With gas prices skyrocketing to all time highs, I started to consider alternative means of transportation. I’d been considering buying a bicycle for awhile, but didn’t really know what kind to get. Many people I talked to online told me to steer clear of the ‘toy-store’ bicycles from your big stores like Wal-Mart, Target, Toys-R-Us. While they are cheap in price, they’re also subject to poor assembly. A ham friend of mine in South Dakota recently participated in a bikeathon for MS research, so I consulted with him on bikes. I browsed around online and narrowed my choices down to Giant, Schwinn, and Trek. I really liked the Trek models, especially the comfort and hybrid line. The only way I could afford one is to open an account and pay it back later. Luckily Trek has a ‘buy it now, pay for it in 6 months interest free’ plan. I filled out the application online, printed out the account information, and headed out to the bike shop.
When I got there, I asked the sales guy if they had the Trek 7200 in stock. He showed them to me, but they didn’t have it in my size. Being the typical guy, I wasn’t going to drop to the 7100 model so I checked out the 7300. They had a pretty blue/white bike that I just had to test ride. So I got on the bike and rode up and down the sidewalk. It seemed really comfortable and I enjoyed the suspension on the front wheel and the seat. I told him I’d take it and this is where the fun began. (aka accessory time!) I added a water bottle, rack, storage bag, headlight, tail light, helmet, lock, and spedometer computer thingy. It’s nice of them to install all the accessories that you buy with the bike. The price was a tad more than I was looking at, but I have 6 months to pay it off.
I strolled out and proceeded to fit the bike into my car. I had a feeling I wouldn’t be able to get the whole thing in there, but I got most of it inside the trunk/backseat. Luckily I had a few bungee cords with me, so I was able to secure the trunk and the bike. (in hindsight I could have easily removed the wheels with quick release levers, but oh well!) I got it home and took it out of the trunk. I waited for it to cool off a bit and then I took it for a short 1 mile spin around the neighborhood. The little kid inside of me decided to see how fast I could go. I got it up to 17mph, so I didn’t think that was too bad. That of course really made the legs burn since I haven’t ridden a bike in ages. (oops!)
So I’m planning on riding it to work everyday that it’s decent outside. I only live 1.5 miles from work, so it shouldn’t be too shabby at all. I’m very excited to have a nice bike to ride around on. It will save me in gas money and give me some needed exercise. I will report back later on my biking adventures around town. The only thing it’s missing is a radio and antenna, but I’m working on that!! LOL…
