Taking the P5 home...take two!!

I ride to swimming on my old bike knowing that today I will finally be picking up the P5 to take home. I complete my swim session and then ride to work.  I have a quick shower and eat some breakfast whilst I wait for the shop to open and then I walk my old bike there.  When I arrive at the shop they are still working on my P5.  As I walk in, Ricardo is in the process of refilling the brake lines with hydraulic fluid.  It now has the drink holder on the back seat with a light attached and by the end of the day it will be ready to take home.

I head back to work and thanks to me being exceptionally busy, the day fly's by.  I get changed before walking back up to Capital Cycles to pick up the bike.  I arrive and the P5 is there waiting for me.  Paul wants to have one last look at me on the bike so we put it on the wind trainer.  I get changed out of my Vibrams that I have brought with me and quickly realise that I have left my socks back at work.  I just put on my new bike shoes and Paul decides to make an adjustment of my seat by bringing it up slightly.  It feels a little uncomfortable so we put it back down again.  It is now time for me to go for some long rides and test it out before we make any further adjustments.  I take the bike off the wind trainer, get a couple of complimentary drink bottles, fill them with water and then wheel the bike out of the shop for the second time.  I make it back to work, pick up my socks and my backpack and get ready to ride home.

I attach my Garmin watch to the bike and then enter the traffic for the ride home.  As I have already ridden it home once before, I am a little bit more confident and very soon I am feeling good.  There is a lot of traffic on the way home however there are lots of flat sections before the steep climb home.  With no major stops for traffic lights and slowing down for cars and buses that pull out in front of me, I should be able to get down on my aero bars and really test the bike out.  The stopping at lights is giving me time to test the new cleats of my shoes.  They are still quite stiff due to them being new and clipping out and especially in, is very different to what I am used to.

I hit the major flat area and get down onto the aero bars.  The bars are much lower than what I am used to.  It also feels a little unstable as you are basically steering the front of the bike with your forearms.  But as soon as I am in the aero position, I am immediately comfortable and am easily sitting on around 37km/hour.  I get to the bottom of the gorge feeling really good and then begin the climb up the hill.  As I have mentioned before, this bike is not built for climbing so I am not expecting and major gains whilst going up hill.  In fact I am in the easiest gear possible but feel very comfortable.  I hit the Newlands turn off and for the first time I look down at my watch to see that it has only taken me 19 minutes.  I track this ride every time I ride home and I know that this time is fast.  I hit a slight and quick downhill before continuing the climb home.  I hit the last major climb up hill and by this stage I am definitely going quicker than ever before.  I make it home and stop the clock on 29:37.  I have just ridden faster than ever before.  The fastest time before this was 30:07 and that was when I was in peak condition just before my last Half Ironman in March.  I have stopped a couple of times because of lights and cars which has increased my time and yet I have still come home faster than ever before.  I put on my Vibram's and go for a warm down run.  I put the bike in the garage and proudly show it off again to  Vic.  The P5 is finally home and ready for me to ride!  Below is my ride home and a picture of my Cervelo P5 or as it will be known as now, Catalina.  Catalina is an Italian name that means 'pure'...a fitting name for this bike as it is 'pure' speed!!!

Ride home from work by IronmanBarefoot at Garmin Connect - Details