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Celebrate with me!
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 2004-01-14 5:48 PM |
Extreme Veteran  465   Epworth. Iowa |  Subject: Celebrate with me!Well - it's on the way. I've been going back and forth between getting a mountain bike - buying my neighbor's huffy balloon tire job ($25) - or committing myself to serious with a road bike. Bicycling magazine had this Douglass Motive 105 (from Colorado Cyclist) as a best buy. My cycling fanatic buddy (4000 miles + a year) also did some research and suggested that if I was not worried about name brand that this would be a great buy at $799. Colorado Cyclist is closing these 2003's out ($1099 in catalog) when they are gone, they are gone. This nifty "entry" bike has Shimano 105 9 speed triple STI Flight Deck, carbon fork and other great componetry. (Geez - there is a whole new language to learn with all this stuff.) So after a great "conversation" with my wife - I did it. Yikes - this sport could cost a bit of money ay? (There's a nifty picture of my new treasure on the blog "Couch to Competition" linked on the main page of the site.) Oh - did I mention that we had just had a big conversation last week at our house about "holding down" the spending 'cause Christmas dented our bank account? I tried to argue that this bike is way less than my way unhealthy lifestyle of a year ago  Anyway - I know folks out there are happy for me  (right?) Now if I can just learn to ride (clipless!) |
| 2004-01-14 6:16 PM in reply to: #3871 |
| Regular 84 Colorado | Subject: RE: Celebrate with me! Awesome! Congratulations! A wise investment for sure. In entertainment value alone, this bike will pay for itself quickly, as compared to purchasing beer and cigarettes and paying doctor bills! I bought my road bike in 1999, same deal- a 1998 close out Specialized- and many miles later it's still serving me very well. If you bike to Colorado come pick me up and we can do a ride! Enjoy!! |
| 2004-01-14 6:57 PM in reply to: #3871 |
Resident Matriarch N 43° 32.927 W 071° 24.431 | Subject: RE: Celebrate with me! woohoo! I am doing the happy dance for you Can I tell you how many times I've used the line "but it's not X amount of money on beer and cigarettes? More than a few. But I have to admit, my husband does not mind when I blow tons of money on tri toys. I currently have 2 mountain bikes and 2 road bikes. I think I'll try to unload one of each when spring rolls around. Enjoy your new toy! Ellen |
| 2004-01-14 7:15 PM in reply to: #3871 |
| Central Louisiana | Subject: RE: Celebrate with me! Congrats on the new purchase! |
| 2004-01-14 8:04 PM in reply to: #3871 |
| Regular 91 South Suburbs of Chicago | Subject: RE: Celebrate with me! oh that's a nice bike! Have yourself some fun with it! |
| 2004-01-14 8:22 PM in reply to: #3871 |
Veteran 226 Malvern PA | Subject: RE: Celebrate with me! Great bike, man. The shifter/brake combination handles are cool as hell. A friend of mine has them and they make me drool. Happy riding! |
| 2004-01-14 10:13 PM in reply to: #3871 |
Veteran 319 Illinois | Subject: RE: Celebrate with me! Congrats on the new toy! Trust me- it was a great choice over your neighbors bike.... the lightness will help you cruise down the Galena hills! Experiment, become one with the bike- oh yeah, and get a nice fitting helmet with it. [trust me on this one- my brains would have been cabbage with out one]. I bet you can't wait for the snow to melt! Good choice and enjoy! |
| 2004-01-15 5:54 AM in reply to: #3871 |
Expert 713 Rockledge, Fl | Subject: RE: Celebrate with me! congrats Malvey! I just got my first road bike the week before Christmas. Same deal, 2003 closeout, last one, half price! HEre are a few tips my LBS told me: 1. don't use aerobars for at least 200m and fully used to bike. 2. Don't get tuneup and fit until 200m. Same thing, get used to it plus let the cables, etc stretch first. 3. practice getting shoes in and out in a hallway (I did between cars in garage) for 10-15mins before first ride. I haven't fell over at a stop because I am very conscious of it, but many people have! BE careful. Take your first ride in an area with little/no traffic (I used my neighborhood and went slow.) I will say, that the first time I got on US1, it was an awesome feeling to go 22mph without just med effort! Congrats and enjoy. |
| 2004-01-15 10:55 AM in reply to: #3871 |
Regular 133 Seattle | Subject: RE: Celebrate with me! Congrats, Malvey! Buying a good bike is an investment in your life. Sometimes we get caught up in the $$, but nothing's more important than your health. I'm trying to cut back, too, but I'm in such better shape after a year of biking, there's no question it's worth it. Plus, since I bike to work 3x per week, I'm saving money from gas and car maintenance! Hmmm, I can spend $100 on a nice bike headlight for commuting, or fill the gas tank 4 times. I figure I've spent $1,000 on bike and accessories (light, fenders, tights, etc.), and have ridden almost 4,000 miles - that's 4 miles per dollar, or $0.25 per mile! |
| 2004-01-15 3:22 PM in reply to: #3871 |
| Member 8 Fort Worth, TX | Subject: RE: Celebrate with me! Way to go, man! Enjoy it. That's a good bike that'll last you a long time, especially if you can avoid the temptation to buy every cool toy you can find, and can stave off "component envy" while people talk about their $3500 carbon-fiber special with titanium valve stems to save an extra .005 grams of weight. (Best advice I ever got - "Want to save weight on the bike? Put down your fork.") I have four bikes (road bike, backup road bike, mountain bike and commuter bike that I ride to Wal-Mart, grocery store and so on) and have spent WAY too much money on them, although I bought each one used on or drastic closeout and do all my own mechanic work. But combined with exercise, it helped me lost almost 50 pounds and I"m doing my first tri this spring. So I told my sweet and patient wife to just think about what I'd have said 50 pounds ago if someone had asked me how much I'd pay to lose all that weight. Probably something along the lines of, "Here, take my checkbook!" :-) It's all in how you rationalize the purchase. Enjoy it. Riding can be hard work, but when you're out on the bike and you're having a really good day, it's something special. My goal this year is to put more miles on my bikes than I do on my car. Michael |
 2004-01-15 3:33 PM in reply to: #3967 |
| Subject: ... This user's post has been ignored. |
| 2004-01-15 3:54 PM in reply to: #3871 |
| Member 46 SoCal | Subject: RE: Celebrate with me! Congrats on the new bike! |
| 2004-01-15 5:10 PM in reply to: #3871 |
| Extreme Veteran 465 Epworth. Iowa | Subject: RE: Celebrate with me! Thanks to all of you. I got the trainer from nashbar today - now just waiting for the bike. I told my wife the bike is probably way less that the copayment on heart surgery |
| 2004-01-15 7:40 PM in reply to: #3910 |
| Central Louisiana | Subject: RE: Celebrate with me! |
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