2009 Chicago Bike Swap
This is the second time I have been to the Chicago bike swap. Last year it was in a smaller venue and was absolutely packed. I went looking for nothing and left with a bike.
This year like everyone else I didn't have the money. I was wanting to go and look for whatever deals I could find, etc. Also I wanted to see how the Bicycle Heaven booth went.
Getting to Harper College we were greated with this line of bike nerds looking for deals
As soon as I paid my money and made it in I heard Ara's voice and made a beeline to the Heaven's booth. I was introduced to "Ed" from SRAM. He's the loacl SRAM rep that helped us put together our team deal through the Grass Roots program. Part of this program involved incorporating our team in the efforts of World Bicycle Relief. Ed Spoke pasionately about it's mission and his hopes that through our involvement we too can become liasons as well as participants in the movement. Take a minute to check out the site. Cool stuff and it makes you think for sure.
The Heaven was there to do some business. Where else could you find deals like these?
Rich is salesman mode. He offloaded some solid stuff he's been storing for a while.
Ara selling a bike. He moved quite a few that day.
Moving around through the booths I found an old set of Scott full tri bars. I had a set like these on my bike towards the end of high school. Honestly they were really comfortable. They either became illegal to use in competition or simply just fell out of style. These are from the "Lance is a triathlete - wtf is the Tour de France?" kind of days.
Here's my old shots of my bike with them on. Hello 1990. We'd like for you to take your hot pink and neon yellow back please. k-thx.
So I went around looking for stuff. I ended up finding the stuff I figured I would find. I got another Bonty setapost. I love these because of the infinite clamp and single side bolt design. It is very adaptable on the road. Easy to get the perfect position. $10 form the Heaven
I then picked up the stem with the right length and angle for my TT bike $5 - Albertos. Then when I thought I was done and redy to head out with CyclingJester and Voldemort from bikeforums I did one more round and found a piile of SPecialized saddles. While digging I found 2 Alias saddle (MSRP around $110 each). They offered both for $80. Well...the cash machine didn't work and I was out so Voldemort lent me the money. I like to say he helped make my ass happy.
The loot (booty if you will...at least as far as the saddles are concerned).
Last week my Formula group buy that I got on for the hubs (back in July - seriously July) finally showed up. Here's a pile of hub joy. Now for some rims, spokes and some customers. Anyone need wheels?
Feel the need to drop this one here too. I had an alien sighting at the ABD indoor TT. He wasn't riding becuase he said "it favors the fat guys"......so you're saying I have a chance.
In other news I heard that Mission Bay was one of the early victims of the economy. Word has it they stopped paying their bills with all of their suppliers. They had a booth at the swap but it was empty. I don't like seeing that happen to anyone in the business. Especially a shop that had been around and involved like the Bay. I wasn't a fan of them leaving Elgin though because they used to be my local.
Oh well....get out there and spend a few bucks with your local to help ensure they'll be here next year. You know you need some bar tape, a new chain and some tires for next season. Why not get them now.
Spicy
That was one spicy ride this morning. It took a while to get over the facts that I didn't get to bed until 1:30-2:00am ...because I was working on the long overdue wheels de aham. 5:00 came awful quick.
It was a ride with colorchange's club. He was there as well as aham (really just there to pick up wheels, but decided to ride...since he was already there and all) and about 7-ish other Spin Doctors riders.
I was wearing arm warmers, knee warmers (which on someone my height with my short legs really qualifies them as full leg warmers or something out of flashdance), vest, and was contemplating toe covers. It was COLD! Too freeking cold for this early in September. When I got home my trainer said...."see....you'll love me again someday soon. You'll see." *shiver*
The ride was 'brisk'. They usually start slow (so I was told), but I think aham and I helped push it a bit. There was no wind. Freeky fog, etc. By the time we got to the point where they normally take a natural (that's biker talk for peeing in a field - I do it while rolling) they were all saying it was the fastest they had ridden that route...ever.
I was just rolling along. The route is my kind of flat on roads I have ridden a ton so I knew where the features were, etc. I took short token pulls up front mainly due to not knowing the route and not knowing how high they were going to dial it up to later. Aham was riding well too.
Up Allen rd near Hampshire one of their guys started to do some attacking. That hurt. Later a lot of us admitted we were either getting light headed, dizzy or seeing spots there. "On the rivet" so to speak. From there it was "attack, bridge, repeat" for most of the rest of the ride. By the time we got back they all made it official...fastest ride on that loop...ever for most of them.
There was climbing, but only like 1,500 over 50 miles so needless to say I was there and hanging well for 99.9% of the ride. Knowing more of what to expect I could go back and do more work. So where does this ride rank for me?
Hardest
- Bicycle Heaven (Cat 1,2,3 sharks in chummed water - total class of their own)
- Racing
- Penny Rd (Cat 3,4,5 Fast and climby)
- Spin Doctors (Cat 3,4,5 Faster but flat with attacking)
- Century riding
- Village Pedaler (Saturday ride with some friends)
- Trail ride solo
- Trail ride with the family
Easiest
Tomorrow is the Harmon Hundred. Looks like we might get wet. I am on form and liking it. I have not been there all year. I hope to push it into overdrive for Fall Fling.
Scale said 172 last night.
Bicycle Heaven Group Ride
So...I finally rode my first group ride with my team. I've known since I found out about the ride last year that this is a very high caliber ride. So I knew I was going to be in over my head.
I knew it would happen eventually so I didn't freak out or anything. MJH2 and I ended up plodding ahead. It took me forever to really get my engine running. I have been noticing that lately. What I mean is that it takes like 15-20 minutes of HARD riding before I stop hyper-ventilating and start being able to pour on power, etc without totally popping.
MJH2 noticed that as well as I was wheel sucking him like I was a 2 month old and his wheel was a nipple. All said we ended up doing some decent work. Really cranked out some powerful sections. The effort was similar to the TTT I did with aham a few weeks back. Has to list up there as one of my all time hard efforts speed wise.
It was like being in a race. Actually being in a race. Pegged from the start with absolutely no breaks.
We finished respectfully and got some "meh....not too horrible for cat4/5's" looks from some of the guys. Even got a "good riding" from the shop/team owner as a side comment.
Different vibe. No drinking afterwards, etc. All Roadie. I liked it, but I can't see abandoning "my People" on the Penny Rd Ride. Then again I will get much faster riding the BH ride. So....thinking of doing the Penny Rd on Tuesdays and the BH ride on Thursdays.
....now.....how do I convince Mrs. P that this is something that needs to happen.......hmmmmm
So I went to lunch today…
...and joined a team. I guess I always knew I was joining these guys, but it something else to actually go out and do it. It dawned on me after picking up the kit that I never discussed this with my wife. Not my intention to do that. Hopefully she'll understand. I have a killer weekend planned for her for her birthday (the big 3-0 for her ....ahh....the good old days....) so maybe that might help put her in the right frame of mind for the news.
Let’s get physical…
Not feeling super hot. I have a cold/virus that has been going around the family for a while. I seem to do OK riding once I warm up, but in general my ears sound like I have water in them and I am caughing up phlem every time I turn around. Nice right?
But....
I got on the scal this morning and it said 176.5. Boo-Yah! My goal for this season was 175. I have always said if I made it back to my 165 range I would be mopping people up left and right...but I never thought I could get there. Now I do think I can.
With Dairyland Dare the day after tomorrow (200k and something obnoxious like 15,000ft of climbing on 10%-15% walls they like to call "hills") I know I will be good for another handful of pounds coming off as long as I don't let my body try to put everythign back after the event....only what's needed.
Now....sucks to think about it, but I need to start thinking about the "off-season." Definitely time for cyclocross. I need to start thinking about stripping the cross bike from a commuter into a race rig.
Also - MJH2 from BikeForums (the guy in the red jersey in the Elgin Crit pictures) has been talking to me about joining up with Bicycle Heaven's team. I have kind of wanted to join up with them for a while. Looks like I just might do that. Turns out they have indoor trainer sessions all winter as well as they do some outdoor cross riding with lights....bonus.
...flying the "blue and turquoise".