Once we made the turn onto Double Homey, things sort of woke up. The run down Pineview was quick, and once onto Shop, putting the power down seemed to come pretty easy. Who knew a 2-1/2 hour warmup was necessary? No matter, it was nice to get back on the bike, and out in the fresh air.
Yeah, the fields are greening up nicely...in February...The rain started late last night, and continued into the morning, so I slept in. The plan was to watch Oostmalle, then go out into the weather on the CX bike. Well, the best lain plans of mice and men...blah, blah, blah...
The rain let up a bit, the fenders went on, and I began to gear up. About the time I was airing tires, the bottom fell out. Figuring that a rainy Sunday morning, just after the pious (truly and otherwise) were letting out of church wasn't the best time to get hit by a vehicle, I opted for the turbo.
I hate the trainer with the white, hot passion of 1000 suns, but I hate hitting the ground more, so I stayed in the ManHole(tm), spun the legs around @ 80%, and watched La Course en Tete for an hour.
An hour is literally all I can take anymore. As I sat and spun, I kept looking out the door of Service Course, thinking that the weather really wasn't that bad.
A decision was made about 47 minutes in...
The turbo will not be ridden again. Fuck it! I don't care. I'll be cold and/or wet. A new rain jacket will be ordered this evening...
Rule #5 will be adhered to from here on out!
Now, on to this week's tech tip!
Check your stuff!
The above pictures are of a Deda handlebar that was removed from (redacted) bike. Yes, you are correct. Those ARE holes! I'm shocked that the bar stayed together. Needless to say, calls were made, and a new bar (and stem for good measure) was procured.Seriously though, when changing your bar tape, inspect your bars. A lot of sweat, as well as other moisture, soaks into your tape. Synthetic tapes just do not dry out quickly, and that collected funk will eat your bars. I'd like to say that this is the first time I've seen this, but I'd be lying.
Change your tape often as well. It's a cheap, and may just save your life!
Where's my Tyvek suit and biohazard breather? This is some of the funk that came off, and OUT OF the bars. Speaking of mental toughness, the Management Trainees are out of school tomorrow. Oh joy! The Boss better bring her ass home early...
Namaste...
5 comments:
I sweat sulfuric acid and the only time I've not had bars eventually look like that is when they had the gel inserts strategically placed on the drip points. 100% agree, Lizard Skinz DSP sucks balls after 1 month.
See, that's what's funny. The same person has Lizard Skin DSP 2.5 tape on his primary bike, and has for a while. I just re-did the tape on those bars, and they were pristine under the tape. I think the DSP tape, if wrapped tight, keeps sweat OUT.
Personally, I don't like the DSP tape. My only reason for this is the fact I don't ride with gloves when it's above 50-ish. That shit is SLICK when it's wet with sweat.
If you had been driving around the roads north of B'wood yesterday (as you did one winter not too long ago), you might have seen a cyclist getting 120Ks in...
I looked for you to drive by me when I rolled though Ridgeway yesterday en route to 120Ks (guess that is not a pattern)
Sure, make me feel more like a giant pussy! Thanks Mark...thanks a bunch!
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