Bike Shopping- day 3- the freak out (long)

[7rider]

Oh, man, this is bad. Very bad. So bad. Reading this thread has started me thinking about a custom Serotta again, after I'd solidly put the idea out of my head when I got what I thought was that deal-of-the-century last fall on my Bianchi.

But after some major tweaking, I'm still not quite comfy on the Bianchi, though I love everything else about her. So with that, and with the evil influence of Ace, I've taken to lurking at the Serotta website again. *sigh*

I hear you, JJ.
I'm staring 40 in the face this year and starting to think "new custom bike" would be a cool thing. Only, my LBS (and good friend) is a Seven dealer, so anything but a Seven is out of the question. That's not necessarily a bad thing. But DH is awaiting delivery of his custom Seven ID8 - this weekend, hopefully - and he says I cannot get an ID8 (drat!) so it would HAVE to be an Elium SG. I'm starting to rationalize it by telling myself my current Seven is not custom and, gosh, with my herniated disc in the neck and my back back and creaky hips (and I'm only turning 40?? Yikes!), I would really do well with a custom ride.
CURSE YOU, ACE!!!!!!

[mimitabby]

I hear you, JJ.
I'm staring 40 in the face this year and starting to think "new custom bike" would be a cool thing. Only, my LBS (and good friend) is a Seven dealer, so anything but a Seven is out of the question. That's not necessarily a bad thing. But DH is awaiting delivery of his custom Seven ID8 - this weekend, hopefully - and he says I cannot get an ID8 (drat!) so it would HAVE to be an Elium SG. I'm starting to rationalize it by telling myself my current Seven is not custom and, gosh, with my herniated disc in the neck and my back back and creaky hips (and I'm only turning 40?? Yikes!), I would really do well with a custom ride.
CURSE YOU, ACE!!!!!!

hey, wait!! why can't you get an ID8?
and for all the physical problems you're having you should be doing some cross training!

[mimitabby]

Don't just blame Ace, a lot of us are doing this. Sometimes spending that money on a piece of equipment that keeps us exercising happily is just the thing to promote health!
(still waiting for my bike frame, so much for instant gratification!)

[farrellcollie]

I freaked out when I decided I wanted to commute by bike and spent $250 on a hybrid that weighs a ton.(I kept thinking $250 for a BIKE?) but I bought it and I used it for a few years (still use it for commuting) - if nothing else the cost kept me on it (I have a good job - the actual money was not the problem - just the thought of it) LAst year I started thinking about road bikes - I went through the same process - thinking No way can I spend this much on a bike - but again happy I did and it keeps me riding it.

[7rider]

hey, wait!! why can't you get an ID8?
and for all the physical problems you're having you should be doing some cross training!

It's that whole "matching" thing. Can't have matching bikes (even tho' they would, technically, be different). Too cute - and I think we'd both break out in hives at the thought of it!

Actually, back is not that bad - it's all in the neck right now. But, yeah....more cross training would be good. I need to get back to the gym for some upper body work......

[7rider]

Don't just blame Ace, a lot of us are doing this. Sometimes spending that money on a piece of equipment that keeps us exercising happily is just the thing to promote health!
(still waiting for my bike frame, so much for instant gratification!)

No one's *blaming* Ace...she's just an inspiration - in an expensive way!

[melissam]

Well, Melissa, if you're too slow for me, just take me up a hill and I'll eat your dust!

Definitely send me a message if you're going to be up my way....I will almost never say no to a bike ride.

-Amy

Amy,

Hmmm, hills. Yeah, there's a lot up there in the East Bay. (We have a few down here in SJ and the Peninsula, too. But geez, I got a tour -- in the car -- of Old Tunnel Road and the Three Bears. Oh my. I will be changing my rear cassette and derailleur.)

By the way, if you get the Serotta, what kind of cassette are you planning to get? I have a 12-25 on my Trek, and I'm thinking of going to something like a 14-34 with a mountain bike derailleur so I can get up some of the East Bay hills. My apologies if you've already mentioned this in an earlier post in the thread.

Anyway, there might be clear weather on Sunday. What would you think of a nice, flat ride on the Bay Trail?

-- Melissa

[logdiva32]

I freaked out when I decided I wanted to commute by bike and spent $250 on a hybrid that weighs a ton.(I kept thinking $250 for a BIKE?) but I bought it and I used it for a few years (still use it for commuting) - if nothing else the cost kept me on it (I have a good job - the actual money was not the problem - just the thought of it) LAst year I started thinking about road bikes - I went through the same process - thinking No way can I spend this much on a bike - but again happy I did and it keeps me riding it.

I am with you.

[Bad JuJu]

Don't just blame Ace

But...But...But...then I'd have to blame myself.....
You know we're all loving this whole vicarious bike-shopping trip, Ace!

[ace]

All- I am thrilled to have inspired an avalanche of decadence

A (male) friend said to me today, after I told him about the bike I'm buying (he's really into bikes), "you know, that's the difference between men and women; a man would just buy the bike, not care about the cost or if he's a novice rider, and just be thrilled to show it off."

Melissam- that might be great- maybe we can check in with each other on Satuday? I have a bad knee, and I'm supposed to do a very long, hard ride on Saturday, so if I go, there's no way I can ride on Sunday, too. I need a day to recover. However, it's quite possible that my knee will be too bad to ride on Saturday, but I can always manage the Bay Trail. Feel free to private message me or I'll pm you and we can exchange contact info.

Anyone else wanna come?

[melissam]

Melissam- that might be great- maybe we can check in with each other on Satuday? I have a bad knee, and I'm supposed to do a very long, hard ride on Saturday, so if I go, there's no way I can ride on Sunday, too. I need a day to recover. However, it's quite possible that my knee will be too bad to ride on Saturday, but I can always manage the Bay Trail. Feel free to private message me or I'll pm you and we can exchange contact info.

Anyone else wanna come?

Amy,

Crud. I just found out that I have a conflict on Sunday.

Let's shoot for another weekend, when the weather and your knee will be better.

Sorry 'bout that.

And now, back to your regularly scheduled avalanche of decadence.

-- Melissa

[pooks]

I have a bad knee, and I'm supposed to do a very long, hard ride on Saturday, so if I go, there's no way I can ride on Sunday, too.

Ahem.

"I have a bad knee" followed by "do a very long, hard ride on Saturday."

Let's think about this seriously.

Even with threat or existance of pain, you're planning a "long, hard ride" and you still need to wonder, "do I deserve this nice bicycle?"



Listen to the guy at work.

Oh, and practice saying, "Bite me."

[LadyinWhite]

All- I am thrilled to have inspired an avalanche of decadence

A (male) friend said to me today, after I told him about the bike I'm buying (he's really into bikes), "you know, that's the difference between men and women; a man would just buy the bike, not care about the cost or if he's a novice rider, and just be thrilled to show it off."

Unless that man happens to be a Scot like my DH who thinks that if the bike has 2 airtight wheels, working brakes and a seat set on the post, why on earth would you need a new one??

Trust me, while money may not be an issue, I'm still trying to get DH mentally past the cost of my entry level Trek 1000 I bought a year ago.

[ace]

hm. Very good point, pooks. I will have to contemplate that!

I'm sure a bunch of you engage in "pain calculations."

I generally spend all week obsessing about whether my knee's going to be painful enough to keep me from riding on the weekend (a certain amount of pain is acceptable, but if I can barely stand up w/o pain, it's not a great idea for me to be out on a bike). This past weekend, knee allowed me to ride Saturday, and I also rode Sunday and Monday (and Monday I was practicing hills for about a half hour and messed up my knee), so knee thinks it might need Saturday off. I am pissed. It is a Cindy training ride, and I need the practice, but I think it's too much climbing for my knee this weekend.

[Bad JuJu]

Ace, did you say what your knee problem consists of? Maybe I missed it. But here's what works for me regarding knee pain: I wear a Cho-Pat strap every time I go out for a ride of more than a few miles. I have arthritis in my left knee and both kneecaps are rotated outward a few degrees, though the only one that complains is the arthritic lefty. Apparently the Cho-Pat strap supports the kneecap just enough that those conditions are rendered insignificant as I pedal.

Or maybe it's just a placebo effect--who knows? Bottom line: I'm able to do rides of 40+ miles without significant knee pain, whereas I couldn't do that without the strap. Last spring I did a 4-day bike tour, with back-to-back 40+ mile days and came home still able to ride pretty comfortably.

Check out the strap at FootSmart.com.