BIKE EVERY DAY

[Ashley]

 

[Greg Nog]

Oh, that fucking SUCKS.  Sorry, man.

[jm]

OK, yeah, this is terrible, but I can't read the above phrasing without hearing it to the tune of that Elton John song. But seriously fuck whoever did that.

[peacocks]

someone stole my bike last night, stupid fuck
had to ruin my goddamn day, didntcha dick?
YOU NEARLY HAD ME ROPED AND TIED

[clare]

That is so fucked Jeb. I hope you get your bike back and get to punch the bastard in the nuts.

[jebreject]

The amount of people on facebook who have reposted either the picture or description of my bike (or both) really makes me feel blessed, to have the friends I have and to live in the community I do. Will it lead to the bike's return? Probably not, but it's pretty amazing nonetheless. Also, I've had multiple friends offer me loaner bikes, and one friend who will sell me a cheapo replacement at a discounted cost. It's hard to stay angry when the response to an event like this (which is, to be perfectly clear, fairly minor in the grand scale of problems plaguing urban America, but still) is for people to have other people's backs. This is the shit that makes it impossible for me to be entirely cynical about humanity. People care about each other and take care of each other.

But yeah, anyway, I really don't think I'll get my bike back. I am debating putting up fliers, but I think I'm probably going to buy one of those cheapos and then start saving up for a new bike.

[jebreject]

I'm going to go pick up a cheapo beater for fifty bucks next week, something that will get me through the winter. I've wanted a dedicated winter bike for a while anyway, so I think this is a good move. Meanwhile, I'm saving up and doing some shopping and going to pick up something new as soon as I can (which might not be until Spring--saving up for a new bike and a wedding at the same time is very tough). My friend works at a bike store and he says he thinks he could hook me up with this bike for a really good price. What do you guys think?

[dumbfish]

Is the guy in the unitard standard equipment, or does he cost extra?

[jebreject]

Sexxxxtra

[jebreject]

Got myself a new whip. Still going to pick up that Trek come Springtime, but for now, I've got myself a functional bike again, and goddamn does that feel good.

(Totally not used to riding a road bike, though.)

[elpollodiablo]

What are you gonna buy in the spring, jeb?

[jebreject]

See post two above. It's a Trek 7.2 FX, commuter style.

[The_Tourist]

yay...fenders and a new brooks team pro. i'm ready to do a thing.

[peacocks]

surly! A good friend of mine is planning a cross country cycling trip from orlando to seattle over the summer and he just bought a surly to do it on. They seem like great bikes, heavy as shit.

[elpollodiablo]

Awesome bike, T. Though I still don't get the prostate-punishing saddles.

See post two above. It's a Trek 7.2 FX, commuter style.

We will be bike bros! I have the 7.3. I love it, though in retrospect I kinda wish I would went with the Soho. Just do not need 24 gears in this town.

[Maaik]

I'll have to take pictures of the bikes tMO and I got for Christmas.  Both second- or third-hand, they were her brother and sister-in-law's. Hers is this fancy yellow Jeep branded deal with rear-wheel suspension and all. Mine is a Specialized, which I fucking love.

We went out for our first ride together over the weekend. Discovered that her brakes don't really work, so we'll definitely have to take care of that.

This is pretty exciting for me. I haven't had a bike since high school.

[elpollodiablo]

Were you humbled by what you were actually able to tackle? I could barely ride a mile without stopping when I got mine last fall, but now I can do about ten without too much pain.

Then again I'm a great big old fat person.

[Maaik]

Dude, I seriously underestimated the topography of my neighborhood. Atlanta and really, the whole of the Piedmont region is hilly as fuck. I went for my first solo ride the day after getting the bikes home, thinking I'd be out for like an hour, I might go into town or something. I think I lasted like twenty minutes. I could barely walk up my front steps.

This last ride, I think we went a mile and I already was having a much easier time of it. So yeah, I really wanna stick with it and get some of that health.

[alex]

I'm due for a new bike, too. I'm somewhat torn between getting a light hybrid-style bike for the sake of the occasional ride in the countryside, and going all-out with a heavy, classic Dutch "omafiets" (literally: grandmother's bike) with a steel rack in the front for groceries and so on. Maybe this:

[The_Tourist]

surly! A good friend of mine is planning a cross country cycling trip from orlando to seattle over the summer and he just bought a surly to do it on. They seem like great bikes, heavy as shit.

they are great bikes! that's my third - the first was stolen, but now i switch between the bike above (a cross check aka the goth check) and a steamroller. i love them both dearly.

your friend probably got a long haul trucker, which as the name implies, is their big ass touring bike. those things are definitely pretty heavy, but worth every ounce if you're doing a serious tour.

Awesome bike, T. Though I still don't get the prostate-punishing saddles.

thanks!

you'll understand the prostate-punishing saddle if you rode one for a while. they take a little while to break in, but once they do it's like a well oiled baseball glove. the brooks swift on my other bike is like a hammock for my sensitive bits.

i actually bought the one above to replace a regular saddle (selle san marco regal) because it was killing my ass on longer rides. the team pro has been better already.

[alex]

I ended up ordering this:



It'll be a while until I get it, but I suppose I can't complain, since I'll be getting it for free (partially paid by the university, partially covered through the holiday hours that I can never use up anyway).

[elpollodiablo]

Man that is sweet.

[edison]

Yeah, nice!

[jebreject]

I'm at work so I'm unable to see the picture, but Batavus(es?) look pretty sweet.

A friend who lives down the street from me offered me rides to and from work, so thus ends my winter biking. (Actually, I might start again, but this cheapo bike I got is kind a pain (literally) as it's a bit too small for me and probably the most uncomfortable bike I've ever ridden. It's fine for short distances, like say less than a mile, but the ride to and from work was really killin' me.

(Excuses, excuses)

[Greg Nog]

Dang, that's pretty!

I should get around to replacing the stolen wheel on Beloved Bike, though since I have Shitty Bike as backup, it doesn't feel super-urgent.