Ghazmh

It was a little chilly this morning but I managed to get in an awesome 32 mile ride on my new Roubaix, which is just so much nicer than the old and unloved Madone. The Ultegra 6800 shifting is so buttery smooth and the braking is so much more reassuring-no regrets with the upgrade.

rholland1951

Thanks. I expect to learn a lot. With luck, I'll get a bike out of the deal...

rod

rholland1951

the pleasures of a new bike...

rod

jimmuller 

Get out while you can!

We spent a few day "up nawuth".



Spent much of today putting some finishing touches on this and then taking it around the neighborhood.

rholland1951

Jim, that's a beautiful bike. Tell us more...

rod

rholland1951

Rode out to Lexington before dinner, through the dark and bright bits, temperatures in the comfortable 30s. The weather was changing, but it hadn't changed yet.


I persist in regarding Lexington Center, as seen when emerging from the darkened Minuteman, as Emerald City. Not the silly digital rendering currently featured on NBC, but the real Emerald City, in Technicolor.


Taylor Lane winter lights: little tree, big tree.


On the ride out, this elegant little skating rink had been loud with kids practicing their hockey shots. By the time I returned, they were gone, presumably for a hot drink or a hot meal.


That seemed like a good idea, so I rolled home and had one myself.


rod

rumrunn6

this is the best DIY backyard rink I have ever seen. used to work at The Home Depot & sold lots of lumber for guys to build these. one friend tried it as well. this one takes the cake

jimmuller 

Well, one thing about winter is it gives you lots of time to "do stuff". In recent years I've enjoyed building up new bikes as winter projects but this year I told myself I don't need another bike. But if I did build another it would be another nice Italian racer, something else I didn't need. Then I saw this frame on ebay. So much for the "don't need" part.




It has a few features new to me, e.g. 130mm rear, braze-on FD mount. I built it up as an 8-speed with indexing DT levers. This is how it turned out, at least for now. A few details are possibly subject to change. A short test ride showed it to be (surprisingly) even quicker than the Grandis in the font end, softer than the Grandis over bumps, and seemingly easy to ride fast.



We notice this rink every time we ride by there and I've often wondered if it was being used. It's great to hear that it is!

Ghazmh

[QUOTE=jimmuller;19362759]Well, one thing about winter is it gives you lots of time to "do stuff". In recent years I've enjoyed building up new bikes as winter projects but this year I told myself I don't need another bike. But if I did build another it would be another nice Italian racer, something else I didn't need. Then I saw this frame on ebay. So much for the "don't need" part.




It has a few features new to me, e.g. 130mm rear, braze-on FD mount. I built it up as an 8-speed with indexing DT levers. This is how it turned out, at least for now. A few details are possibly subject to change. A short test ride showed it to be (surprisingly) even quicker than the Grandis in the font end, softer than the Grandis over bumps, and seemingly easy to ride fast.





That sure is nice looking! Was it a NOS or used frame?

jimmuller 

Thanks, Ghaz. No, not a NOS frame, definitely ridden but not seriously abused. It had a few spots which looked like rust but which turned out to be primer exposed. I had a tube of dark metallic blue touch-up paint that was a near perfect match! It actually looks darker in darker light but that outdoor shot make it look brighter at least on my computer screen.

rholland1951

Took the GT out for a spin this evening in the balmy (relatively speaking: 40s) tail-end of the thaw. The Minuteman pavement was completely clear, if not completely dry, in the Arlington and Lexington segments I rode. This leaves a good base surface to hold the new load of snow and ice tomorrow, when everything changes again.




It was a fine night for a ride, but I had the place to myself for minutes at a time. I speculate that this was because this morning's icy conditions discouraged some of the usual cadre of cycle commuters, so fewer were making the return trip.



rod

rumrunn6

so glad for your regular updates on the MM Rod. got some new studs, the old ones are shred, need to mount them & set the studs on dry pavement. was thinking I could get it all in last night. I bailed after finishing up a different bike & it's new tires. started dreaming about doing it all this morning. woke up late & just looked out the window at a big gust of snow squall ... hahaha can't be stuck in the house all day

Panza

I dont supposed the roads will clear up enough for me to do a ride up Mt. Greylock this weekend... *looks out my office window*

rumrunn6

someone on BF is gonna get out in it tho. buncha die hards around

Panza

My 29er was ready today. A lot of tail out drifting. Does surprisingly well over 6" or more of powder. Dropper seat really helps. Good thing I only live 2.1 miles away from work. Now I'm home and I can shovel the rest of my driveway...

rumrunn6

excellent! good man!

rholland1951

Bravo!

rod

rholland1951

Curiosity drove me to drive to work via a serpentine route that crossed the Minuteman at least twice in each of Arlington, Lexington, and Bedford. It appears that the Minuteman was plowed, to a first approximation, and to my eye appears ridable, at least with studs and knobbies. Some of the intersections have troublesome berms of plowed snow, with Meriam Street, Lexington, being the worst example I saw. Experience suggests that there may be other bad spots, but this first look was favorable.

rod

rumrunn6

what towns plow? Arlington & Lexington? if I remember correctly you once wrote that Bedford does not? I may ride it tomorrow but maybe I shouldn't park my car in Bedford ...

rholland1951

All three segments get plowed these days. The Bedford and Arlington segments are plowed by those towns' DPWs. The Lexington segment is plowed by a not-for-profit organization, Friends of the Lexington Bikeways. While various failure modes are possible, all three towns do a pretty good job, year in and year out.

rod

rumrunn6

sweet, thanks man

Panza

It's harder to ride through the snow now that the snow is harder. Yesterday I could get through 6" of powder easy because the snow was light and fluffy. The sun melted the snow some and it's heavier. When it's more than 8" and my tires cant dig to the bottom it's hard to ride. At least people are shoveling or snow blowing most side walks. (in Lowell).

Maybe I should try studded tires?

rholland1951

Studded tires are a good idea this time of year. The studs help with ice. Snow has more to do with tread shape, tread depth, and width/float.

Peter White's page on studded bicycle tires is worth a look. https://www.peterwhitecycles.com/studdedtires.php

rod

jimmuller 

Panza, nice pic! Where is that?

rumrunn6

road conditions were not great for cyclists. got lucky with the MM getting plowed so well