On Friday, I took the quasi-singlespeed thing out into the woods. At present, it's a fixed/free rear end with one brake. The free is 32:16, to get to the trail slowly, and the fixed is 32:19, as to ride awkwardly and slowly through the woods. Upon arrival in the woods, I ran into Jeff of Central Wheel and another guy I've run into in the past with Jeff whose name I don't know. They rode away when I stopped to change gears, whereupon I realized that I had left my wrench in the basement (very zen). So, I decided to ride my over geared, single braked thing into the woods, which is where I broke my chain on the first climb. I had thought maybe this chain wasn't the best choice, since it had frozen solid with rust since the last time I rode this bike last winter. However, I'd spent considerable time, degreaser, WD-40 and chain lube trying to make it work again. And, when it snapped it was looking quite clean and moved freely. So, I walked back to the bike shop, borrowed a wrench and put the new chain on. Undeterred, I rode around in the woods for awhile overgeared and without my full stopping capabilities. It was fun.
During the race, I wasn't sure what that guy in the blue jersey was doing either.
On Saturday, the Silk City Cyclocross salvage edition happened. It was great. It was extra great that after the Halloween snowoctoberolopyse canceled it, the Expo Wheelpersons still put it on. The course was difficult, weird and very economical in its use of space. I can't recommend it highly enough for next year. Lots of off camber stuff, which just makes any race great. I even took some pictures of the 1's. See! Also, for finishing fifth, I get to take three people to a hockey game in Hartford with me. Excellent quid pro quo. That's a lawyer term about eating squid.
This means that I'm assured all F's and I'll have even more time to ride my bike in the Spring.
2:1 ratio is pretty tough in the woods. Rode 44:22 this weekend on a really hilly route of Gravel Roads, dual and single track and it was way too tall of gearing for me.
ReplyDeleteFixed in the woods! Nice! Where are you doing that?
West Hartford Reservoir is the only place with clear trails around here. I guess Case is clear, but I haven't been out that way in awhile.
ReplyDeleteActually, Penwood is clear, too. Someone really did a bang up job in there. It's getting dark too early to fit all that in, though.
Oh, and thanks to Joe Tindal for the picture of me riding down the hill.
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