[/caption]On Sunday I decided to do my longest ride yet on the Raleigh DL-1. I've done quite a few rides in the range of 12 to 18 miles, even one 20 miler. But I've always been cautious about starting in the middle and riding out a few miles, then back, then out in another direction, then back again. That way I'm never too far from my starting point if I have a problem on the trail.
And one thing about the DL-1 is that, solid as it seems, it can certainly have some problems. During a previous long ride I had a flat on the back tire, and although I'm usually pretty prepared for trouble, I was stuck that time. My brother rescued me, and I've made a number of changes to make sure I'm better prepared for the next problem. Because there's always a next problem!
Sunday's ride was a pretty involved test of both the bike and me. I rode a 23 mile loop, starting at the Wanda Road parking lot in South Roxana, up the bluff into Edwardsville, out to Mont Station outside Glen Carbon, then took the Heritage Trail back into Glen Carbon. Then back up the bluff into Edwardsville, then back down the bluff to Wanda Road again.
So the ride involved going up and down the bluff twice, and riding the very irregular surface of the Heritage Trail. I had a couple of minor problems, all caused by me, but was able to resolve things on the trail. I had decided to move my handlebars and seat up a little bit. I ended up with the handlebars slightly crooked. And I ended up not getting the seat as tight as I'd like, and it did twist a little bit on me once. I was able to tighten the seat enough to prevent any problems (though I need to look at that more closely) and I got the handlebars pretty straight.
One problem with adjusting the handlebars is that they connect the rods to the brakes. So that means you also have to loosen the brake rods. Getting them properly adjusted afterwards requires some attention. I've learned that I have the best results when I pull the brake pads up into the wheel with one hand just as I tighten the rod bolts.
I just changed the hand grips to the cork ones shown in the photo. Overall I found them to be comfortable, and I like the look. I do need to get some shellac on them, as they're going to really show the dirt. They also may need to have a little adhesive to keep them from slipping around.
I was pleased that being limited to only three speeds did not prove to be a problem on tackling the bluffs. Those hills are very gently graded, intended for locomotives, so you typically spend several miles going up or down them. I was really happy with how nicely the Schwalbe Delta Cruiser tires rolled, especially on the gravelly surface on the Heritage Trail section. There are a lot of potholes and there's loose rock and asphalt all over the place, but these tires roll right through it.
