onionbagblog
It's All About the Bike
There was actually a bit of a gap in my bike collection: two fixies, one pure track and a hybrid. What's a boy on a bike supposed to do when he wants to disappear around the country lanes of Kent at the weekend?
Buy a new road bike, of course.
And so here we have a Giant ONCE frame; an integrated headset, bladed forks and bloody lovely to look at.
Never let it be underestimated the power in having a personal bike mechanic. The boys in Brixton are great, but I found fixed gear gold when Bob (of Bob's Bicycles) and I became best buddies. I put plenty of business his way each month; the odd wheel realignment here, a new crank there, a personal recommendation for every kid Somewhere in SE17 to bypass Halfords and help keep my personal bike mechanic of choice in business.
In return, Bob knew that one day he would get a bike sale out of me. That day came during the first week of the New Year when the dirty deed took all of fifteen minutes to transact. Jobs a good 'un, especially with a generous discount somewhere in the region of £300. Bob knows it's a false economy. I'll only spend the money saved with him over the coming months.
And so in honour of @lancearmstrong, please allow me to introduce to you, um, Lance. With a livery of yellow, and what with Lance returning to the saddle once again next week, there really couldn't be any other name.
Chapeau!
Lance and I went out for a quick spin Friday afternoon. It's not often I get to say that. Nothing too demanding - a quick climb of Le Col de Crystal Palace, up Lordship Lane and then back down Brixton Hill. Forty-five minutes tops.
The frame is incredibly responsive for a road bike, giving a ride that feels more like a spin around the velo on a track bike. I've felt let down by road bikes in the past, feeling the stiffness of the frame and suffering with a very unforgiving ride. Not so on Lance. It's looser than the knicker elastic on a tart's G-string.
Enjoy the ride.
I'm one up, one down on the original wheelset. I suspect the Giant back wheel went for a walk with some bike thief scum at some point. No worries. The front has a light feel - perfect for cornering. I'm quite pleased with the extra weight I'm carrying at the back. At least it should guarantee that I have two wheels making contact with the road at all time.
Bob sorted me out with some new Shimano SPD's ('we'll talk about the cash whenever...') and I insisted on a pair of Armadillos, what with being particularly crap at puncture repair, and all that.
The plan is to join the regular ride with the Dulwich Paragon early each Saturday, which will bring us round to the track at Herne Hill opening again in the summer. I love a full morning spent in the saddle, but I'm crap at planning routes.
If @lancearmstrong can compete on Le Tour at the grand old age of thirty-eight, there's hope left for a veteran like me as I take on Le Col de Crystal Palace.
Chapeau!
technorati: road bike, lance armstrong
| Friday 16 January, 2009 |
There was actually a bit of a gap in my bike collection: two fixies, one pure track and a hybrid. What's a boy on a bike supposed to do when he wants to disappear around the country lanes of Kent at the weekend?
Buy a new road bike, of course.
And so here we have a Giant ONCE frame; an integrated headset, bladed forks and bloody lovely to look at.
Never let it be underestimated the power in having a personal bike mechanic. The boys in Brixton are great, but I found fixed gear gold when Bob (of Bob's Bicycles) and I became best buddies. I put plenty of business his way each month; the odd wheel realignment here, a new crank there, a personal recommendation for every kid Somewhere in SE17 to bypass Halfords and help keep my personal bike mechanic of choice in business.
In return, Bob knew that one day he would get a bike sale out of me. That day came during the first week of the New Year when the dirty deed took all of fifteen minutes to transact. Jobs a good 'un, especially with a generous discount somewhere in the region of £300. Bob knows it's a false economy. I'll only spend the money saved with him over the coming months.
And so in honour of @lancearmstrong, please allow me to introduce to you, um, Lance. With a livery of yellow, and what with Lance returning to the saddle once again next week, there really couldn't be any other name.
Chapeau!
Lance and I went out for a quick spin Friday afternoon. It's not often I get to say that. Nothing too demanding - a quick climb of Le Col de Crystal Palace, up Lordship Lane and then back down Brixton Hill. Forty-five minutes tops.
The frame is incredibly responsive for a road bike, giving a ride that feels more like a spin around the velo on a track bike. I've felt let down by road bikes in the past, feeling the stiffness of the frame and suffering with a very unforgiving ride. Not so on Lance. It's looser than the knicker elastic on a tart's G-string.
Enjoy the ride.
I'm one up, one down on the original wheelset. I suspect the Giant back wheel went for a walk with some bike thief scum at some point. No worries. The front has a light feel - perfect for cornering. I'm quite pleased with the extra weight I'm carrying at the back. At least it should guarantee that I have two wheels making contact with the road at all time.
Bob sorted me out with some new Shimano SPD's ('we'll talk about the cash whenever...') and I insisted on a pair of Armadillos, what with being particularly crap at puncture repair, and all that.
The plan is to join the regular ride with the Dulwich Paragon early each Saturday, which will bring us round to the track at Herne Hill opening again in the summer. I love a full morning spent in the saddle, but I'm crap at planning routes.
If @lancearmstrong can compete on Le Tour at the grand old age of thirty-eight, there's hope left for a veteran like me as I take on Le Col de Crystal Palace.
Chapeau!
technorati: road bike, lance armstrong
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