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Friday, February 20, 2009

breaking my own rules

well not really my own rules. rules that i set down for other people. you know, the people that want to make changes to their bikes or gear the night before racing? yeah, you know who you are. changing saddles or gear cables or chains the night before a big event. it usually spells disaster.

never, ever do that. change things a week before, make sure you do some shake down rides, and leave the stuff alone!

eh, not me. i'll change stuff. i might even change it back. but if the idea hits me to change something, i MUST do it. call it OCD, call it insanity, call it dementia. if i think i should put on new parts or different parts before a race and i don't do it, it will drive me crazy!!! granted, i've been a self-taught bicycle mechanic since 1975 or so, and a pretty passable one since my buddy todd taught me the right way to do things since 1981 or so. given the time that i've been doing it, i feel pretty confident that what i do change will work solidly on race day.

so tonight i changed cranks, chain, and handlebars on the bike i intend to race on sunday. stupid? absolutely!

but i had to do it. my brain said so.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

One time, while sitting at the start line for the Kirkwood crit, I hopped off my bike and gave the rear der barrel adjuster a quick twist. Guys around me chortled, "Man, I wouldn't do that!"

My shifting sucked!

Chris said...

I'd never do anything like that to my own bike. However...Friday night, my buddy Scott wanted me to throw on new shifters and rear der before his first race. I declined to do so and settled for a rear Cannondale hub rebuild that when I got it apart was missing a loose ball bearing. I made due with pocket fuzz and saw dust though.

Pedal Brake Pedal by TK said...

ted, your shifting sucked because i didn't adjust it! chris, scott is lucky you weren't still drinking heavily or you may have put pegs on his bike and asked him how he was 'posed to ride without 'em!