T.J.
04-23-2013, 08:08 PM
So the Speedvagen got stripped down to be shipped out. I can not, repeat can not express how badly that pains me. The only thing that pains me worse was riding it. Now before anyone jumps to any conclusions it nothing to do with the bike, it's me. That's right, the old it's me not you. As some of you know a couple of seasons ago we were winding up for the sprint in a crit and my front wheel got taken out and boom! Out cold for a few minutes and road rashed to hell and back but all things considered ok. Was sore for a while as would be expected with such a crash. The road rash healed and the soreness went away....for a while . Then slowly started creeping back in. Cracked verts and scar tissue had me in some serious pain more often than not. I loved the set up on the vagen but it was becoming painfully obvious ( pun intended ) that the 12cm of drop set up was not for me anymore. I was , if I am to be honest becoming somewhat depressed. The one thing out side of my wife and family I take great joy in was now painful.
In stepped my friend Drew and LBS owner Drew. For months he would simply say " come get my FireFly". Every time we spoke the offer was made " come get my FireFly" . It fell on deaf ears until three weeks ago as it became obvious to me something had to be done. I went and got the bike. Now don't think " damn that TJ took poor Drews bike three weeks ago and hasn't given it back!"
Don't worry, being the trooper he is , he has muddled thru by riding his Peg or his Vanilla :p
So back to picking up the bike. Got it home and first thoughts were man this looks weird. Then...I rode it. Then I rode it some more. Every day . And rode it hard. Here we set three weeks + later and I am rolling again. Power numbers are back in the solid cat2 range right where they were pre crash.
I have learned a few things. 1) change is sometimes good even though we as humans fight it tooth and nail. 2) while I already miss my SV I will know exactly how to have Sacha build the next one. 3) most importantly, Drew epitomizes the word friend. Not because he loaned me his bike( well that's part of it) but because he kept offering, not pushing, just steadily to get me back where I needed to be.
In stepped my friend Drew and LBS owner Drew. For months he would simply say " come get my FireFly". Every time we spoke the offer was made " come get my FireFly" . It fell on deaf ears until three weeks ago as it became obvious to me something had to be done. I went and got the bike. Now don't think " damn that TJ took poor Drews bike three weeks ago and hasn't given it back!"
Don't worry, being the trooper he is , he has muddled thru by riding his Peg or his Vanilla :p
So back to picking up the bike. Got it home and first thoughts were man this looks weird. Then...I rode it. Then I rode it some more. Every day . And rode it hard. Here we set three weeks + later and I am rolling again. Power numbers are back in the solid cat2 range right where they were pre crash.
I have learned a few things. 1) change is sometimes good even though we as humans fight it tooth and nail. 2) while I already miss my SV I will know exactly how to have Sacha build the next one. 3) most importantly, Drew epitomizes the word friend. Not because he loaned me his bike( well that's part of it) but because he kept offering, not pushing, just steadily to get me back where I needed to be.