buying a bike

 So, John and I went into a bike shop this past weekend.  He knows about bikes he rides and things he likes to do, but since I'm years behind what he does, we went to his favorite bike shop from when he was a kid.  Very service oriented, no hard sells.

I highly recommend anyone new to biking who wants to buy a bike bring a cyclist with you.  They were speaking a foreign language half the time.  I was able to communicate what MY goals were for a bike, but since I have really no frame of reference for what I like/dislike, it was good to have John with me to at least remind me of the bike I have been riding (ok, I rode it 3 times last summer), and how that is similar/different to what they were suggesting for me.

It seems like I will be ending up with a hybrid/fitness bike from Specialized or Trek (if we stick with this shop).  I barely know what that means, other than it won't have big fat tires like his Mountain bike, but will have straight handles like that, and I will be sitting way more upright than if on a road bike.

I even avoided asking "does it come in pink?".  

It was REALLY important to be able to articulate exactly how I wanted to use a bike.  They had a different model type in mind before we explained that our eventual goal was to get off-road and ride longer than 20 miles in a day - that changed a lot of what they'd suggest for me.  How thrilled am I about riding more than 20 miles in a day?  I'm ok with that.  Off-roading?  Wish John luck.  I'm pretty content putting around town, going on the paved rail trail.

This will probably be a forever bike for me.  If John has his way, a Mountain bike will be in my future too, but this will be a bike I can use for my shorter term goals - riding to work in nice weather, running some errands on the weekends, getting out for some fitness and starting to try unpaved trails, etc.  Who knows, maybe a duathalon in my future!

now you just need to buy some goggles and a swim cap :)

 She doesn't even really need the swim cap, just goggles!

 OMG, have you seen all this crazy hair I have? definitely a swim cap.  I mean, if I were remotely interested.  LOL

I was captain of my high school swim team.  Now I see water and just think "cold!!!". 

Anyway, nowhere near my list of priorities, but I'm excited to see how I take to the bike since I have very lukewarm feelings about it now and hope to get a little more interested since John really gave running a good shot (and has continued it after Goofy).

They will provide you with a swim cap at the race.  Then pretty soon you will be collecting them like race shirts.

 and I'm gonna go back to remembering that i'm going to try and learn how to ride the damn thing.  

Oh and I'm joining a soccer team this summer - never played before.

and if you haven't noticed, being a triathlete is like being in a cult.  except our koolaid tastes like poweraide mixed with gels.

 I bought 4 cases of powerade zero last week when they went on sale!

 Besides doing Tri races is a great justification for owning a bike worth more than your car!

 I'm already choking on the price of this bike!  and then all the padded shorts to wear with it! OMG