Testing My Mechanical Skills Tour (video tomorrow)

 Testing My Mechanical Skills Tour...Solo 30 miles. Got my Madone back on the road.  New mid chain ring, shifters, all cables,  and a good cleaning.  Replaced the ring as it started acting up & having to remove the crank. The hood ripped, had been replaced 2 times but couldn't find more and not paying $150 on ebay for a used junk one to get the hood. So gave Sora a try being the only new 9 speed around.  Good reviews and it actually worked great. Reviews said Sora now is better than 105 from 2005 which I had. Thought I had a cassette in my stash but only a new chain so ordered the cassette but after today's ride,  I don't think I need them yet but good to stock up. Also cables are routed under the bar tape so no more extensions for the gopro mounts. 👍 Worked flawlessly but I'm thinking cables will break in a bit soon. Oh yeah,  I got more sore doing the work than riding it bending in ways I haven't for a while ha ha ha. 🤣 The red thing is a top cap screw given to me by TC on a psat birthday.  Good to have the Madone back on the road but I was having plenty of fun riding the Cannondale over the last year and a half.  Finally found the time to fix the Madone.  😄

91 degrees with a high of 100 according to my device. Everything worked really well considering I was getting very impatient while doing the stuff. I had this idea that I should go to the park to work on the bike. Started in the shade but a few minutes later, the sun was all over the place and it was hot. Heck, my hips, thighs, and back muscles are really sore. Not used to those movements I guess and being out there from 10 am to about 4 pm, it was nothing but hot. I get so involved that I didn't eat anything, just a small pack of crackers, 4 squares and one small bottle of water. You know how it is when you get involved.

So I thought that I had gotten everything close to perfect but was ready to call it a day. So I was not sure just how well I adjusted everything having gotten frustrated a bit. Heck, I read that I could just remove the middle ring without removing the crank but that internet info was incorrect. I had to remove the entire crank to work on it so that took more time and effort. 

I did place my cell out there with a small wifi speaker to play some music while I worked but heard my phone make a strange noise. An alert that it was overheating, sitting in the sun I guess after the sun moved. So I turned it off then restarted it a while later. Tried to look up a few things on the net but the stupid phone disconnected me somehow so I could not get the net, text, or make a call. So some of the things I wanted to look up, I couldn't. But I got it right anyway because when I went to go ride it, it was perfect. I was actually surprised thinking I was in the ballpark but nope, it was all dialed in perfectly.

The only thing I missed was setting the low gear limit screw a little so the low low gear was hitting the front derailleur. I realized it as soon as I rolled the bike around the parking lot for about 30 seconds testing the gear combos. A 10 second adjustment and I was good! I'm really surprised I had it set that well. But hey, someone who hates taking his bike to the shop for reasons, I guess I can see why it was that good ha ha ha! Heck, TC had asked if I wanted to do a ride in the foothills this day but I told him that I was going on the trail for sure and a short ride to test the bike. Doesn't matter who worked on my bike, I wouldn't trust the first ride on the road, with cars and buses, and trucks unless I know everything is perfectly tuned. All I need is to lose a brake cable in front of a semi ha ha ha!

But all was great, much better than I expected and I would have been good but I'm the better safe than sorry type.

I do have anew chain and thought I had a new cassette but only the chain. So I ordered a 105 cassette on ebay but hard to find new stuff. I did but it took a while as well as the SRAM stuff, hard to find in 9 speed. But ordered the 10 9 speed cassette. Thought that if the bike was rough, I would change the chain and cassette but nicely, everything was very smooth. And Gina did insist that I order a Sunrace cassette as well just to try it out so that I would have more options if I ever need another. Good reviews and a bit cheaper so hopefully. I'll be getting both either way so I should be set for a while.

I did go to a shop to look for a hood but nope, nothing. So I asked about the Sora shifters but nope. Matter of fact, the dude asked why I was still messing with 9 speed stuff. Well, I still  have 2 perfectly fine running 9 speed bikes, not sure why I would spend more money just to say I have 10 or 11 speed. In other words, why spend $5000 plus for something that isn't going to make much or a difference? Same feeling towards disc brakes, do I need them? Nope! Would be a big waste of money for me. All I need is a bike to run smoothly so that I can continue to exercise.

The YT video. Funny, Gina watched the video and when it got to the downhill section of the damn dam, right before it shows my turn, she shouted, "Oooooweee!" ha ha ha!

I did ask her too, if I showed myself a little too much. She said, "no, it's your video." Okay, good! I usually turn it towards my face after crossing paths with other riders often thinking that I'm not going to use the clip or the shot of my face. But then I notice that I turn the recorder to my face most times a little quicker than I expected without waiting to end the scene so it would look awkward ending the scene so abruptly. So I leave it on and a little extra footage  and like she said, it is my video ha ha ha!

Encanto Park

Nice! No more front cables out front so the gopro will be happier not having to use an extension. Less hardware and less connections. Now the gopro will sit right under my gps. Looks clean too!

Fat Bastard top cap screw ha ha ha! A bday gift from TC last year.

Real test, climbing the 9 and 11% grade, the damn dam climb in the 39 ring and NO SKIPPING. Worked really well and smooth shifting.

A little warm today. Cleaned and polished it up before the ride. Sure enough, the heart rate strap was wet as soon as I put it on ha ha ha!

Boy, Gina and I went to Sizzluh having a good time with Erika. Then to watch The Odyssey at the movies. Ate some caramel popcorn and paid the price. My stomach ain't used to the sheot ha ha ha! Thank goodness for Pepto Bismol ha ha ha!

Descent but looooong movie.

Another one of our friends from Sizzler. Great service and all the perks!

I eat the senior petite steak with rice or potatoes, a bowl of soup, but I always seem to get the extras like a salad bowl cause they all like me because I'm so nice ha ha ha!

Gina is usually the salad bar or steak with a one time to the salad bar.