How to spend a tax refund

[divingbiker]

Thanks for all your good thoughts. I am thrilled, and can't wait to take a ride.

She's lovely! Have you given her a name yet?

I've been trying to think of one, but I've never named bikes, cars, etc, so suggestions are welcome.

Say is that an 11mm stem on there? Are you tall? What size is that Glorius frame you got?

It's actually a 12 cm stem, and the bike is 58 cm. Sounds huge, I know, and we'll see how it feels on the road, but on the trainer it's good. I'm not exceptionally tall, 5' 6 1/2", but Grant suggested the 58 cm since the top bar is actually lower than it is on the 56 cm. (If I recall correctly, he originally didn't make a 52 or 58 cm, and when an older woman couldn't swing her leg over the bike, he lowered the top tube a bit on the 52 and 58. It makes the middle tube at the back swoop down a bit more, and I like the look of it a lot.) I also told him that on my current hybrid I felt a little "crunched up" so he made the stem a bit longer. I've not got a lot of seat post showing, and the albatross bars sweep pretty far back, so I think the largeness of both the frame and stem will work. Fingers crossed.

I'm curious about the handlebars - could you post a pic showing the shape a little better?

Hope the pic at the bottom of the page is clear. (I can't figure out how to make the attachment show up in the middle here...)

Many happy commutes with it (are you really going to take it out tomorrow in the rain??).

I guess we'll see in the morning, but right now that's the plan. 40 mph wind gusts don't sound too fun, though.

I can highly recommend the Nigel Smythe bar bag for the rain.

They sent me the green wool Little Loafer bag, since the canvas ones were out of stock and won't be in for six weeks. I thought the canvas would be much better in the rain, and you just confirmed it. Thanks for giving me the idea of the handlebar bag.

I think that bike will make you the classiest commuter I've seen in DC yet.

Well, one thing I've never been accused of being is classy, but maybe the bike will help a bit.

Wow, this got long. Thanks for all the positive feedback, ladies. You certainly are prolific!