Sigh. I have the 'buy something new' blues. My bike, like I said, was super-cheap. REI has it for $480 normally, but I got my specific one for $300. The only problem with it is that it has a medium frame (max 5'10"), and I should have a large frame (max 6'1") for it to be perfectly sized to me.
Our son rode our bikes in a couple of small parking lot loops before I put them back in the car from our big ride on Sunday, and really really wanted one of them. Since my bike is a little small we thought about giving it to him and buying me a perfectly sized bike.
I thought about it and just couldn't spend $480 for a 2" difference in frame height, especially since the handlebar is adjustable vertically enough to compensate. However, REI now has a 20% off sale, and it only applies to K2 (what I have) and Novara (REI brand) bikes. That would make my new bike around $380.
I decided to maybe upgrade my upgrade, so I looked at all REI bikes between $350 and $450, but kept coming back to the one I already have. Either they had no shocks or crappier ones, no suspension for the seat, or twist shifters instead of triggers.
We finally realized that we didn't get good bikes until almost 40, so he can live with his bike for a while. I agreed and decided to stop shopping and love the bike.
(see previous posts for details about the bikes)
Monday, February 25, 2008
Bicycles: The Conundrum
5 comments:
OMG! Just be happy with the bike already! An inch or two isn't going to make a difference.
I think the height difference is more a problem when the bike is too big for you. You didn't look uncomforatble on it at all. Do your legs extend as much as they should?
Oh, one other thing...
*opinionated post forthcoming*
I view a bike like a musical instrument. You can let people try it just to see what it's like briefly, but I wouldn't let my kids (or anyone else) share a bike with me. Sonya mentioned Ben being able to ride hers when she wasn't, and I think that's a massive mistake. Kids don't take care of stuff as well as adults, and I can see a disaster in the making. Ben's already ruined her socks from 'borrowing' them.
Plus, his bike looks pretty cool. Your dissatisfaction with your bike is rubbing off on him, and now he's not going to be pleased with his stuff because he sees you doing that. Be happy you have a cool bike!!! Jeez! You weren't even going to buy one a week ago!!!!
Another way it is like a musical instrument is that a good bike does not make a good rider; a good rider can make a crappy bike work wonders. I am happy with the bike, and I've decided to keep it. One other thing--the 2008 version is a hideous orange color, not a cool orange but like an old construction sign from the 70's.
Do you have a link to the hideous orange color? Man, everything is orange now. Some oranges are cool and some are really ugly, you're right.
I had a 70s banana seat bike that was orange when I was about 7 years old.
Here is the link. You'll have to cut-and-paste it into the address bar because I can't make a link here.
http://www.rei.com/product/761465?vcat=REI_SEARCH
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