Saddle up

After 25 days in the shop, my LBS finally called me to say my bike was ready. Shimano made me a loyal customer by agreeing to a warrantee replace for the cracked rear wheel I brought in.

When I got there, the guy in charge picked out “my wheel” and gave it to me. I asked where my bike was. He was completely surprised that the bike was in the shop, and a bit annoyed that he now had to mount the tube and tire and actually install the wheel.

Then, as he finished up the install, I mentioned that it was nice that they’d upgraded my Ultegra wheel to Dura-Ace, Shimano’s top of the line. He looked twice at it, and figured out that he’d accidentally given me, then installed, someone else’s wheel. I’d thought it was the right wheel because when he called me, he’d mentioned Shimano had provided a replacement that was an upgrade from my old wheel, but apparently he’d only meant a newer Ultegra model, not the Dura-Ace. Bone. The only thing these guys have going for them is that they’re only a few blocks from my house.

So he swapped wheels, giving me a newer Ultegra model, which seems to be a nice piece of work. No more ticking and creaking from my bike, and the only adjustment I had to make after the bike shop was done was to re-center the brake pads.

Today I took it out for a 60-mile shakedown ride with the Quad crew. The wheel is great, and even the flywheel is quiet. Let’s hope this one doesn’t shred itself out from under me like the last one.

The odd thing about today’s ride is that I was all used up after just 30 miles, and it was a hard, slow, painful slog home from there. I’ve been off the bike three weeks, but I wouldn’t expect to lose so much conditioning that fast. But this has been a pretty bad cycling year for me overall, so I guess it’s par for the course.

But at least now, after nearly a month in the shop, during which we’ve had unblemished perfect weather, I’ve got a bike I can ride again. Now I just need to put in some miles and maybe get back some of that conditioning before winter sets in again.