Roadeo!

[Patrick Moore]

I was off the bike for 8 days thanks to the flu and just took my first very modest ride today after more than a week of inactivity. Lovely day, sunny, breeze light only, 55-60*F. I rode the Roadeo after swapping the 11-32 Ultegra for a Miche 14-32 — much, much better; stupid to pair a 50/34 with a 11 t small cog, IMO.

I felt pretty good, tho’ I’ll reserve judgment on my condition until after I see how I feel tomorrow; 8 days inactive of which 5 days were largely supine does nothing for one’s fitness at age 70.

I have to say that freewheels and derailleurs are cheating. My route involved minor headwinds and some modest short climbs, but I used only 3 gears, the lowest one, 50X21 or 65”, on the steepest 1/2 mile, the rest the 76” and the 72”. 

Hurrah: The Miche 14-32 and 14-30 cogs I bought from Bike Inn in Girona (only 1 14-32 in stock) are all loose cogs, and I’ll not wear out those above 20 very fast. The whole-cog 14-32 is ~80 grams heavier than the Ultegra 11-32 with a spider holding the 5 or so biggest cogs, and I swapped out the Dura Ace 1-sided 7410 MTB-type SPD pedals for M540s that have longer axles and keep my shoes from brushing the delicate black anodizing. Both together add 1/3 lb or so, and the Roadeo with fat tool kit in small dop bag inside Carradice Zip Roll weighs 22.88 lb.

Anyway, it’s nice to get back on the bike.

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Patrick Moore

Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum

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