16 August 2013

Pro bikes...

I've said it before, and I'll beat the same nearly deceased equine now...

Pro replica bikes are dumb.  They may seem cool/badass/one of a kind when pulled from the distributor's box, and lovingly fondled for the first time, but, and it's a BIG (Kardashian) sized but(t), that super cool pro-dog paint goes out of style in about one season.
Sponsors change, paintwork changes, then you are left with the bike of a team that no longer exists, or exists in some bastardized way.  Case in point?  Derek Everling's old Merckx.  Sure, it was a badass carbon Merckx, but once Quick-Step changed for the 28th time, and went to Specialized, it was kind of a dopey paintjob.  His new red/white/black Merckx.  Yeah, that one is, as the Brits say, the tits.

I'm really glad I was talked out of the Davitamon-Lotto Damocles frame years ago.

There is one, rather large, glaringly exception to this rule...for me at least...


...and that's a Mapei Colnago.  Material is of little importance.  Steel/alu/carbon...whatever.  You throw a Mapei bike in my direction, and things go all wonky. 
I'm getting a bit light-headed (more so than usual) the longer I stare at this frameset.

A C59 in Mapei livery?  Sure...take my money...


The paintwork varied over the years, but was still unmistakeable. 

My only issue with the new bike?  The new "Colnago" font.  Sorry Ernesto, but if you're gonna do a tribute frameset, use the old font.

Moving on...
Of course, the rain fell off and on all day yesterday.  And it fell right when everyone was to kit up and get to the group ride.
Yes, I bailed too...but only on the group ride.
The Salsa got pulled from the quiver, and I was gone.  Dirt (muddy) roads were calling, and I had to go.
A trip out and back @ The Powerstation, then all the way up Gervais, and into the hood made for a good ride.  2 hours all told, with almost an hour of solid effort. 
It was cool and breezy out in the country, which  was a pleasant change from the heat of the previous weekend.
If you missed it, you missed it...

Steady rain and 67 degrees out there right now.  Went to bed in Columbia, woke up in Portland.

Happy Friday everyone!  Go outside and play this weekend...even if it is raining...

(Now where's that damn fender....?)

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