dagray

I was offered a 2013 Orbea Orca with 105 groupset for a heavy discount as it was the last one in the 60cm size and it had been sitting on the bike store floor for over a year.

I picked the bike up for $30.00 over cost.

It is white like the one shown in the picture, but instead of the blue it is red: ORCA M30 ? Orbea

I took it for a 14.7 ride on the BKool Pro simulator on a route with a couple big hills, and man was it so much smoother than the Raleigh Revenio 2.0 with the Shimano Sora groupset.

I have fitted the Raleigh with the old platform pedals with rat traps (toe clips with straps) and dropped the seat and given it to my oldest son who can stand flat footed over the frame (I need to buy a cadence sensor for it since I stripped the one that was on it for the new bike). My oldest son is ecstatic about how much smoother on the road than his 29er is.

I now have a riding buddy

Null66

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Fantastic!

Slowhead

Nice bike, enjoy.
I've heard air mattresses are a lot better than they used to be.

FBinNY 

You gave your son a bike. The least he can do is offer you some floor space. Maybe even a blanket or two.

Jarrett2

Congrats, now ride that thang

TerraCottaGamer

Incredibly cool man. I am super jealous and that is a sweet looking ride.

PhotoJoe 

Hmmmm.....marital bliss or a new bike......?


Good call!

Congrats!

Judi

The best way to keep the spouse happy after a new, totally necessary but possibly unplanned bike purchase is to suggest that the spouse spend an equal amount on his or her hobbies or something that they've been wishing for. As an example, I buy a bike and suggest to the hubby that it's time for him to buy the shotgun he's been drooling over. We both end up happy.

indyfabz

You were borne with one: # of pedal strokes/15 seconds x 4=strokes/minute

TrojanHorse

I bet your NEW bike will go 50 miles no problem!



What exactly was smoother on the trainer though, the shifting?

gjhsu

Wow, pretty bike! Congrats

ray.garza

I hav a friend that got an Orca and loves it. What a great deal you got! Hop on and ride your old routes and feel the difference.

dagray

yes the shifting, the ease of hill climbs (I am on a simulator that will really kick the resistance up if the GPS data shows a big hill (some routes have 14% grades), how smoothly it pedaled with the 105 groupset over the Shimano Sora groupset, the difference between a 10 speed cassette on this bike vs a 9 speed cassette on the Raleigh. Also this is a shorter distance between the crank and rear cassette which transfers the torque better than the other bike. I can't wait to get it on the road

The reason for the cadence sensor is so that the BKool Pro trainer recognizes the sensor and will work completely automatically... the BKool Trainer/simulator automatically adjusts rolling resistance based on the gps data of the route you are riding. I put the sensor on this bike from the older Raleigh and it worked great for me, but since the older Raleigh didn't have a sensor the trainer wasn't working in an automatic mode (it does allow for manual adjustments of rolling resistance if you don't have a trainer that is compatible with the software/app).

I put 14.7 miles on the trainer last night on a simulated route with two big hills

a couple hours after the ride I took my blood pressure and it was at 113 over 80 with a heart rate of 85 and my glucose level this morning was at 121 Oh and I am down a few more pounds too.... 110 miles so far this month on the bike (mostly on the trainer).

dagray

Judi,
I was smart, I paid off the balance for our family vacation that will take place in July (she looks forward to this trip as it allows her to recharge), told her that she was paid up on moneys taken from the safe for a house she owns (there was an escrow shortage, and the house is one she was buying before we got married), ordered a new storm door for the house (one she selected the color and hardware for).

She saw our oldest son's reaction to having my bike (the 2014 Raleigh Revenio 2.0) and saw my ride log, and saw the scale when I weighed that she later told me she was glad I am actively trying to stick around for her and the boys.

Now the boy can try to out pace me He has tried before on his 29er with the knobby offroad tires, but I have been able to catch him I told him he now gets to be the rabbit (in reference to Greyhound races).

Keep those pedals turning everyone, and thank all of you for the continued inspiration and motivation to get off my dead arse and ride.

Blessings,
Dave