it has been a while since i last posted here but a lot has happened since i last rode my Cannondale SL4. here's the update:
April 26, 2014
the weather had not been really conducive to biking as there were a lot of days that were wet and very, very, very, windy. but April 26th was a day that we could have ridden the bikes. however, we had the grandkids and shopping to do. but first hubby wanted to check out a place called Plano Cycling. i had told him a few days earlier that we could check it on Saturday and he held me to it. u c, he had a coupon he wanted to use. since we had the grandkids, it was gonna be a fun day anyway. so y not check it out first thing. off we went. 8)
as hubby looked around, i kept up with the kids. they wanted to explore and so did i. as the grandkids hand pedalled the bikes they could reach, i looked around for a road bike in the color i wanted. of course i found it. as i was pointing to the bike, which was on the second tier, hubby suggested that i get fitted for a bike. guess he wanted to make sure my Cannondale was the right size. i told him i have to loose about 50 pounds b4 u would buy me a roadie. but i finally gave in.
it is quite interesting how they measure u. they measure ur arm length, hip to toe, and where ur chin reaches the stem as u r leaning on the handle bars. after all that, i stood against a board and they put the measurements in the computer. i need a 52 size bike in order to ride comfortably with no unnecessary straining or being to compact. i then was able to ride the bike i had found and liked. b4 riding they rechecked the reach, how my hips measured up, and my chin position above the stem of the bike. we grabbed a helmet and off i went to test the bike.
as i started on my test ride, i couldn't believe how well the bike fit me. i loved the feel and handling of the bike. and even tho i don't care for brifters, they were easy to use. tho adjustments would definitely be needed. same for the brakes. but the brakes did their job. it took a few minutes for me to get the feel of the bike as i rode in the small parking lot. fifteen minutes later, i pulled up and stopped in front of the sales guy and my hubby with a big smile on my face. "love this bike," i said.
hubby smiled and asked if i had any problems with braking or shifting. i told him a little but it's just a test ride. he then asked, "do u want it?"
i answered, "yes, but i have to loose a few more pounds b4 i get the road bike u said." he just looked at me.
"will u be happy with this bike?" he asked.
"yes, this is the bike i want." i answered. he smiled and said, "it's yours." my jaw just dropped to the ground and i had the biggest grin/smile. all i could think of was, 'i can't believe this is happening. we were supposed to pick something up that he wanted. and now, i'm getting my bike b4 i loose the weight.' i looked at him and followed them into the store.
not only did i get this bike:
but i also got a new helmet, bike bag with accessories, and water bottle holders. as u can see, the bike is a SPECIALIZED ALLEZ ELITE. i love the colors and the little bit of red on the bike is exactly what i wanted. as money allows, i will get new brifters where the wires r all tucked away under the bar wrapping. we just got in the cadence wiring and will soon have that on. i have been riding this bike for almost a month now. Red, my Cannondale, hasn't been ridden but once or twice since i got Roadie, my Specialized. this is the bike i will ride in the road rallies.
i still get a bit overwhelmed when i think about already having my road bike. and the only reason i wanted one was to keep up with my hubby. i know if he rides his Cannondale and i ride Roadie, i can definitely keep up with him. but i have just a bit more work to do to keep up with him on Roadie here. we have 2 different styles of riding but when we ride together, we find a happy middle and have fun with it.
on Wednesday, hubby decided to ride to walgreens instead of drive. it was already close to his bed time, around 2000 hrs. but he wanted to ride. the winds were strong so he said we would ride the Cannondales. and we rode to Walgreens.
it was great! i was still slower than him but i didn't have that much trouble getting up the gradual incline like i used to. i was really proud of myself and happy to have the struggle so much less.
May 23, 2014
as of yet, i do not have my bike computer mounted on Roadie. hubby will get it on sometime in the next few days.
today, i didn't have my grandson so i decided to do a ride since i hadn't done a mornin' ride in a very long time.
i am preparing for the June 7th Mesquite ride and need to start tackling the more steeper climbs. i know that i can do it but being prepared is always a good idea. knowing when to shift and when to coast can help u a lot.
i started out on my regular neighborhood warm-up then onto 352 south i went. i looked at the challenging hill climb and started gathering speed. but the light turned red and instead of starting from a stop, i turned right onto Kearney and headed to the highway overpass. i decided that if i can make it over that bridge starting at a stop, then i can tackle the railroad bridge on 352.
well, i made it up Kearney to Gross with no problem and rather quickly. i kept it steady as i continued on. as expected, i was stopped at the light for the bridge overpass. having made sure i was in a low gear to start off with, i quickly shifted up 2 as i climbed the bridge. not very difficult. as i came down the other side, i had to decide which road to take to the service road on 80. i chose the one that leads to the movie theater. i wanted the challenge of having to get my bike over the bridge from a slower speed. i need to work on that. as i reached the bridge that would take me over 365, a lone car was all i had to wait on and i didn't even slow down for it. the timing was perfect as i reached the intersection. the whizzed by and i turned on to the service road with some good speed. i was able to cross the bridge with no trouble.
as i looked to my right, i saw cars on the highway coming fast and it did give a strange feeling. but i enjoyed it and continued on my way. i continued the ride east on the service road of 80 not really having much trouble. thankfully, the cars exiting the highway were few and spaced just right so i was able to move right onto Galloway without having to stop.
having never riden my bike on that part of Galloway b4, it was a challenge to stay in my lane and out of the cracks in the road. some were wide enough to swallow my narrow tires. rode Galloway all the way to Kearney and turned onto it to head home. but i still wanted to climb the railroad bridge. my ride was near the end but i decided to go ahead and tackle the thing.
turning right onto Collins, i had good speed but the gear shifting took that away fast. the small hill cost me my momentum so i had to power pedal but quickly ended up in the lowest gear i have. it was a struggle. i almost gave up. but i chose to keep goin'. 8) i'm glad i did. when i reached the top, i pulled to the side and got off the bike. calmed my breathing down and just rested a bit. i had already decided not to go down the other side where the light was. i waited for the traffice to clear and then remounted and rode back down the bridge heading north and to home. got pretty good speed as i came down the bridge hill. sailed thru the light and up the the incline to Old Barn Rd. turning left off 352 to Old Barn, i headed strait for home.
i am proud of my self for tackling that bridge at the end of my ride. i feel like i can actually make it now. 8)
the 20 miles of steep inclines and continuous gradual inclines should be easier to deal with come rally day. and the McKinney road rally on June 14, 2014 should be easier to handle as well. Roadie has definitely made my rally rides a lot easier.
until next time...
