20 May 2011 - 8:59Thursday Night Rides

It was a small turn out for the shop ride this Thursday, just Nat, M2 and I from the regular crew were present, but we did also have 2 new faces, one of them a girl! We don’t normally have girls riding with us on the Thursday ride, not because they aren’t allowed, but probably because they are intimidated by our stunning good looks and bulging muscles. I hope the trend continues, most of the girls I know ride better than a lot of the guys that show up on Thursday.

Because of the continuous rain, we opted for a gravel road ride. I proposed a trip up Camel’s Hump Rd. It’s a nice out and back from the shop, and puts you in some of the more scenic “wilder” areas we have available locally. The climb up is pretty stiff, but totally doable on a singlespeed without blowing an eyeball out.

I used this ride as an opportunity to test out The Gozarian. I’ve never ridden a bike with couplers before, so I wasn’t really sure what to expect. I was pleased to find that I didn’t notice them at all. I made every effort to hit every pothole I could on the ride, anything I could to put as much abuse on the frame that a gravel road ride can (which isn’t a whole lot). I did however remember why I love the feel of steel. The SIR is so smooth! Having a Ti post helped a lot, but damn that bike is buttery! Steering isn’t quite as RIGHT NOW as the A9C, but it is still really good, and didn’t make me want for anything more.

My next ride will have to be in the woods, but I’m gonna need it to stop raining for a bit.

I also checked out my fancy new clothes from Club Ride Apparel – I don’t always need to be tight and bright. I was wearing the Nut Head, and Car-Go-Away short. I love this stuff, ever since I got my first jersey I was hooked on the product. The fit of the jersey is baggy without feeling like you are swimming in it, and the technical fabric does an excellent job of wicking away perspiration. It was pretty humid for not being that hot on our ride, and the grind up the hill made for a lot of sweating. I was comfortable the entire time. The vent panels are really nice too.

The shorts were excellent. They feature a removable liner which you can also use in the Half Rack knicker (I’ve been wearing this item casually for the last week – LOVE IT), and same stretchy outer material as the jerseys that wick sweat away. Not once did they bunch up or get caught on my bike. Fit is excellent, and can be tailored perfectly with the side adjustment cams to dial in the waist.



The best part about the Club Ride stuff, is after you get off the bike, and go someplace, let’s say the Alchemist, for post ride refreshment, you don’t look like a tool in your cycling costume. Although, it is not uncommon to see this sort of thing in Waterbury on any given night, so it’s sort of normal around here.

So, if it’s the end of the world, I hope you had a good life, if it int, I’ll see you Monday. Have a great weekend!