November has been a bit rough, but I don’t really fancy talking about that. On the riding front though, last weekend I linked up with a couple of The Herd ladies for some early morning hill climb repeats. It was a beautifully fresh Tassie morning. Quiet roads, a slight chill in the air, but of course a stiff breeze at this time of year. I swear it’s been windy as long as it’s been raining. I can’t wait for some warm summer days with a light cooling breeze.
This local climb is around 3.5km in length averaging 6.5% and maxing out at 13.5% gradient. It’s fairly consistent for the first two kilometres then gives you a slight reprieve before ramping up for the final 1km gravel road section averaging 10% to the top. It’s a solid climb and perfect for a couple of repeats before coffee.
At the top of my first repeat, I stopped to take a photo at a break in the treeline. I propped my Trek 5200 up against the crash barrier, stepped back onto the gravel road to frame the shot, and just as I was tapping the shutter, a big gust of wind blew through! I wasn’t able to react quick enough.
Cue expensive Dura Ace shifters meeting the gravel in three, two, one…
Oh well. Live and learn, right? It’s actually not the first time I’ve had a bike blow over when trying to take a photo, so I guess I really do NOT learn. 😂
It was an otherwise productive climbing session at least. I racked up a shade over 800m of elevation gain for the 40km ride, including to/from the climb (2650 ft / 25 miles). I really need to schedule in this type of ride more often. I get too focussed on outright speed, forgetting that climbing makes you far stronger! Being a lightweight, sustained climbing is something I really should be better at.
#rideyourdamnbike
Tempo Cyclist - Tasmania 
That’s why (even though the bike magazines say your bike is more photogenic drive side out, valve stems at 6:00, and pedals at 3 and 9) you should always lean your bike with drive side IN. But you probably already knew that and just wanted a good picture. Expensive reminder, eh? But great timing on the photo!
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Anything for the ‘Gram! 🤣
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Ouch! Bike OK?
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Yeah thankfully all good. It’ll survive!
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Sorry that November’s been rough and sorry about the bike. I looked at the picture first and had decided that the ‘45% bike shoot’ probably wasn’t going to catch on.
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No I don’t believe it will… 😂
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..or the slide and saddle scrape when you lean it against a wall 😭
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My bike is scratched and scarred. Crashed a few times too. It’s a bike, not a piece of looks-loo art. Still, every scratch hurts. Ouch! I’ve not done any hill repeats since my racing days. Back then I was light and definitely a hill climber. I did live along the front range of the Rocky Mountains outside Denver, so that came with the territory. Now, retired and nearly 70, I’m in it to keep fit and peel pounds. I’m more careful about leaning the bike. Hopeful practice for when I might breakdown and buy a Superbike-dreambike.
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This one is kind of a piece of art. 😂 But yeah I ride it hard and every scratch is a story. Can’t be too precious about these things, it’s just a bike after all. Thanks.
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Yeah I get that. The dream bike began as an F12 now a Dogma F I guess. Stupid expensive in that the same money would fly my wife and I to Italy for a bit I expect. 😳
I’m sort of thinking of toning down my dream a few, well several thousand $’s. Maybe instead of the F, I’ll do a Canyon? At my age I won’t notice the performance difference.
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I’ve got a Canyon Aeroad, and a couple of my riding buddies have newer Endurance and Ultimates (disc brake). No complaints that’s for sure. You get a lot of bike for your money!
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I have a buddy who has a Canyon though I forget what model.
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