The Bianchi Rides Again!!!

I finished the Bianchi sometime last week, but didn't get a chance to ride it until today. Since it was torn down last fall, I've replaced the rear wheel and the bottom bracket cartridge, overhauled the hubs and headset, replaced brake shoes and cables, cleaned and lubricated the drivetrain, treated the insides of the frame tubes with metal protectant, and fitted new tires. That doesn't sound like much now, but getting that corroded bottom bracket cartridge out was a real PITA. I'm glad it's done. This bike fits well. It's like an old friend, a big comfy arm chair that happens to roll down the road.

The new tires are Serfas Segas in 700x28, and they're rated for 125 PSI. Yeehaw! Go fast stuff! They have a nice ride too, though to be truthful, all I did was ride around the block to see that everything worked. Next I'll see how long they last. I was talking with Brian Potter yesterday. He said that most of his tires last about 6 months. That's 3000 miles for him. Mine last about a year, and that's roughly 3000 miles too. Sunlight usually ruins the sidewalls long before the tire wears out.

A note about yesterday's BikeEd class: I didn't have the Bianchi along because I hadn't sorted it out yet, and I hesitate to use an untried bike at a class. So I took the fixed gear Centurion instead. Honestly, I chickened out at trying the instant turn on the fixie. It's a road frame with 170mm cranks and I was afraid of snagging a pedal in that turn. A lot of messengers ride track frames with higher bottom brackets and shorter cranks to improve pedal clearance. I'm not as brave as I used to be, but then again, I don't heal up as fast either.