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| If you've got it flaunt it! |
A quick conversation with one of the lads on Friday afternoon about the progress of the bike and my riding it led to me exclaiming that I will use the bike for training and triathlons but that I'm not a cyclist - now the more quick witted of you out there will be jumping on the same band wagon as he did.
"So when using the bike to train and for triathlons and you're riding it you won't actually be a cyclist - so what will you be???"
I was quick add that I will be juggler but then went on to explain my theory of not being an *actual* cyclist that goes out at the crack of dawn for a 200 mile round trip!
Having nipped the inner tube on my first attempt new ones were ordered and promptly fitted on Thursday evening with great success and jubilance, bar tape to follow on the Friday along with a quick tinker with the brakes and gears and we are ready for the maiden ride come the weekend.
So this morning quickly arrives and at 7am I am woken to the sound of the rain driving against the windows - "Oh well I cant possibly go out in that" I quietly think to myself by 08:30 it had all passed so I forced myself out of bed and in to more goodies that Santa delivered - the lovely yellow SubSports SUB COLD leggings!
Wheeling the bike out of the garage I'm still in some trepidation about heading out in the wet but that aside lets crack on. The first half mile was fraught with anger as I realised the bottom 9 gears were nigh on useless - maybe I'd pissed the settings out too far or maybe it was the chain/cassette - who knows till I get it to the shop. Anyway the top 9 seemed to be much better so I stuck with those as I continued on becoming more and more comfortable* on the bike reaching about half way in record time.
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| Post Ride |
A quick decision not to push my luck saw me cut short the planned trip with a slight detour before soon being back on the relatively flat cycle path. The return leg had it's own issues, well my issues actually (see the * above!) but nonetheless I completed the 17k route unscathed and quite chuffed.
Compared to the last ride I did as part of a brick session on the mountain bike with chunky tyres I have saved a grand total of 4 minutes over 16k not bad for my first attempt on the road bike, in the words of D:REAM "Things can only get better!" However, I may have been somewhat hasty in removing the mudguards - I think they will be going back on!!!