I have been threatening to buy a bicycle for quite some time and I finally did just that. I drove to Vancouver with Erik (thanks again for your help) to look at four used bikes that an older gentleman (Frank) had that I found on Craigslist. It was a toss-up between the Schwinn and the Diamondback, but I finally went for the 21-speed Diamondback because it seemed to be in a little better condition and felt more comfortable. Also it had new grips, metal brake levers, a quick release front wheel and seat post, a chain guard of sorts on the front sprockets, and a bottle rack, but no bottle. I paid $120 for this Diamondback Outlook (started life as a mountain bike) that has decent wheels that are 1/2" narrower than stock, new tires, and higher bars. It does have a few scratches , but overall looks pretty good. I researched all of the components on the bike and found out that they are all near the top end of the lower quality level. The non-stock wheels and hubs are the best components on the bike. So I didn't get any kind of smokin' deal, but I didn't do terrible either.
Within a couple of days I also bought a helmet, a U-lock, and lights for the front and rear. It was a pleasant surprise to find out that the cheapest bike helmets offer pretty much the same protection as expensive ones, sometimes even better. The lights were kind of expensive, but that was something that I wanted to be of good quality. I want to be seen at night. They are both LED, can either be always on or flashing, are very bright, and use batteries that I already have rechargeable replacements for. And I got a lower-priced, but decent combination U-lock (no key!). I can use a small cable lock that I already have for the seat.
After riding it for a couple of days, I noticed that the seat was old, bent, and no longer very comfortable for my fat ass so I also bought a (cheap!) new saddle today. It's wider and a lot more comfortable, but I think it might take a some fiddling to get it in just the right spot. I will probably be getting fenders before too long so I can stay a little drier and a lot cleaner in the rain. I've already spent more on other stuff than I did on the bike. I hope to justify the money I spend with fewer auto-related expenses and better health. There is a whole list of other things I would like to get but can't really justify right now. At the very least, I would still like to assemble a small repair/flat kit for on the road. And some chain lube. If I can find a suitable small magnet and the right battery I can reuse the inexpensive cycling computer that I had on the GPz and took off before selling it. It would be nice to know exactly how far I am going.
I hope to start commuting to school and using a bike for any trips less than 5 miles or so. Maybe even more once I have been riding for a while. I have been going out at least twice a day and riding for 20+ minutes each time. I forgot how much fun riding a bike is. And it is so much faster and better exercise than walking. I'm pretty sure I rode close to 10 miles today. I went out first thing this morning for a short ride and then I rode to Erik and Mary Kate's to buy some eggs around dusk. Due to good timing I ended up eating some delicious barbequed beef and chicken while I was there. It was my first bike trip where I had an actual destination, rather than just aimless riding in the neighborhoods near my house. I was a little winded and sweaty when I got there, but not terribly so. I'm pretty happy with how much easier it is after just a few days. It will be even better once I get the seat adjusted. It was way too far forward and put a lot of weight on my already compromised wrists.
Bikes are MUCH easier to understand and work on than motorcycles, but I still have a lot to learn. I still haven't even got the brakes adjusted right yet. They are getting closer, but it is tricky. I haven't even tried to mess with any of the derailleur settings yet. I might pay someone to do a tuneup on it. Portland is a HUGE bike town and there are lots of bike mechanics around who work out of their homes and charge very reasonable rates. They are also usually willing to show you what they are doing and explain stuff to you if you show an interest. I think it would be a well-spent $40. I could do all the regular maintenance and repairs myself after that. Except for the special tools I would need to get. Luckily most of them are pretty inexpensive. The costs just keep piling up. Why did I think this would be any different than motorcycles? Again, at least it's cheaper.
I'm really happy that I started riding again. Although I've ridden a few bikes here and there over the years, I haven't owned one or ridden more than a handful of miles in over 25 years. It's always been about motorcycles and I didn't feel the need before now. But I'm super excited about starting again. I hope to start burning a lot more calories and losing some more weight. I kept off the ten pounds I lost in the last couple months, but haven't been able to make any additional progress with just walking. Getting a bike seemed like a good next step. It's fun to think about not having a car at all, but I'm certainly no where near that at this point.
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