Attitude adjustment...Serotta style

[Moosedryvr]

Work's been gettin' me down lately, lots of being at the desk by 6:30 and leaving for home 12 hrs later. Today, in at 5:45 and I'll be here until way late.
Outside it's another awesome evening (we've had a really nice May/early June in DC this year), one of those July in Seattle days--72 degrees, low humidity and not a cloud in the sky, and I haven't been on the bike in a month. A couple of months ago I scored a refurbed, once upon a time '88 Serotta Huffy and its sits here in my office mocking me in all of its now Artic Blue, TdF lugged glory. This sucks, I don't care how much work I've got left tonight, I'm going for a ride...

Man, what a great idea. For one whole hour, all was right with the world. Damn, riding bikes is fun. What a sweet bike on a sweet night. Why bro Andy chose to ride a Landshark over a Serotta like this I'll never know (not that you can argue with the result). This lugged, round-tubed beauty gives up a fair amount in weight to todays carbo-race bikes, but I've got to think that climbing off a bike like this after 120 miles has got to be a lot less painful than climbing off a Scott.

Some random thoughts:
- TdF lugs are really nice. The shore lines on these things are obscene. Really, really cool to see the pride somebody (Kelly B.?) took in putting this bike together.
- The steel fork on this bike is a revelation to me. Wow. Only steel forked bike I ever rode before this one was my 3rd hand, Torpado Super Strada back in college (when the Slurpee boyz were still whoopin' some Euro a** on the continent), and it didn't ride like this. This one's flat crowned and oh so smooth. Worth every bit of its 2+ lbs.
- Shimano 105. That's right, I'm riding a reclaimed 1988 Serotta Huffy and its got Shimano 105 10-speed hanging on it. I know, I know...but that's how it came from its previous owner and I'm too poor/cheap to change it out (although if you've got a 25th Anniversary Dura Ace gruppo lying around, I'm in the market. Used would be good and I don't need the watch). But, this 105 stuff works good, real good. Shifts with a more positive, dare I say it, Campy-like "clack" than the Dura Ace's "snick", but at half the price it's a deal. In a couple of words, fugly but functional.

Riding bikes is fun.

Back to the grind.

Thanks for reading.

Shawn G.

[jeffg]

I make up for lack of riding by picking neat events and suffering through. Works for me (sort of).

link to pics? sounds nice.

[Moosedryvr]

Originally Posted by grey poupon

link to pics? sounds nice.

I need to get some up on the site. I'll try to remember to bring a camera in tomorrow and get something up by the weekend.

Shawn G.

[chakatrain]

...but I rode the 13 miles into work with a buddy this morning, taking a slight detour up San Bruno Mountain (he went to the top, I had to stop part way since I had an early morning meeting). All is right with the world when I can spend a little time on my bike.

Thanks for sharing. I can feel the glow all the way across cyberspace.