Yesterday I took a late-day ride through central Queens and up to the North Shore. From Flushing, it's west (actually, west-southwest) to my place. That allows me to revel in a spectacle or two if I time my ride the way I did yesterday:
Here is the bay at the World's Fair Marina, just east of the airport everybody hates, i.e., LaGuardia. Yes, that is the midtown and uptown Manhattan skyline in the distance.
From there, I followed the bay and the East River to Astoria Park, which is only a couple of miles from my apartment. If you've ever taken the train between New York and Boston, you rumbled over this park, which lies underneath one end of the bridge.
That span is known as the Hell Gate Bridge, named for the stretch of waterway under it. In other posts, I've recounted the origins of the name. Last night, the visibly strong current helped that stretch of the East River (which is really a tidal estuary) live up to its name.
And I rode under that bridge--through the gate, if you will--to go home. If riding through Hell is so beautiful, I'm in no hurry to get to Heaven!
The other day was a fine early-spring day. Yesterday was just like it, only warmer and with less wind.
It seemed like a good day for a maiden voyage. Yes, I took my winter project out for a ride. I'd planned to take it for a "shakeout" of, say, 20 kilometers. Then I'd go home, have lunch and take a ride on one of my Mercians.
But a ride to the World's Fair Promenade and Flushing Meadow park turned into a North Shore jaunt that took up the late morning and early afternoon. The day was just so nice that I didn't want to go back inside. Also, I was starting to form a few early impressions about the bike and wanted to spend some more time on the road to examine them, if not in depth.
Also, I wanted to see whether any problems would develop. So far, I haven't found any. I'll need to do only the things one normally has to do with a new build (even when using old parts): Cables and spokes need re-tensioning and I'm going to tweak the saddle and handlebar position a bit. So far, however, I don't think I'll need to make any major changes.
I reckon I rode 85 or 90 kilometers with a few hills and rough patches. The bike is both more stable and sprightly than I expected it to be. It seems, so far, to ride like a less refined version of Vera--which is not a bad thing, necessarily.
Years ago, I had a set of Weinmann 605 brakes on my Romic and one of my Treks. I liked them then, and now I remember why: They have a very firm response which, I believe, is enhanced with Mathauser (Kool Stop) brake pads. I am especially pleased that they are playing nice with the inverse brake levers.
And I remembered what I liked so much about SunTour derailleurs back in the day: They, like the brakes, have a positive response. I wondered, however, what the shifting would be like with a modern chain on an old freewheel. I wasn't so worried about whether they'd mesh: The freewheel I installed hadn't been used much, if at all: It was about as close to new as it could be without being new. It is, though, a five-speed freewheel, which has wider spacing between the cogs than what's found on modern cassettes. And the chain--a SRAM PC-830--is made for 8-speeds.
Happily, I didn't miss a shift. The "pickup" was quicker than I expected, and the chain engaged the cogs--on a SunTour Winner Pro freewheel--without any problems. The drivetrain shifted and ran quietly.
In an upcoming post, I'll list the componentry. For now, I'll mention two interesting (to you bike geeks, I mean enthusiasts, anyway) things I did.
One is in the rear wheel, which I built. The hub is spaced for a six-speed rear, with a 126mm over-locknut diameter. I rearranged the spacing--shortening it by 5mm on the right (drivetrain) side and lengthening the left side by the same amount. In other words, I spaced the right side for a 5-speed freewheel and, in adding the spacers to the other side, made the hub more nearly symmetrical. This reduces the amount of "dish" in the wheel which, I believe, will make it stronger.
The other thing I want to mention is the handlebar tape. Yes, I used cloth tape--in this case, Tressostar gray and dark blue--and coated it with clear shellac.
That ornament on the stem? It was an earring. It was once half of a pair. I lost its "mate". So, I cut off the clamp, filed down the stub and attached it to the stem with Crazy Glue!
If you've been reading this blog, you've seen the bag before. It's the great Randonneur bag Ely of Ruthworks made, which I've used on Vera for the past couple of years. I hope she and this bike--which I've yet to name--don't fight for custody of it!
Yesterday definitely felt like Spring. The weather was pleasantly cool and the skies almost preternaturally bright. Breezes blew from the ocean, sometimes turning into winds.
It was a great day, in short, for a ride of, oh, about 105 or 110 kilometers. A trip to Point Lookout and back falls very neatly into that range, depending on whether and how I vary my route.
I didn't see as many people along the Rockaway boardwalks as I expected. However, a lot of people were roaming around the area, and on the beach, both in the Rockaways and in Long Beach. And, while I enjoyed a piece of English Blue Stilton cheese and two whole wheat bagels, a few families stopped at Point Lookout to take portraits on the rocks, with the waves in the background.
Well, all right, there weren't any waves. Or, at least, they weren't the kind that lash against the rocks. I don't think I've ever seen the tide recede as much as it had yesterday.
On other rides, I've seen sandbars form on the north side of the bay. But yesterday, for the first time, I saw another on the south side. They almost merged:
Meantime, Vera was soaking up some sun. She's getting and giving some good rides. Don't worry: My other Mercians will see the road this soon--actually, this week, I hope. I was doing some maintenance on them and now I have a few days off for spring break!
And, yes, my project Trek will also see some "duty", too!
