A couple of things before I get to the meat of this one –
This is about biking, specifically my new bike, and because I spend up to two hours a day on my bike; well let’s just say that she doesn’t have a name…but…she…does seem to have just acquired a gender.
This is about statistics, which is a thing some people who get freaked out about their bikes do. Not all bike freaks do…well for that matter I wouldn’t have considered myself a bike freak in the truest sense of the word except that I have just spent 10 minutes thinking and talking about how I am going to describe to all of you Mermaid lovers just how cool my new bike is, new bikes are in general, and thinking of a clever way to entreat you to read this post anyway.
Oh, and I will be prattling on about statistics related to my bike.
Let’s move on.
This morning I was paying close attention to an unexplained shimmy after about 32-34mph coasting downhill. When I hit 37.8 without a single shimmy** and then proceeded to hit every green light through Renton (NEVER HAPPENS!!!) I decided
This is a good day for a record attempt
** Grumpy may be disappointed to hear this considering how much fun he was having talking about ‘lateral elasticity’ but I am not saying it is MIA just yet. The only difference between yesterday and today is I re-inflated my tires to their proper psi (110) and finally figured out how to properly inflate the head shock. It may have been darn near flat before – I have no way of knowing. Also, I was paying close attention to it…that always makes problems disappear.
I stop at the airport for a shot of albuterol (just in case) and mumble something challenging to myself at a passing rabbit commuter. I caught him at the north end of the airport.
The headwind down Rainier nearly sunk me, that and my left hamstring was troubling me but being the freak scientist that I am I tarried on. Well that and last night I just read that part in the Call of The Wild to La Grande Mermaid where Buck wins his masters foolish bet by breaking a 1000 lb sled loose from the ice and dragging it 100 yards by himself.
Gee!
Haw!
MUSH!!
So I couldn’t give up on a count of a little wind.
After a nice climb through Seward Park (she climbs pretty fast) I came down to the Blvd and found a reverse rabbit*. He looked strong and he was clearly out on a training run. That is, I have a built in excuse for when he overtakes me; he is training and I am ‘commuting’. So I hammered it up to 22mph and in the headwind settled into a mildly strenuous 19mph.
His headlight only ever got smaller.
* a reverse rabbit is another biker that you encounter in your travels that never actually starts in front of you, like a plain ‘ol rabbit. Usually you see them enter in your mirror, this time he came from a side street and pulled in behind.
Another commuter rabbit came and went and soon I found myself closing in on downtown. I ran into a few red lights that killed some time but holy cow, I found a new skill this morning – a high speed sprint and it REALLY goes. The ability to pull on the handle bars makes such a profound difference in the feel of a sprint. I don’t know objectively if I can crank it up any faster than on my Thunderbolt (no gender by the way) but she certainly feels lively and quick and springy and fast.
Now I come into stoplight ‘heaven’, but it’s good cause I can get a breather. Still I wish we could learn from the dutch on this one. I make my way through the chicane of buses, cars, pedestrians, and other bikes down to my straightaway finish – the waterfront.
I engage my newfound skill and sprint up to about 25mph and I top out. I guess I shoulda had something to eat this morning. There is more gear and more go in my body but something gives out and I just don’t have the energy to keep the sprint going as long as I usually can. So I settle into a hard-ish 21 or so, dodge a few tourists bound for the slow boat to Alaska (and some goofball blocking two lanes while performing a textbook 13-point u-turn) and I skim up Wall St.
This time I only slip my wheel once…I am getting better.
My ride statistics (my computer is not calibrated well so on the avg I have adjusted the number based on my time – the rest of the numbers don’t matter too much so I didn’t bother.)
Top speed – ~37.8mph
Distance – adjusted 16.85 miles (reading 17.09)
Time – 58:01
Average Speed – adjusted 17.4 mph (reading is 17.8)
Total odometer – 96.7 miles
As it turns out that was a fun story to recount, I hope the Mermaid lovers weren’t put off by my initial bike-siren and got this far.
blief 
I read the whole thing! A good writer, even if the topic isn’t a fave, is always a pleasure to read.
Ok, I am putting on my Mom hat, or in your case my Aunt hat. You need to eat something before you leave the house. Even if it’s just a handful of almonds or something!! You must have fuel in your body. Hat off.
Love ya!!
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Righteous!
I dare say that had you eaten something you would have fared better at the end there.
Also, I predict that within the next year you will shave two minutes off that time. This I believe just due to gaining familiarity and comfort in your new ride. Just like when Tiger Woods changed his swing.
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Congratulations!
You are certain to improve on that speed as you grow more accustomed to the new bike. Don’t be concerned if it doesn’t happen quickly though. The conditions have to be right, including how you feel and what type of traffic conditions you encounter. The wind is especially important, and that was definitely not in your favor for this trip.
I understand about not eating. I also have trouble eating before riding hard on the bike. You might try using glutamine. It will give you the blood sugar boost as if you had eaten sugar, but it doesn’t cause stomach cramps like food does.
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Add my congratulations to the list — and my profound disappointment that the shimmy didn’t rear its ugly head. Not that the shimmy would have been desirable; after all you had a speed record to beat — and you did it!!
Maybe Grumpy will have to come up with some new theories to try to explain the shimmy!
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Okay, now I’m old. I shuddered at the speeds, wondered about the technology, shuddered at the speeds, wondered about the other drivers skills, shuddered at the speeds….I guess I’m too fond of you…Did I mention I shuddered at the speeds. LOL Sounds like a day skiing with Rich. Enjoy your new bike. Does it have the cantaleverd seat?
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I think you would properly refer to the seat structure as supported on a simple beam; the pedal mechanism out in front is supported by a cantilevered triangular truss structure.
The most fascinating part of the bike design appears to be its susceptibility to a degree of aerodynamic instability — only under certain conditions! But more about that later when it is better understood. For the time being the bike is placarded at less than Mach 1.
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