Tommy and I set forth this summer with the goal of learning to crank grab and/or pedal grab and “up to rubber”.
I’d been working on it on and off for about 3 wks. A week ago I showed Tommy the scuff marks on my crank. He had forgotten our goal.
Well, yesterday I looked at his crank. “Scuffs” is too mild a term. There was no paint on the bottom edge and it looks like he beat on it with a meat tenderizer. Knowing Tommy, he spent several 1/2 to 1 hour sessions just pounding away until he had it. Now he goes up to rubber with grace.
Meanwhile, I still have to have my hand on something like a fence or tree to go up to rubber. It takes all of my concentration and energy and I make a horrible grunting sound. I just barely make it. My tire, when it clears, only clears by 1mm and then I collapse, exhausted.
We are both on Summits. But I’ve got 30 pounds on Grandmaster 2T. That 30 pounds (and my lack of grace) must be just enough to cause damage. My wheel bearing is sqeeking and the bearings in the pedal are clunking. The poor girl just doesn’t like my “style”. On the 2nd half of Sunday’s ride, she was wimpering. It was a terrible heart wrenching sound.
“Sqeeeyaaaeeeeyaaaaaeeeeek”
Once again, hats off to Tommy. Its a wonderful thing to see him get up on previously un-uppable stuff.
For Lady Summit… She’s laid up, waiting for a surgery date. 