On A New Chain

Around the same time that my GPS was replaced by Garmin (the previous unit was defective) I replaced my chain (the old chain was pretty well worn out). Well according to my GPS I have now logged almost 1900km. Which is remarkable because the replacement GPS arrived only a little over a month ago.

Now I have heard several schools of thought on bike chain replacement. One thought is measure the wear. Another school says, every thousand miles, yet another school says every three to four thousand kilometers.

I should insert here the part where I do confess to having a very fancy looking Park Tool made chain wear gauge. The problem with the gauge is it tends to predict that my chains are already stretched after just a couple hundred kilometers, so I have switched to the far more economical three to four thousand kilometers. Except, and here is a real kicker, I do half that distance every month! So I am supposed to replace a chain every two months from April to October? Ouch.

Hey speaking of Ouch, Floyd Landis the 2006 Tour cheater (I think he was busted for testosterone) is back in the saddle after his two year suspension. Landis is riding with team OUCH, and not doing anything impressive. Testosterone, it gets results! But the cycling journalist I mentioned earlier keeps hoping and specultating that Team RadioShack will pickup Landis. I guess Landis can get Lance an emergency supply if Contador and Schleck don't crash before next July? But are Landis' suppliers still in business?

Alright I am being really mean, but let's face it, here is a guy who was only a winner when he took drugs, why would anyone want him when presumably clean cyclists are out there for the choosing? Probably because Landis is American, Armstrong is American, get Lephiemer (an American) and Horner (American) on one team and you can really increase circultation numbers during the tour. Now the fans aren't cheering for Armstrong or Hincapie, they can cheer for Team America! Well I hope the Schleck boys clobber team America, heck I'd settle for a second... Oops, third, Contador win.

Anyway there was a tragic accident involving a cyclist and... Well obviously an automobile, guess who got killed. Except apparently the driver antagonized the cyclist who was drunk and physically threatened the driver, personally, I prefer to call the police, but then I ride sober. The whole story is a tragedy from top to bottom and to me only further illustrates why peak oil is a good thing that cannot happen soon enough.

In happier news, here are some pictures of me with and riding Alexandra. I must say, ever since Malcom at Biseagal worked his magic Alex has been one sweet ride.