Trinity

If you've been reading my blog for a while, or if you just look at the banner above, you must know that I have an old triathlon bike, a 2002 Cervelo One named Neo. I introduced Neo to you last year in May when I found him for sale on Kijiji for the round sum of a thousand bucks (with sweet Spinergy wheels and yellow spokes, because he's fancy like that). Since then, Neo has been my only riding partner and we've been through everything together, from my first ever triathlon to my first half Ironman. We rode in the city and in the countryside, in Muskoka, in Mt. Tremblant, we even went to Milton and back on my longest ride this year (110km). Wherever I went, Neo came with me. Neo taught me everything about riding a tri bike: clipless pedals, aero bars, aero drinks, bottle exchanges and ... relieving bladder pressure on the go. Very important stuff. Almost a life and death matter.

But since I got him, Neo never took a break. He's tired and he's letting me know that. I took him to the mechanic a few times already and although the prognosis is good, he needs a good lube and having his chain looked after regularly. He also needs to have his spokes serviced, which will have to be done by a specialist. His shifters and rear derailleur are a bit grumpy too and need regular adjustments not to skip. So Neo, as an older fella, needs more maintenance and definitely some rest. I get it. With Ironman Mt. Tremblant on the horizon, I need a bike that won't let me down and unfortunately with Neo, this can happen at any time. Also, Neo has a regular crank (39/53 teeth on the chainrings instead of compact 34/50) and is tiring my legs in the long run (or should I say, ride). So, I had to make a decision. I was going to buy a new bike at the annual bike show in Toronto, but it would have been more or less the luck of the draw. Knowing how many hours I am going to spend on it in next year, I needed a perfect fit. And so, a few weeks ago, I decided to go downtown and try a few bikes and see if I find a good match.

Our first stop was Wheels of Bloor, a huge store that carries most of big brands such as Felt, BMC, Argon, Pinarello, Kuota and of course, Cervelo. I wanted a bike that had 700C wheels, so Zin and I can share or exchange wheels if needed (maybe some race wheels if we win the lottery?). Anyway, it was clear that I had to move up from the "mini" 48cm frame size to at least 50cm (I am 5'3", 67cm inseam). There weren't many choices for me in the store, aside from a Felt and a Cervelo. I asked to try the Cervelo first, a P2 because that's all we could afford. They measured me, put on a pair of regular pedals, then they let me go in High Park to do a few loops. And a few loops of pure bliss those were. Of course, I could only imagine how beautifully this bike rides, but once I started turning its pedals, I fell in love instantly. What is not to love about a Cervelo P2 anyway? Riding on it is pure poetry. I did not want to try anything else after this. I had found my new best friend and I already knew that her name was going to be Trinity.

I decided not to take Trinity with me at Ironman Muskoka 70.3, not only because she was new and we didn't know each other very well, but because I wanted to reward Neo for having been so good to me in the last 2 triathlon seasons and give him a chance to prove how awesome he still is on those hills that we dominated together on our training rides. He amazed me for never losing the chain or giving me a flat, for not skipping at all and for stopping like a champ when I had to put on the emergency brakes. We finished the race without incident and I am very thankful to him for being at his best that day.

But now it's Trinity's time to shine and show me how reliable she can be. We already went on two rides since I brought her home and I'm in awe of her. We fit together perfectly and I cannot wait to take her on new adventures. Alas the triathlon season is over for this year and I fear that our outdoors rides will be limited since the cold air brought back my coughing fits and I'll have to make sure I don't aggravate my asthma because of it. Most likely Neo will remain on the trainer over the winter and I'll spend more quality time with him watching Breaking Bad on Netflix and sweating profusely.

Last but not least, for those who don't get the Neo/Trinity connection, I suggest you watch The Matrix. I leave you with the key moment of the first movie, where you understand their bond. Just like in the movie, I hope Trinity and Neo will remain together for many years to come.

Many many thanks to my sweet husband for this amazing gift. From what I heard it should cover my birthday, Christmas, and the next 10 wedding anniversaries. Happy everything to me!