Yesterday I took my new Open O-1.0 for an extended test ride through the Headlands and over to Mt. Tam and back. Close to 50 miles and 7,000' of climbing. My new bike gave me a false sense of how much energy I really had. I kept pushing myself harder and harder towards the beginning because it was so easy to accelerate and put the hammer down. I also overdressed for the day, thinking it was going to be cold. I overheated quickly, but was able to regulate my body temperature by zipping and unzipping various vents/seams on my heavier jersey.
Again, I was dumbfounded by how light and agile my new setup was. The Rotor 3D+ cranks are incredibly stiff, and noticeable having ridden on X7, X0, and Specialized carbon cranks. The bike just begged to be sprinted up each climb. In the end I paid for it, bonking with 15 miles left on my ride. I bypassed the last single track climb and opted for the much flatter road and through the 5 minute tunnel back home. I had to stop at my work to grab a quick snack otherwise I wouldn't have made it.
Bonking is no fun. I do it to myself all the time, and never learn my lesson. Deep down I secretly like it, the pain and suffering, and knowing I can overcome it. I think of it as endurance training. I just need to pack way more food than I necessary, regardless of what it is. What made it bad was that I overheated in the beginning, and didn't layer enough or allow my perspiration to evaporate. When this happens it's almost impossible for your body temperature to keep up, and the chill just sets in. Add bonking and it makes for the worst day ever. Don't get me wrong, though. I had a great day of riding up until that point.