Got my first REAL bike!

[residentgeek]

The crankshaft on my Walmart Special started to wobble after about 50 miles. Then the gears started jumping any time I'd hit a decent hill. DP started to get worried that I would get hurt, so we tried to return it to Walmart. Without the receipt, they wouldn't do jack. They even tried to blame the crank wobble on it being outside. I've had it a total of 2 months and put about 115 miles on it. It shouldn't be in this bad of shape this soon.

DP got royally pissed and decided we would hit the LBS (45 minutes away) and see what they had. We had a really low spending limit since this wasn't exactly a budgeted trip - I was planning on getting a bike next spring with my tax return. But it was obvious I needed something better, quickly.

The guy (kid, really - he wasn't much older than me, if at all) was really cool. He tried to show me a hybrid comfort bike first, with the handlebars way up almost in front of my chest. But I finally got across that I wanted more of a mountain bike hybrid kinda thing. They didn't have a whole lot of frames my size (5'1", 25" inseam) but we finally found this beauty:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/turtleboypond/giant_boulder_wprpslvr_06_m.jpg

It's a light purple and silver Giant Boulder, 14" frame, and I upgraded the tires to 26x1.95 slicks (turns out they were armadillos too - score!). It comes with a free 3 week tuneup, lifetime frame warranty, one year warranty on almost everything else, and free adjustments if I need them. And he gave us 10% off on all the accessories we could want (a couple of camelbaks and a basket for the kid's bike).

I took it out for a short spin after dinner. Wow. Color me impressed. I have to get used to the different kind of shifters, but the thing I noticed first was how QUIET it was. I hit a ton of bumps and didn't hear a single rattle. And the brakes didn't make a sound! On my old bike, you could hear them for six blocks every time I stopped. And the shifting, except for the one time I tried to shift the front rings going uphill (oops!), was incredibly smooth and quiet.

Haven't named her yet. Still trying to think of something. I'll let you know, and hopefully post pictures of the real thing soon. If you can get me off of her long enough, anyway :D

[EvilTwin]

I have a lovely silver and lilac Giant also, although mine is the OCR version for roads. Her name is Iris.... frequently Wheezy Iris when I'm in the midst of allergy/asthma season. I love the color, but then, I love most anything with purples in it. Enjoy your new bike, may you have many miles together.
Barb

[pooks]

That's a gorgeous bike!

[Nanci]

What about Lilac or Violet? Orchid. Orchidee. (I knew something/someone named that, but can't remember the details!) Iris.

Sure is pretty! And my favorite color.

[Lise]

Great looking bike! I cracked up when I read that Walmart wanted to blame their bike's problems on it being outside. Oh, yeah, didn't you know? Those bikes can only be ridden in the basement! :rolleyes:

Enjoy your new ride! L.

[Tater]

Sweet bike! Many happy rides to you!

[DrBee]

Congrats! Enjoy her!

[Geonz]

I have a Giant Nutra that's 13-14 years old (with a Free Radical and blender now). It's got about 20,000 miles on it now (but a few parts have been replaced - like the chain and gears andeverything). You're gonna love the BOulder after bangin' around on the Walton Special. http://www.resourceroom.net/pcc/3wheelbike.jpg

[margo49]

May you never look back!
Clear skies and following winds!

[Nanci]

With your new bike, don't be surprised if you have shifting problems again after 50-100 miles/30 days. The derailleur (and brake) cables stretch in that time period, and then you take it in and have it adjusted, and then it should be good for a long time, after the initial stretching is over.

Nanci

[bikerchic]

Sweeeet ride! I'm sure you'll have many, many wonderful rides on that beaut!

Yay!:)

[Bad JuJu]

Woo-hoo! Big congrats, and many happy miles to you and your stylin' new bike.

DH has just recently gotten over his irrational attachment to his not-so-old but jumpy, chattery, miserable Walmart special and upgraded to a used, but much better Jamis road bike. His experience has been similar to yours--"It's so quiet! It shifts so easily! The brakes work!" LOL

[Denise223]

Enjoy your new bike....

It's very nice :cool: !

Have a peaceful day!

Denise

[Surlygirl]

Sweet and she's purple. Welcome to the purple bike club. Purple bikes are faster you know. Enjoy :D

[Pebble]

There will definitely be no going back to Wallmart now!

Congratulations, hope you get heaps of enjoyment out of it. Having a good bike makes so much difference. But I'd still have a wallmart bike if it was that or nothing!

[residentgeek]

Thanks everybody :D

I'm really enjoying the new bike. I went out for a 13+ mile spin this afternoon. Not sure exactly how far, since I'm still working on recalibrating the computer for the 26" wheels. But it's definitely my longest ride so far. I still can't get over what a difference it is to not be fighting the bike. Wow.

The LBS guy warned me about the cable stretch thing, and told me they would do a free adjustment after three weeks if I bring it back in, which I'm totally going to do. I'm sure part of the problem with my old bike was due to cable stretching, but I don't know how to fix derailer cables, so I was kinda screwed. Yet another reason to buy from the LBS! :o

My old bike was purple too. Just a coincidence - I didn't go out specifically looking for another purple bike. I guess it just speaks to me :D

Any ideas what to do with the old one? I know it's not great or anything (duh) but I just can't stomach tossing it in a landfill when someone might get some use out of it.

[KnottedYet]

Boys and Girls club. Ask bike shops if they know of a "Bike Kitchen" in your neck of the woods. (they teach kids how to fix/maintain bikes on a donated bike that the kid then gets to keep) Battered women and children's shelter. Food bank. School clothing bank. (most school districts around here seem to have one, where kids can get school clothes and supplies)

At the very least, put it out front of your house with a "free" sign on it. My housemates and I did that once, then went to the grocery store. When we came home we saw an ecstatic teenage boy riding the bike around the neighborhood. Obviously he'd fixed it and got it rolling right away. He was grinning ear-to-ear. It was awesome.

[plantluvver]

I hope that the newbies shopping for their first bike take note:


The crankshaft on my Walmart Special started to wobble after about 50 miles.

So what does that work out to per mile?:mad:

Like I said elsewhere, I couldn't bear riding my toy bike, but kept it around, "for when I stopped being lazy." Her pedals were replaced twice in that time (the store exchanged them, cuz I coudn't find replacements, They weren't standard sized bolts:eek: ) I bought a 10 year old used Schwinn, and rode like the wind my first time out.:D Her owner had forced her on me one weekend, "Just try it out!"

I am so glad you have a new bike. I am sure that you made an excellent choice, because this forum is just the greatest place for advice:)

I wish you many marvelous miles with her. :D

Take your time finding a name, she will be special and deserves a good one.

Hey Gals! Maybe we need a new thread with baby names?
Like those itty bitty books at the supermarket checkout?

GoGo Girl, Lilac Lass, Lavender Lady, Pastel Princess, Silver Swoop.....:D

[faroe78]

Congrats on the new bike. It's gotta be better than a Wally World special.
As for names, hmmmm--I have thought of naming mine Gladys (or Happy Bottom) after Gladys the bicycle that Frances (I can't recall her name!) who wrote the book Wheel within a Wheel, about learning to ride a bike in the
1890's. I do think Gladys would be a good name for a bicycle.
May you have many, many happy miles on the new baby!
Susan