Tuesday, June 15, 2010

28.2

I have so much shit to figure out for this camping trip that it's unreal. But as of tonight, at least I have the basic bike configuration set in stone. I was supposed to be taking my new steel bike, but powder coat bullshit got in the way. So now I'm hauling carbon fiber parts into the woods. Wrong, but that's how its going down, so get over it.

What has me freaked is the amount of climbing on this route and I just can't afford to be hauling extra weight up those hills. So I was pleased when I finished up and threw it on the scale:





I would prefer sub-14, but I can live with 28.

The capacity of the scale is 55. If I can add all the junk I'm hauling and still be able to weigh it, that will rule.

Aside from weight, what I'm next most worried about is the fact that my gearing isn't low enough. I could very possibly blow out both knees, leaving my carcass for the birds to pick at. If I die camping, I hope you will go on and on about how great my blog was. Not because it was, but because you're supposed to do that sort of thing when someone dies. Most particularly if they die doing what they blog about. Even if they're stupid.

4 comments:

Alan said...

Here's some tips if you want to trim some more weight off your bike:
- Rear brakes are over rated
- Most hubs don't need all the bearings to spin
- Sand down your rims a bit, plus this offers the bonus of a better stopping surface (and you're not using the rear brakes anyways)
- Saddles are often filled with way too much padding
- Pre-hydrate and then there's no use for the down tube bottle cage
- Real men don't even need a saddle or seatpost
- Cut the ends off the handelbar drops

That's gotta be at least 15 pounds right there. Hello, 14-pound bike!

Hank Greer said...

Other weight reducing ideas:

- Remove the big chain ring
- Leave the beer behind
- Ride a unicycle
- When the climbs get real tough just start tossing shit out
- Jenny Craig (so the people retrieving your carcass don't have to work so hard)

I will always sing praises about your blog, Pat. You do a lot of fun things and punctuating it with self-deprecating humor is a real kick. As to stupidity, well that would only be true if you followed the tips I just gave you.

Have a blast camping. I look forward to reading about it.

Anonymous said...

Beer weighs less than nothing if you drink it before departure.

Your body converts beer to energy, fluids, and gas.

Gas is lighter than air, so the more beer you drink the less you weigh.

Pat S said...

Thank you guys for all the helpful tips. I guess.