Cycling in Minnesota is not without it’s challenges. The primary one being that between the months of November and March, you need to be either really dedicated or slightly crazy to actually do any outside cycling.

In looking at my log on the Garmin site, my last “official” outdoor ride took place on November 2nd. That makes a total of 106 days since my bike has been ridden outside. Sure, there were probably a few chances to ride in November, but we have had an early and harsh Minnesota winter this year. Even if the temperatures were suitable for riding, the road conditions would not allow it.

Fortunately, we’ve had some unseasonably warm temperatures these last few days in mid-February that have done their best to clear the roads and reduce the snow depth. Oh, that doesn’t mean that much of the snow has gone away – it simply means that there is less of it hanging around in yards, fields, and ditches.

Yesterday would have been a candidate for a ride, but the winds were easily 18mph and I wasn’t all that excited to suffer on the first major outing. Instead, I waited it out until Wednesday, where perfect conditions of mid-50s temperatures and minor winds beckoned for any cyclist to hit the roads.

Over the winter off-season, I had done a few, minor updates to my bikes so I was eager to try them out. I had replaced all the cables with Yokozuma Reaction cables and I was looking forward to see how they would perform. I had also replaced my tires with Michelin Krylions and wanted to feel the difference in road-feel compared to the Specialized Mondo Pros that I have been using since purchasing the bike.

The tires felt great and I rode with confidence based on the feedback they provided. They are a little stiffer compared to the Specialized and roll really well over the tarmac. I’m hoping that they are also more resilient to punctures, as I’ve had my share of flats over the past year that I would rather go without.

Unfortunately, I cannot say the same of the new cables. I was expecting to make a few minor adjustments on the road to dial in the rear derailleur. But adjustment after adjustment could not get it into the right position. I tried every possible thing I could do without tools, but could not find the sweet spot. Every few rotations, I would get the chain to jump around on the cassette. It was both annoying and a little dangerous as I was hesitant to put too much pressure on the cranks in fear of a slip that would send me flying off the bike.

Even with that nagging problem, it was still a tremendous feeling riding outside for a change. All of my riding in the past few months has been performed in my basement. Sure, that’s a great way to catch up on a few movies or online TV shows, but it sucks the joy out of the whole cycling experience. Cycling is rooted in traveling long distances in the great outdoors. I’m fortunate that Mother Nature provided a little reminder of that this mid-February day.

Of course, there is snow in the forecast for the weekend, so my joy will be short-lived.