I have a new one.

When we took our bikes to get pedals, bike guy said, this bike's bottom bracket is loose. I could fix it for $10.

I chose to take it to LBS where I bought it and get free service all year -- $10 to spend on something else, yes?

So, when I took my bike for new tires, and to ask "why do my elbows feel like old lady elbows when I ride" (that was pre-pedals) and we ordered a new seat post (your seat post is too high lady! No, it needs to be there, or I hurt. Okay, then it's too short, so we need to order you a longer one. Well, that came in on Friday, so Tuesday I went to pick it up. Brought bike along -- remember, pedal-bike-guy said the bottom bracket was loose, so I wanted that checked out.

Bike guy put new seat post on seat and into bike, and that was good -- then checked out the "clunk" I told him was there, and gave bike to service guys. They looked at it and said, we wanna keep it and replace that bracket.

SO

Today I rode for the first time -- ride is hugely different. SO, besides being the thing that the pedals and gears are attached to, what IS this bracket, and what did it do for me to have a new one? Or is it just in my head and it's ME that rode hugely different today?

Karen in Boise