trifecta achieved

[juldea]

I have a bike!

chaiya and I went to the yard sale we had seen advertise having a bicycle, and lo and behold, it did. A men's mountain bike, but with a smallish frame. They inflated the tires for us (it had been sitting in a garage for years) and I rode it up and down the street several times with the seat at various heights, playing with the shifters, showing chaiya my posture (as a bodyworker, she has valuable insight on these things.) What modifications might need to be done to the bike were discussed. In the end, though, it was priced at TEN DOLLARS which, if you know anything about bikes, is clearly a price put on it by someone who doesn't know any thing about bikes.

The plan we worked out is that I'll buy the ten dollar bike and all the non-specific-to-that-bike accessories that I would need to ride it around a bit: helmet w/ mirro, lights, lock, reflecting pantsleg straps. Then, ride it around a bit, specifically a week or two. If it works out, then I can spend money upgrading that particular bike (new tires, perhaps new handlebars, storage racks, fenders.) If it doesn't work out, I can probably sell it for more than $10!

I avoided the temptation to ride it to Waltham (~10m) yesterday for bleemoo's birthday party, but I'm about to take it down to the Cambridgeside Galleria (where I will get an eye exam to get a prescription that will get me new glasses online!)

I was right: I can at least be happy about my shop-fu. Other aspects of life, not so much. ("Stormy Weather" has been playing in my head too much lately.)

Comments

[corwyn-ap.livejournal.com]

Can I recommend that you get someone knowledgeable to help you get it properly adjusted? Small, unintuitive changes make a huge difference. Perhaps you can talk to hawkegirl.

[nightskyre.livejournal.com]

FWIW, you probably don't have to replace the tires - just the tubes.

Tubes are cheap, less than $10 for both, and you really should do it before selling it at all (it's a considerate thing to do)

[juldea.livejournal.com]

I would not at all mind assistance from anyone who knows their stuff - many times moreso if it's free assistance! chaiya was very good for this, and there was a very nice woman at the bike shop who I will probably be speaking to more. I don't know hawkegirl, but if she is local to Boston and willing to dedicate some time, send her my email address! (the same user name @gmail)

[juldea.livejournal.com]

It's true, I probably wouldn't have to replace the tires, even though they're pretty cracked up, but the fact that they're cracked up plus the fact that they're mountain bike terrain tires means I'd rather replace them for newer road tires for better traction on pavement. I'm planning on most of my riding to be on paved roads.

The back tube has already been changed out; that was another thing we had to stop at the store for as part of the "everything I need" category, as it was flat.