For the last 2 years I've been saying I would buy a hybrid bike so I could use it for daily trip to the post office, and various errands to the library, bank, drugstore, grocery etc. Well today I went and bought one.
Last week I did test rides on Trek 7300 and 7500 and had pretty much decided on the 7300 but but ultimately could not decide on the size - 17" or 20". I rode the 7300 in smaller size could only ride the 7500 in the 20" size. So my bike shop had one in their warehouse so they brought in a 20" 7300 for me to try and I went over there at 11am to try them both again. I went by bike so they could take the pedals off my road bike to use for the test rides. So with pedal switching time, talking with them about the bikes, doing the test rides - about 45 min on each bike, stopping frequently for seat adjustments this was a lengthy process. In the end I decided on the 20".
By then it was 2pm. So then I started gathering up all the accessories I would need - seat pack, pump, tubes, tire levers, multitool. Then I asked if they would take computer off my road bike and put that on the hybrid, and put my new HRM on the road bike. Sure, no problem. So then I rode the hybrid home (cause it still had pedals on it) to get the HRM, checkbook, and a bite of lunch and then went back to the shop so they could start putting all the toys on. By then I said yes lets go ahead and put the rack on too. And might as well get a light set for riding at dusk... So in one fell swoop I got all the accessories at once - added half again to the price but why drag out the process? Oh and I ordered new pedals for the road bike. So by the time I left the shop it was 4pm.
I figured still an hour of daylight so I went did my short loop and then went over to Post office to get the mail and was able to bungy it nicely to the new rack. Then did a spin on the boardwalk - these tires are way better on the boardwalk than the skinny tires. :) And of course I had to stay out till dusk so I could make sure the new blinky light and headlight were good. Woo hoo! All these new toys! Of course I'll wait until it's absoolutely necessary to make sure the tubes, & tire levers work.
I'll still want to get a small handlebar bag and co2 inflator to leave on the bike - as soon as I try to start switching stuff from bike to bike I'll be in trouble big time.
And this is how great my bike shop is - I was embarrased that my road bike was so dirty (holdover from the New Year's weekend scramble riding in the rain, sand, and muck) they even offered to CLEAN my bike while they are installing pedals and HRM. I'll pick up those new toys later in the week which gives me time to make room in the stable to accomodade 2 bikes now.
OK - the title was bikes... there's more. They are ordering in a new Trek Portland for me to try, and if I like that I'll be adding that to the stable as well. That's one I've been looking at on the website for some time, and after I saw a an incredibly sexy photo of one on Bike Journal I decided that I might have to have one. Besides I lost 2 bikes in the fire and the Portland will be the replacement. But do I really need to justify buying a new bike to the ladies of TE? NOT!
OK it's long, and if you've read this far, you deserve a picture.
