Newness

Well, not quite my new mountain bike, but that is ACTUALLY here, just awaiting on some SRAM XX parts.  But, I did finally get myself a new road bike!

Rossetti Vertigo

Now, I realize, it’s not quite all that in the road cycling world, I mean look at it, where’s the carbon deep dish wheels?!  But it’s new to me and it’s been about 3 years since I’ve had a new road bike.  My road bikes tend to stick around on average about 3 years and are more workhorses than anything for me.  It would take me a while to list all the mountain bikes I’ve had but only a few lines to list the road bikes.

The bike isn’t anything special, open-mold Taiwanese frame, but it does have an integrated seat post.  Built up with SRAM Rival and currently some crappy shimano wheels (hopefully to be replaced with NoTubes soon).  I’ve also got a Quarq on it’s way, so for first time in a while I’m without power for a bit.  But with the low end gruppo, it comes in about 16.8 lbs  I’ll drop some weight swapping to the Quarq & also lose about a pound swapping wheels.

Not that the parts, name brand, etc are the big deal.  The fact is it just makes me excited to ride my bike again and get out there and train.  Now, this might be common place, but after riding a 7 model years old trek 5200; this thing just jumps when I pedal.  It actually feels like it goes forward and 1 out of every 3 pedal strokes aren’t wasted just pushing through the drivetrain.  So it makes me excited to climb hills, go on group rides, go for long MEGA* rides (*trademark/copyright of HeyoBH).

In fact got out this weekend with my Epic Teammates for the Gateway ride.  It was pretty much a regular NRC race this past weekend on the front group.  All the famous colors of teams and riders you see at the front of the big races were on the front of the group ride.  With the warmer weather it brought out loads of riders to test themselves against them up the infamous Carter Lake climb.

Regrouping at the top

It was good fun hard race to the top and I straggled in not too far behind, at least better than I have been.  So fitness is slowly climbing.  Aftereward turned around with Chris, Sam & Bryan and headed out on our own.  Our small group fought the wind to Lefthhand Canyon, then fought our fatigue and selves up to the top of Jamestown.

Bryan, Sam & Chris

I was dispatched about mile 7 of 9 and just couldn’t hold the pace any longer uphill.  By the time we rode up Lee Hill, I considered walking as it seemed a bit faster.  But all together it was a good ride with teamies.  The bad news is I found out why I was struggling and came down with a full blown cold.  Thought I had salvaged myself and fought it off, but ah well.  Nothing to do now but pop pills and try to recover in time to do it all over again this weekend.

Hopefully can get out today before the 80 mph gusts come and keep logging some new miles on the Newness!