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Today January 2021

@Half-Fast Mike are you still using that Macpro?
I got a MacMini about a year ago, plus an external thunderbolt drive case. The Pro is still here, but I never need it. At this time of year I kinda miss its secondary function as a forced-air furnace when using Chrome browser, but was happier over the summer. And I don't miss the glitchy Bluetooth card one bit.
 
Yesterday's attempt to ride was thwarted by a 6 year old.
But this morning I grabbed a bike to commute to work. :D
The good - I rode a bike.
The bad - when applying any pressure to the pedals, there is an odd sensation under my kneecap.
The other bad - first ride of the year involved lots of frost and ice on the road. Glad I grabbed a MTB as the low pressure and wide tire handled the frost and some ice with ease. Other ice I just held my breath as i cruised over it.

The test will be the 8% climb to get home. I will just put the bike in low gear and enjoy being on a bike vs driving.
32x46 will get me up nice and slow...
 
32x46! it's proper rock-climbing gear that! nice... (for the record, I got 30x34 for my sorta-rarely-a-bit-off-road bike, so not that far really)
 
continuing with a friend's trek fx 7.2 overhaul.

square taper bottom bracket taken out, cleaned the 68mm shell. was planning to go to the local y's road and order from there (and leave the task of checking for a compatible bb to them) but wanted to minimize the covid risk so checked on amazon. broke out my cheap and cheerful plastic caliper, did the measurements and fortunately found an equivalent.

also took a look at the brakes/shifter shimano st-ef51-l, found out that i had to unscrew the top to replace the shifter cable; will do this later.

sorry for the pedantic post, but somehow bike building is relaxing for me :) i hope it is for you too!
 
32x46! it's proper rock-climbing gear that! nice... (for the record, I got 30x34 for my sorta-rarely-a-bit-off-road bike, so not that far really)

I'll raise you 40 x 42 on mine!

Although the big dog on the TT bike is 55 x 11 so not ready for retirement just yet!

Andy
 
My next setup will be geared even lower. You would think there is no need.... but then when you find a way through things you used to not be able to ride, you find new things to not ride.... grrr... Nature of the beast I guess.
 
The good news from yesterday - I was able to head up the hill without issue. I stayed in a comfortable gear and just headed up nice an easy.
4 lower gears to spare... just in case. Ultimately there was no discomfort - but I kept everything in check.
I rode into work this morning as well. The issue with the kneecap yesterday did not creep up today - so hoping this is a good sign.
I intend to get my Zwift setup going again so I can get some miles in on the trainer.

I am cautiously optimistic about riding.
I am waiting for the Drs Appt before making any commitments to speed or climbing.
 
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@bloaker great to read that. Who knows maybe you won't need surgery and can work your way around with a brace and rehab. I'm guessing a partial tear somewhere. If you played a running sport they would recommend reconstruction but with a less athletically dynamic sport you may be fine, let's hope so.
 
Day 3 of commuting in and all three days have been on different bikes - but all low geared bikes.
No issues to note except... standing and giving it a bit extra isn't really in the cards.
There is discomfort behind my knee and I will just have to stay away from it until I can confirm there will be no future damage/issues caused by it.
I will admit - even at the lower pace - there past three days on the bikes have been quite enjoyable.
 
New Wheel Day!!!
"Aggressor" tyres belong on a "Culprit" frame. Don't let your socks say "Defeet", and keep everyone guessing with an "Unindicted Co-Conspirator" helmet.

(Yes, I made up one of those.)

And I love the green spokes.

If I were "tiling" (or for that matter even strava-ing), then yesterday I wouldn't have got any new ones. But I did revisit some favourites that were starting to fade from my memory.


My preferred Yabitsu ride is to go here and there (or indeed hither and yon), then south to Yabitsu, and then south from Yabitsu to "Katsuichi" (burp!) in Hadano station building, and finally home the easy way. But a good second is east to west, as shown here. The 5 km west of Yabitsu are particularly scenic; the descent therefrom is very steep and long, and conventional wisdom would suggest that my dependence on rim brakes (shudder!) was dicing with death, but it didn't seem that way to me.

I'd intended to ride home via Hashimoto and Onekan, but when I got to Isehara I was knackered so I took the train as far as Noborito. After stuffing my face with sweet junk food from Famima, I got a "second wind" (or perhaps it was just a tailwind) and whizzed downstream at what for me is a high speed.
 
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