My first, real road ride

Today was the first morning with temperatures above 25 degrees

so I finally got the opportunity to put the Synapse on the road!

Since I won't ride this bike on dirt roads the best way out of the Housatonic River Valley is up and I might as well just keep going up, all the way to the top of Castle Hill.  What a glorious morning, not a cloud in the sky!

I had planned on a much bigger ride but as the saying goes the Road to Hell is paved with good intentions. Fast forward 36 miles and a couple of glasses of water and cup of coffee, Having been off the bike for two weeks I realize that I am really out of shape.  I have 20 days to get ready for the Foolish Classic.   

Now this is a bike!  Shifting is awesome although  I had some problems thinking that I was still using the SRAM double taps that I had on the Cannondale XS-800. I had a few miss shifts here and there but eventually I got the hang of it. It also has a trim feature on the front derailleur that I also got used to after awhile, too.  Not only did I fly in the flats but climbing was much more efficient.  

I love riding by Gurske Pond.

Today, I saw a cat walk out on the ice and lap the water where it wasn't frozen.

Bike Commuting Season Begins

I wanted to try and get two rides to work this week but had to settle for one because Friday was the first day morning temperatures were above 15 degrees.  It's been single digits for the past week so Friday it seemed like a heat wave.

I rode the Bianchi with the new Stem, bars, and tape and it felt great.  Originally, I was going to ride in fixed gear but after Thursday's seat post fiasco I went back to the freewheel.  The hardest climb with 44x17 gearing was the hill on Poor House.

I thought I was going to burn up on the ride home because the temperature when I left the office was 35 degrees.  I wore the bare minimum but I still had to wear the lobsters.

Got some slack chain when I got home.

And surprise delivery!

Beware of Knock Off Bike Parts

I picked up this FSA K-Force Carbon Fiber seatpost for a mere $38, saving around $100, on Amazon. I have gotten lucky in the past on deals that crop up so I didn't think much of it.

The surprise came when I tried to install it.  I got it, maybe 1/4 of the way into the seat tube on the Bianchi San Jose and it wouldn't go any further.  Getting it out was a little easier but not by much.

Whipping out the trusty micrometer I measure the post at 27.7 mm.  So that marker there that says 27.2 mm is complete bunk!

I went to my Amazon ordering page and immediately filed a claim.  Really can't tell if this is a knock off or it failed QC and wound up in the hands of some reseller.  Looks like I am back to my aluminum seat post for a little while longer.  

Thirsty Thursdays: Iron Maiden

I got a bottle of Iron Maiden for my birthday and I was really impressed with the quality of the beer.  I know the craft beer revolution is happen else where it just seems like since the they have pretty good beer as it is why would there be craft beer?

Twenty three days till spring?

My limit for riding in cold weather, commuting and road riding, is 15 degrees so when I got up Tuesday morning and checked the thermometer it read 17 degrees.  Of course, that reading is usually off by a couple of degrees because the temperature sensor is against the house.  Doesn't seem like spring is less than a month away.  

Staying off main roads I road Castle Hill.  The view in the morning is always spectacular but it's worth the climb.  

I don't think you can really tell the difference between one or two degrees.  Whether it's 17 degrees or 13.6 degrees as the Garmin reported after Castle Hill, it's still freaking cold.  My Lake 303 did a pretty good job keeping my toes warm.  Toe heaters would have been perfect and it's something that I will have to try the next time I am riding at this temperature.

While it warmed up a bit in the afternoon it was still freaking cold.  I could tell the difference between the morning and afternoon temperatures.

I was kicking myself when I got to the office because I had left my headlight battery at home.  Yet at 5:30 PM there was still quite a bit of light left and it was enough that I didn't need to run a head light.