Picking up where we left off, the Hydraulic Cable replacement for the Ridley Road bike showed up today. Amazon had given up, offered me the option to cancel the order as it had gotten lost in the USPS chaos during pandemic. But show it did the day after.
I spent the time in the shed installing it tonight, before getting the Hightower ready for WMD. Wednesday Morning Dirt. I am in a hurry to get to bed to wake up at 5 to make it so. The new cable went on without much fuss or mess, I listened to the radio talking about movies that were not being screened due to, yes, the pandemic. The tight arrow of a cable is now a graceful loop following the shift cable. It could scratch the headset, might need to put some frame protection on.
Its only been a month, but lots going on in the fleet. I am trying to ride more, feeling out of shape doing so especially on the road. Ben Swiggett, recent ex-president of the club and part of the Vine St gang ride series I was on a few years ago, died about 2 weeks ago on a ride, right on Skyline/Grizzly. So sad, just one more blow from left field. Despite pandemic, the BBC gathered for a socially distanced tribute ride to his families house from Strada Cafe. Then we went East, and North through what was Planet of the Apes, now a very civilized walk/bike path overrun with Saturday walkers. About there I started to feel weak, the group seemed to be speeding up through the dogs and old people surprised to see a group of cyclists. I mean, its a pandemic after all.
Bonky, I was happy to help Paul try to find more comfortable gears when his rear derailed cable broke. So rather than the bears, bonky Josh came along and we did the route backwards. It was nice. Got sunburned on my neck despite my pandemic mask. Yes, you must drink every time I say pandemic.
The rims from China, maybe the last, arrived. I measured carefully to confirm ERD, and then the hubs with the caliper, and then ordered $95 in spokes. Building cool wheels ain't cheap.
Using the Boost front hub means I need a fork, and so I've been shopping hard on Pinkbike looking for a deal. I finally jumped at a "2017" Fox 34 with a Fit 4 Damper, which upon code check is actually a 2016. The offset might be a bit much, and its not "Factory" like my current Fox, which also has real Kashima. Even for $350, I have buyers remorse, and it hasn't even showed up yet. Maybe I'll flip it. I even ordered new blue decals for it from Craigslist from a guy who only used a few for his rear shock, so maybe I can love it. Dunno. A nice big 36" has an appeal to it. Maybe flip the Rockshox or the Fox and the new Fox and buy us a ZEB 160, sort of goes against the lighter weight thing I am trying out.
Too quick to be cheap sometimes there buddy.
