Happy New Year!!!

I know I haven’t done much on the blog, but a lot sure has happened since the last time I posted.  Here’s a review I did for our newest bike (yes, another one) on teamalameda.com forums.

I’m still debating on a name. Flash’s ‘U-Boat’ may stick …

We weren’t sure whether to leave the house today because the ground was still wet. Besides, a first flight on such an epic ride may have proved too much for this newbie couple. However, I’m glad we did because I believe we worked out a serious bug in the build: the tyres had to go. After flatting twice on the same tyre, I concluded that Continental cannot make a decent tyre (I know there’s a few Conti fans here, forgive me). Anyway, this was the only bug we’ve found so far.

I’m not sure if this is what steel feels like, but if it is, it is absolutely fabulous!!! Perhaps it’s the extra length and weight of the entire bike, but the vibration dampening is probably 10x better than the 585. I had the tyres pumped to 130 psi front/rear, but the ride itself was soft; it almost felt like we were gliding on air. We were running 700×23c tyres after the switchout, but they felt better than the original 700×28c pair. Positive tracking, less ‘mushiness’ especially when accelerating and cornering, but rode softer. Weird, huh?

I also realized how strong Lisa really is. Brian & Geoff, if you’re reading this, you must forgive us for attacking you on Lake Chabot Rd. I think Lisa had always wanted to attack and win for once. Because the bike is so much more efficient, both in road dynamics and gearing, Lisa was able to really put the power down on the rear wheel. I was truly impressed as to how long she could maintain her efforts. You never really know how strong your partner is until you’ve been powered by her. She said that because she no longer needs to worry about controlling the bike, she can concentrate on pedaling and husband-whipping.

Downhilling proved challenging, at best. I’ve always considered downhilling to be my personal weakness, but on a bike that I’m unfamiliar with, it becomes dangerous and intimidating. The ride down Lake Chabot Rd hit 30mph, but it didn’t feel like the 585. In fact, it didn’t feel stable. Definitely something to work on.

The experience itself is like learning to ride a bike for the first time. The joy of accomplishment is shared by both people, and on the way home, we wished it wouldn’t end. We rode around the block a few times before calling it quits.

Pics here.