My bike is ready. They took it apart and inspected every cable, thread, tube, connection and lubed the crap out of it.
The bad news? The cup on the left side of the bottom bracket was cracked in two places. They've been replaced. Apparently I was a ride or two away from failure. Not surprising.
Worse? BB was also rusty. So was the inside of the steerer tube. Now, the BB I understand because it's an open system and I ride in the rain, though not in a downpour. If I were a good boy I would take it apart and lube after rainy rides. I'm not a good boy. I wipe down the bike thought.
The steerer is a different matter. That's not open, but it's not closed either. I'll have to look and see where the entry point for enough moisture to get rusty would be so I can be more diligent about it. Hmm. I'm sure there is one, but I'm not picturing it. It's not like I leave it outside in the rain.
Stupid bike. I should just buy a new one. This one just isn't worth it. I need a new one. I really expensive, fast one. Something sleek and sexy.
Oh, it's not like I'd get rid of the cross bike. Why would I do that? I'd slap some 32s back on it and when I want to get dirty, then it's waiting for me. When I need to have an early midlife crisis, I'll take out the sleek and sexy bike.
Right? You're with me. Right? I need more than one bike. I need at least five. If you agree with me, and I know you do, visit my wife's website and leave supportive comments about how her husband needs a whole fleet of bikes. I mean, she just got a new saddle! Surely that calls for a brand new bike for me, right?
Also, feel free to drop links to good bikes for me. Straight to the bike, not the company. For example, Cervelo came up today. I'd say the Soloist Team would be the top for me. The rest after that would be just out of the realm of reality and impossible. But they are are pretty damn Vroomen.
Also, I'm a biggish guy. 6 feet, hoping to hit 185 at best. So, I'm not sure of the whole carbon thing. Plus, with my luck, I'd crash and then question the integrity of the frame from there after.
Debate, damn it. Give me things to dream about while I pretend that a good pot of Haitian Bleu is a PED and that Dick Pound is banging on my door demanding that I give back the cheap red and blue jersey that I wear frequently while Oscar Pereiro swears he's the rightful winner of that sprint that I claim that I "won" against "myself" last "August."
For me, if money isn't an issue then I'd go with Cervelo. If the bike shop isn't an issue than I'd go with a Specialized Allez or Roubaix depending on whether you want to shell out for the carbon fiber. If the bike shop is an issue, take the best deal they have to offer as long as it isn't a Trek.
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