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04-15-03, 06:32 PM
this newbie finally washed the newbie trek 7300 for the first time. figured it was due since i rode it ALL winter in massive slush/salt/snow all winter. anyway, i got a little carried away with the garden hose. was gonna just give it a quick rinse, but i found myself just spraying for over half an hour.
took it for a spin the next day and it felt HEAVY. noticed it when i lifted it down my stoop, and when i was pedaling, i felt like i was 4 gears behind on my usual paths.
coincidentally, i got a rear puncture flat (broken car windshield) on that ride, and i noticed my rim tape was moist. blow dried the rim, fixed the flat, but it still feels heavy. i understand that extra weight on the wheels makes a huge difference in rotating weight, but is the damp rim tape on my other tire enough to make a difference? did i get water in other parts of my bike? i did lube my chain after the wash.
i'd also like to take this time to congratulate myself for mounting the tire onto the rim without a screwdriver (ackk!!) or tire levers for the first time. used only hands following a technique outlined in another thread on this forum. i've shredded many a tube and gone through many frustrations inadequately dealing with flats on my own before. one small step for this newbie, one giant step towards saving his sanity.
took it for a spin the next day and it felt HEAVY. noticed it when i lifted it down my stoop, and when i was pedaling, i felt like i was 4 gears behind on my usual paths.
coincidentally, i got a rear puncture flat (broken car windshield) on that ride, and i noticed my rim tape was moist. blow dried the rim, fixed the flat, but it still feels heavy. i understand that extra weight on the wheels makes a huge difference in rotating weight, but is the damp rim tape on my other tire enough to make a difference? did i get water in other parts of my bike? i did lube my chain after the wash.
i'd also like to take this time to congratulate myself for mounting the tire onto the rim without a screwdriver (ackk!!) or tire levers for the first time. used only hands following a technique outlined in another thread on this forum. i've shredded many a tube and gone through many frustrations inadequately dealing with flats on my own before. one small step for this newbie, one giant step towards saving his sanity.