New Toys Update

Now that I've had time to fit/use my birthday presents:

Track Pump. Excellent. Had a 40psi target in mind but based on previous use of mini pump with no guauge (at the limit of its/my abilities) turns out rear was 30psi and front only 25! Handful of up-downs and they're both up to spec.

Computer. Mmmh - not very happy with my pals at Specialized right now. Asked for and was given the "Turbo Elite" - wireless computer (wired cadence). First off, the manual is miniscule (50x90mm) with 6pt type and tiny illustrations. I don't know if the illustrations show anything useful - like which part of the sensors are actually supposed to line up with the magnets?

Then there's practicality - magnets and sensors are supposed to be within 1-2mm of each other. On a mountain bike, off-road, and with them all attached with cable ties? How the *%$! are you supposed to attach smooth plastic things to other smooth metal things with a hard plastic tie that has a ratchet mechanism - and keep it all in place within 1mm on a mountain bike?

Finally, there's the cadence setup. Unfortunately, my Specialized bike doesn't have enough room between the Specialized chainstay and the Specialized crank arm for the Specialized cadence sensor and Specialized cadence magnet to fit. So it has to go on an angle on the bend of the chainstay - with cable ties - so it's always liable to slip round the bend. Aren't we all.

Need to find somewhere at Specialized to rant to about this.

Hydration Pack. Great. Lack of bite valve might mean its a bit trickier to use in the saddle, but I think that is just practice. The tube routes nicely through the shoulder strap and clips to the side. With 2l bladder installed, there's still room inside for tube, multitool, waterproof, pump and a little more.

Rear Crud Catcher. It catches the crud, but the bracket design has created a Catch 22 for me. Because of the angle it sits at - and my short leggies meaning my seat post doesn't sit that high - the bracket has to clamp to the very top of the seat post under the saddle. That means my pre-existing saddle pack can't attach there too. I could drop the crud catcher a bit and make the actual guard sit at a more acute angle - but that would prevent me ever dropping the saddle. For now will just try to use the hydration pack instead of saddle pack.

Clothes. All good :)