I love my Larkspur

[Lise]

Not for the first time am I wishing we had a "heart" icon on this board.

You all know that I really dig my new Bianchi Veloche, lovingly dubbed The Green Hornet. It's amazing, smooth, swift, and I can't believe I own such an expensive bike. They call it a road bike, but I think of it as a race bike. I feel like Speed Racer on it, and I can hardly wait to take her out on my first tri a week from Sunday. I've ridden over 100 miles on her between the past two weekends.

That said...I forgot how much I love my Marin Larkspur, too. I hadn't ridden her since I got The Green Hornet. I rode the Larkspur to work today, a 3.5 mile city commute. No big. It was just so comfortable. The saddle felt great. The handlebars felt just right. Clipping in and out is a breeze. I hooked my panniers on, and off I went. There is no way in heck I'm leaving the Bianchi in the basement of a City of Chicago public health clinic, even locked up. I was aware that I was going ~ 5 mph slower with the same amount of effort, but who cares? It's a 15 min commute. What? I need to get there in 12 min? I got the Larkspur three years ago, and have ridden her all over, including 5 triathlons and a metric century. It was that m. century, though, that convinced me to get a road bike. By mile 50, I could really feel the weight of the bike.

I'm going to take both bikes into the LBS and see if they can help me find a saddle for the Veloche that's as comfy as the Larkspur. That would be wonderful. I am so happy to have a great commuting bike AND a great racing/distance bike. It's a good life. L.

[maillotpois]

Great post, Lise!

I also have re-discovered my love for my "old" bike this winter. My "old" bike is a 5 year old titanium Colnago that's basically indestructible, so I use it as a foul weather bike and now I am thinking of making some changes to it for use in longer brevets. Riding it in the winter was really fun - though it is only a 9 speed and doesn't have quite as cushy gearing as my Eddy Merckx.

You should look at putting the same saddle on the new bike. Both my bikes have the same saddle.

[Lise]

Yeah! I am going to ask them if the same saddle will work. I'm aware that I'm more upright on the Larkspur, so maybe it's mostly position. I realized, though, that I was already "adjusting" to being less comfortable in the saddle. Not a good idea. Adjust the saddle, not the expectations of the rider. It's good to be flooded with love for my Larkspur again.

And remember that pink bike pump with the hibiscus on it that some folks were kind of laughing about? Man, that pump is going to save me at least $3 in quarters this summer. And a fair amount of time and aggravation. I used to top off my tires at the gas station a few blocks away. No more! Whoosh, whoosh in my basement, and I'm good to go! I <heart> silly WSD pumps!

[Geonz]

I noticed that every time I switched bikes I would LOVE LOVE LOVE it. When I get on the long red one, it's the PERFECT geometry; I can ride it forever. When I get on Black Beauty, she feels so funky-cool and that single speed is just RIGHT for charging up our overpasses... and then I'll get on the Baby Blue Trek and I FLY FLY FLY 'cause she's aluminium.
I decided that a: it's wise to pick the right bike for the right kind of riding, b: you can't have too many bikes and c: I could probably get on ANY bike and LOVE LOVE LOVE it! They're like children... uniquely lovable...

[maillotpois]

Wow - we need a new pump as one of ours broke (we have to have 2 because we go off different places to ride sometimes). So maybe I should get that pink one!! Then there'd by no chance DH would steal my pump!!!

[Melody]

Not for the first time am I wishing we had a "heart" icon on this board.

Lise, you could do what we do in text (no really, there are no graphics) chat "rooms" (well, irc channels) and use a '<' and a '3'. Like this:

<3

If you look at it sideways it looks like a heart.

Mel <3 her bikes

[Jones]

I have the pink pump and <3 it, too.