MAKE IT HAPPEN: Buying A Bike- Chugging Along

Friday, October 21, 2016

Buying A Bike- Chugging Along

I am in the process of buying a new bike. It has taken a while for me to really get going on this because, well for one, it is really expensive. And two, I was a bit like a deer in headlights with all of the new options. A big thing for me, besides narrowing it down to what I can afford (which is not much these days in the world of super bikes) is...what fits? The new "super bikes" are a little intimidating to me with the fit. Now there is "pad stack" and integrated systems where you can't just buy a new stem. That is what makes them fast- and that also makes them a little more challenging to fit it seems. One mistake I made years ago was buying a Quintana Roo, that I loved, off of the internet in a size that "should have" fit me. For all general purposes, I am a 48-51. But not all 51s, or smalls, or any size are created equally between brands with respect to stack and reach. Fortunately, I found a buyer for that bike and was able to get my Slice, which served me well for many years.

Fit matters. A lot. I don't have a fitter here in Nola that I trust, so that is going to be a relationship I am going to need to find and build. When I am comfortable on a bike, I will be fast, regardless of how "fast" the bike is. And I know I could reach that place with a super bike. There were a few options out there for me, but when I started adding up the costs.... wow.

SO, after hemming and hawing, I am sticking with Cannondale. The frames fit me, the price is right, and I have had good success on them prior. Now, I am in the process of getting what I need/want with it. Of course I want to switch out a ton of components. I want SRAM, as I have loved their components in my previous set up. I am also going to Shimano pedals due to the nerve problems in my feet I had last year. (I will need new shoes too, which is another expense.) The process of buying a bike and really getting what I want is just really expensive. So, some things won't make the cut this time around. I am not getting electronic shifting or power. I just can't afford it, so, oh well. Basically, I will have almost the exact set up I had before, with new components.

Hopefully this will all happen within a month? I am excited to have my own wheels under me. Until then, I will be eternally grateful to Sue Marston, Team Wattie Ink Teammate, for sharing her P3 with me. What a friend.

MY MORNING BIKE RIDE

This is my morning bike view- maybe 3-400 yards from where I am living. Of course I had to stop and take this picture the other morning, only to get my phone sweaty and now it is dead. Life with technology is expensive! (I think I have used the word "expensive" many times in this blog post today). But what bike view, yes?

Running is picking up. For the first time in 3 months, I am running 20+mpw consistently. (well consistently meaning 3 weeks, but I think it will stick this time). It is odd, because in 2015 I was running 40-50 mpw for most of the year, but this is where I am now, and I am just happy everything is coming back.

MY MORNING RUN VIEW

I get to watch the cruise ships leave New Orleans and come back right during my run time, and it really is incredible. They are just a stones throw away from me on my run, and I can't believe how big cruise ships are.

I am learning to see the city at different angles and to love my view. I only have a 5 mile loop to run on my side of the river, so I am having to find the extraordinary in the repetition.

And a quick note on the swim. I have been swimming by myself- MAYBE 4000 yards a week on big weeks, but mostly less than even that. I am bored. I love to swim, but I am just tired of doing it all by myself. There are no real master's programs here in Nola, and I am very used to having a coach on deck and lane mates for shared suffering. But, there are groups of friends that get together and swim; however, my excuse for not joining in was I didn't want to wake up a 4am to drive 30 minutes to swim. Well, today, I did just that. If that is my option, then I don't really have a choice unless I want to continue to swim by myself. Overall I am just proud of myself for starting to make things happen again.

Weekly Outtakes: