Shopping For A Bike

"Each day is a new life. Seize it. Live it."

Who would have thought shopping for a bike would be so difficult?  Who would have thought there were so many options?  Who would have thought that bikes could get to be so expensive?

Pick your price

 It used to be simple buying a bike.  You just needed to know what size you needed and sizes usually meant size of the tire.  You didn’t have to consider tire size and frame size.  There were specific bikes for boys and specific bikes for girls.  Over the years all of this has changed.  You almost need a bike consultant to help you get the right one.

There was a time that having a Schwinn bicycle meant you had one of the top bikes on the market.  Having a heavy sturdy bike was the ideal.  Even that has changed.  Buying a bike is like buying car.  We visited one bike shop that was working on the final touches of a $28K bike!

There are high end bikes and high end parts.  You can find the hybrids, the mountains, the cruisers, the comforts, street bikes, racing bikes and the list goes on.  The price of a bicycle can run into the thousands.  It all boils down to what you want and how much you’re willing to spend.

Even after you get the bike you want, you still might want to change parts.  Bikes today come with more than just tires, seats and chains.  They have shocks, gears and even disc brakes.  You can spend pretty much what you want.  It’s like having a Ford or a Mercedes.  I want the Mercedes bike but I want the price of a smart car bike.

My current bike is an Adventurer bike that folds.  I thought that would be ideal.  I didn’t stop to think if I went riding with someone else, that my bike required more work to get those small tires to cover the same territory as a bike with bigger tires.  I could ride half as far and work twice as much.  Well, if you know me, that wasn’t going to happen.  I decided it was time to find another bike and that’s when I discovered I had no idea what I wanted.

6 Speeds and small 20” tires

I’ve tried some bikes out.  I can vouch for the fact that there is definitely a difference in shifting, riding and pedaling.  Again, how much difference was I willing to pay for ….. well, not that much.  Obviously, money isn’t too big of a problem.  I got an email today from someone at my bank.  I know it was someone at the bank because that’s where they told me they were writing from.  Anyway,  $37.5 million was being deposited into my account.  I’m sure it was real.

Even Terry had to get into the act. This is more his style of a bike. It has a motor on it. He may have taken it for a ride but he didn’t take it with him when he left the bicycle shop.

I’ve been to bike shops and more bike shops.  However, Craigslist is probably my favorite place to shop for a bike. One reason for that is I don't have to run all over town.  I’ve learned more online online than I have at any bike shop.  The search is on. 

This is what I have it narrowed down to … the decision will come tomorrow ????

PS ... Terry bought me another birthday present.  He bought me a little TV so he could watch it while he played with the little sander he bought me last week.  Isn't he a gem?!!  I may buy him a bicycle I could ride for Christmas.  I'm thinking most of you see how our presents work by now.

  ‘Tis Life on the road.

A Chill is in the Air

 

Never underestimate the power of human stupidity.

 

Saturday night was the first night we slept in the motorhome in two months.  Amazing to have just one long room and not two.  There definitely is a difference in space between our cabin and our motorhome …. definitely.  Our TV is also smaller and we have no theater chairs to sit in.  Hmmm.  Regardless of the difference it still feels like home.  Even Duchess quickly adapted back to it.

Being closer to town also is different.  Tammi wanted to go shopping.  We were close and it was easy so I went along for the company.  She absolutely insisted we have our nails done.  Well, in the working days I had my nails done regularly.  It got to be a pain because you had to keep it up every couple of weeks.  I can tell you appointments like that in an RV just don’t work.  It took a while for my red nail polish to become history but eventually it did too.  I agreed to a manicure this time while I waited for her to have her nails done.  Ever had your nails done while your manicurist is on the phone the entire time either with phone calls or texting?  Such was the case this time.  Ask us the tip that was left.  Just ask.  Tammi decided to have her nails done another day and another place.

Next stop …. Red Lobster.  It had been forever since either of us had visited a Red Lobster .. forever.  I love seafood but normally I am not a Red Lobster fan.  However, this time it was really nice.  First of all, we split one order of catfish and one bowl of clam chowder.  The catfish was so good we ordered one more and split it too. 

Terry and Lee were out working on the trailer getting it ready for it’s trip south.  It’ll be heading that direction without much on it other than tool boxes that they felt were necessary. There won’t be any ATVs and only a bike … mine .   

Monday rolled around and the Jeep went in the shop for a complete work over. The mechanic wanted it two days but it's stretching to three since we had games Tuesday night and the drive-belt needed to be replaced.  We were either going to rent a car or borrow one from Tammi.  Tammi’s option was easier so that we did.

We figure we still have another trip or two to the cabin.  The other day we worked on caulking at the cabin and more putting away of tables, ladders and the such.  The deer were sure happy to see us visit.  They ran to the feeder and waited for us to fill it up.  For some reason I got the idea that they missed us.  Well, maybe it really wasn’t us.  It was the food we usually provided.

Have you ever priced bikes?  I mean at a specialty bike shop and not at Wal-Mart.  Well, after riding Tammi’s and the one we got from my brother, I did.  There really is a difference!  I have the little folding Adventurer bike with 6 speeds we picked up at Camping World a couple years ago.   My plan had been to buy the little one speed folding bike.  I was sure there wasn’t much difference other than a gear or two.  It didn’t take long to figure the few bucks between them was really worth it.  However,   after riding the other two bikes now I’m going to say there is a huge difference between the one I have and spendy ones … a huge difference.  Price is only one consideration.  Weight is definitely another.  I used to think a good bike had to be a Schwinn.  I’m definitely behind times. I had no clue that bicycles could go well over a thousand bucks let alone five times that and more!!

The daytime temperatures around here are pretty nice but fall is certainly in the air.  It's getting downright nippy in the evening.  Another couple of weeks or so and we'll be on the road again.  Just how nippy are the evenings?  Well, if you had an evening with a little wind, they can be pretty nippy.  Check out this picture of Sabrina last night at the soccer game. 

 

We had two soccer games last night.  Sandi's team won their game.  Jordie's team had another tie game that went into double-triple overtime.  That is the third time this year!!  It makes for a long game and a long evening.

Sandi's game

 It's definitely the family things we're going to miss.  We've had so many of them this year.

Jordie's game

‘Tis life on the road.