Before I get into the bike I should first explain about my imaginary friends. Late last year I joined a team of triathletes, runners, mountain bikers, gravel grinders, etc called Team Apex Multisport. They seem adept at convincing unsuspecting team members to compete in ridiculous events such as the Dirty Kanza, Ironmans, Iceman, etc. Unfortunately it was the end of tri season so the triathletes were finishing up their big races and going into hibernation. I ventured out to a few of the group mountain bike rides (a big step for me) and met some nice guys. I collected a group of 30 to 40 new Facebook friends, very few of whom I had actually met. Even those I had met weren't recognizable as I usually saw them from behind (I'm a terrible mountain biker and refuse to identify them by their spandex clad rear ends) or they were wearing helmet, sunglasses, kit, etc. Seeing as how I didn't know most of these new friends, my wife started calling them my imaginary friends. She has decided that once I actually meet them they can graduate to a real life friend. The constant discussion of whether or not someone is my friend makes me think of The Waterboy, but I digress... onto new bike day!
I've been keeping an eye on Craigslist the past few months to get an idea what used tri bikes go for and to see if there were any screaming deals. Unfortunately I lack the knowledge to know what things are worth so I posted on my team's Facebook page to see if my imaginary friends had any suggestions. Within minutes I had several offers in my inbox. One of them happened to be my size and about a third of what I thought I would have to pay, plus he offered to drop it off at work later that day (I'm impatient, so that was a big plus). I sat at my desk staring out the window for the next few hours, much like a kid trying to stay up and sneak a peak of Santa. Once he arrived we pulled it out of his trunk and it was love at first sight. She's a mid 2000's Specialized Transition Comp (aluminum) with a nice mix of Ultegra and 105 components. I named her Bean after my daughter (and sometimes training partner) who likes to yell "Shut up legs!" as loud as she can while I'm riding. I thought that might serve as motivation. After my imaginary turned real friend left (thanks again Mike!) I decided to provide some entertainment for my employees and ride the bike around the shop. I've been warned that tri bikes handle differently from road bikes and noticed a difference, mainly on sharp turns, but it wasn't as bad as I had expected. After a few laps around the shop accompanied by much laughter I gently laid her down in my car and proceeded to stare at the clock until it was time to leave. Once I got home I put on an old skewer (don't want to scratch up my lady), swapped out pedals, installed my speed and cadence sensor, and tossed her on the trainer for an emergency visit to the Sufferfest Doctor for a Rubber Glove examination (to set my FTP prior to the start of the Tour of Sufferlandria this weekend). I use virtual power instead of an actual power meter so FTP between bikes isn't really apples to apples. Regardless, my FTP went from 259 to 309, all of which is due to the increased aerodynamics of Bean the Bike. I know, I know, it was indoors on a trainer so aerodynamics don't count, right? Wrong! I had a fan on, ha!
I will always love my old Trek road bike, but she can't compete with a bike like this, even if they are almost the same age. It's like trading in a 2004 Chevy Cavalier for a 2006 Corvette... similar ages but light years apart. I was blown away at how much smoother the pedaling and shifting were and my wife was shocked at how much quieter it was (good bye creaky bottom bracket). I've only ridden her once so far but I feel safe in saying that this relationship will last a long time. I've been told she held the course record at a local time trial years ago, so gone are the days when I could blame the bike and not the engine for my shortcomings! She has taken away one of my biggest and best excuses, and for that I love her.
Here she is, minus the nicer race wheels. Speaking of race wheels, with the money I saved on the bike I can now afford a set... anyone know of a good pair of used race wheels?
Pretty!
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