Today was my first day out on my proper road bike. We had a heat wave of 45F with dry roads. I rode home on my commuter, jumped out of my mountain bike shoes, searched frantically for my road shoes, and was on my way. Initial reaction was that the handlebars were at the wrong angle (vertically), so I stopped to adjust them. I am always a little nervous adjusting carbon bars without a torque wrench, but I haven't crushed them yet. Once I readjusted to the fact that I was on a light, smooth shifting road bike- with road bars (not my fixed bullhorns or commuter mustaches) I was gliding down the road. Everything works with crisp precision on the Look- unlike on the frankenbike with parts spanning three decades.
I headed toward Sandnes and around to Dale. The sun was shining. It was warm enough. In the fjord was a beastly contraption that looked like a huge ship with four towers with another huge (although slightly smaller) ship inside. The inner ship had what looked like Russian writing on it, while the outer ship had signs in English. I snapped a few photos that I will post when I have my laptop. It was a very strange sight.
This is the only bike with an odometer. I soon realized that Dale was much closer than I realized- only about 17 miles round trip with only 1000 ft of elevation gain. I also noticed I had 9000 miles on this bike- my fair weather bike. I never commuted on this back in the US or here. I really couldn't imagine how I had ridden it that far. Anyway, it has an amazing ride- and it is like cutting loose in a sports car after riding that steel monstrosity of a commuter ever since I moved here.
I encountered maybe a dozen other road bikers- so they do exist. Most seemed considerably more bundled up than me. On my way to Sandnes, a driver in a car driving toward me honked and waved at me like he knew me. I can't imagine who it was- I really don't know that many people here, and I didn't recognize the car. The wind was from the north today- which is probably why it was so sunny. If it is this warm from the north, I think it may mean that spring is near.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
I've noticed that too, most of the other riders seem to be more bundled up than me. Yesterday it was a blustery overcast day with highs in the high 50s/low 60s. I was wearing shorts and a short sleeved jersey, and nearly all the other riders were wearing long pants and jackets.
I TOLD YOU NOT TO MENTION THE TEMPERATURE!!!!
I won't upack my summer gear until August at this rate.
It was chilly and drizzly on the ride home tonight. I actually brought out the gloves with fingers. We're not out of the woods yet.
Sorry, probably a poor consolation.
Post a Comment