Darren and I went out last weekend for my long-delayed foray into a moving bicycle. This was a rather harrowing ordeal as neither of us knows the first damn thing about bikes (if you need information on completely useless topics, like Star Wars or osteoconductive matrices, we're your guys). We initially went to a store a few blocks away, and they were about as helpful as asking my table lamp for advice. But, they did point us the way to a nice used bike shop in University City. Our friend Nate (a cycling psycho) also recommended it and lent me a nice book on how to find a good fit. So, we headed over to Firehouse Bikes to try to find a salesman with a clue that we had no clue. We found Sam. He was very nice and let me try my hand (legs?) at a few. Please remember, I have not really ridden a bike in about 15 years. When I got onto the first bike, on the sidewalk, I nearly fell over (I did hit a concrete planter). Most of the problem was that I have never used toe straps before and I couldn't get my feet into them. I eventually got the hang of it and was able to test-ride three bikes without killing myself.We settled on the mid-range price option on the bikes - not the brand-spanking new bike of beauty nor the older bike with the sweet faux-suede seat. It's a cannondale R300, which from what I have read is a sturdy little bike without a lot of bells and whistles (I was also tempted to buy a bell to warn innocent pedestrians of my approach).
I got to try out the bike yesterday, which was a good day weather-wise. I had about 2 hours between my OR cases and my call at Hahnemann, so I decided to do the Schuykill loop trail. I road almost twelve miles in about 45 minutes, good for about 15 miles an hour. I wasn't going for speed, just trying to get used to the ride. I felt pretty good, but I will have to make some minor adjustments.
Triathlon training week 16 (March 16-22): run 5.42 mi, bike 35.7, swim 5000. Not a great week, but I was on call a lot and in general kind of blah, Totals: 91.63/423.16/53150
3 comments:
On my last big ride (70 miles), it ended at a parking lot that was at the bottom of a hill (with the river just beyond). I was so tired by that point that I was not effective at braking and stopped myself by (gently) running into my car.
Sweet! I resent the "psycho" characterization, but ... sweet!
Do you need a cyclocomputer? I have an no-frills Cateye lying around (does speed and distance at least.)
We just bought Ben a bike today - a Lemond Reno. Now I can make him ride with me. New bikes are fun.
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