genejockey 

Given how many of my bikes require them, I sure hope so!

Which reminds me - I need to order a crap-ton of them before Spring.

rjones28 

What I imagine bampilot06 's back yard looks like.

rjones28 

Tiagra is a quality groupset.

seedsbelize2

Unless a vintage Trek 520 drops into my lap, I can say the same.

rjones28 

Eric F 

That's a valid feeling, whether or not it's a measurable factor. That said, weight isn't always the most important factor. I watched a GCN video yesterday about pro bike weights from the recent Tour Down Under, and was kind of shocked to see that only 1 bike was within a pound of the UCI minimum. Aero matters more than weight (within a certain range), until you start going uphill significantly. Feeling good on the bike matters, too, though. Having confidence that your machine is going to respond the way you want it to respond is important to the mental side.

seedsbelize2

I recall being an Asics, and Nike guy during my running career.

genejockey 

I posted a pic of that glass shard that flatted my tire a while back. I ran my hand over the inside and the outside of that tire, and only found it by looking - there was a 1mm wide white dot on the tread area that wouldn't brush off, but also wasn't raised above the surface at all so I couldn't feel it. I ended up fetching a pair of my watchmaking tweezers from my bench to pick/pry it out. It was one of those that doesn't stick out of an uninflated tire, but with the flexing of the tire with weight and motion gradually bores a hole into the tube.

bampilot06

I totally understand that aero is key. I guess I am alluding too, how aero is the madone vs how aero do they say it is? I mean every bike company claims their aero bike is the fastest in the industry. They can’t all be true.

phrantic09

agree to disagree I guess.

I check my batteries every ride on the app and carry a fully charged spare just in case. I can swap a battery mid ride, can’t swap a cable. But I’m also guessing my shift count per mile is 10x what yours is.

phrantic09

You’ve kind of already shown how aero it is in your statements about the Emonda. I bet it’s good for 1-2mph at the same power vs the Ritchey. But if you can’t get the fit right, why bother.

The Aspero is less aero than the R3 was, but it’s also a fantastic ride and I don’t race anything but gravel so I really don’t care.

Eric F 

Valid. IMO, it sounds a lot like the Madone needs a new home. Unfortunately for you, there will be a financial hit (such is the nature of buying new bikes). Depending on what you can get for it, maybe you can flip it to a different used bike for the same (or similar) money - gravel bike or MTB, maybe?

Mojo31

Mine must be different. It shifts magically especially going from big ring to small and back, it scratches my back and rubs my shoulders, and showers me with butterfly kisses.

#nevergoingback

genejockey 

Confidence in your equipment is such an important thing. Even things like getting a couple flats weeks before can dampen my enthusiasm, because it's always in the back of your mind. I feel reasonably confident of my ability to deal with most mechanical issues that might arise on all of my bikes, mostly because I'm the guy who built them up. The ONE exception is the hydraulic disc brakes on the Canyon. Those, I had to have my LBS bleed. And I confess that sometimes I have a little bit of anxiety on descents, thinking what would I do it one of the brakes failed. I never have that worry on a rim brake bike where I'm the guy who did the cabling. There, I worry about whether I've slowed down enough!

Anyhow, if you're not confident that the bike won't fail, and you're not comfortable, and the bike doesn't make you want to go out and ride it till your legs fail, what's the point of it?

genejockey 

You must have paid extra for that.

Mojo31

If anyone has a used blue Madone that they don't want a hit on, send it to me and I'll take the hit for you. I even offer pickup service.

Mojo31

Nope, just have that kind of bond.

Velo Vol 

Is that at a park? Or business/residence?
And genejockey's basement.

genejockey 

Nike, Brooks, and Saucony for me. We're talking late 70s/early 80s. I had a pair of Waffle Trainers, BITD.

My Dad made fun of expensive running shoes, because they didn't wear those when HE was young (and there, we're talking late 30s). So I said, "How many guys you ran track with in high school were still running for exercise 5 or 10 years later?" I mean, when I was in high school, we ran miles and miles wearing Converse canvas track flats, which were basically enough shoe to put a small amount of rubber between you and the pavement.

genejockey 

I wondered which of you guys was gonna say that.

datlas 

Residence. It's a fine residence, with 3 graceful swans in the pond. The bear is at one entrance and the moose are at the other. I should take a picture of the house and grounds sometime, it's quite impressive.

genejockey 

I wish I'd taken a picture when it was still there. Someone in Woodside put together a scupture of a bull, from fallen branches and other randomish pieces of wood. It was an amazing piece.

rjones28 

genejockey 's basement isn't a discard pile.

genejockey 

Hell, GeneJockey's basement isn't even a basement!

datlas 

If anyone following the controversy over Strava pricing, DCR just uploaded a video that is a good summary/analysis.