With no rain in the forecast I packed light today and rode my lightest bike, the 2006 Felt F65. 700x25 tires @90psi. It was a cool 43F on the way in, which caused a problem with the shifting. When I bought the bike in 2022 the Shimano Ultegra 2x10 accesories worked flawlessly until the first cold snap. Then the shift levers would twist and click but not catch to allow upshifting or downshifting, except occasionally. I read up on the issue and found that this is a common problem with the Shimano Ultegras from that era. It's the factory grease. After so many years it begins to gunk up in cold weather. More research pointed me towards 3-In-One Lock Dry-lube aerosol which is safe for plastic and rated for -50F to 500F. It supposedly cleans out the old grease and re-lubes with graphite or whatever they're using. I spritzed some in the Ultegra brifters and they were good all that winter. In the middle of the winter of 2023 the brifters began to "slip" again. So another application. Last winter (2024-2025) I didn't need to do anything. But this morning they were missing most of the shifts for the first few minutes. by the time I got to work they were almost normal.

The ride in was good. I caught up to an e-bike rider, although he was riding casually no-handed, and it's not a race if the other party doesn't know it. But it did keep my pace way up until he was out of sight behind me.


At 5pm the temp was a warm 71F and the shifters were fine. My average speed was 13.5 mph vs. 9.9 mph for the same route yesterday on my heaviest bike, the 26" Rockhopper. But I'd say the effort was the same. It reminded me of Greg Lemond's quote "It doesn't get easier, you just go faster". I know that's not an accurate use of the phrase...but that's what came to mind.

I appreciate and respect the Felt, but it doesn't engender fondness and love like the '84 Nishiki International 12-speed or the '97 "DropHopper". I really like my other bikes as well, but they also don't elicit a strong emotional attachment like those two,

When I arrived home I Spritzed some of the 3-in-One Dry Lube in the Ultegra Brifters and the front derailler of the Rockhopper which was a little stubborn into the small ring up front.

Oh, yeah...tried sprinting again...no big speed increase.