New bike! Such joy!

[Lise]

Now *I* did it! I bought my new road bike! It's a Bianchi Veloche, and the feel of it is incredible. It rides like silk. My body's humming with joy.

By the end of last season, I knew I wanted a "good" bike. I'd gone from my found-in-the-garbage-and-fixed-up Schwinn to my Marin Larkspur, and that was a huge step up. I love my Larkspur. I've done 5 triathlons on her, a metric century, and countless miles zipping around Chicago. But... I knew she was heavy and slow compared to the bikes I drool over in transition at the triathlons. I committed to the goal of a 1/2 IM tri next year, and several shorter tris this year. I'd like to do a century at some point.

I joined this board, and you all have taught me so much. You've also given me the courage to love biking and dream big. I rode downtown to the Bike Expo today--a complete waste of $7, I'm sad to say. Almost no bikes to look at. Got some Cliff bar samples, bought some socks (of course), and thought, well, I know where the bikes are! I rode up to On The Route bikes, my dear LBS, and told Dennis what I wanted. He had me test ride a gorgeous red Fuji, marked way down, aluminum with carbon forks. Felt amazing. Then I rode the Bianchi. OMG. I could not believe that it felt so much better than the Fuji, which felt amazing to start with! I rode a carbon Fuji, too, but after the Bianchi, it felt too ...um...rough. Don't know how else to say it. I think there's a "joy meter" in me for bikes. Just being on a bike is a 3, the Fujis were a 7, and this Bianchi, even not yet fit to me, was an 8.5. Holy cow. I have never felt that way on a bike!

It's got the most beautiful wheels, and Trek, it's steel! Feels so, so good. They're putting a Terry Butterfly Cromoly saddle on it for starters (I hate the saddle it comes with). Going back Tuesday for the first fit. I feel like I want to send them flowers! I guess they're prefer my credit card . Here's the best part: The cost is about $100 more than my tax return. Sweet, no?

So I got in about 16 miles of riding, am over the moon about my new bike, and will now go climb into an Epsom salt bath. I could hardly wait to let you ladies see her, though! Here she is: