Rambouillet week(s)
A couple of weeks ago I decided that since I'm doing so little longer recreational (i.e. not commuting/utility) riding if I didn't start riding the Rambouillet to work it would never get out of the house. (The long rides, including this year's single brevet, that I did in May were done on the Marinoni.) Also, the Kuwahara's rear wheel needs looking at as it's developed a distinct wobble. So, except for Thursday, when I had an appointment downtown, I rode the the Ram to work. It's been very pleasant. The trip to work seems to be quicker by a few minutes than on the Kuwahara (although there's no cycle computer on the Kuwahara and I haven't carefully kept track of times.) I suspect the ability to use a higher gear does speed things up. Either that or the time difference is an illusion resulting from the livelier, "lighter" feel of the Rambouillet.
On Sunday I did my first longer ride since May, riding home from Maitland, a little more than a hundred kilometres. The first forty kilometres, to Merrickville, is mainly through farmland, with occasional wooded areas. It's relatively flat, with some small rolling bits. I kept up a fairly brisk pace (at least for me) although there was a bit of a headwind. At Merrickville I turned east towards Kemptville but just out of town turned onto River Road, which runs parallel with the Rideau River. I crossed the Rideau at Upper Nicholsons lock, stopping for a few minutes to eat an energy bar and have a drink. No sign of the ospreys that nest here. I suppose they're long gone from the nest by this late in the summer. Once across the river it's east on County Road 43, through Burrits Rapids and on to Malakoff Road, where I head north. Just after turning onto Malakoff Road I saw a line of birds walking across the road. My first thought was that they were pheasants but they were too large and bulky. A car passed me and the birds on the road ran into the bushes, while a couple more flew up and over the road. I finally realized that they were wild turkeys. Up Malakoff Road, which is particularly nice, wooded on both sides and with little traffic, right onto Roger Stevens Drive and in to North Gower. From North Gower it's a more-or-less straight run for about 30 kilometres into Ottawa. I ran out of water about half an hour before I got home so I was quite thirsty on arrival. The ride took a little more than four hours, which is a little faster than usual, mostly, I suspect because I didn't stop for long.
During the week I had been trying our a Brooks Professional saddle, but hadn't found it particularly comfortable. I swapped it for a B17 before we left for Maitland. Although I think the B17 needs a bit of breaking in, it's not as comfortable as the Champion Flyer on the Marinoni, it was much more comfortable than the Pro, even with the bars on the Rambouillet a bit below saddle level. It seems the B17 is the shape for me.
Another Rambouillet note: On Tuesday I rode home from work via a couple of pathways as I wanted to measure the length of the route I sometimes run at lunchtime. The path is crushed stone, well-compacted in many places but with areas, often on corners, where the stone dust has piled up. I was surprised at how much less secure I felt on the Rambouillet versus the fixed gear Kuwahara. Both have similar sized tires (Ruffy Tuffys on the Ram and Vredestein FlexSport (front) and Continental UltraSport (back), both 700x28) on the Kuwahara. The fixed gear certainly seems to make a difference. Perhaps it's just that I'm uncomfortable braking on loose surfaces instead of controlling speed with my legs.
On Sunday I did my first longer ride since May, riding home from Maitland, a little more than a hundred kilometres. The first forty kilometres, to Merrickville, is mainly through farmland, with occasional wooded areas. It's relatively flat, with some small rolling bits. I kept up a fairly brisk pace (at least for me) although there was a bit of a headwind. At Merrickville I turned east towards Kemptville but just out of town turned onto River Road, which runs parallel with the Rideau River. I crossed the Rideau at Upper Nicholsons lock, stopping for a few minutes to eat an energy bar and have a drink. No sign of the ospreys that nest here. I suppose they're long gone from the nest by this late in the summer. Once across the river it's east on County Road 43, through Burrits Rapids and on to Malakoff Road, where I head north. Just after turning onto Malakoff Road I saw a line of birds walking across the road. My first thought was that they were pheasants but they were too large and bulky. A car passed me and the birds on the road ran into the bushes, while a couple more flew up and over the road. I finally realized that they were wild turkeys. Up Malakoff Road, which is particularly nice, wooded on both sides and with little traffic, right onto Roger Stevens Drive and in to North Gower. From North Gower it's a more-or-less straight run for about 30 kilometres into Ottawa. I ran out of water about half an hour before I got home so I was quite thirsty on arrival. The ride took a little more than four hours, which is a little faster than usual, mostly, I suspect because I didn't stop for long.
During the week I had been trying our a Brooks Professional saddle, but hadn't found it particularly comfortable. I swapped it for a B17 before we left for Maitland. Although I think the B17 needs a bit of breaking in, it's not as comfortable as the Champion Flyer on the Marinoni, it was much more comfortable than the Pro, even with the bars on the Rambouillet a bit below saddle level. It seems the B17 is the shape for me.
Another Rambouillet note: On Tuesday I rode home from work via a couple of pathways as I wanted to measure the length of the route I sometimes run at lunchtime. The path is crushed stone, well-compacted in many places but with areas, often on corners, where the stone dust has piled up. I was surprised at how much less secure I felt on the Rambouillet versus the fixed gear Kuwahara. Both have similar sized tires (Ruffy Tuffys on the Ram and Vredestein FlexSport (front) and Continental UltraSport (back), both 700x28) on the Kuwahara. The fixed gear certainly seems to make a difference. Perhaps it's just that I'm uncomfortable braking on loose surfaces instead of controlling speed with my legs.
posted by Alan at 6:54 a.m.
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