New Bike

Most of you know that I picked up a cyclecross bike. Monday was my maiden voyage. Just the highlights. The bike is fast and strong. I did 29.1 miles in an hour and forty-eight minutes with an average speed of 16.2 miles per hour. The first four miles was on gravel roads with seventy plus pounds of apples in my panniers. I took that first four miles slow as I didn't know what the new rims could handle. After dropping off the apples I road into the wind which was blowing at about 13 MPH. Against the wind on the gravel roads I was able to keep the speed over 14 MPH and at around 18 MPH on the paved roads. Riding back with the wind was a different story altogether on the paved roads I looked down at the computer and regularly saw speeds of 20-23 MPH on the road and 16-18 MPH on the gravel. All in all the bike performed very well on both terrains. The bike climbed the hills very nimbly. On one of the steepest and longest hills I really pushed it to see how fast I could go up hill and was able to crest the top of the hill still doing 17 MPH. The only "complaint" was the lack of front suspension ;>) All in all it was a good first ride! The next ride will be minus the apples and I will shoot for an average speed of 17 MPH. I hope to ride with all of you soon! Oh and yaqataq we found a book titled canoeing and kayaking Indiana! A new sport for this new hoosier may be on the horizon.