New Bike Day!

New bike day might be even better than Christmas Day.

The shiny beauty of a new bicycle makes it hard to tear my eyes away. Even better, there's the promise of adventures that await.

I haven't owned a lot of bicycles in my life, but I'm making up for lost time now.

I'll never forget my first bike. She was a beauty! I loved cruising around my little hometown.

My first bike was a Schwinn Stingray.

My second bike was a Pepto Bismol-pink ten speed bought secondhand. I delivered newspapers on it for a short time.

I got a bright red Bianchi mountain bike in college, but I didn't ride it much. Those were my seriously lazy years. It got stolen at some point.

Dolce Elite and Specialized Hard Rock

 
When I moved to DC after college, I got a navy blue Specialized Hard Rock. I eventually switched to hybrid tires and rode all over DC, Arlington and the C&O Canal towpath. 

I loved the feel of the heavy steel, though now it seems like a tank at 29.7 pounds! 

On our second real date, Hubz and I went on a bike ride around DC. It was astride my Hard Rock that I realized I was in love with him.

Sadly, in recent years this bike aggravates my bulging disc so I haven't ridden it in awhile.

My most recent ride has been a 2008 Specialized Dolce Elite. She's nimble, and light, being made of aluminum. This was my first bike with clipless pedals. 


I have commuted many miles and rode a half century at The Back Roads on the Dolce Elite. Unfortunately 50 miles is probably my upper limit on her as my back starts to complain after that.

Specialized Dolce Elite on a Fall morning at the Tidal Basin

I've been stalking the Surly Long Haul Trucker for awhile now. I finally marched into Bicycle Space to see my friend Marko for a test ride.

I was immediately smitten with the comfortable fit and the feel of steel between me and the road. Sometimes you just know.

My Precious.

This baby is equipped with everything I need to get me around in style. I finally made the switch from backpack to pannier. I'm getting used to the different gearing. Suddenly no hill seems too steep to climb, and I'm actually enjoying the more leisurely pace of my bike commute.

I'm optimistic that the geometry and fit will keep my back happy on some long rides in the near future. 

And who knows? Maybe one day, I'll use her for her intended purpose: Touring.