Praise for the Bike

This past Sunday was the first of this year’s Audax Tune Ups.  Yesterday I posted a report on the ride.  Here’s a bit of an addendum.

Chris was along on that ride.  She is a committed endurance rider.  At the end of the ride, Chris presented us with a bit of magic.  I’ll get to that in just a bit.

I’d like to spend a few minutes talking about the bike Chris was riding.  It’s a Giant TCR 2.  Chris purchased the bike a bit over five years ago.  That was an act of faith.  At the time she had never owned a road bike, and did not consider herself a cyclist.

She learned.  The bike taught her.  She rode it.  Lots.

In the years since that purchase, Chris has used her bright red TCR on centuries.  She’s commuted on it.  She’s ridden it as a light touring bike, and completed some (more than a few!) extremely tough brevets on it.  She’s climbed and descended some of the more significant routes in the Great Smoky Mountains on that bike.  She’s ridden it in rain, and blistering heat.  She’s thrashed her way down many umpaved roads.  She’s been up in the small hours of the morning, and saddled up in bitter cold to go ride numerous Dawn Patrols.

If I’m not mistaken, Chris’s beloved TCR has been ridden in four states.  It has carried her along on fast rides, training excursions, long slow rambles, grocery trips, path rides, and group rides.

The bike’s driveline has been completely rebuilt twice, and has used several chains and cassettes.  She has taken immaculate care of this great bike.  Yes, it has a few scars and scratches, but it still stand proud in the sun.

At the very end of Sunday’s ride a bit of magic happened with Chris’s TCR.  As we pulled into the parking lot, and stopped, the figure on her computer clicked over to a new number.  Exactly as Chris finished that ride, the overall milage on her beloved TCR hit the following figure, exactly...

BRAVO!  ENCORE BRAVO!!!