Well, there's a new bike in the Miller family. It really is getting ridiculous, the whole buying and selling of two-wheeled pedaling machines. Honestly, I've given the pursuit a great deal of thought lately and have come down to this:
When I have the ability to effect change, I do so. Often with very little patience. Looking back, the notion of selling my single speed lynskey, the idea of which had been a dream for years, was motivated by a great deal of haste and fear. I thought I needed a change, so after about a month of looking around, when Team Seagal's sponsor contact came up with a great deal on a geared, cushy full-suspension bike that would fit, I jumped on it.
Maggie and I have both toyed with the idea of me and control issues...especially in relation to things that I don't have any control over (i.e. cancer). Maybe that is why training, science, and bicycle materialism have been so attractive in the past few years. It is funny, because in college I was one of those gandhi-reading, world bank-protesting, hippy, live-out-of-my car types. Now I own 2 carbon bicycles and a third that is pretty close to carbon.
I do still hold on to many of my ideals, but clearly the materialism associated with light, fast, and stiff bicycles in something that I've 'compromised' on. The drivetrain on the Kona sold in a day and through good-fortune and friends ended up getting a Specialized (which is actually the bike sponsor of CBC, so I didn't feel all that bad) single speed. I've ridden it once so far and am very happy.
I suppose the whole idea of 'single-speed' has gone a bit over-the-top on this thing. Yes, it is made of plastic. And yes, it is incredibly light for a mountain bike. Complete, the bike weighs a scanty 19.09lbs. Rock on.
9 comments:
and as you have mentioned in previous posts, bikes make you feel like a kid again. And that is something to hold onto these days - days when you face parenting choices, and cancer treatment, and rent payments...
I support your (our) love of bikes and the community we find with them. And I love all the great people you have met and all the great feats you have accomplished! Ride on.
Drool!
Nice to see you out at RB Friday. I thought we would have run into each other out on the trail at some point and I would see you grinning ear to ear on that sweet machine. Happy mashing.
Beautiful build, my friend.
I realized I said machine like 5 times in that last post. Machines must be on my brain. Very beautiful bike though. I imagine you'll be smoking fast on it. So you SS or Expert this weekend?
G
Bring your plastic bike and your A game Saturday. This guy could be there: http://ninerbikes.com/fly.aspx?layout=team&taxid=247&roster_taxid=253
g-wiz, I've been debating it for awhile...originally the plan for the year was to always race expert no matter what...but my knee has been messing with me and time/distance is a huge factor as opposed to intensity, so doing 3 laps in SS as opposed to 4 in expert is what I'm planning on.
Na, I think your wrong... Your knee is telling me it want's to do expert... That way I don't have to deal with you in the SS class! Either way I look forward to it, if your there, it's going to make for a tough race... I like tough.
G
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