Dialing In The Set Up: Part 3

Getting the dashboard set up for Gravel Worlds

Monday the course cues for Gravel Worlds were released into the wild. I did what I always do- I printed them, folded them, and covered them in packing tape. This year there are a few more cues, so not as many big, long straight sections.

I set up everything on the bike as I will have it Saturday and took a short cruise to ensure nothing is going to tick me off. I'll also do a short gravel cruise today to test out the stability of everything. Gravel is like a paint shaker. If it isn't attached securely, there will be trouble!

So, here's a good example of why I love the Luxy Bar. I really get annoyed if I have to set up my light off-center. So, the way I have my Bar Yak cue sheet holder set up means the cues have to be offset to the left side of the bar. That means the Lezyne GPS mount has to go on the right side. To allow enough room for the light and the GPS to co-exist, I had to slide the mount over to the right on the bar. Now, notice that my mount for the GPS is a 31.8mm clamp mount. See how far to the right that mount clamps? Try that with a tapered center bar from any brand. Ain't-a-gunna work. The Luxy Bar, with its full 31.8mm diameter from ramp to ramp, makes this a non-issue.

The cues are such that when I get one sheet done I just flip the card over, re-clamp it, and I'm good through the next page, then I can take that page, once front and back cues have been passed, and discard it. The funny thing about the first page is I probably won't even need to use it. I'll just follow the stream of blinky lights. Last year I think I was in the middle of the second page before I figured I probably should start paying attention to the road names. It's not an issue as long as you remember to start your computer at the start line. I forgot to do this in 2017, and it made for some "interesting" calculations out on the course that day.

I had a little bit of a scare Tuesday morning on the commute to work. I had to negotiate the presence of  a couple of construction vehicles on the "island" at the interchange with Greenhill Road and University Avenue. The position of the vehicles was such that I had a strip of ground about two to three feet wide between the curb and traffic and the vehicles. As I passed by, something flipped up and severely smacked my bottom bracket and left crank arm. It was like someone hit the bike with a ball peen hammer. Immediately afterward I felt the rear tire go all squishy. I made it to work, but when I checked the pressure it was around 10psi.

Did I destroy a brand new Schwalbe G - One? I checked the tire over and found no outward visible evidence of sealant leakage. Either I burped the tire or I had an internal failure in the rim strip which healed itself. At any rate, I pumped the tire up at 9:00am to 30psi and its been good since.

Today I go shopping for nutrition and start packing. It's very nearly go time.