Yesterday I bought a bike. I've started running lately, about 15-20 miles a week trying to get my legs in shape so I can eventually train hard for a marathon I'd like to run in October. I don't like running every day, and swimming has not proven to be a very enjoyable off day activity, so I decided to try biking.
Growing up, I biked quite a bit. I rode about 3 miles to school in 3rd and 4th grade so that I could stay after and play on the playground. I lived in London and saved up for a 5 speed Raleigh that I loved, but in hindsight was a pretty crappy and overpriced bike. Back in Connecticut, I saved up and bought a 12 speed Motebecane Supermirage, which was quite a good road bike for its time and the money I spent. It made my paper route much easier, I think i had about 40 customers. Simon Cordery gave it a test ride once and crashed, and it was never quite the same, but it was still a pretty good bike. I rode 4 miles to and from swim practice and tennis practice in 7th and 8th grade. I used to ride all over with a friend, and we would draft each other down hills, no helmet, inches apart at 40 miles per hour, makes me shudder.
Anyway, I bought a bike. Bent my wife's arm to allow me to spend a lot to buy a really nice one, a Trek Madone 3.1, all carbon frame, Shimano 105 drive train. Went to Dick's sporting goods and bought some shorts, a shirt, a computer. Went on amazon last night for some tools, more shorts ....
I spent $1800 on the bike and it came without pedals. They gave me some at the shop -- i didn't have time to research and purchase the clipless ones, which I will get next week. I rode 10 miles today on my new bike, with my new bike shorts (still a little modest, I covered them up with some running shorts), and an old shirt that i think is a biking shirt, polyester with a quarter zip. I love the bike, its super fast, but my ass hurts. And there is only two positions in which you can ride and still reach the breaks, that might get really old on a longer ride. It was a nice ride, mostly back roads, but if I start from my home, I cannot avoid the rather major road that our private road empties onto. Thats a dangerous road for biking, i think I need a rear view mirror of some sort.
Date: 07/31/2011 1 PM
Type: Bike (Just for fun)
Distance: 10.74 miles
Time: 0 hr 55 min 00 secs
Average speed: 11.7 miles/hr
Route: First bike ride
Calories: 641.8
