you girls have done it now

[elk]

you could always sell your walmart bikes on craig's list to pay for the upgrade and fenders....

e

[uforgot]

Hi Vickie:
First of all you WERE pedaling and working twice as much! I think we discussed it a little bit. Loved your bike though! So pretty and handy.
2nd, Rte 66 Bikes, Dan gives you one tune-up within 30 days after the sale, although he is a little lenient with that. I came back late a couple of times. If you want to know more about him or the shop you can ask me or Pyannyplayer. We both know him and do business there. I like that I can email and say "Hey Dan, have you got such and such?, or I walk in and he calls me by name, and he's always willing to help.
Have you considered the Trek fx? It doesn't have the front suspension, and unless you are going out to Lions Club Park to ride, you really don't need it. It (the suspension) also makes you ride harder and slower. I have one, (7.2 fx) and I don't have school on Friday. I could bring it to Rolla on Friday if you are there and let you try it out.

Edit: I went to the Trek website and noticed that the new 7000 does not have suspension! the 7100 and above do. You need to decide if you want that or not. Like I said, suspension just adds weight and you don't need it for roads or even the Katy Trail!

[fastdogs]

craig's list is a good idea, I've already taken photos of them, just need to list them still.
Doesn't the FX have pretty slick tires? that and the higher price is the only thing that concerned me- I seem to really like the treks I've looked at. I had warned the guy at rte 66 that I might be back for that bike saturday.
Today I test ride some mountain bikes at the Jamis place.
vickie

[uforgot]

No, the fx has the puncture resistant 700 X 35c. They have treads, but not huge like mountain bike tires. They are actually a perfect commuting tire.

I looked at the specs for the 7100, and the tires are the 700 X 35 also. Bontrager Select invert.

[fastdogs]

today I rode a Jamis Ranger 2.0 mountain bike, a Trek 3900 mountain bike, and the Trek 7200. I liked the mountain bikes ok, the Jamis would have to have an adjustable stem put on it, the handlebar position just wasnt comfortable for me, and it wasn't at all adjustable. I liked the trigger shifters. The 3900 mountain bike, despite it's too blue color, was very nice. But I think I smiled the whole time I was riding the Trek 7200. I don't know why, I'm not sure that the ride was that much better than the 3900 (I'm more familiar with mountain bike-type-bikes), but I really enjoyed it.
vickie

[elk]

vickie

i think you already know what you want!!

[fastdogs]

yeah, I know- I really liked the 7000 which felt just like 7200 to me. I liked it from the beginning, but felt like I need to try as many different ones as possible so I could make sure. The differences from the 7000 seem to be:
suspension fork- not important to me- 7200 has it, 7000 doesn't

alloy front hub, shimano RM30 rear hub (7000 has alloy hubs)

Matrix 750 rims- 7000 has matrix 550 rims

8 speed- 7000 is 7 speed (my folding bike is 9 speed)

shimano alivio rear derailleur- (7000 has shimanoTX51)
shimano M191 48/38/28 w/chainguard- 7000 is suntour

cassette SRAM PG830 11-30, 8 speed (the 7000 has sunrace 13-34, 7 speed- which is better?)

tires are bontrager invert, puncture resistant, 700x35c; 60tpi (7000 has bontrager select invert, 700x35c;27tpi - what does all this mean?)

7200 has dual density platform pedals versus nylon platform for the 700- doesn't matter to me.

The 7000 is about $60 cheaper than the 7200. I liked both shops, the 7200 is from a shop that gives 10% items in store and lifetime maintenance. I saw a different salesperson today than I did when I went in bofore, and he was just as helpful as the first salesperson I saw.
So, I think I know what I want, like elk said, I'm just trying to figure out of the 7200 upgrades are worth the price over the 7000. I know the differences are upgrades, just not sure how much of an upgrade they are.
At least I won't be bugging you all with bike buying questions if I get one of these before the weekend (may still stop at another bike shop tomorrow to try out something different- the kona store I tried didn't have any smokes so I have to look at another one)
vickie
ok, enough already, just buy the bike. I told my husband about it tonight, he just shook his head. He doesn't approve, but he doesn't say anything.

[fastdogs]

ok, I went back to ghisallo's at lunchtime and bought my trek 7200. It was the one i'd test ridden, so was already adjusted for me. They took it to check it over and put on the water bottle cage and kickstand. That was all the shopping I did for it, for now- water bottle cage, kickstand, and a cable to lock it up (don't plan to be leaving it anywhere, but wanted to have one on it just in case).
The only bike rack I had is an old one stored in the barn for several years, and the guy came out and put it on my car for me- it was kind of scary because I worried that the straps were dry rotted. We couldn't get them as tight as I would like, but when we got done it seemed secure. I drove back to work inthe rain and parked it. But I couldn't stand the thought of it out there getting rained on, and even though we're in compound patrolled by security, I worried I'd go out and it would be gone. So I talked the admin into letting me pull into the enclosed loading dock so it stayed dry all afternoon.
When I got home I took it off and had to ride it. I've got a quarter mile walking trail around the perimeter of my property, so I rode. It's mostly flat, but has a short steep drop off what used to be a pond bank. It was great to be able to ride up that little steep hill. At the third lap (in the rain, tires getting dirty) I thought, "are these handlebars a little crooked?". The fourth lap, I'd just rolled down the steep drop and almost crashed when my handle bars turned but the wheel didn't. I had to walk it back to the house, the handlebars were too loose. I got an allen wrench and tightened them, but could still turn them. I had to get my husband to really crank the allen wrench to get them solid. Now, I'm a bit scared for that to happen out on the road, but I'll do a couple of laps tomorrow (dark now) and see if they stay tight. It's sitting inside, out of the rain. I got the new hitch mount bike rack I'd ordered, so if I have to take it back to the shop I can take my truck with a hitch rack and not have to use that old trunk mount bike rack again.
vickie

[sandra]

Congratulations! I'm glad you did it! You know we want pictures!

[elk]

Oh ouch...I hope that didn't make you lose faith in your new ride!!!
You probably want to take it back to the shop and a) tell them what happened. b) have them make sure it's tight now.

And don't let it dampen your enthusiasm!!!
I'm happy for you that you got your bike!!

[fastdogs]

It's going back today- kinda scared to get it out on the road and have that happen- if I had not been going slow, on grass, I would have crashed. The handlebars started out fine, I did 3/4 of a mile with no problems, then they were very loose. I tried to tighten them down but my husband had to really crank the allen wrench to get them where they'd stay tight. But it was dark so I didn't ride any more after that, and now I'm a bit paranoid to get out on the road, with traffic, going downhill, and have the handlebars turn but not the wheel!!!
I hope they can take care of it, I'd like to ride this weekend- weather's supposed to be decent.
vickie

[blueskies]

When I got home I took it off and had to ride it. I've got a quarter mile walking trail around the perimeter of my property, so I rode. It's mostly flat, but has a short steep drop off what used to be a pond bank. It was great to be able to ride up that little steep hill.

Oh Vickie, if the cyclocross girls read this, there gonna come looking for you!!!

You're going to have so much fun on this bike, I can tell already. Congrats!!!

[fastdogs]

thanks everyone for all the support in my brief bike hunt. I am in love with this bike. I brought it to work (on my new hitch mount bike rack), with plastic bags over it because it was raining all day. At lunchtime I took it to the bike shop; before I took it in I rode in light rain for 20 minutes, but the handlebars did not budge, of course. I left it there for the afternoon to get checked out anyway. AFter work (I snuck out early because the rain had stopped ) I went to the bike shop and picked it up. The bike shop is out by chesterfield airport, and is very flat. There's lots of wide two lane roads and bike lanes, so I rode for 30 minutes. It was so much fun, that bike can really fly. I could have kept going, but had a little boy to pick up. I need to put my cycle computer on it. I don't have fenders, but didn't get splashed today much without them.
vickie

[uforgot]

I'm so glad you are happy! Those hitch mounts are handy, aren't they? I use mine all the time. What color is it? Better yet, can you post a pic? Have a good time riding this weekend. It should be a beautiful ride with the leaves changing!