Loose Ends

   This isn't going to be a particularly long article - I had forgotten to post photos here of the Merckx Alu Team bicycle when I completed the build, as it happened to sell just a couple of days after I had listed it. A couple of prospective buyers had contacted me before I had even picked up the painted frame from my friend Bruce, so I had a good idea ahead of time that the bike wouldn't be hanging in my rafters for long!
   There were a couple minor complications, such as an inner sleeve in the head tube that reduced the steerer diameter to one inch, making the 1-1/8" fork I had on hand useless. It didn't take long to find a replacement, but it was still an unforeseen delay. I was also unhappy with the quality of the Merckx headtube badge and ordered a new one from VeloCals.

   I was finally able to assemble the bicycle with a Campagnolo Chorus 8-speed group and a set of the company's Omega wheels with Record hubs. I had a set 3T "The" bars and stem, plus a Selle Italia Flite saddle.

   My other purpose of posting this week is to include details about the Orbea cyclocross bicycle that is now For Sale. The 2006 "Mud" model bicycle is made of the company's O2 Terra aluminum, and it is painted in the Orbea Team colors from that year. The bicycle features many high-end parts, like a Ritchey WCS carbon fork, and a set of the brand's DS Pro wheels.

   The component group was SRAM Force, which included a GXP carbon crankset, but I had to replace a couple parts, and the current global parts shortage forced me to mix in a bit of Shimano. It is all working smoothly together now! Note that I recently changed the drivetrain close-up, as I upgraded to an Ultegra rear derailleur and a 12-28t cassette.

   I was able to reach my 6000-mile goal shortly before the holidays, and it was a good thing, because it has been meteorologically miserable. The skies have been gray constantly, and if it isn't raining, it's been cold and windy. I had gotten out for a couple short rides in the evening, when the roads had dried out a bit, but then the temperature would drop off, so I wouldn't want to stay out too long. I got desperate enough to even set up the indoor trainer, but it is amazing how quickly fitness can drop off.

   There was finally some decent weather today, so I headed out on a loop my friends and I have dubbed the "Tro-bro Brandywine", after the Tro-Bro Léon race in Brittany, which has a brutal up-and-down route that traverses a mix of tarmac and gravel farm tracks. The 40-mile Brandywine course is almost half gravel roads and climbs over 2500 feet! It was rough going, being in less than top form, and I had to dig deep. My legs were screaming when I finished!

It's only January...