2016.05.13 The Bike I Didn't Get
File:2016-spartan-carbone-c1 .jpg
I haven't been riding enough. Lingering in my mind was my last ride: Post Canyon. In particular, one section that I struggled with returns to contemplation from many different angles. It was a rough, rocky section, and I found myself spending the majority of the descent recovering. So instead of picking a path and carving it I was thrown in unexpected directions and would barely manage to avoid shooting off the trail or pitching off balance and steadily losing pace. I'm a deeply intermediate rider, and perhaps it was a bit too advanced a section for me to take enjoyably. But the consensus of the riding crew at the bottom of the section was about how fun it had been. While it's true that many of them are considerably more talented than I, the gaps to others are less dire.
Worth noting was that, among the 11 bikes in the crew that day, I was the only one still using 26" wheels. Most were 29" or 27.5" with a couple 27.5+ fatties. The ability of the new, bigger wheels to roll over terrain has been often touted, but definitely made an impression to me after the thrashing through the rocks.
I also found myself having the most trouble when I bottomed out. The 145mm travel of my current Devinci Dixon is generally completely sufficient, but I started desiring just a biiiiit more buffer.
Plus, in general, the Dixon is showing its age and miles. The hydroformed aluminum frame is well-abraded. I've upgraded the drivetrain to a 1x10 with a Raceface 30-tooth up front and a slick clutched rear derailleur - but I still occasionally miss my granny-est gear. I've grafted on a dropper post, but the old frame doesn't support internal routing making it look ad-hoc. The Mallet pedals have perhaps achieved full malleting. Even the handgrips have been worn out by my multitude of rides with terrified clinging. And the bike is crusty from my tears, both of joy and fear.
Enter the Spartan.
I've known about this bike for a while. It's a Devinci, so it's Canadian and it's pretty. Plus, there was one on the trail back at Post Canyon. Then there was one for sale at my favourite bike shop: Fat Tire Farm. It's eerie how it exactly addresses all my grumbles. 27.5" wheels, with 160mm travel and slightly more aggressive geometry. Slick 1x11 10-42 drivetrain, with internally-routed lines (including the dropper post) through a carbon frame. So I went to peek at it, and took it for a ride around the block.
Bad idea.
Obsession set it. All I was thinking about was how it would let me rip through my favourite trails at Sandy Ridge, fly through the Kleeway, and give me a fighting chance in that rocky section at Post Canyon. I could just afford it. If I squinted, and ignored the fact that I'm saving up for a Tesla.
When I told S about it, she told me flatly that bikes were my thing, and that she would support me doing my thing. Even offering to cover half out of the house-upgrade fund that she's saving up for. How could I not?!
All the while, my "friend" Colin was emailing me pictures of the Spartan.
[ASIDE: I'm totally telling Colette on him.]
Deep breath.
Maybe next year.
Maybe next year we'll have less pending expenses, and I'll have a chance to save up towards a new bike. Maybe next year Devinci will put Boost-capable wheel sets on the Spartan, so that I can run the 27.5+ tires that I really (might) want. Besides, next year I'll be more desperate for something shiny and new - because I still won't have my Tesla yet. This year I got to have the thrill of reserving it.
In the mean time, the mighty Devinci Dixon will be perfectly functional for another year of hard riding and joy chasing.
