After many years of not getting my bike out of the shed, much less on it, I'm starting back into it. The majority of the blame lies with my son who started working on the Cycling Merit Badge last spring and dragged me along on a few rides. His troop is now finishing it and so bikes are a big topic at home. There is also some blame to be laid at the feet of "Bike to Work Day". On a whim I participated in it with a member of my team (to work) and one of my best buddies (home from work). It was more painful than I remember, but a good pain. I also notice that they were CRUSHING me on their road bikes. I have a 17+ year old Trek 730 hybrid.
Other than these two things (son going bike crazy and a bike-to-work day), why am I riding again? I'm 264 lbs and want to get down much nearer to 200 lbs (or less) and I'm also starting to get to that age. Exactly what age isn't any of your business. :-}
Yesterday, in many ways, was the real new beginning, but let me start a little earlier.
After e-mailing some friends I began to shop for a new road bike two Saturdays ago. Initially it just made me more confused than educated. There is a Trek dealer close to me and that morning we got some gloves for my son prior to his morning ride, so I felt a little connection to them and made pretty good progress towards getting fitted and learning about options. Before we could get it all sorted out, though, I was called away to lunch and to pick up my son from the 25 miler with his troop. Never made it back to that store, but instead visited a couple more shops that day including a Specialized shop and one which carried brands that I hadn't really heard of. With work and a Boy Scout campout the next weekend more than a whole week passed before I could do much more other than read. I picked up a couple cycling magazines at the last store and spent time researching on the web.
Monday came and I went straight from work to a highly recommended shop (Calmar) near the office. They carry both Trek and Specialized and I spent several hours testing lots of bikes with varying levels of components including the very cool wireless shifters. Eventually I decided to do a few day test drive, plunked down $100 and left with a Specialized Expert - the only one in stock that approached what I was thinking about. It is $3,800 list but being as it was a "test bike", they offered to sell it at a hefty discount. No decision needed, of course, since I'm just doing a test drive with it now. The more I rode it, the more I felt that I wanted something like it, but didn't want to spend that much cash!
Getting back to yesterday, I went to a shop (Cognition) closer to home rather than work. They are a Specialized dealer and I had visited with them the previous Saturday. I had worked with Taylor before, but he wasn't there so I spent several hours with Vanessa and eventually decided on the 58" Specialized Roubaix Elite Apex Compact. It was not in stock, so I couldn't ride it, but I rode several similar including one with the SRAM components. I REALLY like the action of the SRAM components vs. Shimano and so it has now been ordered -- a new beginning.
As stated above, I'm a fat guy, but also at 6'2" pretty tall and I normally take a size 13 shoe, so I was totally shocked that we found a bike shoe that fit me and bibs, both of which were on the clearance rack. I also picked up a jersey at the same time. Today I got pedals and have now attached them to the test bike and did a 1.5 mile loop around my block for the first experience with shoes clicked? into the pedals. It took me about 5 minutes and I had to take a shoe off, to get them to click in. Kind of funny.
Anyway, I'll let you know about the accessories, rides, experiences and the weight that I lose on this adventure.
