I rode the Bianchi to work yesterday. I've whined and moaned about not being able to ride it. When I told my teen-age daughter that the bike was depressed from inactivity, she thought it was hilariously funny. So it was a joy to get it out of the garage, swing a leg over the top tube, and push off.

About halfway to work, I missed my fixed gear. Oh, the Bianchi was fine, and I could spin along in a small gear if I wanted to, but I missed the simplicity of the fixie. Fickle, ain't I?

Going home was better. The wind was calm and sometimes it felt as if I had a bit of a tailwind. I geared down and spun along up the grade toward 86th Street, about a mile and a half of steady climbing. It's not steep, fortunately.

The weather report called for an 80% chance of rain today, so I rode the fixie again. It's the only bike with fenders, for one thing, and I do prefer the control and 'road feel' of a fixed gear in the wet. And it will be wet going home. If the wind comes out of the north, I'll probably be missing the small gears on the Bianchi. Go figure.