Lots of corn and soybeans, and a little wheat around here as 3 miles or less in any direction is out of the city and into farmland. Plenty of decent county roads to ride on, normally with little traffic. Not entirely without its hazards, including some large and very fast tirebiters that some of the farmers let run loose (in spite of leash laws) inducing some unanticipated interval training. Considerably different compared to riding in an urban or suburban environment. Current stable has three bikes:
- 2010 Trek 520 CroMoly steel tourer (at 30 pounds it's a great workout bike; like running with leg weights). Currently used for self-SAG solo marathon rides of 100 miles and farther.
- 2006 Trek Pilot 5.0 frame/forks bought used with very little mileage and rebuilt with Cane Creek brakes, Ritchey bars, 3T stem, and new or like new combination of 105 and Ultegra shifters, dérailleurs, cogs and crank (basically a new bike). It's currently being used for 30-100 mile rides and getting the most mileage.
- 2009 Bianchi Pista that's mostly stock. Swapped out the 130mm 17d stem for a 90mm 5d Origin 8, added a front brake with cross-lever that's easily removed for track use at Major Taylor Velodrome, and put on Shimano PD-A520 SPD pedals. Flipped the rear hub with its original 48x16 81 inch fixed gearing and put an 18T 3/32 track cog locked down using a bottom bracket lock ring and plenty of loctite on the other side for street use (other side was threaded for freewheel). 81 inches is OK for track training but was too high for urban street use. Found 72 inches much easier to handle. Planning on commuting to work using the Bianchi.
