I found some more time today, along with another (patched!) inner tube that actually holds AIR. What a concept. Once the front wheel was sorted out, I pinched the rear tire and worried it was losing air - but maybe not. It's still holding, so I'll keep my fingers crossed! I rolled out without even firing up Strava to test it out, immediately noting I needed to straighten the bars, hearing things rub, and realizing the pedals that came with the bike have bent spindles. Ugh.
Back to the shop, where the spoke wrench came to my aid. It took a few tries, but I got both wheels straight enough, though the rear has a little hop to it. Not enough to bother me that much, though. I fine tuned the brakes and eventually got them to where I think they'll stay centered - fingers crossed. I pulled the Cheap McNasty pedals and retrieved a set of well-worn MKS Sylvan track pedals with Christophe clips and old ALE straps and did some calculations. The pedals were $19.95 new c.2009, the straps were less than $10 about the same time, and the clips came from the partial box of Christophes I bought c.2000 for $5, so - $35, divided by 12 years, equals $2.91. Getting close to the edge of what can be spent!
$60 for the Cannondale (trade, based on actual outlay for bikes traded in)
$20 labor fee to remove horrifically stuck seatpost
$10 for well-used tires
$1 for well-used rear brake pads
$2.91 for very well-used pedals, clips & straps
$0 for bottle cage, 130 mm rear axle, Shimano bar-end shifters, shift boss cable stops and shift cables and housings (scavenged goods)
$93.91 so far
But what's a post without pix?
Drive side
Surprisingly comfortable "cockpit"
Non-drive side, long and lean
Rack mounts
Don't think that's a standard head tube emblem!
From the little taste of up and down the street in front of the house I managed today in the course of making adjustments, I think I'm really going to like this bike. The 32 mm Paselas help that, of course. Hopefully tomorrow I can start getting my 100 km!