New wheels
I picked up a new mountain bike today. I've been banging around on an entry-level Raleigh M50 for eight years, and I've reached the point where the cost of maintenance and repairs is more than the bike is worth. I talked it over with my wife, and we decided that an early combination birthday/Christmas present is in order. So, after copious research, a lot of back and forth on the options available in stores and on the Internet and a little tugging at the edges of a budget dictated by the realities of family life, I went to the local bike shop and dickered my way to a pretty good price on a Gary Fisher Cobia.
The Cobia is a 29er--a bike with 29-inch wheels--in contrast to the 26-inch wheels found on most mountain bikes. The component set isn't stellar, but the bike is within my budget (after a little bargaining) and is well-reviewed in all the online biking forums. More important, it feels good to ride. It's a huge step up from what I've been riding. The Cobia is my first 29er and, I'm embarrassed to say, my first bike with clipless pedals--I've been using platforms since the Jurassic Era.
Yeah, I had to bargain over the price of a pair of cycling shoes too.
After I bought the bike, I talked to my wife on the phone and started waxing eloquent about my new purchase. I went on about how much I loved the 29-inch wheels, the feel of the bike under me and the easy shifting. She had one question: What color is the bike? The funny thing is, after all the research, all the time hashing over the relative attributes of bikes in my price range with bike-shop sales staffers, the test ride, and the time in the shop while my bike was tuned, I drew a blank.
It's dark now, and the bike is out in the shed. I still can't picture the color of the frame.
But I remember what it felt like on the test ride.
The Cobia is a 29er--a bike with 29-inch wheels--in contrast to the 26-inch wheels found on most mountain bikes. The component set isn't stellar, but the bike is within my budget (after a little bargaining) and is well-reviewed in all the online biking forums. More important, it feels good to ride. It's a huge step up from what I've been riding. The Cobia is my first 29er and, I'm embarrassed to say, my first bike with clipless pedals--I've been using platforms since the Jurassic Era.
Yeah, I had to bargain over the price of a pair of cycling shoes too.
After I bought the bike, I talked to my wife on the phone and started waxing eloquent about my new purchase. I went on about how much I loved the 29-inch wheels, the feel of the bike under me and the easy shifting. She had one question: What color is the bike? The funny thing is, after all the research, all the time hashing over the relative attributes of bikes in my price range with bike-shop sales staffers, the test ride, and the time in the shop while my bike was tuned, I drew a blank.
It's dark now, and the bike is out in the shed. I still can't picture the color of the frame.
But I remember what it felt like on the test ride.
posted by J.D. Tuccille at
8:38 PM
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