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New drivetrain rocks Old La Honda
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My old/new ride at the top of Old La Honda
About 10 or 12 years ago, my sweetheart bought me a Specialized Expedition as a present. I had been riding a Diamond Back Fleet Streak, in case you are familiar with that mid-'80s anvil on wheels. At the time, I was making noises about doing some minor off-road stuff, so she got me a bike with shocks on the front forks and another under the seat. I took it off pavement a few times, mostly on easy single-tracks and local dirt roads, but all that rattling around just wasn't for me. So, for the past eight years or so, I've been riding this hybrid bicycle exclusively on asphalt. It's not the lightest rig in the world, but its compact frame and sweep-back handlebars make cycling comfortable for a guy who has had two lower-back surgeries.
In all that time, I never replaced the chain, gears, or wheels. Not surprisingly, the ride had become sluggish, which, in turn, was making me feel old(er). So, for about $300, I replaced the rear wheel, rear cassette, chain, and crankset. Mike's in Palo Alto did the wheel while I waited. They could not have been nicer and were trying to steer me in the direction of a new drivetrain, but I couldn't pull the trigger. That was a week ago. But yesterday, after a grinding climb up Old La Honda Road to Skyline, followed by a long chat with a friend named Steve, who rides a Richard-freaking-Sachs and offered lots of excellent advice, I rode to Palo Alto Bicycles on University seeking relief (sorry, Mike's, but it was on my way home). They folks at PA Bicycles showed me how the teeth on my favorite gears had ground down to points, and shared Steve's incredulity when I told him that I had never replaced the chain. "Shimano," Steve had said. "Don't let them sell you anything else." That was fine with Palo Alto Bicycles—they had one. They also had a nice Deore crankset to go with it. Coincidentally, Mike's had sold me a wheel with a Deore hub, and I already had Deore derailleurs, but I swear I didn't plan to be so matchy-matchy.
This morning I rode up to Skyline again. Same Expedition frame but what a difference! It's like trading in a favorite old pickup truck for a sports car. It's not so much the extra speed, although my times were better today. Rather, the bike simply felt more alive and responsive. Maybe I'm a dope for being the last cyclist on Earth to discover the obvious benefits of replacing worn-out parts, but I'm a happy dope.
Below are some snapshots I took today along Old La Honda. My photo skills don't do it justice, but hopefully you can see why this quiet route is such a favorite of peninsula cyclists.
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