On Limiting Screws

Its an odd thing for me to consider, I don't take anything I write at all seriously because when my tongue isn't planted very firmly in cheek I am almost sure to regret what I said in under 20 minutes, or even more likely both. On the other hand, with some reflection on what I have written and what has happened recently I understand why I said some of the things I have said. I am not pleased with what I wrote, but at least I understand why I wrote it. There was immaturity enough for all, my regret is being a party to any of it. Other people can behave like children but I would prefer to hold myself to a higher standard. That said recent remarks I have made here and in other places were really callous, insulting, and frankly not worth the neurons, or electrons that went into them. For those things and to those people I have offended I am profoundly sorry.

There, having taken that off my chest, Lesley told me that she liked the name Alexandra for the new tri-bike, the best I could counter with is Abigale. So from now on the Specialized Transition is Alexandra. And for those of you who think I am crazy to name a bike, well good guess, I am certifiable!

Anyway ever since I got Alex I had a real struggle to shift to the big chain ring. Downshifting was easy, and the cassette was fine but I had a real fight to get the chain on the big ring. First I tried the obvious, I tensioned the cable. No I didn't just tension the cable, I tensioned the cable so much it bent the derailleur hanger. After much fidgeting with the limiting screws I finally clued in on the funny angle the derailleur was on.

Even with all the adjusting, the gearing is still not perfect, I cannot go from 39 to 53 on the chain ring if I am on anything much bigger than 16 on the cassette. But then really how many bikes actually let you get away with that sort of oblique angle in the first place. Also, the 27 ring on the cassette is a little misbehaved when on the 53 ring, no surprise there obviously. All that said, I am eager to take Alex out for here paces and see how well she works on the road with a corrected gearing. I am thinking of doing a very un-time-trialish spin North to New Market and then home by way of Souffville. (Total distance is over 130km and lots of nice big rollers en route.)

Lesley is going out next week, so my Brother, Sister-in-law and I are planning on going for a little bike ride. For my brother's birthday I took my dad's old steel frame that he bought in, I think 1970 or 1971 and did some major repairs to it. The bike is a Coppi, (the reason I got a Coppi in 1994 is because that is what dad had since before I was born), the tubular wheels were replaced with clinchers, the cables were replaced (not a trivial task with no barrel adjusters) the chain lubed and holes and a water bottle cage added to the downtube. That old steel frame can sure take a beating though, it took an experienced metal worker quite an effort to put the holes in the downtube for the water bottle cage. Remarkably the chain was still good, one nice thing about a six speed chain, it is so wide it takes an insane effort to wear it out, but friction shifting is nowhere nearly as nice as index shifting and I don't care what old school cyclists say, I love my index shifters.

This Friday I am going to try to do about 140km, then Saturday I'd like to get 40 or 50km in, with my brother and sister-in-law, finally Sunday I'd like to try to pack in another 100km. Not as ambitious as last August, but then the season is just starting, 300km in three days though, not to shabby, if I can do it.