andygates

New bike! He's a Lemond Etape - alu frame, carbon fork, mixed Sora/Tiagra/Bontrager bits. Nice. Been used as a review bike so I got a discount that equated to the tri bars, TIme pedals and computer. Took him out for a tri-style spin yesterday and discovered some interesting things:

1) Tri bars are weird but yeah, they are comfy. They'd be more comfy if I didn't have to suck my belly up out of the way of my thighs.

2) Tri bars make you use your hams, glutes and lower back for power. I do not have this conditioning yet, and so today I ache. I use my quads. I use my quads a lot: I stand up, I deliver trod yea unto pedals, I don't do this hamstring spin lark. I am Quadzilla, hear me roar. So... I'll be doing hamstring work. Bah! Worth doing though: I can feel what the Kaiser-line churn-and-gurn could do for speed.

3) 9 miles / swim / 9 miles is hard enough without the pool being so full that there are thirteen people in the quietest lane. It was like a 50s Butlins or soviet holiday camp film. Bloomin' Swim4Free promotion!

4) I can set a bike up just right, just for me, first time. Ninja. And no, it's not excess, it's a 25th cycling anniversary present (!)

Of course he's got a name. My bikes all do. And yes, I wanted to give him something slick (behold the Dark Destroyer!) or silly (call me Bubbles, darling, everyone does) but he picked Meatloaf. Hm. Well, he's very American, retro to the 70s/early 80s when American road riding was cool, and me on a tri bike does have that Loafian mix of wild optimism and likely doom that fits. So Meatloaf it is. Whether I'll be riding like a bat out of hell or having a bad day - two out of three ain't bad - is another story.