Sunday, March 29, 2009

One Thing

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Sometimes you need that "One Thing" to help you keep it all together. It might be completely psychosomatic, like Dumbo's feather, but it still works. As long as you hold it, the rest of the chaos doesn't seem so troubling.

When I went to bed Friday night, I knew only one thing about the coming weekend---I was going to ride my bike Saturday morning for three hours. I had a brand new bike that had never been ridden, the weather was dry (for a change), and the rest of the weekend might well be given over to managing an emergency legal project with too many cooks in the kitchen and lots of moving parts.

But they can wait. Saturday morning for three hours is mine. And that helped a lot.

And The One Thing did not disappoint.

I had spent stolen hours during the week putting her together with the help of Phil Shama of Shama Cycles. Even though his main line of business is selling and fitting high end, custom bikes to people, not giving over part of his shop to instruct a cheapskate in how to assemble a bike, he believes to his core that sustainable and profitable businesses are built on relationships. So, when I asked, he was pleased to show me some wrenching basics and talk me through assembling the lions' share of the parts and components.

I was also pleased to buy the components needed to finish the bike from him, as well as a bike fit, and likely anything I'll need for either of my bikes well into the future.

The bike is an all carbon, RS2 from from Pedal Force with a SRAM Red Gruppo, SRAM S40 wheels, and weight weenie pedals, bars and stem I got from Shama Cycles.

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The bars are particularly nice because they are narrower than most stock bars and fit my torso and shoulders better than any bike I've ever ridden.

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By the end of the week, we had a bike that weighed only slightly more than 15 pounds--barely legal.

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But we also had a deluge of rain so I couldn't ride it, and we had an appellate emergency in Corpus Christi that threatened the entire weekend.

But three hours on Saturday morning were mine. The weather was cold and very windy, but riding the new bike was still a pleasure. She responded immediately to the pedals without feeling whippy, and gave a great feel of the road while still feeling smoothe. The SRAM wheels sliced the wind and dampened the road vibrations. The SRAM Red shifters and compact cranks were magical, clicking precisely into the chosen gears and making me feel I had power to burn.

Phil's bike fit was also perfect. And at the end of three hours the bike was still charging to the top of hills instead of throwing out an anchor to stop me, and I was fresh enough to keep going.

And I will keep going, as soon as I save some defendants from a bandit trial judge in South Texas.

But now, what to name her. She won't tell me her name yet, but as you can see, she's nearly all black, sleek, with red accents, climbs and accelerates like a bird of prey, and is silent as a whisper on the roads. But what is her name?

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13 comments:

Anonymous said...

So glad you got your 'one thing'... and I hope everything else calms down this coming week.

Spokane Al said...

Wow - that is one pretty bike. It looks fast just sitting there against your red wall.

P.S. If this was Slowtwitch I would need to comment on your missing electrical outlet cover.

christyboh said...

Pretty. That is funny, I just put the red group on my bike...the race wheels went back on for next weekend, and hey, if I can't be fast, I am at least going to look good :)

Kim said...

wow she is a beaut. looks lightning fast. cant wait for her to scream out her name to you!

21stCenturyMom said...

Bike love - there's nothing quite like it.

Clearly she is the lady in red but unfortunately that turns out to be a cheesy song so maybe her name is Ruby. And maybe not.

CoachLiz said...

I think I may have my work cut out for me in a few weeks to keep up with you on the way to Smithville.

Trisaratops said...

That is one hawt ride!

Hope the week calms down for ya.

Carrie said...

vixen

Jamie said...

Giggle.
You said "barely legal."
giggle.

She is pretty hot looking. I approve.

Trihardist said...

Thanks, Jamie. My brain never would have gone there if not for you.

Bird of prey, hmm? Maybe you have to name her after a bird of prey. Falcon is "Arakos" in Greek. Erica?

Jumper 2.0 said...

Or Belle for beauty!

Benson said...

Wow!
she is one beautiful sexy bike.
one of a kind.
take care of her and she'll take care of you...

Tiggs said...

ooohhhhh bike porn!

I vote for Ruby!!