whew
Well, after a long search and such, I picked up a new bike. I ended up picking up the financing for the bike because I got an extra 10% off the bike (which was already marked down 200 bucks) as well as tune-ups once a year for life (up to $75) and an extra fitting and fine-tuning in two weeks.
Full Cycle is fucking awesome.
I'd been speccing out bikes and testing them out for the last week. I hadn't found anything that was comfortable enough, nor did I find people who were as willing to adjust and spec out a bike as much as the guys at Full Cycle.
I ended up with a top of the line 2009 CX bike from Felt (the F60X).
I took for a spin and fell in love with it. The Full Cycle model had the specced build on the website. Compared to anything University Cycle or Performance could get me in something from Specialized or Red Line, this was the way to go. The Fuji/Mongoose builds are much more square and only came in 52 or 54cm frames. The Felt came in a 53, which was a good compromise and meant a minimal shimming on the stem extension.
Overall, it feels great and is the lightest and toughest bike to date. It rides as smooth as a road bike, but is as rugged as the Specialized rock hopper that I lost - if not more stable. I took it for a quick 8 mile run around through lookout to 75th, back through Jay rd, and then Spine to the house again. It was fast, quiet and it took less effort than the Panasonic, but I wasn't working so much less - but the advantage was that in the rough areas and on dirt, this bike flew as fast as if I were on pavement.
The added bonus of having a bike I can ride in inclement weather and through the mud and grit without losing on durability and speed is light years beyond the Panasonic. I'm sorry Super Deluxe - it was great while it lasted but the Felt F60X is just too hot.
Getting this thing fully loaded, including lights, pouch, gear, and all the security locks, came to just over $1k. I've got it on 1 year no interest, no finance charges for 12 months. I've already got a buyer on the Super Deluxe for at least $100, so this will work out to be much much less than anything anyone else could get me (Univeristy Cycle had bikes with worse gearby two tiers starting at $999, and both Performance and Bike Village didn't have any CX bikes that would fit or come under $900). I guess I came on the right deal at the right time since the CX season is just about to start!
Now I just have to "harden the fuck up" and try to finish out the training for ABS and drop the fifteen pounds I have been promising myself I'd lose before the ABS season finished so I can try to make it to nationals.
Full Cycle is fucking awesome.
I'd been speccing out bikes and testing them out for the last week. I hadn't found anything that was comfortable enough, nor did I find people who were as willing to adjust and spec out a bike as much as the guys at Full Cycle.
I ended up with a top of the line 2009 CX bike from Felt (the F60X).
I took for a spin and fell in love with it. The Full Cycle model had the specced build on the website. Compared to anything University Cycle or Performance could get me in something from Specialized or Red Line, this was the way to go. The Fuji/Mongoose builds are much more square and only came in 52 or 54cm frames. The Felt came in a 53, which was a good compromise and meant a minimal shimming on the stem extension.
Overall, it feels great and is the lightest and toughest bike to date. It rides as smooth as a road bike, but is as rugged as the Specialized rock hopper that I lost - if not more stable. I took it for a quick 8 mile run around through lookout to 75th, back through Jay rd, and then Spine to the house again. It was fast, quiet and it took less effort than the Panasonic, but I wasn't working so much less - but the advantage was that in the rough areas and on dirt, this bike flew as fast as if I were on pavement.
The added bonus of having a bike I can ride in inclement weather and through the mud and grit without losing on durability and speed is light years beyond the Panasonic. I'm sorry Super Deluxe - it was great while it lasted but the Felt F60X is just too hot.
Getting this thing fully loaded, including lights, pouch, gear, and all the security locks, came to just over $1k. I've got it on 1 year no interest, no finance charges for 12 months. I've already got a buyer on the Super Deluxe for at least $100, so this will work out to be much much less than anything anyone else could get me (Univeristy Cycle had bikes with worse gearby two tiers starting at $999, and both Performance and Bike Village didn't have any CX bikes that would fit or come under $900). I guess I came on the right deal at the right time since the CX season is just about to start!
Now I just have to "harden the fuck up" and try to finish out the training for ABS and drop the fifteen pounds I have been promising myself I'd lose before the ABS season finished so I can try to make it to nationals.