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.