H
Harv
Guest
After reading Mike S.'s post about the difficulty he had with his parking lot SM try out, I started
to worry big time. I can hardly walk and chew gum together and here I have a bike that dumped an
experienced rider a couple of times. My motivation to succeed was strong though. I already paid for
the bike and lived through the wife's kvetching, "Why do you need a new bike?You never even rode one
before." With that kind of motivation, there was no way I would fail!
I took a vacation day Friday to catch up some things around the house, but the sun was shining and I
figured I could squeeze in a tiny ride around the block; just to try the out the SM on the road. One
of the things I hate about winter riding is the time spent getting dressed for the cold and then the
time spent undressing! Add the time getting the SM off the trainer and down the hall, and the
reverse, and the whole project seems kinda' stupid for a few minutes ride. Did I say the sun was
shining? Of course it was only about 25°F (-4°C), windy and I was just getting over a cold. I was
going to clip in and coast down the driveway for a headstart, but there is still ice covering the
end of the driveway, so I walked down with the bike, and my glasses promptly froze over because I
had covered my nose and mouth with the balaclava. Damn!
OK, it's time to go. My glasses unfog. I swing a leg over the seat. Wow, the bike is a couple inches
lower on the road than on the trainer. I clip my right shoe in, clamp the brakes on, and...go.
Simple and straight forward. Easier than the V-REX. Steer away from the parked car half way down the
block. The show unfolds like I'm in slow motion. I'm so low. Almost like driving an enduro go-kart.
The world looks different from the SM than it did from the V-REX. The perspective is so different. I
stop at the sign at the end of the block. OK. I unclip without incident, and get going again. I'm
having trouble breathing. The cold air is more than unpleasant. Still in a fairly low gear, I
negotiate a few corners. I take a good line through them even though my speed doesn't demand it. The
bike is on rails and my mind takes a flash on how much fun this is going to be when it warms up and
I have some real miles on my legs. I've been fiddling with the rear view mirror. The Mirracycle is
mounted into the end of the handlebar, and I can't see it through my coat sleeve. Even dicking with
the mirror doesn't seem to throw off the steering.
The quick ride soon turns back to the house and into the sharp bite of the cold wind. As I take an
angle on the headwind it starts to whistle and shriek. I think the wind is using the chaingard as a
noisemaker. That kind of banshee howl makes the temperature seem even lower, and I vow to get some
clear mylar to cover up the slots in the gard. A headwind whisling in you ear through a helmet's
straps is bad enough, but this was right over the top.
I have a couple of new mirrors on order, with a cycle computer and some rain pants too. Warmer days
are on the way and I'm gonna' be ready.
Oh, one other thing; I started to wear my helmet on the trainer too. It doesn't weigh much, but my
neck needs to get used to the few extra ounces.
Mike, I never rode a Barcroft, and they are beautiful machines, but they're rigid frames, and you
took off your plush RANS seat for a composite M5 seat. There is a section of the local trail that is
ridged by tree roots pushing up the asphalt. Taking those on the 'REX at 18 pounded the hell out of
me. I'm looking forward to doing the ride on the SM. It's got to be like my Proflex (suspended MTB)
hitting the stutter bumps, smooth as butter.
to worry big time. I can hardly walk and chew gum together and here I have a bike that dumped an
experienced rider a couple of times. My motivation to succeed was strong though. I already paid for
the bike and lived through the wife's kvetching, "Why do you need a new bike?You never even rode one
before." With that kind of motivation, there was no way I would fail!
I took a vacation day Friday to catch up some things around the house, but the sun was shining and I
figured I could squeeze in a tiny ride around the block; just to try the out the SM on the road. One
of the things I hate about winter riding is the time spent getting dressed for the cold and then the
time spent undressing! Add the time getting the SM off the trainer and down the hall, and the
reverse, and the whole project seems kinda' stupid for a few minutes ride. Did I say the sun was
shining? Of course it was only about 25°F (-4°C), windy and I was just getting over a cold. I was
going to clip in and coast down the driveway for a headstart, but there is still ice covering the
end of the driveway, so I walked down with the bike, and my glasses promptly froze over because I
had covered my nose and mouth with the balaclava. Damn!
OK, it's time to go. My glasses unfog. I swing a leg over the seat. Wow, the bike is a couple inches
lower on the road than on the trainer. I clip my right shoe in, clamp the brakes on, and...go.
Simple and straight forward. Easier than the V-REX. Steer away from the parked car half way down the
block. The show unfolds like I'm in slow motion. I'm so low. Almost like driving an enduro go-kart.
The world looks different from the SM than it did from the V-REX. The perspective is so different. I
stop at the sign at the end of the block. OK. I unclip without incident, and get going again. I'm
having trouble breathing. The cold air is more than unpleasant. Still in a fairly low gear, I
negotiate a few corners. I take a good line through them even though my speed doesn't demand it. The
bike is on rails and my mind takes a flash on how much fun this is going to be when it warms up and
I have some real miles on my legs. I've been fiddling with the rear view mirror. The Mirracycle is
mounted into the end of the handlebar, and I can't see it through my coat sleeve. Even dicking with
the mirror doesn't seem to throw off the steering.
The quick ride soon turns back to the house and into the sharp bite of the cold wind. As I take an
angle on the headwind it starts to whistle and shriek. I think the wind is using the chaingard as a
noisemaker. That kind of banshee howl makes the temperature seem even lower, and I vow to get some
clear mylar to cover up the slots in the gard. A headwind whisling in you ear through a helmet's
straps is bad enough, but this was right over the top.
I have a couple of new mirrors on order, with a cycle computer and some rain pants too. Warmer days
are on the way and I'm gonna' be ready.
Oh, one other thing; I started to wear my helmet on the trainer too. It doesn't weigh much, but my
neck needs to get used to the few extra ounces.
Mike, I never rode a Barcroft, and they are beautiful machines, but they're rigid frames, and you
took off your plush RANS seat for a composite M5 seat. There is a section of the local trail that is
ridged by tree roots pushing up the asphalt. Taking those on the 'REX at 18 pounded the hell out of
me. I'm looking forward to doing the ride on the SM. It's got to be like my Proflex (suspended MTB)
hitting the stutter bumps, smooth as butter.
