Though it gives up a bit of comfort compared to the suspension bike, the added shock absorbing seat post and double springed seat, makes it barely noticeable. On the flip side, I gain about 20% in speed using the same energy, and significantly less energy wasted due to the bikes design, bigger wheels, and reduced weight.
After the initial 14 KM test run on mainly flat roads, I've taken it up Mount Royal a couple times over the past 2 days, hitting both steep paved hills, as well as the main dirt/gravel trail that runs to the summit.
With the bright sun shining this morning, I decided to shoot some more scenic pics for my blog.
The view of Montreal East from the Mount Royal Lookout, allows one to see the Jacques Cartier bridge:
Moving further Northeast, a view of the Olympic stadium, and the port of Montreal in the background.
Heading down the Eastern Slope towards Avenue du Parc, the hill is significantly steeper than the Western Slope. A few months ago, a cyclist was killed when he collided with a car pulling an illegal U turn, and a memorial bike was hung for him at the spot.
Notice the hockey stick added to the memorial bike, I'm guessing it was added due to the tragic Humbolt hockey team accident a few days ago, in which 15 teenagers were killed when their bus collided with a truck in rural Saskatchewan.
All in all, I'm glad with my new ride, and hope to put many miles on it exploring new areas in the future.
