It was just a great day for a ride yesterday.
There's not a lot more to report than that. I got out on a club ride with Tom H, some of his Insane Bike Posse, and a few other club members. I was in good shape. Tom, who's had some health complaints, is clearly doing great. I got to ride with long-time friends, and people I wish were better friends. My bike felt great, like it had been recently serviced (it hasn't; was that just the effect of a newly-paraffined chain?), although I'm trying a new saddle about which I'm not really sure yet*, and the front brake is finally going to need some attention†.
*The new saddle is the Charge Spoon. In my quest to keep cycling affordable, I'm always trying new products to see if they can replace the often-expensive products common to road cyclists. Saddles are individual (one of my frequent refrains is "every posterior is different", although I frequently employ a different word when I'm speaking), and the ones I like best are all over $100, sometimes well over $100. The Charge Spoon is about $35, and has a bit of a swoop like the Selle SMP TRK I've had on the Yellow Maserati for a while. That Selle SMP TRK really wants to go on the gravel bike, and I wanted to try something else before I popped for the cash for the Selle SMP Extra or Well, both of which I'm confident would suit my purpose. The Charge Spoon also comes in the eye-catching and conversation-provoking Dazzle pattern, reminiscent of the Dazzle Camouflage pattern used on ships in the first World War. Those who know me well, know that this bit of historical minutiae would be irresistible for me. I'm still not sure the saddle is going to work, though.
†Starting with a crash in 2015, the front brake on the Yellow Maserati has been less and less reliable; I've finally gotten tot he point where I'm going to have to change out the aesthetically-pleasing but no-long-available Cane Creek SCR-3 rim brakes for some new ones. Cane Creek now makes the EE brakes, which are about $350-400 per brake, and I'm not doin' that. Also, the Yellow Maserati, as she is set up now, takes a medium-reach brake on the fork and a short-reach on the rear, so I had to get a set where both were available. Tektro came through again; I'll mount 'em today.
That was a long digression, wasn't it? Or maybe it was two digressions, you can argue that out separately.
Tom's route left from Mercer Park East (Mercer Park was exceptionally busy yesterday; parking was tough to find). Yo.u can see his route on the ride page. The elevation diagram shows a couple of long, slow hills in the first part of the ride, but I don't remember then as being demanding (and I'm so lost all the time, I'm sure I wasn't aware that we were heading into hills). Despite the range of abilities on this ride, we mostly stayed together (perhaps because at least one of the riders hadn't downloaded the route). There was a comfortable amount of chatter, and a bit of effort on the pace.
Tom's ride usually promises a closed road or bridge. There was a closed road promised in the photo above, but it didn't materialize. A bit later we had some milled road, but I don't think that counts.
We stopped at Woody's in Allentown.
As I write this, that top picture is now on the club home page.
No ride for me today; instead, Ramblin' Wrench will be mechanic-in-residence at the Tour de South Brunswick, a community- and family-friendly ride. I love doing this; it doesn't make me any money (or get me any work), but I love seeing the families come out, and making their (sometimes barely-rideable) bikes work better.
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