A Red Kite Prayer for Compact Cranks
A personal Red Kite Prayer
On a 45 minute climb up into the Santa Monica Mountains, Patrick O’Brady half-wheeled me for approximately 44 and 1/2 minutes. During the time, I studied his kit, his pedal stroke, and asked him after every switchback how much longer we had to go. We’d turned off from the longer ride, both nursing war wounds, and feeling old. The guys on the long ride were 1/2 our age, had more to prove and still making a name for themselves in this business. For us it was stories from the past, what’s happening now, and what we’re going to do with ourselves, as our earning years dwindle like the energy in tired legs.
Shifting up and down on the new 22 from SRAM cross-chaining every possible combination, I said, “can’t find the right gear on this 52/36!” Patrick replied, “you got to get over that man, Tyler rode that drivetrain.”
“He was on dope!”
“Yes, but a fast doper….”
That I believe compact cranks are like clip-on ties, they work, but require less effort or skill Patrick would and will disagree with. He has a hundred stories to prove me wrong. That’s cause he’s a storyteller, one of the bike industry’s finest and has collected his best tales into a book. You can join the crowd on Kickstarter and fund it further.
Then ask him about his ride with me someday. He never saw me again until after the descent where I wished I had a 53 x 11 the whole time.
Note: the Red Kite Prayer happens at the end of the ride, or the race, when you see the Red Kite. It’s the final milestone before the finish and seen at the 1K to go mark.