Suzie is only a year and a half old, but she's seen things. She's been packed up and moved cross country, she's been around for century rides and an Ironman. In short, she's living a very full life as a tri bike. But I've made a few modifications this season that are serving me quite well. Prior to Esprit de She, I updated quite a few accessories and such to make sure she was race ready.I had this Profile Design Aero Water bottle last season, but this season, I finally took the time to add in the adjustable mounting for a bike computer. What this means is I can click my Garmin 920 into the water bottle mount (with the aid of the quick release feature) and be able to see all my stats in real time without taking my eyes off the road or hands off of the shifters. Very important for less-than-ideal cyclists like me.
Oh, I've had a tune up and washed my bike multiple times, but that Ironman Wisconsin sticker is staying until the next one.
Anyhow, the next upgrade I made was swapping out my cheapo canvas bento box for a more substantial version. This aero model is quite similar - the main feature of this that I appreciate is that it keeps its shape, so my leg isn't scraping against it. It's also easy to grab from on the ride and big enough to hold three or four gels, which is plenty for most rides.
Finally, this race number holder is pretty great. I'm sure there's a way to rig together something out of parts most households have lying around, but I'm not that handy. I realized I needed something like this after Ironman Wisconsin. Most triathlons require you to affix at least one race number label to your bike. The stem left under my seat isn't tall enough for anything, which leaves the tube between my knees ... and also meant my legs brushed against it for 112 miles. Not fun. So this gets my race number behind me and clearly visible. Thanks for this awesome Christmas present, Mom!
2 comments:
I didn't even know they made number holders! I need one of those because when I put the number on the tube between my knees it obstructs my water bottle. Such is the curse of being short, am I right?
Also, I just noticed yesterday on my 20 mile ride that my canvas bento box that holds my flat repair kit was starting to lean to one side. Not sure I need to upgrade yet but now I know what to look for.
I hope your new tires get here soon! A seasoned tri athlete once told me that this is one sport where you can actually buy speed :-)
Wahoo for bike upgrades! Great idea on sharing your lessons learned and tweaks! I've been cutting my race number stickers, but that stick thing would make that much easier!
Post a Comment