yet another update on the new bike

Well, I took the Cannondale out for the group ride on Sunday. Sweet mercy. :)

I haven't seen the detailed stats yet (because the usb cable went to the IoLT along with my GPS unit), but the new bike performed very well. I was able to stay in the lead or first chase group for pretty much the entire ride, which means that I probably averaged around 20 mph on the main portion of the course. My personal course record previously was 19.0 mph, so that's a significant improvement. My official average on the GPS was 17 mph for the entire ride, but that includes a leisurely 14-15 mph on the last 12 miles back to the car (I ride from town to the ride start location to warm up before the faster-paced group rides).

As I was telling Rob about this, he asked me how much of this I thought was about the bike and how much of it could be that I was working harder because I was proving new equipment. After I gave it some thought, I decided it was about 50/50. or maybe 70/30. 60/40? I was working harder than I normally do, but the reason was not just that I was on new equipment. It was also because I was able to keep up longer with a faster group.

Lemme 'splain. In a ride like this, my main objective is to work with a group. Any group will do, but I like it to be the fastest I can keep up with and not die. Once a sufficient gap forms between me and the wheel in front, however, I let that group pull away and drop my speed in order to catch on to the next group that passes. Ergo, the longer I can stay with a faster group, the harder I will work. On Sunday, I was able to stay with the front group nearly all the way to the first regroup point, and was able to stay in the first chase group the rest of the time. The other regroups were about the same way. Normally, I am in the 2nd chase group pulling into the regroup points, or lagging slightly behind it. So basically, I was faster because I was working harder, but I was also working harder because I was faster.

Other differences...I noticed that I was able to spin faster with less effort/fatigue, and recover at a faster speed when I did have to back off. Also, I had more confidence in taking corners at speed, and I've adjusted to the changes in handling while out of the saddle. I think I just needed a few rides for it to sink in. (Of course, now I've given it back, and will have to re-adjust to the Orca. :P)

No matter how you look at it, the new bike is awesome, and I really wanted to keep it. It did go back to the shop yesterday, however, and will remain there until someone tells me to keep it or I pay them another couple grand. Oh, would that I were independently wealthy. :)

P.S. The saddle is still awful. Good power transfer, but the girl parts would like a cut-out, please. I'm considering one of these, if I can find one at a significant discount. I have very little restraint when it comes to bike spending, but I'm not spending $150 on a saddle unless it comes with a jetpack or something. Maybe a butt-massager. :)