Shake It

We took the travel bikes out for a shakedown ride yesterday after work. Going back to my racing days, you never want to enter a race with a freshly assembled bike. I think the same principle might apply to taking a bike to a foreign country—we don't want any surprises.

The bikes performed just fine. The only issue I noticed was my front hub loosening up a bit.

The ride itself was fun. The bugs and allergens were out in full force, so that part wasn't so great.

I am somewhat nervous about this trip, so an hour on the bikes helped ease my mind a bit. I think being a long-time cyclist makes it more difficult, though. Under normal circumstances, say a road trip, I would be prepared for anything. My car would be filled with spare parts, tubes, tires and every tool necessary for any repair. That won't be the case on this trip. We will be stripped down to the bare essentials, and the thought of it makes me feel naked.

Still, even if we were to have an issue, the worst that could happen is we sit on a beautiful beach and drink beer. That's about the best plan B you can have.

Later.