So, the next time I go in to Taboo and say “maybe just replace all the spokes”, I will NOT be talked down!!! Yes, I put the bike up on the stand last night to clean it up and get it ready, and lo and behold but what did I find? ANOTHER broken spoke! Same rear wheel, cogset side… Broken at the hub… SO frustrating!
I decided, however, that if I drove the truck this morning, I wouldn’t get the wheel to Taboo ‘till this afternoon, meaning they wouldn’t get it fixed ‘till at LEAST Tuesday evening, if not Wednesday. So, instead of risking the loss of up to 3 days of riding, I decided to ride Corrie’s bike so she could have the truck and be able to drop off the broken wheel this morning.
Corrie’s bike is a Trek 950, and is probably close to 15 years old. A great bike in its day, with an 8 speed Deore XT rear derailleur and STX up front. Avid two finger brake levers, and a Manitou Spyder suspension fork (back when Manitou made great forks and were industry leaders, not the more recent flops they’ve had). It’s a steel/cro-moly frame, and very light. I’m not sure how light, but as my bike is around 32 pounds, I’d guess this one is closer to 27-ish or so?
I threw her bike up on the stand last night, and noticed the two derailleur cables were rusty. Were these really the original cables still from when we bought the bike second hand? Sheesh… So, I replaced the cables and tuned up the derailleurs. I swapped out her pedals with my SPD’s and then (with the help of Taryn, Levi AND Graedin), I washed the bike as well (something I haven’t done in a long time).
In short, the bike handled these trails with ease! It is still a great bike… For Corrie! Hah! Well, no, I just found that the small frame made for an uncomfortable ride. The shorter wheelbase caused my backside muscles to really get sore quickly. Strange, I know. Half the things I experienced I can’t really explain. Like the bike didn’t like to lean as easily as mine does, and rather prefers me to turn the wheel. Standing and pedaling is OK, but again I felt like the bike was “fighting” me when I tried to push it side to side with each pedal stroke. It could be the short handlebar, longer stem, or just something to do with the shorter wheelbase.
However, everything I didn’t like about the bike could be attributed to fitment issues. Meaning, if someone rode it who fit it (i.e. Corrie) they wouldn’t have the same issues. The brakes were strong and firm. In fact, I believe I had even more control down the steep descent into Peterson Creek then I do with my bike (mechanical disc brakes)! The tires (Kenda Small Block 8’s) hooked up beautifully in the semi-wet terrain. However, they slipped more than I was used to when I hit the deep sand coming up Tom Moore. Overall, these tires held up great. I also felt like I could climb faster. Not sure what attributed to that feeling, but the steepest climbs, while still tough, felt really good. And, of course with the narrow handlebar, riding up and over the boardwalk section was MUCH less nerve wracking!
Either way, I will still ride this as a spare when needed. But, of course, I will appreciate mine (for the size) as soon as I can get it going again!
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