Thursday, September 29, 2016

Mountain breakfast and brake failure...

I needed to ride. I woke up early on an autumn morning with a plan: I wanted my breakfast uplands, somewhere over 2000mt. I left at 7am, with that plan, a further plan to ride no less than 4 passes... and somehow in a hurry: got a lunch some when past midday... (Happy birthday Mom!)
Weather was lovely. A freshy morning, but temperature were rising... even if up there, on the passes, it barely went past 10°C during the morning...
I decide to attack Manghen Pass, I wanted the breakfast up there, with that superb landscape... and the silence of the mountain, way before the arrival of any other tourists, cyclists, hikers or riders.
Probably an earlier morning shower made me ride on sunny day but slightly wet tarmac... so my ride was more oriented on the landscape side than the performance one.
I arrived on top, riding the road with a maximum grade of 16%, before anybody else. Nobody there. No one. Even the bar-chalet was closed!
Once it opened I enjoyed the breakfast, by the fireplace (I told you it was rather fresh...) and continued doing the next 3 passes (San Pellegrino, Valles and Rolle)... clocking some 260km on the whole loop.

But an issue with the bike made a great ride far from perfect: all of a sudden the travel of the rear brake pedal became close to zero. And pushing the bike I felt it was partially on brakes. Once at home (I did it!) I disassembled the caliper and found out... 1) 100% worn pads 2)one of the pistons simply refusing to get back in the caliper.
Well, I had my ride. I had my breakfast. Mission accomplished! I enjoyed the weather and the landscape.... as for the bike... I already ordered the parts... we're going toward a complete caliper rebuild (seals and pistons) and a brake pump master cylinder repair kit. As I am on it, I decided to go for both... making sure everything will be new and I will not experience further issues like this.
After all, a spoiled ride is a great loss for a die hard rider!