The observant of you may have seen a post of mine regarding a snapped gear shifter.
Anyway, I'm over it all now - I have new shifters on order, and what looks as though it may be a very big project on my hands to transfer shifters from my best bike to the commuter bike with the whole setup/cable issue, and then obviously the fitting of the new shifters/cables through the internal cable routing on the carbon. I've never done any of that before so it will be a fun, learning experience.
But this bank holiday weekend I pondered lots of things:
I pondered over Apex gear levers, Rival gear levers, Force gear levers and even Red gear levers. I pondered over cables and cable 'outers' and bar tape.
I pondered over my ride in today. I pondered because my commuter bike has only two usable gears (50x13 & 34x13) and I therefore wasn't sure whether I should use it. However, I also pondered about using the best bike because it currently has no wheels or chain attached after a strip and clean, and the forecast for this afternoon is 'monsoon'.
The last two occasions that I have used my best bike in such conditions, due to the large cutout in my saddle, I've received a bonus colonic free of charge.
An unexpected/unscheduled colonic is always a worry.
I actually needn't have worried or overly pondered at all, as the ride was fine. On inclines I used the 34, and on the flat I used the 50. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't wish to tackle the Alps with this particular setup, but it will be fine for a week.
Now what I didn't give any consideration to in the slightest given all my pondering over the weekend, was that some utter kn*b in a Volvo might decide that reversing without looking behind him first would be a good idea. I also didn't concern myself with the thought that I might be cycling directly behind him as he did.
Now there's no cause for alarm.
As I remember it, my instinct was to tense my highly developed right thigh which shuddered the car to a halt and utter a deep, manly, war-cry roar of warning.
What actually may have happened was that I emitted a girlish yelp as the rear of the car bounced into my pannier and buttock.
It was definitely one of the two, and fortunately for him, there was no 'new' damage to the bike or myself that he was liable to pay compensation for.
Regardless, the moral of my tale is thus. Life's too short for unnecessary pondering. Just get out there and bloody ride. Whether you have 1 gear or 30, Apex, Sora, Super Record or Dura Ace, enjoy the moment, pedal like a demon, and above all, make absolutely sure (unlike I) that should you have recently snapped a gear lever, you keep it on your person at all times in a handy pocket, just in case you get reversed into by a kn*b in a Volvo.
Anyway, I'm over it all now - I have new shifters on order, and what looks as though it may be a very big project on my hands to transfer shifters from my best bike to the commuter bike with the whole setup/cable issue, and then obviously the fitting of the new shifters/cables through the internal cable routing on the carbon. I've never done any of that before so it will be a fun, learning experience.
But this bank holiday weekend I pondered lots of things:
I pondered over Apex gear levers, Rival gear levers, Force gear levers and even Red gear levers. I pondered over cables and cable 'outers' and bar tape.
I pondered over my ride in today. I pondered because my commuter bike has only two usable gears (50x13 & 34x13) and I therefore wasn't sure whether I should use it. However, I also pondered about using the best bike because it currently has no wheels or chain attached after a strip and clean, and the forecast for this afternoon is 'monsoon'.
The last two occasions that I have used my best bike in such conditions, due to the large cutout in my saddle, I've received a bonus colonic free of charge.
An unexpected/unscheduled colonic is always a worry.
I actually needn't have worried or overly pondered at all, as the ride was fine. On inclines I used the 34, and on the flat I used the 50. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't wish to tackle the Alps with this particular setup, but it will be fine for a week.
Now what I didn't give any consideration to in the slightest given all my pondering over the weekend, was that some utter kn*b in a Volvo might decide that reversing without looking behind him first would be a good idea. I also didn't concern myself with the thought that I might be cycling directly behind him as he did.
Now there's no cause for alarm.
As I remember it, my instinct was to tense my highly developed right thigh which shuddered the car to a halt and utter a deep, manly, war-cry roar of warning.
What actually may have happened was that I emitted a girlish yelp as the rear of the car bounced into my pannier and buttock.
It was definitely one of the two, and fortunately for him, there was no 'new' damage to the bike or myself that he was liable to pay compensation for.
Regardless, the moral of my tale is thus. Life's too short for unnecessary pondering. Just get out there and bloody ride. Whether you have 1 gear or 30, Apex, Sora, Super Record or Dura Ace, enjoy the moment, pedal like a demon, and above all, make absolutely sure (unlike I) that should you have recently snapped a gear lever, you keep it on your person at all times in a handy pocket, just in case you get reversed into by a kn*b in a Volvo.
