Time is short, thought I'd regale with my preparations and see how others are getting on.
Despite questioning on a 15 minute basis what on earth I was doing in entering MM (again) until this evening preparations were going well - I had purchased two litres of vanilla vodka and assorted processed meat products and laid out my podium kit.
But then I turned to my bike and plans to fit an old Czech made freewheel (19t see, knee friendly plus I liked having some solid European pig iron on board). This was scuppered by the bike shop saying that a) they cost 85p; b) were **** when new; c) mine was not new. So I fitted a White Industries and was done with it.
However my rims were very concave - are you supposed to be able to squeeze rims between your fingers? Surely they will last another 24 hours though? A test ride was called for. Returning 30 minutes ago from said test ride I know the following a) wheels are ****ed; b) brakes are poorly set up and wholly ineffective; c) stem is too long; d) stem is too flat; e) bars are too low; f) steerer isn't any longer; g) grips are too short. But the headset is yellow and matches the frame so that is ok.
Todays ride also reminded me of the fragile balance between buttock clenching fear and public humiliation. I'm not sure I can ride that wave for 24 hours but the alternative is remorse which will surely lead in due course to daubing myself in woad and howling, naked, at the moon.
And to cap it all my colleagues from work went to see Take That tonight and didn't invite me.
Despite questioning on a 15 minute basis what on earth I was doing in entering MM (again) until this evening preparations were going well - I had purchased two litres of vanilla vodka and assorted processed meat products and laid out my podium kit.
But then I turned to my bike and plans to fit an old Czech made freewheel (19t see, knee friendly plus I liked having some solid European pig iron on board). This was scuppered by the bike shop saying that a) they cost 85p; b) were **** when new; c) mine was not new. So I fitted a White Industries and was done with it.
However my rims were very concave - are you supposed to be able to squeeze rims between your fingers? Surely they will last another 24 hours though? A test ride was called for. Returning 30 minutes ago from said test ride I know the following a) wheels are ****ed; b) brakes are poorly set up and wholly ineffective; c) stem is too long; d) stem is too flat; e) bars are too low; f) steerer isn't any longer; g) grips are too short. But the headset is yellow and matches the frame so that is ok.
Todays ride also reminded me of the fragile balance between buttock clenching fear and public humiliation. I'm not sure I can ride that wave for 24 hours but the alternative is remorse which will surely lead in due course to daubing myself in woad and howling, naked, at the moon.
And to cap it all my colleagues from work went to see Take That tonight and didn't invite me.