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Now retired but busy still living..

Wednesday 15 February 2012

NAKED.......

FIONA'S NAKED BOTTOM BRACKET
At this time of year I don't ride my carbon bike Fiona (The Felt). I tend to reserve this bike for the period from late spring through to early autumn......days when the chances of  rain..... mud..... salt.... grit..etc are low. 
It's my best bike and  I spent a lot when I bought it so I can't see myself spending that much again on a bike....particularly now I  am retired. I like to keep it in pristine condition and that gives me almost as much pleasure as the hours I do spend riding it during the summer months..... 


Most of the winter miles I ride tend to be spread between the Tifosi and the Revolution...... although for most daily riding the Tifosi is my bike of choice.......The mudguards (fenders) mean that I can ride the bike year round and I don't have to spend hours cleaning the bike after each ride. 


I have never really understood why a lot of riders are happy to ride a bike without mudguards throughout the winter. Muck sprays up everywhere...all over the bike and all over the rider. 
As I ride on the road only- I find that a lot of grease and oil is picked up off the road and trying to remove the marks that are left down the back of expensive cycling jerseys and other cycling kit can be a difficult task no matter what 'magic cleaner' you choose to use. 


Obviously there are no mudguards on the Felt....and if it happens to rain during a sportive or some other time that I am riding the bike, then that's the way it is and I have to put up with it. I think that I would be spending hours cleaning the bike let alone cycle clothing if I rode it throughout the winter period as well. 
No, for me Fiona is a special bike reserved for special days and special events........ 


I have posted a picture of Fiona's naked carbon bottom bracket area above.....
I would not normally display a picture of Fiona's more intimate areas but this shot is for Jeff over at http://theflattire.blogspot.com/
He is looking to buy a new frame....he has talked about the possibility of buying a carbon frame but he's not been giving too much away on his final choice of  material or anything else come to that. So I thought that I would give him a bit of excitement and a little reminder of the beauty of naked carbon. 


Naked carbon bike porn....don't you just love it..?

8 comments:

Steve A said...

As a prospective retiree, I find your perspective especially valuable. Thanks.

John Romeo Alpha said...

Fiona has a lovely bracket. This is the type of suggestive photograph that could convert a hard core steel frame cyclist into a carbon fiber fiend.

limom said...

You sir, are a devil.

Marsha said...

You will love that carbon bike for years! I'm on my second one. The tech keeps getting better and better. This new bike's frame positively damps the rough stuff while still being stiff and responsive. Happy pedalling on Fiona! (Isn't retirement grand....)

TrevorW�� said...

*Steve A*
I wish that I could have retired earlier Steve...

*JRA*
Thanks for your comment on Fiona's lovely bracket...I have heard that once a hardcore steel fanatic it is difficult to make the switch....

*limom*
Ah...Yes - but not a Celeste Devil nice as that is.

*Marsha*
Retirement certainly is grand. I've been getting used to it for three years now....As I commented to Steve above- I wished that I could have retired earlier.

Gail Is This Mutton? said...

You're asking for trouble Trevor with a headline that includes "naked." All sorts of Google search traffic will now be visiting your site :-) The Felt reminds me of my husband's Bad Boy, a bike he obsessed over for weeks until he finally bought it. And now it only seems to come out on special occasions.

GreenComotion said...

Trevor,
I am a steel fanatic myself, but I guess I didn't mind admiring your bike. From what I can see, I bet the rest is quite beautiful as well.
Paz :)

TrevorW�� said...

*Gail*
I was going to headline it as 'Fiona Goes Naked' but I did think that would be asking for too much trouble...Ha Ha.
Ref your husbands 'Bad Boy'....when you have obsessed over something for a long time and you finally get it....you want to keep it looking good, so using it only on special occasions is one way to do it...

*Chandra*
One day I would like a steel framed Italian bike...a Pegoretti. I think that Dario Pegoretti can work magic with steel.

Six weeks off.

 The visit to see the Consultant went quite well really ...   My ' numbers' have started to creep up again so I am going to be given...