I got the Surly!

[gbunker]

I figured I would start a new thread to continue my bike saga, as I did end up getting the Surly Pacer a couple of days ago. Fun!

This was a Craigslist find, so I was nervous about meeting the seller, of course. He ended up being really normal, and we chatted about bikes for a while. He was nice, and I ended up getting the bike for a great price. :)

The bike is a 50 cm black Pacer. I took it in to our local bike coop yesterday to have it checked out, and it's all in good working order. It had a flat when I got it, and I managed to change out the tube without too much trouble. It's in the shop right now having the rear wheel trued, having a shorter, more angled stem put on, getting in-line brakes installed, and having a rear rack put on. It already has fenders. (This will be primarily a commuter.) I have new cork tape ready to put on it when I get the bike back tomorrow.

The saddle is terrible, so I will be trying out saddles until I get one that fits. And I think I need a really bright, fun helmet, to offset the black. Also, bike needs a name!

Fun stuff! I am learning a ton! Thanks!
Gillian

[Biciclista]

congrats on the new bike!

[Nick]

Congrats! Enjoy the new bike (and project)...

[Owlie]

Congrats on the new bike! Many happy miles to you!

(And post pictures please. ;) )

[gbunker]

I will. :) It's still at the shop right now.

[Velocivixen]

I guess you could call her "Morticia" lol Then get one of those Nutcase helmets with a brain design on it (cerebral cortex design) ;) (just kidding).

[gbunker]

That's pretty good, actually! LOL!

[meggers113]

There is a blog somewhere with a young woman who uses a cute helmet that looks like a hat with a flower on it. Something like that? I'm sure someone can post it since I saw it linked on here, but if not, I can look for it later.

Muirenn, I think you're thinking of Sheryl Yvette (http://www.sherylyvette.com/2011/07/bike-faq-part-1.html)?

[jlnc]

She is one of my favorite bloggers!

[VeganBikeChick]

Nice! Congrats!

[bikerHen]

Man, what I wouldn't give to find a 50cm Pacer on my local CL! Congratulations on your find!

[Roadtrip]

Sounds like a super find for sure! Congrats!!!

Shannon

[gbunker]

I rode the Surly to work on Thursday, and it was intimidating! I felt pretty vulnerable and like I was waaay out over the front wheel. By Friday, I was wondering if it was too much bike for me.

My partner and I went out and test rode a bunch of hybrids today- she is looking for a good commuter. I think it was good for me to try out a bunch of different bikes. Afterwards, we went on a short ride with me on the Surly, and it started to feel better! I was zipping easily up hills! I didn't feel quite so precarious! I think I'm going to be able to ride this thing after all! :D

Whew!

Gillian

[Velocivixen]

Great Going Gillian! I can only imagine that as time goes by and you get more miles in on the Pacer it will feel better and better. I know for me there was and is a learning curve transitioning from a hybrid to a road bike.

[gbunker]

We rode the Portland Bridge Pedal today. It was only a 13 mile loop, but it was a 20 mile ride door to door. Since it was so crowded, I opted to ride my Amsterdam, which is easier for lots of stops and starts. But wow, it's so heavy! It didn't help that I was towing my son in a Burley. After the ride, I weighed the trailer, and it was almost 60 lbs. So, about 100 lbs total including the bike!

I can't wait to zip to work on the Surly tomorrow, lol!

Gillian

[Velocivixen]

Hi Gillian! Nice job on that ride and pulling the trailer too. My DH was a volunteer "ride mechanic" and they rode in pairs. He did the 36 miler, but because of stopping and helping riders, they had to hurry up and play catch up as they were getting ready to close the course. I did my own 10-15 miler around town and took some new routes.

I hope you have a great ride this week on your new bike. I'll be interested to hear how it goes. I am taking my bike to Citybikes on Tuesday for it's free one month tune up.

As an aside, I bought a can of Lemon Pledge, sprayed it onto a clean rag and wiped down my bike and now she is super shiny! It really does work! Not sure how the paint is on your Surly but if you want to shine it up it works great. The nice folks at the Bike Gallery shared that tip with me. They said they use it all the time on the bikes in the store to keep them pretty!

[gbunker]

Oh, that's a great idea! We're headed out to do some maintenance now, so i'll give it a try. I may also take the decals off the Surly. One came pre-scuffed, so at least that one needs to go. The rest of the paint isn't bad, though there are some white scuffs from being locked up against painted surfaces. I figure I need a few scuffs for credibility. ;)

I also got a nutcase helmet, since I discovered my Bell was too loose. Apparently, I have an xs head. The s-m nutcase fits well with the thicker padding installed. It feels good and protective, but definitely hotter than the road bike helmets. Shouldnt be much of an issue in Portland.

My partner got the same one, so we look like we bike for Team Dork.

Gillian

[Velocivixen]

Oh Gillian, I know how to get the decals off! Get either plain beige masking tape or if you like packing tape or duct tape, tape it over the decals and rub with your hand real well, then pull the tape off quickly. (Sort of like how I wax my chin hair! lol) The decals will come right off. Surly doesn't use a clear coat of paint for that purpose. They sell their decals on their website if you decide you want new decals.

Also, what design did you get on your helmet? So now can we officially refer to you as "a nut case"? haha just kidding. I bet you two look cute! I was in Michael's crafts the other night and saw some very lovely Martha Stewart stickers and was seriously considering buying them and sticking them on my helmet. Or better yet, buy a new helmet with fewer vent holes like a Bern, in a solid color, then putting the stickers on it. I may still do that!
Have a great night.

[gbunker]

We got the argyle. I uploaded a photo, so you should be able to see it whenever the system decides to display it. :)
Gillian