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Triathlon Guy helped me set up my bike tonight. We adjusted the seat (easy). We checked the shifter and the tire pressure (easier). We adjusted the handlebars (way harder than I thought it would be). This afternoon, I had purchased a cheap helmet that ran me almost as much as the bike itself. And TG's fiancee is a doctor, though specializing in pediatric neurology, she would at least be able to keep me from dying until the ambulance arrived.
I was ready to roll.
I started out the pretty standard, somewhat incompetent way, pushing down one pedal while using the other foot as a cantilever, then switching sides, until I got going in a way I could keep my balance. It's a road bike, which I am not used to, so I was pretty much holding onto the handlebars for dear life- my hands are still a little bit sore. I kept pace with him up the first hill at about 7 mph by his speedometer.
It was right after we started down the other side that I started seeing the appeal. All I could hear was the soft tic-tic-tic of the wheel, and the wind rushing by. It was so cool it scared me a little bit, and I slammed on the brakes hard enough to throw me forward off the seat. If I were male, that would have ended painfully. Fortunately, it is a womens' road bike, and I am a woman, sparing me any family jewels insults to my person. The net effect was, however, by the time I caught up to TG, he was circling around an intersection waiting on my fat ass to catch up.
I threw the chain once later on in my first real attempt at intelligent shifting. By the end of the ride, I was actually going faster uphill than I had on my first downhill. The whole thing lasted about fifteen minutes, and was over way too soon.
This bike was worth the $200 dollars I thought it was. It shifts with hardly a thought, once you get the hang of it. It's comfortable, it's safe, and it's in excellent condition. I can't believe the deal that I got here! It was better than any of my previous bikes, which gave me the following insight that I shared with TG as we rode home into the sunset.
"You know, I think I realize why I never got into this before."
"Why's that?"
"I had a really crap bike!"
I was ready to roll.
I started out the pretty standard, somewhat incompetent way, pushing down one pedal while using the other foot as a cantilever, then switching sides, until I got going in a way I could keep my balance. It's a road bike, which I am not used to, so I was pretty much holding onto the handlebars for dear life- my hands are still a little bit sore. I kept pace with him up the first hill at about 7 mph by his speedometer.
It was right after we started down the other side that I started seeing the appeal. All I could hear was the soft tic-tic-tic of the wheel, and the wind rushing by. It was so cool it scared me a little bit, and I slammed on the brakes hard enough to throw me forward off the seat. If I were male, that would have ended painfully. Fortunately, it is a womens' road bike, and I am a woman, sparing me any family jewels insults to my person. The net effect was, however, by the time I caught up to TG, he was circling around an intersection waiting on my fat ass to catch up.
I threw the chain once later on in my first real attempt at intelligent shifting. By the end of the ride, I was actually going faster uphill than I had on my first downhill. The whole thing lasted about fifteen minutes, and was over way too soon.
This bike was worth the $200 dollars I thought it was. It shifts with hardly a thought, once you get the hang of it. It's comfortable, it's safe, and it's in excellent condition. I can't believe the deal that I got here! It was better than any of my previous bikes, which gave me the following insight that I shared with TG as we rode home into the sunset.
"You know, I think I realize why I never got into this before."
"Why's that?"
"I had a really crap bike!"
