Printable View
Good point, GLC! For some reason, nearly all the women's cruiser bikes come with white-sidewall tires, and the men's don't. Same with all the pastel, girly colors. Some even have pink or aqua rims! I could definitely change out the tires, but since I'm changing out the whole bike, I guess I'll have to see if I need to with whatever bike I end up with. I hate to be wasteful and spend money unnecessarily to replace brand new tires.Quote:
Originally Posted by GLC1968
And a very happy ending it is. I was looking at beach cruiser bikes on craigslist the night before last, and found one I hadn't seen in my extensive research online before at all - a Marin Heart's Desire single speed. It was much less showy (no white sidewall tires even!) and less $ than the Schwinn since it was used. And aluminum, which I wanted for the anti-rust and weight benefits. I called the seller the next morning (yesterday) and it was still available. Went to see, rode it around some, and bought it (even bargained the price down a bit since it had been listed for a week)!
I absolutely LOVE this bike -- I couldn't wipe the smile off my face the rest of the day yesterday. And isn't that how it's supposed to be when you buy a new bike?! I've named her "Flor" (Spanish for flower). I haven't had a second to take any photos yet, but here she is in the Marin catalog: http://www.marinbikes.com/bicycles_2...hearts_06.html. She's in great condition, hardly been ridden, and lighter than the pink bike. She'll be perfect for Belize and even matches my DH's navy blue Trek Cruiseliner really well. They look like siblings!
The pink bike goes back to Performance this weekend. I don't expect any problems other than feeling bad about having to return it.
Thanks again for all the nice comments and support! :D
That is really cute. Remember that salt corrodes aluminum (it pits, but doesn't rust) - so still rinse her every so often.
I love it when things all come together and work out! I can see where you would be much happier with that bike, PLUS, you saved $$$ and that's always good! I'm happy to hear that it all worked out. I like this bike better too!
Take some pictures on the bike, when you get it.
It looks a lot less "girly" than the pink bike. I have nothing against pink, but I understand how you felt about bringing a screaming pink bike to another country.... one of my friends is currently on a 3 week cruise to Italy, Greece, and Egypt. They are spending a lot of time off of the boat. When she was preparing for the trip, she was raving about the things she purchased: a breathable rain jacket from Land's End, new sneakers, and a fanny pack ;). Since she's not doing any hiking on the trip (and she's a good friend), I reminded her how the fanny pack, especially, would brand her as an "ugly" American. She asked me how in the world I dressed when I did a lot of walking in Europe. When I told her my goal was to look as much like a European woman, i.e. flat, stylish walking shoes, a scarf, and my regular large black tote bag, she told me she thought that would mark me as a target for robbery! Like, carrying a regular bag would mean I was going to get robbed.
Sorry to get off of topic.
You chose another lovely bike. The blue is certainly less flashy. Yes, you are right, you should be smiling and very excited about your new bike with no
2nd guessing.
Enjoy! and lots of luck and happy riding miles especially in Belize :)
Finally got her out to verify the saddle height and setback late today, just for a quick little jaunt around the parking lot. The good:
1. She weighs 5 lbs. less than the pink Schwinn. Yes, I said FIVE lbs! That's huge.
2. The saddle has really long rails so I can have it all the way back as I need for my proportions to get the proper knee-over-pedal-spindle position. The Schwinn had really short little rails.
3. She's just plain fun to ride! I love this little bike - riding a single-speed, coaster-brake cruiser is truly like being a kid again. :D :p
http://i816.photobucket.com/albums/z...rts_desire.jpg
http://i816.photobucket.com/albums/z...iding_flor.jpg
Took the pink bike back to Performance yesterday, and they were fine about the return. I did lose $31 in oversize shipping charges, which is not refunded. That's really my only complaint -- REI doesn't charge anything for shipping if you ship items to the store, but Performance does. Other than that, they were helpful and fine to deal with for the entire transaction.
Emily,Quote:
Originally Posted by emily_in_nc
Congrats!! You look so happy on your new bike. I hope you have many, many miles of enjoyable rides on your bicycle.
Such a pretty bike and you look great on it. ENJOY!!!
I like how your top coordinates with your new bike.
It looks more "you" than the pink.
Cool bike.
May I ask where on Ambergris Caye your condo is? I've been there four or five times and love it also. We looked at real estate the last time, but couldn't find a place that would accommodate the extended family comfortably at a reasonable price.
I'm jealous!
This one is really cool too!!! And it looks great on you. I did really like the cup holder on the pink bike though:D:D: It looks like a fun bike.
OOOh I like the looks of the Marin better :) Congrats!
I don't know how I missed this, but ENJOY!
Thanks - I agree. I wear a lot more blue than pink anyway.Quote:
Originally Posted by Crankin
Very nice bike! I do like the blue better than the pink, and you look great riding it!