Wet Armadillos

The remnants of tropical storm Fay had drenched the streets before I left work for home this afternoon. Thankfully, the precipitation had dwindled to a minimum, but the streets still glistened with an iridescent coating of water and oil.

I had been cautioned that the Specialized Nimbus Armadillo tires I had mounted on the commuter bike might not perform too well on slick streets. I was eager to try them out, so I put on my gloves and began to search out puddles and manhole covers on the way home.

I pedaled at my usual pace, not a speed demon pace by any means, but still a notch above a relaxed spin. I hesitate to estimate my speed, but it was a speed that would give me confidence regardless of the surface conditions or tires. I was thankful for the full fenders, they kept me dry as the narrow red wall rubber sliced through the water.

At the speeds I was riding, the Nimbus Armadillos were capable and certain. Transversing manhole covers, metal grates, painted sections of the pavement made no difference. Perhaps I was not going fast enough to reach the outer envelope of these tires, but then, I would not have ridden that fast anyway considering the traffic I negotiate on my commute home. If I was pedaling for time, I might have found the limits of the traction afforded. I was, however, pedaling to get home in time for dinner, hopefully before the skies dumped another deluge, without exceeding the limits of my brakes. The Specialized Nimbus Armadillos were plenty safe for that.