M Steinbaum – bike hire

I found the hire bike to be exceptional.  After adding a longer stem and reducing the stem height, it was ready to go.  The titanium seemed to absorb road shock without sacrificing power or efficiency when climbing.  It really excelled at descending, however.  I felt so comfortable descending that I actually enjoyed it for a change (usually one of the areas that causes me some stress). It felt solid and stable on the straights, and took the turns like it was on rails.  The braking on the bike was incredible and much better than on my own bike.  It added to that secure feeling going down the steep switchbacks.  Everything worked perfectly and the guides did a great job of daily maintenance.  It was as close to having the pro racer mechanic experience as I’m likely to have.