Yesterday was the annual Vandalia Freedom Tour bike ride, and I decided to do the 50k route. I had picked this distance partly because I haven't really gotten any major long rides in this year, as well as not having the road bike ready when I was signing up. (My KHS had a loose spoke in the wheel.) I did get the wheel trued, which is great, because that would have sucked on a fixie.
The route was hilly, and it was only 52 degrees at the start, which is really cold for Ohio on the 4th of July. I set a few PRs for parts of the route, and it was strange riding a multi-speed bike after getting used to the fixie, though the fixie did help me learn to get up hills a little better. (There is still a lot of room for improvement.)
It started out well enough, it really did. Unlike 2012, when I had a flat tire on the bike carrier, and blew out my only spare when I changed it. (And then got sagged because of heat at around mile 48, and a few miles from the next rest stop.)
But this was not 2012. The flat tire wasn't until 4 miles after the first rest stop. This was an annoying thing to fix, but I had the tools to do it with me, and cost me a good 20 minutes to get it changed. (Rear wheel, super tight tires, no visible leak, etc. I can change the tires on my other bikes in a fraction of the time. I've shown my son how to do it in well under 5 minutes before as well.)
I rode the remaining 20 miles wondering if the tire as low, leaking again, etc. (We all know I mean tube and not really the tire, its just how most people say it.) Considering I inflated it from a CO2 canister, I don't really know the pressure. Better a little low than to destroy my last tube. (And my only cannister with me.) Still, I got through the ride, but I am no longer happy with the bike. I might replace the rear tire and rim tape, but I am thinking that I might be happier trading in that bike. It just hasn't been quite right since I had to replace the wheel set, and I would love to get my hands on a true touring bike.
I know Fuji has one, but their website doesn't make it easy to find. Purefix doesn't do that kind of thing, KHS has one, but the only spec that has changed in the last 4 years is the price going up, although I just looked, and it is now blue instead of black. Still, at over $1000 msrp, I don't think it is worth it. Now, the Salsa Vaya Travel, I would totally buy that. Sadly, I think there are a lot of things I would pay out $4,000 for before I'd buy that. If I had a job that paid about $120,000/ year, I could afford that. So that is out.
Really, I am probably best off replacing the tires, and the rear rim tape, that is a fair bit more affordable. Still, I don't feel like I can rely on the bike any more, and that is not a good thing.
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