Newbie weekly achievement thread

[Velocivixen]

@Nick (applaud) good job. Your confidence will only build from here. KEep practicing.

[Nick]

@Velocivixen -- thanks so much! Looking forward to the day when I'll be able to say that my achievements include 20+ mile rides and 6 miles of hills .

[hebe]

I took the old pump and bracket off my Marin and fitted new bracket, pump and bottle cage. Yippee! No more waterbottles leaking through the basket onto the bike frame and no more wondering why on earth I had a red pump and purple panniers on the same bike

[Roadtrip]

Hummm.. I haven't posted here in awhile as I haven't done much riding as of late. Work has kept me crazy busy and we had a record tying 17 straight days with temps over 90 degrees with oppressive humidity. The city had smog warnings during that whole stretch.

During the Tour de France I stopped into the LBS to pick up some goodies DH had ordered and they were having a huge sale. I spied a 2010 older stock hybrid bike in my size (one "trim" level up from my current steed) and $150 off sticker price. I talked to the manager who knows us-- we've bought four bikes from this shop-- and asked if that price was the bottom line. He did some pondering and knocked off another $100 off the price saying in another few weeks the 2012 bikes will be out. I say to myself-- do I NEED the grocery getter "upgrade" and HOW much could I get out of my bike???

I went on vacation and when I got back the bike was still there-- so I went ahead and did it. I then posted my bike for sale-- to which I have a strong buyer lined up and were meeting in the morning for her to ride and test out the bike.

Ok. So far no real achievement here, but I had a slew of stuff on my old bike that I didn't want to sell with it. Ergo grips, fenders, saddle, tires, and recently upgraded brakes that are better then the stock ones I would rather keep.

I didn't want to pay the shop to move all of these parts to the new bike. I was confidant I could do most of it myself.. Except the brakes. The derailures and the brakes have been my nemesis. I took the brakes off one bike and used DH's bike as an example of how things were supposed to look if I got stumped.

Tires-- check x4
Grips-- check x4
Saddle-- check x2
Fenders-- nearly: hardware malfunction with the carbon fiber fork.. Original wouldn't work on front fender now
Brakes-- check x4!!! I finally got the brake calipers removed and adjusted and have working brakes-- wooooo hoooooo

Finding the right adjustments was frustrating, but once I stopped being afraid that I would 'brake' something, I realize I could do it

Shannon

[Velocivixen]

Road trip, so what kind of bike is it? I don't know what your current steed had been. I am totally impressed that you did that stuff to your bike. Good for you. Doesn't it feel great to accomplish something like that?

My, in comparison, small success was removing the front wheel off my new bike to clean the rims and to check the brake pads. I had to deflate the tire to get it out. Mentioned it to DH and he showed me how to release the brakes. Oh. Who knew?

[Roadtrip]

Road trip, so what kind of bike is it? I don't know what your current steed had been.

Trek FX 7.3, 2008... Trek FX 7.5, 2010

Also have the road bike, a 2009 Specialized Ruby, which I adore

I am totally impressed that you did that stuff to your bike. Good for you. Doesn't it feel great to accomplish something like that?

Thanks, it sure does!

[MVines]

Hi Ladies,

Well I am new to the forum, as well as getting back into biking. Excellent thread!

My weekly, actually today, achievement I bought a new bike, a Trek Madone 3.1 WSD. I just could not resist, it just fit me sooooo well. Got home and went for my first ride in 13 years, went for 4.5 miles and got off a bit shaky.

Love the bike, loved the ride, it felt great to get on the road again! Now I am gonna do it all again tomorrow!

~~ Roll On ~~

Melissa