It's Been A While

I took the road bike out for a spin today. It's been quite a while. The little riding I have done this winter has been on my bike path bike.

Of course, it was a bit of an ordeal getting the bike on the road. I found the bike easy enough. The pump was a different story. My wife had hidden it in a closet off the family room. Fresh off that experience, I couldn't locate my road shoes. This led to an argument with my wife as to where she squirreled those away. They were located soon enough, near where I last left them. They had been knocked onto the floor by a child, a wife...or a husband.

After an apology I was on the road. Here are a few random thoughts.

1. I am out of bike shape. Particularly my backside. The first few miles - uphill in my defense - were torture. Which leads to my next observation...
2. Brooks makes great saddles. This is what I have on my Specialized Sirrus, my bike path bike. The perch on my Specialized Allez is decent, but it's the basic seat that comes with the bike. A Brooks racing bike saddle is a bit spendy, but a heck of a lot lighter. Toward that end...
3. Both of my bikes are excellent for their intended purpose, but the Sirrus weighs a ton. Especially with the rack and other equipment I have added. The Allez, in addition to having a light aluminum racing frame, has a fairly light Mavic wheel set. It is light as a feather and this makes riding this bike a completely different experience. It's more like the difference between a sports car and a pickup truck.
4. Carbon has its merits. It has its fans. For me, the expense can't be justified. I'd rather put money into quality components. Perhaps some day the racing but will strike me. I'd need to lose another 100 pounds before that happens. Until then, aluminum is just fine for me. Or steel, but that's another debate.
5. When in doubt, it's better to wear too much than too little. It was 65 by my thermometer as I left the house. However, it was windy, and thank God I wore the long sleeve jersey and jacket. I could have even gone with tights over the shorts. Or leg warmers. That wind was cold. Which reminds me...
6. Always head out into the wind. Most of my ride was into the wind before turning around for home. The last little bit was back into the wind. The best part of the ride: The middle part that was with the wind.
7. Sometimes it's okay not to go fast, even on a road bike. I detoured through park and had plenty of fun. It's just a great feeling being on the bike. Which leads me to my last point...
8. Just get on the bike. Yeah, I know. But, I've been away from the bike too long. The cold is no excuse. I really wanted to turn around that first mile, but on the long flat that made up the last couple of miles I sure felt like my old self. It felt great. And and that last light before the final push for home If found myself tapping my feet, drumming on the handlebars and looking at the motorists around me with pity. I felt like a cyclist for the first time in quite a while.

So okay, it wasn't an epic Century or even a regular 20 miler in middle of the summer. But sometimes those little rides can be epic. Even a nice short neighborhood ride in middle of the winter can be special.