Still Waiting

Yes, we're still waiting for the final results from the Pensacola Cycling Classic that was held the weekend before last.  I don't know what to say.  After seeing the results, or lack thereof, from the Saturday races I had made a point to video the finishes of the 35+, Cat. 3 and Cat. 1/2 criteriums on Sunday.  I ended up sending the official and chip timing company the placings from those videos.  I can't imagine what could take this long, but I can only surmise that they are piecing together results based on rider feedback because they just don't actually have good results themselves.

So on Thursday I brought the Bianchi over to the shop so they could track down and install the correct bottom bracket bearings (it's a BB30 bottom bracket) and hopefully get it going again in time for next weekend's excursion to Dahlonega for the annual Six Gap Century. I had noticed a noise coming from the BB on the Wednesday ride and when I spun it without the chain it felt really bad.  When I pulled it that night, the bottom bracket looked like something that had been salvaged from an old shipwreck.  It was full of rusty, gritty gunk.  I cleaned it out the best I could and forced some fresh grease in there hoping I could make it serviceable for another few weeks, but it was too far gone.  Since I was scheduled to drive to Florida on Friday, I knew I'd never be able to get the parts and do the replacement myself in time for six gap.  Thus, for the second time in my entire life, I brought a bike to a bike shop.  One thing that surprised me was that the only way water could have gotten into the bottom bracket shell was right through the bearings.  There is no opening into any of the frame tubes.  Man, the compromises they make in the name of lightness. I guess I'm going to have to pull this thing every few months and make sure there is a lot of grease on everything unless going through bottom bracket bearings once a year is the new standard.  It was, actually, a very wet racing season this year, so I'm sure that had something to do with it, but these new bikes are really not designed to handle some of the things that the old bikes handled easily.

Anyway, the weekend in SanDestin was pretty much a washout.  The Daughter and I did get out on Sunday morning for 25 miles or so before heading home, but otherwise it was a pretty wet weekend and the bikes spent a fair amount of time on the car roof going 70 mph in the rain.