Wednesday, June 16, 2010

I Have A Confession

This is hard for me to say after trumpeting the single speed horn for the last year but I've found recently that I really like gears. Gears on my bike are fun. Not because I can ride faster (unless it's a super fast course like the Big Ring Rumpus) but because I can climb slower. After this weekend's race, The Pinnacle, and a visit to the Camden Snow Bowl last evening I can safely say that lots of climbing, especially the super steep climbing at the bowl, is way more fun when you're not about to rupture a spleen mashing a much too high gear up a much too steep trail.

More gears equals less pain. Duh.


With that said, I do actually still enjoy the ss for most riding/racing, just not at the ski resort type courses. It just so happens, though, that I have three of those type races coming up in the very near future so it looks like those gears will be on for a bit longer. Fear not though, once the Snow Bowl race has come and gone, so will be the gears as I prep for the Bradbury 12 and my defense of the solo single speed category.

Speaking of 12 hour races, I got an e-mail about a potential new 12 hour race happening in Presque Isle this September. Presque Isle is a pant load and a half of driving away but damn is that course fun. Somehow we'll have to find a way to get a group there. Anybody want to join a two man ss team? (Laps?) It's a week before the Bradbury 12 so I can't imagine stacking two 12 hour solos together but six hours? That sounds like a good warm-up for Bradbury.

5 comments:

Pete said...

Rick, I'll set up my 29er as a SS and join your team for PI. You will, however, have to throw out any hopes of winning, making the podium or maybe even finishing...

rick is! said...

a week before a "must win" race for me will mean that I will just be looking to have fun. Bring it.

Anonymous said...

Rick said...'..I really like gears..' and Rick said....'Gears on my bike are fun.'.....
Just in case you missed it.
ha ha ha.......;-)
PS - SS steed joining my stable next year Rick.......

rick is! said...

but santa cruz doesn't even make a ss. how in the world is that going to work?

Anonymous said...

Um you converetd your Selma....I'm thinking of taking a leaf outta yr cyber book and doing a "jerry" (as jaman says) on a Santa Cruz....
or maybe not.
Perish the thought I may have to be bike bigamy like and bring another into my lurving circle of wheels...