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first date

Sunday,  02/15/09  09:46 PM

Today I had a chance to take an Orbea Orca for a real ride, my first time.  The nice people at Sundance Cycles loaned me an Orca for a demo ride, and I took it up Rockstore, twice!  Unfortunately it wasn't a totally perfect experiment, they had a 54" frame and I really need a 57", and weirdly, the bike was fitted with Ultegra components, crappy Shimano wheels, and an aluminum handlebar.  I'm guessing it was close to 2lbs heavier than it would have been if properly fitted with Dura-ace, Kysrium SLs, and a nice carbon handlebar.  But anyway it was beautiful in carbon gray, and it fairly flew up the hill.  Descending was somewhat impared by the crappy wheels, but I did come down Kanan afterward at about 45mph so I had a chance to see how stable it was at speed.  The ride was excellent, and it was a very comfortable bike.  Overall I was pretty wowed.

But...  I wasn't really wowed.  I think maybe this is like when you've admired a woman from afar, and she's drop dead gorgeous, and you finally work up enough courage to ask her out, and then on the first date you discover she's a really nice person but there's just no click.  I have to tell you, I loved the way it looks, I loved the way it rode, but...  no click.  So be it.