Shoes, Ships, and Sealing Wax

Lordy, Lordy, she saw the light

As the gf wrote, cycling didn't exactly suck on Saturday. It may not have been perfect, but she sounded almost enthusiastic as we discussed future rides on the way home.

She and I, simply put, ride at different speeds. Part of that is our bikes. My road bike* has a racing geometry, which means I'm spread out and am in a more aerodynamic position. My position is such that on a certain hill at Seneca Creek State Park I can get into a real tuck, coast down that hill at close to 30 mph, and continue coasting almost completely up the next (admittedly smaller) hill.

It's got a short wheelbase, pretty narrow tires, a pretty tight gearing range--it's a sports car, built for speed.

Nic's bike is a fitness/touring bike. She rides a first model-year Bianchi Strada** which uses a frame identical to the Bianchi Volpe, a touring bike.

Touring bikes, on first glance, look like road bikes with a double-triangle frame and drop handlebars, but a closer inspection will reveal subtle differences--they have a longer wheelbase, wider tires, and a wider gearing range. She also has a rather upright riding position (less aero) due to the straight handlebars and tight cockpit (which is due to the bike being slightly too small for her). In Nic's case, her Strada also has smaller chainrings than a racing bike (and for most touring bikes, to be honest). Think of the chainrings as a transmission, and think of the whole touring bike as a station wagon.

Another important difference is the engine--that is, me and Nic. I ride faster, but part of that is my transmission--I've got a higher gearing range. But, yeah, I've got more endurance, my heart rate stays lower, and I recover faster. I'm no racer by any stretch of the imagination, but neither of us can deny that, in the end and for several varied reasons, we end up riding at different speeds.

Thinking about the century, I want to ride with her. It doesn't bother me to go slow; OTOH, it seems to bother her to feel she's holding me up. Funny thing is, is we both recognize there's a solution, but we just don't have the room to store the thing--or a way to move one to and from the trailhead.

* Specs linked are for the 2006 steel-and-carbon frame model; mine is an '01 or '02 all-steel frame but the geometry is, for practical purposes, identical. Mine is also built-up with lower-end Shimano components, not the mid-level Campagnolo components listed.

** Specs linked are for the 2006 model; Nic's is a 1999 or 2000 model. Components are all of comparable quality, although the specs for the 2006 cassette are different from Nic's.

Posted by Victor at July 10, 2006 10:49 PM | TrackBack