biking
Right before we left for our trip, I got sprung from Physical Therapy. He hasn't made any promises on my hip being better. In fact, for Muay Thai it is basically a question of, "Does the pain outweigh the pleasure?" that will guide my decision to return or just stay in boxing/Phillipino Boxing. I need to practice kicks by myself for a month to 6 weeks on my heavy bag before I go to class again to ensure that I don't push myself too hard. I push myself anyway, but being around other people will cause me to lose any sense of "moderation" when engaging in just about anything.
So, now that I'm sprung and I have the green light for almost everything, it's time to think about a commuting bike. Yeah, I'm feeling really weird about buying a new bike when I already HAVE a bike and a bike that I love and a bike that I don't get nearly the use out of that I should. Hi Ho Silver (yes, I named my bike.) is the most perfect racing bike a girl like me could ever own. The people who sold it to me about 10 years ago had no idea what they were selling so I got it for a fraction of the cost, even slightly used. . It's a Georgena Terry Classic --close to 18 years old now--and was constructed perfectly for a female who was my height. I didn't realize that even things like hand breaks were too big for my tiny hands until I bought this bike. While I've barely ridden the dang thing in the last 5 years, I still love it.
So, why not just use that bike for my work commute? A couple of reasons.
1) I'd like something with thicker tires and a little more suspension. Nothing as thick as a mountain bike, but my tires feel like they are so razor thin that I am able to (and have) completely wrecked myself hitting a large crack in the road at a slightly wrong angle. Add slick streets to it and it can be downright scary. I don't really need the extra suspension, but I might as well throw that in.
2) I'd like to be able to put a rack and maybe some panniers on the back for commuting. I can't fit anything on Silver. I've tried a couple times over the years and there is just no room between the seat and the back tire. Great for racing, but not so good if I want to carry more than a messanger bag (which I will have to because I'll need to shower at work because I am a sweat hog).
3) Fenders would be sweet during Seattle's spring, winter, and fall. Full fenders would be even more awesome. Right now I have no fenders. I have no idea if I can modify the Terry but I'm reluctant too. Maybe I'll never get back into triatholons or racing, but I hope maybe I can talk myself into doing the STP or starting to really ride again and I want to keep my race bike as, uh, pure as pobbile.
So, I'm starting to look into my options. I have no idea, really, where to start. I don't need some dick-thumping "street cred" bike with all the gadgets and doohickeys. I just want something comfortable, not too heavy, something that I can work on speed eventually but not worry about "race speed", and something not very expensive until I really feel like I am going to commit to not using my car. That sounds sissy, I know. I'll admit it. I'm being a sissy.
It was easy to go out into the rain and cold when I was training for triathalons. It was a goal. Getting up early to shlep to work every day in the muck? Let's be serious--not as motivating. And not as motivating to spend mad cash on it. If I was using my bike as my primary trasnportation form for a year, it would be easy to drop a wad of cash on a new bike. That I'm scared that I would give up for some reason or my back wouldn't be able to handle it--makes me less inclined. Terry has a commuter bike for about $650, but I'd still have to buy racks/panniers, lights and cyclometer (not so pricey), and fenders for it. Not to mention I will want to immediately change out the pedals to be able to use my speedplay frog cleats (like $120-150 to just upgrade the pedals but I swear by their free float and easy clip in/out and carzy light if you want to race. Riding a bike without them doesn't feel right. I know some folks hate them BECAUSE they are so floaty, weird to get used to knowing if you are clipped in or not, and I've heard numerous people call them "peddling on ice/too slippery", but I still think that once you get used to them, there is no going back. Although I've just read that in the last year or so, the quality has gone down in their cleat. :() Oh yeah, and decent rain gear that I can't seem to find for under $200 for pants :(
I'd like to spend only a couple of hundred bucks for everything but the clothes and upgrading the pedals. I know I will eventually have to just go into stores to try things out. In the meantime, anyone got any advice? I know I don't want a mountain bike or a race bike, but that leaves a lot in the middle. I also don't want a fixie because I like to climb hills and I don't want to be a douchebag. :)