Sunday Final

It's been raining off and on here for the past couple of days.
Very unlike summer weather.
It will go from blue to grey in a matter of minutes, tempting me to get out, then spoiling my plans.
So I went to the Man Store this morning.
More on that later.
I did manage to get out for short ride, here's an invading flotilla banana boats:



That's got to be the most kayaks I've ever seen together.
I mean the places here rent a lot of them, but for the most part they are scattered all over the ocean.
These folks looked like they were together, like some landing party or something.
So anyways, I've got some work to do on the Yellow Jacket, the unofficial name for the black and yellow thingy, for I'm getting some squeaks and creaks when under load.
I'm hoping it's the bottom bracket for I got some new cups and it's only a matter of changing them out.
I tried to get some pics of the tubes, it was overcast but here you go.
The top tube is diamond shaped, sort of:



Maybe tear drop is a better description.
Same as the downtube:



Not sure yet how I'm digging the oversized tubes.
Since we're looking at the bottom bracket, let's take a closer look at the paint:



There are a few places on the frame where there is this "crackle" effect.
I call it crackle for that's what we ceramic arteests call it, a glaze that shrinks so it crackles all over.
The paint on the frame is thick.
I mean thick!
So I suppose these crackles are from flex.
Or maybe it was just the paint shrinking over time, but I sort of like it for it reminds of raku.
Besides fixing the bottom bracket, I've also got to find me a new seat post.
I'm over the stop> thingy on the rails:



I think I'd be okay with 5mm less setback, but I think I'm going to a straight post just to be safe.
I only went out for 15 miles or so, but I'm left with these impressions.
The bike feels nicer in the turns.
Could be the Schwalbes, but it just feels more stable, like I'm not steering at all.
The ride seems harsher, could be the frame with them goofy tubes is a bit stiffer.
The regala kine chain rings will take some getting used to.
Jumping up to the Big Ring feels like the chain got stuck or someone grabbed me from behind.
Gotta work on my Constant Velocity Thighs(CVT).
Oh, and them regala kine wheels are a blessing in the wind!
No more being blown about like a fallen leaf.
Some food for thought when ordering my next set of Unobtainable Lightness of Roundess.
For you Mr. JRA, bathroom scale says the bicycle weighs in right at twenty pounds.
I hope to take the Ciocc out tomorrow for a full run, as long as the weather permits.
I should have a better idea of what it's all about then.
So far so good.