I have had my trusty Trek 730 hybrid bike for probably 16 years. Granted, it spent about 7 of those years sitting in the garage, but I would say that it was a good purchase. I rode that bike a lot and didn't do much maintenance apart from the occasional tune-up. This past year, though, I noted that it seemed to be getting more difficult to ride. At first, I thought I was just tired. Then, I thought it was the new tires I put on it, or maybe that I wasn't putting enough air in the tires. It just kept getting worse and worse. I took it into a shop and they told me nothing was wrong with it, grrr. Then, last Friday, I noted that I was having to pedal with force to go downhill. That was the last straw.
I went to a bike shop and bought a new Trek. I would show you a picture, but I am too lazy to download the photos off my camera, so you can go to this link to see it. It's so pretty. It even has flowers on it! At first, I was uncomfortable because the frame length is very short; the handlebars are very close to the seat. After riding it for a while, though, it is much more comfortable than my old bike. Also, it is much more stylish! Of course, I ruined the stylishness by strapping a milk crate to a rack on the back so that I can carry my stuff. Now, it just looks Portland ghetto, which hopefully means someone will be less likely to steal it or stuff off of it.
The difference between my old bike and this bike is the difference between wading in waist-deep mud and flying.
2 comments:
What a fancy, new ride! If I actually tried to ride my bike to the store, I don't think I would make it. This town is so pedestrian and biker unfriendly. We live less than 1/2 mile from many major stores. There is not one cross walk or anything to help people cross the street. Oh, well. Enjoy the new bike!
Yes, that's one of the things I love about Portland. It's pretty bike friendly. Of course, that doesn't mean all the cars on the road are friendly! But we do have lots of bike lanes, multi-use paths (bikes and pedestrians), etc. There are even sensors in bike lanes that trigger traffic lights! You should come live in Portland with me :-)
Post a Comment