New Bike and Other Changes

I sold my much-loved LHT in 2012.  I shouldn’t have sold it, but it did allow me to replace it with the disc-brake equipped Disc Trucker.

I called On Your Left Cycles to order the bike.  I had them replace the saddle, seatpost, handlebar tape, and handlebars with parts better for me.  They also applied framesaver inside the frame.

I went with a Thompson seatpost, Brooks C17 saddle, FSA compact drop bars, and grippy bar tape.

So far, the steer tube is uncut, but I did lower the handlebars a bit after this picture.

I took the bike out for a shakedown spin on Friday night with Tim.  We stopped for beer along the way.

I ordered Planet Bike ALX fenders.  They’re aluminum, rather than the typical plastic ones.  They were a tad harder to install.

I moved over my Tubus rear rack and Ortlieb rear panniers from my rSogn, which will see more light-duty road use now that I have this bike.

I ordered a Tubus front rack and Ortlieb front bags from Wayne at The Touring Store.  The Touring Store is neat.  They have an online presence, but you order by calling.  This is my third order.  It’s been Wayne every time I call. He remembered me.  Included when the package arrived were instructions with hand-drawn notes on how to install the rack on the Disc Trucker.  Wayne is very thorough.

The high handlebars on my Disc Trucker means the bar-end shifters will hit the top tube.  I used some bar tape to protect that part of frame.

Earlier in the week, there was an after-work get together organized by my co-workers.  It was at a bar with a bowling alley at Fourth Street Live, which is really the “tourist” area of Louisville.  Not my favorite place, but close enough.

I drove home, grabbed the bike, and rode there.

Diane and I planned to go out to dinner late, but I spent too long there, bowled poorly, and eventually Diane tired of waiting for me, and pedaled her bike up to meet me.

We left shortly thereafter, and rode to a nearby restaurant for dinner, then enjoyed an after-dark ride home behind our dyno-powered headlights.

As is probably obvious from all this, my weight loss is off track again.  I’m eating out, drinking beer, but having fun.  Yesterday was the Louisville St. Patrick’s Day Parade.  We attended on the tandem, carrying beer with us.

I’m refocusing on riding more.  I would ride to work tomorrow, but I have to be at volleyball at 6:30 and I work 30 miles from there.  Nope.  Tuesday, however, I will ride the new bike to work.