Getting a bike!

[rij73]

Okay, so the love affair with the $400 Ibex flat bar road bike is coming to an end. As predicted, I was bitten by the cycling bug and just had to have a nice bike.

After trying out a bunch of bikes and getting a solid idea of the necessary frame dimensions, I hit Ebay. Lookie what I found!

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m226/rij73/09ce_3.jpg

I won it in a ferocious bidding war but got it for 1/2 of what it costs new. It was used for a few months and has a few scuffs but not a thing wrong. Isn't it beautiful??? It's a 3 pound frame. I feel like such a poser!

I'm having it built with the component group I can afford at the moment which is Shimano 105. That's not what the bike deserves, but at least the components will be sparkling new.

Here's what the bike looks like built (differently than mine of course!)

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m226/rij73/2007.jpg

I'm totally beside myself!

[songlady]

That is a sharp looking frame!

[7rider]

A Blue? I never heard of it. Can you make out that webaddress on the stays? I'm curious to check it out. :cool: Is it aluminum with a carbon rear end??
Looks slick. Are those your pix or the eBay pix? When do you get it?
Would love to hear how it rides.
Oh, inquiring minds want to know! :D

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Regina, the webaddress is
http://rideblue.com/

I think those are the Ebay pictures.

Looks like this one:
http://www.rideblue.com/rc4.html

[Eden]

www.rideblue.com (one of my teammates has one - pretty sweet bike)

[rij73]

Thanks ladies! Yes it's rideblue.com

They aren't very common, but they are gorgeous. The frame is carbon tubes with aluminum lugs. (Not monocoque).

I just told my husband that I'm going to have to look like I know what the heck I'm doing on this bike. I'm really going to work on my bike handling skills until I get it!

It is being sent straight from the ebay seller to the person who is building it for me. They are going to do their best to get me the bike before I go on vacation on the 23rd. I want to take it with me!

[emily_in_nc]

That's a GORGEOUS frame! Congratulations and enjoy her. If she were mine, I'd go with electric blue bar tape for a real pop! :p

Emily

[Aggie_Ama]

Gorgeous!! I requested a Blue Catalog last year, major drool material. :D

[pooks]

Wow. Now that's a pretty bike.

[cosc]

Rij73, she is going to be one delicious bike.

[rij73]

I can't wait! I can't wait! I can't wait! I can't wait! :o

[Zen]

How do you go about buying a bike without riding it first? I mean, how could you compare the frame geometry? Crank length? Handlebar tilt angle? I'm not sure I'm asking this right but I think you can figure out what i mean. People usually do eventually.

[rij73]

Well, I know there is some risk. But, I did ride several bikes in local shops and made notes about the comfort of each. I decided I definitely wanted carbon, and I definitely needed a top tube length of 525 with a 90mm stem. I also knew that I wanted a compact crankset at 170mm and short reach levers. The only way to get exactly that in my budget was through buying a frame on Ebay and getting it built by GVH Bikes. GVH will build up your frame to any specification you choose, and his prices and turn-around time are amazing. There was just no way I was going to be able to buy locally as much as I would have liked to.

So, I figure that, yes, there is some risk... But, I think that the worst that can happen is that I would need a different stem and maybe some adjustments of the handlebar placement. The frame comes with quite a bit of steerer tube, so I don't think there is much to worry about. There is a lot of room to play with to get the fit dialed in.

Just wish me luck!

[Starfish]

That's a GORGEOUS frame! Congratulations and enjoy her. If she were mine, I'd go with electric blue bar tape for a real pop! :p Emily

Yeah! Or, white tape, white saddle!

[rij73]

Well, I know I'm boring, but it's getting black tape and a black saddle. I can always change it if it looks too blah! :p

[northstar]

Ok, I had to come over here after reading your post in the OT forum. What a sweet, sweet ride! I actually saw a lot of Blues when the racers were in town last month. I had never heard of them before, either, but boy was I lusting after the bikes!

Congrats, rij; I'm sure you'll get it to fit like a glove and feel great.

[rij73]

Thanks, Northstar!

[rij73]

UPDATE: Fedex has the bike and it's scheduled to arrive on Wednesday!

[rij73]

Tomorrow's the big day! Fedex says my bike is in New Jersey, so I know it will get here tomorrow... I've got my new shoes and gloves and clipless pedals all ready. All I need is the bike!

Today's my birthday, too! How appropriate... :D

[Jo-n-NY]

The timing is perfect....HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

~ JoAnn

[rij73]

Pictures and news in the main Open Topic forum:
http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=17370

:D :D :D

[chort]

Wow! That is a great looking frame!! !Very pretty!!! :) Maybe some yellow tape.. later!