New Bike!

[ridenread]

That is a gorgeous bike, and your shoes and gear match it so perfectly

[nscrbug]

Someone decided I needed a race bike. I had no idea he had ordered it until it showed up yesterday. And then I totally dropped him on the last climb of yesterday's ride.

I'm taking it up Diablo tomorrow, just to the Junction. It will be interesting to see how I feel doing it with a standard compact double and no mountain rear cassette. My Rivendell Legolas has a 46-33 in the front and 11 - 34 in the back. The Cervelo is a 50-34 and a 12 - 25 in the back. That means I've lost all my little gears. When I'm in the 34 - 25, it's comparable to being in the 46 - 34. Not that I've ever ridden in that gear, 'cause I'd be seriously cross chained.

Veronica

It took me awhile to get used to the 50/34 & 12-25 on my Cervelo. I'll have the bike a year, in May...and I still have trouble getting up some hills (and we don't even really have "hills" here in flatland IL!). If I end up keeping my Cervelo, I may have to think about getting an 11-28 rear cassette to give me a few more lower gears for climbing...as I have seriously used the 34/25 combination (GASP!) on several occasions.

[Selkie]

Thom is such a wonderful friend and husband! May you enjoy many happy, fast miles on your new ride.

[maillotpois]

Hey there - really curious to know how you liked the gearing after going up Diablo. I had forgotten your Legolas had such small gears, so that must really be a switch. Just wondering how it was.

This is of course partly selfish curiosity, because I am getting a compact (w/12-28 cassette, finally released this month) on my new bike. I did the whole team ride yesterday w/o going into the small chainring on my Colnago (triple) no problem (and that bike is set up w/a 29 small chainring for brevets so it is crazy small). But I suspect there will be some times I miss my easy gear in Death Ride and in training... Ft. Ross comes to mind.

Super long and tortured story as to why I finally went with the compact... Don't want to thread hijack.

Anyway, a further review would be appreciated!

[Chile Pepper]

oooh.... lovely bike! How did the climb go? It took me a while to get used to the compact double, and I was going from a standard double with only seven on the back. Change can be hard, even when it's an improvement.

[Veronica]

FREAKIN! AWESOME!!!!!!

We decided to ride Diablo today instead of yesterday.

I took two minutes off my PB from 2006 - 48:12 from the North Gate. I was pleased that the gearing was fine. I was able to stay in the saddle over Burma Rd. which is a 9% average grade. I was in the 34 - 25 for that part, but I was not in it the entire ride, which I had feared would be the case.

Bike descends like a dream. The handling is very similar to the Legolas. It does accelerate super fast though so I was on the brakes a little more than usual.

Veronica

[Veronica]

I put a bit of a write up on our website about the new bike. Follow the link below.

Veronica

[XMcShiftersonX]

Absolutely beautiful! Congratulations! Love the first picture! I love Cervelo's. I ended up getting an Orbea, but Cervelo was my other consideration! They're just beautiful bikes!

[jobob]

I did the whole team ride yesterday w/o going into the small chainring on my Colnago (triple) no problem

Please pardon the momentary thread hijack, everyone ...


I so freakin' hate you maillotpois!!!


Okay, that's all. Please carry on.

P.S. If you saw the goddamn ride we were on yesterday you'd hate her too.

[kacie tri-ing]

Gorgeous!!!!!! You look awesome and very fit on it! Go get those hills (and decents, and winds on a cervelo!!!)

[maillotpois]

yay! i am so glad the gearing and everything is working well for you.

eta: remember, my small is a 29 so I never really intended it for this sort of ride.