I have been a most delinquent bike rider this year. My excuses are as follows: a difficult summer, very icky weather all around, and sharing one car with Leigh with our only parking space being at my office while also having essentially the same commute. These factors just don't translate to my getting up a smidge earlier to ride my bike into work. This will change soon, however, as we are only moments away from being completely moved out of the old apartment and almost completely settled into the new house, thereby reducing my after work errands significantly. Also, Leigh is now the proud owner of a new car and a shiny new parking space at work, so we no longer need to use my garage space at the courthouse. I'm thinking my old Schwinn is looking like she's ready for a few early morning commutes before the snow hits. Then, who knows, maybe I'll deck her out for some snow riding- studded tires and all.
All these bicycle thoughts have reminded me how much I want a new bicycle. My Schwinn was an $80 Craigslist purchase. She has served me well this past year, but I won't be sad to replace her with something more comfortable and more suited to my needs. Right now I spend most of my riding time on fairly well-groomed trails and roads, but I have my heart set on some serious long haul rides starting next spring (now that I've got my health issues under control). Initially I had plans to buy the Jamis Bosanova, a great unisex touring bike with all the bells and whistles I can afford (this will cost me roughly $1200 when all is said and done). The rest I'd add on aftermarket (like extra racks and panniers). My hope is to order this baby during the break-up next year so it's in my hot little hands by the time the trails are clear of ice.
But yesterday I discovered Sweetpea Bicycles out of Portland, Oregon and I haven't been able to think of much else since. They have two lines: LUST (more or less ready to ride bikes that they measure to fit you) and LOVE (100% custom bikes). These bikes aren't cheap, starting at $1,800 for the most basic LUST bike. The LOVE bikes start around $4,500 and take almost 3 years to receive. So basically buying one of these babies is a big deal. I thought I MIGHT get one in 3-5 years when I have a better job, etc. Then I read the fine print.
To order a LOVE bicycle (i.e. you dream bike) you just need to put $500 down and wait your turn. Then you don't pay the remaining balance until it's finished. So basically I'll have 3 years to save up the rest of the money. Hell, in 3 years Leigh's car will be halfway paid off and I will have been in my new job for 2 whole years. I'll be a completely different person with a completely different budget. All I need is $500, a dream, and an idea of what I want. SOLD! The best part of all is that Leigh says she doesn't mind me doing this. I can even plan to buy the Bosanova in the spring and ride it while I wait for my Sweetpea! I have the best wife in the whole wide world. I suppose if you think of it as my primary mode of transportation and exercise it kind of evens out. Plus I told Leigh last week that I have no plans to buy a new car anytime soon since mine is only 5 years old and paid for. Buying these bikes is my replacement of buying a new car (which I'd imagine a lot of new lawyers do when they get their first real job).
Now let's get to the bike porn:
Couplers: it's a hinge that allows you to FOLD your full-sized bike frame in half so it fits in a suitcase. A bike with couplers can go anywhere with you in the world without paying extra airline fees. My bike will have couplers ($600 add-on) so I can take in on vacation with me anytime I check a suitcase.
This is the Little Black Dress. A great road bike that can be dressed up or down. It's the model they're becoming famous for.
The farmer's market (a custom bike). I knew I'd like this company when I saw this bike.
The HW Jr. This bike is very similar to what I want- designed for long hauls and complete with couplers. The owner of this bike took it to the Paris-Brest-Paris this year. SO JEALOUS! Amazing! I imagine taking my custom bike (with couplers and disc brakes and purple paint) to Europe so I can cycle while vacationing, or to Asia so I can cycle around the countryside, or just to the East Coast when visiting family so I can cycle the rail trails I grew up on. It's amazing how one nice add-on feature can change the functionality of a piece of equipment and your outlook on everything you do. Of course, traveling with a bike like this is going to require some mega insurance just in case.
So that's my current obsession and I'm so super excited to get started. It'll be so much fun to help design the bike and so satisfying to receive it after 3 years of waiting. In the meantime, I'm still stoked to order my Bosanova to get me started in randonnée rides. But for now, I'm going to look forward to riding my Schwinn (and my nordic skis) this winter.
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