Can I get a Hallelujah?That is a pic of Gerta, sitting in our driveway this morning. Yeah, it's been months and months. But she's FINISHED!
OK, not really. But the brake system and rear axles are done. I did the brake bleed myself, pumping the pedal and then blocking it down with a piece of wood wedged against the seat front.
I drove her to the store this morning and the brakes are firm, there's no sign of any fluids leaking from either the brakes or the tranny, and she shifted clean and quiet.
There's more I want to do but budgetary constraints require that I wait before replacing the broken turn signal lever, getting new front turn signal lenses, getting the parts to fix the passenger window regulator.... But it's fun to drive her again.
They’re called wheelsuckers, and it’s not a compliment.
In a paceline of cyclists every rider behind the guy in front experiences up to a 30% advantage because of the improved aerodynamics. That’s why there’s a rotation, front to back. The lead cyclist takes a turn pulling, then signals with an elbow wiggle that he’s done. He moves to the side and slows ever so slightly while the paceline passes him. Then he pulls in at the back of the line. This rotation continues until he’s back up at the front.
A paceline can be any number of riders, including only two. The advantage to the guy behind is still significant. I’ve pedaled very hard at the front but found I could coast without losing speed once back in the paceline.
There are rules of paceline behavior, a whole etiquette of riding in a group organized into a line for efficiency. For example, each rider spends only as much time at the front as he can reasonably do without slowing the pace. If the line is moving at 20 mph a particular rider may be able to pull for only a minute, whereas the guy after him is good for twice that. No matter; the important thing is that the first guy took his turn and kept the paceline moving steadily. A paceline is a team of riders with different abilities, each contributing what he can for the benefit of the whole.
Opinions vary, but for most riders a guy who always rides at the back of the line, taking full advantage of the maximum aerodynamic benefit of the paceline but never taking his turn at the front, is a wheelsucker. On a club ride, where everyone knows each other, they may accept that their friend Alex isn’t strong enough to pull at the front; to put him up there even for a short stint would slow down the entire line. So they’re fine with Alex staying at the back and letting the rider falling back from the front pull in ahead of him. But unless the group understands and accepts, a guy like Alex is a wheelsucker and a jerk.
This morning, about 17 miles into my ride and just as I got onto the 303, I spotted a rider ahead of me. Over the next mile I caught up with him because I was going a couple of mph faster than he was. As I passed him I said, “Good morning,” but got no response. There’s nothing out on the 303, and the next intersection was six miles up the road. When I got there I looked over my left shoulder to see if any cars were coming up on me.
There he was.
Another three miles and I turned east on Happy Valley. Same thing. I check for cars that might pose a risk and he’s on my rear wheel. Again, three miles to 99th and he’s still there.
Wheelsucker.
I would have ridden the same pace whether he was back there or not. For much of that distance I was unaware I was pulling him along. But it’s the principle of the thing. If he’s going to use my draft to go faster than he otherwise could or would, the least he could do is let me know he’s back there. Or, how ‘bout he take a turn at the front?
There are wheelsuckers in life. They have no compunction about living off the labor of others. The accept welfare, food stamps, public health benefits - whatever is available to them - without the slightest twinge of guilt, never mind shame. When someone calls them on it they get indignant at the judgmental attitude.
In this club ride called America there are those who find themselves in a bad spot through no fault of their own. Alex would do better if he could, but circumstances have conspired against him. In that case I am happy to pull Alex along until he can join the paceline. If, because of physical, mental or emotional reasons he can never pull his turn, that’s OK, too. We’re here for ya, guy.
But wheelsuckers? Total disdain. I’m going to do the same amount of work; nothing in me will change because of the wheelsucker behind me. But in the course of things I’ll be paying their bills, pulling my load and theirs. If they expect friendship, warmth or special assistance from me - it ain’t gonna happen. They’re able, just not willing.
Wheelsuckers.
OK, not really. But the brake system and rear axles are done. I did the brake bleed myself, pumping the pedal and then blocking it down with a piece of wood wedged against the seat front.
I drove her to the store this morning and the brakes are firm, there's no sign of any fluids leaking from either the brakes or the tranny, and she shifted clean and quiet.
There's more I want to do but budgetary constraints require that I wait before replacing the broken turn signal lever, getting new front turn signal lenses, getting the parts to fix the passenger window regulator.... But it's fun to drive her again.
They’re called wheelsuckers, and it’s not a compliment.
In a paceline of cyclists every rider behind the guy in front experiences up to a 30% advantage because of the improved aerodynamics. That’s why there’s a rotation, front to back. The lead cyclist takes a turn pulling, then signals with an elbow wiggle that he’s done. He moves to the side and slows ever so slightly while the paceline passes him. Then he pulls in at the back of the line. This rotation continues until he’s back up at the front.
A paceline can be any number of riders, including only two. The advantage to the guy behind is still significant. I’ve pedaled very hard at the front but found I could coast without losing speed once back in the paceline.
There are rules of paceline behavior, a whole etiquette of riding in a group organized into a line for efficiency. For example, each rider spends only as much time at the front as he can reasonably do without slowing the pace. If the line is moving at 20 mph a particular rider may be able to pull for only a minute, whereas the guy after him is good for twice that. No matter; the important thing is that the first guy took his turn and kept the paceline moving steadily. A paceline is a team of riders with different abilities, each contributing what he can for the benefit of the whole.
Opinions vary, but for most riders a guy who always rides at the back of the line, taking full advantage of the maximum aerodynamic benefit of the paceline but never taking his turn at the front, is a wheelsucker. On a club ride, where everyone knows each other, they may accept that their friend Alex isn’t strong enough to pull at the front; to put him up there even for a short stint would slow down the entire line. So they’re fine with Alex staying at the back and letting the rider falling back from the front pull in ahead of him. But unless the group understands and accepts, a guy like Alex is a wheelsucker and a jerk.
This morning, about 17 miles into my ride and just as I got onto the 303, I spotted a rider ahead of me. Over the next mile I caught up with him because I was going a couple of mph faster than he was. As I passed him I said, “Good morning,” but got no response. There’s nothing out on the 303, and the next intersection was six miles up the road. When I got there I looked over my left shoulder to see if any cars were coming up on me.
There he was.
Another three miles and I turned east on Happy Valley. Same thing. I check for cars that might pose a risk and he’s on my rear wheel. Again, three miles to 99th and he’s still there.
Wheelsucker.
I would have ridden the same pace whether he was back there or not. For much of that distance I was unaware I was pulling him along. But it’s the principle of the thing. If he’s going to use my draft to go faster than he otherwise could or would, the least he could do is let me know he’s back there. Or, how ‘bout he take a turn at the front?
There are wheelsuckers in life. They have no compunction about living off the labor of others. The accept welfare, food stamps, public health benefits - whatever is available to them - without the slightest twinge of guilt, never mind shame. When someone calls them on it they get indignant at the judgmental attitude.
In this club ride called America there are those who find themselves in a bad spot through no fault of their own. Alex would do better if he could, but circumstances have conspired against him. In that case I am happy to pull Alex along until he can join the paceline. If, because of physical, mental or emotional reasons he can never pull his turn, that’s OK, too. We’re here for ya, guy.
But wheelsuckers? Total disdain. I’m going to do the same amount of work; nothing in me will change because of the wheelsucker behind me. But in the course of things I’ll be paying their bills, pulling my load and theirs. If they expect friendship, warmth or special assistance from me - it ain’t gonna happen. They’re able, just not willing.
Wheelsuckers.
2 comments:
I think your next project should be to paint it a nice base color like yellow or orange, and then paint big daisies on it. Now THAT would be a fun blog surprise!
Lime green would be nice,too.
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