New Pedals and Shoes!

So being a cycling junkie, it's always fun to get new toys.  But these days my cycling budget is generally limited to a splurge or two a year.  Last year it was my new wheels so this year I've opted for new shoes.  My current pair of shoes -Shimano's, are about 8 years old and were purchased new at swap meet.  They've been pretty good, but it was time for something new and better.  And being I was going to switch shoes, it was a good time to swap out my pedals.  I'm currently using Shimano SPD pedals that I got with my bike.  These weren't on the bike until I got the Shimano shoes which were compatible with the SPD cleats.  They were and upgrade, but I always like the entry level Time pedals I started with when I went to clipless pedals on my LeTour many years ago.  And those "cheap" pedals?  The have actually made there way back to the LeTour and are what I use when riding it…primarily indoors these days.

So on to the new and exciting stuff.  I'm big on buying closeout items because there's a lot of value to be had in not being on the cutting edge.  Thus I generally look for last year's model or odds and ends.  Thus I've bought Cannondale RP 2000 Road Shoes which are "slightly blemished".  They don't specify exactly what that means, but I'm giving it a shot.  I can always return them if it's something more serious.  But I don't expect that as Nashbar is usually pretty good about these sort of things.  Besides, these were originally $250 carbon fiber soled shoes.  And even now the same thing, unblemished is $150.  So half off for a "minor blemish" is quite worth it to me.  Besides, shoes tend to get scuffed up as time goes on.  The Pearl color is what I got, not what's pictured.  They look like this.

And those spiffy new shoes are going to be clicking into a set of Time RXE Composite Road Pedal.  This is a larger platform pedal like the other Time pedals I had, but these are super adjustable and of much better quality.

And in the bonus round we have a pair of Tifosi Forza Sunglass.  Which really aren't sunglass as they have yellow lenses that are for foggy or very overcast days, or as I intend to use them, riding at night.  A good portion of my riding is very early in the pre-dawn hours thus it's generally very dark except in the middle of the summer.  I've long ridden with yellow lens as I prefer them over clear lenses in the dark.  Plus it's also foggy early in the morning and regardless I feel I can see better with yellow lenses.  And when you're riding in the dark, seeing as clearly as possible is important because your visibility is much more limited.

So now I wait patiently for my exciting new toys to arrive.  I'm guessing it will be via snail mail as I had a free shipping coupon…which is what finally spurred me into action.  Like I said, I'm all about the saving of the green.  :)

When The Big Numbers Run

When The Big Numbers Run

When the big numbers run
The catman dreams…

"He turned on to, too much to soon
You'll never see blue skies
It's your final frontier
Your time is here"

When the big numbers run
You have to stay on top
When your runnin' hot
You know you're not gonna stop!

And all the things that you know
Well they start taking their toll
And you know that it's time to go
You're at your wits end
No time to pretend
The big numbers grow
And on they go

When the big numbers run


6/14/1983