I ran a bit. I didn't want to over do it though. I start coughing when my heart rate gets in the 150's. Also, my heart rate elevated more easily when I was running up the hills. So if my heart rate got to 160 I just shut it down and walked until it went back down. My purpose was just to get out of the house and do something productive. I will go out again tomorrow for a similar time--maybe a bit longer.
Friday the weather is supposed to turn nice finally so I am going on a longer ride. I plan on going out to Hagg Lake and doing some laps there. The goal is a nice 40 mile ride. DTP is coming and so he will be the one that keeps me from going too fast and pushing it too much. I will still be recovering from this illness then I am sure, but I gotta get some time on the saddle.
The shop is going to start carrying Kestrel. I am not sure what to think of them. Fuji is now doing the manufacturing which means that they should be more dependable. But, I think they are sort of ugly. But the EP deal would be good. The fuji fits ok, but not perfect. It rides really nice though and I have almost fixed the fit issue. But if I replaced the Fuji, I would only do so with another carbon bike. I am sold on have a carbon bike for road. The ride is so nice. Not as good as steel maybe, but then the carbon is lighter and the tube shapes are better for aerodynamics during tri's.
GT Zaskar
Also, will someone please let GT know that the Triple Triangle is stupid, useless, outdated, outmoded, and out of style. It is at this point form over function. A fellow bought a carbon GT Zaskar today from us. Very nice except for the extra material in it used to make that little triangle at the seattube/seatstay/top tube juction. It is just stupid. It is as if they think no one will buy a GT without it. Hell, I won't buy one because of it at this point. Especially on a flipping carbon frame. The designers of a carbon frame have so many options on tube shapes and frame design shapes that they are somewhat freed from the conventional wisdom of frame design. Here they are doing the triple triangle when it makes absolutely no functional sense. It is purely a fashion statement or something used to make sure that people know it is a GT without even looking at the label, since GT is the only one inane enough to do it these days. The thing is, the bike was very smartly spec'd and will surely be a sweet ride. But I am hung up on this one aspect and it ruins it for me. That and the fact that it is a 26er instead of a 29er.
I mean, it certainly can't be for strength that they do it. The frame would be plenty strong with out it I am sure. And since it is a monocoque frame, there aren't the same benefits that come from have those longer seatstay tubes. I am not an engineer, but I just can't see any reason to continue this holdover from the 1980's. Will someone please convince me otherwise?
Another thing about the guy that bought it--he had no idea what he was getting. He just wanted a nice bike. He just put some silly flat pedals on the thing. He said that he didn't go for these "clipless pedals thingys", he couldn't see why they have caught on...yeah really he said that. He didn't know XTR from Deore. No wonder he bought a bike that still uses the stupid bike with the triple triangle.
Feedback from Sentamentality Post
Some folks were surprised and slightly sickened about the number of bikes I have had.
Yes, it is true I am the Shawn Kemp of bike owners, but in my case it has been a good thing. I mean just about all of those bikes were purchased at wholesale or EP pricing so I didn't lose much on them. And think of the joy those who bought my discarded bikes have had. They usually all got great deals and got a well cared for bike. It is like I have been performing a great service if you think about it. It is not as crazy as one might think.
I thought of a couple of more bikes that I left out, by the way.
1992 Schwinn High Plains
2004 Trek 4600 (commuter bike)
2007 Fisher Rig (how bad is it that I forgot a bike I had just last year)
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