Maybe it is a zen thing, kinda

Got back on my bike today for the first time in weeks.

Between working pretty decent hours at my new job in Glendale, and spending 1.5-3hrs a day in the car (for a 43 mile round trip), I don't have a lot of time and energy left when I finally get home, and I couldn't really ride this weekend since a big chunk of SoCal was on fire.

But today I got home and got on my bike and headed over to the Bikerowave to true my wheels, and it was awesome!

Forking out the extra dinero for a shorter stem and a stem riser and some mountain bike toeclips has made all the difference in the world.

Getting a bike to fit properly is kind of a pain, because you need to set up the bike so that your legs are able to pedal efficiently and effectively, while having your hands and seat in the proper position so that they are both taking a fair share of the weight.

This basically means that unless you're a standard shape, or luck into a bike that fits perfectly, the first month or two of riding your bike involve regular adjustments to: stem height, stem length (have to replace stems to do this, usually), seat height, seat angle, and seat fore/aft position, and there's nobody that can do this for you as well as you can, so you just have to keep an allen wrench handy.

I think I'm pretty close to having mine dialled in. The flat part of the handlebars is just below the saddle now, instead of 3-4 inches below, which means I'm not reaching down 8-10 inches or so to get to the drops and use the brakes. Now I don't have to angle my seat down anymore to be comfortable, which helps me balance out my not insubstantial weight. (Seriously, if your groin is carrying your weight rather than your sit bones, try raising your handlebars. It may not look nearly as cool, but the pain and potential impotency zero out the cool factor bigtime.)

Riding today was what cycling is supposed to be. Really really pleasurable. The bike felt perfect, the air was finally pretty clear, the moon and stars were out, the temperature was perfect, and the roads were wide open and more or less flat, so it was a perfect night to ride a fixie.

I took some main roads on my ride, and realized that while I feel a lot safer on the side-streets during the day or during rush-hour, it feels safer and is a whole lot more fun to ride the major streets at night. The big streets are better maintained, and there are so few cars that there are plenty of lanes open which makes it easier for those in a rush to get past you.

All in all an A1 evening.

Now I just need to have more.

P.S. I laugh every time I look at that ridiculous bike in the picture below. I can only hope that it will be that hilarious in real life.