Creak, creak, creak

Mark has a creak in his suspension and it’s really bugging me. Creak, creak, creak. I make a face without looking back and all of a sudden a quarter cup of sweat comes out from under my helmet – where’d that come from?

Creak, creak, creak.

I’m turning the pedals over one-by-one, just focusing on rhythm and getting to the next switchback. Climbing Middle Peak Fire Road is hard. Fourteen switchbacks gain 1,037 feet in just 2.6 miles. That might only be 7.6% average gradient, but there are ramps in there above 20%.

Creak, creak, creak.

I get to a steep corner and mash up without shifting. The creaking is softer now. Another ramp, another push and the creaking is gone completely. Great, now I’ve got nothing to think about.

I’m like Captain Hook and the creak is my Crocodile. Mustn’t let it catch me. Peter Pan is a cool story, why doesn’t he want to grow up? You don’t get a cool mountain bike until after you’ve grown up. I like my bike. It doesn’t creak and it’s orange – which is the best part of all.

Creak, creak creak – Crap! It’s back!

I wait an eternity for the next steep corner and then silence the creak again. Ah, that’s better.

Tagged as: Mountain Biking