I had not been as fired-up about road riding this spring, for some reason. There was virtually no interest in hitting the open road for 50+ miles. For the past two decades I’ve loved the long weekend road ride, but in the past couple years I’ve gotten more into utility riding (groceries, breakfast, beer run) and have also upped my time on the mountain bike. Everybody has always gotten along well...as long as the garage could hold all the rides I figured I’d keep on keepin’ on.
But I’d been finding myself, over the past month, perusing the Surly site fairly regularly...a Karate Monkey single speed...a Big Dummy for grocery and hardware runs...or maybe just the Xtracycle attachment for the old Raleigh that’s waitin’ for rebirth. Last fall’s hankering for a Bianchi road carbon dream machine was but a misty memory. What would I need something like that for? Total overkill. Had I become a steel-is-real, black coffee-drinking, car-despising, baggy pants-wearing, retro-bicycle-riding, lycra-phobic old lady?
Well, sure...
...until I tried my coffee black this morning...what was I thinking?
It wasn’t the coffee, mind you. It was the weekend. Today hit 70 degrees and the road bicycle came out to play. And I liked it. I liked it more than cycling to the grocery store and more than commuting that’s easy because, let’s face it, WORK is at the end of the commute and I liked it more than saving the world by cutting my emissions and I liked it
I’m drooling over carbon road frames as I write. And my coffee, with cream, is next to the keyboard.
- OB isn’t likely to actually buy anything, but is having fun dreaming!
10 comments:
Been thinking of carbon myself lately, but I must admit that I'm not totally sold. If I were a die hard roadie I would definitely consider it.
The Stump Jumper beckons me. I need to hit some single-track really soon.
That said, some of my fellow Loons and I had a great road ride today.
Isn't dreaming fun?
As far as the Karate Monkey...Sweet. I'm looking at a Redline myself. Financially a better buy for myself. Enjoy the riding no matter what it is.
Pardon my babble :)
Nigity - "Always keep a smile in your heart."
You need to go vintage.
Last week I got a 1976 Motobecane Super Mirage for absolutely nothing off craigslist and all it needed to be ridable was air in the tires.
I've been having a blast riding it around all week and I'll probably enjoy it even more after I can do a teardown on it and get it back in proper shape.
Ride it till the wheels fall off... then get new wheels for it and keep riding.
Recently got myself a road bike after years of sneering at them...
dear me are they quick!
never going to replace the knobblies however but both styles really compliment each other
Fat Lad
[Emperor Palpatine voice]
The Grouch is strong in you. I can feel it. Come, join the Retro side...
[/Emperor Palpatine voice]
Think of that carbon road machine as your sports car. There's something ever so pleasurable about the way it jumps forward, the speed down the hills and the occasionally glorious tailwind. I'm a believer in having the right bike for all conditions, not because one *needs* it so much as it's quality of life thing. That carbon absorbs the roughness, like steel, but is so light and quick. It's really a lovely ride. But in all honesty, if I wasn't racing and have so much need for speed, I might be perfectly content with my steel RB1. It remains one of the most comfortable bikes I've ever ridden.
Steel is real, but it's important to keep a sufficient amount of carbon fiber in your diet.
Vito -- I'd be more sold if I didn't like my current road bike so much. I think I'll make a change to a carbon seatpost and call 'er good.
Marrock -- I've got one of those vintage rides just waiting for me...needs new bars and brake levers
Fat Lad -- trust me, one day you'll be curious enough to take the knobbies off....
Brother Yam -- the Grouch is still within...trust me!
Syd -- you know, it's the racing that did it. Once a person goes there, it's tough to be happy w/o the speed thrill, w/o something feather-light, quick and agile.
Tim -- FINALLY! A sane voice in the wilderness!
Hey, we have that coffee mug too!
A belated Happy Birthday :)
Hope you enjoyed yourself.
Nigity - "Always keep a smile in your heart."
I have nothing against carbon fiber but my bank account does.But I do like black coffee and black t-shirts. Pound for pound. Day in Day out still pounding steel. Cheers.
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