Today was bike prep round one. Two new tires and a new chain, 9 days before departure. Basically, if the new chain has a crap pin and snaps, I want that to happen rolling up Dexter on my commute this week, not in BFE Idaho. Ditto one of the beads in the new tires not being quite right. Buuuuut I also don't want to run a 2500 mile chain or 1500 mile tires, because then I'd be nervous they'd wear to the point of failure.
I also commuted with the new pannier setup today (a Tailfin T1 with two bags). I have... mixed feelings. Let's start by saying that the Tailfin setup is fantastic. I mean really great. My issues are/were basically as follows:
-- I only took one bag this morning. So the bike leaned slightly to the right, and I compensated slightly, and ugh. By the end of a 60 minute stretched commute, I felt a little off. I'm getting old, and am suddenly hypersensitive to fit issues; leaning the bike half a degree over seems to count as a fit issue. Lesson learned; take both bags. This is basically a physics problem; asymmetrical weight will lean the bike no matter what.
-- I'd forgotten how much differently the bike moves when you double its weight. It's more or less unnoticeable when you're spinning along in the saddle, but... Snapping the bike back and forth out of the saddle is terribad. Over about 50 RPM and it just feels leaden. So, no town line sprints on the ride, TYVM. Again, physics; 40 pound bikes don't snap side to side.
-- Vaguely related: The Tailfin setup seems to oscillate side to side at about the frequency I use for a trackstand. So, between the weight and the slosh, trackstanding feels pretty damned terrible. Doable, but terrible. This one might be worse with the Tailfin specifically, because I'm guessing that the harmonics there are rack-specific--but the trackstand cadence is pretty personal, so it might just be me.
-- Also, moving the bike around when you're not actually riding it is harder. You can't just casually shift the rear wheel anymore, and picking up the whole bike is awkward. Again, physics. 40 pounds is way heavier than 18 pounds. Also it's off balance because it's at the back.
All of that said: The setup is really great. The whole thing installed without tools (save a phillips screwdriver to assemble the bag hardware) in about 5 minutes, and it feels absolutely rock solid. No rattles, no sway, no nothing. And let's be super-clear: I have no intention of wearing a 25 pound backpack for 6 hours a day for a week. So, the pannier setup is definitely a go, and I'll keep commuting with my backpack for the foreseeable future. And since Kate HATES riding with a backpack, I'm guessing she'll inherit the Tailfin after the wedding.
Remaining bike to-dos: Charge the Di2 battery, find a decent hand pump (to supplement CO2, just in case), and replace my cleats. Probably some new water bottles, too.
I also commuted with the new pannier setup today (a Tailfin T1 with two bags). I have... mixed feelings. Let's start by saying that the Tailfin setup is fantastic. I mean really great. My issues are/were basically as follows:
-- I only took one bag this morning. So the bike leaned slightly to the right, and I compensated slightly, and ugh. By the end of a 60 minute stretched commute, I felt a little off. I'm getting old, and am suddenly hypersensitive to fit issues; leaning the bike half a degree over seems to count as a fit issue. Lesson learned; take both bags. This is basically a physics problem; asymmetrical weight will lean the bike no matter what.
-- I'd forgotten how much differently the bike moves when you double its weight. It's more or less unnoticeable when you're spinning along in the saddle, but... Snapping the bike back and forth out of the saddle is terribad. Over about 50 RPM and it just feels leaden. So, no town line sprints on the ride, TYVM. Again, physics; 40 pound bikes don't snap side to side.
-- Vaguely related: The Tailfin setup seems to oscillate side to side at about the frequency I use for a trackstand. So, between the weight and the slosh, trackstanding feels pretty damned terrible. Doable, but terrible. This one might be worse with the Tailfin specifically, because I'm guessing that the harmonics there are rack-specific--but the trackstand cadence is pretty personal, so it might just be me.
-- Also, moving the bike around when you're not actually riding it is harder. You can't just casually shift the rear wheel anymore, and picking up the whole bike is awkward. Again, physics. 40 pounds is way heavier than 18 pounds. Also it's off balance because it's at the back.
All of that said: The setup is really great. The whole thing installed without tools (save a phillips screwdriver to assemble the bag hardware) in about 5 minutes, and it feels absolutely rock solid. No rattles, no sway, no nothing. And let's be super-clear: I have no intention of wearing a 25 pound backpack for 6 hours a day for a week. So, the pannier setup is definitely a go, and I'll keep commuting with my backpack for the foreseeable future. And since Kate HATES riding with a backpack, I'm guessing she'll inherit the Tailfin after the wedding.
Remaining bike to-dos: Charge the Di2 battery, find a decent hand pump (to supplement CO2, just in case), and replace my cleats. Probably some new water bottles, too.
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