TrevorInSoCal
05-16-07, 12:16 AM
No more complaining about my clapped out old (Old by OCP standards anyway. It's a '99) Specialized.
Finally pulled the trigger on an upgrade. Picked up my new Trek Madone 5.5 SL today at lunch while dropping off my mountain bike to get some work done.
Haven't got to take it on a real ride yet, and probably won't 'til next week. I'm going to continue to commute on the old one until I get a chance to get the fit dialed in, but that won't happen this week. Too busy getting ready to travel to a mtn. bike race this weekend in CO (Kokopelli Trail Race. Hopefully I don't end up a dehydrated carcass out in the desert somewhere between Fruita and Moab.).
First impressions upon spinning around the parking lot at the shop, on platform pedals, are really positive. It just *feels* fast, and I knew my old bike needed some work on the drive-train, and the old ultegra brakes weren't the hottest, but wow what a difference. Nice to ride a bike that actually shifts and brakes like it's supposed to. I'm going to have be careful at first, as I'm used to grabbing a handful of brakes to slow down. The performance of Dura-Ace brakes, as compared to my old Ultegras is really impressive. I didn't think there would be that much of a difference. Wonder how much of it is the brakes, and how much of it is the braking-surface of the rims.
First order of business after getting this one set up (Not to mention selling a couple spare mountain bikes to clear space, and soften the dent in my wallet.), is a ground-up overhaul of my old bike, now that I realize just how bad I've let it get. Then I'll have a nice set of wheels for racing/training, and a dependable rain/crit/commute (on the days I don't commute fixed) bike.
Finally pulled the trigger on an upgrade. Picked up my new Trek Madone 5.5 SL today at lunch while dropping off my mountain bike to get some work done.
Haven't got to take it on a real ride yet, and probably won't 'til next week. I'm going to continue to commute on the old one until I get a chance to get the fit dialed in, but that won't happen this week. Too busy getting ready to travel to a mtn. bike race this weekend in CO (Kokopelli Trail Race. Hopefully I don't end up a dehydrated carcass out in the desert somewhere between Fruita and Moab.).
First impressions upon spinning around the parking lot at the shop, on platform pedals, are really positive. It just *feels* fast, and I knew my old bike needed some work on the drive-train, and the old ultegra brakes weren't the hottest, but wow what a difference. Nice to ride a bike that actually shifts and brakes like it's supposed to. I'm going to have be careful at first, as I'm used to grabbing a handful of brakes to slow down. The performance of Dura-Ace brakes, as compared to my old Ultegras is really impressive. I didn't think there would be that much of a difference. Wonder how much of it is the brakes, and how much of it is the braking-surface of the rims.
First order of business after getting this one set up (Not to mention selling a couple spare mountain bikes to clear space, and soften the dent in my wallet.), is a ground-up overhaul of my old bike, now that I realize just how bad I've let it get. Then I'll have a nice set of wheels for racing/training, and a dependable rain/crit/commute (on the days I don't commute fixed) bike.