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@Arnomatic
The first test ride on this at the end of November felt underwhelming. Similar ride feel, slipping gears and a lack of fitness reminded me that a new frame doesn't magic away months of inactivity or reignite a love for cycling in its first ride. Having not ridden much this year it was always going to be a difficult and uncomfortable ride, but I let it piss me off. Instead of getting back in the saddle (as they say), I just got grumpy.
Hayley passing at the start of the month felt like a punch in the gut, I didn't know her or ever speak to her but she was always a familiar and entertaining voice on the forum. I guess looking back at her riding every day in that last week has been the kick up the backside I needed. I've made a lot of excuses this year to skip riding; flat tyres, a flight of stairs, "wrong length stem". Easy fixes. I imagine I'm not the only one here whose excuses have been put into perspective in recent weeks. Rest in power Hayley.
With that in mind, and after a few tweaks to the bike, I went out this morning for 15 spinny (as spinny as this gearing allows in west Wales) miles. Gears weren't perfect, and my hands started to freeze after a while but I came back feeling happier. Happier than I felt before it, and happier than I was after the last ride. There was a boy on a new bike he probably got for Christmas, and a friendly runner who smiled both times I passed her. They've even resurfaced a nasty corner since the last time I came out. The ride felt less about the bike and more about the ride for the first time in a while, and I was grateful to be out.
I'll talk more about the bike later on I expect, but this post is more to thank the forum and the people who use it for the years of entertainment, cheap stems and the power to shift perspectives. It has been a strange few weeks on here, but I'm sure that wherever LFGSS ends up it will continue to be a force for good.
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