Yellow Bike is home!
I picked-up Yellow Bike today.
[ Does the happy dance. ]
The snafus that delayed its repair continued right up through today. I figured we’d be on the road by noon, maybe one. Instead it was 4:30.
So we have only three short rides together so far, and there’s been no time for pics.
Tomorrow, we’re carping the diem (a very rare Saturday off) and are meeting the club for the 9am ride. This week it’s even one of my favorites, a little 47-miler out in horse country. I should have a full report and pics after that.
First impressions are favorable. I immediately noticed the change in the ride with the new fork. Its geometry is slightly different too, and that seems to have taken the falling feeling out of cornering.
Yellow Bike always cornered well and fast, but lean it into a turn and it got to a certain point where it felt like it was going to flop over. It never did and in fact it was perfectly safe. But the transition from easy to aggressive cornering was logarithmic instead of linear, and it was a surprise if you weren’t ready for it.
This new fork seems to have much better manners in that regard, although I haven’t really pushed it yet. Meanwhile the ride quality is vastly improved. “Vastly” is perhaps an understatement.
Interestingly, having to change the fork resolved the old issue I had with fit. As you may recall, the old quill stem was seized in the headset, so I had to conform to the bike rather than being able to adjust it to suit me. It was a smidge too long and a smidge too low.
So today, getting fitted again on it, we tweaked and adjusted and tweaked again and I told Kyle, “That’s a good spot. I like it right there.” We cut the steerer, bolted everything down nice, and wrapped the bars.
Riding home (this is the “interestingly” part) I realized that I’d dialed-in exactly the same fit I’d had before. Amazing since I’ve not even seen that bike in 67 days, let alone sat on it. I’m shaking my head that I could recall how I felt on that bike, and reproduced exactly that position.
So on Monday I think I’ll go back and see if pretty please can I have a shorter stem. And maybe one with a little more rise.
Meanwhile, it’s time to rest up for tomorrow’s big “let’s get reacquainted” ride.
July 7th, 2009 at 11:27 am EST
Welcome home Yellow Bike!
July 7th, 2009 at 10:04 pm EST
Thanks Onno!
I just wish my motor had gotten in better condition while I was being repaired.
We went out to play in traffic and I said, “Look! That car! It’s getting away! Faster, Bruce, faster,” but he doesn’t even make it to the big ring.
On the club ride Saturday I’m going, “Oh boy! Hills! Let’s attack ‘em!” and he downshifts to the granny ring.
I saw the fast group ahead stopped at that light on 15A in Rush, “Rabbits! Let’s get ‘em!” and he coasts down the grade.
Yeah, my new fork is really nice, but what I really need is a better motor.