I was lazy last night and noticed that the Frankenbike was set up to run Ultra Rigid, that is with the fixed gear on it. "No big deal," I thought. "I'll just flip flop that wheel in the morning if I don't feel like riding fixed."
Well... I got to Rosaryville, it was still a little dark, and I damn sure didn't feel like riding fixed. So I got the wheel off, flipped it around, and realized... the cog is bolted into the disc mounts so there's no disc brake on the damn thing!
Like a moron, I'd been thinking about the bike as if it had rim brakes, the way my single speed / fixed cross bike does.
Jackass!
So I put the wheel back on fixed and rode it that way, which was fine. Good things happened. I'm finally starting to relax a bit on the fixie, so I can actually ride at something approaching normal speed. My back has loosened up, and I'm developing some weird little knots of muscle in my upper quads, so the hundred little half-standing efforts per hour (necessary to get the butt off the seat to smooth out roots and rocks) don't cause cramping any more. What's more, is I actually caught flow a couple times for a minute or two. It didn't last much longer than that, however, because I still have to spend too much time thinking about how to approach various little features, so that state where the riding is fast and my mind is at ease, peaceful and somewhere else, is still a little hard to reach. Even so, it was pretty amazing, hitting that state on a fixie. Maybe it was just because it was the first time I got going like that, but it seemed more exciting, a little more manic and high speed, than reaching the same mental & bike handling state on a freewheeled bike.
I got around in about 65-70 minutes, even with a photo stop. It was a great way to kick off the day.
Tomorrow: Same thing, only with a freewheel. And a brake! [Yeah, I know, I'm totally pussing out... but this time I'll hit the extra credit inner loop and maybe a bunch of the logs.] It sure is nice to start racking up the rides, finally. Maybe I'll manage to Ride 180 this year after all.
TOT 25: Riding With Giants, at Dawn
TOT 22, From Friday Two Weeks Ago:
Toaster McBabyhead, Esq., Has Concerns About My Chainline
Toaster McBabyhead, Esq., Has Concerns About My Chainline
1 comment:
When do you ride, I might be able to meet you in the future for a lap.
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