Our clocks have now "sprung" forward and the official first day of spring is only one week away. There’s something about
SPRING being in the air that gives me
BIKE FEVER every year...especially after
this wicked winter! Every year it's the same for me. I don't know about you, but when the fresh spring air starts to kick-in along with blissfully sunny, cloud free, 60 degree days, I start thinking back to playing outdoors for hours during my childhood in the Midwest. The first memory that surfaces is the childlike realization that spring had officially arrived because I was finally allowed to wear a windbreaker to school instead of a winter coat. I then recall how each spring, my lips became constantly chapped due to the playing outside so much in the spring winds (
oh -- and how cool it was to have a stick of Cherry Chapstick in my jacket pocket!) and swinging on the playground until the teachers had to force us back inside the school building. Ultimately, I end up thinking about how much fun I had simply biking around the neighborhood as a child. I started out with one of the coolest modes of transportation ever... a red, gold, and black
Big Wheel. If you're too young to know what a Big Wheel is or you DO know and want to reminisce... check out this original commercial for the Big Wheel:
(author update -- 3/16/11 hmmm...the use of the word WINNING in this commercial seems oh so familiar... could Charlie Sheen have borrowed his now famous phrase from the classic 70's Big Wheel commercial? I'm just sayin' ...)
I loved my Big Wheel so much that I actually wore the tires out and had to get yes, a
2nd Big Wheel -- no joking... my parents can back this up! Once I outgrew the 2nd Big Wheel, I moved on to a faster set of wheels...a beautiful little cinnamon red bike with training wheels, an electric blue sparkle seat with white trim, glittery vinyl accents, and the ultimate red, white, & blue streamers flowing from the handlebars. I loved that bicycle, and yes, in case you're wondering I wore the tread on it’s tires out too...
twice. We lived in a somewhat small town of a rather rural community, so, those bicycle tires got a lot of wear on the sidewalk cement by my going around the block, literally, hundreds of times. It's safe to say I started my personal career in endurance sports at a young age, long before I even knew what a triathlon event was. Whether it’s been cycling for fun, racing the neighborhood kids, or the ultimate of biking to the local park with my Dad (
when he wasn’t replacing tires), I've always loved the immediate feeling of freedom that bicycling provides. If you feel a need to truly "get away from it all"... this
IS it.
You can't buy this feeling. Each year when I get on my bike for the first springtime ride, all the fun memories and the rush of excitement of biking through the years comes flooding back. The next time you go out for a triathlon training ride, a group ride, or even just a fun family ride with the kids, don't forget to take a few minutes to think back to those carefree childhood days. Embrace the sun shining down on your face and the feeling of the wind blowing through your hair. You’re not alone if those memories includes a K-tel AM/FM radio mounted on the handlebars of your 10-speed back in the day or the all important custom name plate from the Honey Comb cereal box, hee hee.
And so with seasonal related memories like this... it seems that spring prompts us to start poking around the local bike shop, the
REI store, or various cycling websites for THE super fast TRI bike to get you through our next couple of triathlon seasons. Whether you're a veteran
Enduramom, intermediate triathlete, or a
TRI "newbie", it can be an overwhelming decision to select a triathlon bike. In order to remove some of your shopping anxiety, I've provided some basic tips and helpful article references that will
hopefully ease your buying decisions if you're in the market for a new bike this season. While some of us relish bike shopping time, it is a big purchase -- financially and mentally. As spring rolls around each year…so do some excellent retail programs that allow you to trade-up or in for a better ride.
Don't forget to follow some common sense advice when making a selection:
• Set a budget ...
abide by the budget.
Yes... some bikes actually cost more than a mid-size car. If it’s totally out of your budget to get a new model, look into a used bike, a loaner from a friend, or even a rental.
• Research various bicycle models from multiple manufacturer websites and/or manuals
before you go shopping. Knowing all the ins and outs before you go to the store will prevent an impulse buy and keep you from overpaying for features you may not even need or want.
• Soak up the knowledge of the cycling shop gear-head .
Every store has at least one… okay 3…and you will almost always learn something new from him/her every time you go. If you don't understand a particular bike feature-- ASK...it's their job to know their wares. If a rep doesn't know their bike lines and how to do proper bike fitting... move on.
•
Shop LOCAL if you can...local businesses can
really use your business during these tough times.
BONUS --> they are usually the local hub of all things cycling in your community.
• Ask the old pros in your local TRI club or training buddies for their favorite bike models and store picks ... chances are they will gleefully go along with you to the store, as well as, throw in a proper bike fitting for free! We triathletes have been known to talk about our bikes for … um ... hours.
•
TAKE ADVANTAGE of bike fit services. You don't want to find out that your bike fit is wrong once you reach longer training rides, weeks or days before your race day. Some bike parts are adjustable, but some features are fixed. Don’t let your body pay the price for cutting corners here.
• If you're buying a
used bike, insist on a test ride, measure the frame yourself, and inspect the bike closely for damage--especially the expensive parts like the shifters & aero bars.
Test all the gears. Don't buy sight-unseen unless you're buying a through a business that insures the transaction 100%. Watch out for fraudsters!
Never go alone to purchase a bike listed on a forum or in a classified ad.
• Don't buy a bike on impulse! This is all about function and the long run baby.
• Safety first --don't forget about picking up a sound helmet.
Helpful Articles
A Guide To Women’s Triathlon Bikes -- from Triathlete Women
Buying Used Triathlon Bikes
How to Tri It on a Budget - from AZCentral.com
Want to know more about what makes an Enduramom...? check out our site here...
http://www.enduramoms.com/ or the facebook page here...
www.facebook.com/enduramoms
Happy Cycling!
- Dana
