I did it.I took Suzy Q out for her first spin. First actual road ride of the year. I didn't crap my pants, and I didn't have to stop to breathe into a paper bag once!
Here are some mental notes I made along the way.
On Bar End Shifting
HOLY SHIT. What do you mean, I have to LET GO of the bars to shift? GAAA! I miss my STI levers! This is scary! Let go? No. Way. I'm staying right here next to the brakes, where I can control this race car.
Wait, I have to shift.
Back to the bars. Back to the bars. Back to the bars...
On Cars
GAAA! There are WAY too many people in four wheel vehicles and you're ALL SCARING ME. You go too fast and you don't see me, even if I am the Best Looking Thing on the Road. Notice me already!
Maybe if I wave at all of you, you'll see me.
Yeah. You there. Hello there Mr. Car, please acknowledge me and not try not to run me over. See me?
Thank you!
On TT Bars
OK, these are comfy. Decidedly comfy. Hey - I think this is even more comfy that La Schwinn. Not bad, not bad at all! Now if I could just get a little more tape wrapped around them, I'll be in heaven.
On aerobars
Um, No. I am so not staying down here. It's real low, and it's real twitchy, and I can't control where we're going, and it's real...
Heeeyyy! This is Fast!
Woo hoo! Holy crap - I am hauling ass and it's super easy. Wow! I could do this all day!
Car! Yikes! Back to the bars!
On position
We're climbing a big ol' hill. Gee we're climbing a lot. Climbing climbing climbing....I'm sitting down, and I'm starting to run out of gears.
I could stand up out of the saddle...no no no - that throws me way the hell out over my front wheel - don't like that much, no control!
Huh. My back used to hurt about now on this hill, but it doesn't hurt yet. That must be a good sign. My pinky is asleep, but my back doesn't hurt.
two miles later...
OK, now my back hurts. Ow ow ow. Just...get...to top...of hill.... OK, that's nice. Now wake up, pinky.
12 miles later
Here we go, back down hill. Wow - this thing is fast! Good thing we're going into a head wind or I'd be just a leeetle bit freaked out. I'm just gonna test these here brakes...Yup, they work great. OK. Bring me that river.
On Carbon
Sigh. Carbon is luscious. Everyone should ride carbon. I don't understand why all the bikes in the world aren't made out of carbon. It's as if someone stretched a giant comforter on the road over all the bumps and lumps and cracks. They're there, they're just muffled.
This little slice of carbon weighs nothing -- the water bottles I put on her weigh more than the bike! Sheesh! Carbon rules!
I really. Like. Carbon.
Oh no, she's getting dirty!
On Running
Wow! I can't believe it. There are bags of energy in my legs. Where the crap did this come from? The whole front parts of my legs are fresh and energetic, and the rest of me is nice and warmed up! Everything they said about tri-bikes is true! Heavy legs? Nope! Hee hee! I could run for awhile like this!
OMG. SO tired. Yes, 3 miles is fine...
On Saddles
Ya know? That saddle felt great while I was riding. I think it was pretty good.
But my butt just now?
Not so good.
10 comments:
Niice! Too bad about the afterburn on the afterbum... but you'll get used to it, right?
I am so loving my new carbon framed bike a.k.a. the love machine. Love it!
And I love your jersey, too.
I had to work a little to find them but I just found pics of your bike. No wonder they call it sex on wheels. "Whit wooo" (wolf whistle)
Oh yeah - good point! Here - I put a new pic in.
Somebody actually wolf-whistled yesterday too - I think they were whistling at the bike.
Hey - I would!
OMG I am so INCREDIBLY jealous of all you nuts who have new carbon love machines. SO JEALOUS!
Well, you've gone and done it. You brought sexy back. Damnit.
well first off, congrats on not crashing it, or, is that just with other people's P2Cs?
second, oh yah!
third, i'm confused. but, when am i not... i use aerobars and bullhorns to describe being in an aero position or being upright on the bullhorns... bars and horns.
fourth, remember, i'm penciled in for week after Wildflower -- get Suzy Q ready!
new bike, new terminology. it's all kinda weird. But yes. Bars = bullhorns, your are correct, sir.
I have you pencilled in!
What is a TT bar?
very happy for you & Q
I'm glad I'm not the only one afraid of cars or of letting go of the bars to shift! Of course, I'm also afraid of stopping, starting, hills, flats, and um... asphalt!!
Sounds like your new bike ROCKS. Congrats.
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