Happy Camper...Err...Cyclist!

I gotta stop smiling so much when I ride my new bike!

I took my new Ti bike out for its first weekend rides last Saturday and Sunday and it didn't disappoint. And after riding it again on Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday, I'm finally getting into the rhythm of my new machine.

I wanted the bike to be "race stiff" and that is exactly what I got. Churning a large gear or spinning away, my new Ti frame transfers every ounce of power your legs can deliver straight to the rear wheel. The frame also has a racy high-strung nervous energy that I have never felt in any other bike I've owned.

The large Ti tubes in the front triangle transmits every move I make straight to the front tire patch on the road so I need to be conscious about extraneous upper body movements, yet at the same time, this front-end stiffness provides so much confidence that descending and whipping turns have become fun again.

On several other bikes I have, while taking a turn at speed, the bike would inexplicably drift wide towards the last half of the turn. On my new Ti bike though, the bike will track the exact amount of turn you've dialed from the start all the way through the end, unbelievable!!! I've also found that gusty crosswinds have no affect on this bike since the front and rear wheels don't disconcertingly move all out of plane with each other like a more flexible frame would.

I'm also really glad that I had Carl finish my frame in brush versus bead blasted as I just love the cool machined look of the brushed Ti finish. When Ti frames first came out, I hated their plain look compared to the awesome art deco paint work on Colnagos and 3 Renshos, and the deep wet candy finishes of the likes of Waterford. But as the years have gone, I've come to truly appreciate the "all business" look that a Ti finish gives to a race frame. I also like the fact that it is super easy to clean, and won't chip, rust, peel, scratch, and whatever else. Plus, sans paint, you save about 3 to 4 ounces, or so I'm told.

Like I said earlier, I gotta stop smiling so much when I ride this bike...else people may think I've lost a few titanium screws :-)

Click here to see some pictures from last weekend's bike ride: Sunday Bike Ride Pics.