Today I woke up to sun and warmth (and some dreaddy guy on my couch, but that's another story). Just a few days ago I had finished building up my new everyday steed, the KHS Winner. This puppy is a early 80's cheap lugged steel frame, completely free of any kind of strong and light steel alloy, like chrome-moly. Now, I'm absolutely NOT complaining about this, I'm grateful to Sethanol for sending this thing my way free of charge. It's just heavy, like 25 lbs in fixed-gear trim.
Anyway, I'm pretty damn excited to have this built after cracking the frame on my previous daily commuter and it really is the perfect daily commuter for me. It's a 56, with a 56 top tube, the parts from my grey bike (like the XC Pro bottom bracket) fit and it was designed for use with 27" wheels, so with 700's there is plenty of breathing room for meatier tires and full fenders.
I had considered skiing today, but when the warmth arrives I think more about riding, doubly so when I have a new (to me) bike.
So I went for a damn ride.
Embarking on my trip I thought "Oh, a nice easy 20 mile spin would be nice". As soon as I started up Story Mill Road past the dump I realized that I had not had a good ride for too long to go easy. So it was on past the dump into the Bridger foothills onto some nicely packed snow roads. Traction was adequate until I started down Sypes Canyon Road. I found that despite retaining my strength by commuting all winter by bike, I had lost my high-rpm form. Choppily descending at about 40 rpm faster than I could really handle I came upon a slick patch of snow- I couldn't hit the front brake, and I've got no rear brake, so I was left with trying to slow through pedaling. With limited traction this technique is not as reliable as on dry pavement as the rear wheel started locking up and sliding to one side or another with every pedal stroke. The passing car did nothing to calm me, so I had one option left: Accelerate. I got on the gas, the rear straightened out, and I managed to spin smoothly enough to get past the hazard. Yikes!
From then it was pretty uneventful- I made a left on McIlhattan back to Story Mill to 86. WHile at the intersection of SM and rt 86 I made the (masochistic)decision to head left towards Kelly Canyon. Climbing up most of the dirt road was fine until the final half mile of 14% packed snow. At points riding my bike was more like rowing, I had this amusing lunge-pull-lunge-pull thing going on. Halfway up the hill my normal motorcycle noises and primal grunts changes to a high-pitched wheezing. It was probably good that I was alone. Anyway, I made it up without walking and stopped for a few minutes to let the pounding of my heart calm down before heading back into town.
A great early ride!
Posts
3 comments:
What the eff is the deal with people sleeping on your couch? Are you running a youth hostel these days?
I giggled through most of this blog! :)
Thanks! I wish I could always think of something to write- I wouldn't have had to get other people to write on my blog!
Seriously, I'm glad you enjoyed it. That bike now has some mean studded tires, so hopefully slippin' and slidin' won't be an issue.
Post a Comment