In a follow up to yesterday's post about this Mountain Bike race to be held next weekend in my town I decided to take a look at where I thought the race would be held if my assumptions were correct. However, I never made it. I spent some time Friday night working on the Qball - the goal, drop down to 20t. I got the wheel off last night and that was it.
Saturday morning, I ended up cleaning the chain in kerosene, wiping down the whole bike, cleaning out all the crud between the bash guard and the front sprocket and then putting it all back together. After some errands I went back to the Qball and added another link to the chain because after a little test ride, I thought the rear wheel was too far up and should be back a little more.
After making the necessary changes I got out. Didn't really notice much of a difference with the 20t but I wasn't really riding anything too steep or technical. Got out on the pipe line when I felt my cranks go slack and there was no chain! I backed up and found my chain. I brought everything with me except a chain too! So, I walked and coasted back home. Walking with those front cleats on is tough!
Got home, added another link back in and went for a test ride up the Brody Road at Upper Paugussett State Forest. I have so much power in my legs that I almost couldn't tell the difference between 22t and 20t, until that is I hit the Vomitorium. I felt it there and only made it half way. I probably should have strategized this climb a little better after Tropical Storm Hanna and the seven inches of rain we got because there was a pretty good sized washout running down the center of the fire road here - right down the fall line!
I probably should have gotten to the other side much sooner because getting over the washed out section took a lot of my momentum away and lost more to make the slight course correction back up hill sapped more momentum caused me stall out. There will be a next time and atleast my chain withstood the climb. At the turn off to the Mulikin Trail I shot this little video.
I probably should have gotten to the other side much sooner because getting over the washed out section took a lot of my momentum away and lost more to make the slight course correction back up hill sapped more momentum caused me stall out. There will be a next time and atleast my chain withstood the climb. At the turn off to the Mulikin Trail I shot this little video.
As you saw in the video, who should come riding up the other side but my friend Rob.
1 comment:
quick tip - adding chain links - I add link(s) to chain by using an extra master link and links left over from initial chain fitting. To add one link grab a master link and an inside link and attach to the existing chain at the chain's master link. I use sram 8spd quick links for the master link. the sram quick link works with shimano chains too.
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