.
I saw a sign; New Hartford 9 Miles.
9 miles?
Fook!
With all the time I had will I make it to Canton in time to get my car and pick up Lillian?
The urgency helped.
Crossing the reservoir on 181 I felt the warmth of the water. It also signaled I was reasonably close to the shop.
"Canton 6 Miles" was the next sign I saw.
6 miles?
That can't be right.
I didn't dare look at my clock.
The road was flat(ish) and fast. I got to Benidorm @ 1:49 PM
Just enough time to get changed and only be slightly late.
But Coleman had dry socks for me, and checking my phone, LB had a detention for being late, so I'd be on time (ironic?).
Hopefully my karmic debt is settled.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
The Ride Home
Rather interesting ride home last night.
With threatening skies all day it finally started to drizzle about 2 miles into my commute home. I had packed a rain coat, but it was so warm and muggy I didn't see a need to stop and put it on. Gradually the precipitation increased to a light rain.
Feeling a little like a make believe badass; yeah, it's dark and water is falling from the sky, but the road is well lit, it's warm and I only have about 12 more miles to go. Was nothing like my first commute home from Benidorm in the rain.
One of the biggest intersections I encounter on my ride home is the center of Unionville. I think from the saddle of a bicycle you have a better view of what's going on as well as a greater sense of awareness (self preservation!).
Waiting for the traffic light right out of Unionville at the intersection of rt167, a motorist trying to do a guy a solid, lets the guy pulling out of the gas station in. But the guy is turning left.
I'm thinking to myself, from my own past experiences, this is trouble.
The light changes, gas station guy inches in...
and a guy trying to make the light in the left turn only lane t-bones him.
The guy who let him in took off like a bat out of hell.
I didn't stick around either; if they were on bikes this wouldn't have happened and I had to make it home for my guilty pleasure.
With threatening skies all day it finally started to drizzle about 2 miles into my commute home. I had packed a rain coat, but it was so warm and muggy I didn't see a need to stop and put it on. Gradually the precipitation increased to a light rain.
Feeling a little like a make believe badass; yeah, it's dark and water is falling from the sky, but the road is well lit, it's warm and I only have about 12 more miles to go. Was nothing like my first commute home from Benidorm in the rain.
One of the biggest intersections I encounter on my ride home is the center of Unionville. I think from the saddle of a bicycle you have a better view of what's going on as well as a greater sense of awareness (self preservation!).
Waiting for the traffic light right out of Unionville at the intersection of rt167, a motorist trying to do a guy a solid, lets the guy pulling out of the gas station in. But the guy is turning left.
I'm thinking to myself, from my own past experiences, this is trouble.
The light changes, gas station guy inches in...
and a guy trying to make the light in the left turn only lane t-bones him.
The guy who let him in took off like a bat out of hell.
I didn't stick around either; if they were on bikes this wouldn't have happened and I had to make it home for my guilty pleasure.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Cross
Do you race cross?
I hear that a lot.
No.*
Why not you ask?
There isn't any anti CX referendum in my little book rules; if there isn't anything better to do and it's not too far I might consider it...
but I'd much rather do this:
*Or rather usually not.
I hear that a lot.
No.*
Why not you ask?
- Well, I tried it in 2010 and liked it well enough, but at the end of the season I looked back at all the awesome Fall weekends that I could have gone on long mountain bike rides that I spent suffering for 45 minutes at a time and regretted it.
- Sort of related to #1, all the travel to get to short races that I only kinda like.
- Expense on something I only kinda like
- I suck at it. I'm okay at the suffering part, but I just don't have the power for cross. Maybe if there was a cross race with a few thousand feet of elevation gain I wouldn't suck so bad.
There isn't any anti CX referendum in my little book rules; if there isn't anything better to do and it's not too far I might consider it...
but I'd much rather do this:
*Or rather usually not.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)