Conversion to compact double

 I converted the Carbon Aero from a crankset with 3 chainrings, and a 9 speed rear cassette to a "compact double". This has 2 chainrings in the front and a 11 speed cassette (11t-32t) in the rear. I rarely used the smallest chainring with the triple. This results roughly with a range of 123 to 29 gear inches. Which should work well for my riding. I used handlebar tape for the gripping area of the handlebar instead of foam grips. It is easier to wrap tape then it is to get the grips on, so I tried this first.

I've only ridden 20 miles with the new setup, but, so far, really like it.

Components:

    Shimano Ultegra:

        Front derailleur: FD-R8000-B

        Rear derailleur  : RD-R8000-GS up to a 34T cassette

        Cassette             : CS-R8000

     Shimano Dura Ace 11speed bar end shifters: SL-BSR1

     Shimano CN-HG701-11 chain. The bike requires more than 2 chains.

 

I still have to do wrap more tape on the handlebars.

 I put the off road wheels and tires on the Giro today and road the conservation path. A beautiful fall day with the trees just beginning to turn color. I wonder how much color we will have this year after the drought we've been in from early summer to now.

On Saturday, I went for a ride on Pickpocket Road to Powder Mill Road. I've been riding the Bacchetta Giro26 more often this year. Here's a picture from Powder Mill Road

10,000 Miles

The Carbon Aero 2 odometer turned to 10,000 miles on my October 6, 2015 ride. A beautiful fall day and a ride along Bay Road to Durham, and back on Packers Falls Road. Plus some extra miles by going west on 152 to Camp Lee Road and of course Jacobs Well Road. I have my replacement Flo 60 wheel back on the rear of the bike and can feel the difference. A big thanks to Flo for replacing a wheel that was out of warranty with 5k miles on it. The original wheel rim cracked around some of the spokes.

Poor picture of the odometer at the bottom

Where it happened on Bay Rd. Looking towards Newmarket

Where it happened on Bay Rd. Looking towards Durham

Oaklands Rd, Piscassic Rd Junction

Adam's Point

I decided to try a road that I had never been on, Dame Road. I started on the Newmarket side and it quickly turned into a dirt road. The dirt was well packed and pretty smooth, so I continued on my way. Not the best road for 23mm tires but it was ok. It comes out on Bay Road in Durham near the Adam's Point entrance. The last time I road down to the end of Adam's Point, the road was in pretty bad shape. I figured that I had already spent a good part of the ride on dirt, so why not try the Adam's Point road. Turns out that it has been paved since the last time and was a pleasant ride. The sun came out while I was near Great Bay and I enjoyed the time that I was there.

Beach Ride

Took a different path to the beach today. Rode Rt 33 to Greenland and Breakfast Hill and ended up following West Rd to South Road to Woodland and Maple. Then up the coast and back to Mill road. A nice ride except for a pretty strong wind on the way back home. It ended up a little over 50 miles after extending it out to Mast Rd. My miles are down this year due to a snowy late winter and some lack of motivation from my forced summer "vacation".

West Road

Corner of Maple and 111

North Hampton

Approaching the Ocean

Brown Snow

After a relentless 6 or 8 weeks of bitter cold and 90 inches of snow, we got a day where the temperature made it to the upper 40's. Maybe 50. I think this March 10th ride is only my second ride of the year. I only rode 13 miles, turning down Deer Hill Road in Brentwood.

The snow returned today (the 15th) and the forecast for next week is mostly in the 30's and 40's. Wednesday looks like it won't make it into the 30's.

As of March 22nd, the cold is persistent. Today barely made it into the twenties with a very strong NW wind.