Final touches and first ride

With the Gunnar just about finished we just had to add a few final touches, waterbottle cages. We knew when we built it up the cage on the downtube would fit fine. The problem lied in trying to get a cage to somehow fit securely on the seattube as the front derailleur clamped right in the middle of the braze-ons. I had the idea to try and find some longer bolts and just space it out so one could mount over the top of the clamp. Alas, we found some longer ones! Found some small washers and alas, two cages! Who knew frame mounted pumps would be good for anything other than swinging at cars that got too close?! (For those who don't know frame pumps come with longer bolts)

Now that the build was complete, nothing left to do really except weigh it and ride it. When I started the build I was thinking we would be in the same 20 lb area as the Scattante build she was riding prior to this due to the frame being steel and all. I was ok with it as the ride quality was going to be much smoother and plush for her. So I through it up on the digital scale at work. It was like watching the weigh ins on the Biggest Loser. Numbers were jumping all around while the bike steadied itself on the hook. I was elated when the numbers stopped jumping and settled on ......

About a 2 lb loss!

While at the store I picked up a new headlight, CygoLite Pace 135, for Jenn's bike as well as a heart rate monitor for myself. I have big plans for the HRM which I will disclose in a later post. I need to read a book and an online article or two first. Arrived home, charged the light and and awaited Jenn's arrival home from work so we could head out on the open road for Jenn's first ride on the Gunnar and her first night ride.

The light performed really well and I was pleased with the output on it. At 135 lumens this 3.5 hour LED was quite bright and illuminated more of the road than my Cateye Doubleshot. It retails for $99 (usually on sale for around $70) and at that I think it is a steal. Jenn had no problems seeing anything that was coming her way.

She really enjoyed the ride quality on the new bike. We will need to make some small tweaks to get a little pressure off of her hands and thus releasing some tension in her shoulders but all in all the ride is just as nice to ride as it is to look at.

Woke up early this morning so Jenn and I could get to the polls before going into work. The church which we were supposed to vote at is literally 3 minutes from the house. We left the house right at 6 when the polls opened only to find 430 exactly ahead of us. I know this because the machine that we stuck our ballots in said I was vote number 432. We only had to wait an hour and half for it but well worth it.

When I got to work I was greeted shortly there after by DeShawn our friendly UPS man. He was carrying the last piece of the puzzle for Jenn's new Gunnar build. He was kind enough to pose for a picture. Maybe because it meant he got to be inside out of the rain for just a moment longer. Any guess what he is dropping off? Spoiler down below.

Here are some pictures that do no justice to the beauty of the complete build. The bling list includes Gunnar Roadie frame, Easton EC70 fork, Easton EA70 bars, 2009 SRAM Rival shifters brakes and dérailleurs, FSA SLK cranks and a build wouldn't be complete without a set of Chris King wheels and headset.

Holiday Season Begins...

Seems like just yesterday Jenn and I were talking about buying a home together on New Years Day. We have had a busy year together including buying our first home together, getting engaged, adopting a puppy and receiving a promotion at work. Now its our first holiday season together.

Most people do not consider Halloween part of the holiday season but this year I do and I will get to that in a moment. Started off by carving some jack-o-lanterns while visiting Aprill and Adam a few weeks ago.

Halloween soon came around and Jenn and I were ready to hand out some candy to all the kids in the neighborhood. Well, Jenn was ready to hand it out. I spent the evening dry fitting some components on Jenn's Xmas present.

A couple of months back, I had made the decision to be the cycling coach for the Richmond chapter of Team in Training. Jenn had made the decision to sign up as a participant and train to do her first century. I then started to put the ole brain into overdrive trying to find a new frame for her to ride on to make the long days of training a little more comfortable than the extremely stiff aluminum frame she is/was riding.

The problem was she really wanted a bike with some pink in it and I couldn't find but a few choices of carbon frames in which she would really like and they all would require me to buy a complete bike just so I could use the frame. Solution? I got in touch with Richard and Waterford Cycles and ordered a custom Gunnar Roadie frame. Once the frame was done with the manufacturing Richard gave me a call to make sure their understanding of what I wanted the paint to be like was the same as mine. They were able to recreate my thoughts perfectly; black glossy frame with Gunnar written in pink down the downtube and he also agreed to leave all other decals and markings off the frame. Man does it look clean!


The second picture is a bit blurry because I get excited when I am around it but not anything like Jenn does. We are still waiting on the fork (Easton EC70) and wheels (Chris King Pretty in Pink edition) to arrive. Fork should be today and the wheels hopefully by Thursday or Friday. If they arrive on either of those days Jenn will be riding it for the first time at our first Team in Training session on Saturday as I will stay up all night to get it built if I have to! Meanwhile I have a couple boxes full of new sexy parts waiting to be put to good use and a stand in the house that is driving Jenn bonkers. For some reason I think it would bother her more if it were one of my frames just chillin there lookin pretty, ha!