I don't have my large ring in the front. I'm unsure as to why, but I imagine it needs an adjustment, no big deal... yet. I'll get that sorted out this weekend. It was rubbing hard in low gear, now I know why. It'll be a quick fix. I'll probably just take it to the LBS and grab a tube/chain/gels there for P2A ride.
The Heber ride was interesting yesterday. The trip from my house to the tip of Ashburn was 10km of uphill riding. The trip through Heber was over fire road which the bike seemed to handle and roll over pretty easily, and then some single track on a slight incline leading into a hill to get out. It was pretty wet and had a few slog sections to navigate through. I practiced picking my lines through the junk to make it as easy as possible. The CCX handled it all really well... but I noticed that the chain seemed to be rubbing the front derailleur no matter what gear I was in, I paid no mind to it and rode on.
There were some rolling hills and flat sections but no downs on the way out. You either were going up, or the road was flat and you were into a headwind. It was pretty leg sapping. I refused to foot down on a 2km hill at the end of the ride. I seriously started to get tunnel vision when I got near the top, though I recovered fast once I crested the hill. Once I hit the 10km mark I turned back.
Average speed was 18km/h on the way out. Decent, but nothing spectacular. Most hills were 12km/h climbing just spinning, but they're hills, and into the wind. I'm calling this victory.
Everything is now a downhill, and I have the wind at my back.... oh surprise when I topped out at 51km/h on the same hill that caused me to start seeing black rings. Average flat speed this time was 30km/h, I ripped through that section pushing hard through the flats and up some of the rollers, but I never let myself get under that pace. I did learn though that I cannot shift to my upper ring, and that when I tried, it straightened out and stopped rubbing, but wasn't on the top ring, and couldn't get there.
I turned back into the entrance in Heber and powered through the same section picking my lines and noting where my old ones were *I saw other bikers out, but they seemed to just stick to the double track areas*. Instead of taking the fire road section back out, I cut into the double track and took a shot at the Devils Den down hill section.
Riding a road bike through single track like that feels weird. Its fast sure, but then you feel like you're doing something silly.
Once you get back to the parking lot there's a good 700m climb to get back out, I rode that pro, and then finished off the last 3km back home at a really good pace.
Overall pace was 21km/h for the ride.
I never felt like giving up or turning around at all during the entire ride, and was kinda wanting to get more in, but the sun was going down. I'm still fighting night time, but at least I'm getting my distances in.
Tonight just a quick jaunt to get the legs warm. I'm going to take the Kona out this time and hit a few hills. I'm super pumped about riding this bike. Its just so simple, quiet, and stealth like that it appeals to me on so many levels.
Back to the CCX for another 20km jaunt on Thursday, then I think I'm going to Harmony on Saturday morning to ride some new stuff on the Kona.
Just getting some KMs in before P2A. Feeling crazy good lately, and though I get fatigued, I'm not destroyed... and after 20km I always feel like i can do more.
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