Ride to Restore (In)Sanity: Build.

Now that the garage door works properly, the box of bike parts is organized, Bi's tail lights work properly, as well as Bi now having a clean and oiled chain, and a bell to politely request people to get out of my way, I can chill and blog.

Wasn't Sunday supposed to be the day of rest?

Friday, after work, I rode to Absolute to pick up a few things, a disc brake for Tri being one of them. Along the way, I ran into Exe and Su, on their way to the bark park. Plans were changed, and we all went to Absolute, where stuff was bought, including the disc brake for Tri. We ride home, Su setting the pace. As Exe takes Su out for her post ride business, I pop open the box containing the disk brake for Tri, to see if the rotor matched the one already on Tri.

It seems I am rather obsessed with this disc brake for Tri. I think you can see where this is going.

Imagine my surprise when I found, instead of the disc brake for Tri, a pair of old, dirty, Tektro V-brakes. For Tri.

A call to Absolute was made, and after laughing about it and checking the stock, I was assured that a disc brake for Tri would be waiting on the special order shelf, with my name on it, and I told Anthony, the manager, that I would likely be in tomorrow to pick it up.

After the ordeal, I wandered out to the garage, where I proceeded to make Exe's new Ogre rideable before calling it quits for the night. Though, we did get some very TRON-esque shots of test-riding the Ogre in the street before hanging it up for the night.

Saturday comes around, and I wander out to the garage  with the intent of finishing the Ogre, putting the rack and fenders on it, then riding to Absolute. But Exe said nay nay, that I should finish up the Austro-Daimler first.

...I can get behind that.

 A couple hours, a spin on the rollers for adjustments, and this is what I wound up with:

Spot the Su!

And then I took it outside.

In Motion!

So worth the wait.

I'll have to put together a bike porn post of it, but here's a teaser:

Mandatory garage door shot.

DING!

After assembling the Austro-Daimler, Exe and I finished off the Ogre, took pictures, and proceeded onward to Absolute on our new bikes. Once there, breezes were shot, bikes were shown off, and my disc brake for Tri was indeed waiting for me, with my name on it. (This time I opened the box.) They really liked both our bikes at the shop. After the bike shop, I split off and took Lonetree and J.W. Powell home, to get a feel for the Austro-Daimler at speed, on hills, and to see what a 52 tooth chainring can do.

How was it?

There is something to be said about classic steel framed bikes. It's very solid and stable feeling, but the ride isn't harsh. It's quick and responsive, but it's not overly twitchy. And despite the steel frame, it is surprisingly lighter than STeve or Tri, which is very odd feeling to me. It accelerates like a rocket, and when I run out of the gear I'm in, I can shift up and keep accelerating! I'm used to heavy singlespeeds, I just can't get used to this. Gears, who'd a' thunk it?

In Tanzania, Josh is laughing at me.

All that said, there are some... oddities to get used to. Down tube shifters for one. I have no complaints about them, it's just a little... "Ehhn..." to reach down and move the levers to shift when you're cruising at speed. As I said, something to get used to, and I have no plans on changing to bar-ends or STI levers.

All this getting used to will have to wait. Today it was cold, windy and snowy off and on all day. While the weather is supposed to be better tomorrow, I'm a little wary of taking it out on long rides just yet. Cinders and salt and water on the roads don't mix too well with steel road bikes, and while I did treat the inside of the frame to prevent rust, I'd rather not try my luck. But it'll get ridden, and ridden a lot soon enough. Yesterday's test ride was just a taste, and more than enough to make waiting 5 months to ride it worth it.

As yet, it still doesn't have a name.

Mileage: None today, about 9 yesterday.