Sunday, October 2, 2011

I'm in Heaven.....

OK, I may need to schedule my own intervention....

Went to Speed Theory to get some Hammer Recoverite, as all my Tri/ETS classes have started and my supply is low. They didn't have my flavour of choice - chocolate (is there any other option?). As I was chit chatting with Darcy and Cam; admiring their handy work on a new nutrition display; I may have mentioned I still really want to replace my road bike, but it's hard to find a second hand one due to my short stature. Suddenly, out comes a little (47 cm XS) Cervelo RS - just my size, just my price. (Darcy is very sneaky). Well let's look at this a little more closely. It's a full carbon frame, they can put an 11/27 cassette on it, it has a compact crank, SRAM Rival gruppo, 650 cc wheel - maybe the only drawback. I can take it for a test ride and see what I think. I decide to come back Friday and take it for a spin, as it's supposed to be nice and warm out.

Get to the store and Cam was able to check me out on the trainer and make the necessary adjustments. He DID NOT need to cut the seat post down!! (Maybe my legs have grown? Maybe it's fate?) So off I go to my test ride testing area - Edworthy and up the hill. Challenged right away by 10 Ave being torn up for repaving with some yucky gravel sections to negotiate on a brand new road bike with skinny little tires on uneven surfaces - crap! made it to the pathway finally. I got passed by a guy on the pathway, then kept up with him and he kept looking back to still find me their. I wasn't so close to be drafting, but he wasn't getting away on me (hee hee).

OMG, this is a nice ride - very smooth and it absorbs all the bumps on the pathway, even better than my Argon 18 E112 and definitely an improvement from my little yellow Cannondale. I also like the way it corners, quite different than my tribike. I thought I wouldn't like the 650 cc wheels, but I didn't feel they were any different. I know when I was looking at tri bikes in 2010 I didn't like the 650's. Maybe b/c I'm sitting more upright on the road bike? The different shifting mechanism b/w the Shimano and SRAM will definitely take some getting used to. Got caught on a few little uphills in the wrong gear.

Arrive at Edworthy, shift into an easier gear in anticipation of the "evil hill" when the chain comes off. Only it's come off at the back, b/w the top ring on the cassette and the hub. I can't, for the life of me, get it out and after several tries and stopping guys for assistance I give up and call Speed Theory.... I need to be rescued, on a Friday night, and the store should be closing, not sending out a posse. (Can a "posse" consist of 1 person?) Thank you Cam for coming to help me, but of course before he gets to me, another very nice guy stops, but knows exactly what to do and unsticks the chain for me. He used a fair amount of force, so without some sort of tool, I wouldn't have been able to do this myself. I did wait for Cam as he was on the road and not able to answer his phone. Friday traffic sucks and now I have Cam stuck in it....

Cam drives back to the shop and I cycle back, rather cautiously, afraid it may happen again as the rear derailleur needs adjustment. I was very discombobulated by this whole experience, it's not my bike, it's late, I don't want to scratch it or break it and I'm afraid to turn it upside down and mark it up. Arrive back at the shop, avoiding 10 Ave, but headed down 12th too far, so made my way back in the back alleys - that was interesting, and it's not even dark out yet.

Exhilaration overcomes any sense of common sense, but - the colour is right, no new accessories needed (red, white, black colour scheme) except pedals, can use my Garmin as a bike computer, will get some carbon water bottle cages off eBay for a reasonable price . I can't pass up this end of season, last year's stock, need to make room for 2012 stock, price. I buy it immediately as someone may buy it out from under me prior to my return after 12 noon on Sat. Only I needn't have worried, since I drove home in my bike shoes, I realized I'd left my street shoes and my pedals at Speed Theory. So.... no Tri Club ride for me on Sat am without pedals on my Argon - dang, I hate missing outside rides!! Missed one 2 weeks ago b/c I had to work the weekend.

Ahhhh, I swam instead on Sat am with Alan and Pauline. Picked up my new toy on the way home + 2 tubes, and some pedals. Now I have 2 lovely bikes in my house and no garage. Good thing I'm the only one to trip over them.

Real ride this afternoon was a great success - over to Glenmore Reservoir and back (~40 km). It was a glorious afternoon and I'm liking this new bike. I will not stop riding my tri bike b/c I will continue to complete triathlons, but would also like to so some grand fondo rides too. Even the seat on my new Cervelo seems OK.

Only 1 more bike left to buy - one for India in 2013...... (oh, and some Recoverite)

Ciao, Cindy