For months I had known that I had this triathlon coming up and I trained. The bike and I have this love-hate-relationship going on. I really want to love the bike but then I hate it. And it hates me right back - equally. Originally, I just bought a stupid cheap mountain bike at Walmart. I pretty much hated that thing. Then a week before the race, Dan and I went to all the different bike stores in Charlotte and I got to try out all the different road bikes. I have never in my life ridden a *road bike* before. I told Dan this and he just kind of made at me. Lucky for him I know his facial expressions, heh.
Our next door neighbor is a big-time huge cyclist and as I have been training for my tris he has been super helpful. My Cyclist Neighbor John had told me to go to Bicycle Sport and said they would help with all of my cycling needs. My Cyclist Neighbor John also said to try other bike stores, named a few, but that Bicycle Sport would be the best for me.
I went to another bike store first that was by my school and tried a bike there. It was sweet! Mostly because it had pink handle bars. Dan went to another place by our house that sold Scott brand bikes. One of my absolute favorite things about Dan (and no, I am not just saying this because we are getting married in less than three months) is that he always takes an interest in my interests and fully supports everything I do and gets involved, but he never over does it.
I came home from studying (this was during finals time for me) and Dan and I went to Bicycle Sport first. They sell Trek and Cannondal bikes. The nicest most patient person helped us, Chris. We told him the bike was for me and I am starting my journey in the triathlon world, doing a half-Ironman in the next year, and I needed a road bike. We walked over to the women's bikes, he asked how tall I was, then pulled out a beautiful Trek bike. I loved it pretty much instantly. But I knew that I should try out other bikes.
We went to another store, nothing too special happened there. Then we went to another bike store. I did not realize how many different bike stores are located near us until that day. At this bike store we had a very interesting-bad experience. The sales guy did not ask at all what I would be using the bike for. He tried selling us on a steel road bike. I am pretty sure that was the only road bike he had that would be the right size for me. This is the conversation:
Us: Do you have any non-steel frame bikes?
Sales guy: A steel bike is what you need. You know for riding around town.
Me: I am going to be using my bike for triathlons. So a lighter bike would be best for me.
Sales guy: No, a steel bike would work best. Triathlons, it is a short distance on the bike and for you riding around town.
Me: Well the triathlons aren't really a short distance. A half-Ironman isn't that short.
Sales guy: Yes it is. It is a sprint.
Us: Thank you.
We then went to the store that sells Scott bikes. I liked them. Super light weight and the store was awesome. In all truthiness, I wasn't a fan of how to shift gears on the bike. Seems petty, I know, but hey I get to be the one shifting the gears, might as well get something I like.
The next day we back to Bicycle Sport and we bought me Pegasus. They totally hooked me and Pegasus up! For example, Chris, the Bicycle Sport guy, made my handle bars pink for me. He put water bottle things on my bike and toe-jail things on my pedals for me. And when I am ready for big girl bike-toe-clip-pedal-things they will put on the pedals for me and teach me how to do the whole "clipping in and out" thing. But here is the best part! Any tune up that Pegasus needs or repairs is free! Free meaning if I need a new part I pay for the part but they do all the heavy lifting. But they do so much more than that too. I was putting air in my tires before a morning ride and I completely snapped the air valve in my tire in half. They sort of showed me how to change a tube but I did not have the confidence to do it all by myself. Bicycle Sport was closed that day (Sunday, everything is closed on Sunday or has really limited hours). I took Pegasus in the next day and they walked me how to change the tube in my tire.
Bicycle Sport is amazing!
And the name "Pegasus" seemed appropriate for my bike. Pegasus delivered Zeus' lightning bolts. Or if you go with the Disney version, Pegasus was Hercules' horse. Win-win either way!
We went to another store, nothing too special happened there. Then we went to another bike store. I did not realize how many different bike stores are located near us until that day. At this bike store we had a very interesting-bad experience. The sales guy did not ask at all what I would be using the bike for. He tried selling us on a steel road bike. I am pretty sure that was the only road bike he had that would be the right size for me. This is the conversation:
Us: Do you have any non-steel frame bikes?
Sales guy: A steel bike is what you need. You know for riding around town.
Me: I am going to be using my bike for triathlons. So a lighter bike would be best for me.
Sales guy: No, a steel bike would work best. Triathlons, it is a short distance on the bike and for you riding around town.
Me: Well the triathlons aren't really a short distance. A half-Ironman isn't that short.
Sales guy: Yes it is. It is a sprint.
Us: Thank you.
We then went to the store that sells Scott bikes. I liked them. Super light weight and the store was awesome. In all truthiness, I wasn't a fan of how to shift gears on the bike. Seems petty, I know, but hey I get to be the one shifting the gears, might as well get something I like.
The next day we back to Bicycle Sport and we bought me Pegasus. They totally hooked me and Pegasus up! For example, Chris, the Bicycle Sport guy, made my handle bars pink for me. He put water bottle things on my bike and toe-jail things on my pedals for me. And when I am ready for big girl bike-toe-clip-pedal-things they will put on the pedals for me and teach me how to do the whole "clipping in and out" thing. But here is the best part! Any tune up that Pegasus needs or repairs is free! Free meaning if I need a new part I pay for the part but they do all the heavy lifting. But they do so much more than that too. I was putting air in my tires before a morning ride and I completely snapped the air valve in my tire in half. They sort of showed me how to change a tube but I did not have the confidence to do it all by myself. Bicycle Sport was closed that day (Sunday, everything is closed on Sunday or has really limited hours). I took Pegasus in the next day and they walked me how to change the tube in my tire.
Bicycle Sport is amazing!
And the name "Pegasus" seemed appropriate for my bike. Pegasus delivered Zeus' lightning bolts. Or if you go with the Disney version, Pegasus was Hercules' horse. Win-win either way!
No comments:
Post a Comment