Say, is it my imagination, or is that cloud flipping me the bird?
If you had told me back in January that I wouldn’t ride down to the bosque until September 22, I would’ve given you the old hee, and also the haw.
But it’s true. Between the busted ankle and The Bug® a trip to the bosque has felt either impossible or unwise.
I have a bike to review for Adventure Cyclist, though. And the Paseo del Bosque trail is one of my stock routes for these projects. So yesterday off we went, the New Albion Privateer and I, to see what we could see.
I only saw a handful of other users on the Paseo bike path.
It was a short visit — from the Alameda trailhead to the Paseo del Norte bike path. Too many people, and not nearly enough masks. Mind you, this was around 10:30 a.m. on a Tuesday, not a weekend.
I felt safer on the streets. Feature that, if you can.
Once I left the bosque path things settled down considerably. The Paseo and North Diversion Channel paths were lightly used, as was Bear Canyon Arroyo.
As per usual I had one of those moments when I wonder whether I should be allowed to leave the house without adult supervision. Just west of the bike-ped bridge over I-25 I began sensing that something was not quite right about my position on the machine, and got off to have a look-see.
Well, duh. Seems somebody forgot to use some elbow grease on that saddle-clamp bolt, and the saddle had been gradually tipping skyward. Another degree or two and I might have slid right off the back and onto the rear rack.
That’s one way to carry a load, I suppose. But I doubt that Adventure Cyclist would approve.
Tags: Adventure Cyclist, New Albion Privateer, Paseo del Bosque
Mad Blog Media 
September 23, 2020 at 10:09 am |
Heh. I had a similar experience yesterday with the seat tube clamp on the Ti-bike. Halfway into town I felt like I was sinking. I was. Got off, restored the saddle post to roughly where I thought it should be, and actually tightened it.
The GRX hydraulic brakes work like a charm, too, as I found out when some asshole made a left turn across my path coming back down Bishop’s Lodge Road.
September 23, 2020 at 10:41 am |
Oh, for those who were wondering about my spendthrift ways, the new wheels.
September 23, 2020 at 11:05 am |
nice. time to get some dirt on it.
September 23, 2020 at 12:14 pm |
Indeed. I wanted to get some shakedown time on it via pavement just in case there were any issues to resolve. But it worked like a charm. Time to get it dirty!
September 23, 2020 at 11:34 am |
Whoa Bubba! Nice lookin’ and ridin’ machine there. As Carl says……time to dirty it up a bit!! ENJOY! Rubber side down! 🙂
September 23, 2020 at 3:31 pm |
I dunnoh … those Litespeed frames, they only last 200-300 years or so … and then what are you going to do?
Got rid of my Ultimate when we moved … bought it 30 years ago, and there was nothing wrong with it, but I was half my current size with twice the flexibility when I got it, and I couldn’t stand seeing it sit there unridden. But still have the Obed (hard tail mountain bike) I grabbed from the good people in Chattanooga around the same time, and that thing will go to the grave with me.
It’s interesting that Litespeed looked like they were giving up on titanium a dozen years or so ago, had all of these aluminum and carbon mixed frames, but now they’re 100% titanium again (while their ABG sisters at Obed covering the plastic frame market).
I don’t have many life goals anymore, but when I make my first billion, I’m going to get a Litespeed and have it painted vantablack. Seems like an obvious yin-yang thing, what with titanium oxide being the stuff that makes white really white and vantablack being the blackest black. Surely it will make me faster, yeah?
Congrats on the newest family member!
September 24, 2020 at 8:14 am |
Whoa… Pretty sweet there, KS.
September 23, 2020 at 9:39 pm |
Jeez POG, could have been a good thing having the rack on there. Some years ago a local guy didn’t, and a big bounce (back before rear suspension) resulted in an unfortunate meetup with a brake bridge and a big nobby. The aftermath involved surgery.
September 24, 2020 at 6:40 am |
Ow, wow, yow, zow. When one thinks of bicycle-related mishaps this is not one that springs to mind.
Once at one of the Mad Dog Media cyclocrosses in Bibleburg a guy I knew broke his seatpost during a remount. That was not pretty. Ever after I tried to float onto the saddle like an autumn leaf instead of a pissed bog-trotter plunking his big arse down on a barstool.
September 24, 2020 at 8:02 am |
I rode my motorcycle down to Livingston, NJ back in my college days to meet up with a buddy for a Grateful Dead concert. He had a Kawasaki Mach III and I had a Honda 450. The Kawa had a reputation for being explosively fast in a narrow power band. So at one point we traded bikes and when his hit that magic RPM, I nearly went off the back of the motorcycle.
Oh, and the Dead concert was cancelled due to a massive thunderstorm. Was nearly a riot outside the stadium. Fortunately, both my buddy and I were too chemically modified to get very annoyed.
September 24, 2020 at 10:44 am |
To paraphrase an old quote never use your face or your ass for a brake pad.
September 25, 2020 at 4:51 pm |
First dirty impressions.
http://labikes.blogspot.com/2020/09/litespeed-gravel-first-offroad.html
September 26, 2020 at 2:44 pm |
Love my Ti Airborne Carpe Diem which back then was their gravel bike. So I agree fully with your review comment about Ti Magic. Bet over time Khal you’ll be glad you went with the taller front end extension. Mine is huge and I’ve never been more comfy. Ride on brother!
September 27, 2020 at 3:39 pm |
Oh, definitely glad I went with the taller front end extender. Right now I moved two of the three spacers above the bars and its as low as I would ever want it. Might move it up one spacer again. So that was a good move and good advice from Sam.