Those of you who frequent the commuting forums may be aware that my Boardman CX suffered a snapped chain this morning... which left me with a dilemma.
Every Monday night I cycle to football with my pal on his carbon Ribble finished with Campagnolo, resplendent in white. I join him on my CX, complete with guards, rack bag, and panniers - we ride two abreast in the lanes where should we be approached from behind, he sprints to take the lead and I cling to his rear wheel for dear life. I cycle to work every day that I can, and I join a club ride every other Sunday, yet Monday comes and ‘Rich’ seems to glide alongside me effortlessly, arriving at football in pristine condition while I’m left mopping my sweaty brow. Yes I’ve generally completed a two wheeled commute that day, and 50% of the time I’ll have been on a long club ride the day before... Apparently ‘Rich’ once ‘cycled for Wales’, but to be honest, the winter has left me demoralised and feeling slow and laborious.
Tonight was the night when everything changed.
“Just come on your good bike” Rich text to me, eager to still ride than submit to the car. I was nervous about exposing the carbon to February conditions... I had packed the Boardman Team Carbon away for the winter in October and certainly had no plans to get it out this early in the year, but part of me felt like I’d been robbed of my days ride after this morning’s incident and there was no rain about... “Go on then, I’ll meet you at 18:30 on the corner”.
From the first pedal stroke I felt the difference straight away. The carbon was light and twitchy, the handling so far removed it made cycling feel like not cycling if cycling was what I did on the CX. Getting up to a decent road pace felt like the natural thing to do, not an effort to do. Shifting was precise and smooth.
Within the first mile I was half wheeling. After three I’d lost count of the amount of times ‘Rich’ wheezed: “I just can’t get the air into my lungs tonight”, or “my legs just feel empty”.
What a completely amazing feeling... when I packed the carbon away 4 months ago, I told people that riding a heavy winter bike with tools and kit and the kitchen sink stowed away would make me fitter and appreciate the carbon more once the summer came around. I’m not sure how much I believed this, but the actual difference it has made is more than I could have ever believed...
What’s more, it’s with a fairly budget Boardman, and it’s only February. I can only imagine what the guys out there feel with their super dooper £4k-6k Über bikes with electronic shifting and carbon wheels...either way, I now know and appreciate the benefit of a tough daily commute hauling my suit, shoes and tool kit through all weathers, and the benefit of club rides on a cumbersome CX...
Most people talk about upgrading their best bike and demoting the previous best to a winter hack... I’d argue there’s far more benefit in keeping the winter hack as downtrodden as possible if you’re really to appreciate the difference in your summer ride.
Every Monday night I cycle to football with my pal on his carbon Ribble finished with Campagnolo, resplendent in white. I join him on my CX, complete with guards, rack bag, and panniers - we ride two abreast in the lanes where should we be approached from behind, he sprints to take the lead and I cling to his rear wheel for dear life. I cycle to work every day that I can, and I join a club ride every other Sunday, yet Monday comes and ‘Rich’ seems to glide alongside me effortlessly, arriving at football in pristine condition while I’m left mopping my sweaty brow. Yes I’ve generally completed a two wheeled commute that day, and 50% of the time I’ll have been on a long club ride the day before... Apparently ‘Rich’ once ‘cycled for Wales’, but to be honest, the winter has left me demoralised and feeling slow and laborious.
Tonight was the night when everything changed.
“Just come on your good bike” Rich text to me, eager to still ride than submit to the car. I was nervous about exposing the carbon to February conditions... I had packed the Boardman Team Carbon away for the winter in October and certainly had no plans to get it out this early in the year, but part of me felt like I’d been robbed of my days ride after this morning’s incident and there was no rain about... “Go on then, I’ll meet you at 18:30 on the corner”.
From the first pedal stroke I felt the difference straight away. The carbon was light and twitchy, the handling so far removed it made cycling feel like not cycling if cycling was what I did on the CX. Getting up to a decent road pace felt like the natural thing to do, not an effort to do. Shifting was precise and smooth.
Within the first mile I was half wheeling. After three I’d lost count of the amount of times ‘Rich’ wheezed: “I just can’t get the air into my lungs tonight”, or “my legs just feel empty”.
What a completely amazing feeling... when I packed the carbon away 4 months ago, I told people that riding a heavy winter bike with tools and kit and the kitchen sink stowed away would make me fitter and appreciate the carbon more once the summer came around. I’m not sure how much I believed this, but the actual difference it has made is more than I could have ever believed...
What’s more, it’s with a fairly budget Boardman, and it’s only February. I can only imagine what the guys out there feel with their super dooper £4k-6k Über bikes with electronic shifting and carbon wheels...either way, I now know and appreciate the benefit of a tough daily commute hauling my suit, shoes and tool kit through all weathers, and the benefit of club rides on a cumbersome CX...
Most people talk about upgrading their best bike and demoting the previous best to a winter hack... I’d argue there’s far more benefit in keeping the winter hack as downtrodden as possible if you’re really to appreciate the difference in your summer ride.
