On Monday, I brought the Beast to Fit to be Tri’d, my local bike shop, to get everything tuned up for the winter. The brakes had gotten so soft that they were basically useless, and the shifting had a certain disconcerting slackness to it, so I figured I’d better get a professional to pay some attention to the rig before the snow flew.
Picking up the bike at the end of the day, I was immediately and pleasantly surprised by how it felt like a brand-new machine. In addition to the usual tune-up stuff, the mechanic – a Yooper! – replaced the brake pads and the chain, which was s-h-o-t. As a result, shifting was tight and quick and flawless and even the lightest caress of the brake levers had instant results. Plus, the mechanic at the shop gave me the used brake pads, which are cool-looking and, sure enough, worn almost through. Riding the couple miles home, I was excited to get the bike onto some gravel and snow as soon as possible.