wheels

I haven't blogged about the bike in a long time, and that's because, largely, it's been perfect. I have a secret steel racing bike project in the works, building up an early nineties steel frame to become a modern racing machine, and that's been keeping me from obsessing over my beloved Raleigh, plus I've just been *riding* the damn thing a bunch, getting my legs all fast and whatnot, learning to corner better, getting out in the nature. But in a recent fit of organization I cleaned my room and my desk and came upon the set of tubular wheel that I'd bought a few month back for virtually nothing. The wheels are gorgeous Mavic GL 330's laced to early Shiamano 600 hubs (tri-color era 7 speed, for the geeks in the audience), and they weigh even less than my self-built-for-speed clincher set. So it's been kicking around the back of my head that I should glue some damn tires on to them and go for a ride.
That's right, glue. Tubulars are what they sound like: tubular tires that get glued on to the rim. The disadvantage is that the glue sticks to everything, needs to dry, and kills braincells 'till it does. The advantage is that the tires are perfectly round. That means no sidewalls. Which means, in theory, they handle like a dream.

Well.
I did it today on mattio's stoop. And they are incredible. The bike is twitchy in an amazing way. I just think about a direction, and the little criterium frame is already mid-swoop. The wheels look so much less sleek than my hardy clinchers, blending in perfectly with the 30 year old frame. But that just makes their speed even more amazing. Did I mention they even weigh less?

* * *

Today was a wildly productive day in ventures that make me no money. In addition to the bike wheels, I finally fixed the brakes on the volvo and I started talking out a really exciting new radio project.

If only I hadn't gone grocery shopping, I'd have broken even.