As I mentioned in yesterday's post, I haven't been on the bike much lately. Actually, no riding at all from Sept. 26 until Oct. 11. But I'd changed my chain and cleaned the rest of my drivetrain to match (cassette - natch - but chainrings & jockey wheels too). I'm certainly more motivated to ride a clean bike than a grimy one, but what finally got me on the road was the prospect of racing Monday on an untested bike.
The Missus and I were out all day Saturday and had plans after church on Sunday to continue our Fall Foliage Frolic through the Berkshires. So that meant I had to get out early Sunday morning. Early? Score one on the anti-motivation side of the scale.
When I (surprisingly) woke up feeling pretty good Sunday morning, I checked the temperature. 34 degrees. Coldest morning so far this season. Add another point for anti-motivation. Why oh why did I wait until literally the last possible time to test-ride my bike?
Despite this, I (over)dressed, got on the bike and headed out. Other than the cold, it really was an ideal morning - the sun just coming up, the autumn leaves stunning. I even got a bonus of some fog lifting off the river.
These pics are a chronicle of what turned out to be a great October Morning Ride - and more than tipped the scales to the motivation side. . .
I did my "Essex Loop." It's only a little over 13 miles, but has a variety of terrain and views - including a couple switchbacks up and over a large (for this area) hill. At the top of the climb, I saw this little group trying to avoid next month's holiday . . .
Continuing north along the Connecticut River, I spotted this scene. I'm not usually out this early, so I wanted to be sure to catch the fog rising off the water - the sun just starting to claw its way above the horizon.
As I turned the corner to head into Essex village proper, the sun had peeked above the fog and ignited these trees. They only look like they're on fire.
Main Street in Essex ends at this picket fence. The fog is putting up a fight, but is slowly - and steadily - losing its grasp on the boats in the harbor.
In full retreat now, the fog provides the shot of the day. End-of-Main, Essex.
This shot didn't come out quite as nice as I envisioned, but I include it anyway since I think it's cool we have a windmill so close by.
Speaking of having cool things so close by, this is the Essex Steam Train. The combination of Autumn, biking, trains, and racing all in the same weekend really toyed with my OCD usually-rigid distinctions between the seasons. But I managed alright.
After turning south from the train station, I passed this field - an increasinly rare sight in this part of the state. I hope someday my photography skills will help me better convey what I see, but for now scenes like this do all the heavy lifting for me. Just point and shoot.
Same field, a little further south. Wildflowers free for the picking.
As I continued south, I got in a couple hard efforts both to test the chain and to remind the legs what it's like to have to pedal fast. Fortunately, there was one more cool scene I wanted to catch before packing the bike up for the race.
Up the road from my house, at the corner, there's a farmer's market/garden center. If you have any doubt what season it is, you can just sneak a peek here - Christmas trees in December, mulch and plantings in the spring, sunflowers and others of all types in the summer, pumpkins and apples in the fall.
Of course, my favorite is the fall. And it probably has something to do with this guy:
Meet "Oliver." Not sure if that's his actual name, but it's on his tractor so it'll do. Despite a recent windstorm that took his hat (and then his head - yikes!), he's all better now, as you can see, and wishing you all a Happy Autumn!
Thanks for all the helpful suggestions on how to convert my Super8 videocassettes to digital. I got quite an education - not the least of which was discovering that I do not in fact have a Hi8 camcorder, but just a plain ol' Super8. I'll probably end up hooking it up to a DVR and see what happens. Hopefully I'll have some videos to share with you soon. If I do, you know my experiment was successful.
Actually, your helpfulness would itself make an appropriate post for Why Cycle Wednesday. Why cycle? Because the folks you meet are so generous with their time and eager to share their knowledge. So thank you!
Another reason to cycle - especially this time of year - is Charity Rides. As I mentioned in my last post, I participated in the Folks on Spokes ride to benefit local mental health and addiction recovery programs. It was the third time I've done it and it's always a favorite, being essentially a Tour of Milford, Orange and West Haven, CT. Having lived in Milford for so many years, I couldn't NOT do it and it was great to see the old stomping grounds, and catch up with some old friends too.
I rode again with friend Larry and new-friend Jim and we opted for the 65 mile route out to Branford and back. As you'll see from the pics, almost the entire route goes along the water and we had absolutely perfect early Autumn weather - all clear blue sky and low humidity.
So come along for the ride. And be sure to click on the pics if you want a larger, more detailed view.
The ride starts behind the Milford Public Library where there's ample parking, a pavilion and even actual bathrooms (no portapotties here). Registration is under the big white tent and you get a goodie bag and an ID bracelet. The smaller tent to the left is for the sponsor shop, Tony's Bikes & Sports - my old LBS and a bunch of great guys too. They were there not only to make any last minute repairs and adjustments (the ride attracts a lot of newbies and occasional-only riders), but to offer fundraising prizes too.
The start is on the other side of the pavilion next to Milford Harbor. The ride is staged by distance option and since we were going the longest distance, we started earliest. And you can see, there weren't THAT many that decided to go long this day. But fortunately for the fundraising effort, I understand there were many, many more that showed up for the "classic" 40 miler (that route is so classic that it's actually marked with permanent metal signposts!)
After the pre-ride instructions, we were off and within 10 minutes were along the shoreline. This is Gulf Beach and Larry is right there in the corner, keeping pace.
Another shot, this one along the shore in Woodmont (east Milford).
West Haven Beach. Almost all of these photos were taken at speed, so excuse any strange angles or composition.
Lest you think the entire ride was as pretty as the initial pics would lead you to believe, this is New Haven. Specifically the Tomlinson Bridge over the Quinnipiac River. The (in)famous Q Bridge (I-95) is off to the left. The Tomlinson is remarkable in that it accomodates both vehicular traffic as well as a railroad - and the entire span lifts. It's the largest lift span on the East Coast and the second heaviest in the USA. But beware of the tracks crossing on the other side - they're at an angle and a little dangerous.
This also is New Haven - a much prettier part, on the east side of the harbor. Considering I was going about 20mph at this point, the composition of this shot is pure luck. We're heading toward Lighthouse Point in the distance.
And here's the lighthouse itself. For another, earlier pic from this blog ("BC") check out this link. What a difference a few years makes...
And all I had to do was turn 180 and got this dramatic shot of the harbor, with the City of New Haven in the distance.
After our brief stop, we continued on to Branford where I got this shot, literally at our turning-around point. I think that may be a Great Blue Heron, but I'll leave verification of his/her identity to the orinthologists that read this blog.
We made our way back the way we came, retracing our route and enjoying the now-tail wind. Once we got back to West Haven, we picked up the classic FOS route and pedaled into the old farming town of Orange where I got this shot of one of the last farms standing. The town seems more focused on growing crops of houses these days, so shots like this are becoming increasingly rare.
The rest of the ride followed the normal route through the rest of Orange and the northern part of Milford, going back down to the shore. The most remarkable part of this section of our journey was the shortcut we took through Silver Sands state park. I'd never ridden my race bike off road before, but once I got over worrying about my wheels and stone chips on the frame, I had a blast. This little taste of cyclocross has me chomping at the bit to try more trail riding later this fall.
We logged a total of 64.5 miles and I was tempted to circle the lot to make it an even 65, but I gave up after only one lap. The apres ride pizza was calling and I wanted to get packed up and home to the Mrs to enjoy the rest of what turned out to be a spectacular day thanks to good friends, a worthy cause, and a great ride.
If you bike for any amount of time, you'll probably gravitate towards a local group ride, or you'll start seeing the same cyclists along your usual routes, or at different events. You'll strike up conversations with them - or they with you - and it's likely that you'll become fast friends. Something about the shared interest, especially in the face of so much adversity (road hazards, traffic, hills), forges these relationships.
Another way I've found great cycling friends is by reading cycling blogs. You leave a comment, perhaps an email correspondence blossoms, and maybe - if they're local - you see each other at the local ride or race. You can learn a lot about someone from following their blog, so you eventually get a good idea of what you have (and don't have) in common. The first time you meet IRL, it's not all that surprising if you feel like you've known them for much longer.
One of the blogs I follow is Velophoria and last weekend, the Mrs. and I finally got to meet the Velosopher and his wife. The Velosopher - as his name would suggest - has some very thoughtful insights into cycling (read this post for a recent example) and we enjoyed a leisurely ride along the Norwottuck Rail Trail - all the better for great conversation. And while some of the talk focused on bikes (of course), we enjoyed a wide-ranging discussion on a lot of things other than bikes. It even turned out that the two Missuses have some things in common, which made a the great time we had even better.
So in the quest to answer our (often) weekly question - "Why Cycle?" - don't forget that the benefits of cycling are manifold and don't always have to include power meters and training plans. Sometimes, when the cycling becomes incidental to the friendship it starts, you don't even need the bike.
No, that's not a typo. It's just that this edition of Why Cycle Wednesday is dedicated to the Lovely & Talented Mrs. Suitcase, my race photographer and all-around best friend. I don't get to ride with her very often - she has many other interests & hobbies that distract her from the bike - but when it works out, we have a lot of fun toodling around town.
Here are some pics from our latest ride. . .
On a recent Saturday morning group ride, I discovered a part of town I didn't know existed. Indian Town it's called, but I suspect the Native Americans have long since moved on to better things. This gazebo is right by the shore . . .
. . . and next to this marina. I never tire of living near the water. Having grown up in Kentucky & West Virginia, I can tell you - the sea shore beats the Ohio River any day.
Near a usual photo location, but a little further west. This is at Cornfield Point. The old Castle Inn is off my right shoulder a few hundred yards. It's now a private residence, restored to its original splendor.
South Cove, Saybrook - just before getting to the Causeway.
North Cove - Regular readers will recognize the scene.
The best rides end with ice cream, and we're blessed with one of the best parlors around. James Gallery is probably one of the few ice cream shops that's also on the National Register of Historic Places. Even Lafayette made a purchase here in 1824. The original soda fountain dates from 1896.
An interior shot. Can't believe it wasn't more busy. But it was a Monday night after all...
They even provide bike parking. NYC can keep its fancy shmancy bike-racks-as-art. I'll take a few 2x4s nailed together, along with a dash of panache. Love the sign.
So, as you can tell, this blog tries to strike a balance between the racing and the restive. Sure, taking the race wheels out for ice cream is blurring the line a little too much, but when you get to ride with the pink bike - and its owner - you don't worry about incongruity. You just grab the bike and have some fun.
Why Cycle Wednesday is usually about taking the time to just enjoy the simplicity of riding a bike and appreciating the ever-changing landscape we get to see from the saddle. It's everything that racing and training is not.
Sometimes though, the reason we get up for an early morning ride isn't to watch the sun rise over the water, but to get stronger and faster. Whether your goal is to keep up with the bunch on your weekly group ride, or win the local crit, you have to put in the time and miles, making regular deposits into your training account.
Last night, at my 2nd Tuesday Night Crit of the season, I got to cash out some of the savings I'd been squirreling away. And I had a blast! What better answer to the question "Why Cycle?"
As I've mentioned elsewhere, our team, CVC/Subaru of New England, sponsors the Tuesday Night Training Series at Rentschler Field in East Hartford. These races are perfect for trying new strategies/tactics and taking risks you wouldn't normally take. There's a "B" race (for Cat4/5) and an "A" race (Cat1/2/3/4) and last night was only the second time I've raced the "A"s since upgrading to Cat3.
After helping out some beginning racers in the "B" race, I lined up for the "A"s. I did fine in last week's race, winning the first prime(!) and finishing with the pack. But after my conservative racing last Sunday, I was ready to get out of my comfort zone and see what I could do, without having to worry about the result.
The speed was very high right from the start, a change of pace from last week, and we were all strung out from the gun whistle. A guy in a black kit had launched, gapping the field almost immediately. The pack eventually chased him down, but it was strung out for a bit. When we caught him, DaveH, apparently wanting to stretch his legs in prep for the Fitchburg stage race this weekend, started to detonate the pack. That's him at the front (above).
Things calmed down a bit after a couple of laps (Dave not wanting to use up TOO much reserves before his season's major goal), but then the attacks started. Fortunately, CVC had a lot of guys in the race so we were able to cover most of them.
But not all. About 10 minutes into the race, "black kit" launched again - a perfectly timed attack on the headwindy back stretch, taking 3 other guys with him, but no CVC. I was near the front (already doing better than on Sunday), so I was able to see what happened. They got about 70 meters up the road and just before corner 3 (which turned into a tailwind) I jumped, trying to bridge.
When I took off, it was like I was sprinting for the finish. But it was effective - I gapped the pack immediately with nobody on my wheel. It took me about 1/2 a lap, but I caught them at the Start/Finish. The 3rd guy in the paceline saw me hook on and pulled over, motioning me to pull through. I thought "Crap! I just bridged!" - actually I may have said it out loud, because as I came through the guy told me he was cooked, and fell off the back.
So now I'm in a 3 man break - the first time ever in a race at this level. Race Mission Accomplished: I am definitely outside of my comfort zone now.
I don't normally "do" breaks, usually contenting myself with staying sheltered and waiting/hoping for a field sprint. I've been in a few, but I'm still very new to it. I know to trade pulls, try to keep things smooth, try to conserve as much as possible - without letting on. I think there's a fine line between racing smart in a break and being an outright slacker. Being with the Big Boys now, I wanted to be proud of my effort.
We worked well together, and smoothly. And got over 1/2 lap lead on the rest of the field.
I was doing my share, but I had to make sure I didn't work so hard I got shelled. Now that I was in the break, my teammates could relax a little and maintain pace at the front of the pack. But if I got popped after building such a long lead, it'd be tough for our team to get back in the game.
Fortunately, for some reason, "black kit" (BK) was always pulling into the headwind on the back stretch, with me on his wheel, and a young CCNS rider ("Chris" who I'd met earlier during the "B" race) on the rear. As luck would have it, my pulls tended to be through the tailwind into the final stretch, then CCNS would take a turn. My quick observation was that BK was by far the strongest of the three of us - he just kept plowing through that wind, and even took a full lap pull once(!) - and CCNS, while young, looked very smooth and fit - strong too. They obviously knew what they were doing. I just tried to hang on, keep things smooth and do my share.
A couple of primes came up and it looked like we ignored the first one. CCNS was usually at the front through the S/F and he was there at the prime as well. We just did our normal rotation. I wasn't going to contest it.
When we came to the line for the second prime though, BK, who was 2nd wheel to CCNS, came around and took it - and continued to pull all the way around to the 3rd corner. After CCNS took over and then pulled off, I asked him whether we should go back to our original order - "that seemed to be working well for us" (well, for me anyway). But no luck. With the re-sorting, I found myself pulling more into the wind.
Fortunately, it looked like there were only 15 min left before the 5 lap countdown and I surprised myself that I was still able to hang in there - but it was getting a lot more difficult. I was the one pulling through the headwind on the backstretch now and every time I pulled off at corner 3, I had to stand and make a hard effort to catch back on. And that was with the tailwind helping me.
5 laps to go - thank God - and we're still working together.
4 laps. 3 to go. Wondering how long we'd stay together like this . . .
At the final corner, coming into 2 laps to go, I got my answer.
BK launched a HUGE attack in the final corner, flying to the far edge of the road. My first thought was "it's way too early - he'll never make it - let him kill himself". Then I reconsidered: he'd gapped us decisively with a huge effort, after all that hard pulling for so many laps. He was still very strong.
So I dug deep into my Suitcase of Courage (sorry, couldn't resist) and chased, with CCNS on my wheel. It took all I had, but I caught him just after corner 1 and he sat up.
We fell back into an illusion of working together through the backstretch and around the final two corners. By the time we went through the S/F, we'd almost stopped, watching each other, with the bell announcing the final lap.
All I could think of right then was Paul and Phil saying "Ah, the cat and mouse games have stahted" (because, during ALL of our greatest moments riding, we ALWAYS hear Paul and Phil in our head, don't we?).
"ON YOUR RIGHT!!!" broke my reverie and I saw CCNS launching up the right side up the road as I'd been watching BK on my left. "Click" "Click" no mo' buwwets. But a "GO CHRIS!" from Mrs. SOC and Mrs. SDC at the line went straight to my legs and I chased, with BK on my wheel.
Big mistake.
I was hurting, but surprised that I was in this dream-like state. All that existed for me in the world at that moment was CCNS' wheel.
I ... Had ... To ... Get ... On ... That ... Wheel.
We hit the headwind back stretch and I was still digging my own grave, shoveling for all I was worth.
I caught him, finally, going through the 3rd corner.
Then POW! BK launches off my wheel, comes around us both and goes for the line. Forget bullets, I ain't even got a gun now. So it's CCNS' turn to chase, if he can. I'm not letting go of his wheel for love or money.
As I see BK raising his hands at the finish, I notice CCNS look over his left shoulder. I jump off his wheel on the right and start sprinting, shocked I have anything at all left. I come in second.
Here. See. And watch to the end, noting the gap to the pack - at least as much a testament to my teammates' control as to the break's speed.
It wasn't until we were cooling down that I realized what illustrious company I'd been in. CCNS/Chris is a Cat2 and - at only 23 yrs old - looks like he's got a lot of racing experience under his belt already. When I introduced myself to "BK" and he said his name was Tim, I knew he had to be Tim Unkert and he confirmed that, yes, in fact he was. I'd heard a little about Tim before since he frequents these Tuesday night races and when I was in the "B"s I'd watch as he often placed in the "A" race.
But it wasn't until the Mrs. and I joined Mr. and Mrs. SDC for dinner afterwards that I learned I just lost to a former bronze medalist at the Elite Road National Championships! Tim's a Cat 1 racer and won the silver medal at last year's CT state crit championships. Oh, and he podiumed at 6 other races last year.
Big Boys indeed.
You can probably tell I had a lot of fun. Sunday's race was fun too, but not as much. Conservative racing may be smart - and it will continue to be what I do best at. But there's nothing like taking a risk and seeing what happens. That's what made New London and Ninigret so much fun too. The final results weren't what I'd hoped they'd be in those races - I'd burned too many matches taking racing aggressively - but I had a blast.
That's why I love these Tuesday night training races - results don't matter. You can take all the risks and have all the fun without worrying about how you place. Sure, they're not "BIG" races and a even a great result is mitigated by that fact, but only a little.
I have to realize that, at my amateur level, ALL races are "training races." The results never matter - not really. It's not like I do this for a living. Thank God.
But I DO do this for the comraderie of being on a great team, for the competition, to test the limits of my capabilities, to help out my teammates when they need me.
And sometimes, like last night, it's just pure, unadulterated fun - especially if I can keep up with the big boys . . .
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If you want to know what was happening in the peleton, click here.
And thanks, as always, to Mrs. SOC for the pics and video. ESPECIALLY last night!
My usual training loop includes a little branch. Consequently, it's more a "Q" than an "O." That little branch goes through Essex and down to the river. This particular morning, the fog off the water was especially heavy, greying the otherwise sunny day.
Ever look in the sky and wish you could bounce around on the puffy, white clouds?
On some mornings, one of those puffy white clouds walks down Main Street. As you can see, there's no way you can bounce around on it. But riding through it has its own unique & wonderful sensation just the same.
If you follow my Twitter feed, you may have noticed that I've been a little cranky lately. In short, it's my busy time of year at work so that's meant some late nights and no riding. Racing? Fuhgedaboudit.
It gets this way about the same time every year, and I've been at this job for a while so it's not like it's a surprise. I'd even made a plan to keep riding - commuting to work when I can, and doing shorter rides early in the morning before having to go in to work.
But then, on top of it all, I got a cold. Guess I ran myself down what with getting to bed late after work and waking up early to ride. What? 4hrs sleep ain't enough? I gotta Man Up?
Whatevah.
ANYway, the fallout from all this is that I hadn't put butt to saddle in 1 1/2 weeks - and I have a race I'm planning to do this weekend. My mental health certainly isn't wasn't where it needed to be.
Until this morning. I struggled valiantly - as I had for a few mornings prior - to get up. Even the beautiful sun streaming through the window was not, alone, sufficient to break me out of my sweet slumber. But this time, I won.
As you can see, it was an absolutely stunning morning. And I'm incredibly blessed to be able to ride these roads. We've lived here for almost two years(?!) and it still seems like I'm on vacation. Uh, except that I have to go to work. But you know what I mean.
BTW, I even had my actual camera (rather than the cameraphone) for these pics, so you may wanna click on them for a larger view.
I rode my normal 30 mile loop. Mostly. I missed part of it taking a short detour, so I needed to add another mile or two. What better way to do that than to explore a couple new roads?
With apologies to Robert Frost, I guess you could say I took the road not taken...
And, yes, it made a difference. I'd never seen this cove before. It's along the Connecticut River in Essex just off of North Main Street/River Road.
And I never knew we had a real windmill around here. This reminds me of one that I've shot many times while riding along Route 6A on Cape Cod. It was so quiet at this spot I swear I could hear the river flowing. At least until a flock of geese took off, their flapping wings sounding like firecrackers on the 4th of July.
Like most - if not all - morning rides, your senses are heightened. You see more, feel more, smell more, hear more. You gain a much larger perspective that gets you far outside your cubicle and the day-to-day, petty & contrived dramas of office life. And you're renewed. Somehow, no matter what you have to face the rest of that day, you feel better. You've given your brain a break and your soul some much-needed nourishment.
That's how I felt this morning, and provides - I think - a perfect theme for Why Cycle Wednesday.
I've been talking a lot lately about my road bike, but there's another "member of the family" (with apologies to the MellowVelo for stealing the phrase) - my 1996 Parkpre Solitude mountain bike.
It's old-school and would barely qualify as a MTB these days. No front suspension, rigid rear, plain ol' steel triangle. It even has bar extenders (!) But it's perfect for getting around town.
Which is to say, it's perfect for "toodling."
Interesting thing about this photo: I took it about a week after I got my road bike, in August 2005. The Mrs hadn't gotten her road bike yet and we wanted to ride together - and I wasn't quite used to my new bike yet.
And the fancy new road bike didn't have a rack, or a handlebar bag.
So we took the "old" bikes out to a railtrail and rode from Kingston to Narragansett, RI. We remembered we were out of Coke, so we picked up some at the local CVS (adding about 10 lbs to my already-now-"too-heavy" bike) and, of course, we had to check out the local bike shop.
I don't think our bikes were intimidated by the Bianchi and Specialized bikes looking down at them through the window. But I couldn't be sure. And I didn't ask.
Sometimes, a fun reason to ride hasn't anything to do with sunrises/sunsets, birds chirping, or pretty views. Sometimes, you just wanna get out, ride your bike and use your gear.
As you may have heard, Mrs. Suitcase got me some racing wheels for my birthday. Wanting them to be a surprise, she took quite a chance (I'm pretty picky when it comes to components) but she consulted - in the words of Judge Harper in Miracle on 34th Street - "the highest authority available" and here's what she came up with:
Pretty spiffy, no? (she even got me "spiffy spokes" - but that's a story for another day)
Now, I don't often talk about gear on WCW opting more for the right-brained evocations of cycling. But a recent email from C.C. asking how I liked the new wheels got me to thinking.
So, without further ado, hereinafter is my review...
Maybe the best thing I can say about these wheels is that - in the races I've used them in so far - I've forgotten I've been using anything different than the Mavic Ksyrium SL2s I was using before. They are just as stiff and corner just as well/predictably.
The only time I remembered I was using anything different is when I wanted to close a gap or chase down a break. THEN I could really tell a difference. I could jump on wheels more quickly and hold top speed more easily. I haven't been able to quantify the difference, but it sure *feels* like I have an extra gear to gear-and-a-half. That makes a big difference in my races. The only other difference I really notice is that they seem to be much more vertically stiff, so you feel road bumps more. I may try reducing the tire pressure by 5 lbs and see what difference that makes (I usually run 120 psi).
As I mentioned in an earlier post, Williams bundles a bunch of extras with the wheels - the best of which, IMO, are the SwissStop brake pads (a $40-60 value). These are the first carbon wheels I've ever owned, and I was leery of the carbon braking surface, but the SwissStop pads on these wheels behave no differently from what I was used to with regular pads and aluminum rims. Very positive stopping and no squealing. I haven't tested them in the rain/wet yet though.
Some advice/tips:
The main thing, for me anyway, is to not bother using the valve extenders that come with the wheels. Continental makes a valve extender that you use in conjunction with a tube that has a removable valve core (thanks Hobgoblin). You remove the valve core from the tube, put it on the extender and put the extender on the tube. That will allow the valve to clear the rim and you can pump them up normally. My experience with the supplied extenders was that the valve (which, with the supplied extenders, you have to leave open), would vibrate closed. So to pump up the tires, I'd sometimes have to remove the extender and use a pair of tweezers to reach in and open the valve again. And that was with a 60mm valve (the valve ends up at just about the same height as the rim - not enough for a pump to "bite" on).
The other thing I do is make sure I switch the brake pads, using the carbon specific pads on the carbon wheels and regular pads on regular/aluminum wheels. Maybe I'm just paranoid, but it's easy enough to swap them out and I'm then certain that a piece of grit won't accidentally score/ruin the carbon braking surface. The wheels will get pretty dusty from brake dust, but they're black, so that doesn't show up or effect performance. Just be aware that that's normal.
All in all, I'm very pleased with these wheels and - now that I have the valve extender "problem" fixed - have no complaints. All I have is one less excuse for poor results...
I'm not a morning person, but despite only a few hours sleep I seldom resist the siren call of the sun as it struggles to clear the horizon.
The sound of the pump popping off the valves echoes along the street outside, where the only other sound is the chirping of a bird and the whisper of the breeze through the trees. I clip in and it sounds like two gunshots announcing the start of my ride.
And I pedal down the road to the whirring of my chain and the hum of my tires as they propel me forward, down the road and toward a rendezvous with the sun, just now waking herself.
Spring morning rides haven't arrived yet, but they're coming. And I can't wait.
(*the pic above was taken along my old loop where we used to live in Milford, CT)
