This weekend I picked up my new new bike, a Fuji Cross Comp. The other bike just wasn't stiff enough. To be fair, it was a huge frame and designed for comfort not rigidity. This one, however, is like a friggin' rock. I can't bend it at all, no matter how hard I crank on it, let alone enough to interfere with the derailleur. It's also got better components, bigger wheels, a bit different gearing (2×10 rather than 3×8), and it a kg or so lighter. It's a cyclocross bike, so it's got small gears and quasi-knobbies on it at the moment. Should have slicks and bigger rings this week sometime, at which time it's going to fly.
And in case it wasn't obvious, I love riding. ;) I haven't done anything seriously active for the past 7 years (I quit swimming in January 2000), and I didn't realize how much I'd missed it. Riding's nice, because you get fairly constant scenery changes (unlike the bottom of a pool), dynamic exertion from hills and such, and it's just so much fun work your way up a big hill and get to scream down the other side.
Hey cool, i practise MTB in Portugal…Go visit us at http://bttralhos.blogspot.com and see some trails from here…
U can translate the page to English at the sidebar button. You will see….
Excellent. Glad you made the change. Some day we should ride together.
Hammer time!!
Dodo,
You'll be here for a weekend. I've been going riding on Saturday mornings (though I missed this weekend), instead of sleeping in. Not to hot, but not too cold, and plenty of light.
Great idea. And you will be HERE for a week so bring your bike.
I'll get out the "gramma hammer."
Funnily enough I just tried to get on a bicycle after riding a ZX7R motorbike for years. I had a serious accident and my wife said no more bikes. So, in an attempt to get as near to motorbiking as possible, I decided to buy a mountain bike. I have to say I did not enjoy the experience. Just too slooow for me. Good luck to you guys though. At least you are much fitter than I am. :)