I’m not sure how to start this post… After all, it’s just been me who has been posting lots about bikes here, and to now make a post about two new bikes might be unexpected.
But in all fairness, it’s Tammy that needed a new bike more than me. Her old Nishiki was a bad bike, and she has trooped along with it for… 16 years? We got it when we were still living on Skinner Street in Prince George, so that would be 1996 or so. It was heavy, and the geometry of the frame did more to stop her from getting an efficient pedalling stroke than anything. Compared to my old Kona, it was a lumbering beast. I have felt bad about it, since I helped her buy it from Sport Mart way back when. It was the sort of purchase that I was a part of before the Internet became the source to learn lots about just about anything. Lately she has been going for rides with the kids, and has shown a spark of interest in riding more. So it’s a lot different than her old bike: nice and light, with good components and fit for her.
She took it and a competing Norco and Cannondale out for a test ride at Bow Cycle this afternoon, while I was going through the process of getting sized up with this:
I went for a second ride with the Bow Cyclist Club this morning. Another two hours, in which time we covered 42 kilometers. It was a much larger group, with 16 riders. And it was only me and a woman named Susan who weren’t riding road bikes. I was able to keep up, despite the fact that we were moving faster than on Wednesday. But it came down to the situation that in order to lighten my bike for the group ride, I needed to strip the fenders and rack off of it, and I couldn’t see myself doing that twice every week. So either my Giant became a less capable commuter (no pannier bags, fenders) or it could do the role I bought it for, and another bike would be the “sporty” rider.
I know, pretty weak excuse. But it’s the best I could come up with. I also bought proper cycling shoes that clip into the pedals. 🙂
I look forward to continuing my riding, and I look forward to Tammy enjoying a bike that isn’t out to make her life hard. Who knows, maybe in a couple years she might join me on my rides!
0h my..feel for Susan…"only" a road bike:(
@Baba: no, you misunderstand me: she and I were the only ones *without* road bikes. She has a hybrid (sit up tall, wide, flat bar, heavier, etc.). Her friend Linda was there on Sunday for the first time on her new road bike, and Susan was overheard to say that she was definitely going to upgrade in the near future.
A road bike is just a much more efficient and comfortable way to cover long distances, climb hills, etc. Susan isn’t a very big person, and so I imagine all the things that I mention from my experience are amplified for her.
Actually, on re-reading I see that I am giving events out of order and it’s not clear that the ride in the morning was before buying the bikes in the late afternoon.
In short: ride, recovery, buy bikes, looking forward to next ride.
Tammy and the kids mentioned riding down to a playground this evening. We’ll see if the weather holds. It really would be a good idea for me to get practice riding the new bike before I join a bunch of others where falling off would be infinitely more embarrassing.
Both bicycles look very impressive…Looks of serious "bickers"..