Had my first on-road ride with the Tica tonight.  The usual Thursday night ride with the Texas Wheels, a VERY fast group of roadies.  32 mile course, around 900 feet of climbing.  One hill that gains 220 ft or so of elevation over 1 mile, with one spot at 12%, rolling hills thereafter with some long  grades and about 10 miles of total flat.  The club usually eats me alive as soon as we start up the monster hill and I never see them again except as specks in the distance.  This paceline is FAST - getting 21-22mph average.  I've done this loop about 8 times now on the P-38.
 
I was worried about climbing on the tica.  It was plenty fast on the flats, but I'd never climbed with it and was worried about some boom flex, and the strain the longer crankarms would cause.  Also my rear cassette is only 11-25 - no climbing gears!  I also don't have my lowracer legs yet.
 
P:38.  25 pounds + gear, 48/36/26 front, 11-32 rear. 165MM cranks to ease the strain on my knees.  Best time on the course:  18.75 avg.  Climbed the big hill is the 36-28 combo.  Fastest speed:  42.1 downhill
 
Tica:  20 pounds + gear, 53/42/30 q-rings front, 11-25 rear.  175 cranks.  Time on the course tonight:  *20.71* average.  Climbed the big hill in the FREAKING 42-25!!!!!  I destroyed the entire paceline except for the two fastest riders in the paceline, and I kept them in sight the whole ride.  I crested some rolling hills at 35 mph and my fastest descent was well over 50mph.  I was too occupied to pay attention to the speedo.
 
Thoughts:  
1.  next time I will be first back to the parking lot.  I was much less fatigued when I was done tonight.  I braked hard on most turns, and even came to a near stop at some gravel, just to play it safe for my first road ride on the tica.  I also could not shift into the big ring for the last - and easiest - 10 miles.  I had the der. cable in the wrong place on the derailleur.  I think it's fixed now.
 
2.  This thing climbs like a beast.  Weight really does matter significantly.  
 
3.  Anyone who says q-rings don't work is insane or has them installed improperly.  I cranked and mashed and did everything I could to test how how well they work, and in spite of my cranks being too long and spending as much time in the 53-11 as possible, my knees actually felt better after the ride than before.  Even with short cranks and smaller chainrings, my knees always felt strained after this ride on the p-38.  Q rings *work* and work well.  Worth every centavo and I'll be putting them on my wife's bike asap.
 
I am officially declaring the M5 TiCa the BIKE OF THE GODS.  It's like crack.  It's 11pm and I want to take the bike out for another round.
 
I'll stop giggling like a schoolgirl and shut up now.    

Woohooo, Greg!  Smokin'!!!!

Quote from Bud_Bent on Jun 1^st, 2007, 9:10am:

 
 
Well, I'm just glad that I'll stop slowing you down for a while.  I've been sulking and pouting for months watching you destroy me at will and with no effort!  Hopefully my lowracer legs will be good enough for the 56 this weekend!  
 
I also showed Mark the q-rings and he might be interested enough to try a set after raam.
 
It was funny that when I beat everybody into the parking lot they were suddenly very interested in my bike!  Dang I can't wait for those wheelcovers now!